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First Word
News from around the region
Elmhurst to celebrate its centenary in 2023
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A Birmingham ‘centre of excellence’ for young dancers will next year celebrate its 100th anniversary. The prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School will be hosting a number of special events to mark the occasion. Commenting on the news, School Principal Jessica Ward said: “Elmhurst at 100 is a very special moment in the school’s history, and we are thrilled to mark the occasion with a number of centenary events. “There will be plenty of nostalgia and memories, and we will also think about what a future Elmhurst looks like.”
Sir Ian McKellen to star in Mother Goose at the Wolverhampton Grand
Celebrated star of stage & screen Sir Ian McKellen will take the title role when a pantomime version of Mother Goose stops off at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre early next year (Wednesday 22 - Sunday 26 February). Sir Ian, who is perhaps best known globally as Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings movies and Magneto in the X-Men films, will be joined in the show by John Bishop. To find out more and book tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk
New ‘musical journey’ celebrates Black music
A one-night-only show at Birmingham Repertory Theatre will this month celebrate the story of black music as it travelled from Africa to the UK via the Caribbean and North America. The History Of Reggae: A Musical Journey (Saturday 5 November) features songs by Steel Pulse, Bob Marley, Aswad, Musical Youth, Janet Kay, Desmond Dekker, Millie, John Holt, U Roy and many more.
CBSO initiative to support musicians from underrepresented backgrounds
development programme. The initiative will support five early-career string musicians from under-represented backgrounds ‘through performance, training and development opportunities, to help kickstart a career in orchestral performance’. The three-year CBSO Career Accelerator programme will initially run from January to July 2023, with the participants being offered a minimum of 60 days freelance work with the orchestra. Applications for violin, viola, cello and double bass players will open soon and be announced and promoted via the CBSO’s website.
National Lottery funding to help Botanical Gardens restoration project
Birmingham Botanical Gardens has been awarded £590,814 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund - with the potential to secure a further £4.4million to restore its four historic glasshouses. The Gardens, a Grade II listed charity, has received the grant so that it can develop plans for its £13million Growing Our Green Heritage project, which aims to restore its historic glasshouse estate to create ‘a place of horticultural excellence and outstanding green space’. As the project progresses, the Gardens will have the chance to secure an additional funding amount of £4,409,186.
Get ready to run...
Birmingham’s NEC will play host to The National Running Show in January (Saturday the 21st & Sunday the 22nd). The biggest community meet-up of the year, and perfectly timed for runners who are training for events in the spring, the show features ‘inspirational speakers, cutting-edge technologies and the best in nutrition, all under one roof’. For more information, visit nationalrunningshow.com
Strictly out on tour again
The live tour of Strictly Come Dancing will be foxtrotting its way around the country again in the new year - and for the first time ever, Anton Du Beke will join fellow TV judges Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood for the on-the-road version of the show. The Strictly Live Tour will also feature the welcome return of Janette Manrara as host. As usual the tour kicks off in Birmingham (Utilita Arena) in January (20th to the 22nd). For more information and to book tickets, visit StrictlyComeDancingLive.com
New tour dates for Romesh
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan will be hitting the road again in 2024 with a brand-new show entitled Hustle. The ever-popular laughter merchant’s UK tour will include a stop-off at Birmingham Utilita Arena on 30 May. For more information and to book tickets, visit the venue’s website.
Going squareeyed at Midlands Arts Centre
MAC Birmingham’s Square Eyes TV Festival returns for a second year this month. Running from Friday 4 to Sunday 13 November, the event features exclusive screenings and Q&As focused not only on TV institutions like Blue Peter, Doctor Who and The Twilight Zone, but also more recent Midlandsbased productions, including DI Ray and My Name Is Leon. Guests include Oscar nominee Sir David Hare, reclusive horror author Garth Marenghi, and DI Ray showrunner Maya Sondhi... To find out more about the event and book tickets, visit macbirmingham.co.uk
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Disney’s roar-some musical returns to the Hippodrome
Disney’s The Lion King will return to Birmingham Hippodrome next summer. Showing at the venue from Thursday 6 July to Saturday 16 September, the hit musical has thrilled a combined global audience of more than 110 million people since premiering on Broadway in 1997. For more information and to book tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com
A charismatic car park...
Birmingham’s Trinity Street Car Park, located within the city’s Digbeth Estate, has been dubbed ‘the most charismatic car park in Britain’ by The Car Park Appreciation Society. The car park won the accolade thanks to its unique entrance - made from crushed car parts surrounding walls (adorned with vibrant street art) and close-tothe-city-centre location.
Children’s festival offering ‘fairytale’ fun
A brand-new event for children under 12 years of age will take place at Staffordshire Showground next spring (Sunday 12 March). Organised by a female-led team with first-hand experience of parenting, The Kids’ Festival is described as an ‘immersive, fairytale experience bursting with a wide range of thrilling and enjoyable interactive activities’. To find out more, visit thekidsfestival.co.uk
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Christmas craft-away with Dragons’ Den’s Sara
Dragons’ Den star and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Sara Davies is heading for Birmingham next month - complete with a cornucopia of quality Christmas crafting tricks and tips. Covering everything from gifts and garlands to cards and crackers - all via ‘a peek inside the Den’ and ‘a sprinkling of Strictly sparkle’ - Sara’s show will feature practical demonstrations, creative ideas and a healthy slice of down-to-earth know-how. The Queen of Crafting stops off at Birmingham Town Hall on Tuesday 6 December. For more information and to book tickets, visit bmusic.co.uk
Olly Murs back on tour
Olly Murs will stop off at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena next spring as part of a UK tour to promote his new album, Marry Me, which is released early next month (2 December). Olly will be joined in the Thursday 4 May show by Scouting For Girls. To find out more and book tickets, visit resortsworldarena.co.uk
New cabaret fun in Brum
Birmingham will get a brand-new cabaret evening next month, complete with dinner, drinks, and ‘super-slick spellbinding’ circus performances. The new event is being presented by the ever-inventive Circus Mash and takes place at All Saints Centre in Kings Heath from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 December. For more information, visit circusmash.co.uk
News from around the region
Christmas In Cathedral Square is returning to Birmingham for the second year running. The award-winning event will take place in the grounds of Birmingham Cathedral from Wednesday 16 November (when there will be an official launch event from 6pm to 8pm) to Sunday 18 December, offering visitors a variety of crafts, gifts and food & drink stalls to enjoy. Commenting on the news, Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Following a successful year for Birmingham with the 2022 Commonwealth Games, we’re excited to be working with Colmore BID, Danter Attractions Limited and Birmingham Cathedral to host Christmas In Cathedral Square for the second year running. “With a variety of Midlands-based independents setting up stalls at the market, and local artists performing, this is also a chance to highlight the diversity of our region and celebrate all it has to offer.”
Cadbury World launches key stage two creative language workshop
Cadbury World is offering key stage two pupils the unique opportunity to bring the topic of creative language to life with the launch of a brand-new workshop. Linked to the current KS2 curriculum, the Bournville-based visitor attraction’s new Creative Language workshop offers pupils the chance to develop their knowledge by exploring different forms of persuasive writing. For more information on the new initiative, visit cadburyworld.co.uk
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group is presenting a busy programme of work this month, with five premieres across three concerts of new work by Edmund Hunt, George Lewis, Julian Anderson and Melinda Maxwell. To find out more and book tickets, visit bcmg.org.uk
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Birmingham 2022 Festival enjoyed by millions
Organisers of this year’s six-month-long Birmingham 2022 Festival have revealed that the wide-ranging cultural programme attracted a total audience of over 2.4 million. Commenting on the news, the festival’s executive producer, Raidene Carter, said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to showcase how diverse and inclusive the West Midlands is through a festival of wholly brand-new work. In many ways it’s been a creative timecapsule for 2022, and it’s so exciting for the future. “Working with our partners, we will now turn our attention to defining what the legacy of the festival can be, to make the most of this moment.”
Alex Kingston to star in The Tempest for the RSC
Alex Kingston returns to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) after Christmas to star in a brand-new version of The Tempest. The award-winning actress, who’s best known for starring alongside George Clooney in long-running US medical drama ER, will play the part of Prospero. The show, which runs at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Thursday 26 January to Saturday 4 March, forms part of a new season of productions at the RSC that also includes Julius Caesar and Cymbeline. For more information about all three shows and to book tickets, visit rsc.org.uk
More festive fun with Barbara Nice
Everybody’s favourite Kings Heath housewife, the incomparable Barbara Nice, makes a welcome return to MAC Birmingham next month to light up the season of good will with her annual Christmas Cracker show (Friday 16 December). As well as containing more jokes than you’d find in an oversized holiday gag-bag (does such a thing even exist?!), Barbara’s fabulous festive favourite usually features a tombola and raffle, no shortage of mince pies, and sometimes even a special guest or two. To find out more and book tickets, visit macbirmingham.co.uk
Make a date for Danny’s final installment...
Veteran broadcaster Danny Baker will make three February stop-offs in the Midlands with a brand-new show. At Last… The Sausage Sandwich Tour is the final part of a trilogy which has also featured Cradle To Stage and Good Time Charlie’s Back! Danny visits Stafford Gatehouse on 8 February, Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent three days later on the 11th, and Walsall’s A3 Arena on the 24th. He then returns to the region in the spring, appearing at the Swan Theatre, Worcester, on 15 April. For more information and to book tickets, visit DannyBakerLive.com
The Beat announce hometown memorial gig
Legendary British band The Beat will celebrate the life of their late frontman and musical pioneer Ranking Roger with a special one-off evening of live music at The Mill, Birmingham, on Thursday 22 December. Fronted by Roger’s son and vocalist, Ranking Jnr (pictured), the show will feature a full performance by the Birmingham trailblazers plus special guests from the worlds of ska, reggae and punk... Tickets for the gig are available via bit.ly/rankingrogermemorialshow
SpongeBob musical to debut in the Midlands
Much-loved children’s television character SpongeBob is visiting Birmingham Hippodrome next spring with his very own musical. The popular Nickleodeon star will take centre stage in a production that’s being described as ‘an all-singing, all-dancing, deep-sea pearl of a show’. The SpongeBob Musical stops off at the Hippodrome from Tuesday 11 to Saturday 15 April and then Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 27 June to Saturday 1 July.
Congrats to Hannah!
Comedian Hannah Weetman has been announced as the winner of the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award 2022. Call-centre operative Hannah, who hails from Castle Bromwich, last month performed in front of a sell-out crowd at the city’s Glee Club, where she was presented with her prize by fellow Brummie comic Jo Enright.
A fabulous festive family favourite, Birmingham-born Debbie Isitt’s critically acclaimed Nativity! The Musical is the perfect show to get theatre-goers in the Christmas spirit. Boasting a feelgood storyline, a romantic element, bucketloads of humour and a cast of extremely talented kids, the hit production is showing at Birmingham Rep across the festive season. What’s On recently caught up with Debbie to talk about the show’s enduring appeal...
For writer and director Debbie Isitt, it’s Christmas all year round. As the creator of four hit Nativity! films and a successful stage musical, there’s an element of jingle bells in her life every day. And from mid-month, she’ll be enjoying sharing the festivities with audiences, when Nativity! The Musical returns to the stage at Birmingham Rep. Born and brought up in Birmingham, Debbie first launched the story of two schools battling it out for the best Christmas show in her 2009 film, Nativity! Set in Coventry and starring Martin Freeman, Marc Wootton and Ashley Jensen, the movie rapidly won the hearts of children and adults alike - so much so it was followed by Nativity! 2, 3 and 4, featuring a host of top actors including David Tennant, Martin Clunes, Catherine Tate, Celia Imrie and Meera Syal. The stage show was produced by Birmingham Rep in 2017, and Debbie, who now lives in Coventry, is delighted the new tour again launches back on home turf. “When we decided to do the show, we wanted to do a co-production with a local theatre because it’s set in Coventry and about the West Midlands. The Birmingham Rep is one of the greatest theatres in the country, and it’s somewhere that’s very important to me. I grew up watching shows at The Rep since I was about six or seven years old, so it felt like home and it felt absolutely right that the show started there. “Although I’d been on a tremendous journey with the filming, it felt extra-special seeing it on the stage. To think that I was now instrumental in bringing a piece of musical theatre to that very same stage where I had watched shows as a child was really emotional, moving and tremendously exciting. There’s nothing to beat live theatre at its best. Now the musical is coming home again, which is really brilliant, especially after everything we’ve been through with the pandemic.” Nativity! was inspired by Debbie’s own experiences of childhood Christmas shows. “I’ve got two sisters, and my mum was keen on each of us being Mary in the nativity at school, so she terrified the teachers to make sure we got the part. So all three of us got to play Mary. We always talk about it at Christmas, me and my sisters! “It’s funny because Mary’s not actually the best part; there are more entertaining parts. I would’ve loved to have been an angel because I loved the costume with the wings and the long dress. I dreamt of being an angel, but no, it was Mary.” Debbie believes it’s this shared memory of school plays which has made Nativity! popular with film and theatre audiences. “The story is so relatable - so many people have either been that child at school doing the Christmas show, or the parent of that child, or the grandparent of that child. It’s a multi-generational story that we all kind of understand and empathise with. “Since I made the first film, I’ve heard a lot of nativity stories and seen a lot as well. People send me a lot of bits of film of their children in nativities. “Then there’s the idea of the underdog, the child who is the outsider, overcoming obstacles and showing that everyone is special and everyone has their gifts and talents. That’s what’s really at its heart - the children, and overcoming adversity. It’s a very empowering message, and at Christmas time we want to feel good, we want to feel the world is a lovely place. Nativity! really does offer those messages.” Central to the story is the madcap teaching assistant Mr Poppy, a child at heart, who is overflowing with enthusiasm for the class he teaches and their Christmas show. So did Debbie have a Mr Poppy when she was a youngster? “Mr Poppy isn’t based on any teachers I knew, but I wish he had been because I would’ve loved to have a Mr Poppy at school. But I think he’s a kind of wish-fulfilment character - that imaginary friend or imaginary teacher or imaginary classroom assistant. He’s from my imagination, based on the desire for a Mr Poppy. I’ve since heard lots of people say, ‘I’ve got a teacher that’s just like Mr Poppy,’ and I think, ‘Aren’t you lucky - how brilliant!’” The production features 37 schoolchildren in the cast, performing in teams on different dates, and Debbie says it’s always a hard decision to choose the young actors. “One of the highlights for me is auditioning the children because, like within the film and within the show, when children audition they bring their heart and soul and they put it all out on the table. It’s such good fun, and they have a very happy time with a lovely workshop. “All the children bring something magical, so it’s very tough for me because I would love to cast them all! We have to whittle it down to get there, and it’s quite a process. We have thousands apply, and 37 doesn’t seem so many when you’ve looked at 800 tapes.” The opening night on 19 November will be particularly special for Debbie, coming as it does after the past few years of Covid and the death of her father. “It’s going to be very emotional for me because there was a moment there for a couple of years where we thought it might never happen again - not just Nativity! but all theatre. And, like many other people, I lost my dad to Covid. We went through a very, very sad time, and this is hopefully a tribute to him as well. As a Brummie and someone who loved the theatre, it’s a really lovely way of honouring his memory. We are dedicating the whole production to him.”
Nativity! The Musical shows at The Rep, Birmingham, from Saturday 19 November to Saturday 7 January.
