Birmingham What's On August 2023

Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands

What’sOn

BARMY BRITAIN... the Horrible Histories team educate and entertain at MAC

VAN MORRISON headlines a three-day celebration of Irish music

BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL 23 takes over Centenary Square

News from around the region

Colour and fun as popular Weekender returns

The streets and squares of the city centre will burst into colourful life on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 August, when Birmingham

Weekender makes a welcome return to Bullring & Grand Central and Southside. The hugely popular free-to-attend gettogether will feature ‘fantastical installations, pop-up performances and interactive games from local, national and international companies’.

The event is a collaboration between Birmingham Hippodrome, Bullring & Grand Central and Birmingham City Council.

New festival at the Barber

Birmingham’s Barber Institute of Fine Arts is this month hosting a celebration in honour of the family from which it takes its name.

Running at the venue from Tuesday 1 to Friday 11 August, the first-ever Barber Family Festival will feature free family activities, workshops and special events, all presented with the aim of connecting the venue’s world-class art gallery & collection with the natural world.

Contributors include the forest-themed, large-scale craft-construction cooperative Woodland Tribe, which will be helping youngsters create colossal creepy crawlies from wood. Full details of the festival’s daily schedule are available at barber.org.uk

Nice’n’easy with Sinatra

Tony Award-winning actor Matt Doyle will take on the iconic role of Frank Sinatra at Birmingham Repertory Theatre next month.

The venue is presenting the world premiere of Sinatra The Musical, a show based on the life and career of the legendary singer and featuring 25 of his bestloved songs. The production runs at the Rep from Saturday 23 September to Saturday 28 October. To find out more and book tickets, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk

More Disney magic at Resorts World Arena

Disney On Ice is bringing hit show 100 Years Of Wonder to Birmingham in the autumn. Featuring Mirabel and the stars of Encanto for the first time, the show also includes wellestablished on-ice favourites Moana and

Maui - who’ll be busy trying to save the island of Motunui - the Disney Princesses, Frozen’s Anna, Elsa and Olaf, the Toy Story gang, and Dory and Nemo... Disney On Ice shows at Resorts World Arena from Tuesday 1 to Saturday 5 November. Tickets are available at resortsworldarena.co.uk

Alvin Ailey company dances into Birmingham

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s second company is returning to Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 October as part of its first UK tour since 2011. Ailey 2, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this season, is known for ‘bringing together the creative vision of exceptional choreographers with the spirit, energy and talent of the next generation of dance artists’. More information and tickets are available at birminghamhippodrome.com

Strictly professionals back at Symphony Hall

Tickets for next year’s Strictly Come Dancing The Professionals UK Tour are now available. The hugely popular annual show will stop off at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on 2 & 3 May.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit StrictlyTheProfessionals.com

Baring all: Calendar Girls set to show some flesh!

Tanya Franks, Maureen Nolan, Lyn Paul, Amy Robbins, Paula Tappenden, Marti Webb and Honeysuckle

Weeks will bare all when Gary Barlow & Tim Firth’s hit stage show, Calendar Girls, visits Birmingham theatre The Alexandra in the autumn.

The production stops off at the venue from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 October. For further information and to book tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birmingham

New residencies at the University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham has awarded residencies to three artists as part of Sounding Change, a new programme for creatives who are currently underrepresented. The selected artists will be supported to develop and deliver a brandnew work, to be presented in 2024...

For more information about the initiative and the three chosen artists, visit the website: birmingham.ac.uk/soundingchange

Holly Johnson touring to Brum

Singer Holly Johnson will visit Birmingham’s Symphony Hall in the autumn as part of a UK tour.

Holly, who shot to stardom with Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the 1980s, will bring his new show to the venue on Wednesday 25 October. To book a ticket, visit bmusic.co.uk

Digital Zines

Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) is currently hosting an interactive exhibition of work created by seven Birmingham secondary schools.

Titled Digital Zines and forming part of Reframe - a new digital-skills project sponsored by Apple - the initiative saw 109 students collaborate on a zine - a DIY magazine - along with many handmade artworks that they transformed into digital art using Apple iPads and multimedia software. The exhibition is available to view until Sunday 7 January.

Bring It On at The Alex this month

Birmingham theatre The Alexandra is once again running its Stage Experience project this summer.

Returning for an 18th year, the initiative provides young talent from across the West Midlands with the chance to contribute towards a full-scale theatre production.

This year’s show is the Tony Award-nominated Bring It On. The production runs at the Alex from Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 August.

The Wizard of Oz to fly in from the London Palladium

Midlands theatre-goers can journey over the rainbow next summer when the London Palladium production of The Wizard Of Oz lands at two Midlands venues. Featuring the iconic original score from the Oscar-winning MGM film, the production also includes additional songs by Andrew Lloyd

A first for Keith Lemon creator

Funnyman Leigh Francisbest known as comedy creation Keith Lemon - will stop off at two Midlands venues next year as part of his first-ever tour.

Leigh visits the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, on Friday 1 March, and then returns to the region on the final day of the month to appear at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.

To book your seat, visit ticketmaster.co.uk

Webber and Tim Rice...

The show stops off at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 11 to Saturday 16 June and then Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 30 July to Sunday 4 August 2024.

To find out more about the production and book your tickets, visit wizardofozmusical.com

I Should Be So Lucky: Legendary hitmakers celebrated in new musical

A new musical featuring the era-defining output of legendary record producers Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman will visit Birmingham theatre The Alexandra next springcomplete with a contribution from Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue, whose first five albums were produced by the talented trio.

I Should Be So Lucky: The Stock Aitken Waterman Musical (Monday 1 - Saturday 6 April) will feature digital appearances by Kylie and more than 25 songs from Mike, Matt & Pete’s hitmaking factory. The musical has been written and directed by Birmingham-born Debbie Isitt, who is best known for her hit Christmas show, Nativity!, and its subsequent movies... For more information and to book tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birmingham

Image from London Palladium production

Makers And Machines opens at Thinktank venue

School summer holiday visitors to Birmingham’s Thinktank Science Museum can check out a brand-new exhibition. Makers And Machines explores the surprisingly long history of coding and tells ‘the incredible stories of local people, past and present, who use coding in their work’. The exhibition is included in the admission price and available to view until next year.

Tasty! City’s restaurant festival makes a return

Birmingham Restaurant Festival is back, with participating venues once again creating great-value set menus for visitors to enjoy. The festival runs until Sunday 27 August and features a programme of special dining events. For more information, visit birminghamrestaurantfestival.co.uk

Fun at the Gardens...

Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens is pulling out all the stops to entertain the crowds this school summer holiday.

The popular venue, which boasts 10 acres of restored 18th-century formal gardens, 30 acres of historic parkland and a nature reserve, is hosting a series of outdoor music events, theatre productions and family bushcraft sessions. A promenade murdermystery experience also features, as does a visit from Percy The Park Keeper author & illustrator Nick Butterworth. For further details, check out the website: castlebromwichhallgardens.org.uk

The Rep launches dedicated space for young people

Birmingham Repertory Theatre has opened a dedicated space for activities with young people and community groups.

The Baroness Floella Benjamin Young Rep Hub will place young people at the heart of the theatre’s activities, providing them with ‘a safe space in which to explore their creativity and achieve their potential’. Commenting on the initiative, Alex Summers, The Rep’s director of creative

Migrant Festival back in the city for a fifth year

A free annual event that celebrates Birmingham as a city of migration, sanctuary and refuge makes a welcome return this month.

Bluey in Birmingham

A brand-new stage adaptation of awardwinning children’s television series Bluey will visit Birmingham Hippodrome early next year.

Bluey’s Big Play stops off at the venue from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 February as part of a UK tour. Tickets for the show can be booked at birminghamhippodrome.com

Produced by city centre art gallery Ikon, The Migrant Festival 2023 features projects by three Birmingham photographers - Vanley Burke, Ayesha Jones and Maryam Wahidwho are collaborating with inner-city communities to share their stories of migration. The festival also includes artists’ talks, music events by Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham and a family workshop. To find out more about the festival, visit ikon-gallery.org

Blind Sport in Brum

The world’s largest sporting event for blind and partially sighted athletes is making its UK debut this month.

The 2023 International Blind Sport

learning, said: “The Rep has always had a strong ‘for/with/by’ young people ethos, but now that’s matched by a physical investment in a permanent workshop space, video editing equipment and hot desks. “It’s also a home for all our participants and projects, including adult and community groups, the brilliant youth board, Young Rep youth theatre, school groups and our workexperience programme.”

Federation World Games are being held across Birmingham and other regional venues from Friday 18 to Sunday 27 August. The event will see around 1,250 blind and partially sighted athletes from 70 countries competing in 10 sports. To find out what’s happening where and purchase tickets, visit the website: ibsagames2023.co.uk

Time to get laughing!

Birmingham Comedy Festival returns in the autumn with 10 days of performances across the city. Running from Friday 6 to Sunday 15 October, the award-winning event features appearances by, among others, Jason Byrne, Jenny Eclair, Seann Walsh (pictured) and Paul Foot.

Theatrical productions Calendar Girls The Musical (at The Alexandra) and Sheila's Island (the Old Joint Stock) also come under the Birmingham Comedy Festival umbrella. For more details, visit bhamcomfest.co.uk

‘BACK TO OURS’

Moseley Road Baths is hosting a summer programme of FREE activities and wellbeing experiences...

by Diane Parkes

Moseley Road Baths in Balsall Heath is inviting Brummies ‘back to ours’ this summer, to enjoy free activities and relaxation in a specially created space called Balsall Heath’s Living Room.

With the help of artists and practitioners, the historic building’s gala bath space has been converted into comfortable lounge areas where people can enjoy workshops, watch films on a big screen or simply put their feet up with a cuppa. Attractions also include activities for children.

Forming a part of the baths’ ongoing Diving In project, the summer initiative aims not only to invite people into the Edwardian building but also explore how the spaces can best be used in the future.

Built in 1907, the baths is managed by the Moseley Road Baths Charitable Incorporated Organisation, with the aim of giving back to the people of Balsall Heath and the wider city.

“This whole project is about bringing people in and making them feel welcome,” explains Moseley Road Baths’ marketing & communications lead, Sadim Garvey. “The concept is of a living room and what a living room means to people; how it evokes memories and nostalgia and the idea of comfort and welcome.

“It’s also another way of making sure that this building is accessible to people - inviting them into the space, making them familiar, and building up trust in the building and what’s on offer. And where better than in a living room, where you invite people back to yours?”

The baths already offers a full programme of activities, from swimming to wellbeing and floristry to fitness. Balsall Heath’s Living Room aims not only to encourage people who already visit the building to explore a little bit further, but also to invite people who’ve never before visited to give it a go.

“One of the things about this space is people come in and they are curious,” says Sadim. “Living Room is about giving them an experience beyond the usual classes and groups. It’s about being wowed by the space but also feeling comfortable to come in and sit down.

“This is not something we’ve explored before - there’s always had to be an activity to encourage people to come in. I think throughout this project we’ve wanted Moseley Road Baths to be a destination where you could experience lots of different facilities.

“This building was gifted to the people of

Balsall Heath to be part of Birmingham, so we are only custodians of the building. We should be led by what our surrounding community want, as well as bringing in people from wider Birmingham to see what it is. And so Balsall Heath’s Living Room is also about exploring how we can best meet the needs of local people.”

Produced by Tickertape Parade in collaboration with other organisations and artists, Balsall Heath’s Living Room features different areas which aim to appeal to different people, with all activities free of charge. Birmingham-based artist Nilupa Yasmin has been involved in creating one of the exhibitions.

“The idea is that we have three living room spaces,” she explains. “The first living room space is going to be coming in, welcoming people and introducing what it’s all about. The central space is the idea of having active programming, installation and engagement happening. And then the final space has this very traditional living room aspect where people come and gather.”

Ort Gallery’s installation, Hamara Ghar/Amar Ghor, features Nilupa’s designs using Bangla, printed onto a basket-weave fabric and suspended from the walls.

“When you walk into the living room space, you see those as prints hanging off the wall, almost like a wallpaper replica,” she explains. “They’re alongside a lovely sofa and a plant, so it almost feels like you’re walking into someone’s living room, and I think the prints really add to that. I did quite a bit of research about British wallpaper and how wallpaper has changed over time. So when I go into the space, I feel like I could be in the ’60s, but at the same time I can imagine my grandmother hating that wallpaper! So there’s quite a lot of stories evoked like that.

“Because of the way they’ve been made and my South Asian background, they look very traditional. Balsall Heath as an area is so diverse I feel that those prints resonate with everybody who walks through the doors. I didn’t want to single out anyone.”

In the television room, designed by Flatpack Festival, visitors have the opportunity to sit and watch swimming-themed family films, historic footage and some of this summer’s big sporting events from the worlds of cricket and tennis.

Artist-Curator Tim Mills has re-interpreted the iconic figures on the crest on the front of the building with a public art commission, transforming the figures with swimming

goggles, creating a focal point that’s visible from the top deck of the No 50 bus. On ground level, the Terrazzo entrance spills out onto the front to ensure passers-by realise the building is open.

“Having that exhibition feel in this space, and having so many different activities going on at the same time, really opens up the experience so that it’s not just the pool at Moseley Road Baths,” says Nilupa. “It’s not just for swimming or for leisure activities. You can advertise something as much as you want but until people come and have a look and experience the space, they won’t really have a vision of what you are trying to say.”

As part of the summer initiative, visitors also have the chance to access a wellbeing experience in one of the women’s slipper baths - a historic part of the complex that houses a series of individual cubicles which date from the time before people had bathrooms in their own homes.

“We’ve thought about bringing back the slipper baths,” says Sadim, “but why would someone want to come and have a bath now, when that’s not a facility that people need anymore as there are baths in their homes? So we’ve restored just one cubicle and refurbished it but also thought about what it would have been like for people to have a bath in this building and get involved and literally submerge themselves.

“We’ve been going through consultation with loads of local organisations, and particularly women’s organisations, to ask what they wanted the space to be used for, and it was very much the idea of the experience of necessary luxury. So we’ve tried to respond to that.”

Available to enjoy until 30 September, Balsall Heath’s Living Room is a pilot that aims to explore how local people can use Moseley Road Baths, what they would like, and how even more people can be encouraged to access the space.

Sadim adds: “Balsall Heath’s Living Room is an exploration into the building and what it could be. It’s a civic space, and we want it to feel like it belongs to people. We hope as many people as possible come along and visit.”

For more information about available activities, visit: moseleyroadbaths.org.uk Please note usual swimming charges apply.

ALFRESCO DINING IN BRUM

Orelle

103 Colmore Row, B3 3AG

Taking its inspiration from the botanical world, Orelle’s new summer terrace is perfect for alfresco food & drinks.

Customers can check out a Tanquerayfocused cocktail menu - created by the in-house mixologists - alongside high-quality French cuisine provided by Executive Chef Chris Emery.

A prix fixe menu can be enjoyed as a threecourse offering at £42, or as two courses for £35. Both include a glass of Chandon.

Digbeth Dining Club

If street food is your thing, then the ‘summer tour’ of leading event company Digbeth Dining Club needs to be on your radar. Throughout August, enjoy some of the best burgers, pizzas, kebabs, cheesecakes, toasties, hot dogs and more - not to mention music and ‘good vibes’ - at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club and Shirley Park.

Dogs are welcome, and all events are subject to weather conditions.

Grace + James

Grace + James is a neighbourhood bar, restaurant & deli serving up wine, local beer, cheese, charcuterie and sandwiches - plus a hot food and small plates menu curated by Chef Matt Wilden every Friday and Saturday evening.

The street is pedestrianised. Neighbours Poli (offering some of the city’s best pizzas), Hare & Hounds (One Star Doner Kebab) and The Juke (home to some fantastic street-food popups) also offer outdoor seating.

Chapter

Located in the heart of Edgbaston Village, Chapter boasts great food and an outdoor terrace, making it a top choice for a spot of alfresco dining.

Chef Director Ben Ternent and his team are committed to quality British produce and implement a nature-led style that’s rooted in seasonality. If lobster tickles your fancy, then you’re in for a treat, as the tasty crustacean is available for lunch and dinner until the beginning of September.

The Plough

Offering something for everyone and a large outdoor area (a rarity in Brum), awardwinning pub The Plough is a popular choice both with locals and those from further afield.

The main menu features pub classics such as burgers and cod & chips, plus a range of Cuban sandwiches and pizzas. There are vegan options too, blue light card holder discounts, two-for-one deals, a brunch menu and a Sunday lunch menu.

Luna Springs

A boogie with your burger? As well as being one of the city’s most popular party venues (think gigs, festivals, mass karaoke and more), Digbeth’s Luna Springs offers a range of pizzas, burgers and loaded boxes to help soak up those all-important weekend cocktails with friends.

Bottomless events are plentiful here, and tickets for Brunchaoke, Mamma Mia XXL Brunch, Cosmic Disco and Pure Lunacy Brunch are on sale via the venue’s website.

If August proves to be anywhere near as sizzling as June (let’s forget about July), there will only be one place to tuck into a delicious meal and glass or two of something relaxing, and that’s the great outdoors! Check out our six recommendations below...

by Diane Parkes

MUSICAL YOUTH

The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain’s (NYO) summer concert at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall this month will see two talented musician brothers from Kenilworth making a return to one of their favourite venues.

Eighteen-year-old Patrick O’Reilly and his 17year-old brother, Andrew, are looking forward to performing at the world-famous concert hall.

Both joined the NYO when they were 13 and enjoy the time they spend with the orchestra, learning not just from the experts but from the other young people, who are all aged between 13 and 19.

“We both joined NYO as soon as we could,” recalls Patrick, who plays viola. “So I joined in the 2018/19 season and Andrew joined a year later.

“Right from the beginning it’s very different to anything you’ve ever done before. Firstly, it’s enormous - there’s 160 of us - so it’s a sound which you can’t exactly create anywhere else, and to be in the middle of that sound is quite something.

“And it’s really nice to see a progression through your time with NYO; just to work your way through the orchestra. And then there’s all the various roles you take on with leadership. So you see all the new people coming through and think ‘I used to be one of these, so I’ll try and help out.’

“As well as the amazing musical experience you get from it, it’s also great that you make lifelong friends and learn skills that you can take with you elsewhere.”

Patrick and Andrew, who have both attended Kenilworth School, grew up in a musical family. Their mother, Barbara, played violin with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and father Chris runs a music shop.

“Music has always been such a big and important part of our lives,” Patrick explains. “We’ve been with it right from the outset. Before even we were born, we were listening to our mum play in the CBSO, and we’ve worked very hard, practising from when we were very young.

“Our mum, her uncles, our grandparents, they’d all been through NYO. We’ve got quite a strong link there, so I think it had always been something we’d wanted to do.”

Both brothers are hugely dedicated to their music. They began performing with the National Children’s Orchestra before joining NYO and between them have also played with

a host of other organisations. These include the Coventry & Warwickshire Youth Orchestra, Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra, Leamington Sinfonia and Kenilworth School orchestras. Plus, on a Saturday, they travel to London to play with a string quartet. Both have studied at the Birmingham Junior Conservatoire, with Patrick also receiving teaching at the Junior Royal Academy.

Andrew, who plays cello, says music is in their blood: “I think our upbringing was really important, as you see it and want to get involved in it. We’re really thankful for all the encouragement we were given at home because now we both love it so much we want to keep playing.

“I practise pretty much every day for a couple of hours. The only day I don’t practise is Saturday because I’m going up to London.”

Andrew was keen to join NYO and develop his skills and experience.

“Being a year younger, I had seen Patrick go through NYO for one year, and I’d been to all the concerts for Christmas, Easter and summer. I had seen how great they were, the pieces they get to perform, the conductors they have, and the great atmosphere that it has. That pushed me to want to be part of the organisation.

“Being there for a number of years, you can progress through. Playing in an orchestra or an ensemble, especially with people our own age, it’s where you develop the most. Being able to learn from other people your age is so important; and the number of different pieces we get to do, and we’re playing all across the UK.”

Both brothers can also play the piano and violin. While Andrew currently has his sights

set on a career as a professional musician, Patrick, who is awaiting his A-level results, hopes to work in the maths field but continue playing music as an interest.

In the meantime they are encouraging other young people to come along and enjoy the concert at Symphony Hall. The programme features Copland’s Symphony No3, Hindemith’s Metamorphosis and Strauss’ Four Last Songs, with former Cardiff Singer of the World Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha. “NYO is completely unlike anything you could hear anywhere else - 160 teenagers from across the country who all share the same passion,” says Patrick. “You don’t get that sort of level of excitement anywhere else. There’s a real energy from a group of people so young. My hope is that it might brush off on some other people, who will be inspired by that.”

And Symphony Hall is a special venue, adds Andrew.

“We’ve been there to watch many concerts, and we both played in the CBSO Youth Orchestra in the past, but this is my first concert at Symphony Hall with NYO. It’s going to be really exciting. It’s such a massive hall and playing with such a big orchestra. “There’s something very special about playing locally. We’ve grown up in the Birmingham and Warwickshire area, so to be able to perform in Birmingham feels like an opportunity to give back to the area and the community which has supported us and all our music for our whole lives.”

NYO plays Symphony Hall, Birmingham, on Wednesday 2 August. Tickets for people aged 19 or younger are free.

Kenilworth brothers Patrick and Andrew O’Reilly talk about performing as part of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall...

I still get that same feeling, whether it’s a big festival or some little place round the back somewhere. I’m ever so pleased to be still doing my job and really enjoying it.

by Steve Adams

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Shrewsbury Folk Festival headliner Billy Bragg talks to What’s On about the 40th anniversary of his debut album, playing festival shows and hobnobbing with rock royalty...

It’s been a pretty good year for Billy Bragg so far. He’s been in rude health, hanging out with Michael Stipe, revelling in the nostalgia that comes with the 40th anniversary of his first album and basking in the glory of his beloved West Ham’s success in winning the Europa Conference League. His enthusiasm for the latter gives the impression that it could well be the highlight.

The singer is delightful company as he revels in his team’s success, and just as cheery when I point out my surprise at seeing a selfie of him on social media ligging with Michael Stipe at a Bono show in New York, which all seems a bit showbiz for the typically down-to-earth Essex boy.

“I found it weird as well, particularly because Michael took the photo!” he admits. “I wouldn’t be so rude as to spread the word that I was out with Michael - I’d feel a bit awkward about that.”

He naturally plays the whole thing down, pointing out that the celebrity night out was more by accident - or at least coincidencethan design.

“I had a night in New York and wondered if Michael was in town cos we’ve been trying to connect with each other since before the pandemic. I thought we’d just go for a beer or something, but it turns out he was going to see Bono at the Beacon Theatre, so he blagged me a seat and we watched the show, which was cool. Then we ended up in a piano bar on the East Side drinking beer, cracking peanuts and talking about music, the world and everything.

“The great thing about Michael is that I’ve known him for years, from the early days, when it felt like we were all in it together. There was myself, REM, 10,000 Maniacs, The Smiths - those kind of figures. The ones I’ve worked with - like Michael, Natalie Merchant, Johnny Marr - I still feel quite close to them. And the lovely thing is that when I bump into them, it’s like I’ve known them for years. They’re all really good people, and listening to the 365 tracks reminded me of the opportunities I had to work with some lovely people.”

Ah yes, the 365 tracks. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his debut album, Life’s A Riot With Spy vs Spy, Billy’s delved into his insanely deep (and apparently chaotic) archive to come up with a 14-CD box set containing a bewildering number of

alternative versions, B-sides and rarities. The undertaking seems even more ridiculous when you consider the original album lasted less than 16 minutes and featured just seven songs, but there’s been a method, or at least a measure of enjoyment, to the madness of collating the 365 tracks.

“One for every day of the year,” laughs Billy. “The trouble is some poor bugger had to listen to all those, to make sure they were the right tracks, and the catch is there’s only one person who knows, and who has been around since the beginning. And that poor sod had to listen to everything.

“So I spent a six-hour train ride from New Hampshire to New York City going through the CDs, and even then I had to listen to some more tracks on the plane on the way home to ensure they were all the right ones. I’m glad I did because I caught one of them out - it was an obscure B-side but somehow the name had got attached to the wrong track - so I’m really glad I did. And it was nice to reflect on the things we did. It made me think of all the people I’ve worked with over the years, how great they were and what a huge contribution they made to my career.

“I’m not a particularly musical geezer, you know what I mean? I’m just a guitar player, and those people - like Cara Tivey, Dave Woodhead, Johnny Marr - brought their amazing musical skills to my records and made them sound really, really special; to me anyway.”

He won’t have any star names backing him when he returns to headline the Sunday night of the Shrewsbury Folk Festival this month, but the old hand has a routinewhich he claims is effectively a glorified busk - to ensure a successful festival gig...

“When I turn up at a festival and we’re all plumbed in, I tend to go for a walk, usually to try and find a decent coffee stall or a bacon buttie, and I’ll walk through the audience and suss them out.

“I’ll go right to the back and get a look at the sight lines and think about how I’m gonna make sure I’m not just singing to those people in the front row who know me but also to the people in the queue for a Cornetto, cos there’s a chance you might get their attention.

“There’s a bit of a craft to playing a festivalthere’s potentially people there that you’re going to play to who haven’t seen you before,

so how do you connect with them, what have you got to draw them in? You’re often relying on your big hits - you’ve only got an hourbut what can you put in the mix that makes what you’re doing contemporary so that you’re not just doing a ‘back in the ’80s’ type thing?

“I am a heritage artist, I can’t escape from that, and most of the people coming to see me originally came to see me in the 1980s, but the music I’ve played over the years, an element of it was topical, and that’s always what attracted me.”

And 40 years on (longer if you go back to his early days with pub rock outfit Riff Raff) he’s delighted to be “still getting away with it”, even though he admits there are times when he feels his age a bit - he turned 65 last year.

“It’s not so great when I’m stuck on a bus all day or I’ve got to fly somewhere really early in the morning, waking up at the airport at six o’clock with no breakfast.

“But getting out on the stage, I still get that same feeling, whether it’s a big festival or some little place round the back somewhere. I’m ever so pleased to be still doing my job and really enjoying it.”

Billy Bragg plays Shrewsbury Folk Festival on Sunday 27 August. The festival takes place at the town’s West Mid Showground from Friday 25 to Monday 28 August. For the full line-up, information and tickets, visit: shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

Festivals coming to the region in August & September

Lakefest

Eastnor Castle, Thurs 10 - Sun 13 August

Priding itself on putting family first, Lakefest evolved from a giant music and cider festival at Croft Farm Waterpark, Tewkesbury, back in 2011, when performers included The Wurzels and entertainment came in the form of skittles and welly wanging.

Although expansion has led to a relocation to the beautiful Eastnor Castle, the event retains its friendly West Country vibe. Alongside an always-impressive line-up of music acts, the four-day get-together also features fairground rides and a good selection of family-friendly activities.

2023 line-up includes: Johnny Marr, Clean Bandit (pictured), Embrace, Gaz Coombes, The Zutons and Inspiral Carpets

Shrewsbury Folk Festival

West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury, Fri 25 - Mon 28 August

A highlight of any folk fan’s calendar, this four-day fest brings together centuries of musical tradition in one picturesque setting. Steeped in history, the border town of Shrewsbury provides an ideal backdrop for the festival’s mash-up of modern, medieval and everything in between, where grassroots

Lichfield Festival Of Folk

Various locations across the city, Sun 17 September - Sat 14 October

A friendly event which has developed a devoted following of discerning music fans, the Lichfield Festival Of Folk - or L2F, as it’s otherwise known - runs from mid-September to mid-October and features not only an impressive programme of music but also free community-based get-togethers, an arts & heritage procession and dancing in the streets. Heck, it even has its very own trainthe L2F Folk Train - more about which can be found on the Lichfield Arts website.

2023 line-up includes: Juan Martin, False Lights (pictured), Me Lost Me, Zyggurat, Alys Rain, Farefeld, Chase Mist and The Durkins

Moseley Folk & Arts Festival

Moseley Park, Birmingham, Fri 1 - Sun 3 September

Tucked away behind Birmingham’s busy streets, the beautiful Moseley Park is one of the city’s hidden gems, transformed each year into an enchanting escape by one of the Midlands’ best-loved music festivals.

Traditional folk & low-fi acoustic sets blend

cultures collide in dynamic fusion styles. Take along the whole family for dance and workshops as well as live music.

As in previous years, What’s On is pleased to be sponsoring Launchpad, an element of the event designed to showcase local and upand-coming talent.

2023 line-up includes: Billy Bragg, The Sharon Shannon Trio, N’famady Kouyaté, Eddi Reader (pictured) and Capercaillie

seamlessly with dreamy electropop, psychedelia and indie favourites against a magical backdrop of bright hippie colours, lush foliage and a beautiful lake. Alongside the music, the festival - which is now in its 17th year - also features a mixture of activities for all ages to enjoy.

2023 line-up includes: Squeeze (pictured), The Saw Doctors, Wilco, Graham Nash, The Proclaimers and The Mary Wallopers

Festivals coming to the region in August & September

Off The Tracks Summer Festival

Donington Park Farmhouse, Castle Donington, Fri 1 - Sun 3 September

Voted by the Times as top ‘small is beautiful’ festival, the family-friendly Off The Tracks event has been around for three decades and is many things to many people.

“It’s friendly, relaxing, memorable, exciting, a place to escape and a place to meet new friends,” say its organisers. “Once you’ve been, we bet you’ll want to come back! Flee to the countryside, let your hair down, chill out and escape the humdrum of everyday life.”

2023 line-up includes: Dreadzone, Kissmet (pictured), Headsticks, Noble Jacks, Kasai Masai, Goldwater, Babal, Zubzub, Dr Trippy and Dorothy Ella

Devafest

Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, Fri 11 - Sun 13 August

Cheshire’s family-friendly festival features music and comedy across five stages, handpicked street food, a free-to-use fairground, circus workshops, gin-tasting opportunities, water sports and even dinosaurs.

Oh, and according to organisers, the threeday get-together also boasts the best toilets you’re ever likely to find at a festival!

2023 line-up includes: Will Young, Fleur East (pictured), Five, Feeder, Starsailor, Morcheeba, Symphonic Ibiza, K-Klass, NTrance and Jeremiah Ferrari

Festivals

Crooked House In The Park

Beacon Park, Lichfield, Sun 27 August

Crooked House In The Park’s organisers have let it be known that they’re in the business of taking things up a gear in 2023, as the all-day dance music event returns for a third year. Presenting 12 hours of house, garage, trance, old skool and DNB. the festival also includes immersive brand activations, on-site games & competitions and an impressive array of food & drink vendors.

2023 line-up includes: Groove Armada DJ set (pictured), Pendulum DJ set, Low Steppa, Bryan Gee, Joe Hunt Showcase and Ratpack

Bromyard Folk Festival

Bromyard Town Football Club, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 September

Established in 1968 and situated in the beautiful rolling green fields of Herefordshire, Bromyard has become a much-loved celebration of folk music.

The event sees some of the finest national and international folk musicians headlining a programme that also includes workshops, ceilidhs, dance displays, children’s entertainment and a traditional craft market.

2023 line-up includes: Merry Hell, The Young’uns (pictured), Eliza Carthy Trio, Kris Drever, Dallahan, Jim Moray, Melrose Quartet, Crows and She Shanties

Páirc Festival

New Irish Centre, Birmingham, Fri 25 - Sun 27 August

Returning for a second year with a three-day celebration of Irish music and culture, Páirc will feature a mix of international headline acts and local talent.

The event promises fun for all the family and comes complete with street food, beer and festival merchandise.

2023 line-up includes: Van Morrison (pictured), The Waterboys, Mary Black, Nathan Carter, Derek Ryan, The High Kings, The Fureys, All Folk’d Up and Ceol

Camp Bestival

Weston Park, Shropshire/Staffordshire border, Thurs 17 - Sun 20 August

After the success of last year’s inaugural bash, Camp Bestival is making a welcome return to the Midlands.

A stand-alone event (but boasting all the unique and essential family-friendly elements of Dorset’s original Camp Bestival), the four-day get-together is organised by Josie & Rob da Bank, who said: “We couldn’t have been happier with the site, the weather, the crowd and the vibes. So we’re back for 2023 and hoping to ramp up the levels even morefrom introducing a brand-new fancy-dress parade, raft building and loads of cool new little pop-ups, to mega pop stars and indie giants on the main stage.”

2023 line-up includes: Primal Scream (pictured), Rudimental, The Human League, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sam Ryder, Groove Armada DJ set and Melanie C

CHOCA DOODLE DO

Roald Dahl’s scrumptious story comes to Birmingham Hippodrome this autumn

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - The Musical has received plenty of critical acclaim, both in the West End and on Broadway. Guaranteed to ‘dazzle the senses’, the show stops off in Birmingham this autumn as part of its first UK tour. What’s On recently caught up with Gareth Snook, who plays colourful character Willie Wonka, to find out why the Roald Dahl classic remains so popular...

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka is one of the most colourful characters in children’s literature. The eccentric owner of the Wonka Chocolate Factory, Willy invites five winners of golden tickets for a tour - but little do they know the trip is not going to be quite what they expect. In typical Dahl style, we’re never quite sure what to make of Wonka - is he a benevolent force for good like The BFG or a scary childhater like one of The Witches?

Gareth Snook, who is currently playing the character in the UK tour of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory - The Musical, which comes to Birmingham Hippodrome in September, believes the sweets impresario is often misjudged.

“I understand there have been reviews of the show where they’ve said that Willy is a sinister character, but I don’t agree,” he says. “Adults might think he is, but I don’t think children do; children love him. And the kids in the story get themselves into trouble. Willy tells them it’s dangerous - ‘don’t touch that waterfall’ or ‘spit out that gum’ - but they don’t listen to him, and that’s the moral of the story.”

Gareth, whose lengthy theatre biography includes The Phantom Of The Opera, Fiddler On The Roof, Les Misérables, Aspects Of Love, Company, Cats, Sunset Boulevard, My Fair Lady and Show Boat, couldn’t resist the challenge of portraying Wonka on stage. “Who is going to turn down the part of Willy Wonka? It’s such a challenge to do him. You’ve got to make him your own, so it was discovering a lot about myself as well, and making decisions about what I think the character should be.

“He is often misunderstood. In our version, he’s not seen a human being for 40 years; in the book it’s 10, but we make it 40. He shuts the factory down because his employees stole all his recipes and his ideas and set up their own chocolate factories and betrayed him, and he is very scarred by this. He shuts everyone out, and then suddenly the lights go back on again and people start asking who’s working there because no-one goes in and no-one comes out.

“It’s all about discovering what I think are the essential characteristics of Willy Wonka and whether I could relate to them - and I can. Strangely enough, the director said to me in rehearsals ‘I’m not quite sure where Willy Wonka ends and Gareth begins.’ I think that means I’m achieving what I really want to achieve, where the outlines are blurred

slightly. I always think that in order to play a character really well, you have to fall in love with them. And I really have with Willy; I feel very protective of him.”

Published in 1964, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory was a huge bestseller and has remained a firm family favourite ever since. It was screened in 1971 as Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory, with Gene Wilder as Wonka. In 2005 Johnny Depp took the role in Tim Burton’s movie version.

It was via the 1971 film that Gareth discovered the story: “Strangely enough, I didn’t know it as a child. I’m the youngest of five kids and for some reason those books weren’t in our house. There were plenty of other books passed down from my elder brothers and sisters but not Roald Dahl books. So I came to the story firstly via the film with Gene Wilder, who I think is a genius. I’m a massive fan.”

So why does Gareth think Charlie And The Chocolate Factory has remained popular for nearly 60 years?

“The characters are so vivid. I think we can safely say he wrote for children - although like a lot of great literature for children, his stories also appeal to adults. I think children reading about children in children’s booksthat’s where Dahl’s genius is, because he understood them. He understood how naughty children appeal to children because every child loves to see something naughty inside them.

“The story is fascinating, and the way it’s staged in this musical is so engaging. If you didn’t know anything about the story at all, then you’re immediately engaged. We meet this Charlie Bucket, and his family are all very humble, and Charlie is very bright and he writes his own inventions late at night when he’s in bed. He’s fascinated by Willy Wonka - but when Charlie arrives at the factory, Willy doesn’t even notice him.

“Willy Wonka is far more interested in the other children who go into the factory - they are more vivid characters. But then they all disappoint him because they get into trouble and mess up his factory and don’t listen to him. And then he’s left with one child, and gradually he realises that Charlie is him.”

Bearing in mind Gareth is playing a character who owns a chocolate factory, he has been receiving some unexpected presents at the stage door.

“People keep sending me chocolates! I’m a huge fan of chocolate and keep getting parcels off strangers, so I’m very happy with

that - although there’s only so many times I can let out the waistline of my trousers! I’m a very plain man - give me any chocolate with mint or orange in it and I’m very happy. And truffles - they’re the best.”

As a chocolate fan, Gareth is certainly looking forward to visiting Birmingham - the home of Cadbury’s. He’s also eagerly anticipating his return to the Hippodrome. “It’s a glorious theatre, one of the number ones for touring musicals. If you’re in a tour and it doesn’t go to Birmingham, you’re asking why. The last time I toured, which was about 10 years ago, we took The Full Monty there, so my last memory of that theatre is being onstage naked! But I’m not planning on doing that again - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is a family show!” While Gareth might love the two Charlie films, he says the live experience is special.

“I think the stage is a great place for this story; it’s found its home. Theatre is at its best when you start looking in the mirror and seeing yourself in the characters or in the world that you’ve witnessed. I think that’s what audiences will take away from this show. All the children watching will secretly see a bit of themselves in Veruca Salt or Mike Teavee, and that is very engaging for children; to see themselves there. And don’t forget that we’re all big kids at heart, so adults love it as well.”

November

5

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 17 October to Sunday

Theatre

Disney’s The Lion King Birmingham Hippodrome, until

Julie Taymor’s stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning animated film of the same name brings together a huge cast of actors, singers and dancers. Seen by a staggering 110 million people worldwide since premiering on Broadway in 1997 - and featuring hundreds of masks & puppets - the show tells the compelling story of Simba, a young lion

Noises Off

The Rep, Birmingham, Wed 23 August - Sat 9 September

Booker Prize-winning author Michael Frayn’s ‘farce about a farce’ became one of the biggest hits in Broadway history when it opened there in 1983.

The show’s audience is effectively presented with two plays in one. The actors go onstage to perform in a play called Nothing On, and then come offstage to appear in the ‘real-life’ farce occurring backstage.

While fights break out behind the scenes, on stage the actors are missing their cues,

Sat 16 September

cub, as he journeys through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood. The production’s rich tapestry of songs and compositions - the most famous among which is the iconic Circle Of Life - includes contributions from Elton John and Hans Zimmer. Age guidance for the show is six-plus.

missing their footing and missing the point altogether. Even the director ends up having to take a role in the show!

Liza Goddard, Matthew Kelly and Simon Shepherd star in this Theatre Royal Bath Productions revival.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 2 - Sat 12 August

As musicals go, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change may be little known, but it’s certainly enjoyed its fair share of success. Indeed, having debuted in 1996, it proceeded to run for 12 years, in the process amassing an impressive 5003 performances.

The second longest-running Off Broadway musical in theatre history, the show takes a lighthearted look - via a series of vignettes and songs - at the subject of love in all its many-splendoured forms; from the perils and pitfalls of the first date, through marriage and children, and on into the twilight years of life... The show is relaunching the Old Joint Stock Theatre as a producing house.

Eric’s Italian Job

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Mon 21 August - Sat 2 September

Eric Smith - actor David Graham’s delightfully dysfunctional character - has certainly earned his place in the hearts of New Vic audiences since first appearing at the venue way back in 1999.

The Staffordshire favourite here makes a welcome return to help police in their pursuit of two of the Great Train Robbers, who, according to a tip-off, are planning a big bank job in downtown Turin...

As usual with an Eric production, the show features a soundtrack of much-loved ’60s hits and is promising plenty of laughs.

Theatre previews from around the region

The Empress

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sun 18 November

Tanika Gupta’s critically acclaimed play, set in Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee year of 1887, tells the story of Rani and Abdul, who

As You Like It

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, until Sat 5 August

Omar Elerian directs this ‘playful and provocative’ new version of Shakespeare’s highly likable comedy. In a move away from a

As Rani battles against society’s desire to view her as a second-class citizen, Abdul forges a surprising relationship with the Queen. Through the telling of numerous enchanting stories, he brings to life for her an India that she rules but which she has never seen...

more traditional presentation of the play, the production sees the stage transformed into a rehearsal room, where actors gather to recall a past show and share out between them the roles in As You Like It.

The comedy’s storyline revolves around the character of Rosalind, banished by her usurping uncle to the Forest Of Arden, where her exiled father is already living. Revelling in the naturalness of her surroundings - and accompanied by her cousin, Celia, and Touchstone the fool - the young woman finds a happiness she didn’t know existed... In an example of age-blind casting, Geraldine James - who turned 73 last monthmakes her RSC debut (as Rosalind) and leads a company of veteran actors.

Macbeth

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, Sat 19 August - Sat 14 October Having been spurred into action by the prophesies of three supernatural beings - and egged on by his conniving wife - Macbeth’s desire to be king of Scotland sees him

slaughtering the people who stand in his way. As the pressure mounts and his grip on sanity weakens, he decides to commit even more atrocities - including the murder of women and children...

Falkland Sound

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sat 5 August - Sat 16 September

If you’ve clocked up a half-century or more on Planet Earth, you’ll remember the Falklands War - the 74-day conflict in Spring 1982 between Argentina and Britain over two British-dependent territories in the South Atlantic. The British won, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s popularity soared. But what was the conflict like for those who actually had to live in the shadow of the war? Falkland Sound offers a thought-provoking insight. Inspired by real-life testimonies, Brad Birch’s new play explores a community and way of life turned upside-down following the invasion by Argentine forces.

Productions showing at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre this month...

step off a boat at Tilbury Docks after making the long voyage from India.

MacHamLear

Bewdley Museum, Sat 5 August; Jephson Gardens, Leamington Spa, Sun 6 August

The outdoors-loving Heartbreak Productions once again get to work beneath the summertime stars, on this occasion aiming to decide which of three Shakespearian playsMacbeth, Hamlet and King Lear - is the best. So why not pack a picnic hamper, head along to the show, and cast your vote at the Battle of the Bard, as the trio of iconic tragedies are performed with ‘passion, pep, and punch’...

Pride And Prejudice

Hanbury Hall, Droitwich, Sat 5 August; Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Sat 19 August Elegant Georgian settings and wonderful comic characters abound in Jane Austen’s famous romantic novel.

The Tale Of Peter Rabbit And Benjamin Bunny

Coventry Cathedral, Wed 30 August

The highly regarded Quantum Theatre make a welcome return with another outdoor show celebrating the magic of Beatrix Potter.

Twelfth Night

Shrewsbury Castle, Sun 13 August

As with many Shakespearean comedies, Twelfth Night is based on a case of mistaken identity, with Viola disguising herself as a boy and causing all manner of awkward romantic shenanigans. However, the play’s continuing popularity can mainly be attributed to its comic sub-plot, in which the merciless Sir Toby Belch and his foolish companion, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, seek to humiliate the pompous Malvolio, and achieve their aim with more than a little style. Presented by Immersion Theatre.

Nicholas Nickleby

Priory Park, Malvern, Sat 5 August

Jenny Wren Productions make a welcome return with an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ third novel and widely admired social critique.

The terrific tale follows the fortunes of the Nickleby family, who, left destitute on the death of their father, find themselves forced to give up a life of contentment in the countryside. For 19-year-old Nicholas, the

This latest production finds Peter Rabbit and his naughty cousin Benjamin throwing caution to the wind by sneaking into Mr McGregor’s garden. But it isn’t long before the adventurous pair find themselves in some seriously hot water...

The foolish and marriage-obsessed Mrs Bennet is relentless in her pursuit of suitable men for her five daughters to marry, her increasingly desperate quest generating all manner of muddle and mayhem in the process...

This much-loved and oft-performed story is here presented by the well-established Illyria theatre company, an ensemble which has garnered an enviable reputation for producing high-quality theatrical fare for performance in the great outdoors.

change in circumstance leads to him taking a job as an assistant teacher at Dotheboys Hall. But following a run-in with the school’s cruel headmaster, Wackford Squeers, he soon finds himself heading out into the world on a series of exciting adventures...

Wind In The Willows

Shrewsbury Castle, Thurs 17 August

Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved children’s book tells a classic story of how one life can command the full attention of three others. Mole, Badger and Ratty simply don’t have time for any of their own interests - they’re way too busy having to look after their reckless and irrepressible friend, Toad...

The critically acclaimed Quantum Theatre is the ensemble behind this outdoor stage version of one of the 20th century’s best loved and most delightful yarns.

The Merry Wives Of Windsor

Biddulph Grange Gardens, Staffordshire, Fri 25 August; The Dorothy Clive Garden, Market Drayton, Shropshire, Sat 26 August; Whittington Castle, Shropshire, Sun 27 August Mistresses Page and Ford believe it’s high time fat knight Sir John Falstaff was taught a lesson. After all, the big fella’s been courting them both, claiming that each is his one true love and caring not a jot that they’re both married!

A fast-moving tale of buck-baskets, comedy antlers, frolicsome fairies and men dressed as women, this is Shakespeare at his comic best. Expect your sides to be as near to splitting as they’re ever likely to be when engaging with the works of Stratford’s most famous son.

Folksy Theatre is the company presenting the show.

Outdoor productions showing across the region

Theatre for younger audiences...

Horrible Histories: Barmy Britain

Enginuity, Ironbridge, Thurs 3 - Fri 4 August; Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 12 & Sun 13 August

If you love the Horrible Histories series - and why the heck wouldn’t you?! - then Barmy Britain is a show well worth catching. Alongside asking a host of searching historical questions - will you be conquered by William? Will you sink or swim with King Henry I? Would you go house hunting with Henry VIII? - the show also invites its audience to join the Georgians as they take over England, and ‘break into Buckingham Palace and hide from the Queen Victoria’. In short, and as its publicity says, it’s ‘a truly horrible history of Britain - with all the nasty bits left in!’

Dinosaur Adventure Live

Swan Theatre, Worcester, Thurs 24 August; The Core Theatre, Solihull, Thurs 31 August

Dinosaur

Adventure Live is being advertised as ‘the greatest prehistoric show on Earth’, providing audiences with a ‘65 million years in the making’ hour of ‘roarsome’ fun that’s ‘totally T-rex-iffic’... Boasting ‘living, breathing, life-like dinosaurs’, the interactive experience allows families to take a walk through the Jurassic era, meet dinos face-to-face and check out the impossible-to-ignore roar of a terrorinducing Tyrannosaurus...

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

Birmingham Town Hall, Tues 22 - Sat 26 August

A tea-guzzling tiger drops in on Sophie and her mum just as they’re settling down for an afternoon cuppa...

Adapted by David Wood from the late Judith Kerr’s 1968 book, this Olivier Awardnominated 55-minute show comes without an interval, features singalong songs aplenty and boasts oodles of magic - not to mention a big stripy tiger, of course!

The Snail And The Whale

Swan Theatre, Worcester, Fri 25 & Sat 26 August; Albany Theatre, Coventry, Mon 28 & Tues 29 August

Following on from versions of The Gruffalo and Room On The Broom, highly rated ensemble Tall Stories here present a show for children aged four and older that blends imaginative storytelling, live music and plenty of humour.

When a tiny snail who longs to see the world hitches a lift on the tail of a humpback whale, she finds herself embroiled in an exciting adventure - particularly when the whale unexpectedly gets beached... The show runs without an interval and for just short of an hour.

Hey Duggee

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 3 - Sun 6 August

Hey Duggee is the latest children’s television series to be adapted for the stage and takes to the road positively laden with prestigious awards, including Baftas and Emmys.

The hugely popular CBeebies offering sees star-of-the-show Duggee - a big, friendly dog - leading the Squirrel Club, the young members of which spend their time engaging in all manner of activities and adventures, in the process earning a variety of badges for their accomplishments.

Since starting its UK tour, this brand-new interactive production has scored a major hit with grown-ups and little ones alike. It comes complete with music, puppets, stickers galore and ‘barrels of laughs along the way’. It’s definitely time for a Duggee Hug...

Jurassic Live

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 22 & Wed 23 August

Jurassic Live’s promoters are hailing this prehistoric extravaganza ‘a roarsome adventure’ not to be missed. Featuring professional puppeteers and impressively realistic dinosaurs, the production follows a team of dino rangers as they search for a missing baby dinosaur... Highlights of the show include the UK’s only flying Pterodactyl and the country’s biggest Tyrannosaurus Rex

Sarah And Duck’s Big Top Birthday

Number 8 Arts Centre, Pershore, Sat 5 August; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Thurs 31 August - Fri 1 September

Young fans of BAFTA award-winning CBeebies programme Sarah & Duck seem certain to cry fowl - er, sorry, foul - if you fail to take them along to this live-on-stage version of the show. Puppetry, storytelling and music are imaginatively combined as seven-year-old Sarah and her somewhat manic companion set out on another adventure. This one sees them planning a birthday party for Scarf Lady, ably assisted in their endeavours by fabulous friends The Ribbon Sisters, The Shallots, Flamingo & John and Umbrella....

PARANOID AT THE BALLET

Tony Iommi talks about his involvement in BRB’s ground-breaking new production, Black Sabbath - The Ballet

by Diane Parkes

Combine the music of a superstar heavy metal band with the dance expertise of an internationally acclaimed ballet company and what do you get? Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath - The Ballet, that’s what! With the brand-new production world premiering in Birmingham next month, What’s On chats to Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi about a show that promises to be just that little bit different (to say the least!)...

As the guitarist in one of the most successful heavy metal bands in history, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi has experienced many things in his life, and yet this autumn will see him make his very first trip to the ballet.

Aston-born Tony has been working with Birmingham Royal Ballet and a team of composers, choreographers, dramaturg and designers on Black Sabbath - The Ballet, which premieres at Birmingham Hippodrome in September.

And he says it is the very incongruity of bringing together heavy metal and ballet which appeals.

“The exciting part about this is that there will be people in the audience who are Black Sabbath fans who have never been to a ballet before, and people in the audience who are ballet fans who don’t know much about Black Sabbath. It’s educating people in a different way and getting them to look at something and discover something new they like.

“I have never really been to the ballet, so for me it’s a real eye-opener and I absolutely love it. I know from our fans that there’s a lot of excitement - they are really interested to come to the show.”

Black Sabbath - The Ballet is the brainchild of BRB Director Carlos Acosta and forms part of a trilogy of works focusing on the city of Birmingham. City Of A Thousand Trades, which highlighted Birmingham’s industrial heritage, premiered in 2021, and Black Sabbath premieres next month. A third Birmingham-inspired ballet is yet to be announced but is due to be performed next year.

When Carlos suggested the idea of a Black Sabbath ballet to Tony, the musician, who has a star on Birmingham’s Broad Street Walk of Stars, was immediately enthusiastic.

“I love Carlos’ approach - the way he goes out there and does something he believes in. Carlos has an idea in his head of what he wants, and it’s a great step to make something so different.

“People are usually so unwilling to step out of the box and try something different, but it’s the same thing that we had when we starteda real belief and drive. We were prepared to be different in those early days. It was difficult then to do the music we were doing as we were coming up against soul and that sort of music, which was really popular. But we kept on believing in it and doing it - and Carlos has

been exactly the same with his approach to this ballet.

“Carlos says he’s done Swan Lake a million times, so this is something which pushes him as well. And it’s the same for us - it pushes us in a different direction.”

The production includes eight Black Sabbath songs, which are being reorchestrated by lead composer Christopher Austin to form part of the soundtrack to the ballet. Music by two other composers, Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting, also features. The piece is choreographed by a team comprising lead choreographer Pontus Lidberg with Raúl Reinoso and Cassi Abranches.

“I could have said which tracks we wanted included, but the team are all very talented and I was interested to see what they would do,” says Tony. “I thought they would have picked songs or tunes with more of the acoustic stuff or some of the stuff which is more mellow, but they haven’t - they’ve done Black Sabbath and Iron Man and War Pigs. The only questions I had were ‘How can you dance to that?’ and ‘What are they going to do to that?’

“It’s a real challenge that they’re taking on, and yet it’s worked. Chris brought his early orchestration over to my house, and we sat in my studio and went through them one by one to make sure the timings are right and all the spacing and the tempo. And it is incredible. Chris sees a way of directing our music to make something different, something that hasn’t been done before.

“They’re not just playing the songs, they’re adding different bits to them and working them in a different way. And then there’s all the dancing on top of that. I’m fascinated by it. Every time I see them dancing and the show progressing along, I think ‘it’s so good’. The whole thing is really creative. Watching it forming is really amazing.”

Tickets for the Birmingham dates of Black Sabbath - The Ballet sold out within days of going on sale in February. BRB has since added additional sold-out shows and announced dates in Plymouth and at London’s Sadler’s Wells. So was Tony surprised by its success?

“I know it’s going to be great because all the people involved are really talented and it’s such an exciting project. And it’s not just our fans who want to come, it’s lots of people who love music.

“You’d never have thought this would happen - a Black Sabbath ballet! I certainly would never have thought it could. I mean, I’ve done some things in my life but this is so different.”

Hopes are high that the show will become a key part of BRB’s repertoire, touring to venues in the UK and across the world. And Tony says that with each date, the production will spread knowledge not just of Black Sabbath but of Birmingham as a whole.

“The show is a great ambassador for the city. Birmingham Royal Ballet are known, Black Sabbath are known, and the amalgamation of the two doing something so ‘out of the box’ I think brings more to Birmingham.

“It’s interesting because I’ve seen how Black Sabbath has become a part of Birmingham, and I’ve seen this grow over the years. Birmingham years ago didn’t want to know us, and it was only us persevering [which changed that]; playing our music, building up a name, building up a reputation and helping put Birmingham on the map in other parts of the world. When we used to go to America and say we were from Birmingham, they’d think Birmingham Alabama, and we’d have to tell them ‘No, there’s a Birmingham in England!’

“And now I’m really proud of this show and the fact it comes from Birmingham. To see the amount of work that’s gone into it is just unbelievable, and I’m sure audiences are going to love it.”

Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Black Sabbath - The Ballet shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Saturday 23 to Saturday 30 September.

Tony with Carlos Acosta

Film highlights in August...

Haunted Mansion CERT 12a (123 mins)

Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Tiffany Haddish, Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, Danny DeVito, Owen Wilson Directed by Justin Simien

When single mom Gabbie discovers that the mansion she and her son are living in is inhabited by ghosts, she hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to exorcise the unwanted spirits... Haunted Mansion is the latest in a significant line of movies inspired by Disney theme-park attractions, the most famous among which is, of course, The Pirates Of The Caribbean. But there have been a number of others, too: The Country Bears (2002), Tomorrowland (2015) and Jungle Cruise (2021). A film based on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is also in the pipeline. Nor is this the first time that Disney’s The Haunted Mansion attraction has provided the inspiration for a movie; a same-named 2003 offering starred Eddie Murphy and was roundly slammed by the critics. Disney will be hoping that the 2023 version is given an easier ride...

Released Fri 11 August

Meg 2: The Trench

CERT tbc (116 mins)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

CERT PG

With the voices of Ayo Edebiri, Rose Byrne, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, Natasia Demetriou, John Cena Directed by Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears

Starring Jason Statham, Sienna Guillory, Cliff Curtis, Skyler Samuels, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Shuya Sophia Cai Directed by Ben Wheatley Arriving five years after the first movie - a critically battered global box-office hit - Meg 2 swims into summertime cinemas with Midlands-born action-hero Jason Statham returning in the role of rescue diver Jonas Taylor.

Statham’s a bit of a love him or loathe him actor, but if he floats your boat then he’s usually well worth a couple of hours spent in a darkened room with an optional bag of pic’n’mix.

As with the original movie - adapted from the bestselling novel by Steve Alten - he will be sharing screen space with the Meg of the title - a colossal prehistoric shark, the megalodon - not to mention battling against the evil that men do - on this occasion via a malevolent mining operation...

So plenty for Jase to be sinking his teeth into there, we think - if you’ll pardon our sharkrelated pun.

Released Fri 4 August

After years of being sheltered from the human world, the four Turtle brothers set out to perform heroic acts in an effort to win the hearts and minds of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers. Assisted by a new pal, they take on a mysterious crime syndicate. But when they’re confronted by an army of mutants, it quickly becomes evident that they’ve maybe bitten off a little bit more than they can chew...

A work-in-progress showing of Mutant Mayhem at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival a couple of months back saw the movie receive a six-minute standing ovation - a fact that should further excite all turtle-loving cinema-goers...

Released Fri 4 August

Blue Beetle CERT tbc (127 mins)

Starring Xolo Maridueña, Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillén, Raoul Max Trujillo, Bruna Marquezine, Elpidia Carrillo

Directed by Angel Manuel Soto

While searching for his purpose in the world, college grad Jaime Reyes unexpectedly finds himself in possession of the Scarab - an ancient relic of alien biotechnology. When the Scarab chooses him to be its symbiotic host, Jaime is bestowed with an incredible suit of armour and a range of extraordinary and unpredictable powers... An A-list superhero Blue Beetle most definitely is not, but in the ongoing struggle to match the success of arch rivals Marvel, it’s fair to assume that DC will pretty much try anything.

Released Fri 18 August

FESTIVAL FEVER IS BACK!

Birmingham Festival 23 continues this month, offering a packed programme of free events to mark the one-year anniversary of the city hosting the Commonwealth Games. From music, dance and UK premieres, to interactive events and activities to get audiences (young and old) moving, there’s plenty to keep visitors entertained.

Here’s a taster of what’s happening and when... Happy Festival!

PERRY’S PARTY PICNIC

Daily at 12noon

Say hello once again to Commonwealth mascot Perry as he takes centre stage in Centenary Square, hosting a fun party picnic alongside a selection of special guests. Join Eternal Taal - an all-female Dhol drumming and dance troupe - as they showcase a new routine. Or try out some

energetic disco-inspired moves with Lynnebec’s Astrogroovers.

Bubble-tastic fun is provided by Spinsonic’s expert bubbleologist, while B’Opera hosts a music-themed picnic, inviting audiences to ‘soar with the birds, buzz with the bees and march with the animals’.

Perry’s Party Picnic also welcomes the circus to Centenary Square. Have fun with acrobats, jugglers and hula hoopers, or maybe have a

go at Capoeira, where dance meets martial arts.

Other attractions include the city’s biggestever parachute party, and a chance to experience a Rio vibe when Perry and Oya Batucade team up to create some samba beats.

So bring along a packed lunch - or pick up something from a nearby cafe or restaurantand take some time out to join in the fun...

Lynnebec's Astrogroovers in Centenary Square. Photo Verity Milligan.

EVENTS TAKING PLACE DAILY...

PUBLIC TRUST

29 July - 5 August

This UK premiere - brought to Birmingham by Fierce - questions the seriousness of the promises we make to one another, the vows we take and the pledges made by our civic leaders.

An interactive artwork from Paul Ramírez Jonas, the New York-based artist behind 2022’s Key To The City, asks participants to examine the value of their word.

People are invited to make pledges and declare promises on a monumental installation (beneath the Library of Birmingham canopy) which explores what’s important to each of us.

Contributors are asked to give their word in a way that’s consistent with their beliefs, such as swearing on a sacred text. That promise is then published on a monumental marquee board, placed amongst promises made by politicians, scientists, economists, companies and weather forecasters, all chosen daily from headline news.

MADE IN BRUM

HAVE-A-GO ZONE

Daily throughout the festival

Feeling athletic? Birmingham Festival 23’s Have-a-Go Zone is delivered in partnership with United By 2022 and promises something for everyone.

Participants can challenge their family to a game of table tennis, work up a sweat in the boxing ring, take part in an impromptu squash tournament, or learn how to use a cricket bat. Activities are open to all ages and skills. Pop in every day for a different activity and get yourself moving!

POWER HOUR

Daily at 6pm

This is a fun workout where instructors will guide festival-goers through new exercises set to music. Everyone can get involved, loosen up and get their body moving. The Power Hour kicks off with Ultimate

Bhangra and a workout to get the heart pumping. Dance battles, line dancing (all abilities) and routines from guest contributors also feature throughout the week.

Sofunk dance fitness will choreograph to uplifting soul, funk and disco music. There’s also a chance to join Flexus Dance Collective as they bring together boxing, grime music and dance. Drum n Bounce will feature an exclusive guest DJ, while BBC Asian Network will provide Bollywood, Bhangra and Asian beats.

For the final Power Hour, prepare to sweat as a fiery dance-party is presented by Boxout DJs and dancers from Digbeth.

Birmingham is packed with inspiring talent. Selected through a city-wide callout, a host of performers will present music, dance, poetry and more, while community organisations will share the art & culture that makes Birmingham a vibrant, diverse and joyous place to be. Check out our recommendations here...

CUTCH-I AND THE NUCHAPTAH

Sat 5 August at 3pm

Cutch-I and his band, The NuChaptah, play uplifting multi-genre music that’s certain to get the crowds up and dancing. Pop along, hear them perform, and be sure to stay until the end of the show, when dancers will join the musicians on stage to create a truly special experience...

SHE CHOIR

Wed 2 August at 1pm

SHE Choir is a Birmingham-based community choir for women, non-binary people and those identifying as female. The network of choirs is run by its members and provides a space in which to make new friends, develop creativity and build confidence.

Check them out in Centenary Square as they showcase original arrangements of pop, rock, indie, R&B and more...

WAN SHEUNG

Thurs 3 August at 1.30pm

Comprising enthusiastic amateurs, Wan Sheung is the Chinese Community Centre Birmingham’s cultural dance group. It is led by a volunteer who’s been dancing with the group for more than 15 years.

This Birmingham Festival 23 appearance sees them performing a traditional Tibetan mountain dance and a dragon dance.

TWILIGHT TAKEOVERS

Twilight Takeovers sees new partnerships, collectives and artists creatively collaborating to bring each day to a fabulous close. So, as the summer sun sets, be sure to grab a drink with your friends and soak up the sounds and atmosphere of some amazing evening performances...

LANGUAGES BETWEEN STRANGERSAMERAH SALEH

Thurs 3 August at 7pm

Three souls converge in a metropolis, defy the ordinary, and experience a spectacular connection.

But in a languageless rendezvous, where do you find your voice? And to what do you turn when words fall short? Urdu, Ndebele, Arabic and English intertwine with poetry, rap, melodies, beats and movement in a symphony crafted by a triumvirate of Birmingham storytellers. The production is co-written and performed by Raza Hussain and Sipho Ndkovu with music by Czafan. Featuring: UPG, Affiejam and Rochae Stephens-Morrison.

2093 - 93:00 COLLECTIVE

Fri 4 August at 7pm

Step into the vibrant realm of 93:00, where creativity knows no limits and artistic expression reigns supreme.

In a post-apocalyptic 2093, Birmingham has fallen into disarray after a catastrophic event known as The Blackout. In an effort to reclaim their voices, the city’s resilient communities use music, fashion and dance to promote unity and express their aspirations for a better world...

MAST QALANDAR DANCEHALL MASHUP!KALABORATION ARTS

Sat 5 August at 7pm

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END

RAINBOW VOICES

12pm

The West Midlands community choir for LGBTQIA+ people and their friends, Rainbow Voices is a diverse and mixedvoice ensemble performing a multi-genre programme of songs.

SCREENING: CITY OF A THOUSAND TRADES 2.30pm

A ‘love letter to Birmingham’, City Of A Thousand Trades was commissioned by Birmingham Royal Ballet Director Carlos Acosta to celebrate Brum’s richly diverse heritage and melting pot of cultures. Making its debut in 2021, the production was a huge hit with audiences and critics alike. And now you can watch it on a large screen in Centenary Square!

DANCING TO MUSIC YOU HATE (FESTIVAL EDITION) JASMINE GARDOSI 3pm

Birmingham Poet Laureate Jasmine Gardosi is bringing together explosive dubstep bass-

Experience the awe-inspiring Mast Qalandar Dancehall Mashup (MQD Mashup), a mesmerising intercultural fusion of music and dance directed by Mukhtar Dar with music by Simon Duggal.

This international extravaganza celebrates solidarity and resilience in Birmingham’s communities, creating a unique ‘Glokal’ experience by blending diverse genres. Soul-stirring sufi music from Pakistan, reggae from Birmingham, Afrobeat rhythms and English folk music all feature.

- check out whose performing at the festival finale...

lines with soaring folk violin to blow apart the boundaries of gender and musical genre. Fresh from a national tour, this enhanced edition of Dancing To Music You Hate has been adapted for the festival and features surprise special guests.

B:MUSIC PRESENTS NEXT TRACK WITH CASEY BAILEY & ASHLEY ALLEN 5pm

Following last year’s Beyond The Bricks Of Brum, Next Track sees Casey Bailey working alongside Musical Director Ashley Allen and a range of regional music, poetry, and spoken-word artists to bring Birmingham Festival 23 to a close. Celebrating the city as it is now, where it came from and where it might be in the future, the performance invites audiences to contemplate ‘acceptance, arrival and appreciation’.

Performers include: composer, vocalist & producer AGAAMA; Coventry poet/rapper John Bernard; upcoming artist TrueMendous; soul, r’n’b, pop & electronic music artist Credo Kampeta; Jamaican-born singer Janel Antoneshia; and Midlandsbased alt-pop artist PleasePrettyLea.

RAIDENE HAS THE LAST WORD...

Birmingham Festival 23’s creative director, Raidene Carter, explains why the event is so importantand why the city must continue to promote its cultural scene...

Putting on a festival in an economic downturn...

One of the major differences between last year’s and this year’s festival is the social climate - it’s been a really hard time for most people since the end of last year.

We didn’t want the idea of a summer celebration to strike the wrong chord or be perceived as just a big party - although sometimes it’s okay to just have a good time, especially when things feel tough, and festivals like this can make you feel good.

The value of cultural events...

We need to educate people more about the benefits of culture beyond it just being great fun - even though there’s nothing wrong with coming out and having fun, because it’s good for everybody. It’s good for the city and it’s good for the economy if people come out and feel better. You’re also developing new talent and skills, and making people want to stay here and live here, and making companies want to invest here.

Birmingham is rich in so many ways...

The city is so rich in talent, so rich in diversity - and this is exactly the time to bring that to the table. We need to be creative and make sure other people understand the full value of this city.

Telling the world...

We recently went to the ISPA (International Society for the Performing Arts) congress in Manchester, where we presented and talked about Birmingham Festival 23 as part of a regional update. We wanted to make sure, nationally and internationally, that people were starting to talk about Birmingham’s cultural scene, and that we’re not lost or forgotten when people are thinking about the UK’s presence in big-scale culture. Where you have these big international cultural events, you attract other interests and other events, and that’s really what this city could and should be doing.

Keeping festival visitor costs down...

When we were planning the festival, one of the first teams we met with was Birmingham City Council’s Cost of Living team. We had the most insightful conversation about the plans already unfolding across the city to help with the financial pressures. This prompted some of the different approaches

we’ve taken this year, such as deciding not to have mobile food vendors on the festival site, to make it feel more possible to spend the day at Birmingham Festival 23 without spending a lot of money. We’re encouraging people to bring a picnic, or to buy from local cafés and restaurants instead. It’s the summer holidays and not everyone can afford to go on holiday… We’re saying, come to the festival instead - if you can get yourself into townand everything will be there to enjoy. And everyone’s welcome.

…and everyone really is welcome...

Our festival is very family-friendly, but when we say that, we mean all types of families. We understand what the traditional family might be, but we also want to make sure that people feel like it’s their family. That could be groups of mates, same-sex couples....any type of family is welcome.

Expect a Brum finale...

We played around with the idea of going big, but it just didn’t feel like the right thing to do. You don’t always need fireworks and international shows because the talent is all here, and we have real confidence in that. It doesn’t need to be all whizz-bang; it can be a bit quieter - and ‘with quiet confidence’ is how Brum tends to do things.

The end is also the beginning...

Even though the festival is coming to an end, we don’t want ambition for culture in the city to end. We don’t want the artists to think ‘that’s it’. It’s about what’s coming next, and how you keep the ambition to do more and be more - so the closing events are focusing on the next generation.

A show to make us proud...

Dancing To Music You Hate by Jasmine

Gardosi is a great platform for artists from the city who are making all types of music. Jas is Birmingham’s poet laureate, and making big shows is what she should be doing - it’s what poet laureates do for other cities.

The theme behind the show is gender identity - ‘gender euphoria’ she calls it - and it’s about being confident about who you are in your own skin and not shying away from that. We felt like that was a really important message for Birmingham, to celebrate itself.

A

nod to youth...

Next Track - [former poet laureate] Casey Bailey and B:Music’s piece - builds on the Beyond The Bricks Of Brum project from last year, which was at Symphony Hall and featured the BBC Symphony Orchestra. The show features regional music, poetry and spoken word, and is all about young artists passing the baton on to more up-andcoming next-generation artists. So it’s about always moving forward. We really like the sentiment of that to close the festival.

Bringing it back...

A lot of our discussions are based on what happens between now and 2026, which feels like the next big year for the city; Birmingham is hosting the European Athletics Championships, which is another great sporting moment. It’s the city’s next opportunity to do a major sporting event of scale, and culture really needs to play a part in that.

Now it’s down to you!...

The final piece of the puzzle is audiences, who need to come and take part in the festival and really claim it as their own. That’s the exciting bit - we’ve done all the hard work and now audiences have to come out and benefit from that and make it all sing!

A MODERN MACBETH

The Royal Shakespeare Company is presenting a new version of the famous Scottish play this month - with fresh input from a most unlikely source...

Finding ways to keep Shakespeare relevant has always been a key objective for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), albeit without dialling down or disrespecting the Bard’s work. And it’s not like it needs updatingmany of the plays’ key themes are not only timeless, but so often have resonance in the present day.

The latest production of Macbeth recognises all of the above, but definitely pushes the envelope in terms of contemporary twists and original elements. Directed by RSC first-timer Wils Wilson, the play is set in a non-specific ‘near-future’ Scotland, performed by a dynamic all-Scottish cast - bar a significant (and renamed) Irish outsider - and even features a scene rewritten by comedian Stewart Lee (see panel, far right).

Wils says the bold choices are designed to keep the play relevant as well as make audiences think about their own choices in a modern society where the political and natural world are broken.

“The world of this production is an imagined near-future,” she says. “The climate is more extreme, there’s scarcity of resources, and war. It’s a play about choices - the choices the Macbeths make, the choices all the characters make - and it asks us to look at our own choices and where they might lead.”

One of the director’s own key choices was to cast Hamilton star Reuben Joseph in the lead role - the Scottish actor having garnered rave reviews for his performance as the titular character in the hugely popular musical.

“His rise has been pretty meteoric, and it feels completely right that Macbeth is what comes next for him,” says Wils. “He’s got it all - he’s a deep soul and also a quick wit, with that sense of play which all great actors have.”

Reuben himself admits that getting the role is something of a dream come true.

“I don’t think there’s a single Scottish actor who hasn’t dreamt of getting their hands on the part of Macbeth [but] I’ve decided I’m not going to pay attention to whatever prestige might come with the part or this play or doing it with the RSC. I’m following in the footsteps of some of my heroes - but as fun and exciting as it is to even pretend to put yourself in the same bracket as these people, it’s not so helpful when it comes to rehearsing and doing it!”

The success of Hamilton has undoubtedly given the 26-year-old the confidence to take on the role. And while the switch from a hiphop musical to the language of Shakespeare might seem a big leap, there’s a natural synergy between the two shows, as well as a direct connection - in one song, Hamilton quotes and compares himself to Macbeth...

“I think what draws me to both these characters, if there’s a crossover or a Venn diagram, is that they’re both ambitious losers. There’s Hamilton, running his way to

his own political undoing and literal death, and Macbeth, over-reaching in terms of what it means to be powerful. Macbeth thinks himself a good man and just needs to compromise his morals once to get what he wants - but of course violence begets violence, blood begets blood…”

The new RSC production also features Irish actress Valene Kane as Lady Macbeth, but renamed Gruach - partly to reflect her outsider status, but also to acknowledge that she is her own person with her own desires, according to Reuben.

“It’s all part of seeing us both as outsiders to this system of power, and this version of Scotland,” he explains. “Valene being Irish and me being a Scottish actor of colour feels right for these characters - there are qualities that we possess that we each see in the other.

“I’m fascinated by the question of how far can a person compromise their moral code before they compromise their soul. It’s a notion that resonates deeply with audiences, who, after 400 years, keep coming back to this story.”

Bringing the story up to date is an element that clearly excites the actor, although he admits setting it in a near future they’re calling ‘The Woeful Times’ has an uncomfortable resonance.

“The more you pay attention to the economic and social standing of the world right now, both in our country and abroad, it’s easy to feel like we might actually be living in the woeful time right now.

“In the play there’s been a gradual descent into more violence and more social and economic inequality, and great disparity of climate conditions. It doesn’t feel like an event happened and all of a sudden we’re living in a post-apocalyptic world; it’s been a continual, gradual slide down into the abyss.”

To reinforce the message, Reuben says the bold staging will recreate harsh weather conditions on stage - though he’s staying tight-lipped about how that will manifest itself.

“We’ve got an incredible creative team, and what they’re putting together is a version of this play that you won’t have seen before. It’s not a frilly collars, uptight production; it’s gonna be physical, and you’ll feel like there are stakes to every moment as these characters approach the objective of their scenes and their goals.

“I can’t wait for you all to see the world [Wils] is creating for the show. It promises to be Scotland as Stratford-upon-Avon has never seen it before.”

Macbeth shows at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from Saturday 19 August until Saturday 14 October

Comedian Stewart Lee rewrites Shakespeare!

In a totally leftfield turn of events, the RSC’s new production of Macbeth will feature a scene not written by the Bard. Comedian Stewart Lee has been brought on board to rewrite the Porter scenefeaturing Alison Peebles as the Porterto give it a more contemporary edge. Director Wils Wilson explained: “It felt incredibly important that the scene should be dark and funny, satirical and edgy, as it would have been originally. I wanted to recapture the spirit and function of the original scene, to give the audience the same kind of experience that they would have had in 1606 - to find themselves suddenly laughing; to find themselves personally involved and implicated, in a completely different and very direct way, with the core ideas of the play: guilt, hypocrisy, greed.

“The Porter is dark, funny, edgy, political, clever, a truth teller - Stewart is all of these things; straight away I knew I wanted to ask him to write it. He’s a brilliant comic writer, absolutely rigorous in pursuit of the right line or word or rhythm. There’s a very creative level of discomfort about Stewart’s writing, which is perfect for this moment.”

Stewart added: “I am delighted to have been asked to rewrite the rubbish Porter scene from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which is in dire need of a postalternative comedy makeover.

“Alison Peebles is an inspired piece of casting sure to bring the requisite level of attack. At the moment, the scene is two hours long but hopefully will expand in rehearsal...”

by Steve Adams

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Vanley Burke: A Gift To Birmingham

The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham, until 16 September

”It’s about asking the questions,” says photographer Vanley Burke. “How do we get those stories? How do we interrogate the past? How do we tell our children of the experiences we endured? It’s also for me to show the people back to themselves after they’ve been shown in a negative light for so long.”

Widely known as ‘the Godfather of Black British history’, Birmingham-based Vanley has spent his life documenting the experiences of his community through the lens of his camera, while also collecting items relating to their lives. This touring Ikon exhibition features 17 of his portraits of members of Migrant Voice - a migrant-led national organisation with a hub in Birmingham. Each image tells a story of migration, either recent or long past, with subjects accompanied or alone. When displayed together, the photographs present a portrait of Birmingham as a superdiverse city, with residents from many parts of the world. This exhibition is presented as part of The Migrant Festival 2023.

Visual Arts

Work On Walls

The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until 3 September

The walls of the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum are no longer simply displaying exhibition pieces; they have now become works of art in themselves, courtesy of this brand-new exhibition.

Work On Walls follows on from 2020’s Work On Windows and sees the walls of the gallery transformed by contemporary artists who have responded to the Herbert’s own collections. Art on show includes installations inspired by marine, wildlife and bird’s nests, and a striking mural which features famous Coventry landmarks springing out from a colourful dinosaur.

Microworld

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Mon 28 August

Prize-winning duo Genetic Moo - whose digital art is inspired by ecology, artificial life and evolution - is the innovator behind this touring exhibition, an immersive art space filled with digital

Journey Into Marvel

The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield, Sat 5 August - Sat 14 October

Published pages, re-imaginations of classic covers and a selection of UK titles are front and centre in this sureto-be-fascinating exhibition about legendary US comic-book publishing company Marvel.

For those not in the know, Marvel is responsible for the creation of such household-name superheroes as Spider-

creatures that respond to the audience in a variety of ways.

The popular show (it’s been visited by more than a third of a million people on its travels around Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia), is fully immersive, interactive and adaptive - a ‘living’ space that provides families with the opportunity to create art together.

Man and the Fantastic Four (if your favourite spandex-wearing do-gooders happen to be Superman and Batman, you’ll be disappointed, as they’re from the stable of Marvel’s fiercest competitors, DC, Comics!).

The exhibition has been created by Stourbridge comic-book illustrator Lee Bradley and is accompanied by workshops, themed coffee-shop activities and a display of Marvelrelated 3D models.

Maryam Wahid: Dreams Of Brum

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, Thurs 31 August - Sun 3 September

Presented as part of The Migrant Festival 2023, Maryam Wahid’s Dreams Of Brum shows at Ikon before moving to Handsworth Library for the autumn/winter period.

The exhibition features photographic portraits taken at the library during a series of creative community workshops with printmaker Haseebah Ali. Photographer Maryam is a local artist whose work typically explores the subjects of identity, womanhood, memory, migration, home and belonging.

Mastering The Market: Dutch And Flemish Paintings From Woburn Abbey

Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, until Sun 24 September

Now here’s an exhibition that’s well worth catching - a dazzling selection of Dutch and Flemish 17th-century masterpieces which usually reside in Woburn Abbey.

Featuring a dozen Old Master paintings, Mastering The Market focuses on the themes of patronage and collecting.

The artworks are visiting Birmingham while the Abbey is undergoing an extensive refurbishment. Commenting on the exhibition, Robert Wenley, Barber Institute Deputy Director, Research & Collections, said: “Mastering The Market presents the public with the rare opportunity to view these works up close in a gallery setting, and facilitates an appreciation of the ways in which patronage and collecting reflected and contributed to a dynamic period of European history.”

FLOWERS, FOOD,

As well as its abundance of glorious blooms, the Shrewsbury Flower Show also features talks, demonstrations, performances and plenty more besides. Celebrity foodies will be on hand to whet visitors’ appetites, while gardening experts will be offering up some green-fingered hints and tips. With craft and food stalls selling artisan products, and a programme of arena shows also featuring - not to mention an eclectic mix of musical performances and a spectacular fireworks display on both evenings! - what’s not to like?...

Check out some of the show’s highlights in this special feature...

SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW - QUARRY PARK, SHREWSBURY, FRIDAY 11 & SATURDAY 12 AUGUST

FUN & FIREWORKS...

MEET THE EXPERTS

DAVID DOMONEY - This Morning’s resident garden & nature presenter makes a welcome return to the Flower Show, offering practical tips on how to make the most of your garden. David is a keen advocate of balancing digital engagement with time spent immersed in nature, which is known to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing.

FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT

Check out THE FARM YARD CIRCUS who will be trading-in their ruffles and sequins for wellies and pitchforks. Expect stories, heartwarming songs, stunts and wheelbarrow acrobatics.

Mountain bike tricks, stunts and skills are sure to wow the crowds when the M.A.D TEAM take to the main arena. The UK’s number-one mountain bike aerial display team have been thrilling audiences since 1996 with their flips, spins, hops, balancing tricks and other stunts. Fans can even grab an autograph and selfie with the riders post-performance.

MUSIC IN THE MAIN ARENA

This year’s line-up includes LIBERTY X, who will headline the main stage on the Friday evening, performing their hits from the noughties.

Support comes from ABBA tribute WATCH THAT SCENE, who will take audiences on a nostalgic journey through the iconic songs of the Swedish pop sensations.

BEATLEMANIA take over on Saturday evening, performing a programme of the Fab Four’s greatest songs to get the audience in the mood for the evening’s headliners, GO WEST. Expect hits We Close Our Eyes, Call Me, Goodbye Girl and Don’t Look Down to feature, as one of the greatest singersongwriting duos to emerge from the 1980s play a string of classics from their extensive back catalogue.

ANDY CLARKE is an author, TV producer and all-round food & drink expert. His producing credits include Saturday Kitchen Live, James Martin’s French and American adventures, and Gordon, Gino And Fred: Road Trip. He also helped produce The Great Cookbook Challenge with Jamie Oliver. Andy is a regular at festivals across the country, where he judges competitions, offers expert advice and answers questions.

CLODAGH MCKENNA (main picture) will also appear at this year’s the show. A celebrity chef, TV presenter, author and food columnist for the Sunday Times Magazine, Clodagh has so far published eight cookbooks, including the number-one bestseller, In Minutes.

ADAM KIRTLAND (pictured below) is a popular gardening writer & podcaster who can’t get enough of all things green. Describing himself as someone who eats, sleeps and breathes plants, Adam writes for several top gardening magazines, as well as delivering talks, events and workshops. He’s bringing his popular podcast, View From The Potting Bench, to this year’s show, sharing information about how to do some gardening DIY with just a wooden pallet.

Watch the GIANT SLOTHS as they move around the Quarry Park as slowly as possible on their tricycle, taking ‘slothies’ with bewildered passers-by.

Keep an eye out for Roger Blighty and his PENNY FARTHING BIPLANE. He’ll be looking for places to land his contraption, enjoy a chat with passers-by and take some photos. It’s said that even though Roger’s feet might be firmly planted on the ground, his head is always in the clouds.

ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR Little ones can take a spin on the cup & saucer ride or mini carousel. There’s also a bungee trampoline for the slightly more adventurous youngster! Rides cost £2.50 each.

CIRCUS SKILLS Join in the fun and have a go at juggling, hula hooping, diabolo, tight wire, walking the rolling drum, stilts, spinning plates, poi and so much more!

GIANT BUBBLE SHOWS Have you ever seen a bubble as big as a car? Well, now’s your chance! This playful and interactive bubble show will see an area filled with waves of millions of bubbles of all different sizes. Perfect for keeping younger visitors entertained.

FROM DAMBUSTERS TO DISNEY A trio of massed military bands are set to showcase a rousing display of music - from Dambusters to Disney - when they come together in a grand finale performance on both days of the show. Visitors can watch and listen as The Band of the Mercian Regiment, The Lancashire Artillery Band and The Royal Signals (Northern) Band celebrate the 80th anniversary of The Dambusters and the 100th anniversary of Disney. A programme of military favourites also features.

GRAND FINALE FIREWORKS A show highlight, the grand finale fireworks display has always been a fantastic sight to beholdand 2023’s promises to be no exception. Enjoy the whizz, pop and bang of it all as the skies above Shrewsbury are illuminated with a theatrical display of vivid colour.

GHOSTLY GOINGS-ON

Dame Susan Hill’s gothic horror story, The Woman In Black, is coming to Midlands theatres as part of a new UK tour...

by Diane Parkes

Dame Susan Hill’s iconic ghost story, The Woman In Black, is brought to life in Stephen Mallatratt’s gripping stage adaptation, which embarks on a new UK tour this autumn. What’s On talks to the show’s director, Robin Herford, to find out why this chilling tale remains so popular with audiences everywhere...

The Woman In Black is one of theatre’s great success stories, playing London’s West End for more than 33 years, touring the globe and being seen by more than seven million people in the UK alone. And yet, when it was created in 1987, its director, Robin Herford, had no idea he would be working on a stage legend.

“It still amazes me,” he says. “I commissioned the play to be written for a three-and-a-half-week run in a studio theatre, and I really didn’t expect it to do much more than that.

“I was running the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where Alan Ayckbourn is usually in residence. He had gone to the National Theatre for two years and left me to run it. I was terribly conscious not to muck it up, and one of the things I’d been told is that you’ve got to spend all of your grant because if you don’t use it all, you don’t get it next year. I found I had a little bit of money left over towards the end of my second year, so I thought ‘We’ll put on an additional show.’

“It was coming towards Christmas, and I thought we’d put on something for our loyal adult audiences. There was a kids’ show running in the main house in the mornings and the afternoons, so I thought we’d do a small show in the studio in the evenings; some kind of ghost story.”

Robin had recently read Susan Hill’s novel The Woman In Black, so he commissioned Stephen Mallatratt to adapt it for the stage.

“I was sort of thinking along the lines of A Christmas Carol, which is always popular at that time, but I didn’t really expect it to be so scary - that was the surprise. When people said ‘We were terrified’, I thought ‘That’s great!’”

The Woman In Black moved to London two years later and the rest is theatre history - but why does Robin believe the play has remained so popular?

“I think it surprises people and it unsettles them because it completely upturns your expectations. You come in, it’s all a bit spooky, you know a bit about it and you’re ready to be scared out of your wits. You’re sort of on edge - and then it doesn’t happen as you expect.

“A man wanders on, the lights go on to half-

dimmed, and you’re thinking, has it started or has it not? The man starts reading rather badly from a script, and then someone interrupts him from the audience, and you find yourself in the middle of a public speaking class. And out of that rather unlikely beginning emerges this extraordinary story, and we, the audience, are very invested in it - and then we’re taken completely by surprise.”

The show is a two-hander. The characters are Arthur Kipps, a lawyer who believes his family has been cursed by the apparition of the Woman in Black, and The Actor, employed by Arthur to help him tell the story. But as the pair embark on the tale, it becomes evident that exorcising this particular ghost will be no easy task.

“Susan Hill’s story is amazing. When I first read it, one enters her world and I thought it was really quite scary. But to enter that world in a theatre and get people to come with you is a bit of a challenge.

“I think the fact that the set is all around you makes a huge impact. The play takes place literally within a theatre, so wherever you are, whether it’s the Wolverhampton Grand or the Birmingham Alex, that becomes the setting for the play. We use whatever’s therethis show has an extraordinary capacity to expand or contract to whichever space you happen to be playing in.”

And so the audience are pulled into the story both mentally and physically.

“People come from behind you, sound comes from all around you, and the actors leave the stage and invade your space. I think that just reinforces the story. Everyone likes to be told a story, but to be told it live and in person and from all directions - that’s something you’re not quite ready for.

“You’re not actually safe in your seat. If you go and see a horror film, it’s only an image projected onto a wall, and if you stick your fingers in your ears and shut your eyes, it’s gone. But actually, with live bodies being around you, that is quite scary.

“We’re part of a Western rational scepticism about the supernatural, and people know of ghostly happenings mainly by second hand.

So I think that in a funny way when a ghost story gets to you, then you’re quite

susceptible to it.”

Taking the role of Arthur Kipps is Walsallborn actor Malcolm James. Mark Hawkins plays The Actor.

“They have both done the play before but with different partners, which is really quite nice as it means the chemistry gets remixed. As a director, I try and let the actors discover the play themselves and portray their version of it. If they do that, they are much more committed to it and it’s likely to be much more truthful and effective.”

Although The Woman In Black was originally created for adults, with Hill’s novel being a school text, the stage show also attracts younger audiences.

“What has delighted me beyond measure is how wonderfully young people have taken to this show. They come in their droves, and it’s a wonderful tool to explain the power of theatre to young people. The same story exists as a novel, as a film, as a television version and as a play, and yet we can ask how we can make each version count.

“We can give a first taste of theatre, and it’s a show which has a real impact on them, which is so important to ensure the next generation of theatregoers.

“This show relies on imagination. There’s nothing out there - just two guys, a wicker basket and a couple of chairs, and that’s all it is. But then there is this extraordinary story, and it’s down to the skills of what an actor can conjure up. What never ceases to amaze me is how everyone in the audience then commits to it. Give them something that will actually engage them, no matter their age, and they are wonderfully willing to be engaged.”

The Woman In Black shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Wednesday 6 to Saturday 9 September; The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Tuesday 6 to Saturday 10 February and Crewe Lyceum Theatre from Tuesday 23 to Saturday 27 April

Events previews from around the region

Events

LEGO DREAMZzz

Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham, until Mon 4 September

The LEGO DREAMZzz television series is taking over the Discovery Centre this school summer holiday... and there’s a brand-new and exclusive 4D movie - Z-Blob Rescue Rush - showing at the venue’s cinema. A dream creature hunt, building activities and exclusive giveaways ensure there’s plenty to keep families entertained.

Horrible Histories Up In The Air Adventure

Visitors can experience the (sometimes gruesome!) history of flight at the RAF Museum’s Horrible Hangar this month. Based on Horrible Histories book Up In The Air, this brand-new interactive event brings characters from the book to life, flagging up some of their truly brainless blunders as they pursued their ambition to take to the air!

Shrewsbury Steam Rally

Onslow Park, Shropshire, Sun 27 & Mon 28 August

One of the region’s largest events, the Shrewsbury Steam Rally attracts thousands of people and boasts vintage and steampowered vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The show’s main-arena attractions include a ‘grand parade’ of steam engines, historic lorries, classic cars and motorcycles, heavy horses, prams and bicycles.

A crafts & hobbies marquee and ‘olde time’ fairground also feature, as does a demonstration of farming and rural skills in a working field.

3 September

Legendary aviation pioneers from throughout history will be on hand to steer families around six zones: The Engineer’s Workshop; Barnstorming Braves; Creation Station; Meet The Inventor; Selfie Zone and the Up In The Air Challenge. Visitors can also pick up a bespoke Horrible Histories activity pack and check out the free Twinkletoes Trail.

Pirate Treasure Hunt

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, until Mon 4 September

Telford Balloon Fiesta

Telford Town Park, Fri 25 - Sun 27 August

A popular event in the borough’s calendar, Telford Balloon Fiesta provides an impressive visual spectacle, with more than 30 balloons of varying shapes and sizes taking to the Shropshire skies.

The fun kicks off on the Friday, courtesy of a night-glow event, with the arena lit up by illuminated balloons displayed against the darkening sky.

A kids’ theatre show and lantern-making workshop take place in the late afternoon. Both the Saturday and Sunday will see balloons launched in the morning and evening. Other attractions include flightthemed activities, tethered balloons in the arena, donkey rides, a funfair, a kids’ activity zone and craft workshops.

Ahoy there, mateys, it’s time to head off on a swashbuckling treasure hunt at the National SEA LIFE Centre!

Along the way, little ones will have the chance to meet a real pirate and collect pirate trading cards...

And to make the experience even better, there’ll be some ‘special treasure’ waiting for them at the end of the adventure, too! Opportunities to check out the venue’s underwater residents - including sharks, green sea turtles and clownfish - further add to the summer holiday fun.

Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, Cosford, until Sun

Events previews from around the region Events

Stratford Butterfly Farm

Stratford Butterfly Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sun 3 September

Ironbridge Gorge’s Blists Hill Victorian Town opened its doors to the public 50 years agoand to celebrate the anniversary, the popular attraction is this month stepping back in time to 1973, courtesy of a 1970s-themed

Summer at Thinktank

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, weekdays until Fri 1 September

summer party.

Attractions include a music festivalfeaturing tribute favourites Abba Sensation and Hot To Trot - vintage games, glitter facepainting, street food and a Babycham bar.

Secret Cinema - Grease: The Live Experience

NEC, Birmingham, until Sun 13 August

Tell me more, tell me more!

Immersive storytellers Secret Cinema have taken over the NEC this summer, transporting Grease fans back to Rydell High in 1959 and straight into the loved-up world of Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson.

As day turns to night, fans of the hit musical can sing and dance their hearts out to the classic film soundtrack, roam the corridors with the Pink Ladies, watch the T-Birds at work in the auto shop, or face-off against the jocks on the sports field.

The all-action event is capped off with an enhanced screening of the much-loved 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Families can explore the science of sound at Thinktank this month.

Weekday attractions during the school holidays include sound experiments, havea-go sessions with instruments, and workshops in which youngsters can make a lollypop harmonica or paper cup speaker. A ‘summer of sound’ show takes place out in the museum’s Science Garden.

School summer holiday visitors to Stratford

Butterfly Farm can enjoy the newly opened Rainforest Realm, a display linking the venue to the rainforests of Belize and the ancient Maya civilisation.

The new area features a spectacled caiman named Kenny, an emerald tree boa snake, 10 endangered orange blackfoot dart frogs, three basilisk lizards, an oustalets chameleon and three baby yellow spotted Amazon river turtles.

Minibeast-handling sessions and butterfly life-cycle demonstrations also feature daily in the venue’s Discovery Zone.

Summer of PlayHem

Coventry Transport Museum, until Sat 30 August

Coventry Transport Museum is this month providing a range of playful activities for families to enjoy.

Attractions include Mini Museum Engineerschild-led sessions in which kids up to the age of five can enjoy open-ended play with STEM concepts - and, for older children, Tinker Make Play - offering participants the chance to have a go at making their very own inventions.

The expert-led MiCLab Workshops (Made in Coventry Lab Workshops) also feature, providing teenagers with the chance to ‘socialise, learn and make’.

70s Summer Party Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge, Sat 26 August

Events previews from around the region

Events

Minsterley Show

Lea Cross, nr Shrewsbury, Shropshire, Sat 19 August

‘Shropshire’s oldest and most prestigious one-day agricultural show’ returns for the 147th time, bringing with it its usual array of horticulture and livestock competitions, featuring everything from floral art to dairy classes.

Main-ring entertainment, presented throughout the day, will include parades, supreme horse championships, and performances by this year’s headlinersmotorcycle stunt display team Moto Stunts International.

Nula Hula, crafts, face painting and appearances by the Animal Man ensure there’s plenty to keep younger visitors entertained.

Terrific Transport

West Midlands Police Museum, Birmingham, until Sun 3 September

Holiday-time visitors to the West Midlands Police Museum can explore the history of police transport via a range of craft activities and trails.

Attractions include the chance to dress up as a police officer and play detective with a ‘whodunnit’ forensic trail and fingerprinting station.

On the first three Mondays of the month, children aged between five and 11 can take part in special workshops, bringing to life model police officers, cars and helicopters in their own stop-motion animation film.

British Motor Museum Anniversary Celebration

British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Mon 14 - Sun 20 August

It’s 30 years since the British Motor Museum opened its doors - and to celebrate the anniversary, the museum is this month hosting a week of fun-filled activities and events.

Visitors can explore the museum’s numerous exhibitions and displaysincluding the brand-new Transitions: The Impact Of Innovation - enjoy a history talk by one of the venue’s knowledgable volunteers, and take a look inside a selection of the museum’s many and varied cars. There’s even the chance to go for a ride in some of the vehicles!

Vintage Transport Extravaganza

Severn Valley Railway, Sat 12 & Sun 13 August Severn Valley Railway’s popular transport show makes a welcome return mid-month. Across the railway’s six stations visitors will be able to see vehicles from all eras as they travel along the 16-mile line, hauled by steam engine or heritage diesel locomotive. Featured vehicles include steam-powered traction engines, buses, motorbikes, cars and tractors. A Spitfire flypast takes place on both days of the show.

Compton Verney is this month welcoming the Timisien Luminarium, a 40-metre sculpture that provides visitors with the chance to experience the beauty of light and colour as they move through a dazzling

maze of 18 domes, columns and tunnels. The addition of two spacious outer domes offers people the chance to take a break from wandering in the maze.

Luminarium Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Tues 1 - Sun 6 August

Let’s go to the seaside!...

Events

Cov By The Sea

Coventry Cathedral, Fri 4 - Sun 6 August Coventry might be the furthest city from the sea, but fear not... the beach is this month coming to the Cathedral Ruins - albeit for three days only!

Attractions across the weekend include a selection of free crafts games and activities, a vintage carousel (tickets are available on entry for a small charge), an ice cream van, live music and a community seaside mural.

The Beach has returned to Lichfield Cathedral for the school summer holidayand it’s free to experience!

Visitors can pull up a deckchair, build a sandcastle, and enjoy some on-site food & drink. Children’s crafting activities and

water play sessions also feature (until Friday 1 September)...

As well as the beach, the cathedral has plenty else to offer, including its garden area - a perfect place to relax and unwind - and a new art installation by Carolynn White.

Pier-tastic Beach

Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull, until Sun 3 September

Touchwood’s Costa del Solihull beach is back in Theatre Square - and this year it’s taking a mermaid theme. Visitors can pull up a deckchair, build some sandcastles and enjoy fun family days in the sun (weather permitting, of course!).

And who knows, maybe you’ll even get to see a mermaid or special guest visitor...

Victorian Seaside Experience

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge, until Sun 3 September

Blists Hill Victorian Town in landlocked Shropshire is hosting its first-ever Victorian Seaside Experience this summer holiday. Parents will be able to sit back and relax in deckchairs or compete in a knobbly knees competition, while kids can enjoy taking a ride on a donkey or old-style carousel. And that’s not all... From Wednesday 23 to Tuesday 29 August, visitors can check out a

special display featuring the swimming trunks worn by Captain Matthew Webb!

Captain Webb was a local lad who, on 24 August 1875, became the first recorded person to swim the English Channel without artificial aid.

The trunks will be displayed alongside other commemorative objects celebrating the captain’s impressive achievement.

The Beach Lichfield Cathedral, until Sun 3 September

AGLASS ACT

Birmingham Cathedral’s acclaimed Burne-Jones stained-glass windows are getting a makeover...

An ambitious project to restore four acclaimed stained-glass windows in Birmingham Cathedral is not only giving the building a boost but has become a visitor attraction in its own right.

Rebecca Preece, the cathedral’s head of communications, explains more...

Consecrated in 1715, Birmingham Cathedralalso known as the Cathedral church of St Philip, or St Philip’s Cathedral - holds the distinguished title of being the oldest building in the city still used for its original purpose. It’s an honour that comes with a natural downside, of course; after more than 300 years, the structure can hardly be expected to look its best.

A variety of restoration work has been carried out over the course of those three centuries, but the latest undertaking, involving the cathedral’s four stained-glass windows, is

one of the most significant. Called Divine Beauty, the £900,000 project will involve around 3,000 hours of work to remove debris build-up and repair areas of cracking, failed leading and paint loss on the four windows, all of which were designed by Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. The windows, which depict four scenes from the life of Christ, were installed between 1885 and 1897 and are regarded as some of the best stainedglass in the world.

Some sections of the windows have needed to be removed for cleaning and repair, but

most of the restoration work is being carried out on-site, which means scaffolding has been erected inside the cathedral. Rather than put people off visiting, the work has become an attraction in its own right, with visitors given the chance to check out what’s going on at close quarters from a specially erected viewing platform. The cathedral has also organised guided tours and workshops, to enable people to learn about the windows, their significance and heritage.

The initiative to engage the public has been a huge success so far, according to Rebecca

by Steve Adams

Preece, the cathedral’s head of communications, who says the move was partly prompted by the way the project has been financed.

“The main funder is the National Lottery Heritage Fund,” she explains, “and as part of that funding we’re not only looking at doing the physical restoration but also financial support for engagement activities and trying to make the windows interesting for people of all ages.

“So there’s two strands to what we’re doingfixing them up, cleaning them and making them look nice, as well as looking at any repair works to the building while the scaffolding’s up, but also trying to raise awareness and understanding about the windows themselves.”

As well as attracting schools and specialinterest groups, Rebecca says the cathedral has been keen to reach out to all types of potential visitors, not least people who walk past the building every day.

“There are so many different audiences. There are people who already know a lot about the windows and want to learn more, people who don’t know anything about them but are really into pre-Raphaelite art & history - and then people who are just curious to know what’s going on.”

It’s evidently more interesting than watching a window cleaner wielding his chamois.

“Yes, definitely! The big thing with the scaffolding is getting as close to the windows as you can, and that’s been something really special. You can look at them from a distance, but being able to get really close and see what needs doing - and is being done - is really exciting.

“I thought they’d just be up there with some brushes doing some cleaning, but we did a staff visit to the workshops where the panels were being taken apart, cleaned piece by piece, and put back together with new lead put in. When you look at windows that size, it’s a huge undertaking.”

Independent conservation centre Holy Well Glass has been carrying out the work. One of its experts suggested that working on a Burne-Jones window was the equivalent of a painting conservator working on a Van Gogh or Monet.

“These are really high-profile windows, and we have people coming from all over to see them,” says Rebecca. “We say our windows are the finest artwork in Birmingham and some of the finest stained glass in the worldespecially The Last Judgement window, the window on to the tower, which is considered one of Burne-Jones’ finest pieces of work.”

The other three windows depict the Ascension, The Nativity and The Crucifixion. But while the imagery is obviously religious, Rebecca is at panes [sorry, couldn’t help it!] to point out that the beauty and attraction of the windows goes beyond what they actually portray. As proof, she cites the sell-out popularity of Divine Beauty At Night, a moving light & sound show presented by artistic collaboration Luxmuralis that took place in January and brought the windows and their history to life in a spectacular way. The 15-minute show played on a loop and featured imagery from the windows projected all round the inside of the cathedral. Accompanied by an original music score, it produced a uniquely immersive experience, according to Rebecca.

“It was fantastic and really popular with all

ages, from small children to the elderly. Although a lot of the imagery is religious, people can still appreciate it and enjoy it and feel the emotion of it. That was a really inclusive element of something like the light show - we’re using these religious scenes but it’s actually touching people in different ways.

“People were sitting down or lying on the floor and totally experiencing it. You could stay as long as you wanted, but most people stayed for about two runs of it before they started to get disoriented and wanted to get out!”

Rebecca says the event’s popularity means it’s been a no-brainer to get Luxmuralis back next year. Shows will take place from 4 to 6 January - by which time the windows should be restored to their former glory.

Rebecca expects the scaffolding to be down in good time for the Christmas market in Cathedral Square. And although she’s looking forward to its completion, she admits she’ll miss the building being such a hive of activity while the work has been carried out.

“It’s been great to have people coming in, asking questions, giving us feedback. We really want to learn what people think we’ve done well and what they’d like to see in the cathedral - it opens up all those conversations, which is really exciting.

“Part of it is giving people a reason to come in to the cathedral, and then saying there’s a million reasons why they could come back, whether it’s for a service, an event, a candlelight concert or to hear our choir. Or even if it’s just to sit in the nave, look at the beautiful windows and have some time out in their day. We’re here for that as well.”

UPCOMING EVENTS AT BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL

DIVINE BEAUTY: STAINED GLASS LIVE!

These drop-in sessions look at all things stained glass and the conservation of the cathedral’s Burne-Jones windows. Sessions are free to attend and take place between 11am and 3pm on 17 August, 26 September and 17 October

DIVINE BEAUTY: STAINED GLASS

Saturday 9 September, 10am - 3pm

A free family event where you can learn all about stained glass. Crafts, talks and interactive activities also feature.

Scaffolding tours are available but need to be booked in advance.

DIVINE BEAUTY IN CONCERT

Friday 15 September at 7pm

Performed by Birmingham Cathedral’s choir of boys, girls and lower voices. The evening’s programme includes music from Stuart Nicholson, Robert Pearsall, Carl Rütti, June Nixon, Anton Bruckner, John Ireland, Edgar Bainton, Gregorio Allegri and GF Handel. This is a free concert and booking is not required.

DIVINE BEAUTY AT NIGHT

Thursday 4 - Saturday 6 January 2024

Luxmuralis visits the venue to celebrate the return to former glory of the cathedral’s conserved windows. The sound & light experience provides a wonderful opportunity to view the Burne-Jones windows at their finest. Tickets and timing tbc

For further information and to book tickets, visit: birminghamcathedral.com

FARCICAL

Matthew Kelly talks about starring in Michael Frayn’s hit comedy, Noises Off...

by Diane Parkes

Michael Frayn’s ‘farce about a farce’ became one of the biggest hits in Broadway history when the show opened there in 1983. Fast forward 40 years and Lindsay Posner’s acclaimed revival is about to show at Birmingham Rep. Matthew Kelly stars in the production and recently told What’s On what audiences can expect...

When actor Matthew Kelly comes to Birmingham Rep with the hit comedy Noises Off this August he’s looking forward to one thing more than any other - listening to Brummies speak.

“I love the Birmingham accent more than anything,” he says. “I absolutely love it, and the Black Country and Wolverhampton accent too, it’s warm, it’s kind and it’s really appealing. I think that’s a lot to do with the fact I’ve always had good times in Birmingham as people have always been very kind so I associate the accent with kindness.”

Matthew has indeed graced Birmingham stages many times in the past performing in shows at The Rep, Birmingham Hippodrome and the Alexandra Theatres. At The Rep he has taken roles as diverse as Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night and Mr Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. And in 2001 he played Lennie in Jonathan Church’s hugely successful production Of Mice and Men - a role for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor after the play transferred to the West End.

This time, alongside Liza Goddard and Simon Shepherd, Matthew is playing Selsdon Mowbray, an elderly actor who enjoys a tipple or two, in Michael Frayn’s much-loved farce about a touring theatre company.

“My character is great, he’s an old drunk so I’ve based my entire career on the part! I’m digging deep for it and I’ve done a lot of research!” laughs Matthew. “I love the part for lots of reasons. One is that he’s the oldest in the company and people are quite respectful of the elderly but also he’s somebody who is really sweet and really annoying at the same time and has absolutely no idea what’s going on. It’s my kind of part.

“But it does have its challenges - running up and down stairs and climbing in and out of windows when I’ve got two new hips for example. It’s physically quite hard.”

Noises Off last year celebrated its 40th anniversary as a stalwart of theatre - both professional and amateur. So why has the play lasted so well?

“Noises Off is a genius piece of writing and Michael Frayn, who is now 89, has been with us from the start of this production and he is very supportive,” says Matthew. “He understands chaos and yet it is clever because it’s so interweaved.

“In the first act they are rehearsing the play and just being actors. In the second act you see the same thing only from backstage when they are actually on the road. And in the third act it’s the same play but from the front and on the road when the thing has completely gone to pieces. Audiences witness the progression not only of the disintegration of the play but also the disintegration of the people and their relationships.”

The story also makes use of the enduring theatrical device of the play within a play.

“A play within a play allows you to narrate certain sections which would be dull, you’re allowed to comment on the play itself and each other, and it allows for greater comedy in exploiting the foibles of actors - which is never not funny,” says Matthew. “People always love to laugh at actors.

“What’s so thrilling about good writing in theatre is that the audience feels like they’re part of it, or at least a fly on the wall watching it and that’s what I love about theatre.”

Beginning in theatre, Matthew moved into television and became a household name in programmes such as You Bet! and Stars in their Eyes before returning to the stage. With a career now spanning more than 50 years, he certainly knows the realities of being on the road with a show.

“Touring plays is such a fantastic experience because you become a family. You become very close to people because, particularly in a play like this one, you have to trust people

you don’t know very quickly,” he says.

“I think Noises Off is what we would like to be true of a tour. When you see the backstage stuff it’s kind of enlarged for comic effect but that’s how Michael Frayn came to write it in the first place. He had written a one-act play about 42 years ago and he was backstage watching the actors from the wings and he thought what was going on backstage was funnier than what was going on in his play.

“There’s usually a lot of larking around on tour although there’s not a lot of hysteria as actors are generally incredibly supportive and kind. Or maybe I’m just busy having a lovely time so I don’t notice.”

The current production premiered at Bath Theatre Royal last autumn before playing the West End earlier this year.

“The West End was packed and people just so wanted to be entertained by a brilliant play and that company were just marvellous,” says Matthew. “To see a theatre packed like that after a pandemic was wonderful.

“People must come and see the show because it’s the kind of theatre that we need. It’s joyful, it’s exciting, it’s intelligent, it’s a thrilling piece of theatre and it will have people absolutely rocking in their seats.

“I’ve watched with the audience because my first entrance is not until half-way through the first act so I sit at the back of the stalls watching them laughing. And because it has got so many different layers to it, people are laughing at so many different things at the same time and it’s very rare in a farce that you can see that. Even I still laugh at it and what it does.”

Noises Off plays Birmingham Rep from Wednesday 23 August to Saturday 9 September

thelist

VISUAL ARTS IN THE MIDLANDS

The Barber Institute Of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

PAYING RESPECTS: MONEY AND MORTALITY Exhibition featuring highlights from the Barber’s superlative coin collection, until Spring 2024

STORYTELLING: A LIFE OF CHRIST ON PAPER Featuring Italian prints and drawings from the 15th to the 17th century, until Sun 24 September

MASTERING THE MARKET: DUTCH AND FLEMISH PAINTINGS FROM WOBURN ABBEY Featuring masterpieces by Rembrandt van Rijn, Anthony van Dyck and Frans Hals, until Sun 24 September

Compton Verney, Warwickshire

LIVING SYMPHONIES Landscape sound installation that portrays the moment-to-moment activity of a woodland ecosystem, until Sun 6 August

BIRDS OF AMERICA An exhibition that examines the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, largest and most coveted books, until Sun 1 October

QUENTIN BLAKE: BIRDS, BEASTS AND EXPLORERS Showcasing over 70 original illustrations that take inspiration from recurring themes in Blake’s works - birds, fantastical flying creatures and the joy of exploring nature, until Sun 1 October

PORTRAIT MINIATURES: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GRANTCHESTER COLLECTION Showcasing over 40 miniatures from the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries, many of which are on show in public for the first time, until Sun 31 December

SENSING NAPLES Works from the gallery’s Naples Collection, re-hung and reimagined, until Sun 31

December

COMPTON VERNEY AND COVENTRY

BIENNIAL EXHIBITION AND RESIDENCY

The result of a project in which artists created new work in collaboration with communities in Nuneaton, until Fri 12 January

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

MELATI SURYODARMO: PASSIONATE

PILGRIM First UK exhibition by one of Indonesia’s most important living artists, known for her strenuous durational performances that last several hours, until Sun 3

September

VANLEY BURKE: A GIFT TO BIRMINGHAM Showcasing portraits of members of Migrant Voice, until Sat 16 September

AYESHA JONES: LEAVE A LIGHT IN MY ROOM Photographic exhibition by Birmingham-born artist Ayesha Jones, documenting conversations with the Erdington Asian Group, Thurs 17 - Sun 20 August

Wed 2 - Sun 6 Aug, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

RBSA Gallery, Birmingham

BACK TO NATURE - LANDSCAPES FROM THE RBSA COLLECTION 1800PRESENT Featuring the sketchbooks of Frederick Henry Henshaw and works by Richard Chattock, who was renowned for his brutal Black Country scenes, until Sun 27 August

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

MICROWORLD WOLVES: A DIGITAL

MARYAM WAHID: DREAMS OF BRUM

Exhibition of photographic portraits, taken at Handsworth Library during a series of creative community workshops with printmaker Haseebah Ali, Thurs 31 AugustSun 3 September

Midlands Arts Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham

WATERSHED Group exhibition exploring the relationship between Birmingham and Elan Valley in Wales - two places inextricably linked by water, until Sun 5 November

KARL BLOSSFELDT: ART FORMS IN NATURE A Hayward Touring exhibition featuring an original portfolio of 40 photogravures from 1932, edited by the artist and published in the year of his death, until Sun 20 August

GALLERY Innovative showcase featuring immersive rooms full of interactive art, until Mon 28 August BLACK COUNTRY LANDSCAPES A selection of art and objects from Wolverhampton’s collections, exploring relationships between the Black Country’s industries and landscapes, until Sun 3 Sept THIS IS OUR LOVE AND IT KNOWS

KNOWS NO DIVISION Exhibition featuring works by 15 British artists in response to ‘the beautiful game’, until Sun 10 Sept, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

POP PARADE Showcasing the gallery’s most iconic pop artworks by leading British and American artists, until Sun 31 December

Elsewhere:

LIBRARY AND LEGACY The story of Lichfield Cathedral Library and the Seymour Family, until Sun 3 September, Lichfield Cathedral

KARLA BLACK Major solo exhibition from the critically acclaimed Scottish artist, featuring previously unseen sculptures, until Sun 29 October, New Art Gallery, Walsall A PLACE TO CALL HOME Understand diverse experiences via the people who have lived through them, and find out about the latest social justice research at the University of Birmingham, until Sat 4 Nov, The Vaults, The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham

CRASH - THE PERFECT POP SONG

Gigs

JORDVN EMANUEL Tues 1 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

VINTAGE TROUBLE + STANDIN’ MAN Tues 1 Aug, O2 Academy

INNER VISION TRIO WITH FERESHTEH

KHOSROUJERDY, GHOW RATNARAJAH & ZIAD SINNO Tues 1 Aug, Jennifer

Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall

GOOD RIDDANCE + LAST HOUNDS + SPLITBOX Wed 2 Aug, O2 Institute

JAMES MCALLISTER SINGS SINATRA Thurs 3 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

SOLARS + AXIOM + VANITAS + EMBERS

Thurs 3 Aug, Subside Bar

THE MÉABH BEGLEY TRIO + FILKIN’S DRIFT

Thurs 3 Aug, The Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath

THE MARLEY EXPERIENCE Fri 4 Aug, The Night Owl

ELLE-J WALTERS BAND Fri 4 - Sat 5 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Qtr

BLUES CLUB Sat 5 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

ANTI-CLONE Sat 5 Aug, Devil’s Dog

ARROW VALLEY + BROKEN WOLF + THRASHEAD + FOWL PLAY + SAPIOPATH Sat 5 Aug, O2 Institute

STEVE VON TILL + HARESS Sat 5 Aug, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

IO EARTH AND THE ORCHESTRA OF SOUND & EMOTION Sat 5 Aug, The Crescent

FLAVOUR Sun 6 Aug, Forum

DIGITAL ZINES An exhibition of work created by seven Birmingham secondary schools during summer 2023 as part of Reframe, a new digital-skills project sponsored by Apple, until Sun 7 January

XHOSA COLE: SHARED SPACES Join award-winning Birmingham saxophonist Xhosa Cole for a journey through his debut durational performance art piece,

Exhibition celebrating 35 years of the Primitives’ song, Crash, and exploring the history of the Coventry band. Photo opportunities and Crash karaoke also feature, until December, Coventry Music Museum

WHERE WE ONCE GATHERED

Showcase of Herbert Walters’ photographic works, taken on the silent and still streets of Birmingham in the first four weeks of the 2020 Covid lockdown, until Fri 8 Dec, The Bramall, University of Birmingham

Anti Clone - Devil’s Dog

Vintage Trouble - O2 Academy

Comedy

MARK MAIER, MICHAEL LEGGE, ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN, JOE JACOBS & MATT ROUSE Fri 4 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

CAREY MARX, JOSEPH EMSLIE, DANNY CLIVES & DAVID ALFIE WARD Sat 5 Aug, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

MARK MAIER, MICHAEL LEGGE, ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN & JOE JACOBS Sat 5 Aug, The Glee Club, B’ham

ROMAN HARRIS, CHRISTOPHER SAVAGE, MARLON DAVIS & SHABZ KARIEM Sun 6 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Theatre

AS YOU LIKE IT Geraldine James stars in Omar Elerian’s playful new take on one of Shakespeare’s most joyous tales, until Sat 5 Aug, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratfordupon-Avon

DISNEY’S THE LION KING Acclaimed production telling the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands, until Sat 16 Sept, Birmingham Hippodrome

younger audiences, featuring music, puppetry and laughs aplenty, Thurs 3 - Sun 6 Aug, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Events

BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL 23 ‘Ten days of brilliant, free entertainment celebrating all that’s great about the city and region’, until Sun 6 Aug, Centenary Square, Birmingham

SECRET CINEMA PRESENTS GREASE: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE Step back in time to the 1950s and experience ‘those summer nights’, until Sun 13 Aug, NEC, Birmingham

SUMMER NIGHTS Every Saturday night throughout the summer, enjoy live music, late-night riding and themed food & drink, until Sun 27 Aug, Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth

BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT FESTIVAL

Enjoy ‘great-value menus and exciting dining experiences’ at restaurants across the city, until Sun 27 Aug, various locations in Birmingham

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Take part in outdoor challenges and trails, until Fri 1 Sept, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

SUMMER OF SOUND SHOW A drop-in daily show exploring how sounds are made, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Master

magician Freddo takes to the stage for this daily show, until Fri 1 Sept, Cadbury World, Bournville

Sun 3 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

VICTORIAN SEASIDE EXPERIENCE Enjoy all the aspects of a traditional Victorian beach scene, with deck chairs, a traditional carousel and donkey rides, until Sun 3 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

STEMTASTIC CRAFTS Relax in the family zone with simple paper crafts, designed to help participants discover the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), until Sun 3 Sept, Coventry Transport Museum

TIME TRAVELLERS CHALLENGE A mischievous time traveller has created a series of historical blunders. Can you help to fix them? until Sun 3 Sept, Tamworth Castle

Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham

NATURE EXPLORERS AT SAREHOLE Use flowers to paint with, build homes for fairies and create a collage with leaves, Wed 2 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

MICLAB YOUTH CLUB - ENGINEERING ARTISTS, ARTISTIC ENGINEERS Discover art techniques linked to the process of vehicle manufacturing, Wed 2Wed 23 Aug, Coventry Transport Museum

UP TO SCRATCH Brand-new monthly development evening offering creatives a city-centre platform to develop their work, Thurs 3 Aug, The Old Rep, Birmingham

THE EMPRESS Tanika Gupta’s epic story reveals how socially diverse the Asian presence was in 19th-century Britain, until Sat 18 Nov, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW

CHANGE Heartfelt musical that reflects on the subject of modern love in all its forms, Wed 2 - Sat 12 Aug, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

FALKLAND SOUND Brad Birch’s lyrical new play turns modern history into a theatrical epic, depicting a community and way of life turned upside down, Sat 5 Aug - Sat 16

Sept, Swan Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon

ROBIN HOOD Fast-paced family show, presented by Three Inch Fools, Sun 6 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

PETER PAN Slapstick Picnic present a three-actor production of JM Barrie’s classic play, Sun 6 Aug, Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens

Kids Theatre

HEY DUGGEE New interactive show for

SAFE AND SOUND! Learn about how sounds are produced and detected through this interactive gallery activity, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

THE FRIENDS™ EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed interactive sets, until Sun 3 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

THE PIRATES OF THE ARRRRBORETUM

Search for the secret symbols, then unlock the code to find the Mermaid Cove and a treasure trove, until Sun 3 Sept, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

THE BEACH Returning for the school summer holidays with sand, deck chairs and children’s activities, until Sun 3 Sept, Lichfield Cathedral

PIER-TASTIC BEACH Pull up a deck chair as Costa del Solihull returns, until Sun 3 Sept, Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull

SUMMER AT THE FARM ‘From tractors to pizza and everything in between’, learn all about the farm and what they do there, until Sun 3 Sept, Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich

SUMMER OF SCIENCE Interactive exhibits, workshops and more, until

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Enjoy live performances in the garden, until Sun 3 Sept, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: UP IN THE AIR

ADVENTURE Check out the Horrible Hangar and meet fearless and foolish flyers from the history of flight in this fully interactive experience, until Sun 3 Sept, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

PIRATE TREASURE HUNT Navigate the high seas with a swashbuckling treasure hunt through the aquarium, until Mon 4 Sept, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

LEGO® DREAMZZZ Awaken your imagination with a dream creature hunt. Also featuring build activities and exclusive giveaways, until Mon 4 Sept, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham

SUMMER FUN! CRAFTS EXPLORING THE LUMINARIUM Be immersed in an exhibition of colour and light, Tues 1Sun 6 Aug, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

BARBER FAMILY FESTIVAL Connect with art through nature and play via dropin sessions, Tues 1 - Fri 11 Aug, The

THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS Four-day celebration of patchwork & quilting, Thurs 3 - Sun 6 Aug, NEC, Birmingham

COLOUR BOX: BABE Drop-in workshop followed by a relaxed screening of the hit 1996 film, Sat 5 Aug, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

DOGGY FAIR Featuring fun competitions, stalls, speakers, dog walks and more, Sat 5 Aug, Lightwoods Park, Sandwell

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

Guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 6 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

Festivals

ROCK THE PARK WREXHAM Line-up includes Scooter, Cascada, Darren Styles, Thurs 3 - Mon 7 Aug, Borras Hall Lane, Wrexham

JERK FESTIVAL - JAMAICA

INDEPENDENCE 2023 Line-up includes Ras Kaleb, Jamie Rodigan & Robbo Ranx, Sat 5 Aug, The Mill, Digbeth

Bimingham Festival 23 - Centenary Square

thelist

Monday 7 - Sunday 13 August

Comedy

UPSTAIRS AT CHERRY REDS - COMICS

TBC Fri 11 Aug,Cherry Reds, Birmingham

VINCE ATTA, PAUL PIRIE, TOM TOAL & COMIC TBC Fri 11 - Sat 12 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SCOTT BENNETT, SIMON LOMAS, JULIAN

DEANE & BARRY DODDS Sat 12 Aug, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

KAPIL SHARMA Sat 12 Aug, Utilita

Arena Birmingham

Light Entertainment

THE NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHOIR OF GREAT BRITAIN 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Sat 12 Aug, Birmingham Town Hall

Events

SECRET CINEMA PRESENTS GREASE: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE Step back in time to the 1950s and experience ‘those summer nights’, until Sun 13 Aug, NEC, Birmingham

Theatre

DISNEY’S THE LION KING Acclaimed production telling the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands, until Sat 16 Sept, Birmingham

Gigs

PUSHA T Mon 7 Aug,

O2 Institute

BRIAN JACKSON Thurs 10 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

ANGELO STARR Thurs 10

Aug, The Jam House, The Jewellery Quarter

GRATEFUL DUDES Fri 11

Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

THE EQUATORS Fri 11

Aug, The Flapper

K.O.G SOUND SYSTEM Fri 11 Aug, Jennifer

Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall

SYNTH Fri 11 Aug, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

THE COLLECTIVE Fri 11Sat 12 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

BLUES CLUB Sat 12 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

MISTER STRANGE + THE COURTESY GROUP + BLOODY BATH + MT YONDER + CAVE GIRL Sat 12 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

MOVING PICTURESRUSH TRIBUTE Sat 12

Aug, Castle & Falcon

ADNAN SAMI Sat 12 Aug, Utilita Arena Birmingham

BEENIE MAN Sat 12 Aug, Forum

MOMENTS OF PLEASURE: THE MUSIC OF KATE

BUSH Sat 12 Aug, The Kitchen Garden, Kings Heath

THE SMITHS LTD Sat 12 Aug, The Robin, Bilston

Hippodrome

THE EMPRESS Tanika Gupta’s epic story reveals how socially diverse the Asian presence was in 19th-century Britain, until Sat 18 Nov, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Sun 13 Aug, Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens

ROBIN HOOD Fast-paced family show presented by Illyria, Sun 13 Aug, Stourbridge Lawn Tennis & Squash Club

TWELFTH NIGHT Outdoor production presented by The Dukes Theatre, Sun 13 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Kids Theatre

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: BARMY BRITAIN

Hit West End show ‘full of crazy new characters and rude new rulers from Britain’s barmy past’, Sat 12 - Sun 13 Aug, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC),

SUMMER NIGHTS

Every Saturday night throughout the summer, enjoy live music, late-night riding and themed food & drink, until Sun 27 August, Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth

BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT FESTIVAL

Enjoy ‘great-value menus and exciting dining experiences’ at restaurants across the city, until Sun 27 Aug, various locations in Birmingham

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Take part in outdoor challenges and trails, until Fri 1 Sept, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

SUMMER OF SOUND SHOW A drop-in daily show exploring how sounds are made, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Master magician Freddo takes to the stage for this daily show, until Fri 1 Sept, Cadbury World, Bournville

SAFE AND SOUND! Learn about how sounds are produced and detected through this interactive gallery activity, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

THE FRIENDS™ EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed interactive sets, until Sun 3 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

THE PIRATES OF THE ARRRRBORETUM

Search for the secret symbols, then unlock the code to find the Mermaid Cove and a treasure trove, until Sun 3 Sept, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

THE BEACH Returning for the school summer holidays with sand, deck chairs and children’s activities, until Sun 3 Sept, Lichfield Cathedral

PIER-TASTIC BEACH Pull up a deck chair as Costa del Solihull returns, until Sun 3 Sept, Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull

SUMMER AT THE FARM ‘From tractors to pizza and everything in between’, learn all about the farm and what they do there, until Sun 3 Sept, Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich

SUMMER OF SCIENCE Interactive exhibits, workshops and more, until

Beenie Man - Forum

thelist

Sun 3 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

VICTORIAN SEASIDE EXPERIENCE Enjoy all the aspects of a traditional Victorian beach scene, with deck chairs, a traditional carousel and donkey rides, until Sun 3 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

STEMTASTIC CRAFTS Relax in the family zone with simple paper crafts, designed to help participants discover the world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), until Sun 3 Sept, Coventry Transport Museum

TIME TRAVELLERS CHALLENGE A mischievous time traveller has created a series of historical blunders. Can you help to fix them? until Sun 3 Sept, Tamworth Castle

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Enjoy live performances in the garden, until Sun 3 Sept, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: UP IN THE AIR

ADVENTURE Check out the Horrible Hangar and meet fearless and foolish flyers from the history of flight in this fully interactive experience, until Sun 3 Sept, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

PIRATE TREASURE HUNT Navigate the high seas with a swashbuckling treasure hunt through the aquarium, until Mon 4 Sept, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

LEGO® DREAMZZZ Awaken your imagination with a dream creature hunt. Also featuring build activities and exclusive giveaways, until Mon 4 Sept, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham

MOVIE MONDAYS - STOP MOTION

WORKSHOP Let loose your child’s imagination as they bring to life model police officers, police cars and helicopters, Mon 7 Aug, West Midlands Police Museum, B’ham

ELANCRAFT WORKSHOP Have fun with the heritage of the Elan Valley and Minecraft in a hands-on workshop that allows children to build dams

and reservoirs, with relevant historical and contextual information throughout, Mon 7 - Tues 8 Aug, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham

GAYDON GATHERING Opportunity for petrolheads to indulge their passion with like-minded people, Tues 8 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

WOODLAND ADVENTURE Hunt for bugs, build dens, make and create in nature and much more, Tues 8 Aug, Castle Bromwich Gardens

ROMAN BOOTCAMP AT SAREHOLE Learn how to march, fight and live like a Roman soldier, Wed 9 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

SUPERHEROES LEGO WORKSHOP

Themed lego workshops presented by the Create Build Learn team, Wed 9 Aug, Forge Mill Needle Museum, Redditch

CANDLELIGHT OPEN AIR: A TRIBUTE TO WHITNEY HOUSTON Enjoy the music of Whitney Houston, beneath the stars and by the gentle glow of candlelight, Thurs 10 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

LITTLE SKIPPERS HOLIDAY FUN Try your hand at fishing, create your own mythical sea creature or test your treasure-hunting skills by following clues on the treasure map, Thurs 10Sat 12 Aug, Dudley Canal & Caverns

CANDLELIGHT OPEN AIR: A TRIBUTE TO PINK FLOYD Enjoy the music of Pink Floyd, beneath the stars and by the gentle glow of candlelight, Fri 11 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW One of the country’s premiere flower show events attracting top exhibitors and featuring a host of family entertainment on both days. This year’s musical line-up includes Liberty X and Go West, Fri 11 - Sat 12 Aug, The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury

MURDER MYSTERY IN THE GARDENS: A TALE OF THE 1940S A wartime murdermystery, complete with food, drink and live music, Fri 11 Aug, Castle Bromwich Gardens

LA LA LAND WITH WINE A unique showing of the Oscar-winning La La Land, presented alongside a winetasting event featuring five themed wines, Sat 12 Aug, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham

DRAGON SLAYER The skies of Warwick are illuminated with the legend of the Dragon Slayer, Fri 11 - Sun 13 Aug, Warwick Castle

YOUNG DRIVER LESSONS Opportunity for 10 to 17-year-olds to learn new skills and become a great driver, Sat 12 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

DRAW THE GARDENS - DROP-IN

WORKSHOP Create art inspired by the venue’s flowers and trees, Sat 12 Aug, Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens

THE ASTON MARTIN HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Aston Martin Heritage Trust celebrates its 25th birthday, Sat 12 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

A VERY VICTORIAN GARDEN PARTY

Travel back 150 years and enjoy a garden party in honour of Queen Victoria, Sat 12 - Sun 13 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

VINTAGE TRANSPORT EXTRAVAGANZA

Check out steam-powered traction engines, buses, motorbikes, cars, tractors and other rarities as you travel along the 16-mile line, Sat 12Sun 13 Aug, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

STEAM WEEKEND Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Industrial Revolution as the streets of Blists Hill Victorian Town are brought to life by a variety of visiting steam engines, Sat 12 - Sun 13 Aug, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

Guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien when he lived

near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 13 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

BNBF MIDLANDS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Featuring participants aged from 16 to over 80, Sun 13 Aug, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham

Festivals in the Midlands

LAKEFEST The popular music festival returns with four days of fun for the whole family, Thurs 10 - Sun 13 Aug, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR Line-up includes Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, Megadeath, Sepultura, Thurs 10 - Sun 13 Aug, Catton Hall, Derbyshire

FARMER PHIL’S FESTIVAL Line-up includes Clearwater Creedence Revival, The Real Thing, The Texels, Fri 11 - Sun 13 Aug, Near Gatten Farm, Ratlinghope, Shropshire

110 ABOVE FESTIVAL Line-up includes Circa Waves, The Mysterines, Jack Garratt, Thurs 10 - Mon 14 Aug, Gopsall Hall Farm, Leicestershire

DEVAFEST Line-up includes Morcheeba (pictured), Will Young , Feeder, Fri 11 - Sun 13 Aug, Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire

Summer fun at Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens

Gaydon Gathering - British Motor Museum

thelist

Gigs

ETRAN DE L’AÏR + JACKIE Tues 15 Aug,

Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

BIOHAZARD + RAGING SPEEDHORN Tues

15 Aug, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

EASY STAR ALL STARS Wed 16 Aug,

Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

THE BLACK JEANS Thurs 17 Aug, The

Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

STEVE AJAO BLUES GIANTS + VINCENT

FLATTS FINAL DRIVE + MELVIN HANCOX

BAND Fri 18 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

FRED ZEPPELIN Fri 18 Aug, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

SIMULATION MUSE Fri 18 Aug, The Robin, Bilston

RIP IT UP Fri 18 Aug, The Feathers

Inn, Lichfield

YR WELCOME 2023 - A THREE DAY

FESTIVAL Fri 18 - Sun 20 Aug, The

Dark Horse, Moseley

BLUES CLUB Sat 19 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

PORTSIDE + VIBRANT DUCKS +

VERTIGO FLOWERS + MY LAST

DUTCHESS + INVASIVE PROCEDURES

Sat 19 Aug, O2 Institute

GASOLINE & MATCHES + LUKE FLEAR +

MATT HODGES + ROBYN RED Sat 19

Aug, Jennifer Blackwell Performance

Space, Symphony Hall

U2 VS SIMPLE MINDS Sat 19 Aug, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

QUO CONNECTION Sat 19 Aug, The Robin, Bilston

MYKE GRAY’S SKIN Sat 19 Aug, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

THE SIX ON FIRE Sat 19 Aug, The Feathers Inn

EATS EVERYTHING Sun 20 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

HANG THE BASTARD Sun 20 Aug, Devil’s Dog

Comedy

JACK WHITEHALL Mon 14 Aug, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

TROY KINNE Thurs 17 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

TOM DEACON, CAREY MARX, JOHN

FOTHERGILL & NINA GILLIGAN Fri 18Sat 19 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

STEVE ROYLE, ANDREW WHITE, EDDY

BRIMSON & LIAM PICKFORD Sat 19 Aug, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

Theatre

DISNEY’S THE LION KING Acclaimed production telling the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands, until Sat 16 Sept, Birmingham

Hippodrome

THE EMPRESS Tanika Gupta’s epic story reveals how socially diverse the Asian presence was in 19th-century Britain, until Sat 18 Nov, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

ROBIN HOOD Fast-paced family show presented by Illyria, Tues 15 Aug, Forge Mill Farm, Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich

Events

SUMMER NIGHTS Every Saturday night throughout the summer, enjoy live music, late-night riding and themed food & drink, until Sun 27 August, Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth

BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT FESTIVAL

Enjoy ‘great-value menus and exciting dining experiences’ at restaurants across the city, until Sun 27 Aug, various locations in Birmingham

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Take part in outdoor challenges and trails, until Fri 1 Sept, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

SUMMER OF SOUND SHOW A drop-in daily show exploring how sounds are made, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Master magician Freddo takes to the stage for this daily show, until Fri 1 Sept, Cadbury World, Bournville

SAFE AND SOUND! Learn about how sounds are produced and detected through this interactive gallery activity, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

THE FRIENDS™ EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed interactive sets, until Sun 3 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

THE PIRATES OF THE ARRRRBORETUM

Birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: UP IN THE AIR

ADVENTURE Check out the Horrible Hangar and meet fearless and foolish flyers from the history of flight in this fully interactive experience, until Sun 3 Sept, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

PIRATE TREASURE HUNT Navigate the high seas with a swashbuckling treasure hunt through the aquarium, until Mon 4 Sept, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

BRING

IT ON STAGE EXPERIENCE

Talented performers from across the West Midlands come together to present a full-scale production, inspired by the hit film, Thurs 17 - Sat 19 Aug, The Alexandra, Birmingham

ALICE IN WONDERLAND Summer family show based on Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, Fri 18 - Sun 27 Aug, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Illyria present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s social comedy, Sat 19 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

MACBETH Reuben Joseph takes the lead in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Sat 19 Aug - Sat 14 Oct, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Light Entertainment

DANNY BEARD: LIVE The winner of Drag Race UK returns with a show that’s ‘bigger, better and more camp than ever before’, Fri 18 Aug, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham

Search for the secret symbols, then unlock the code to find the Mermaid Cove and a treasure trove, until Sun 3 Sept, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

THE BEACH Returning for the school summer holidays with sand, deck chairs and children’s activities, until Sun 3 Sept, Lichfield Cathedral

MER-TASTIC BEACH Pull up a deck chair as Costa del Solihull returns, until Sun 3 Sept, Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull

SUMMER AT THE FARM ‘From tractors to pizza and everything in between’, learn all about the farm and what they do there, until Sun 3 Sept, Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich

SUMMER OF SCIENCE Interactive exhibits, workshops and more, until Sun 3 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

VICTORIAN SEASIDE EXPERIENCE Enjoy all the aspects of a traditional Victorian beach scene, with deck chairs, a traditional carousel and donkey rides, until Sun 3 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

TIME TRAVELLERS CHALLENGE A mischievous time traveller has created a series of historical blunders. Can you help to fix them? until Sun 3 Sept, Tamworth Castle

ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE Enjoy live performances in the garden, until Sun 3 Sept, Shakespeare’s

LEGO® DREAMZZZ Awaken your imagination with a dream creature hunt. Also featuring build activities and exclusive giveaways, until Mon 4 Sept, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham

MOVIE MONDAYS - STOP MOTION

WORKSHOP Let loose your child’s imagination as they bring to life model police officers, police cars and helicopters, Mon 14 Aug, West Midlands Police Museum, B’ham 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS Full week packed with activities and events, featuring special editions of fan favourites and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the museum’s cars, Mon 14 - Sun 20 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

FOREST SCHOOL Hunt for bugs, build dens, and make and create in nature, Tues 15 Aug, Castle Bromwich Gardens

FAST FOOD MEGAVERSE Put on headphones, grab a map and enjoy a journey through the multiverse, Tues 15 - Fri 18 Aug, The Core Theatre, Solihull

NATURE EXPLORERS AT SAREHOLE Learn the methods of tracking animals through woodland, Wed 16 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

FUNTOPIA Children’s festival for the under-10s, Wed 16 Aug, Walsall Arboretum

POP UP PLANETARIUM Gaze at the stars and take a trip into space to learn all about the wonders of the solar system, Thurs 17 August, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM 30TH

PAUL SMITH Wed 16 - Thurs 17 Aug, The Rialto, Coventry

ANNIVERSARY QUIZ NIGHT Quiz

covering general knowledge, music, movies and the last 30 years of the British Motor Museum, Fri 18 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

DRAGON SLAYER The skies of Warwick are illuminated with the legend of the Dragon Slayer, Fri 18 - Sun 20 Aug, Warwick Castle

IBSA WORLD GAMES BIRMINGHAM 2023

The largest high-level international event for athletes with visual impairment, featuring more than 1,250 competitors from 70 nations, Fri 18 - Sun 27 Aug, various venues across Birmingham and the Midlands

FOOD AND CRAFT FAYRE Featuring a whole host of suppliers and taking place at the Engine House Visitor Centre, Sat 19 - Sun 20 Aug, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

THE SANDWELL BIG MOVIE WEEKEND Hit films and singalong fun, Sat 19 - Sun 20 Aug, Sandwell Valley Showground

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

Guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 20

Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

30TH ANNIVERSARY BREAKFAST MEET

Take along your favourite vehicle and enjoy an informal morning gettogether with like-minded people and share memories of the last 30 years of the museum, Sun 20 Aug, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

Festivals

CAMP BESTIVAL Line-up includes Primal Scream, Rudimental, The Human League, Thurs 17 - Sun 20 August, Weston Park, Shropshire

THE MOIRA FURNACE FOLK FESTIVAL

Line-up includes Jez Low & The Bad Pennies, Tom McConville, Pete Morton, Fri 18 - Sun 20 Aug, Moira Furnace Museum and Monument Site, Leicestershire

THE JUST SO FESTIVAL Line-up includes David Gibb Big Band, The Sandpipers, The Rin Tins, Fri 18Sun 20 Aug, Rode Hall, Cheshire

OLD BUSH BLUES FESTIVAL Line-up includes Vincent Flatts, Aynsley Lister, The Terraplanes, Fri 18 - Sun 20 Aug, The Old Bush, Callow End, Worcester

Danny Beard: Live

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Fri 18 August

Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard is stopping off in Birmingham as part of a first-ever solo tour. “This will be the biggest thing I’ve ever done,” Danny told My London. “I’ve worked on the stage for almost 10 years, and I’ve toured cabaret venues, pride events and all different kinds of things, from pantomimes to theatre productions, but this is the first time I’ve got my own headline solo theatre tour - and it’s going to be the best night out you can imagine.”

thelist

Monday 21 - Thursday 31 August

Comedy

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON, BETHANY BLACK & COMIC

TBC Thurs 24 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ROBIN MORGAN, JAMIE HUTCHINSON, BETHANY BLACK, SEAN PERCIVAL & JENNY HART Fri 25 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB Fri 25 Aug, The Rialto, Coventry

STEVE HARRIS, JOEY PAGE, MIKE COX & PREET SINGH Sat 26 Aug, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

ROBIN MORGAN, JAMIE HUTCHINSON, BETHANY BLACK & SEAN PERCIVAL Sat 26 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

RICHARD BLACKWOOD, GBEMI OLADIPO, MICHAEL ODEWALE, OLA LABIB & MICHAEL AKADIRI Sun 27 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PETER KAY Tues 29 Aug, Utilita Arena

Gigs

CHRISTIAN LEE HUTSON

Mon 21 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

SYLVIE Tues 22 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

JULIE DEXTER & BAND

Wed 23 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

SNAIL MAIL Wed 23

Aug, The Mill, Digbeth

CORY HANSON Thurs 24

Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

THE BLOCKHEADS Thurs

24 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

PUB CHOIR Thurs 24

Aug, O2 Institute

DELTA GOODREM Thurs

24 Aug, O2 Institute

STICK TO YOUR GUNS + GROVE STREET +

DESPIZE Thurs 24 Aug, The Asylum

THE INSIDER Fri 25 Aug, The Victoria

THE ACES Fri 25 Aug, The Mill, Digbeth

PHIL MADELEY + SUGARTHIEF. + MYLES

NEWMAN + OCEAN IVY + FERGY LH Fri 25 Aug,

Dead Wax, Digbeth

THE INTERPRETERS Fri 25 Aug, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

RED LEMONS Fri 25Sat 26 Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

BLUES CLUB Sat 26

Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

EZRA FURMAN +

MODERN WOMAN Sat 26

Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

WEIRD ON PURPOSE + HOLLOW BONES + SPEW + TRANSISTRRR Sat 26

Aug, Hare & Hounds, Kings Heath

MAGIC MARY Sat 26

Aug, The Sunflower Lounge, Smallbrook Queensway

THE SKINNER BROTHERS

+ DELIGHTS + THE OUTCHARMS + DIRTY

BLONDE + NEVE

GEORGETTE Sat 26 Aug, Dead Wax, Digbeth

OBITUARY + PEST

CONTROL Sat 26 Aug, The Asylum

VAN MORRISON + MARY

BLACK + DEREK RYAN + ALL FOLK’D UP + MARY COUCHLAN + THE FATHER TEDS + BANG

ON THE EAR Sat 26 Aug, Irish Centre, Kings Heath

AC30S & ROCKSTEADY

BAND Sat 26 Aug, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

BASIL GABIDDON Sun 27

Aug, The Jam House, Jewellery Quarter

SIGNS OF THE SWARM + TO THE GRAVE +

HARBINGER Sun 27

Aug, Devil’s Dog

BURNING SPEAR Sun 27

Aug, O2 Institute

THE RILLS + HEADSHRINKERS +

BAUDELAIRE + MONAKIS + JUNODEF Sun 27

Aug, Dead Wax, Digbeth

SARTAAJ Sun 27 Aug, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

THE WATERBOYS + NATHAN CARTER + THE HIGH KINGS + THE FURYS + CEOL + THE LEGEND OF LUKE KELLY + ON THE SESH Sun 27

Aug, Irish Centre, Kings Heath

Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON & COMICS TBC Thurs 31

Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JAMES ACASTER Thurs 31 Aug - Sun 3

Sept, The Alexandra, Birmingham

Theatre

DISNEY’S THE LION KING Acclaimed production telling the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands, until Sat 16 Sept, Birmingham Hippodrome

MACBETH Reuben Joseph takes the lead in Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, until Sat 14 Oct, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratfordupon-Avon

THE EMPRESS Tanika Gupta’s epic story reveals how socially diverse the Asian presence was in 19th-century Britain, until Sat 18 Nov, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

TWELFTH NIGHT Illyria presents an evening of ‘yearning romance, music and sheer joy’, Wed 23 Aug, Sandwell Valley Visitor Centre

NOISES OFF Matthew Kelly, Liza Goddard and Simon Shepherd star in Michael Frayn’s celebrated ‘play within a play’, Wed 23 Aug - Sat 9 Sept, The Rep, Birmingham

satire, Thurs 24 Aug, The Pavilion, Lightwoods Hill, Smethwick

AMENDMENTS: A PLAY ON WORDS

Political comedy drama ‘delivering controversial debate, dazzling word play and perfect comic timing’, Sat 26 Aug, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

TWELFTH NIGHT Illyria presents an evening of ‘yearning romance, music and sheer joy’, Tues 29 Aug, Moseley Old Hall, Nr Wolverhampton

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Wed 30 Aug, West Smethwick Park

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Thurs 31 Aug, Packwood House, Solihull

Kids Theatre

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Join the tea-guzzling tiger in an interactive family show based on Judith Kerr’s much-loved children’s book, Tues 22 - Sat 26 Aug, Birmingham Town Hall

THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT AND BENJAMIN BUNNY An outdoor stage adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s classic tale, Wed 30 Aug, Coventry Cathedral

DINOSAUR ADVENTURE LIVE Interactive family show immersing audiences in a realistic world of dinosaurs, Thurs 31 Aug, The Core Theatre, Solihull

Light Entertainment

ELVIS LESLEY: BURNIN’ LOVE BINGO

Join award-winning character comedian Tracey Collins (Shell Suit Cher, Audrey Heartburn) as she embarks on a journey ‘back to bright light city - equipped with nothing more than a home-made costume, gyrations, reworked songs and bingo habit’, Fri 25 Aug, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

Events

SUMMER NIGHTS Every Saturday night throughout the summer, enjoy live music, late-night riding and themed food & drink, until Sun 27 August, Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth

BIRMINGHAM RESTAURANT FESTIVAL

SENSE & SENSIBILITY Heartbreak Productions present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s biting social

Enjoy ‘great-value menus and exciting dining experiences’ at restaurants across the city, until Sun 27 Aug, various locations in Birmingham

Delta Goodrem - O2 Institute

Sartaaj - Utilita Arena, Birmingham

thelist

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Take part in outdoor challenges and trails, until Fri 1 Sept, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

SUMMER OF SOUND SHOW A drop-in daily show exploring how sounds are made, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Master

magician Freddo takes to the stage for this daily show, until Fri 1 Sept, Cadbury World, Bournville

SAFE AND SOUND! Learn about how sounds are produced and detected through this interactive gallery activity, until Fri 1 Sept, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

THE FRIENDS™ EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed interactive sets, until Sun 3 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

THE PIRATES OF THE ARRRRBORETUM

Search for the secret symbols, then unlock the code to find the Mermaid Cove and a treasure trove, until Sun 3 Sept, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

THE BEACH Returning for the school summer holidays with sand, deck chairs and children’s activities, until Sun 3 Sept, Lichfield Cathedral

PIER-TASTIC BEACH Pull up a deck chair as Costa del Solihull returns, until Sun 3 Sept, Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull

SUMMER AT THE FARM ‘From tractors to pizza and everything in between’, learn all about the farm and what they do there, until Sun 3 Sept, Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich

SUMMER OF SCIENCE Interactive exhibits, workshops and more, until Sun 3 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

VICTORIAN SEASIDE EXPERIENCE Enjoy all the aspects of a traditional Victorian beach scene, with deck chairs, a traditional carousel and donkey rides, until Sun 3 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: UP IN THE AIR ADVENTURE Check out the Horrible Hangar and meet fearless and foolish flyers from the history of flight in this fully interactive experience, until Sun 3 Sept, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford

PIRATE TREASURE HUNT Navigate the high seas with a swashbuckling treasure hunt through the aquarium, until Mon 4 Sept, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

LEGO® DREAMZZZ Awaken your imagination with a dream creature hunt. Also featuring build activities and exclusive giveaways, until Mon 4 Sept, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Birmingham

MOVIE MONDAYS - STOP MOTION

WORKSHOP Let loose your child’s imagination as they bring to life

model police officers, police cars and helicopters, Mon 21 Aug, West Midlands Police Museum, B’ham

WOODLAND ADVENTURE Hunt for bugs, build dens, and make and create in nature, Tues 22 Aug, Castle Bromwich Gardens

NATURE EXPLORERS AT SAREHOLE Help bees to survive by making your own miniature bee gardens to feed and attract pollinators, Wed 23 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

LITTLE SKIPPERS HOLIDAY FUN Try your hand at fishing, create your own mythical sea creature or test your treasure-hunting skills by following clues on the treasure map, Thurs 24Sat 26 Aug, Dudley Canal & Caverns

SUNDOWN SPECTACULAR Festival celebration featuring live music, street food and performances, Fri 25 - Sat 26 August, Warwick Castle

CAMPER CALLING Featuring live music, family entertainment, lake activities and plenty of food & drink, Fri 25Sun 27 Aug, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire

70S SUMMER PARTY Enjoy food & drink from Blists Hill’s opening era alongside music and entertainment from the 1970s, Sat 26 August, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

GRAVITY SHOW 2023 The UK’s largest modified and supercar event, Sat 26Sun 27 Aug, NEC, Birmingham

THE LUNT ROMAN FESTIVAL Check out displays from Vicus and Britannia, try your hand at the archery stand, or take to the field as part of an interactive ‘battle drill’, Sat 26 - Sun 27 Aug, Lunt Roman Fort, Coventry

BIRMINGHAM WEEKENDER Featuring installations, pop-up performances and interactive games from local, national and international companies, Sat 26 - Sun 27 Aug, across Birmingham City Centre

KNIGHTS’ TOURNAMENT Go back in time as rival knights compete in the ultimate test of strength and skill, Sat 26 - Mon 28 Aug, Kenilworth Castle

James Acaster

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Thurs 31 August - Sun 3 September

Often likened to Stewart Lee or Richard Herring, James Acaster is nonetheless very much his own (funny)man. He peddles a style that initially makes his humour seem awkward and shambolic, and gets away with doing so by virtue of the fact that his writing is so solidly brilliant, blending observational comedy with a selection of more eccentric pieces. He’s visiting Birmingham at the end of the month with his new show, Hecklers Welcome.

near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 27 Aug, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

SUMMER FIESTA Featuring local artisan food & drink, unique crafts, street food, live music, fairground rides and Indian Dohl drumming workshops, Sun 27 - Mon 28 Aug, Weston Park, Shropshire

SHREWSBURY STEAM RALLY Featuring vintage and steam-powered vehicles of all shapes and sizes, Sun 27 - Mon 28 Aug, Onslow Park, Shropshire

WOLVERHAMPTON KRAZY RACES Cheer on the krazy, wacky and outrageous soapbox downhill racers, Mon 28 Aug, Queen Square, Wolverhampton

ST. PAUL’S SUMMER FÊTE Featuring live music, food and stalls, Mon 28 Aug, St Paul’s Square, Birmingham

AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY MUSIC

CHILL Wander from place to place in the gardens to hear some talented musicians, Mon 28 Aug, Castle

Bromwich Gardens

WOODLAND ADVENTURE Hunt for bugs, build dens, and make and create in nature, Tues 29 Aug, Castle

Bromwich Gardens

NATURE EXPLORERS AT SAREHOLE

ARTS, CRAFTS AND REPAIR CAFE

Relaxed sessions in which you can enjoy a natter and get some help with a craft or art project that you’re stuck on, Thurs 31 Aug, Castle Bromwich Gardens

Festivals in the Midlands

SUNSHINE FESTIVAL Line-up includes The Proclaimers, Marc Almond, Bad Manners, Thurs 24 - Sun 27 Aug, Fish Meadow, Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire

BEERMAGEDDON FESTIVAL Line-up includes Discharge, Godslave, Krysthla, Fri 25 - Sun 27 Aug, Stoke Prior Sports & Country Club, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire

PÁIRC FESTIVAL Line-up includes Van Morrison, Waterboys, Mary Black, Fri 25 - Sun 27 Aug, New Irish Centre, Birmingham

SHREWSBURY FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up includes Billy Bragg, Capercaillie, Eddi Reader, Fri 25 - Mon 28 Aug, West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

Guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien when he lived

Finish the summer with this popular treasure hunt across the grounds, Wed 30 Aug, Sarehole Mill, B’ham

DINO DISCO Join dancer Sohan Kailey for a Dino Disco full of fun dinosaur dances, Thurs 31 Aug, The Core Theatre, Solihull

CROOKED HOUSE IN THE PARK Line-up includes Groove Armada (DJ Set), Pendulum (DJ Set), John Hunt Showcase Reader, Sun 27 Aug, Beacon Park, Lichfield

Enter now at whatsonlive.co.uk to be in with a chance of bagging one of these fabulous prizes!

Family ticket to Blists Hill’s 70s Summer Party

To celebrate 50 years since Blists Hill Victorian Town opened its doors to the public, the Ironbridge attraction will be hosting a 70s-themed bash featuring vintage entertainment and tribute bands.

Competition closes Monday 14 August

A pair of tickets to see ghost story The Woman In Black

The legendary stage version of Susan Hill’s chilling ghost story, The Woman In Black, visits Wolverhampton Grand Theatre direct from London’s West End - and we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away!

Competition closes Friday 25 August

A pair of tickets to see the RSC’s The Empress

Tanika Gupta’s critically acclaimed play is currently showing at the RSC’s Swan Theatre. We have a pair of tickets to give away for the evening performance on Saturday 19 August.

Competition closes Friday 11 August

Two Friday tickets to the Shrewsbury Flower Show

The Shrewsbury Flower Show is widely considered to be one of the UK’s premier horticultural events. We have a pair of tickets to give away for the first day of the show (Friday 11 August).

Competition closes Monday 7 August

A VIP package to Crooked House In The Park festival

Following the success of the festival’s second edition last year, Crooked House In The Park is set to take over Lichfield’s Beacon Park once again - and we have two VIP tickets to give away...

Competition closes Friday 18 August

Family ticket to the National Sea Life Centre Birmingham

One lucky family of four will have the chance to go behind the scenes at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham, joining one of the venue’s knowledgeable team for an exclusive tour of the aquarium.

Competition closes Monday 14 August