Birmingham What's On May 2017

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Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands

BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON MAY 2017

Birmingham

MICKY FLANAGAN AT BARCLAYCARD ARENA

ISSUE 377 MAY 2017

’ What sOn FILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTS I FOOD

birminghamwhatson.co.uk

PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP TWITTER @WHATSONBRUM BIRMINGHAMWHATSON.CO.UK

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Contents May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 24/04/2017 14:38 Page 2

May 2017

Contents

Funny Girl - Sheridan Smith stars as Fanny Brice at the Hippodrome preview on page 24

the list

Tommy

Glynn Purnell

Ballet Black

Radical new take on iconic musical at The Rep

Yummie Brummie on realising his childhood dreams

Daring triple bill at the Patrick Centre

Your 16-page week-by-week listings guide

feature page 8

interview page 10

page 35

page 51

inside: 4. First Word

13. Food

16. Music

22. Comedy

24. Theatre

36. Film

38. Visual Arts

45. Events

@whatsonbrum

fb.com/whatsonbirmingham

@whatsonbirmingham

Birmingham What’s On Magazine

Birmingham What’s On Magazine

Birmingham What’s On Magazine

What’sOn MAGAZINE GROUP

Managing Director: Davina Evans davina@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281708 Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse lei@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281703 Chris Horton chris@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281704 Yvonne Kentfield yvonne@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281706 Editorial: Lauren Foster lauren@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281707 Sue Jones sue@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281705 Brian O’Faolain brian@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281701 Abi Whitehouse abi@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281716 Ryan Humphreys ryan@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281722 Adrian Parker adrian.parker@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281714 Rhian Atherton rhian@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281726 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Heather Kincaid, Katherine Ewing, Lauren Cox Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry julia@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine.

We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it.

All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers.

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Entertainment news from around the region

Blockbuster productions to visit Birmingham theatre Massive West End hits Wicked, Matilda and War Horse are to visit Birmingham Hippodrome as part of the venue’s 2017/18 programme of shows.

The three blockbuster productions are joined in the theatre’s line-up by Tim Firth’s hotly anticipated musical-comedy, The Band - featuring the music of Take That.

Other highlights include Samantha Womack and Les Dennis in the first UK touring production of The Addams Family and Sir Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Boublil & Schönberg’s musical masterpiece, Miss Saigon.

Commenting on the line-up, the Hippodrome’s Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Fiona Allan, said: “Our claim to being ‘the West End in the West Midlands’ is further reinforced with the launch of our new season.”

For more information, visit birminghamhippodrome.com

New Birmingham festival goes Beyond The Tracks A new three-day rock music festival in Birmingham city centre will be headlined by Orbital, Leftfield and local bands Ocean Colour Scene and Editors.

Beyond The Tracks takes place from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 September on a large area of grassland between Park Street, Fazeley Street and New Canal Street.

Tickets for the event cost £49.50 per day (£40 for NUS card holders) and can be purchased from beyondthetracks.co.uk

Birmingham folk band to mark 20th anniversary Birmingham’s Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, the UK's biggest folk band, are marking their 20th anniversary year with a new album and a series of special appearances.

Formed and based at the city’s prestigious Conservatoire, the ensemble’s touring lineup features a staggering 50 musicians.

The band are kicking off their anniversary celebrations with a performance at Birming4 whatsonlive.co.uk

ham Town Hall on 12 May. They will also be hosting their own Power Folk 4 event in the city on 11 June and making the relatively short journey to Shrewsbury in August to open the town’s annual folk festival.

The ensemble’s new album, Painted, is released on 11 June and is their first full studio album. For more information, visit folkensemble.co.uk

Spandau star in world record-busting attempt Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena will this Christmas host a festive family show that’s bidding to enter the record books.

The company behind Peter Pan - Christmas In Neverland is hoping the production will be confirmed by Guinness World Records as the world’s biggest Christmas show.

Starring Bradley Walsh and Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, the production features numerous ‘stunning’ special effects, including a lifesize Jolly Roger galleon which will ‘sail’ around the arena in front of a 10,000-gallon water wall.

The show also includes a team of BMX stunt riders, six ‘thrilling’ aerial mermaids, a ‘crazy collection’ of trapeze and trampoline stuntmen and ‘the biggest, scariest animatronic crocodile you’ve ever seen’.

Peter Pan - Christmas In Neverland runs at the Barclaycard Arena from 20 to 24 December. Tickets are now available from ticketfactory.com or by calling 0844 33 88

Showcasing the very best of European theatre Birmingham’s annual performing arts festival is this year taking place from 4 to 8 July.

The BE FESTIVAL (Birmingham European Festival) celebrates the diversity and breadth of emerging talent from across the continent through an innovative programme of theatre, dance, circus, music, site-specific performance and visual arts.

Based at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the festival offers audiences the chance to engage in professional workshops, chat to performers, sample four performances per night, eat dinner together on the theatre’s mainstage, and dance towards dawn via a latenight programme of live music and DJs. For more information, visit befestival.org.

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First Word Comics stand up for refugees Three of Birmingham’s best-known comedians will be performing their standup routines in aid of a worthy cause at the end of this month.

Joe Lycett, Barbara Nice and Jo Enright will join Nish Kumar, Robin Ince and ‘a very special guest’ at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Wednesday 31 May to take part in comedy show Stand Up For Refugees. The aim of the event is to raise money for Help Refugees, a charity set up in response to the current humanitarian crisis.

For more information, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk

Birmingham Weekender 2017 announces star attractions A parade featuring a magnificent Indian elephant made of metal, reclaimed bicycle parts and other recycled materials will be one of the highlights at the 2017 edition of the Birmingham Weekender event.

The city’s biggest arts festival makes a welcome return in the autumn, running from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 September. Other recently announced highlights of the event include a three-day participatory dance experience, a ‘spectacular outdoor evening’ of drumming and pyrotechnics, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group performing on narrowboats near the Sea Life Centre and an alternative village fete... Keep an eye on birminghamweekender.com over the coming months for news about further additions to the festival’s programme.

Pride in the city The Midlands’ biggest LGBT festival, Birmingham Pride, is this month celebrating its 20th anniversary.

As usual taking place over the spring bank holiday weekend (Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 May), the festival’s lineup includes popular music acts performing on the main stage, a cabaret marquee, dance and women’s arenas and a host of community stalls. A Saturday lunchtime carnival parade through the city streets provides a lively and colourful curtain-raiser to a weekend of fun and partying.

This year’s performers include Dua Lipa, Basement Jaxx, Gabrielle, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Jonas Blue, Sigala, Boney M and many more. For more information, visit birminghampride.com

Rita joins Peter and the Wolf at Symphony Hall The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) is this month performing a work designed to introduce chamber orchestra instruments to young audiences.

Anthony Horowitz and Jonathan Dove’s The Crocodiamond (or Rita And The Wolf), will be performed by the CBSO alongside Prokofiev’s famous symphonic fairytale for children, Peter And The Wolf.

The concert lasts for one hour, with no interval, and is being presented at the city’s Symphony Hall on Sunday 14 May.

Two BBC shows for the price of one Two of the BBC’s most popular live events are once again taking place at Birmingham’s NEC next month with visitors able to access both shows for the price of only one.

The summer edition of the BBC Good Food Show and the annual Gardeners’ World Live event - this year celebrating a half century of the much-loved TV programme - provide visitors with the chance to enjoy a weekend packed with garden inspiration and artisan food and drink.

Both taking place from 15 to 18 June, the shows include appearances by some of television’s best-known gardeners and food experts, including Joe Wicks (aka The Body Coach), Monty Don, Mary Berry, Alan Titchmarsh and James Martin.

If you purchase a ticket for one of the shows, access to the other is absolutely free.

For more information, visit the events’ websites: bbcgoodfoodshow.com and bbcgardenersworldlive.com whatsonlive.co.uk 5

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by Lauren Cox

CANALSIDE BARS No true Brummie is a stranger to the fact that Birmingham has more miles of canal than Venice, and no true Brummie is a stranger to enjoying a refreshing beverage in the sun. With that in mind, we’ve handpicked some of the city centre’s best canalside pubs and bars - complete with fantastic views - for you to sample during the hopefully hot days of summer...

Aluna

The Gin Vault

Pitcher & Piano

Feeling adventurous? Try out this specialist cocktail bar in The Mailbox, offering unique twists on classic favourites.

With colour-changing cocktails, fire sprays and even a lava-lamp-inspired drink, be amazed at the science behind the cocktails at Aluna, which sits on the water offering beautiful views all the way down the canal.

Located on Gas Street on the canal between The Mailbox and Brindleyplace is an almost-secret door with a staircase leading to an independently run gin bar.

Offering an oasis of gin in the heart of the city - there are more than 30 different brands on offer - this hidden gem is a ginlover’s paradise.

With a stunning outside seating area situated right on the edge of the canal, Pitcher & Piano is the ideal location for summertime drinking whatever the weather, time of day or occasion.

The bar and restaurant serves a whole host of beers, wines, spirits and cocktails.

The Mailbox, 128-130 Wharfside St, Birmingham B1 1RQ

16 Gas St, Birmingham B1 2JT

Canalside Cafe

place for an after-work tipple with friends.

This quaint country-style pub and eatery is the perfect location for drinking a pint whilst watching the canal boats glide past. Sitting right on the edge of the canal, the pub boasts stunning waterside views from inside and outside. The unpredictable British weather won’t stop the fun here.

The Mailbox, 166-168 Wharfside St, Birmingham B1 1RL

35 Gas St, Birmingham B1 2JU

Gas Street Social Situated canalside at The Mailbox, with views from the outside seating area looking over the water, this popular haunt offers a wide selection of international beers and wines, along with craft, classic and sharing cocktails. Gas Street Social is the perfect

Malt House The Malt House boasts one of Birmingham's most picturesque canalside views. Now a popular, traditional British pub, this former maltings is located a stone’s throw from the Barclaycard Arena, making it the perfect place for a pre-gig pint.

75 King Edwards Rd, Birmingham B1 2NX

Tap & Spile Overlooking the city’s famous Gas Street canal basin is the almost-200-year-old Tap &

The Water’s Edge, Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2HP

Spile. What can start off as some innocent daytime drinking in the sunshine, watching the canal slowly flow by, can easily turn into a wild night of karaoke at this hugely popular and traditional-style pub.

16 Gas St, Birmingham B1 2JT

The Flapper The Flapper is one of Birmingham’s leading independent live music venues. With great views from the huge beer garden overlooking the canal and regular live music events, this indie canalside pub is the place to be this summer.

Cambrian Wharf, Kingston Row, Birmingham B1 2NU

There’s soon to be a welcome addition to Birmingham’s collection of canalside venues. New World Trading Company - aka the people behind Temple Row’s Botanist - have announced that they’re opening The Canal House in the former James Brindley pub on Bridge Street, overlooking the canal. Watch this space! whatsonlive.co.uk 7

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FEATURE

A new vibration Ramps On The Moon present a radical new take on The Who's Tommy It's over 40 years since the ‘deaf, dumb and blind kid’ of The Who's Pinball Wizard made his stage debut in the musical he inspired.

But a new production of Tommy will mark the first time the character has been played by a disabled actor.

Leading man William Grint is not alone.

Conceived as an ambitious project to fundamentally change the ways in which both audiences and performers with disabilities are regarded in mainstream theatre, the scheme behind the musical, national theatre consortium Ramps On The Moon, produces shows with truly diverse casts, fully integrating elements like BSL and captioning in new and inventive ways.

Among the member venues of this partnership is the Birmingham REP, which hosts the show this month as part of a wider national tour. We found out more from the show's director, Kerry Michael, Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East.

“Ramps On The Moon is a consortium of six regional theatres who’ve come together to try to change the landscape with regard to inclusion in the mainstream,” he explains.

“One strand of this is audience - so typically on Tuesday nights we'd have the signed performance of a show, and on Wednesdays there'd be a captioned performance, but in this case, whenever you come to see it, it will be fully accessible. The other part is putting people with disabilities at the heart of the work, so it's also about casting and profile.”

The operative word here is ‘mainstream’.

Inspired by the success of Graeae Theatre's The Threepenny Opera in 2014, the first production to come out of this

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groundbreaking collaboration was The Government Inspector, directed by Roxana Silbert and staged at Birmingham REP in March last year. As people lucky enough to have seen it will recall, it was one of those rare and thrilling instances where a production feels genuinely unlike anything that has gone before. By highlighting rather than hiding elements like captioning and signing, it cleverly transformed them from necessary concessions into assets - tools to be used for the entertainment of the whole audience rather than only those who needed them - opening eyes to a wealth of previously untapped resources. It's a tough act for Tommy to follow, but so far things sound promising.

“I've worked with actors with various impairments in other productions,” says Michael, “and we co-produced Reasons To Be Cheerful with Graeae, but I've never done anything on this kind of scale before.

What's exciting with this piece is that the BSL has created a whole other language on stage. In addition to the acting, singing, dancing and music, as a director, I've got a new layer of subtext to exploit.”

It's not the best reflection of the industry that inclusivity is still the exception rather than the norm, but it's nonetheless exciting to be witnessing the beginnings of really radical structural change, where mixedability casts are not just playing small-scale shows to certain self-selecting audiences, but are rewriting the rules of large-scale comedies and musicals with wide appeal.

“There are a number of reasons why we chose Tommy. Firstly, it's got a cracking rock album score which is really entertaining.

Second, there's a character who has perceived disabilities at the heart of it, and with an inclusive cast, you can explore the storytelling and the politics in a way that’s really exciting, with a group of disabled and non-disabled actors taking ownership of the language. And then there's the fact that it's set in the ’60s, so you've got the whole aspect of looking at the period and how perceptions around disability have or haven't changed since then.”

This retrospective view of the story is embedded in the structure of Michael's production, with a brand new sequence set in 2017 showing Tommy looking back over his life. The additional scene contains one of two new songs written specifically for the production by The Who's Pete Townshend, the other being a kind of reprise of the Acid Queen number featured in Act One. In the original production, Tommy meets the Acid Queen - a prostitute and drug dealer otherwise known as The Gypsy - during a visit to the Isle of Dogs. This revamped version not only sees the character played as a drag queen by Peter Straker, but also has her return in the second act, giving her a journey of her own and allowing audiences to find out what became of her. “(Pete) has been very supportive. We've been talking to him regularly. We've had meetings with him and he's seen various drafts of what we've been doing, so in that sense he's been very engaged. He hasn't seen the show yet because he's got his own show on - literally the same day we had our first preview, he was opening The Who's unplugged gig tour, so we're on the road at the same time. I'm hoping that he'll get to see it at some point during the tour, but I

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by Heather Kincaid

think he's off in Vegas at the moment. It's a tough life, being a rock star!”

The production emerges at a time when stage musicals based around pre-existing songs by rock or pop bands seem more popular than ever. But there are key differences between a show like Tommy and the current roster of jukebox musicals ranging from Mamma Mia! to Thriller Live.

“Back in the ’60s and ’70s there were a number of shows based on concept albums like Tommy and Jesus Christ Superstar, where each song was already designed to progress a story on. That's very different from a jukebox musical, where you take someone's back catalogue and try to shoehorn the songs into a story as an afterthought.

“But I think all of these things are popular

because we love the recognition of songs we know and can sing along to. With Tommy, it's talking to a generation of people who remember hearing the songs for the first time when they were young and rebellious.

Seeing that audience reliving those memories 40 years on is really fun and makes for a great night out.”

In his capacity as Artistic Director at Stratford East, musicals are currently a particular focus for Michael, who’s recently launched a scheme called the New Musical Development Collective to help generate challenging and innovative musical theatre projects.

“Musical theatre is something that we're very passionate about, and I think having new voices in musical theatre is really important. Music has a visceral connection

with audiences and is a really good tool for connecting with communities. Musicals also tend to be more cross-generational, so you have the experience of sharing shows as a family.”

For Michael, who’s stepping down from his position at the end of 2017 after taking the theatre from strength to strength over the last 12 years, Tommy looks set to be one of many ways he'll be heading out with a bang. “(Tommy has) been the most positive experience I've had as a director for a long time. Has it been a challenge? Yes, to a degree, but it's also been a really joyous process.”

The Who's Tommy shows at Birmingham Repertory Theatre from Wednesday 17 to Saturday 27 May

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FEATURE

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by Heather Kincaid

Glynn Purnell The Yummy Brummie on living his childhood dream Ten thousand pounds prize money, 30 episodes, 16 competing couples, two judges and just one Yummy Brummie – it's a recipe that 7wonder is hoping will impress when it serves up a second helping of My Kitchen Rules UK on Channel 4.

Last year’s debut season saw the Aussie import led by chefs Prue Leith and Michael Caines, but with the brand new Bake-Off piling plenty on Prue's plate, the company seized the chance to shake things up by handing over to Dublin's Rachel Allen and Birmingham's own inimitable Glynn Purnell.

As filming for the series prepares to start here in the city, we spoke to the local legend about life in the limelight and claiming Birmingham's place on the culinary map.

“I've met Rachel a few times at the Good Food Show,” says Glynn, “and she's been to my Bistro for a few cocktails before probably a few too many, as you do - but we've never worked together before. We just had a training session yesterday and apparently we work really well on screen together. She's lovely - obviously the better looking of the duo!”

For the benefit of those who've yet to sample its delights, My Kitchen Rules is a kind of marriage of MasterChef and Come Dine With Me. Taking part in pairs, contestants are given fixed budgets and time constraints within which to plan their meals and prep their homes for visitors. Recurring and guest judges are then served home-cooked meals as if eating in a restaurant. In addition to the quality of the food, couples are also judged on presentation, service and décor - which Purnell says should be even more “glamorous” and “spectacular” this year.

While developing a cooking show might seem like entering a market as saturated as a

block of butter, there's an extent to which it’s always a safe bet. No matter how much of it might fill their screens, people seem to love looking at amazing food.

“Food is just everything, isn't it? Whether you're eating a sandwich or dining out in a Michelin-star restaurant, it's something that's always on the agenda. It's connected to every occasion - weddings, birthdays, even funerals. It's subjective as well, so what you like and what other people like are completely different, and I think that makes for good television. And whenever you see people making food, it makes you hungry especially nowadays with the big screens in HD, where you can see every drop of juice.”

With two restaurants to run as well as three young kids at home, adding TV to the mix isn't always easy, but the chef is careful not to bite off more than he can chew.

“It's all about having a balance of doing enough to keep people interested, and making time to stay focused on the restaurant. I’ve been able to set up shoots on my days off, and a lot of the show is filmed in Birmingham, which is fantastic, because it's obviously the centre of the universe. But I probably turn down more TV than I do. It seems like I do a lot, but I think that's just because I'm loud and people remember me more - and maybe partly because I drone on in a Brummie accent!”

It’s largely thanks to Purnell’s influence that the Birmingham food scene has undergone such a radical shift in recent years. With six Michelin-star restaurants - more than any other UK city outside London - as well as thriving indie coffee shops and street food, it’s certainly a far cry from the ‘culinary desert’ that national papers were describing when he started out.

“I think Birmingham's always had a diverse food culture, with things like the Balti Triangle, but it was never really one that people would travel to experience. Twenty years ago, for us to be twinned with Lyon, which is the home of gastronomy in France, it was quite striking. When I opened Jessica's in 2003, almost all the restaurants were chains. I like to think I've contributed quite heavily to the fact that it's become a food destination.”

Amazingly, it's been almost 10 years since Purnell left behind what he’d built up at Jessica's to set up on his own. Now, with his name above the door of two highly successful restaurants and emblazoned on the uniforms of ranks of staff, he's living his childhood dream. There's not much left to check off the list - though he jokes he might consider running for West Midlands Mayor but with two major anniversaries this year for the Bistro on 7 September and Purnell's on 7 July - there are certainly some celebrations to look forward to.

“This year the Bistro is five years old, and I think the average independent restaurant lasts for three to four years, so to have kept it going this long is very positive. We'll probably have a bit of a party there with some regulars, and maybe a special menu running for the week. For Purnell's, I've got something really fun planned, but all I can say at the moment is that whether you're Mrs Jones living in a one-bedroom maisonette or whether you're a lord or lady, you'll have just as much chance of coming to eat here on the anniversary night!”

My Kitchen Rules UK airs on Channel 4 later this year and is still looking for contestants. To apply, visit 7wonder.co.uk

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Food in beurre noisette and dill. The cod was by far the best I’ve ever tasted, being both soft in texture and nicely seasoned. The mussel chowder complemented the fish perfectly, as did all the other elements.

REVIEW: Purnell’s

Michelin-starred restaurant a worthy What’s On Readers’ Award winner Located close to Colmore Row and St Phillip’s Cathedral, Purnell’s Restaurant is situated in one of Birmingham city centre’s finest conservation areas. Set up

by Michelin-starred chef Glynn Purnell back in July 2007, it’s no surprise that this chic and contemporary fine-dining establishment has become one of the city’s most popular restaurants.

prised a hot cheese sauce topped with an edible silver foil, parmesan sticks, crispy parmesan pieces and pineapple cubes, all served underneath a pineapplein-liquid-nitrogen crumb, which was served to us at the table. The warm-to-cold contrast was an unusual but welcome palate sensation, and the flavours were truly wonderful.

With Glynn having been voted Best Midlands Chef and Purnell’s Best Independent Restaurant In Birmingham in our What’s On Readers’ Awards, what better time to pay the eatery a visit to sample some of its top-notch food.

Next up was one of my favourite dishes of the evening. Presented to us on a bed of hay was a single hollowed-out eggshell filled with a warm and creamy cauliflower velouté with birch syrup, black pudding, bacon and a poached duck egg yolk. The plate was served with a cheese stick, providing an additional texture and dimension. Another stunning dish.

On arrival, we were politely greeted and shown to our table we were wowed from the moment we walked in. The stunning décor, low lighting and relaxed atmosphere ensured a fantastic first impression.

Evening diners can choose from either a six-course or a ninecourse menu; being hungry (and perhaps a little greedy), we chose the latter…

Visually, the next course was so intricate you almost didn’t want to eat it. Consisting of salted beetroot, beetroot and wasabi sorbet and a horseradish crumb, it was a perfect palate-cleanser in preparation for the food still to come.

Following the generous offering of warm bread and goats’ butter, the first dish arrived. It com-

Up next was another highlight of mine - Brixham cod, served with mussel chowder, potato cooked

With both my partner and I being huge seafood fans, we were delighted to learn that the next course was another fish dish.

Called monkfish masala, it comprised a beautifully cooked piece of monkfish and a red lentil, carrot and coconut dhal, all accompanied by a coriander sauce, which was served at the table.

The dish was bursting with delicious Indian-inspired flavours, and the monkfish, as with the cod, was definitely the nicest I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy.

Five outstanding dishes down, another four to go!

Next up was the roast loin of veal. Soft to the bite and perfectly seasoned, the meat provided a gorgeous melt-in-the-mouth sensation. It was served with a butter confit, tomato, green asparagus, scorched squid, shallot purée and a shallot sauce (again, served at the table).

The squid was beautifully cooked and the sweetness of the shallot elements really helped bring the dish together.

By this point, we were starting to think that the evening couldn’t get any better - but then came the desserts; all three of them!

Kicking off proceedings was a mango sorbet with passion fruit purée and grapefruit pieces, served in a glass under a white chocolate disc and topped with lime gel and spring flowers. Visually it was a work of art. The lime gel and grapefruit pieces brought a welcome sharpness to the dish and acted as a perfect contrast to the sweet flavours of the sorbet and purée, and the creaminess of the white chocolate.

The next dish, called ‘Burnt English custard egg surprise 10/10/10’, was given its name fol-

lowing a perfect 10 score on the 2008 edition of Great British Menu. The egg custard was served in a hollowed-out eggshell, with the ‘surprise’ element coming in the form of a hidden rhubarb gel. On a separate plate was a ginger beer sorbet served with poached rhubarb, toasted granola and a ginger snap. The variety of textures, allied to the sophisticated flavours, made for a dish that was certainly worthy of its 10/10/10 score.

The finale was ‘mint choccy chip’. We were presented with two dishes - a large amount of dehydrated mint served on top of dry ice, and a chocolate ganache served with a mint ice cream and a chocolate crumb. At the table, water was poured onto the dry ice, which resulted in clouds of white ‘smoke’, bursting through the mint and calling to mind an erupting volcano. It was a welcome show of Heston Blumenthal-style theatre, which we certainly appreciated. The stunning aroma of the mint added to the heavenly experience of eating the bowl of rich, chocolate naughtiness and provided the perfect end to an impeccable evening.

Overall, the food was exemplary, the flavours exceptional and every course showcased a combination of culinary precision and excellent technical ability.

I can’t wait to return in the future to sample more of the exquisite food that Purnell’s has to offer.

Hats off to Glynn and his team; this was a dining experience that will certainly be hard to beat.

Lauren Foster Food: Service: Ambience: Overall value OVERALL

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Purnell’s 55 Cornwall Street Birmingham B3 2DH Tel: 0121 212 9799 whatsonlive.co.uk 13

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Food

Free oysters at awardwinning Birmingham city centre restaurant Birmingham’s award-winning Opus restaurant is this summer offering its Friday-night patrons a dozen complimentary Carlingford rock oysters with every bottle of Champagne they purchase.

The rock oysters are cultivated in the waters of County Lough in Ireland and are renowned for their sweet, rich and nutty flavour... The offer is available for tables of up to 16 diners.

For details, visit opusrestaurant.co.uk

Whisky festival to make autumn return to city The second Midlands Whisky Festival of 2017 will be held in the autumn.

The popular event, which took place in its Stourbridge birthplace for an 11th year back in March, makes a welcome return on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 September, this time in Birmingham.

Commenting on the news, Jerome Gardener of festival organisers Nickolls & Perks of Stourbridge, said: “Last year we introduced a second festival in Birmingham, and we’re absolutely delighted to be taking the festival back to the city centre in the autumn. Holding the festival in the heart of the city means we’re able to draw people from even further afield to try our amazing whiskies.”

The event will be held at thestudiobirmingham on Cannon Street.

For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit whiskyfest.co.uk

Michelin-starred chef to open premises in The Mailbox A twice Michelin-starred chef will open his own restaurant in Birmingham premier lifestyle and shopping destination The Mailbox later this year.

Atul Kochhar is renowned for his ability to combine his Indian heritage with his love of British ingredients. His new restaurant will span over 5,000sq ft and showcase high-quality but affordable spiced dishes that draw inspiration from countries across the world.

Speaking about his new restaurant, the talented chef said: “I’m very excited to be opening my new concept in Birmingham, a city which I’ve long admired for its diversity and food culture. There’s a complex plethora of Indian cuisine that has developed outside of India, and each of my dishes tells a beautiful story - stories that I’m keen to share with Birmingham. The Mailbox is a modern, sophisticated development in the heart of the city, and one that boasts premium-quality space, occupiers and customer base. It’s the perfect location for my new restaurant, and we can’t wait to open later this year.”

For more information about the new eatery, NRI By Atul Kochhar, visit nrirestaurant.co.uk

New sushi bar opens at Birmingham nightspot A new sushi bar will this month open on the ground floor of popular Birmingham nightspot Nuvo.

OKO describes itself as the city's ‘newest cosmopolitan, pan-Asian restaurant & lounge bar, bringing the authenticity of the far east to the UK’.

Although sharing the same entrance as Nuvo, OKO will be a totally separate restaurant and bar area.

For more information, visit okosushibar.com

Argentinian steakhouse set to open new branch in Brum Renowned Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho is this month opening a branch in Birmingham.

Located in the city’s Colmore District, the 120-cover restaurant - opening its doors on Monday 8 May - will bring all aspects of its brand to Birmingham, including its famous Electro Brunch menu, wine tasting and beef masterclasses. The décor will be ‘sophisticated and contemporary yet warm and welcoming’, taking its inspiration from rural Argentina and its giant Ombu trees.

Commenting on the new restaurant, Matt Ford, marketing director at Gaucho, said: “This is our first opening in the UK for seven years. In that time, we’ve visited countless sites up and down the country, watched the growth of various cities, and finally decided that Colmore Row is the perfect home for Gaucho. The food scene in Birmingham is booming, and we’re very excited to be a part of it.” For more information, visit gauchorestaurants.com whatsonlive.co.uk 15

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Classical

Sheku Kanneh-Mason Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, Fri 5 May

As lunchtime treats go, this one is pretty mouthwatering. The current BBC Young Musician of the Year, Sheku KannehMason is the first black musician to win the award since its launch in 1978.

He’s joined for this concert by his talented pianist sister, Isata. The programme features Beethoven’s Sonata Op5 No2 in G minor and Shostakovich’s Sonata Op40 in D minor.

Intricate Web: The Chamber Music Of Liz Johnson CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Sat 20 May

Malvern Hills-based Birmingham Conservatoire teacher Liz Johnson is greatly admired for the rich diversity of her work. Her compositions range from luscious choral and vocal pieces to delicately layered and complex chamber music.

This concert to launch her new double CD features the renowned Fitzwilliam Quartet performing her third quartet, Intricate Web - a piece selected by Sir Peter Maxwell Davis for the opening of Kings Place, London.

The concert also features: Johnson’s new tour de force, the clarinet quintet Sea-change; her unaccompanied Cello Suite, based around the life and work of artist Ben Hartley and performed by Canadian cellist Heather Tuach; and Loré Lixenberg’s renditions of Johnson songs setting the poetry of Jo Shapcott.

Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra: The Firebird

Sacconi Quartet The Bramall, University of Birmingham, Thurs 4 May

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Tues 16 May

Music director Long Yu here conducts the Guangzhou, one of China’s most widely acclaimed orchestras. Stravinsky’s Firebird, complete with its demons, princesses and magical beasts, provides the finale to an innovative programme that also features film composer Zhao Lin’s atmospheric Duo.

6 Hands Guitar Trio The Barber Institute, University of Birmingham, Wed 10 May

Blessing concerts with infectious energy and enthusiasm is the stock in trade of the award-winning Sacconi Quartet.

Formed at the beginning of the millennium, the foursome have been widely praised for their imaginative approach.

They’re currently the quartet-in-association at the Royal College of Music and associate artist at the Bristol Old Vic. 16 whatsonlive.co.uk

In the world of guitar music, 6 Hands must surely be described as a ‘supergroup’. Combining their unrivalled skills, legendary pluckers John Williams and John Etheridge are joined by the technically brilliant Gary Ryan. Together they present concerts of colourful and varied solos, duos and trios, including some compositions of their own.

Expect an experience to remember...

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Gigs

Hackney Colliery Band Birmingham REP, Sat 13 May

A favourite on the festival scene, Hackney Colliery Band provide an eclectic and unique mix of dancefloor-filling contemporary rock, jazz, soul and electronica.

With a New Orleans-style line up of trumpets, trombones, saxes, sousaphone and two drummers, expect a high-energy show featuring music from critically acclaimed 2016 album Sharpener and highlights from previous releases.

Imelda May Hailed for bringing rockabilly well and truly back into fashion, Imelda May has been unstoppable since the release of debut UK album Mayhem. Now gold-certified, the 14track offering opened the door to a stellar

career that’s seen her collaborating with the likes of Jeff Beck, David Gilmour and Eric Clapton.

Exploring blues, soul, gospel, folk, rock, sensitive acoustics and cinematic drama, May visits Birmingham this month in support of her new album, Life Love Flesh Blood.

The Specials

Marika Hackman

NEC, Birmingham, Fri 26 May

Mama Roux’s, Birmingham, Mon 29 May

Fusing ska music with a punk rock attitude, these pioneers of the two-tone movement are best known for classic hits such as Too Much Too Young, Ghost Town and Message To You Rudy.

They’re joined for this outdoor concert by legendary reggae originators Toots And The Maytals, whose 1968 song, Monkey Man, The Specials covered on their 1979 debut album. Bedouin Soundclash also perform.

Singer-songwriter Hackman attended school with famous model Cara Delevingne - with whom she used to have a band - and English folk singer Johnny Flynn, who produced her debut single, You Come Down, and helped her get her first record deal, with Transgressive.

This current tour comes in support of her hotly anticipated new album, I’m Not Your Man, which is set to be released on 2 June.

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Mon 22 May

Iron Maiden Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, Sun 21 May

Pioneers of the new wave of British heavy metal, Iron Maiden achieved initial success during the early 1980s.

Thirty-eight albums later - comprising 16 studio albums, 11 live albums, four EPs and seven compilations - the band are still continuing to impress their loyal fan base and selling out arena tours.

“The whole band is really enjoying this tour,” says founder and bass player Steve Harris, “and although we love playing festivals and stadiums, it’s terrific to return to the intimacy and atmosphere of arenas. The songs from The Book Of Souls album and the new Maya-themed Eddies and stage sets have gone down really well, and fan reaction has been amazing. And we know our fans appreciate us playing a lot of the older songs too, which we will continue to do.”

Maximo Park O2 Institute, Birmingham, Fri 5 May

Pop quartet Maximo Park visit Birmingham in support of their sixth album, Risk To Exist.

“It’s a bit more politically explicit, I suppose,” says lead singer Paul Smith in talking about the new release, “and it talks a bit more about social issues. As a lyricist, I write from the heart, try to express myself each time we make a record and hope that other people will connect with it.”

Read the full interview online at whatsonlive.co.uk. whatsonlive.co.uk 17

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Enter Shikari Lauren Foster talks to lead vocalist Rou Reynolds ahead of the band’s anniversary gig at Slam Dunk Festival Your performing at Slamdunk as part of your tenth anniversary tour. What can audiences expect?

For the first time in our lives and for a band that relentlessly looks forward, we’ll be pausing for breath, celebrating our history and looking at how we got to where we are today. We’re allowing ourselves a few months of nostalgia as we revisit our first release, Take To The Skies. We’ll be playing every track from the album, which means a few songs will be getting their first ever airing live!

Take To The Skies reached number four in the UK album chart, selling almost 30,000 copies in its first week. Were you surprised that the album was so well received?

We’d been feeling a slow and steady surge of support for a while, as more and more people began to take notice of us, but I can’t say we anticipated the album charting. The chart was such a foreign concept to us anyway, coming from such a DIY punk background, so it really blew us away. I remember it really feeling like an incursion on pop music by the underground. It felt like a success for the whole scene.

Similarly, could you have ever imagined, when you started out back in 2003, that

you’d be headlining the UK’s biggest punk rock festival?

Absolutely not. Back then, it was just on our bucket list to play shows outside, to simply be on at a festival. After playing every small, sweaty and dark venue on the UK circuit, playing outside felt like such a luxury. I remember that being our only ambition - a somewhat quaint one, in retrospect. Now, though, it feels right.

We’re more than ready. We’re insatiable.

In more recent years, you’ve worked closely alongside Hospital Records in releasing drum & bass remixes. How did this come about?

Hospital Records has been my favourite drum & bass label since I was about 16, buying records and getting into DJing for the first time. We’d worked with a few artists on their label who’d done remixes of our tracks here and there. And it felt like with The Mindsweep we had the perfect album - in all its diversity - to be reworked and remixed in its entirety. It turned out a few of the producers on the label were fans of ours as well, so it felt like a really natural and worthwhile project to do.

With that in mind, how do you think your fan base has evolved over the years?

I think it’s mainly just become more diverse. It started off as much more of a narrow, ‘underground scene’-orientated following. But it’s since blossomed to include people from all walks of life, all ages and backgrounds. I think this basically follows or shadows the progression of our music as it’s become more diverse, with wider influences.

Last year, Enter Shikari embarked on their biggest headline tour to date, playing numerous arena-style venues.

Do you prefer performing bigger shows or smaller, more intimate gigs?

My preference is always to play outside, in and often against the elements. It feels more primitive and raw that way. But really, I get asked this question all the time and I’m honestly not fussy. I enjoy playing anywhere; the environment isn’t important as long as it provides a backdrop for human connection. Give me a mic, toss me down a well and I’ll sing my heart out if anyone’s down there to join me. Give me a stage in the middle of a swamp and I’ll wrestle an alligator for their enjoyment.

Enter Shikari play Slam Dunk Festival at the NEC, Birmingham on Saturday 27 May whatsonlive.co.uk 19

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Festivals

Mello Festival Throckmorton Airfield, Worcestershire, Fri 26 - Sun 28 May

Following a successful launch in 2016, Mello Festival returns to Throckmorton Airfield with an eclectic mix of indie, folk, jazz and dance music.

Spotting a gap in the market for a largescale festival championing ‘real’ music in Worcestershire, the organisers aim to create

a chilled and welcoming atmosphere that will appeal to audiences of all ages.

This year sees the event expand across three stages, with an improved range of food stalls including veggie options.

2017 line-up includes: Hawkwind, Lucy Spraggan, Goldie Lookin' Chain, Dreadzone, Bez (Happy Mondays), Space, Republica, Altered Images, Johnny Hates Jazz, The Alarm, Electric Swing Circus (pictured).

Staffs Fest Lower Drayton Farm, Staffordshire, Fri 26 - Sun 28 May

Beginning as a small-scale blues festival in Stafford, this great-value-for-money event has expanded year on year to encompass an exciting array of rock, reggae, soul and blues acts. In addition to enjoying live, loud and local music, visitors can take a stroll through the nearby woods, enjoy a guided tour of the farm on Farmer Ray's tractor trailer, or vote for the winner of the Star Of Staffs competition, open to budding musicians aged 14 to 18. All tickets include free onsite camping, but rooms are also available in the farmhouse B&B for those who prefer their indoor comforts.

2017 line-up includes: The Bad Rats, The Shine, Bloke, Rockdogs, Barrelhouse Jukes, Black Rose Cadillac, Used Blues, Cold Flame, Slyder, Ged Wilson, Chelsea Coleman, Voodoo Stone, Gabbidon Band, Judy Emeline, Rainbreakers and Bobby KP Woods

Bearded Theory

Slam Dunk Festival

Let’s Rock

Catton Park, South Derbyshire, Thurs 25 - Sun 28 May

Genting Arena, Birmingham, Sat 27 May

Quarry Park, Shrewsbury, Sat 27 May

Take a trip back in time with some of the biggest acts of the ’80s. Leading the way for quality, family-friendly festivals since 2009, this blast from the past is suitable for all ages, whether you're looking to relive your youth or hearing old pop classics for the first time.

Taking place in the grounds of Catton Hall in the heart of the National Forest, the nineyear-old Bearded Theory has been rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the UK's best independent festivals. Ever expanding to meet demand, the multi-award-winning event features fantastic acts spread across six stages, including a dance tent, a cinema, and a comedy and cabaret area, as well as a superb Children's Village, top-notch facilities and an award-winning bar with affordably priced drinks.

2017 line-up includes: Skunk Anansie (pictured) & Slaves, New Model Army, Madness, Glasvegas, The Selecter, Cast, Foy Vance, The Fall, Reverend & the Makers, Kissmet and Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman

2017 line-up includes: Billy Ocean, ABC, Tony Hadley (pictured), Heaven 17, Nick Heyward, Nik Kershaw, T'Pau, The Real Thing, Altered Images, Brother Beyond and Jaki Graham Showcasing the best in contemporary emo, punk and ska, this three-stop touring festival last year moved its Midlands date from Wolverhampton to the NEC, allowing for easy access from across the country.

Linked to the Leeds-based club nights and indie record label of the same name, Slam Dunk takes place over the May bank holiday weekend and boasts more than 40 acts across multiple stages, as well as DJ sets, exclusive signings and a riotous afterparty to round things off.

2017 line-up includes: Enter Shikari, Don Broco, Bowling For Soup (pictured), Neckdeep, Less Than Jake, Reel Big Fish, Deaf Havana, Beartooth, Tonight Alive and We Are The Ocean whatsonlive.co.uk 21

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Richard Herring Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 13 May

Richard Herring has developed a reputation as one of the UK’s most inventive and original comedians, cleverly using his real-life trials and tribulations to inform his high-quality line in comic patter.

And he’s certainly not a man to shirk big, controversial or risque subjects when it comes to his comedy shows. Previous tours have seen him ponder religion (Christ On A Bike), politics (Hitler Moustache) and penises (Talking Cock).

This latest offering is a compilation of, as he himself puts it, "the least worst stuff" from his previous one-man shows.

For newcomers to his work, it offers a great opportunity to enjoy a whistlestop tour of 20-plus years of laughter-making; for seasoned admirers, it’s a not-to-bemissed chance to get reacquainted with some 24-carat comedy gold.

Micky Flanagan: An’ Another Fing

Pam Ann

Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 May, Thurs 1 - Sat 3 June

Birmingham Town Hall, Wed 31 May

An ever-rising star on the UK comedy circuit, Micky Flanagan has made all the usual stopoffs for TV-friendly funnymen, lending his talents to telly favourites including Mock The Week and Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow.

His latest tour, kickstarting this very month, is one of two major undertakings in 2017. The other sees him returning to television with new series The Micky Flanagan Detours, a show in which he ‘declutters his mind of the big questions that keep people up at night’.

Gags include: “I've worked out what an ambience is - it's a night out without poor people,” and “I went to Prague last year with the wife. She said after two days, ‘Are you enjoying yourself?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’ve just paid £15 for two coffees’.”

Camp, kitsch and oh so rude, air hostess Pam Ann has been flying her comedy flag - courtesy of Australian comedienne Caroline Reid - since the 1990s, storming to global success on a level that's seen her tour with Cher, crew private jets for Sir Elton John and win the approval of no less a legend than Madonna.

She flies in to the Midlands this month with a touring show to celebrate her 20th anniversary. Jokes include: “EasyJet are like minicab drivers. ‘How much to Prague?’ ‘I’ll do it for a tenner.’”

Hilarity Charity Gala Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 18 May

This returning Central Youth Theatre (CYT) fundraiser is once again compèred by Daniel Kitson. The show also features Romesh Ranganathan and Josh Widdicombe.

Other comedians will be added to the line-up in the days leading up to the show. This is the fourth event of its kind to be organised by CYT, Wolverhampton’s leading youth theatre since 1983.

22 whatsonlive.co.uk

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Comedy

The Noise Next Door The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, Fri 5 May

Praised for presenting their audiences with ‘a superior kind of chaos’, The Noise Next Door is a quartet - previously a quintet - of improvising comedians who’ve been garnering critical praise for a good few years now.

Previous on-stage endeavours have included a mini-musical embracing the uncomfortable bedfellows of pantomime, folk music and death-metal, and a surreal adventure in which the Magic Roundabout’s Zebedee leads the forces of good against Darth Vader, who’s holed up in Worcester Cathedral. Check ’em out.

Bourgeois & Maurice Birmingham Hippodrome, Sat 27 May

Musical satirists Bourgeois & Maurice (aka cabaret performers Liv Morris and George Heyworth) reckon their latest show is, in common with a Kanye gig, a ‘feast for the eyes’ - but with a smaller budget and bigger egos. After smashing the Edinburgh Fringe last summer, the London-based dynamic

duo are promising a Hippodrome debut awash with ‘glorious’ costumes, impressive visuals, songs including the classic Everybody’s At A Chemsex Party Except Me, and ‘some things’ that will hopefully light up!

An utterly scathing and joyfully cynical take on ‘our post-modern, post-gender, postBrexit world’, this is a show that’s witty, topical and definitely worth a look.

Jon Richardson: The Old Man Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 4 May; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 5 - Sat 6 May; The Place, Oakengates, Telford, Wed 10 May

Omid Djalili Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Fri 5 May; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 13 May

Award-winning funnyman Omid Djalili is probably one of the most subversive comedians on the UK comedy circuit.

This latest touring show sees him adopting his usual - and highly successful - scattergun approach to the business of being funny. Gags about Donald Trump, tried-andtested impressions of Godzilla and admissions about some of his biggest ever foot-in-mouth clangers feature among the highlights.

He's been referred to as an OCD-afflicted, grumpy young man, a description which will certainly strike chords with anybody who's ever caught Jon Richardson's hugely entertaining act.

Having become both a husband and a father since his last tour - his wife is fellow comedian Lucy Beaumont Richardson has plenty of fresh subject matter with which to make merry. But although the show draws on his new circumstances, it remains at heart a set about life's idiosyncrasies.

Richardson’s very much an established talent nowadays and offers an evening of genuinely funny comedy. Indeed, seasoned professional and one-time Bullseye host Jim Bowen has even threatened to “smack his arse if he gets any funnier”.

Jon can't say he hasn't been warned... whatsonlive.co.uk 23

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Theatre

Theatre previews from around the region

Funny Girl Birmingham Hippodrome, Mon 8 - Sat 13 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Mon 24 - Sat 29 July

This massively successful touring version of the hit musical sees the Olivier Award-winning Sheridan Smith and Natasha J Barnes sharing the lead role. Smith stars at the Hippodrome this month, Barnes topbills at the Grand in July.

Telling the story of Broadway star and comedian Fanny Brice, Funny Girl was written over 50 years ago and debuted on Broadway in 1963.

Daniel Bye: Going Viral mac, Birmingham, Sat 20 May

Daniel Bye blends storytelling, comedy and performance lecture to examine the ways in which the modern-day, high-definition world has made everybody ‘more connected, more vulnerable and more human - but not equally so’...

24 whatsonlive.co.uk

The show made a global star of Barbra Streisand and boasts iconic songs People and Don’t Rain On My Parade.

Barnes, who originally understudied Smith to great critical acclaim when the production was playing the Menier Chocolate Factory last year, has described the show as “a bit relentless - like rapid machine gun fire in the form of musical theatre”.

One-time Popstar To Operastar winner Darius Campbell takes the main supporting role of Fanny’s con-artist second husband, Nick Arnstein, when the show visits the Grand in the summer. The part is played by Chris Peluso at the Birmingham Hippodrome this month.

“I juggle with comedy and tragedy, roughness and polish, truth and lies,” explains Daniel. “I wrestle down big ideas about the world until they're small enough for us all to swallow.

“I want you to laugh, cry, gasp and change the world - because we’re all part of history, and that means we can all change it.”

following the death of their daughter, security guard Morris and his long-suffering wife, Jean, win £2million on the lottery. But instead of transforming their lives for the better, the money drives yet another wedge between the bickering couple...

A Womb Of One’s Own

Lucky Sods

The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 10 May

Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 9 - Sat 13 May

This thought-provoking reflection on the subject of unwanted pregnancy sees all four of its performers playing the lead role.

Eighteen-year-old student Babygirl is determined to cast off the strait-jacketing effect of a strict Catholic upbringing. But when she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, it soon becomes apparent that there’s more to being independent than just having fun...

John Godber’s talent for taking big themes and presenting them in an accessible, downto-earth manner has seen him become one of the UK’s most successful playwrights over the last two decades. This mid-1990s offering is a perfect example of a creative force operating at the very peak of his powers.

With their marriage resembling a war zone

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m¡longa The power and beauty of Argentinean tango.

Tue 16 Sat 20 May

Tue 23 May

Fri 26 & Sat 27 May

From £17

From £18

From £15

Half-Term Treat

Bourgeois & Maurice: How to save the world without really trying

Mon 29 May - Sat 3 Jun

£17

From £15

Tue 6 Sat 10 Jun

Tue 13 Sat 17 Jun

From £17

From £16

Smother 201 Dance Company

d e xe nc la a l Re orm 3 Ju rf n Pe Mo

Sat 27 May

Thu 1 & Fri 2 Jun £15

Mon 3 Sat 8 Jul From £20

Everyone’s Welcome 0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com Calls cost 4.5p per min plus access charge. 5% transaction charge applies excluding cash sales in person.

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Theatre

Theatre previews from around the region

The Wedding Singer New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 23 - Sat 27 May; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 12 - Sat 16 September; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 3 Sat 7 October

Based on the 1998 Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore movie of the same name, this musical homage to the 1980s sees wedding singer Robbie Hart plunged into the depths of despair after his girlfriend dumps him at the altar. Enter his pal, Julia, whose support seems to be Robbie’s only lifeline in an otherwise miserable existence. But will he realise that his sweet-natured friend is actually the love of his life?... Well-known television faces Ray Quinn, Cassie Compton, Roxanne Pallett and Ruth Madoc star alongside musical-theatre favourite Jon Robyns.

La Strada The REP, Birmingham, Mon 8 - Sat 13 May

A brand new stage adaptation of Federico Fellini’s 1954 movie masterpiece, this Coventry Belgrade Theatre touring version of La Strada follows the journey of Gelsomina, a young woman who’s effectively sold by her mother to a brutal and hard-drinking street performer. When the ill-matched pair come across an itinerant circus, Gelsomina finds herself faced with a stark choice that will decide the course of her future...

Olivier Award nominee Sally Cookson directs.

Vice Versa (or The Decline And Fall Of General Braggadocio At The Hands Of His Canny Servant Dexter And Terence The Monkey). Two other plays by Porter (pictured) have previously been presented at the RSC - A Mad World My Masters in 2013 and 2014’s highly acclaimed The Christmas Truce, performed to mark the centenary of World War One.

Ventoux Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tues 18 - Fri 19 May; Lichfield Garrick, Sat 20 May

Vice Versa Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Thurs 11 May - Sat 9 September

With productions of Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra, Titus Andronicus and Coriolanus comprising the RSC’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre season, it’s perhaps not surprising to find that the Company’s adjacent Swan Theatre is also getting in on the Rome-related act. Phil Porter’s new play has been inspired by the comedies of Plautus and bears a full title that very handily explains its basic plot: 26 whatsonlive.co.uk

‘Breathtaking’ video accompaniment provides the backdrop to this dramatic story of a memorable race up Ventoux, the most fearsome mountain encountered on the Tour de France. The protagonists are Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani, whose drug-fuelled race there in the year 2000 was one of the greatest the sport of cycling had ever seen. A well-reviewed show, this, so expect a Tour de France tour de force...

La Cage Aux Folles Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 16 - Sat 20 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 27 June - Sat 1 July

Jean Poiret’s hugely popular farce has been delighting audiences across the world for over 40 years. Set in a SaintTropez nightclub, it tells the story of the venue’s gay manager, Georges, his romantic partner, Albin, and the problems that ensue when Georges' son brings home his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents...

West End leading lady Marti Webb joins former EastEnder John Partridge and TJ Hooker star Adrian Zmed in this new production of the Broadway and West End award winner.

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FEATURE

wild thing Michael Morpurgo's Running Wild is let loose at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre It was one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history: in December 2004, somewhere between 230,000 and 280,000 people perished as waves of up to 100ft high engulfed the shores of South East Asia during the infamous Boxing Day tsunami. Yet amazingly, some survived – among them, a girl called Amber Owen who had been riding an elephant along the beach whilst holidaying in Thailand with her family.

Unnerved by the strange activity in the water, the elephant pulled away from the shoreline and ran away before the tidal wave hit, saving Amber's life in the process.

It was this real-life story that provided the inspiration for Michael Morpurgo's Running Wild, first published in 2009 and now coming to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre in the form of a spectacular stage adaptation. But as Morpurgo himself explains, the seeds of the idea were actually sown much earlier.

“The beginning of a story happens a long

time before a story ever starts, often in a writer's childhood,” he says, describing his love of stories like The Elephant's Child and The Jungle Book when he was growing up.

“Good writers have a way of blocking the way for other writers to follow, and I felt like (The Jungle Book) had blocked the story of a boy's adventures in the jungle, which everyone wants to write. But when I discovered this piece in the news, I thought, 'Stuff you, Kipling – I'm going to write this story!'”

In the months following, details were slowly forgotten and changed: Morpurgo's novel actually follows the story of a boy called Will, who finds himself being carried into the depths of the Indonesian jungle. It wasn't until an earlier version of the show began to be publicised that the real-life Amber Owen realised her story had inspired a book and got in contact with the theatre. In a nod to this revelation, the new production visiting Wolverhampton this year will instead feature a girl called Lilly.

The gender-swap isn't the only major change the show has undergone since its inception: it's first outing was actually as a promenade performance by Chichester Festival Theatre in the Cass Sculpture Park. Bringing the show indoors has resulted in a whole new design, as well changes to the action for various practical and aesthetic reasons.

“In Chichester we didn't have a set at all because the actual environment was our set, and one of the things that really excited me when I arrived was this enormous steel whale in the background of where we chose to do the tsunami scene,” explains the show's original director Dale Rooks. “When we go indoors, we'll have to be inventive with that again and find a way to make it work.” “(At Regent's Park) we had these huge bamboos on three revolves, but we were worried that an elephant on a revolve in an indoor theatre might look like a circus elephant, so we've completely changed it,”

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by Heather Kincaid

says current director Timothy Sheader. “The design now is the detritus of the tsunami which will be a constant reminder that this girl is not just having fun running through the jungle – she has survived one of the worst tragedies in our lifetime, and is looking for her family. So we'll be creating the canopy of the jungle with doors and wheels and bits of car, and using lamposts that light up green and bits of electric cable for the jungle vines.”

“What's been hugely gratifying and very exciting is that the project keeps reinventing itself. We've had to keep thinking of new ways to tell the story,” adds playwright Samuel Adamson.

But the biggest visual feast and the real stars of the show will come in the form of the incredible animals populating the jungle landscape, brought to life through the puppetry magic of War Horse's Finn Caldwell and Toby Olié.

“I was a self-confessed elephant nut as a kid,” recalls Olié. “My bed was half-covered in elephant cuddly toys, so being asked to do a show about an elephant was fantastically exciting!”

Scale was one of the biggest challenges faced by the designers: the puppet needed to be both visually impressive and practical, strong enough to bear the weight of a child but light enough not to put undue strain on the puppeteers over multiple performances. On tour, they've also had to be creative with her entrances – in some theatres, there's no room for Oona to be squeezed in backstage, so she has to make her way in through the auditorium instead!

While Running Wild is a very different sort of show to War Horse, fans of the production and of Handspring Puppet Company's work certainly won't be disappointed – Oona is just as startlingly lifelike as her equine cousin, and she also shares the limelight with a family of friendly orangutans as well as a terrifying tiger prowling the forest floor. In order to achieve the realism for which Handspring's work has become famous, puppeteers are carefully trained to move together as one organism, as well as being taught how to imbue their puppets with distinct characters and feelings.

“Breath is key – it's the main emotional indicator,” says Olié, explaining how it can be used to show whether an animal is excited, frightened or calm. “Focus is also important – what is the character interested in? There's also the issue of where the puppeteers' own focus is. They should always be looking at the

puppet and directing you to do the same.”

It's the strength of the connection that this breathtaking attention to detail fosters between the audience and the animals that got Virginia McKenna interested in the project. An actor best known for her starring role in the film adaptation of Joy Adamson's Born Free, McKenna is also a prominent wildlife campaigner and co-founder of the Born Free Foundation, a charity that works to draw attention to the plight of animals in captivity, as well as those mistreated or hunted by people in the wild.

“It actually all started because of an elephant and not a lion as many people think. It was the death of an elephant at London Zoo in 1968 that was the catalyst,” she says. “(Running Wild) is such a wonderful story because it turns on what animals feel and think. So many of us today have this 'us and them' attitude towards animals, but we are animals too. Through this young girl who goes off into the forest, we get to see all the things we have missed and been insensitive to, and also how much there's still time for us to learn.”

On tour, the production will be working with the charity to help promote its message of better treatment for animals worldwide. The story also calls attention to the devastating

ecological effects of the poorly regulated palm oil industry, with high demand for the versatile product as an ingredient in household goods having put many species, including orangutans, at risk. But while concerns about the environment and human and animal welfare all play a part in the story, viewers shouldn't expect a dry lecture.

“The message isn't nearly as important to me as the story,” says Morpurgo. “I hope that certain things come through, but I do not sit down to write something in order to promote a particular message. What you want for children is for them to work things out for themselves, and in this particular case, I hope that they will go away asking questions about what's happening in the rainforest, about planting palm trees and about what's happening to elephants. But it's not being thrust down your throat.”

“It's got a message, but it's also a rollicking adventure,” Adamson agrees.

Running Wild shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 6 to Saturday 10 June, and is recommended for children aged six-plus (and grown-ups

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Theatre previews from around the region

Theatre

Million Dollar Quartet Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 30 May - Sat 3 June

Jason Donovan stars in a Tony Award-winning West End musical that’s set to leave Midlands audiences ‘all shook up’ when it visits Shrewsbury this month.

Inspired by real events, Million Dollar Quartet tells the story of how Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley were brought together for an impromptu jam session in Memphis in 1956.

The show includes more than 20 legendary rock’n’roll hits, including Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, I Walk The Line and Great Balls Of Fire.

All Or Nothing

Anna Of The Five Towns

Relatively Speaking

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 4 - Sat 6 May; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 30 May - Sat 3 June; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 22- Sat 24 June

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Fri 26 May - Sat 17 June

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tues 16 - Sat 20 May

The 150th anniversary of the birth of Stokeon-Trent author Arnold Bennett is here celebrated with a new adaptation of one of his best-loved stories. Set against the backdrop of the Potteries, his 1902 novel tells the story of a young woman’s battle for independence, in violation of the constraints imposed upon her by the strictly controlling Methodist Church and her dictatorial father.

Mention Alan Ayckbourn and a list of brilliant observational comedies springs readily to mind - a fact which makes this particular work of special interest; it was with Relatively Speaking that the playwright’s exceptional qualities first became evident to a wider audience. A major West End hit in the early 1970s, the play follows the high-farce involvements of Ginny and Philip, her married lover, his wife, and Ginny’s new love, Greg. Not surprisingly, confusion abounds!

This new show follows in the footsteps of other recent ’60s jukebox musicals about The Beatles and The Kinks. It tells the story of mod favourites the Small Faces from the perspective of a middle-aged and beer-swilling Steve Marriott, the band’s original singer.

Although surviving in their original incarnation for only four years, the Small Faces made a significant splash on the music scene, enjoying chart hits including Whatcha Gonna Do About It, Tin Soldier, Lazy Sunday, Here Comes The Nice, Itchycoo Park and the show’s title track. When Marriott left, they replaced him with Rod Stewart and dropped the word Small from their name, but it’s the musical output from those early years which has secured the band their iconic status.

Romeo & Juliet Lichfield Garrick, Wed 17 - Thurs 18 May; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 20 Thurs 22 June; The Place, Oakengates, Telford, Thurs 29 June; mac, Birmingham, Sat 15 - Sun 16 July

Hopeless Romantics Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Wed 31 May

The highly regarded Reform Theatre once again collaborate with Nick Lane, having previously presented well-reviewed productions of his comedies My Favourite Summer and Me & Me Dad. This latest offering focuses on ‘non-elective celibate’ Alan, a man whose love life is very much dead-on-arrival. When his judgmental parents invite him and his romantically successful sisters to an anniversary dinner, Alan decides to take drastic action to avoid looking like a loser, asking work-experience girl Zoe to pose as his girlfriend for the night...

Shakespeare’s ‘fifth tragedy’, as it’s often called, is a classic tale of love, loss and redemption.

In a city torn apart by civil war, two young people are destined to find the kind of love about which most others can only dream...

Not that the finer points of Romeo & Juliet are likely to be overly important in this particular production, given the fact that it’s zany funsters Oddsocks who’re at the helm!

Expect plenty of madcap mayhem and laughter in a production that gives the world’s most famous love story an imaginative mods & rockersinspired overhaul. whatsonlive.co.uk 29

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Theatre

Theatre previews for younger audiences from around the region

Horrible Histories: The Best Of Barmy Britain The Place, Oakengates, Shropshire, Wed 3 May; Lichfield Garrick, Mon 15 - Tues 16 May

If you love the Horrible Histories series - and why the heck wouldn’t you?! - then The Best Of Barmy Britain is a show that’s definitely well worth catching.

Alongside providing answers to such searching questions as ‘what would happen if a Viking moved in next door?’ and ‘would you stand and deliver to dastardly Dick Turpin?’, the show also invites its audience to escape the clutches of Burke and Hare, move to the groove with the partying Queen Victoria and prepare to do battle in the First World War. In short, and as its publicity says, it’s ‘a truly horrible history of Britain - with all the nasty bits left in!’

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Elves And The Shoemaker

Big Howard’s LOL-tastic Yukfest

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Mon 22 May; Malvern Theatre, Wed 24 - Thurs 25 May; Birmingham Town Hall, Sat 27 May

Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sun 21 May

mac, Birmingham, Sat 27 May

Full House Theatre is the company behind this lively show for children aged four and older.

Lovable retired shoemaker Geoff is getting on a bit and struggling to remember the highlights of his many years spent working in the shoe shop. But when a visit to the bottom of his garden brings him into contact with two magical friends, he starts to recall his life. He also realises that he can finally give his wife the only thing she’s ever wanted - and just in time for her 90th birthday, too.

Howard Read (aka Big Howard) last appeared at mac with his animated CBBC pal Little Howard, who was busily attempting to avoid being tragically rubbed out by ‘the pencil of death’.

Big H has now hit the road with another hour’s-worth of mirth. Suitable for youngsters aged five-plus, the show brings together stand-up comedy, interactive digital animation, sound effects and jokes.

And - we’re warned - it may also contain the word ‘elk’. Best brace yourself!...

Don’t Dribble On The Dragon

Dough!

Eric Carle’s 1969 book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has been translated into more than 60 languages, selling in excess of 52 million copies.

This stage version of Carle’s much-loved tale is presented alongside three other popular children’s stories by the same author - The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse, Mister Seahorse and The Very Lonely Firefly. The show features no fewer than 75 ‘lovable’ puppets.

Ulla’s Odyssey mac, Birmingham, Sun 7 May

Homer’s Odyssey provides the inspiration for this family-friendly nautical adventure from OperaUpClose. The talented ensemble, who burst onto the scene in 2009, bagged the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Opera and have since been garnering plaudits like they’re going out of fashion. Premiering in 2015, Ulla’s Odyssey follows the attempts of a 14-year-old girl to become the youngest person to sail the world single-handedly. Her spectacular ambition is made all the trickier by her en-route encounters with dangerous sea creatures and robotic customs officials. Suitable for children aged seven-plus.

The Core, Solihull, Sat 27 May

The late Paul Daniels was the high-profile prestidigitator behind the marvellous moments of magic contained in this production, a brand new stage adaptation of the book by Steven Lee. Taking as its theme the importance of family, the show is a musical adventure about a toddler named Tom who, as well as having an older brother, has a secret dragon and a dribbling problem.

When the young chap’s endless drooling drives a slobbery wedge between him and his sibling, it’s up to the dragon to try and resolve the problem - with a little help from some of that aforementioned magic, of course...

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 28 May

An exploration of the way in which ‘life can be filled with colour and beauty when we step outside the beige world we know’, Dough! tells the story of a girl named Franky. While making a delivery to an unfamiliar place, she encounters a baker who shows her how ‘fantastic things can be done with ordinary stuff’.

“And what could be more ordinary than the dough that makes our everyday staples?” asks Olivia Furber, the creator of this dynamic show for children aged three-plus.

“Familiar to all cultures, dough creates the loaves, naan bread, croissants, dumplings and chapattis that remind us of home.” whatsonlive.co.uk 31

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FEATURE

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Being Outrageous!

Matilda: The Musical comes to the Birmingham Hippodrome

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by Heather Kincaid

Almost seven years after its celebrated debut at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Matilda: The Musical has evolved into an international phenomenon, holding the joint record for the most Olivier Awards ever won by a single production. Yet remarkably, despite multiple performances overseas, the show has never toured its home country - until now.

For all this emphasis on his collaborator's work, Kelly's own contributions have been equally as vital, from creating brand new characters like Mrs Wormwood's ballroom dancing partner Rodolpho (a favourite with Roald Dahl's widow, Felicity), to a whole new plot strand based around a story that Matilda tells to the librarian, Mrs Phelps.

In the West End, the show continues to draw excited crowds of kids and grown-ups alike, but next year, families and Roald Dahl fans across the country will have the chance to experience its magic for the very first time.

Ahead of its arrival at Birmingham Hippodrome in July 2018, we asked playwright Dennis Kelly and executive producer André Ptaszynski to explain why Matilda has been such a roaring success.

“In the West End,” says Ptaszynski, “there are just piles of dead musicals with great scores that have failed because of the script, yet this guy who claims to know nothing about musicals comes in and realises immediately that it needed more than just the linear narrative of the book to turn Matilda into the show it is.”

“We all love things that are dark and funny and which really make you feel something, and Matilda has all of those things,” says Ptaszynski. “I think Dahl, Tim (Minchin, composer & lyricist) and Dennis all come from a very similar comic-dramatic world. There's a darkness and a sharpness to the material that we all recognise.”

“For me,” says Kelly, “I think it's mostly the music. The songs are consistently brilliant throughout. Way back in the mists of time, before Tim was on board, they asked me whether I'd be interested in writing lyrics. I thought I'd give it a go, but if they were rubbish, I didn't want to do it because I really wanted this show to work. So when he came along, initially I still had this residual feeling that I might have been able to do it, but as soon as I saw what he was writing, I knew it was way better than anything I could have done!”

Of course, it helped to be taking cues from an undisputed master storyteller...

“I never really had to think about what Dahl's voice was or anything like that because it's so ingrained in you as a kid,” says Kelly. “At the time, I didn't really know Matilda. I'd read other Dahl books, but I'm a bit older than the generation that grew up with Matilda, so it wasn't until I was already working on the script in a café one day that I realised how much it means to people. I remember the waiter asked me what I was writing, and when I told him, he just went mental! He started quoting from it and telling me how it was his favourite book and how it had inspired him. In that moment, I suddenly thought, 'Why did I agree to this?!' But you can't write with too much of a sense of responsibility because that's not what Dahl's doing. He's writing with relish about burps and mud and all of that, which to me feels very free, so I didn't want to be a slave to it.”

“As a director, Matthew seems to be obsessed with putting a piece of theatrical magic in every scene,” says Ptaszynski, “whether it's the dummy falling from the roof or the swings or the school gates.”

“One of the parts I really love is Bruce Bogtrotter's burp,” adds Kelly, “because it's just pure theatre. It's basically just a light moving around the stage, but people are enthralled. In Stratford, we had discussions about things like a balloon blowing up or those guys that blow smoke into bubbles, but in the end, we couldn't do any of that crazy stuff because of the thrust stage. An illusion relies on everyone looking the same way, and if you can see round the back, it's not gonna work. In the end, I think that gave it a slightly homemade feel, which fits in well with the Dahl story. Even though we could have done more in the West End, I like that the original RSC show is still running through the production even now.”

Matilda: The Musical shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 3 July – Saturday 8 September 2018

Completing the creative trio at the heart of the show's success is director Matthew Warchus.

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FEATURE

My Country...

Rufus Norris takes on Brexit in a new touring play

How does a self-professed ‘national’ arts institution begin to represent a nation bitterly divided? It's a question that's been plaguing National Theatre Artistic Director Rufus Norris, who, together with Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, has attempted to condense a plethora of views and voices on the UK's most contentious subject into a single 90-minute play.

Almost a year on from the shock results of Britain's EU referendum, it feels as though everyone - from scientists to celebrities, politicians to pollsters and traditional journalists to Twitterati - is still scrabbling to respond. Unlike most, however, Norris has resisted the temptation to air his own views on the matter - at least on stage. Rather than analysing or proselytising, his My Country: A Work In Progress is instead an extended listening project, composed primarily of a series of interviews conducted with ordinary people from across the UK. “After the referendum, I felt very strongly that we needed to have a response,” says Norris, “but also that the response should be led by listening to people rather than us saying, 'This is what we think’.

Already, there was too much of a London voice in the whole build-up to the referendum, and the rejection of that was reflected in the very

strong protest vote that was the result.”

Crucially, though, the finished show would not simply be a way of “explaining” the rest of the country to regular visitors to the theatre's London Southbank home, but would also tour around the UK, holding up a mirror to fragmented communities and polarised opinions wherever it went. It's as part of this tour that the production this month comes to Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

The project began with a group of interviewers from a range of theatre and community-based backgrounds heading out to harvest opinions on their home turf. A total of 80 interviews were then hurriedly transcribed and cut down into manageable chunks ready to be given to the cast.

“We did give the interviewers a list of questions to ask, but it was up to the person to respond in the way they felt most pertinent,” Norris explains. “So in Leicester, immigration was a big theme, whereas in the North East, the fishing industry and farming subsidies became prevalent topics.

In Northern Ireland, we thought Derry would be an interesting place to talk about borders and nationalism.”

Contributors were then selected, with a view to what Carol Ann Duffy has described as “human music”.

“What she meant by that was people talking with passion from a position of experience.

So the woman in Leicester who talks in what might be described as racist terms is talking from the position of someone who has seen

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by Heather Kincaid

her community change beyond recognition in a very short space of time, while the man talking about the fishing industry in the North East remembers Amble Harbour being five boats deep, where now there are hardly any boats at all.

“When somebody's talking about what they've read on their Facebook news or in their little echo chamber - whether it's the Guardian or the Daily Mail - it's not that interesting to listen to. This is human music because it's based in rich experience.”

It's not the first time Norris has used verbatim interviews in a production - his critically acclaimed musical, London Road, famously employed a similar device back in 2011. Nevertheless, from a director's perspective, creating My Country has been an altogether different experience.

“Making London Road was a longer process.

From the first time (writer) Alecky Blythe went into Ipswich to the night we opened the show was probably about four years.

Also, to a degree, that had a story. This isn't a story; it's a political moment. There can be no answers. We can't put something on stage that says, 'And they all lived happily ever after,' or 'It's a tragedy,' because we don't know. Article 50's only just been delivered, so it will be another 10 years before we really have a sense of what this moment means and whether any of the frustrations people expressed will be addressed.”

This partly explains the subtitle - it's not just the country, but also the play itself that could be said to be ‘A Work In Progress’.

Searching for a structure on which to hang

the material collected, Norris hit on the idea of a personified Britannia, calling a conference of her regions in an attempt to solve the complex problems facing them.

Each featured region acts as a mouthpiece for its people, literally voicing their concerns. Added to the interviews are elements of in-character ‘banter’ between the different regions, as well as more poetic sections penned by Duffy.

As Poet Laureate, Duffy was an obvious choice as Norris’s collaborator, finding herself in a similar position to him as a national representative of her art. But there were other considerations, too.

“She lives in Manchester, so she's not a London voice, and I knew it needed to be a writer who was going to respond to and be very interested in what people had to say.

Also, it's a very pressured time when you're putting a show like this together in a short period of time, so it needed somebody with a cool head. We'd worked together before, so I knew we'd get on very well.”

Not every part of the country gets a look in.

London may have been a conscious exclusion, but on top of this, time and resources made limitations necessary, meaning that neither the North West (home to Duffy) nor the West Midlands (Norris originally hails from Worcestershire and has worked extensively in Birmingham) are featured.

“We started with people in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and after that we looked at how we could diversify it. The East Midlands was our first location in England, so we felt we had to go

north and south to balance it out. In the end, we settled on the North East and South West, but if there's a follow-up, it will obviously go to the areas we didn't visit this time.”

In a sense, the impossibility of reflecting the entire country in a single show is like a microcosm of Norris' job at large - though so far he's shown no sign of shrinking from the challenge.

“We're massively stepping up our nationwide work, which is really important because there are a lot of people who feel, in quite a justified way, that London receives too much of the national budget in terms of arts provision. It's really important that institutions like this get out and about a lot more, whether through co-productions or cinema broadcasts.

“We've also got various productions coming up that I feel speak in different ways to the issues of the time, and I think we will continue to try to participate in the national debate as much as possible. We’ve got another long-term verbatim piece that we're developing, but let's see how it pans out. I'm keeping a close eye on that Scottish situation!”

My Country; A Work in Progress shows at Birmingham REP from Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 May and then Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry from Thursday 25 to Saturday 27 May

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DOUBLE CELEBRATION OF HIP-HOP IN BRUM

There can be little doubt that the 2010s have ushered in a golden age of hip-hop. Where much of mainstream music now seems toothless in the face of rising global unrest and division, this is a genre that continues to respond dynamically to the contemporary political climate.

But it's not just the high-profile stars breaking the charts and scooping up prestigious accolades who are making waves.

On a grassroots level, there's a wealth of talent reconnecting with the genre's countercultural origins, expanding its reach through dance, visual art, film and theatre alongside the more familiar mix of music and spoken word.

From its birthplace on the streets of NYC, hiphop has evolved into an international phenomenon, with diverse performers breaking ground around the world, including a burgeoning crop right here in the West Midlands. It's fitting, then, that Britain's second city is set for its biggest ever celebration of hip-hop this summer, with the return of Birmingham Hippodrome’s B-Side Festival and the arrival of Jonzi D’s Breakin' Convention at Birmingham REP. After attracting 5,000 visitors, 70 performers and 150 street dance competitors to Southside last year, B-Side is back for its second outing from 19 to 21 May. Produced in partnership with leading lights of the local scene, Break Mission, Juice Aleem, Mickael ‘Marso’ Riviere and GraffitiArtist.com, this exciting addition to Birmingham’s cultural calendar focuses on celebrating and developing homegrown talent.

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This year’s programme kicks off with a free Welcome Jam & Launch Party exploring Birmingham’s contributions to global hiphop culture. Hosted by Juice Aleem and DJ Silence, the event will feature leading speakers and performers, including Prit, Nucleo, T-Kid, Boogie Frantik, PoeOne, Link, IMD, Bubbles and Sic-Nis.

established art forms, offering a mix of professional development, youth and education projects in addition to its worldrenowned events.

Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy a mix of free and paid-for workshops on graffiti, dance, poetry and more, as well as learning all about the genre in a range of talks.

Inspired by the action of jumping on and off moving trains, commuters in Johannesburg's Soweto township developed a dance style known as ‘isparapara’ in the 1950s, later transformed into the famed Pantsula style by adding elements of tap. Uniting seven of Korea's finest bboys, Just Dance have won multiple competitions, touring their distinctive blend of Korean culture with contemporary choreography all around the world.

B-Side 2017 also boasts the first ever FluxCon, a mini convention celebrating the best of comics, indie games, animation and sci-fi concerning the black experience.

Performances include The Holiday, a genreblending commission by internationally acclaimed artist Benji Reid. Live street art will fill the Hippodrome foyer and surrounding streets in the brand new Graff Jam, headed by New York’s legendary T-Kid with Graffitiartist.com. There’ll also be topquality DJ and MC sets from Lady Sanity, Quartz, Strange U, DJ Latifah, DJ Nucleo and more.

Those looking to show their skills will have plenty of opportunities to do so, with explosive rap and dance contests running all weekend.

Stopping off in Birmingham on 2 & 3 June, touring festival Breakin’ Convention is the brainchild of pioneering dancer, director and poet Jonzi D. Uniting top international acts with local talent in various locations, it aims to put hip-hop on an equal footing with more

This year's show is headlined by South Africa's Soweto Skeleton Movers, Korean bboys Just Dance Productions and CanadianSwedish dance duo Tentacle Tribe.

Finally, Montreal-based duo Tentacle Tribe create unique works by combining conceptual hip-hop with influences from a range of earthly creatures. Since 2005, they've collaborated with numerous acclaimed companies, ranging from Cirque du Soleil to Bboyizm.

These exciting acts are joined by local groups Jigsaw Collective, Rhythm Junkiez, Street Dance Academy, Broken Silence, Marshons and Nuvo Origin.

B-Side Festival is at Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 May. Breakin’ Convention runs at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Friday 2 & Saturday 3 June

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Dance

Dance previews from around the region

Ballet Black DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 25 - Fri 26 May

Ballet Black comprises British and international dancers of black and Asian descent, and takes an impressively daring approach to its work.

Under the guidance of highly rated artistic director Cassa Pancho, the company here presents a winning blend of classical and contemporary dance.

The programme begins with Captured, a four-hander set to a Shostakovich string quartet...

The second piece, featuring the music of Debussy, is an abstract work by celebrated British choreographer Michael Corder...

The bill is completed by the award-winning Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s alternative version of Little Red Riding Hood.

Birmingham Royal Ballet Triple Bill

ACE Dance: TEN Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wed 24 May

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 5 - Sat 6 May

Humanity’s universal stories are placed under the microscope by Jose Agudo, whose new work strikes an overarching tone that’s both epic and poetic. In the process, the choreographer brings ‘hints of Flamenco movement to the contemporary vocabulary underpinned by ACE Dance & Music’s inimitable African style’.

“Ten will build on the themes of spiritual dedication and striving,” explains ACE. “Ultimately this piece will be about humanity’s urge to reach for the power of 10 the universal symbol of completion.”

2Faced Dance: Run Theatre Hafren, Newtown, Powys, Thurs 4 May; Malvern Theatre, Tues 9 May

Birmingham Royal Ballet stops off in Shrewsbury as part of a short tour, presenting a ‘sparkling’ triple bill designed to celebrate the diversity of classical ballet.

Kickstarting the programme is Kenneth MacMillan’s Solitaire, set to composer Malcolm Arnold’s English Dances and exploring the imagination of a girl who dreams up playmates for herself.

Hans van Manen’s 5 Tangos, meanwhile, is a Latin-inspired work showcasing the fiery music of Astor Piazzolla.

The programme is completed by Pineapple Poll, a Gilbert & Sullivan-inspired affair in which a ‘gaggle of girls’ fall in love with the dashing captain of HMS Hot Cross Bun.

As part of the journey towards its stated aim of becoming ‘a worldwide leader in the production of breathtaking, physical and inspirational dance’, Herefordshire-based 2Faced Dance Company here explores ‘the darker side of humanity’.

The show features an all-male ensemble of dancers performing a triple bill of works. Choreography is by newcomer Rebecca Evans and the well-established Tamsin Fitzgerald and Lenka Vagnerová. whatsonlive.co.uk 35

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Film

Alien: Covenant CERT tbc

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, James Franco, Noomi Rapace, Guy Pearce Directed by Ridley Scott (USA/UK)

Ridley Scott sucks us back into deep space for his third stab at the franchise he created way back in 1979.

Actually a sequel to Prometheus, the prequel he directed in 2012, the new film follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant as it lands on a remote, undiscovered Eden.

But there lies the android David (Michael Fassbender, reprising his role from Prometheus), as well as something altogether more alien and terrifying.

The film is the second in a proposed trilogy preceding the time frame of the first Alien film.

Released Fri 12 May

Film highlights released in May...

Jawbone CERT 15 (91 mins) Starring Johnny Harris, Ray Winstone, Michael Smiley, Ian McShane Directed by Thomas Q. Napper (UK)

With nowhere else to go, former amateur boxer Jimmy McCabe (Harris) returns to the ring to do what he does best… Harris, best known for his roles in London To Brighton and Monsters: Dark Continent, wrote the screenplay himself - à la Stallone - and was trained for his part by none other than Barry McGuigan.

Released Fri 12 May

Mindhorn CERT 15 (89 mins) Starring Julian Barratt, Simon Farnaby, Essie Davis, Russell Tovey, Andrea Riseborough, Steve Coogan Directed by Sean Foley (UK)

Colossal CERT 15 (109 mins) Starring Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, Tim Blake Nelson Directed by Nacho Vigalondo (Canada/Spain)

Richard Thorncroft used to be Mindhorn, the TV detective who could see the truth with the help of his robotic eye. But Richard is now a washed-up actor when the police approach him to negotiate with a serial killer who will only talk to ‘Mindhorn.’ It’s played for laughs, obviously.

The monster attacking Seoul in South Korea is indeed humongous, but what’s it got to do with Gloria? This is what Gloria (Anne Hathaway) has to find out, as she tries to get her life back on track after losing her job and her boyfriend in New York. The comedy is directed by Nacho Vigalondo, who’s made his reputation with sci-fi and horror.

Released Fri 5 May

Released Fri 19 May

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Film highlights released in May...

Frantz CERT 12a (114 mins) Starring Pierre Niney, Paula Bear, Ernst Stötzner, Marie Gruber, Johann von Bülow, Cyrielle Clair Directed by François Ozon (France/Germany)

If ever a film were pertinent to our times, it is François Ozon's Frantz. Set in Germany in the aftermath of the First World War, Ozon’s story of both acceptance and discrimination shows a country bruised, humiliated and fiercely resentful of its neighbour, France.

In the sleepy medieval town of Quedlinburg, the beautiful Anna visits the grave of

her fiancé Frantz Hoffmeister, a violinist who was killed in the battle of Verdun. She is surprised, then, to find red roses placed there by an unknown hand. After making enquiries, she discovers that the floral donor is a Frenchman, who is staying in town…

François Ozon, one of the great auteurs of contemporary French cinema, here delivers perhaps his finest film to date, a magnificent period romance that is at once enigmatic, mischievous and profoundly moving.

Released Fri 12 May

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge CERT 12a tbc

Starring Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (USA)

Jack Sparrow’s old rival, the undead Salazar (Javier Bardem), decides to rid the High Seas of all brigands. Expect ghosts, witches and much supernatural tomfoolery.

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Released Fri 26 May

Snatched CERT tbc

Spark CERT tbc

Starring Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Joan Cusack, Ike Barinholtz, Óscar Jaenada, Wanda Sykes Directed by Jonathan Levine (USA)

With the voices of Jace Norman, Jessica Biel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Stewart, Hilary Swank Directed by Aaron Woodley (Canada/South Korea/USA)

Emily and Linda have little in common, other than the fact Emily is Linda’s daughter. However, when Emily’s boyfriend dumps her, she sees little recourse but to invite her mother on her pre-booked jungle adventure. Expect embarrassment.

Spark is a teenage monkey and he’s not half bad at space travel. So he and his friends head to Planet Bana in the hope of rescuing it from the unscrupulous General Zhong. In 3D. Released Mon 29 May

Released Fri 19 May

The Other Side Of Hope CERT 12a (100 mins)

Starring Sherwan Haji, Sakari Kuosmanen, Kati Outinen, Tommi Korpela Directed by Aki Kaurismäki (Finland/Germany)

There’s little hope for Khaled, a refugee from Syria who’s just arrived in Helsinki. Nor for Wikström, who's just opened his first restaurant… It’s important to know that Aki Kaurismäki, Finland’s most famous director, trades in deadpan humour and a bitter, melancholy wit.

Released Fri 26 May whatsonlive.co.uk 37

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Visual Arts previews from around the region

Room

Here & Now

Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 6 May - Sat 24 June

mac, Birmingham, until Sun 4 June

Comprising works by a number of international women artists, this thought-provoking exhibition reflects the multiple and often concurrent meanings and functions of ‘the room’. The featured installations, sculptures and photographs, all works which have been produced between the 1970s and the present day, envisage the room in a variety of ways - as an erotically charged or psychological space, and also in terms of its structural and aesthetic properties.

The art of tapestry weaving is alive and well, as this first major curated exhibition of work for over 20 years ably demonstrates.

A touring show from the National Centre For Craft & Design, Here & Now showcases the ways in which the narrative heritage of the medium is used to engage with contemporary political, aesthetic and personal issues.

In the process, the exhibition aims to emphasise the artform’s ongoing relevance in the modern world.

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Visual Arts

Rachel Goodyear

Face To Face: Portraits Through Time

The New Art Gallery, Walsall, Fri 26 May - Sun 3 September

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until Sun 4 June

Manchester-based Rachel Goodyear has developed her reputation as an artist via a drawingbased practice that hints at the world of the unconscious mind.

Using old magazines, books and anonymous photographs as her inspiration, she creates characters which she then either locates within claustrophobic spaces or sets against heavy and brooding washes of ink and watercolour...

Rachel has created an immersive installation for her Walsall exhibition. Incorporating projected animations and sound, the new work enables the viewer to enter an environment which the artist describes as ‘both alluring and fearful whilst hovering between the familiar and the surreal’.

The installation is accompanied by a collection of her drawings.

This fascinating exhibition brings together works loaned from numerous sources, including the Arts Council Collection and the National Portrait Gallery. Indeed, the latter has contributed no fewer than 10 works of art.

Featuring snapshots of ordinary people as well as portraits of Henry VIII, Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie and Princess Diana, Face To Face explores the centuries-old fascination with capturing one’s own image.

The display comprises paintings, photographs, sculptures and interactive activities.

Last chance to see...

New Art West Midlands Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, mac, Birmingham, Worcester City Art Gallery & Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Sun 14 May

Thirty-one artists from six regional art schools are currently exhibiting new work at four leading galleries as part of New Art West Midlands 2017.

A launch vehicle for emerging artists, New Art West Midlands includes painting, installation, sculpture, photography, video, animation and digital artworks.

Highlights of the show include Yazmin

Boyle’s three-metre-long metal sculptures. The sculptures are made of industrial steel strap overlaid with a feminine lace print and formed into three-dimensional funnels and circles.

Megan Evans (pictured below - left and right), meanwhile, uses make-up to paint her portraits of women undergoing cosmetic surgery.

Many of the works on show take themes connected to science and biology. Numerous other pieces focus on the subjects of globalisation, migration and belonging.

Image credit (centre): Damian Massey.

A Dutch Window Grand Union, Birmingham, Fri 5 May - Sat 22 July

Seecum Cheung’s current project, of which this exhibition is the latest installment, explores the rise of right-wing Nationalism within Europe. An award-winning artist working primarily with the moving image, Cheung has conducted a series of interviews to track the political shifts occurring across the continent.

In the process, she’s engaged with leading specialists in the field of right-wing radicalism, human rights organisations and activist refugee groups. The ‘chapter’ of her work being presented in Birmingham this month takes as its subject matter this year’s national elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany. whatsonlive.co.uk 39

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explore the midlands The Midlands is home to an abundance of enjoyable and exciting places to visit, catering for people of all ages and from all walks of life. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find somewhere and something that fits the bill.

Our What’s On directory features a selection of some of the best places to visit across the region this summer. Have fun!

Birmingham You may also like...

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

National Sea Life Centre

Thinktank Science Museum

Set over 15 acres of luscious lawns and foliage, Birmingham Botanical Gardens features four glasshouses, gardens, a playground and tearoom.

Westbourne Rd, B15 3TR

The centre features more than 1,000 creatures and 60-plus displays including a million-litre underwater tropical tank and a brand new Octopus Hideout exhibit.

Museum attractions include over 200 interactive exhibits on science and discovery, as well as a programme of workshops, shows and demonstrations.

birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

Brindleyplace, B1 2HL

Curzon St, B4 7XG

visitsealife.com/birmingham

birminghammuseums.org.uk/thinktank

• Aston Hall • BBC Birmingham • Birmingham Back To Backs • Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery • Cadbury World • Cannon Hill Park • Library of Birmingham • Wonderful World of Trains and Planes

Shropshire You may also like...

Blists Hill Victorian Town

British Ironworks Centre

Telford Town Park

One of 10 award-winning museums that make up the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, Blists Hill offers the chance to step back in time to the days of Queen Victoria.

This family-run centre boasts a varied collection of beautifully decorative metal items, some of which are faithful reproductions of ironwork no longer seen today.

Sitting next to the town’s Southwater development, the park offers multiple play areas, fishing pools, bike hire, nature trails and extensive grassed areas.

Madeley, TF7 5DU

Oswestry, SY11 4JH

Telford, TF3 4EP

ironbridge.org.uk

britishironworkcentre.co.uk

telfordtownpark.co.uk

• Attingham Park • Dudmaston Estate • Hawkstone Park & Follies • Ludlow Castle • Park Hall Farm • Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery • Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre • Weston Park • Wroxeter Roman City

Staffordshire You may also like...

Tamworth Castle

Gladstone Pottery Museum

Lichfield Cathedral

Step back in time through 900 years of history at Tamworth Castle.

Wander the chambers and hallways and get a real sense of how its previous residents spent their time in the castle.

Tamworth B79 7NA

Located in a Victorian pottery factory, the museum offers a fascinating insight into the history of Stoke-on-Trent, famous the world over for the quality of its pottery.

Boasting over 1,300 years of history and recently voted third best cathedral in the UK, Lichfield Cathedral is currently hosting a Turner exhibition.

Stoke-on-Trent ST3 1PQ

19A The Close, WS13 7LD

stokemuseums.org.uk

lichfield-cathedral.org

tamworthcastle.co.uk

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• Alton Towers • Beacon Park • Cannock Chase Forest • Drayton Manor • Lower Drayton Farm • Middleport Pottery • Samuel Johnson Birthplace • Shugborough Estate • Trentham Gardens • World of Wedgwood

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Warwickshire You may also like...

Coventry Transport Museum

Warwick Castle

Compton Verney

Home to the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles in the world. Discover fascinating stories of Coventry and its people through the rise and fall of its biggest industry.

Playing host to more than 1,000 years of history, magic, myth and adventure, the castle this summer features the brand new War Of The Roses Live! attraction.

One hundred-and-twenty acres of stunning parkland and lake surround an award-winning art gallery. There’s also an on-site adventure playground for kids.

Coventry CV1 1JD

Warwick, CV34 4QU

Warwick, CV35 9HZ

transport-museum.com

warwick-castle.com

comptonverney.org.uk

• British Motor Museum • Coventry Cathedral • Fargo Village • Hatton Adventure World • Kenilworth Castle • National Motorcycle Museum • Ragley Hall • Shakespeare’s Birthplace • Stratford Butterfly Farm • Stoneleigh Abbey • The MAD Museum

Wolverhampton & Black Country You may also like...

RAF Museum Cosford

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

Black Country Living Museum

Over 70 historic aircraft are here displayed in three wartime hangars on an active airfield. The collection spans nearly 80 years of aviation history.

This free-to-visit gallery has over 300 years of art to explore. The popular LEGO exhibition, Brick Wonders, features until July.

Lichfield St, W’hampton WV1 1DU

Visitors can explore period shops and houses and discover what it was like to live and work in one of the world’s most industrialised landscapes.

Lyssander Ave, Cosford, TF11 8UP

wolverhamptonart.org.uk

Tipton Rd, Dudley DY1 4SQ

rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford

• Bantock House • Bilston Craft Gallery • Dudley Canal Trust • Dudley Zoo & Castle • Himley Hall • Northycote Farm & Country Park • Red House Glass Cone • Walsall Arboretum • Wightwick Manor • Wolves Museum

bclm.co.uk

Worcestershire You may also like...

Avoncroft Museum

The Commandery

Arley Arboretum

Set in 19 acres of Worcestershire countryside, this independent museum features buildings spanning a 700-year period.

A beautiful building that’s most famous for being the Royalist headquarters during the deciding conflict of the English Civil War, the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

The Arboretum offers plenty to enjoy for visitors of all ages. Attractions include an Italian garden with fountain, dinosaur and fairy trails and a maze.

Sidbury, Worcester, WR1 2HU

Upper Arley, Nr Bewdley, DY12 1SQ

worcestershire.gov.uk/museums

arleyarboretum.co.uk

Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, B60 4JR avoncroft.org.uk

• Croome Park • Forge Mill Needle Museum • Harvington Hall • Museum of Royal Worcester • Severn Valley Railway • West Midlands Safari Park • Worcester City Museum & Art Gallery • Witley Court & Gardens

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Events previews from around the region

Events

The Baby Show NEC, Birmingham, Fri 19 - Sun 21 May

Sleep-deprived new parents would do well to call on their reserves of energy and get along to this popular show. Widely considered to be the UK’s leading pregnancy and parenting event, The Baby Show brings together leading retailers and brands, includes one-to-one demonstrations and provides the opportunity to ‘touch, feel and compare’ items, enabling shoppers to make an informed decision about their purchases.

The show also offers free advice on topics such as sleeping, breastfeeding and weaning, and comes complete with a host of facilities to help you have a hassle-free day.

We’re fairly sure that if your baby could talk, they’d advise you to attend...

Ludlow Food Spring Festival

This Morning Live NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 18 - Sun 21 May

This brand new lifestyle show, inspired

by ITV1’s This Morning programme, features appearances by Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby (pictured), the presenters of the popular daytime television series.

The event also boasts numerous lifestyle elements, including fashion & style, food & drink, home, gardening, pets, beauty, and health & wellbeing.

Commenting on the four-day show, Emma Gormley, ITV Daytime Managing Director, said: “With our fantastic presenting talent and the wonderful mix of content that we'll be taking on the road, this event promises to delight fans of the show across the country.”

Ludlow Castle, South Shropshire, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May

This annual festival ably illustrates why Ludlow is one of the country’s most reputable foodie towns.

The two-day event features more than 200 beers alongside an array of food stalls, with vendors offering delectable delights ranging from artisan flours to charcuterie, award-winning cakes, gourmet sausage rolls and local cheeses.

The Marches Transport Festival and a wealth of musical entertainment complete the weekend’s programme of attractions.

Tudor Weekend Blakesley Hall, Birmingham, Sun 28 - Mon 29 May

Visitors to Blakesley Hall get the chance to participate in Tudor games and dancing, or try their hand at writing with a quill pen, at this family-friendly event.

Tudor reenactors entertain and educate throughout the weekend, presenting Shakespeare's Richard III and battle scenes from Henry V, as well as demonstrating a range of sure-to-be-impressive sword-fighting techniques.

Tudor-style cooking is also on the agenda, while a number of Tudor characters will be showing off their textile skills.

Sounds like a step back in time that could be well worth taking... whatsonlive.co.uk 45

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MEETING POINT: corner of Colmore Row & Waterloo Street, Victoria Square TOUR TIMES: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm CONTACT:

0121 427 2555 / 07805 115 998 enquiries@birmingham-tours.co.uk AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

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Events

Events previews from around the region

Telford Kite Festival Telford Town Park, Shropshire, Sun 7 May

READER OFFER! 20% off for What’s On Readers when quoting

Jurassic Kingdom: Where Dinosaurs Come To Life

WHATSON20 when booking

Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Sat 20 May - Sun 4 June

Monstrously good fun is on the cards for dinosaur-loving visitors to this brand new touring event.

Featuring more than 30 impressive installations of animated dinosaurs with electronic moving parts, the show is being marketed as ‘a truly awesome educational and entertaining Jurassic experience’. And there’s every reason to imagine it will be exactly that...

Wool@J13 Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May

As visitors explore the gardens, they’ll uncover life-sized replica dinosaurs, including both Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops.

An education marquee, hosting a number of on-screen dinosaur documentaries, ensures that youngsters can learn as well as enjoy, while a special excavation scene provides children with the chance to dig up dinosaur bones. To book, visit jurassickingdom.uk

Dragon Hunt

Color Obstacle Rush

Tamworth Castle, Sat 27 May - Fri 2 June

Wolverhampton Racecourse, Sat 27 May

Two dragons for the price of one is the springtime holiday treat for families visiting Tamworth Castle this half term.

As well as resident dragon Ruby, the venue is also playing host to Hafgrim, her mischief-making brother, who’s got himself lost somewhere within the castle and its grounds. Visitors are invited to help find him, along the way participating in a selection of dragon-friendly activities... Best be vigilant, though - the evil ‘dragon catcher’ is on the prowl and will stop at nothing to capture Ruby or Hafgrim. What a rotter!

One of the premier groups of its kind in the UK - the Midlands Kite Flyers Association - is coordinating this free-to-attend day of highflying fun. As well as enjoying colourful kite displays, visitors can also get handy tips and design ideas from experts, to help them build their own kite in a special workshop.

Kite-making sessions for kids will be taking place at Telford Shopping Centre in the run-up to the event.

This multicoloured event became hugely popular across Scandinavia following its Finland launch in 2014. Expanding into the US and Europe the following year, it combines ‘the fun of colour powdered runs, the thrill of an obstacle course and the atmosphere of a music festival’.

Obstacles in the 2017 edition of the show include inflatables - some with colour stations inside them - a sponge ball ocean, space-hopper racing and water balloon fights. The event also features 20 music zones, positioned at locations around the course, and a special chill-out area.

This brand new wool and yarn festival is taking place on a 600acre farm just one mile from Junction 13 of the M6 - hence the event’s name.

The festival is being organised by Staffordshire-based wool artist Ingrid Wagner in collaboration with Val James, who runs a successful farm attraction.

“We want to offer visitors a great experience,” says Ingrid. “Overall, we’ve had a great response from exhibitors, so the shopping experience really will be buzzing.

We have bagots and baguettes, llamas and lattes, doe-eyed donkeys, a gaggle of geese and even a rescued reptile - and that’s before we even get to the Hebrideans and a Jacob or two!” whatsonlive.co.uk 47

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Events

Events previews from around the region

Shropshire Kids Festival The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May

‘Education through fun’ lies at the heart of this high-energy weekend, with plenty of arts & crafts events and workshops allowing children to get hands-on while they learn.

Other attractions include a 75m water slide, a helter-skelter and a go-kart track, the chance to play a host of sports and take part in jujitsu, karate and yoga sessions.

There’s an inflatable obstacle course too, and ‘wacky races’ with water balloons and space hoppers. A circus skills tent, kids cookery classes and a ‘not to be missed’ foam party further add to the fun.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone™ In Concert Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, Mon 15 May

The present-day passion for Potter shows no sign of abating, particularly after the stage production of The Cursed Child bagged a record-breaking nine prizes at last month’s Olivier Awards.

This latest touring attraction for fans of JK Rowling’s wizarding world features a highdefinition screening of the very first Potter movie. It’s accompanied by a live Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra performance of the film’s score, composed by the legendary John Williams.

Museums At Night: 1960s Party Enginuity, Ironbridge, Shropshire, Sat 20 May

Enginuity’s contribution to this year’s nationwide Museums At Night festival sees the popular Ironbridge Gorge attraction hosting a free-entry 1960s party.

The event features the chance to play popular board games of the time - including

Twister, Operation and Mousetrap - enjoy a performance of memorable jukebox hits by a local musical theatre group. and roll back the years with a glass of sparkling Babycham or Blue Nun wine.

Visitors are encouraged to get into the Swinging ’60s spirit of things by attending the event in era-appropriate fancy dress.

Red By Night Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, Sat 20 May

Flying sparks, clanging hammers and rising smoke are much in evidence at this special Black Country Living Museum event.

The Dudley visitor attraction’s annual Night At The Museum celebration this year brings to life the history of the region via a package of entertainment that includes theatre performances, poetry, music and storytelling.

There’s also the chance to see the Endurance steam engine in action. Plenty of traditional food and drink should ensure the sound of rumbling stomachs isn’t added to the museum’s cacophony of industrial noises.

Staffordshire County Show Staffordshire County Showground, Wed 31 May - Thurs 1 June

Staffordshire’s annual two-day county show makes a welcome return, complete with its usual eclectic mix of attractions and entertainment.

The main-ring programme of events features displays from the Bolddog Lings Motorcycle Display Team, vintage machinery and livestock parades, show jumping and young farmers floats. Highlights elsewhere at the Showground include falconry, sheepdog and duck displays, donkey rides, craft and antique fairs and a cookery theatre & food hall.

War Of The Roses Live!

Warwick Castle, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June

Branded by Warwick Castle as a heartpumping, fist-thumping, live-action horseback battle with jaw-dropping special effects, War Of The Roses Live! invites visitors to pledge their allegiance either to King Henry VI from the House of Lancaster, or to the House of York as it challenges for the English throne.

The show takes place on selected dates between this month and September.

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thelist

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Your week by week listings guide May 2017

Take That at Genting Arena - Friday 5 to Saturday 6 May

Music I Comedy I Theatre I Dance I Film I Events I Visual Arts I

What’s On

and more!

Mon 1 to Sun 7 May

Mon 8 to Sun 14 May

Mon 15 to Fri 21 May

Mon 23 to Wed 31 May

Dreamboats And Petticoats at New Alexandra Theatre

Adam Ant at Symphony Hall

Ladies Seasonal Style Event at Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Tues 2 - Sat 6 May

Fri 12 - Sat 13 May

Wed 17 May

Pirate Week at National Sealife Centre, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June

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thelist

Gigs

THE BARRON KNIGHTS Thurs 4 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull

early-20th century New York artist George Bellows. He presents his findings in word and image as an academic calendar, Fri 19 May - Sun 17 Sept

STEVE HACKETT Mon 1 May Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE PHIL BEER BAND Thurs 4 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

THE NIGHT CAFE Mon 1 May Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

KENNY THOMAS Thurs 4 May, The Jam House, Birmingham

BOM (B’ham Open Media)

TALL SHIPS Tues 2 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

MAXIMO PARK Fri 5 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

SHORTSTRAW Tues 2 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

CATTLE & CANE Fri 5 May, The Flapper, Birmingham

JOSE JAMES Tues 2 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham

THE BRAZEN Fri 5 May, O2 Academy, B’ham

THROUGHOUT MAY

Visual Arts Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery I WANT! I WANT!: ART & TECHNOLOGY A curated selection from the Arts Council Collection - with key loans from other major collections - that presents the work of contemporary artists using new technologies, until Sun 1 Oct

GENECRAFT: ART IN THE BIOGENETIC AGE A collaborative artwork by artist Gina Czarnecki and professor of clinical sciences John Hunt, using Czarnecki’s daughters’ skin cells, until Sat 13 May

Other VISUAL ARTS LINDEN ROAD ARTISTS EXHIBITION Recent paintings from Linden Road artists, inspired by the second city’s diversity, until Mon 8 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull

FAITH IN BIRMINGHAM, Exploring how different faiths have influenced and shaped the city, until Sun 3 Feb 2019

Ikon Gallery OLIVER BEER New work from the British artist. A number of recent works have involved a selection of vessels being used to create unique musical instruments as installations, until Sun 4 June JEAN PAINLEVÉ The first UK exhibition of work by Jean Painlevé (1902 1989). Painlevé’s innovative filming technique and commitment to serious scientific observation have ensured his work remains relevant today, until Sun 4 June

RBSA Gallery NEW MAKE YOUR MARK An exhibition of work by finalists in a competition for A Level art students, organised by the West Midlands Area of the National Association of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies to celebrate the national NADFAS AGM 2017 in Birmingham, Mon 8 - Sat 27 May NEW WAYNE ATTWOOD RBSA Second City - A continuing visual exploration of Birmingham, Mon 29 May - Sat 15 July

The Barber Institute NEW SOUNDING IMAGES Inspired by works in the gallery, university music students have created new electroacoustic pieces as part of the Sounding Images module, so take an audio tour of the gallery and experience the visual arts from another perspective, Fri 28 Apr - Sun 18 June NEW I KNOW BUT I DON'T KNOW MATTHEW PAGETT Artist-in-residence Matthew Pagett was asked to respond to the recent exhibition about

52 whatsonlive.co.uk

Monday 1 - Sunday 7 May

TIM PEAKE'S PHOTOS FROM SPACE Celebrating Tim Peake's mission to the International Space Station, the images in this exhibition show remarkable landscapes on Earth taken from space, and life on board the space station, until Sun 4 June, Thinktank at Millennium Point, Birmingham EXCAVATING EMPIRE: THE FORGOTTEN ARCHIVE OF MOUNT SINAI Exhibition featuring letters and photographs from the archives of twin sisters Agnes Smith Lewis and Margaret Dunlop Gibson, who, in 1892, made the incredible discovery of the Codex Syriac Sinaiticus, a manuscript of the gospel from the fourth century, until Mon 12 June, Birmingham City University INSPIRING KNOWLEDGE Exhibition showcasing groundbreaking works from the past 500 years, in celebration of the opening of the university's new library, until Fri 30 June, The University of Birmingham THE EXTRAORDINARY LIVES OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE Exhibition exploring the extraordinary lives of everyday Birmingham people, until Sat 1 July, Soho House, Birmingham MAKING SPACE: CELEBRATING WOMEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM Celebrating the achievements of inspiring women from the University of Birmingham, until Fri 21 July, Birmingham City University NEW DOT.ART An exhibition and events programme presenting artworks from the first wave of Net.Art, Sat 6 - Sat 27 May, Vivid Projects, Digbeth NEW 20TH CENTURY MASTERS EXHIBITION A selling exhibition of rare, museum-quality works by the most celebrated artists of the last 100 years, including Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, LS Lowry, Andy Warhol, Peter Blake and more, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May, Whitewall Galleries Birmingham

RAT BOY Tues 2 May, O2 Institute, B’ham MARIANAS TRENCH Tues 2 May, O2 Institure, Birmingham VICKY SPEEDBOAT, FULLSHORE & INSOMNIACS Tues 2 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham JOE GODDARD Wed 3 May Hare & Hounds, Birmingham LADIES OF THE BLUES Wed 3 May Hare & Hounds, Birmingham THE GARTH BROOKS STORY Wed 3 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull SHAME Wed 3 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham WILLIAM MCCARTHY Wed 3 May, The Rainbow Venues, Digbeth, Birmingham CHRIS CLEVERLEY AND KIM LOWINGS Wed 3 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham

FAUX PAS & MALLAVORA Fri 5 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham QUILL Fri 5 May, The Robin, Wolverhampton THE MINOR TOMS Fri 5 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham SKINNY LISTER Fri 5 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

CUPIDS Sat 6 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham THE FLOYD EFFECT Sat 6 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull THE VERVE EXPERIENCE Sat 6 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham MORGAN HERITAGE & ETANA Sat 6 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham UNDEROATH Sat 6 May, O2 Institute, B’ham SETTING SONS Sat 6 May, The Flapper, Birmingham THE JAM'D Sat 6 May, The Roadhouse, Birmingham EXPLOSIVE LIGHT ORCHESTRA Sat 6 May, The Robin, Bilston HUEY MORGAN Sat 6 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

TAKE THAT Fri 5 - Sat 6 May, Genting Arena, Birmingham

ROY ORBISON & THE TRAVELLING WILBURYS Sat 6 May, Artrix, Birmingham

SINNERBOY Fri 5 May, The Roadhouse, Birmingham

CLEAN CUT KID Sat 6 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

HIGHER ON MAIDEN AND ARAMANTUS Fri 5 May, Route 44, Birmingham

FIRE RED EMPRESS Sat 6 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE MAGIC GANG Fri 5 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DMS FUSION Sun 7 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

WILL JOSEPH COOK Fri 5 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

GOST + NEOSLAVE Sun 7 May, The Flapper, Birmingham

WHITNEY - QUEEN OF THE NIGHT Fri 5 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull

THE ROBERT CRAY BAND Sun 7 May, Birmingham Town Hall

SAYWECANFLY Wed 3 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

BIG NARSTIE'S BDL TOUR Sat 6 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

SEAFRET Wed 3 May, O2 Institute, B’ham

A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND COMEDY: PAUL RICHARDS & GRIFF

HARP AND A MONKEY Wed 3 May, The Red Lion Folk Club, B’ham

JAMESON Sat 6 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

HOOPS Sun 7 May Hare & Hounds, Birmingham NANCY KERR AND THE SWEET VISITOR BAND Sun 7 May, Lichfield Guildhall

MICHAEL WESTON KING Thurs 4 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, B’ham THE REMI HARRIS PROJECT Thurs 4 May, mac, Birmingham ANDREW COMBS Thurs 4 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham THE SUNDOWNERS Thurs 4 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham

Whitney: Queen Of The Night - The Core, Solihull

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Monday 1 - Sunday 7 May

Classical Music PERFORMANCE PLATFORM: KONAN TANAKA Programme includes works

by Mozart, Ravel, Lieberman & Chopin, Tues 2 May, Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire PERFORMANCE PLATFORM: NAFIS UMERKULOVA Tues 2 May, Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire RUSSELL WATSON & HIS ORCHESTRA Wed 3 May, Symphony Hall, B’ham

Quintet in G, Op.77, Fri 5 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE POPS ORCHESTRA Featuring Christopher Houlding (conductor) & Eric McElroy (piano), Fri 5 May, Birmingham Town Hall SHEKU KANNEH MASON (CELLO) & ISATA KANNEH MASON (PIANO) Programme includes works by Beethoven & Shostakovich, Fri 5 May, Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ORCHESTRA Featuring Ben Gernon (conductor) & Alison Balsom (trumpet). Programme includes works by Beethoven, Barker & Dvorak, Sat 6 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Comedy SACCONI QUARTET Thurs 4 May, The Bramall, Birmingham CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring Ben Gernon (conductor) & Alison Balsom (trumpet).

Programme includes works by Beethoven, Haydn & Dvorak, Thurs 4 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE ROYAL AIR FORCE MUSIC SERVICES TUBA QUARTET Featuring Michael Howley & Lewis Musson (Euphonium), Jonathan Truscott & Jonathan Gawn (tuba), Fri 5 May, The Barber Institute, Birmingham HESS' QUINTET FOR CONTRABASSOON Featuring Margaret Cookhorn (Contrabassoon), Jane Wright & Katherine Gittings (violins), Christopher Yates (viola), Helen Edgar (Cello) & Julian Atkinson (Double Bass). Programme includes Hess' Quintet for contrabassoon and strings Op.63 & Dvorak's

DAVID TRENT, NICK DIXON & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY RICHARDSON Wed 3 May, The Glee Club, B’ham ANGELA BARNES, IAN D. MONTFORT, JACK BARRY & JAMES ALDERSON Thurs 4 May, The George Hotel, Lichfield

Julius Caesar - Royal Shakespeare Theatre - Stratford-upon-Avon

NICK DIXON, RON VAUDRY, MATT GREEN & COMIC TBC Sat 6 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham RUDI LICKWOOD, MARK NELSON, LEO KEARSE & SAM AVERY Sat 6 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham

JON RICHARDSON Thurs 4 May, Birmingham Hippodrome TOM TAYLOR, NICK DIXON, RON VAUDRY & MATT GREEN Fri 5 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham

OMID DJALILI Fri 5 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham PAUL RICHARDS & GRIFF JAMESON Sat 6 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

SING-A-LONG-A SOUND OF MUSIC Screening of the classic Julie Andrews musical in full-screen technicolour, complete with lyric subtitles so you can sing along, Tues 2 May, Birmingham Hippodrome GREAT EXPECTATIONS Birmingham Ormiston Academy present an amateur staging of Dickens’ penultimate novel, Tues 2 May, The Old Rep, Birmingham

RUDI LICKWOOD, MARK NELSON, LEO KEARSE & SAM AVERY Fri 5 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN, BARRY DODDS & BEN BRIGGS Fri 5 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham

SING-A-LONG-A FROZEN Dress up as your favourite character and experience Disney’s most popular animated film in a whole new light, Mon 1 May, Birmingham Hippodrome

ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN, BARRY DODDS & BEN BRIGGS Sat 6 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham GARY DELANEY Sat 6 May, The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham JOHN SIMMIT, CURTIS WALKER, THANYIA MOORE & LATEEF LOVEJOY Sat 6 May, mac, Birmingham

Theatre TO SIR, WITH LOVE New staging of ER Braithwaite's powerful story, adapted for the stage by the writer of East Is East, Ayub Khan-Din, until Sat 6 May, The REP, Birmingham

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL Amateur production presented by Brownhills Musical Theatre Company, Tues 2 - Sat 6 May, Lichfield Garrick DISCO INFERNO The Arcadians present the story of ambitious and talented hopeful Jack Flash, a man with a 'burning' desire to make it in the music business at any cost, Tues 2 Sat 6 May, The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS THE MUSICAL Nostalgic musical featuring classic tracks from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, Chuck Berry and many more, Tues 2 - Sat 6 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA Iqbal Khan (Much Ado About Nothing, Othello) returns to the RSC to direct Shakespeare’s tragedy of love and power.

Part of the RSC’s Rome season, Thurs 7 Sept, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

To Sir, With Love - The REP, Birmingham

JULIUS CAESAR Shakespeare’s bloody story of conspiracy and murder, noble intentions and ignoble actions.

Part of the RSC’s Rome season, until Sat 9 Sep, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

ARABIAN NIGHTS Presented by Birmingham Ormiston Academy as part of its Literally Dramatic season, Wed 3 May, The Old Rep, Birmingham

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Monday 1 - Sunday 7 May of Herman Melville’s classic tale, Fri 5 May, The Old Rep, Birmingham IN TENTS AND PURPOSES Humorous, time-hopping story exploring whether our lives are predetermined or shaped by our choices, Fri 5 May, mac, Birmingham SCOTTISH FALSETTO SOCK PUPPET THEATRE DO SHAKESPEARE Brand new show of ‘songs, sketches, socks and violence’, Fri 5 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

world and led to the US's Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, Sat 6 - Sat 20 May, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham ULLA’S ODYSSEY OperaUpClose present a nautical fantasy fusing puppetry and live music, Sun 7 May, mac, Birmingham

QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE A ‘glorious, uplifting celebration of the urgent necessity to be your true self’, Fri 5 - Sat 6 May, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope - Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

BETWEEN THE TWO Rochi Rampal & Daniel Tyler's story asks, where do we belong when the maps are redrawn?, Wed 3 - Thurs 4 May, The REP, Birmingham JUMPROV DEBUT SHOW Ninety-minute show completely made up on the spot and featuring classic improv games, Thurs 4 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

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1984 Birmingham Ormiston Academy present an amateur staging of George Orwell’s dystopian novel, Thurs 4 May, The Old Rep, B’ham ANYONE FOR BREAKFAST? Amateur staging of Derek Benfield’s muchloved farce, Thurs 4 - Sat 13 May, Sutton Arts Centre, Sutton Coldfield MOBY DICK Birmingham Ormiston Academy present an amateur staging

FORGET ME NOT: THE ALZHEIMER’S WHODUNNIT A one-man comedy poetry theatre show about how we treat and perceive people with dementia, Sat 6 May, mac, Birmingham SLEUTH Amateur staging of Anthony Shaffer’s whodunnit, set in an English country house owned by a famous writer, Sat 6 - Sat 13 May, Oldbury Rep THE LARAMIE PROJECT Iconic play, rarely performed in the UK, about the gay hate crime that shocked the

Film INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (12a) Adventure/Sci-Fi. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, until Thurs 4 May

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Monday 1 - Sunday 7 May THEIR FINEST (12a) Comedy/Drama.

Starring Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin. mac, Birmingham, Fri 5 Thurs 11 May SWALLOWS & AMAZONS (PG) Family.

Starring Kelly Macdonald, Andrew Scott. mac, Birmingham, Mon 1 May MAD MAX FURY ROAD (15) Adventure/Sci-Fi. Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron. The Mockingbird Cinema, Birmingham, Mon 1 - Tues 2 May BUNCH OF KUNST (18) Documentary/Biography. Starring Andrew Fearn, Sleaford Mods. The Mockingbird Cinema, Birmingham, Mon 1 - Wed 3 May MULHOLLAND DRIVE (15) Mystery/Thriller. Starring Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts. mac, Birmingham, Mon 1 - Thurs 4 May

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Released from Fri 5 May, showing at selected cinemas A DOG’S PURPOSE (PG) HARMONIUM (15) MINDHORN (15) SLEEPLESS (15) UNLOCKED (15) WHISKY GALORE! (PG)

Events Gung-Ho! - Cofton Park, Birmingham

TRADITIONAL MAY DAY Celebrate May Day with maypole dancing, Morrisdancing, mummers plays, music and merriment, Mon 1 May, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove NATIONAL TRACTION ENGINE TRUST MEMBERS DAY Featuring a variety of full-size and miniature traction engines, Mon 1 May, British Motor Museum, Gaydon COSTUMED TOUR OF SOHO HOUSE Explore the elegant Georgian home of Birmingham's foremost industrialist Matthew Boulton, Mon 1 May, Soho House, Birmingham

THE ELEPHANT MAN (PG) Biography/Drama. Starring Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt. mac, Birmingham, Tues 2 May JACKIE (15) Biography/Drama. Starring Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Tues 2 Wed 3 May STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (12a) Adventure/Fantasy. Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega. The Mockingbird Cinema, Birmingham, Thurs 4 May DON'T LOOK BACK (15) Documentary/Music. Starring Bob Dylan. mac, Birmingham, Fri 5 - Sat 6 May DENIAL (12a) Biography/Drama. Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 5 - Sat 6 May DHEEPAN (15) Crime/Drama. Starring Jesuthasan Antonythasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan. Foreign language, subtitled. Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 7 May THE DEATH OF MR LAZARESCU (12a) Drama. Starring Ion Fiscuteanu, Luminita Gheorghiu. Foreign language, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, Sun 7 May FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (PG) Romance/War. Starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr. Highbury Theatre, Sutton Coldfield, Sun 7 May

from the hit CITV series, Sooty, Sweep and Soo bake a chocolate cake with a sprinkle of Cadbury magic, Sat 6 - Sun 7 May, Cadbury World, Bournville, Birmingham ENDURANCE LEGENDS The UK’s only four-hour classic endurance race, Sat 6 - Sun 7 May, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Derby THE CLASSIC LAND ROVER SHOW A twoday show, now in its third year, Sat 6 -

Sun 7 May, British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire RETRO KIDS CARTOONS CELEBRATION Relive an ’80s childhood with lots of fun and activities, Sun 7 May, Forge Mill Needle Museum, Redditch TOY COLLECTORS FAIR Explore 550 stands filled with all kinds of collectables from the UK’s leading dealers, Sun 7 May, NEC, Birmingham

MAY DAY AT THE MUSEUM Maypole dancers weave their magic, Mon 1 May, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley FOUR CENTURIES BOOK TALK Find out why Charlecote has one of the best libraries in the Trust with this talk, covering four centuries of books from the Lucy family collection, Wed 3 May, Charlecote Park, Warwick BACKSTAGE TOUR: FAMILY Discover the rarely seen backstage areas of the theatre, as The REP invites you to be an audience member, set builder, prosthetics maker or assistant stage manager, Thurs 4 May, The REP, Birmingham GUNG-HO! Thrill-seekers will hit speeds of up to 40mph on Europe’s tallest inflatable slide, which has been transformed for the world’s biggest inflatable obstacle course’s return to the Midlands, Sat 6 May, Cofton Park, Birmingham JUNIOR HERITAGE SKILLS WORKSHOPS Take part in a range of hands-on traditional art & craft activities, and find out about the rich manufacturing heritage of the Black Country, Sat 6 May, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley ALTHORP FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL Celebrating the very best independent food and drink produce in Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties, Sat 6 - Sun 7 May, Althorp House, Northants SOOTY'S BIRTHDAY BAKE OFF Direct

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Monday 8 - Sunday 14 May Sun 14 May Birmingham Town Hall THE STARS FROM THE COMMITMENTS Fri 12 May, The Robin, Bilston THE MARRAKESH EXPRESS Fri 12 May, Artrix, Birmingham THE JIVE ACES Fri 12 May, Lichfield Guildhall WHILE SHE SLEEPS Fri 12 May, The Asylum, Birmingham DJ FORMAT & ABDOMINAL Fri 12 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham ADAM ANT Fri 12 May, Symphony Hall, B’ham

Adam Ant - Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Gigs KING OF POP Mon 8 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham J HUS Mon 8 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham THE PARROTS Mon 8 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham DEVON ALLMAN WITH HIS BAND Mon 8 May, The Robin, Bilston ASH MAMMAL Mon 8 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham THE RIFLES Mon 8 May, The Glee Club, B’ham C DUNCAN Mon 8 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham BONFIRE RADICALS Mon 8 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham LANKUM Mon 8 May, mac, Birmingham KATATONIA Tues 9 May, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton NAPALM DEATH Tues 9 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham THE MARRAKESH EXPRESS Tues 9 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham PROTOJE & THE INDIGGNATION Tues 9 May, O2 Institute, B’ham GAMBIMI Tues 9 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham AN EVENING WITH IAN MCCULLOCH Tues 9 May, The Robin, Bilston

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EWAN MCLENNAN Fri 12 May, Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton

THE ONE HUNDRED Wed 10 May, The Asylum, Birmingham

THE UNDERCOVER HIPPY Sat 13 May, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton

VO FLETCHER Wed 10 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

SCREAMING QUAYS Sat 13 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE DOVETAIL TRIO & NINEBARROW Wed 10 May, The Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham

DIIO - A TRIBUTE TO RONNIE JAMES DIO Sat 13 May, Route 44, B’ham

3 DAFT MONKEYS Thurs 11 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham BOO HEWERDINE BAND Thurs 11 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, B’ham HE IS LEGEND Thurs 11 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham PLEASURE HOUSE + THE COSMICS Thurs 11 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

THE MACHINE RAGES ON Sat 13 May, The Flapper, Birmingham THE CRIBS Sat 13 May, O2 Institute, B’ham HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND Sat 13 May, The REP, Brimingham

PROCOL HARUM Thus 11 May, Birmingham Town Hall

THE JAPANESE HOUSE Sat 13 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

DR ROBERT Thurs 11 May Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

RABSCALLION Sat 13 May, Birmingham Town Hall

CHARLOTTE CHURCH'S LATE NIGHT POP DUNGEON Fri 12 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

FAIRPORT CONVENTION Sat 13 May, Birmingham Town Hall

ELHAE Fri 12 May, O2 Institute, Birminghamr FAILURE IS AN OPTION Fri 12 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham IMAGINED ISLE Fri 12 -

MANTRA Sun 14 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham THE KENNEDYS Sun 14 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham JON BODEN Sun 14 May, Birmingham Town Hall BOSSK & OHHMS Sun 14 May, The Flapper, Birmingham

COUNT ARTHUR STRONG Wed 10 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

PATIENCE English Touring Opera presents its version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Victorian romp, Mon 8 May, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry ULSTER ORCHESTRA Featuring Rafael Payare (conductor) & Alina Ibragimova (violin). Programme includes works by Brahms & Sibelius, Mon 8 May, Birmingham Town Hall

BARBARA NICE, MAUREEN YOUNGER Wed 10 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham JOHN HASTINGS, JARLATH REGAN & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY RICHARDSON Thurs 11 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham MARK THOMAS Thurs 11 May, Station Pub, Sutton Coldfield JOHN HASTINGS, JARLATH REGAN, LLOYD LANGFORD & CARLY SMALLMAN Fri 12 May, The Glee Club, B’ham RICH WILSON, DAMIAN CLARK, STEVE BUGEJA & COMIC TBC Fri 12 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham ANDY ZALTZMAN Fri 12 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham REGINALD D HUNTER Fri 12 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

CKY Sat 13 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham ELIO PACE PERFORMS THE BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK Sat 13 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

Comedy

THOMAS TROTTER LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT Programme includes works

by Vaughan Williams, Wammes, Hollins, Locklair & Widor, Mon 8 May, Birmingham Town Hall

THE MARLEY EXPERIENCE Sat 13 May, The Roadhouse, Birmingham

THE CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERS Thurs 11 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

SMOKIN’ ADE WAKELIN & HIS BAND Fri 12 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham

Classical & Opera

HARRIET KEMSLEY & KATE LUCAS Fri 12 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre BEATRICE RANA PERFORMS BACH’S GOLDBERG VARIATIONS Tues 9 May, Birmingham Town Hall ALEXAI KISELIOV (PIANO) & ANDREY IVANOV (PIANO) Programme comprises Rachmaninov’s Sonata for Cello & Piano in G minor Op.19, Tues 9 May, Lyttleton Lecture Theatre, Birmingham & Midland Institute TOSCA English Touring Opera presents its version of Puccini’s ‘most famous’ opera, Tues 9 May, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring John Wilson (conductor), Rachel Kelly (Mezzo soprano) & Neal Davies (baritone).

Programme includes works by Vaughan Williams & Bax, Wed 10 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

JOHN HASTINGS, JARLATH REGAN, LLOYD LANGFORD & CARLY SMALLMAN Sat 13 May, The Glee Club, B’ham RICH WILSON, DAMIAN CLARK, STEVE BUGEJA & COMIC TBC Sat 13 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham JOHN LYNN, JULIET MEYERS & SIMON BLIGH Sat 13 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham ALFIE MOORE Sat 13 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove ANDY PARSONS Sat 13 May, The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham DESI CENTRAL, PRINCE ABID, GUZ KHAN, SINDHU VEE, ESHANN AKBAR & PATRICK MONAHAN Sun 14 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BRAHMS SEXTET Featuring Caroline Simon & Gabriel Dyker (violins), Catherine Bower & Amy Thomas (violas), Eduardo Vassallo & Helen Edgar (cellos), Programme comprises Brahms' String Sextet in B flat, Op.18, Thurs 11 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham

LA STRADA Sally Cookson's stage adaptation of Federico Fellini's Oscarwinning movie masterpiece, Mon 8 Sat 13 May, The REP, Birmingham

MICHAEL TSALKA FORTEPIANO Lunchtime concert featuring works

by CPE Bach, WF Bach, Mozart, Cherubini & Beethoven, Fri 12 May, The Barber Institute, Birmingham

MEET FRED Hijinx Theatre present ‘an innovative production with an urgent human story at its heart’. Suitable for audience members aged 14-plus, Tues 9 May, mac, Birmingham

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Monday 8 - Sunday 14 May I WANT LOVE (PART 1) Hannah Ringham's story of a break up and a search for new love, Tues 9 - Wed 10 May, The Rep, Birmingham

AIDA Solihull Theatre Company present an amateur staging of Verdi’s classic opera, Tues 9 - Sat 13 May, The Core, Solihull

RENT Brand new production of the award-winning rock musical, telling the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in New York's East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian excess, Tues 9 Sat 13 May, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

A WOMB OF ONE’S OWN Ambitious fourhander in which four different actresses play Babygirl and an absurd cast of characters, Wed 10 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

EVITA Emma Hatton (Wicked) stars as Eva Peron in Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash-hit musical, Tues 9 - Sat 13 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre FUNNY GIRL Sheridan Smith takes the lead in the touring production of the much-loved musical, Mon 8 - Sat 13 May, Birmingham Hippodrome LUCKY SODS John Godber’s candid black comedy about a couple who have nothing on a Friday and are millionaires on a Saturday, Tues 9 - Sat 13 May, Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham OLIVER! Amateur production presented by the Tudor Musical Comedy Society, Tues 9 - Sat 13 May, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Stage adaptation of Judith Kerr's muchloved picture book for children, Wed 10 - Thurs 11 May, Lichfield Garrick THE OTHER SIDE A play for today, told by the voices of yesterday, Thurs 11 Fri 12 May, Birmingham And Midland Institute AM I DEAD YET? A show asking what happens when we die, how we think about dying and whether some of us might be brought back, Thurs 11 Sat 13 May, The Rep, Birmingham VICE VERSA ‘Side-splitting’ romp, lovingly ripped off from the Roman comedies of Plautus, Thurs 11 May Sat 9 Sept, The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 20B Brand new drama unearthing the stories of a demolished council estate in East London, Fri 12 May, Ar-

The Tiger Who Came To Tea - Lichfield Garrick

trix, Bromsgrove I AM JOAN One-woman show about trauma, resilience and self-belief, Fri 12 May, mac, Birmingham

ALL IS WELL New writing exploring the true cost of nuclear power, Fri 12 Sat 13 May, mac, Birmingham BRIAN CONLEY: THE GREATEST ENTERTAINER (IN HIS PRICE RANGE) All-new show featuring brand new comedy, sketches & songs, Sat 13 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham THE STARSHIP OSIRIS Award-winning intergalactic comedy farce from Willis & Vere, Sat 13 May, Old Joint Stock

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JUST LIKE THAT! ‘All-encapsulating’ celebration of Tommy Cooper, Sat 13 May, The Crescent Theatre, B’ham THE DEATH SHOW Lucy Nicholls & Antonia Beck invite audiences to celebrate their own mortality, stick two fingers up at the Grim Reaper and discover why talking about death is incredibly life-affirming, Sun 14 May, mac, Birmingham THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY Hit West End show using huge projection photos and original film footage to celebrate the iconic American duo, Sun 14 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Dance AUDIENCE WITH IAN WAITE & NATALIE LOWE Strictly’s favourite couple are back with a bang after their first successful UK tour, Tues 9 May, Lichfield Garrick

Talks

LICENCED TO RHYME Monthly spokenword event fusing poetry, prose and, occasionally, music. This particular outing features Worcestershire Poet Laureate Emeritus and past Birmingham Poet Laureate Giovanni ‘Spoz’ Esposito, Mon 8 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove AN AUDIENCE WITH ALLAN LAMB An evening with the ex-Northamptonshire and England cricketer, Thurs 11 May, The Bramall, University of Birmingham PROFESSOR BRIAN COX LIVE ‘A dazzling journey through space and time, delving into high science and freewheeling on the edges of the known cosmos’, Fri 12 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham

Film INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: BUGS: THE FILM (tbc) Documentary. mac, Birmingham, Mon 8 May DENIAL (12a) Mystery/Sci-Fi. Starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Mon 8 - Tues 9 May DARK VICTORY (PG) Drama/Romance.

Starring Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart. mac, Birmingham, Tues 9 May

2FACED DANCE: RUN Triple bill featuring new commissions by Tamsin Fitzgerald, Lenka Vagnerova and Rebecca Evans, Tues 9 May, Malvern Theatre REUNION Ana Morales Flamenco Co & Flamenco Edition ’17 present an evening of passionate flamenco, Wed 10 - Thurs 11 May, DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome MK ULTRA Rosie Kay Dance Company present a supercharged mash-up of dance, music and imagery inspired by the bizarre realm of pop-culture mind-control conspiracies, Thurs 11 Fri 12 May, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry ASIAN SPRING 2017 Lively celebration of South Asian dance, Sun 14 May, Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, Birmingham SUMMIT Showcase of youth dance from across Worcestershire, Sun 14 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

Monday 8 - Sunday 14 May

DEPARTURES (12a) Drama/Music. Starring Masahiro Motoki, Ryôko Hirosue.

Showing includes short film The Offering. Foreign language, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, Wed 10 May HILARY & JACKIE (15) Biography/Drama. Starring Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths. mac, Birmingham, Thurs 11 May ALIEN: COVENANT (18) Sci-Fi/Thriller.

Starring Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, from Fri 12 May MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (12) Comedy/Fantasy. Starring Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard. A film and food event. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 12 May LION (12a) Biography/Drama. Starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 12 May ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (15) Drama. Starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher. mac, Birmingham, Fri 12 - Sat 13 May LADY MACBETH (15) Drama. Starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Fairbank. mac, Birmingham, Fri 12 - Thurs 18 May THE PRINCESS BRIDE (PG) Family/Fantasy. Starring Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin. mac, B’ham, Sat 13 May

Reunion - The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (U) Family/Fantasy. Starring David Niven, Kim Hunter. Screening includes short film The Dad Project. mac, Birmingham, Sun 14 May

MAGICAL LANDS Selly Manor is transformed into magical kingdoms from classic stories and fairytales. Meet Snow White, Peter Pan, Cinderella and Jack and his beanstalk. Visit the School of Wizardry, enjoy storytelling sessions and a ‘magical’ trail, Sat 13 May, Selly Manor, Birmingham

Events

NATIONAL MILLS WEEKEND See Avoncroft’s historic Lister mill in action, visit the 19th century windmill and celebrate the local milling heritage, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

WWE LIVE WWE stars live in action, Wed 10 May, Genting Arena, B’ham BAMMA 29 Mixed martial arts promotion, Fri 12 May, Genting Arena, Birmingham WORLD RECORD RUGBY ATTEMPT AND PARTY NIGHT Forty-six players take on the ultimate rugby challenge. All money raised will support the children of fallen heroes and the Fire Service, Fri 12 - Sat 13 May, Sixways Stadium, Worcester THE HANDMADE FAIR Get making and learn from the experts, plus over 150 hand-picked sellers in the Shopping Village, Fri 12 - Sun 14 May, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire

TRUXX FACTOR Family-friendly weekend featuring all things trucking, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May, Santa Pod Raceway, Northants UK SLOT CAR FESTIVAL Showcasing the world of Scalextric, Sat 13 - Sun 14 May, British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire PUGFEST BIRMINGHAM The UK’s biggest pug festival returns to Birmingham for a Jurassic Pug charity fundraising event, Sun 14 May, PawPounders Dog Daycare Centre, Birmingham

BODYPOWER EXPO 2017 The biggest indoor fitness expo in the world, Fri 12 - Sun 14 May, NEC, Birmingham MATCHROOM BOXING - THE HOMECOMING Kal Yafai makes the first defence of his WBA World Super-Flyweight title, Sat 13 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham NATIONAL MILLS DAY Visit the needle museum at a reduced price, Sat 13 May, Forge Mill Needle Museum, Redditch EVENING HOUSE TOURS 2017 See the house by night and discover the history of the collection, Sat 13 May, Packwood House, Solihull

AVONCROFT AIR-COOLED VW SHOW Vintage and modern, bugs and vans celebrate everything Volkswagen at this special VW day, Sun 14 May, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

INDEPENDENT BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL Showcasing the very best of Birmingham’s independent restaurants, bars, pubs, street food traders, retailers, artists, designers and producers, Sat 13 May, The Bond Complex, B’ham

DUNSTALL CASTLE OPEN DAY Climb the steep staircase to the top of the tower to get views across the estate to the Rotunda and surrounding countryside, Sun 14 May, Croome Park, Worcester

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Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May

Gigs

Classical Music Comedy

LOWLY Mon 15 May, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

RAVI SHANKAR’S SUKANYA Ravi Shankar’s only opera, a mythical love story told through music & dance, Mon 15 May, Symphony Hall, B’ham

COMEDY IN THE MET Mon 15 May, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

GUANGZHOU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PERFORMS THE FIREBIRD Featuring Long Lu (conductor), Jian Wang (cello) & Lei Jia (sheng). Programme includes works by Britten, Ye Xiaogang, Zhao Lin & Stravinsky, Tues 16 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

MILTON JONES Mon 15 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull

THE ROBIN NOLAN TRIO Mon 15 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, B’ham GAVIN DEGRAW Mon 15 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE IN CONCERT Mon 15 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham JOHN DOYLE Tues 16 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham SHAWN SMITH Tues 16 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham JAZZLINES PRESENTS...LUCINDA Tues 16 May, The Jam House, Birmingham IRVING BERLIN WITH ROBERT HABERMAN Tues 16 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull HAWKWIND Tues 16 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

Kathryn Tickell And The Side - mac, Birmingham

Lounge, Birmingham BACK TO THE 60S Thurs 18 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull THE BIG WOLF BAND Thurs 18 May, The Roadhouse, B’ham ARIANA GRANDE Thurs 18 May, Genting Arena, Birmingham JANE WEAVER Thurs 18 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham JOHNNY 2 BAD Thurs 18 May, The Jam House, Birmingham

NATIVES Wed 17 May, O2 Academy, B’ham

MADISON VIOLET Thurs 18 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham

NATALIE IMBRUGLIA Wed 17 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

ROGER HODGSON Thurs 18 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

EDGAR MACIAS QUARTET Wed 17 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham

KATHRYN TICKELL AND THE SIDE Thurs 18 May, mac, Birmingham

VERONICA & THE RED WINE SERENADERS Wed 17 May, The Jam House, Birmingham BRUNCH, MODERN RITUALS, COFFEE BREATH & LAST LIGHT Wed 17 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham MISFIRES Wed 17 May, Hare & Hounds, B’ham DEAN FRIEDMAN Wed 17 May, The Robin, Bilston JON GOMM Wed 17 May, Hare & Hounds, B’ham Dan Croll Wed 17 May, The Rainbow Venues, Digbeth, Birmingham WHEATUS Wed 17 May, O2 Academy, B’ham CHRIS CLEVERLEY BAND Wed 17 May, The Red Lion Folk Club, B’ham CASSIA, EMBER WEIR & THE AMERICAS Thurs 18 May, The Sunflower

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POST WAR GLAMOUR GIRLS, MATTERS, GHOSTS OF DEAD AIRPLANES & FAUXCHISELS Fri 19 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham ATHLETICO Fri 19 May, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

PANIC ROOM Fri 19 May, The Robin, Bilston ALEXANDER O'NEAL Fri 19 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham THE BIG CHRIS BARBER BAND Fri 19 May, Lichfield Garrick, Lichfied LOZ GODDARD & ADAM TURNER Sat 20 May, Hare & Hounds, B’ham THE DISTRICTS Sat 20 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham TOO REX - TRIBUTE TO MARC BOLAN & T-REX Sat 20 May, The Roadhouse, Birmingham IVOR & LYN'S CLASSIC ROCK NIGHT Sat 20 May, Route 44, Birmingham GEHTIKA Sat 20 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham HAZEL ENGLISH Sun 21 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham BATUSHKA Sun 21 May, The Rainbow Venues, Digbeth, Birmingham

MARTIN JAMES BARTLETT PIANO CONCERT Programme includes works by J S Bach, Enrique Granados Goyescas; Ginastera, Schumann, Vladimir Horowitz & Morton Gould, Wed 17 May, The Barber Institute, Birmingham CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: SYMPHONIC DANCES Featuring Karina Canellakis (conductor) & Cedric Tiberghien (piano). Programme includes works by Franck, Saint-Saens & Rachmaninov, Wed 17 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE OPERA BOYS Fri 19 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull SUZANNE FISCHER (SOPRANO) & PANARETOS KYRIATZIDIS (PIANO) Programme includes works by Schubert, Hugo Wolf, Mendelssohn, Berlioz, Debussy & Walton, Fri 19 May, The Barber Institute, Birmingham

TOADALLY FREE COMEDY! Mon 15 May, The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham

NATHAN CATON, SOFIE HAGEN & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 18 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham PATRICK MONAHAN Thurs 18 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove MICKY FLANAGAN Thurs 18 - Sat 20 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham HILARITY CHARITY GALA Thurs 18 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre NATHAN CATON, ERIC LAMPAERT, CHRIS MCCAUSLAND & CLINT EDWARDS Fri 19 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham ROSS NOBLE, JEFF INNOCENT, VINCE ATTA & SCOTT BENNETT Fri 19 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham RICH HALL Fri 19 May, Stourbridge Town Hall PATRICK MONAHAN, DARREN HARRIOT, FAYE TRACEY & CHRIS PURCHASE Fri 19 May, Lichfield Garrick KABARET ANI MRU-MRU Sat 20 May, The Bramall, Birmingham

CBSO FRIDAY NIGHT CLASSICS: UNDER THE SITAR WITH CITIZEN KHAN Featuring Michael Seal (conductor), Adil Ray (presenter) & Surinder Sandhu (Musical Director), Fri 19 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE OPERA BOYS Sat 20 May, Lichfield Garrick BLAKE Sat 20 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

ALBANY DOWN Sun 21 May, The Robin, Wolverhampton

NATHAN CATON, ERIC LAMPAERT, CHRIS MCCAUSLAND & CLINT EDWARDS Sat 20 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham DANNY MCLOUGHLIN, JEFF INNOCENT, VINCE ATTA & SCOTT BENNETT Sat 20 May, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham

PEARL JAMM Fri 19 May, The Roadhouse, B’ham

THOSE PRETTY WRONGS Sun 21 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, B’ham

JUDY BLU Fri 19 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham

LITTLE BROTHER ELI Sun 21 May, Lichfield Guildhall

THE SUBTERRANEANS Fri 19 - Sat 20 May, The Jam House, B’ham

MONSTER MAGNET Sun 21 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

OLLIE HUGHES AS ROBBIE WILLIAMS Fri 19 May, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

SIMPLE MINDS Sun 21 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CHOIR: BELSHAZZAR’S FEAST Featuring Michael Seal (conductor), Sat 20 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE VAMPS Fri 19 May, Genting Arena, B’ham

SOUND OF THE SIRENS Sun 21 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham

INTRICATE WEB: THE CHAMBER MUSIC OF LIZ JOHNSON Sat 20 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham

MARK MAIER, PETE PHILLIPSON, CHRIS CAIRNS & DAMION LARKIN Sat 20 May, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

ROY G HEMMINGS' MOTOWN SHOW Fri 19 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

IRON MAIDEN Sun 21 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham

NATHAN LAUBE IN CONCERT Sat 20 May, St Chad’s Cathedral, B’ham

BRIDGET CHRISTIE Sun 21 May, The REP, Birmingham

LEFTFIELD Fri 19 May, O2 Institute, B’ham

WHISKEY MYERS Sun 21 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

TROY HAWKE, STEVE SHANYASKI & RORY O'HANLON Sat 20 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham REGINALD D HUNTER Sat 20 May, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre DAVE JOHNS AND GUESTS Sat 20 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull JACK ROOKE Sat 20 May, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa BARNSTORMERS COMEDY NIGHT Sat 20 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

TEZ ILYAS Sun 21 May, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

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Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May

Theatre HORRIBLE HISTORIES: THE BEST OF BARMY BRITAIN The horrible history of Britain, with all the nasty bits left in, Mon 15 - Tues 16 May, Lichfield Garrick

ROMEO & JULIET Oddsocks give a musical Mods & Rockers twist to the greatest love story ever told, Wed 17 - Thurs 18 May, Lichfield Garrick TOMMY New staging of the iconic rock musical, featuring music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, Wed 17 Sat 27 May, The Rep, Birmingham

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES John Partridge, Adrian Zmed and Marti Webb star in a new touring production of the smash-hit Broadway musical, Tues 16 - Sat 20 May, Birmingham Hippodrome

RICHARD CARPENTER’S CLOSE TO YOU An epic concert of catchy tunes and harrowing psychological trauma from the smiliest piano player in pop-rock history, Thurs 18 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

MY COUNTRY: A WORK IN PROGRESS A National Theatre nationwide listening project in which people give their views of the country and town they live in, their lives, their futures and the EU referendum, Tues 16 - Sat 20 May, The Rep, Birmingham

HOME CHAT Noel Coward’s early play about middle-class values and conventional morality, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 May, The Old Rep, Birmingham

THE FOOTSIE CLUB Featuring ‘the cream of the UK cabaret scene’.

Hosted by Stage Door Johnny, Wed 17 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham ONCE ON THIS LAND South Staffordshire College & Momentum Performing Arts present a contemporary staging of The Little Mermaid, Wed 17 - Thurs 18 May, Lichfield Garrick

TINA T’URNER TEA LADY & AUDREY HEARTBURN Join award-winning musical comedian Tracey Collins as she performs a double bill featuring two iconic stars, Fri 19 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham 20B Brand new drama unearthing the stories of a demolished council estate in East London, Fri 19 May, The Core, Solihull LADIES IN LAVENDER Amateur staging of the heartwarming story, Fri 19 - Sat 27 May, Hall Green Little Theatre,

Birmingham SCOTT GIBSON: LIFE AFTER DEATH A story about overcoming the odds, and how comedy can bring you back to life, Fri 19 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove VENTOUX A restaging of the epic Tour de France battle between Lance Armstrong and Marco Pantani on the fearsome Mont Ventoux, Sat 20 May, Lichfield Garrick DANIEL BYE: GOING VIRAL Unique storytelling, playful comedy and performance lecture come together to tell ‘a fantastical tale from the front

line of an epidemic’, Sat 20 May, mac, Birmingham THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER Full House Theatre present original music, laugh-out-loud characters, puppetry & magic in a topsy-turvy retelling of the much- loved story, Sun 21 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove WHY ME Blue Mountain theatre present an inspirational story about three powerful Black women who turn their lives around to create the lives they deserve, Sun 21 May, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Home Chat The Old Rep, Birmingham, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 May

It’s been 90 years since this early Noel Coward offering received its premiere. The next time a version of it was produced was in 2016. Written by Coward as an experiment in form and content, it nonetheless features plenty of the razor-sharp wit for which he became famous. The story focuses on the friendship of Janet Ebony and Peter Chelsworth - and on the scandal that ensues when they’re accused by their loved ones of adultery and public indiscretion. Understandably affronted by the unfounded accusations, Janet and Peter decide to take a playful revenge...

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17 - 18 May, 20 - 22 June, 29 June, 15 - 16 July, 28 - 29 July,

7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm

Lichfield Garrick Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Oakengates Theatre, Telford Mac, Birmingham Mary Arden’s Farm, Stratford

Full tour dates at

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Tel: 01543 412121 Tel: 02476 553055 Tel: 01952 382382 Tel: 01214 463232 Tel: 01332 258328

www.oddsocks.co.uk

The List NEW Birmingham 15 - 21 May.qxp_Layout 1 24/04/2017 14:44 Page 4

Monday 15 - Sunday 21 May

Dance AUDIENCE WITH IAN WAITE & NATALIE LOWE Strictly’s favourite couple are back with a bang after their first successful UK tour, Fri 19 May, Palace Theatre, Redditch B-SIDE HIP-HOP FESTIVAL Enjoy the best from national and international artists, plus Birmingham’s finest hiphop talent, Fri 19 - Sun 21 May, Birmingham Hippodrome

Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins. mac, Birmingham, Sat 20 May PEPPA PIG: MY FIRST CINEMA EXPERIENCE (U) Animation. With the voices of Jo Brand and David Mitchell. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 20 May CLASH (15) Drama/Thriller. Starring Nelly Karim, Hani Adel. Foreign language, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, Sat 20 - Wed 24 May LADY & THE TRAMP (U) Animation/Adventure. With the voices of Barbara Luddy, Larry Roberts. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, from Sun 21 May KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE (U) Animation/Adventure. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Minami Takayama. Foreign language, subtitled. Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 21 May LETTERS FROM BAGHDAD (PG) Documentary. mac, Birmingham, Sun 21 & Tues 23 May

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE:

Talks AN EVENING WITH BOYCOTT & AGGERS Jonathan Agnew and Geoffrey Boycott celebrate the 40th anniversary of the latter’s 100th hundred, Sat 20 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Released from Fri 12 May, showing at selected cinemas ALIEN: COVENANT (18) FRANTZ (12a)

Ladies Seasonal Style Event - Birmingham Botanical Gardens

NO LIMITS RACING Featuring a six-hour contest, Sat 20 - Sun 21 May, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Derby

around the village, Sat 20 - Sun 21 May, Cadbury World, Bournville, Birmingham

SPRING UP! A chance to welcome the arrival of spring colour as the tulips bloom, and to get tips from gardening and composting experts. Plant sales and children's activities also feature, Sat 20 May, Greyfriars House & Garden, Worcester

JURASSIC KINGDOM All-new animatronic outdoor dinosaur experience, Sat 20 May - Sun 4 June, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

HERITAGE WEEKEND AT CADBURY WORLD Featuring three guided walks

REMEMBERING THE 40S Find out more about life during the Second World War, Sun 21 May, Forge Mill Needle Museum, Redditch

JAWBONE (15) MISS SLOANE (15) MANHATTAN (12a)

Film INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: NERUDA (12) Biography/Crime. Starring Gael García Bernal, Luis Gnecco. Foreign language, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, Mon 15 - Tues 16 May LION (12a) Biography/Drama. Starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 19 May

Events LADIES SEASONAL STYLE EVENT Personal stylist Beth Goodrham shares her fashion essentials for the summer season, Wed 17 May, Birmingham Botanical Gardens THIS MORNING LIVE Join Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby at an event that features all the lifestyle elements associated with the award-winning TV show, Thurs 18 - Sun 21 May, NEC, Birmingham THE BABY SHOW The UK's biggest pregnancy and parenting event, providing a family-friendly shopping experience and a unique opportunity to hear from a selection of leading baby and childcare experts, Fri 19 - Sun 21 May, NEC, Birmingham

THE BELKO EXPERIMENT (18) Horror/Thriller. Starring John Gallagher Jr., Adria Arjona. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 19 - Wed 24 May THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE (PG) Biography/Drama. Starring Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh. mac, Birmingham, Fri 19 - Thurs 25 May

EXPLORE RAG RUGGING: PLAITING WORKSHOP Find out how to create rugs using the plaiting technique, Sat 20 May, Birmingham Back to Backs A NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM Take along your tent and pack your sleeping bag for a night under canvas at the museum. There will be camping adventures as the sun sets, followed by storytelling round the campfire, Sat 20 May, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

BIG (12a) Comedy/Drama. Starring

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thelist Gigs GABRIELLA COHEN & BYRON HARE Mon 22 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham IMELDA MAY Mon 22 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham RON SEXSMITH BAND Mon 22 May, The Robin, Wolverhampton NASHVILLE IN THE ROUND Mon 22 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham HARDLINE Tues 23 May, The Robin, Bilston LEO SAYER Tues 23 May, Lichfield Garrick AVIV GEFFEN Tues 23 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham THE WEDDING CRASHERS Tues 23 May, The Jam House, Birmingham TOM CHAPLIN Tues 23 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham DAPHNE'S FLIGHT Tues 23 May, mac, B’ham LADY MAISERY Tues 23 May, mac, Birmingham JULIE BYRNE Wed 24 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham SHUGGIE OTIS Wed 24 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

Monday 22 - Wed 31 May

Wed 24 May, Blue Piano Restaurant And Bar, Birmingham

SLADE CONVENTION Sun 28 May, The Robin, Bilston

Classical Music Comedy

JUDAS Thurs 25 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

GANG OF YOUTHS Sun 28 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

BRENT COBB Thurs 25 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

THE MAN UPSTAIRS Sun 28 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER Programme includes works by Buxtenhude, Elgar, Messiaen, L. Anderson & Mendelssohn, Mon 22 May, Birmingham Town Hall

KLASHNEKOFF Fri 26 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

CRAIG CHARLES FUNK & SOUL SHOW Sun 28 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

SOLID SOUL Fri 26 - Sat 27 May, The Jam House, Birmingham

ANASTACIA Sun 28 May, Symphony Hall, B’ham

EDGAR MOREAU IN RECITAL Also featuring Pierre-Yves Hodique (piano). Programme includes works by Beethoven, Poulenc, Schumann, Eric Tanguy & Schnittke, Mon 22 May, Birmingham Town Hall JENNIFER PIKE PLAYS MOZART Featuring Franz Anton Krager (conductor).

Programme includes works by Mozart, Haydn//Mozart & Schubert, Wed 24 May, Birmingham Town Hall

DR FEELGOOD AND EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS Fri 26 May, The Robin, Bilston

SOUL CITY Sun 28 May, The Roadhouse, B’ham

ALL FOLK'D UP Fri 26 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull

MARIKA HACKMAN Mon 29 May, The Rainbow Venues, Birmingham

THE VINYL REPRISAL Fri 26 May, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham

JUSTIN CURRIE Tues 30 May, The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton

MALA Fri 26 May, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

THE BUTTON BAND Tues 30 May, The Spotted Dog, Birmingham

ALLYSON SMITH, MIKE WILMOT, JULIAN DEANE & BETHANY BLACK Fri 26 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SLYDIGS Tues 30 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

DALISO CHAPONDA, BARRY DODDS, STEPHEN BAILEY & ROGER MONKHOUSE Fri 26 May, The Comedy Loft, B’ham

DAVID CAMPBELL Tues 30 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham

JOE BROMEHEAD, DAVID WHITNEY, ROBERT WHITE Fri 26 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham

ERIC GALES Wed 31 May, The Robin, Bilston

MARCEL LUCONT'S WHINE LIST Fri 26 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

FLASH - A TRIBUTE TO QUEEN Fri 26 May, Artrix, Birmingham CHILDREN OF THE GRAVY - BLACK SABBATH TRIBUTE Fri 26 May, The Roadhouse, B’ham SHAKIN' STEVENS Fri 26 May, Birmingham Town Hall THE SPECIALS AND TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS Fri 26 May, NEC, B’ham

KISS Sun 28 May, Barclaycard Arena, B‘ham

DAVID ROVICS Wed 31 May, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE PRESENTS SIR JAMES & LADY JEANNE GALWAY Programme comprises Briccialdi’s The Carnival of Venice & Borne’s Carmen Fantasy, Wed 24 May, Birmingham Town Hall

SWANS Wed 24 May, The Asylum, B’ham

GURDAS MAAN Sat 27 May, Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham

BARS AND MELODY & JOHNNY ORLANDO Wed 31 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SALLY BARKER & BROOKS WILLIAMS Wed 24 May, The Core Theatre, Solihul

THE OASIS EXPERIENCE Sat 27 May, The Roadhouse, Birmingham

COASTS Wed 31 May, O2 Institute, B’ham

CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: DVORAK’S CELLO CONCERTO Featuring Gustavo Gimeno (conductor) & Daniel Müller-Schott (cello).

Programme includes works by Mozart, Dvörak & Schumann, Wed 24 - Thurs 25 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

CHRONIXX Sat 27 May, O2 Academy, B’ham

HALEY REINHART Wed 31 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BY GEORGE! MICHAEL LUNTS PIANO RECITAL Thurs 25 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

UNDERGROUND EMPIRE, NAKED SUNDAY & BLUEPRINTS Sat 27 May, Route 44, Birmingham

CLOUDSTREET Wed 31 May, The Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham

BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring Sakari Oramo (conductor), Steven Osborne (piano) & Cynthia Millar (ondes martenot). Programme comprises Messiaen’s L’Ascension & Turangalïla-symphonie, Fri 26 May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

WOVOKA GENTLE Wed 24 May, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham PATSY FULLER & THE REVELATORS Wed 24 May, The Jam House, Birmingham THE GROWLERS Wed 24 May, O2 Academy, Birmingham

UNCHAINED: THE BEST OF JOE COCKER LIVE Sat 27 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove

MALEVOLENCE Wed 31 May, The Rainbow Venues, Digbeth

DECLAN MCKENNA Wed 24 May, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THREADED & THE LOST NOTES Wed 24 May, The Red Lion Folk Club, Kings Heath

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THE MARIO LANZA OPERA PRIZE Adjudicated by Sir Thomas Allen, Sat 27 May, Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire THE BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE STRING ORCHESTRA Featuring Julian Lloyd Webber & Mike Seal (conductors), Yue Yu (viola), Henry Fairs (organ) & Nick Bailey (host). Programme includes works by Widor, Bruch, Howells, Elgar, Jackson, Vaughan Wilson, Saint-Saens & Arne, Sun 28 May, Birmingham Town Hall

CHRIS MAPP'S GONIMOBLAST SPECIAL GUEST ANNIE MAHTANI Wed 24 May, mac, Birmingham

EDGAR MACIAS QUARTET

AL MURRAY Mon 22 May, The REP, Birmingham

Gurdas Maan - Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham

THE ALL-STAR STAND-UP TOUR Tues 23 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove RORY BREMNER Wed 24 May, Lichfield Garrick NOREEN KHAN, SUKH OJLA, SINDHU V & SHAISTA AZIZ Thurs 25 May, Wolverhampton Art Gallery ALLYSON SMITH, MIKE WILMOT & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 25 May, The Glee Club, B’ham

ALLYSON SMITH, MIKE WILMOT, JULIAN DEANE & BETHANY BLACK Sat 27 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham DALISO CHAPONDA, BARRY DODDS, STEPHEN BAILEY & ROGER MONKHOUSE Sat 27 May, The Comedy Loft, B’ham JOE BROMEHEAD, DAVID WHITNEY & ROBERT WHITE Sat 27 May, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Birmingham STAND UP FOR REFUGEES THE LINE UP INCLUDES: JOE LYCETT, NISH KUMAR, ROBIN INCE, JO ENRIGHT, MRS BARBARA NICE HOSTED BY TIERNAN DOUIEB. Wed 31 May, The REP, Birmingham PAM ANN Wed 31 May, Birmingham Town Hall

Theatre THE WOMAN IN BLACK Stephen Mallatratt's stage adaptation of Susan Hill’s acclaimed ghost story, Mon 22 - Sat 27 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre GREASE Tom Parker from boyband The Wanted makes his theatrical debut as Danny in this half-term staging of the classic high-school musical. Over The Rainbow winner Danielle Hope stars as Sandy, Mon

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Monday 22 - Wed 31 May 22 - Sat 27 May, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent THE SIMON AND GARFUNKEL STORY Hit West End show using huge projection photos and original film footage to celebrate the iconic American duo, Tues 23 May, Birmingham Hippodrome TANK Breach Theatre explore the violence of language, the power of culture - and what happens when you inject a cetacean with LSD, Tues 23 Thurs 25 May, The Rep, Birmingham THE WEDDING SINGER Musical based on the 1998 film of the same name and starring former X Factor finalists Ray Quinn and Cassie Compton, Emmerdale's Roxanne Pallet, comedy veteran Ruth Madoc and musical theatre favourite Jon Robyns, Tues 23 Sat 27 May, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham THE FAAAAAABULOUS CERI DUPREE SHOW A glamorous evening of comedy, vocal impersonations and jawdropping, eye-popping costumes, Wed 24 May, Palace Theatre, Redditch HOW EVA VON SCHNIPPISCH WON WWII ‘A joyful night of hilarious anti-fascist feminist propaganda’, performed as part of the venue’s Cabaret Festival, Wed 24 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham MISCHIEF FESTIVAL A double bill of new plays - The Earthworks & Myth feature alongside a range of events and ‘works in progress’, Wed 24 May - Sat 17 June, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon JULIE MADLY DEEPLY Charming yet cheeky cabaret taking a look at ‘fame and famedom’. Fascinating Aida’s Sarah-Louise Young stars, Thurs 25 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham LEGALLY BLONDE Amateur production presented by Birmingham Youth On Stage, Thurs 25 - Sat 27 May, The Old Rep, Birmingham LA POULE PLOMBÉE: JE REGRETTE! The story of La Poule Plombée, a French singer tortured by jealousy and unrequited love. Performed as part of the venue’s Cabaret Festival, Fri 26 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham JOAN An earthy story of ‘courage, conviction and hope’, this is Joan of Arc - possibly the world's first drag king... Fri 26 - Sat 27 May, The Rep, Birmingham MR MAKER AND THE SHAPES LIVE! CBeebies favourite featuring song, dance and audience participation, Sat 27 May, Lichfield Garrick DON'T DRIBBLE ON THE DRAGON Children’s show based on the new book

by Steven Lee, with magic designed by the late Paul Daniels, Sat 27 May, The Core, Solihull THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR Chil-

dren’s show featuring a menagerie of 75 puppets and bringing to life Eric Carle’s storybooks Sat 27 May, Birmingham Town Hall BIG HOWARD’S LOL-TASTIC YUKFEST Featuring stand-up, interactive digital animation, sound effects, jokes and ‘lots and lots and lots of clever nonsense’. Suitable for children aged 5 plus, Sat 27 May, mac, Birmingham DUSTY LIMITS: GRIN Performance resulting from over a decade of collaboration between two of the UK's most celebrated cabaret artists, Dusty Limits and Michael Roulston, Sat 27 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham THE WITCHES New version of Roald Dahl’s classic story, Sat 27 May - Sat 3 June, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham OLIVER! THE MUSICAL Presented by the Crescent Theatre Company, Sat 27 May - Sat 3 June, The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham DIRTY DANCING The classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together to experience the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives, Mon 29 May - Sat 3 June, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham GREASE Tom Parker from boyband The Wanted makes his theatrical debut as Danny in this half-term staging of the classic high-school musical. Over The Rainbow winner Danielle Hope stars as Sandy, Mon 29 May - Sat 3 June Birmingham Hippodrome DOGS DON’T DO BALLET Blunderbus present a feelgood show for children, based on Anna Kemp and Sara Ogilvie’s bestselling book, Tues 30 May, mac, Birmingham THE CHRIS & PUI SHOW Songs, comedy sketches, a dash of magic and heaps of audience participation, Tues 30 May, The Core, Solihull

Dance TEN - ACE DANCE Full-length dance production inspired by global migration, Mon 22 May, Forest Arts Centre, Walsall PASHA KOVALEV: LET’S DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY Fri 25 May, The Roses, Tewkesbury PASHA KOVALEV: LET’S DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY Tues 23 - Wed 24 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull TRIPLE BILL FT. RED RIDING HOOD Ballet Black show blending the classical and the contemporary, Thurs 25 - Fri 26 May, DanceXchange, The Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome MILONGA Celebrated choreographer

Dirty Dancing - New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and a cast of Argentinian tango dancers, contemporary dancers and live musicians present a ‘fascinating’ exploration of tango, Fri 26 - Sat 27 May, Birmingham Hippodrome CINDERELLA Presented by Vienna Festival Ballet, Sun 28 May, The Roses, Tewkesbury

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Released from Fri 26 May, showing at selected cinemas DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE LONG HAUL (tbc) PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR’S REVENGE (tbc)

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS Narrative ballet company Northern Ballet present this heartbreaking story through dance, Tues 30 - Wed 31 May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE (12a)

GOLDILOCKS & THE THREE BEARS Northern Ballet present a brand new ballet for younger audiences, Wed 31 May Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Events

SPARK (tbc)

1920S MUSIC HALL EVENING Fri 26 May, Blists Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire

Film INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: LION (12a) Biography/Drama. Starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Mon 22 & Thurs 25 May LA STRADA (PG) Drama. Starring Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina. mac, Birmingham, Fri 26 - Wed 31 May MINDHORN (15) Comedy. Starring Julian Barratt, Essie Davis. mac, Birmingham, Fri 26 - Wed 31 May SING (PG) Animation/Comedy. With the voices of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon. mac, Birmingham, Sat 27 May QUADROPHENIA (15) Drama/Music.

Starring Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash. The Mockingbird Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 27 May PEPPA PIG: MY FIRST CINEMA EXPERIENCE (U) Animation. With the voices of Jo Brand and David Mitchell. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 27 May FENCES (12a) Animation. Starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Tues 30 May Thurs 1 June

MOTUL FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP The world's best superbike racers do battle at Donington, Fri 26 Sun 28 May, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Derby THE VAPER EXPO Europe’s biggest and best vape event, Fri 26 - Sun 28 May, NEC, Birmingham FIA/FIM MAIN EVENT 2017 Santa Pod’s flagship drag racing event features over 250 of Europe’s finest teams, plus jet cars, monster trucks, stunt shows, static displays, air displays, traders and more, Fri 26 - Mon 29 May, Santa Pod Raceway, Northants COLOUR OBSTACLE RUSH Unique event combining the fun of colour powdered runs, the thrill of an obstacle course and the atmosphere of a music festival, Sat 27 May, Wolverhampton Racecourse DAPPERS AND FLAPPERS! FAMILY JAZZ DANCING Dance teachers explain how to do some real 1920s-style dancing, Sat 27 May, Upton House & Gardens, Warwickshire TAMEFEST Showcasing the spectacular heritage of the Tame Valley Wetlands, Sat 27 May, Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire TAMWORTH CASTLE DRAGON HUNT Help Ruby, Tamworth Castle’s resident

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dragon, find her mischievous brother, Hafgrim, Sat 27 May - Fri 2 June, Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire IN THE THICK OF IT: CHILDREN IN INDUSTRY Take a walk in the well-worn shoes of the Black Country’s working children and experience the ups and downs of their day-to-day lives, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley SUPERHEROES, SUPERPOWERS & SUPER DAYS OUT A week of superherothemed activities, workshops and demos, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June, Ironbridge Gorge Museum, Shropshire THE MAGICIAN'S NEPHEW TRAIL Step into the magical world of CS Lewis, brought to life in the grounds of Croft, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June, Croft Castle, nr Leominster PIRATE WEEK Grab your crew and jump aboard for a swashbuckling adventure, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June, National Sea Life Centre, Birmingham WARS OF THE ROSES LIVE! Epic live-action show, Sat 27 May - Sun 4 June, Warwick Castle GAYDON FESTIVAL OF TRANSPORT Sun 28 May, British Motor Museum, Gay-

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don, Warwickshire ZIGZAG ENSEMBLE Composing and improvising group for 12 to 18-yearolds, Sun 28 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham MUSIC MAZE Creative, participatory workshops for children aged between eight and 11, Sun 28 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham ELIZABETH: THE PAGEANT A journey back in time to the Golden Age of Queen Elizabeth I, Sun 28 - Mon 29 May, Kenilworth Castle VINTAGE EASTNOR Nostalgic family-fun day featuring steam engines, a tea tent, giant garden games, model steam engine rides, a vintage carousel and chair swing, Sun 28 Mon 29 May, Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Herefordshire CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW Featuring up to 600 vintage and classic cars, American, kit & custom, motorcycles and commercial vehicles plus club stands, trade and autojumble stands, Sun 28 - Mon 29 May, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire COSTUMED TOUR OF SOHO HOUSE Explore the elegant Georgian home of Birmingham's foremost industrialist,

Pirate Week - National Sealife Centre, Birmingham

Matthew Boulton, Mon 29 May, Soho House, Birmingham

bat, Tues 30 May - Fri 2 June, Kenilworth Castle

FAMOUS FIVE GO TO AVONCROFT Pack a picnic and bring your most trusted friends for a week of old-fashioned adventures, Mon 29 May - Fri 2 June, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

RED FAIRY BOOK TRAIL AND CRAFT Follow the trail around the mill grounds to find all the fairy doors, Tues 30 Wed 31 May, Sarehole Mill, B’ham

KNIGHTS & PRINCESSES Budding courtiers can transform themselves into a Lord or Lady, with tips available on everything from curtsies to com-

PICTURE THIS - FAMILY DRAWING TOUR Tap into your inner artist with this interactive drawing exploration of Aston Hall, Wed 31 May, Aston Hall, B’ham

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