First Word

from Staffordshire What's On November 2022

Visual Arts

News from around the region

Enjoy an illuminating festive-season experience at Weston Park

Christmas attractions at Weston Park once again include the venue’s ‘illuminated forest’ experience, available to enjoy (between 5pm and 9pm) from 9 to 11 and 15 to 23 December. Visitors to the estate’s Temple Wood can follow a trail of colour and light through the ancient trees and woodland. But that’s not all. The venue is also making available an array of street food, local ales, fizz and warming winter cocktails, all on offer in the Stables Courtyard. Live music and fire pits (for marshmallow toasting) also feature.

Critically acclaimed play Art comes to Shropshire

Tickets are now on sale for Shropshire Drama Company’s (SDC) forthcoming production of Yasmina Reza’s internationally acclaimed play, Art. SDC will perform their version of the show at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn from 9 to 12 November. For more information and to book tickets, visit the venue’s website.

Cornbow Hall renamed

Cornbow Hall is to be renamed Halesowen Town Hall as part of plans to raise the profile and visibility of the building. The rebrand will see the venue come under the new banner of DBleisure, alongside Dudley and Stourbridge town halls. Over the next few months, building signage will be replaced and directional signage improved. A new website promoting all three venues under the one overarching banner will be created, making it easier for customers to book show tickets or hire the halls.

Elvis on screen outdoors

The UK’s largest touring outdoor cinema will next autumn present a screening of Baz Luhrmann’s hit movie, Elvis, at popular Shropshire visitor attraction Attingham Park (Friday 1 September). Adventure Cinema’s Elvis Open-Air Cinema Tour ‘will bring together Elvis fans, film enthusiasts and family & friends to provide an unforgettable outdoor experience’. To find out more, visit adventurecinema.co.uk

Act of kindness launched at Telford theatre

A new initiative has been launched by Telford Theatre to offer ‘the gift of pantomime’ to local families living in difficult circumstances this festive season. The Kindness Ticket will be distributed to recipients through the Christmas Smile project, providing families with the chance to enjoy the venue’s panto production of Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs. Anybody interested in purchasing one of the tickets, which will then be passed on to an in-need family, can do so at telfordtheatre.com

Sir Tim Rice at the Grand

Legendary lyricist Sir Tim Rice is bringing his ‘an evening with’ show to the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton early next year. Best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber on hit musicals Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita - and for his contributions to the soundtracks of Disney’s Beauty And The Beast, The Lion King and Aladdin - Sir Tim presents Circle Of Words on Thursday 9 February. For more information and to book tickets, visit grandtheatre.co.uk

Birmingham 2022 Festival enjoyed by millions

Abba-tastic Bongo’s Bingo at The Buttermarket

Dig out your dancing shoes and get your disco pants on - the ever-popular Bongo’s Bingo event at Shrewsbury’s Buttermarket venue will next month be paying tribute to Swedish super-troupers Abba. A combination of live show, all-inclusive party and a heads-down game of bingo, Bongo’s The Winner Takes It All extravaganza will feature flamboyant costumes, rave rounds, dynamic dance-offs and plenty of audience participation. The show takes place on 2, 16, 17, 23 & 31 December... For more information, visit thebuttermarket.co.uk 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.”

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.

Olly Murs heads for the Midlands

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

Sir Ian McKellen to star in Mother Goose at the 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

Camp Bestival Shropshire to return in 2023

Camp Bestival Shropshire will return to Weston Park in 2023. The four-day event will include comedy, theatre, shows, wellbeing workshops, circus spectacles, sideshow commotions, ‘lashings’ of food & drink and ‘the very finest in outdoor living’. The event takes place in late summer, from 17 to 20 August. For more information, visit weston-park.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

First Word

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

A festive light show with a difference...

Lichfield Cathedral has teamed up with acclaimed animation team Illuminos to put on a light show with a difference this Christmas. The display, titled Sing Choirs Of Angels, will feature a number of installations and take visitors through the story of the Nativity. It will also explore links between the city and the carol O Come All Ye Faithful. The installation will be available to view from 16 to 20 December (from 5.30pm). For more information, visit lichfieldcathedral.org

News from around the region

Disney’s roar-some musical returns to the Midlands

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

Live music soon to return to iconic Wolves venue

Shows are now being booked for Wolverhampton’s iconic Civic Halls following the Council’s multi-million-pound investment in the venue. AEG Presents, which runs The O2 in London, is aiming to ‘bring the feelgood factor back to the city with an exciting programme of big bands, the best comedy acts and much more’. Commenting on the news, Wolverhampton local and AEG Presents CEO, Steve Homer, said: “Having hosted artists from The Clash, Bowie and Nirvana to the Manic Street Preachers and Morrissey - who debuted his first solo performance post-The Smiths at ‘The Halls’ - it’s incredible to be able to bring an iconic venue back to life. And as a local lad, this is all the more special. I saw The Clash perform here in 1978, and it was an event that forever cemented my love of music. We can’t wait to open the doors of The Halls Wolverhampton and bring the world’s best artists to the West Midlands stage.”

Britain’s Got Talent teen star Eva in Midlands hospital fundraising ball

Fourteen-year-old Cannock comedian and Britain’s Got Talent contestant Eva Abley (pictured) is taking to the stage this month in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where Eva herself is a patient. Eva has cerebral palsy and has been cared for by the specialist teams at the hospital since she was a baby. Her charity ball, taking place on Saturday 12 November at the ICB Centre in Wolverhampton, also features three of Eva’s fellow Britain’s Got Talent 2022 finalists: singer Tom Ball, ventriloquist Jamie (with Chuck) and comic Ben Nickless. The winner of the 2018 series, Lost Voice Guy (Lee Ridley), will also be taking to the stage. For tickets, call 07722 566914 or email evasball2022@outlook.com

News from around the region

Children’s festival offering springtime ‘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 firsthand 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

Take the Tale Trail to Alice’s Wonderland

Staffordshire’s New Vic Theatre is inviting families to step inside the world of classic children’s story Alice In Wonderland this Christmas. To complement its festive-season production of Alice, the venue is hosting interactive storytime adventures under the title of Tale Trail (Saturday 10 - Saturday 31 December). The initiative provides kids with an opportunity to meet characters from Lewis Carroll’s famous book and experience the story for themselves. For more information, visit newvictheatre.org.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, 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

First Word

Santa’s elves are coming to the Black Country!

Santa’s elves will be making Christmas presents at the Black Country Living Museum this year, as part of the venue’s festiveseason line-up of entertainment. Visitors to the popular Dudley attraction on Saturday 3 & Sunday 4 December will be able to find out about the contribution that elves, toy soldiers and even sugar plum fairies make to the creation of Christmas cheer... The venue’s yuletide programme also includes the chance to join historic characters around the fireside for an evening of Glad Tidings (Friday 9 & Saturday 10, Friday 16, Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 December). To find out more, visit bclm.com

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.

Sponsor a family to enjoy panto at the Garrick

Lichfield Garrick Theatre is once again calling on local businesses to help struggling families enjoy the magic of Christmas. Since 2017, over 150 families have attended the Garrick’s pantomime thanks to the generosity of local businesses - and the venue is hoping its ongoing initiative will bring even more festive cheer in 2022. For more details about how to lend a hand, visit lichfieldgarrick.com/supportus/sponsorships

EASTENDERS GOOD GUY TURNS PANTO BADDIE

Former EastEnders star Michael Greco talks to What’s On about surviving fame as a soap star, a surprising career change, and returning to a familiar role (not that one) in Aladdin, this year’s pantomime at the Wolverhampton Grand...

Twenty years ago Michael Greco was at the height of his fame - but he wasn’t particularly enjoying it. He adored his five-year stint playing Beppe di Marco in EastEnders, but not the stardom that went with it. “I kind of got disillusioned with the whole acting business when I left EastEnders,” he says. “I didn’t like the fame, I didn’t like the celebrity status, and I decided I just didn’t want it anymore. “People don’t understand that the fame we had from EastEnders 20 years ago was completely different to anything now. Back then we had 20 million viewers, so we were recognisable in the street by every man and his dog, from young kids to old people. Everybody would know who you were, even if they didn’t watch the show. We were at its peak - you’ll never get soaps with 20 million viewers ever again.” After giving up acting, Michael stumbled into an unexpected second career as a professional poker player, touring the world and winning more than $1million along the way. “I fell into poker at a casino one night and really loved it. Then this company came in and started sponsoring me, so I travelled the world playing poker - with their money, I might add - and was very successful at it for about 10 years.” He admits his acting skills came in handy in terms of maintaining a poker face in the cauldron-hot atmosphere of competition. “When you’re playing for millions of dollars, especially somewhere like Las Vegas, it’s like being a swan - serene on top of the water, but your feet are going ten to the dozen underneath. It’s the same with your heart your heart is going through the roof, but you have to have a poker face because so many great professionals in the world can read you. Your eyes give away a lot - that’s why people wear sunglasses playing poker - the pulse in your neck… everything can give you away. “There’s a lot of luck in poker, but there’s a lot of skill as well. Being an actor definitely helped.” The ‘acting’ element contributed to something of a renaissance with his chosen profession, too. A stint living and working in Los Angeles saw him “get the love for it back”, as well as picking up better and better roles. He’s recently been filming The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes, a prequel to the hugely popular film series. It’s already one of the most anticipated movies of 2023. So much for wanting to avoid fame and stardom! “I think I’m a bit older and wiser now so can handle it a bit more. I was on set the other day with Viola Davis, who is obviously one of the darlings of Hollywood, and was thinking how lucky I’ve been to have a second bite of the cherry in my career - and being able to do things that I love doing, including theatre and panto.” Which brings us nicely on to his latest role, as the evil Abanazar in Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s new production of Aladdin, appearing alongside Zoe Birkett, Ben Cajee, Tam Ryan, Ian Adams and Duane Gooden. It’s a show Michael knows and loves well but having played the baddie twice before, he’s being encouraged to take it to a whole new level this time out. “It’s a great part to play. I’ve done it before, but this time I’ve been promised by the producers that they’re going to make him even more evil, so I’m really looking forward to that. This is going to be more than just your normal pantomime villain - this is gonna be a proper actor’s stage Abanazar! “I’m too old to play the good characters now maybe when I was younger! But playing the villain is so much more fun.” Michael would even want to bring a dark side to serially luckless Beppe, if the character ever returned to Albert Square. “Beppe was a good guy - he was the knight in shining armour most of the time. That was really fun to play at the time, but if I ever went back, I think I’d want him to be a little bit more evil.” Michael’s not planning any nods to his famous alter-ego in his portrayal of Abanazar, but admits EastEnders’ wellknown cliff-hanger drum beats will almost certainly make an appearance in the show: “I’m sure there’ll be at least one ‘duff duff’ moment!” After a couple of difficult post-Covid years for the theatre industry, there’s mercifully little drama hanging over the new production, with a strong, confident cast and ticket sales “through the roof”, according to Michael. “We could be heading for capacity audiences every night,” he says, delighted that the costof-living crisis has potentially fuelled rather than dented the audience’s appetite. “I think the tickets are well priced, but at Christmas everybody wants a bit of relief and to get away from this, that and the other. Panto is the ideal way for families to enjoy some escapism, and Aladdin’s the perfect panto for that. Everyone knows the story of Aladdin and the lamp, and I think kids especially will love this kind of magical, theatrical performance.” And while Michael admits he’s looking forward to getting booed - by kids and adults alike - he expects his villain’s downfall to elicit some sympathy too, given panto’s predilection for a happy, feelgood ending. “There’s always the demise of the baddie at the end, because there has to be, but there’s a transition along the way, so I’m hoping that when I get my demise, people are going to feel sorry for me as well.” Throw in a fabulous venue and cast - some of whom have already asked him for poker lessons - and Michael admits the six-week run can’t come soon enough. “The theatre’s incredible - it’s one of those old-style theatres that I love, with a really close auditorium - and there’s some really great talent in the show as well. I’m really looking forward to it; I can’t wait for the six weeks to start.”