Wolverhampton & Black Country What's On July 2023

What’sOn

wolverhamptonwhatson.co.uk

inside:

GREATEST DAYS

Kym Marsh talks about starring in the hit Take That musical

HORRIBLE SUMMER!

RAF Museum Midlands hosts Horrible Histories family show

SUMMER LOVIN’

Grease: The Live Experience brings ’50s fun to the NEC

News from around the region

Rave on at Weston Park!

Open-air concert event Classic Ibiza returns to Weston Park this month - and an accompanying luxury glamping experience is available for people who wish to stay over. For one night only - Saturday 15 July - Weston will ‘transform into downtown San Antonio, bringing Balearic beats to visitors from the West Midlands and beyond’.

The show features Urban Soul Orchestra, live vocalists and headline DJs.

For further information about the event and the accompanying luxury glamping experience - and to book tickets - visit the venue’s website: weston-park.com

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang flying into the Potteries

A new production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will fly into the Regent Theatre, Stoke-onTrent, in autumn 2024.

The hit musical, based on the famous children’s story by James Bond creator Ian Fleming, stops off at the venue from Tuesday 22 to Sunday 27 October.

For more information and to purchase tickets for the show, visit atgtickets.com/stoke

Check out Earth’s surface in Lichfield Cathedral

Artist Luke Jerram’s touring artwork, Gaia, will visit Lichfield Cathedral in the autumn (Friday 22 September - Sunday 5 November). Measuring seven metres in diameter, the installation features high-resolution NASA imagery of Earth’s surface, providing an opportunity to see the planet floating and rotating in three dimensions.

During its stay in Lichfield, Gaia will be suspended inside the nave of the cathedral. To find out more, visit lichfield-cathedral.org

Fisherman’s Friends set to Rock The Boat in 2024

Following a sold-out tour across the UK earlier this year, folk-music group Fisherman’s Friends have announced a

brand-new major headline tour for 2024and will be stopping off at two Midlands venues. Titled Rock The Boat, the tour visits Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 9 February and then returns to the region in the autumn, dropping anchor at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Thursday 5 September.

For more information and to book tickets, visit thefishermansfriends.com/tickets

Lichfield Garrick launches 20th anniversary initiative

Lichfield Garrick Theatre is this month launching a special initiative to mark its 20th anniversary.

The Garrick 20 project will help local artists and community groups to realise their creative ambitions. It will also take creative activities into 20 local schools and offer training placements to 20 young people. The project is launched on Saturday 1 July with an ‘open house’ event featuring free theatre tours, workshops, community performances, theatre ticket competitions and archive displays.

Drop The Dead Donkey to return - live on stage...

Much-loved 1990s television series Drop The Dead Donkey is making a comeback - live on stage.

Starring original cast members Stephen Tompkinson, Neil Pearson, Susannah Doyle, Robert Duncan, Ingrid Lacey, Jeff Rawle and Victoria Wicks, the award-winning comedy will visit Birmingham theatre The Alexandra next spring, from 16 to 20 April.

For more information and to book tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birmingham

West End stars to perform for charity in Shropshire

A charity concert of hit songs from some of the West End’s biggest musicals will take place at Holy Trinity Church in Much Wenlock on Thursday 13 July.

Presented in aid of Severn Hospice, the show will be performed by Bridgnorth’s Key Change Choir and five West End professional singers. Tickets cost £20, include wine & nibbles, and are available from the Penny Farthing card & gift shop in The Square, Much Wenlock.

Midlands music museum honours Specials star

Coventry Music Museum has put in place a permanent tribute to Specials, Fun Boy Three and Colourfield frontman Terry Hall, who passed away last December. Commenting on the ‘tribute wall’, museum curator Pete Chambers said: “We are a compact museum, but it was important to find a space where we can honour this unique musician and divine frontman. His passing had a profound effect on so many people, so it would have been remiss of us not to record the life of one of Coventry’s most famous sons. The tribute includes a superb painting of Terry by Rick Hadfield.”

Movie night at The Buttermarket

The award-winning Bongo’s Bingo is promising to ‘bring summer to an epic climax’ at Shrewsbury venue The Buttermarket next month. The popular event, which blends traditional bingo with dance-offs, rave intervals, audience participation and ‘countless magical moments’, takes place at the venue on Friday 11 August and Friday 25 August. The latter event is based on the theme Night At The Movies, with organisers promising ‘a wild celebration of all things cinematic’. Guests are encouraged to attend dressed as their favourite film star. Tickets are available at bongosbingo.co.uk

A fun family show for ‘fearless flyers’ is coming to the RAF Museum in Cosford this month. Horrible Histories’ Up In The Air Adventure is a brand-new and interactive exploration of the history of flight.

Visitors to the show will get the chance to meet characters, complete challenges and solve puzzles... To find out more about Up In The Air, which runs from Saturday 22 July to Sunday 3 September, visit the website: rafmuseum.org.uk

Let’s Rock returns to Shrewsbury

Let’s Rock returns to Shrewsbury this month, complete with a star-studded line-up of talent.

10% off tickets to Minsterley Show

Tickets are now on sale for this year’s Minsterley Show, which returns to Lea Cross in Shropshire on Saturday 19 August.

The action-packed event features competitions for all ages, horticulture, crafts, livestock, workshops, circus skills, stunt performers and a vintage tractor display.

Tickets booked before 19 July will receive a 10% discount. To find out more, visit minsterleyshow.org.uk

Taking place in the town’s Quarry Park on Saturday 15 July, the much-loved retro festival will feature performances by, amongst others, Soft Cell (pictured), Midge Ure, Heaven 17, The Undertones, Neville Staple, T’Pau, Hue & Cry, China Crisis and Five Star. To purchase tickets, visit letsrockshrewsbury.com

Horrible Histories airborne at the RAF Museum in Cosford

World-class tennis back at The Shrewsbury Club

The Shrewsbury Club will once again host an ITF World Tennis Tour event later in the year. Bringing together top British and international names in women’s tennis, the Budgen Motors W100 tournament will be played on the Sundorne Road venue’s indoor courts from Sunday 15 to Sunday 22 October. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit worldtennistourshrewsbury.com

Shrewsbury Arts Trail returns for a third year

The increasingly ambitious Shrewsbury Arts Trail returns for a third year this month, this time taking the theme of ‘movement’. Highlights of the 2023 event include a number of dance and music performances commemorating the life and work of John Weaver, the father of English ballet and pantomime, who was born in Shrewsbury 350 years ago.

Other attractions include a special exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery featuring the work of several internationally renowned artists, among them Banksy, Damien Hirst, Barbara Hepworth, LS Lowry and Salvador Dalí.

Dalí’s work is also included in this year’s Sculpture Trail, as is work by Jacob Chandler, while a Children’s Treasure Trail comes complete with prizes donated by local businesses.

The County of Salop Steam Engine Society’s 2023 Rally takes place at Onslow Park in Shrewsbury on Sunday 27 & Monday 28 August.

This year’s event will feature, among other attractions, more than 1,000 exhibits, a

Sir Lenny to launch new kids’ book in home town

Sir Lenny Henry is launching his children’s picture book, You Can Do Anything, Tyrone!, at a special event at Dudley Library this month (Saturday 8 July). The ticketed element of the launch, which has sold out, will be followed by a book signing at midday, during which Sir Lenny will read the story and chat to families. There will be book-based activities for children, too. Image credit: Jack Lawson

Christmas film favourite in concert at Utilita Arena

Hit 1990 film Home Alone will be screened at Utilita Arena Birmingham this Christmas, with the movie’s John Williams-composed score being performed live by a full orchestra and choir.

Home Alone In Concert stops off in the city on Wednesday 20 December as part of a UK arena tour. To find out more, visit the venue’s website: utilitaarenabham.co.uk

celebration of Land Rover’s 75th anniversary, a full arena programme, an ‘olde time’ fair, a craft marquee and six acres of trade stands. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit shrewsburysteamrally.co.uk

Fawlty Towers tribute show back in Shropshire

A hit Fawlty Towers tribute show is making a welcome return to Shrewsbury venue The Buttermarket this month (Friday 21 & Saturday 22 July).

Offering audiences the chance to enjoy ‘a three-course meal and five-star comedy’, the highly interactive Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience has been seen by over a million people worldwide and this year celebrates 25 years of touring.

The show is returning to The Buttermarket having last visited the venue in April this year. Performances sell out pretty quickly, so be sure to book your tickets asap!

To do so, visit thebuttermarket.co.uk

Steam rally fun returning to Shropshire next month

A GEM OF A FESTIVAL

Without doubt one of the Midlands’ most popular multi-arts events, Lichfield Festival returns this month with another magnificently eclectic programme of performances and events.

Kate Rusby, Nitin Sawhney, Jiaxin & Julian Lloyd Webber and the London Community Gospel Choir are amongst the performers showcasing their exceptional talents in the magnificent setting of Lichfield Cathedral. Here’s just a taster of what’s on offer...

N’FAMADY KOUYATE & GASPER NALI

The Hub at St Mary’s, Wed 12 July

This concert of African music features two top musicians.

N’famady Kouyate’s (pictured) instrument of choice is the balafon - a traditional wooden xylophone sacred to West African culture... Gasper Nali, meanwhile, plays a one-string home-made three-metre-long babatoni bass guitar with a stick and an empty beer bottle.

Lichfield Festival takes place at various locations across the city from Thursday 6 to Sunday 16 July. Visit: lichfieldfestival.org for the full programme and to book tickets

THE LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL

CHOIR Lichfield Cathedral, Thursday 6 July

Spreading the message of peace and unity through music and faith, LCGC are one of the most in-demand choirs in the world. Their impressive CV includes performances at the FA Cup Final, Glastonbury and, more recently, in ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. They also have a long list of collaborations under their belt, working alongside artists including Elton John, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Blur and Adele, to name but a few...

NITIN SAWHNEY

Lichfield Cathedral, Friday 7 July

A recipient of the Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award, producer, songwriter, touring artist and club & BBC radio DJ Nitin Sawhney has one of the most versatile voices in the industry and a reputation that spans the worlds of music, dance, theatre and film. This Lichfield Cathedral concert sees him joined by his regular collaborators on vocals, tabla and violin.

JESSICA WALKER: GIRLS WILL BE BOYS

The Hub at St Mary’s, Friday 7 July

This is one of two festival shows in which Associate Artist Jessica Walker addresses the age-old tradition of girls dressed as boys on stage. Part of the It’s A Drag season, Jessica will be joined by pianist Joseph Atkins for a whistle-stop musical tour of cross-dressing in popular song.

Expect Marlene Dietrich classics performed alongside the likes of Burlington Bertie, After The Ball and Victor Victoria.

POLLY LEACH: WEARING THE TROUSERS

The Hub at St Mary’s, Sunday 9 July

Award-winning mezzo soprano Polly is here joined by pianist Florent Mourier for a musical exploration of ‘cross-dressing’ in the arts.

Part of the It’s A Drag mini-season, the event features arias showcasing a wide range of characters - lovelorn page boys, fraught composers, princes, kings and emperorsbrought to life via the music of Handel, Mozart and both Richard & Johann Strauss.

RACHEL PODGER & DANIELE CAMINITI

Lichfield Cathedral, Sunday 9 July

Following festival solo recitals in 2021 and ’22, world-renowned violinist Rachel is here joined by theorbist Daniele for a concert titled Hidden In Plain Sight.

Performing a programme of baroque music from Biber, Fontana, Vivaldi, Bach, Kaspberger and Piccinini, Rachel and Daniele will showcase their musical virtuosity both individually and as a duo.

BOBBY SEAGULL

Guildhall, Sunday 9 July

Bobby is a man on a mission: to make people appreciate mathematics.

Coming to prominence on University Challenge, he’s since appeared on TV’s Would I Lie To You?, written for the Financial Times and published a book titled The LifeChanging Magic Of Numbers.

This festival appearance sees him sharing amusing stories about how he’s tried to persuade the nation to enjoy maths.

TIBETAN MONKS OF THE TASHI LHUNPO MONASTERY

Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 13 July

Join eight Tibetan monks as they present a showcase of their spiritual culture to mark the 50th anniversary of the rebuilding of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in India.

Titled The Power Of Compassion, their show includes dance, music and Tantric ritual, presented alongside the sounds of sacred mantras. A feast for the eyes, the production features elaborate and colourful costumes.

MOTHER’S RUIN WITH JENNI WINTER

The Hub at St Mary’s, Friday 14 July

A piano, a fake fur coat and a bottle of gin are the only props needed in Jenni Winter’s onewoman exploration of modern motherhood. Join the writer, performer and all-round comedy gem as she discovers what it is to go from having a mum to being one; from blaming one’s own mother for all your faults, to painfully realising that maybe, just maybe, being a mum wasn’t as easy as it looked...

BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES

Lichfield Cathedral, Saturday 15 July

The festival’s associate orchestra return to Lichfield with an evening of song and orchestral music.

Rising mezzo soprano Polly Leach takes to the stage in the first half to perform Berlioz’s song cycle, Les nuits d’été. Sibelius’ The Swan At Tuonela and Symphony No5 in E flat major feature in the second half.

Award-winning Principal Conductor Ryan Bancroft directs the evening’s proceedings.

Food news from across the region...

Sunday Grill & Chill offering launched

Shrewsbury pub & restaurant The White Horse has launched a new food offering: Sunday Grill & Chill. Every Sunday until September (from midday to 5pm), the popular venue is swapping gravy for glazes and offering ‘the very best of smoked, grilled, slowcooked, flame-cooked and cured gourmet treats’.

The menu will change each week. Visitors can expect hot links, burgers, dogs, loaded fries and more.

Wolverhampton Vegan Market is back!

Wolverhampton Vegan Market takes over City Market on Sunday 30 July.

Organised by Vegan Market Co and running from 10.30am to 4pm, the event brings together a variety of vegan street-food vendors, artisan bakers, craft brewers, ethical jewellers, sustainable chandlers, local artists, environmental charities and zero-waste champions.

Stone Food & Drink Festival returns

Stone Food & Drink Festival returns on Saturday 15 & Sunday 16 July.

The event will see Kibblestone Scout Camp transformed into a foodie haven featuring artisan produce, street-food stalls, live cookery demonstrations with top local chefs, talks, tastings, a ‘little foodies’ zone and live music.

Under-16s go free. Adult tickets can be purchased from the event’s website: stonefooddrink.org.uk

Late-night openings return at award-winning market

Shrewsbury Market Hall’s popular ‘late nights’ make a return on Saturday 1 July, with the venue’s cafes and bars staying open until 10pm. The range of food available to enjoy will include dim sum, Thai, South American, Middle Eastern and continental fusion. Cocktail, wine and gin bars will also be open, as will a selection of lifestyle stalls for visitors

Alcohol-free cocktail garden party at the museum

Popular Shropshire business Dry is running an alcohol-free cocktail garden party at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery’s Stop Cafe Bar on Thursday 20 July.

The event will make use of the museum’s historic courtyard (weather permitting), which is currently home to a giant Salvador Dali sculpture.

Alcohol-free producers from Anon and Everleaf will be on hand to talk about their products and provide a cocktail masterclass.

In addition to the sampling and a drink on arrival, guests will be able to indulge in tasty food pairings.

All of the drinks being sampled will also be available to buy on the night, complete with a 10% discount.

The event runs from 6.30pm until 9.30pm. Tickets cost £25 and can be purchased online at drybychoice.com

who fancy a spot of late-night shopping. The Market Hall was crowned Britain’s Favourite Market 2023 in the Great British Market awards. It also won the coveted title back in 2018.

Future late-night dates are 23 September, 28 October and 2 December.

ROOT MANOEUVRES

We chat to UB40’s Jimmy Brown ahead of the band’s homecoming gig in Moseley next month

I was probably always gonna be a drummer because from a very young age I was tapping out rhythms on the desk - I used to drive my teachers mad!

by Steve Adams

UB40’s huge outdoor show at Birmingham’s Moseley Park next month brings the legendary reggae band back to where it all started for them 45 years ago. What’s On caught up with drummer and founder member Jimmy Brown to find out what’s in store for the homecoming celebration...

When UB40 take the stage at Moseley Park & Pool next month, it will be the ultimate homecoming gig. The 100 million albumselling band - the world’s biggest reggae outfit by a considerable margin - were formed, back in the 1970s, in the bohemian Birmingham neighbourhood, where nearly all the members attended the local School of Art. They rehearsed in a cellar in Trafalgar Road, performed on the back of a lorry driving along Moseley Road, played their first gig at the nearby Hare & Hounds pub and recorded debut album Signing Off in the basement of producer Bob Lamb’s Moseley home. To say the area is an intrinsic part of their history is an understatement.

“It was the birthplace of the band,” says drummer Jimmy Brown, one of the group’s founder members. “Four of us went to Moseley School of Art together, and the rest of the band were people we’d known since the age of about 11 or 12. We were like a gang really.”

Jimmy initially had competition for the drum stool from the band’s original singer, Ali Campbell, but says their individual merits were instantly apparent.

“I was probably always gonna be a drummer because from a very young age I was tapping out rhythms on the desk - I used to drive my teachers mad! The same with my mum and dad - I’d be sitting in the front room listening to records and playing along with knitting needles and upturned biscuit tins.

“Ali wanted to play drums first, but he was too good a singer.”

The band’s original line-up also included Ali’s brother, Robin, on guitar and vocals. The family dynamic became a key part of the UB40 aesthetic, says Jimmy - as well as the cause of a few notable spats.

“Every time there was an argument in the band, it went all the way back to when they were two years old,” he chuckles. “That kinda happens with brothers - you can’t deny that brother blend - but it also helped that we had another brother waiting in the cupboard when Ali left. Duncan took over and we still had those really lovely harmonies.”

Ali departed the band in 2008 (“we haven’t seen him since the day he left - he left Birmingham, left his family and left everybody behind,” says Jimmy), with Duncan proving an ideal replacement due to the similarity of their voices. After a bout of ill health, he retired in 2021, to be replaced by current singer Matt Doyle (aka ‘the new guy’), who Jimmy says is really starting to find his feet.

“The new guy’s really good, he’s really talented, and only half our age! When we played the Hollywood Bowl, he really came out of his shell [and] knocked it out of the park, as they say. He’s enjoying it, and we’re really enjoying it - it’s a really good time for the band at the moment.”

That good time coincides with UB40’s 45th anniversary, which will be marked by live shows, the Homecoming event and a new album (UB45). Jimmy finds it hard to fully appreciate their 45-year career and achievements (“it’s a long time ago but feels like yesterday”), but takes particular pride in the fact that they’ve never stopped performing.

“A lot of bands who come from that time, whether it’s Duran Duran, The Specials or bands like that, they all kind of stopped after a while and then reformed, whereas we just carried on. So we haven’t had a chance to take stock of what’s gone on cos it’s still happening for us.”

Part of that longevity has been forged from being popular literally all over the world. The band never stop playing because there’s no end of places to play. Already this year they’ve performed shows as far away - and exotic - as Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and Grand Cayman.

“We can go as far as somewhere like Samoa, which is about as far as you can go without coming back on yourself, and 10,000 people turn up and sing our songs. We also go to India, Africa, Polynesia, Micronesia. I’d never heard of Micronesia till we went there! Our music is played everywhere.

“I think the reach of the music means that we’ve constantly had territories to tour in,

and we’ve had hits in all of those territories too.”

The longest the band have been off the road was during the Covid lockdown, but the touring machine is very much geared up and rolling again now.

“It’s a lifestyle, really - our families are used to it. Our wives probably quite enjoy us being away for a bit, so they can control the remote and not have us messing up the house!”

The local Homecoming show is clearly one the band are looking forward to, particularly the members who have been there since the start, which also include bassist Earl Falconer and percussionist Norman Hassan. It’ll also be a chance to honour original saxophonist Brian Travers, who died in 2021.

“When the band was first starting, we used to sneak into Moseley Park and hide behind trees, smoking spliffs and all that, so it’s kinda like playing in your own backyard in a way. The spirit of Brian will be with us as well. He was our most prolific songwriter and obviously his horn lines are iconic, so his spirit will definitely be there.”

The Homecoming event is effectively a UB40 festival, and will feature a screening of 1984 documentary Labour Of Love, a Q&A with the band and a host of support acts, including Soul II Soul, The Mouse Outfit, Freetown Collective and DJ Don Letts. There’ll also be Birmingham artists Friendly Fire Band and Young Culture Band, demonstrating reggae’s continued importance to the city, as well as UB40’s enduring influence.

“It’ll be a special night. The festivals in Moseley are always really good - they’re very successful having a festival on that site - so we thought we’d have a go. We’re going to get some great seafood in, we’re going to be doing a Q&A, showing movies and generally having a celebration of all things UB40.”

UB40 Homecoming takes place at Moseley Park, Birmingham, on Sunday 27 August

Live music from across the region...

Hollywood Vampires

Utilita Arena Birmingham, Tues 11 July

“I can’t wait to get back with the guys,” says Alice Cooper in talking about American supergroup Hollywood Vampires. “I really love being in that band. My own band is great and wonderful, but playing with the Vampires is an entirely different situation. “I don’t necessarily do any theatrics at all; I’m just the lead singer in a band, and the band just happens to be one of the best bands around!

“I can’t wait to get to the UK. Lock your doors and put garlic all around - the Vampires are coming!”

Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Sun 23 July

Jools Holland is often viewed - somewhat unfairly, it should be said - as little more than an arch-fan, albeit one with his finger firmly on the musical pulse.

His well-established BBC TV show has long been an eclectic mixture of styles and genres, encompassing music from across the world. His own talent on the piano is immense, his attitude towards his famed Rhythm & Blues Orchestra friendly and egalitarian. The result is a joyous celebration of music, and a sound to which you can’t help but tap your feet. The band are quite a hit on the summer festival circuit for this very reason, with Jools’ familiarity with a bewildering range of material inevitably feeding into the group’s musicmaking endeavours.

Generation Sex

The Civic at The Halls, Wolverhampton, Mon 10 July

Bring together two founder members of Generation X with two stars of the Sex Pistols and what do you get?... Generation Sex, of course!

The punk supergroup sees legendary peroxide-blonde rocker Billy Idol and his Gen X bandmate, bassist Tony James, teaming up with the Pistol’s drummer, Paul Cook, and guitarist, Steve Jones.

Maroon 5

Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Tues 4 July

A band who’ll be celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2024 - if you count a handful of years spent performing as Kara’s Flowers - Maroon 5 produce a sound which is heavily influenced by soul and funk. The Grammy Award winners visit Birmingham having racked up a staggering 90 million-plus album sales and 550 million singles sales.

Meat Loaf By Candlelight

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 29 July

Classical music lovers may well be familiar with the experience of attending concerts performed ‘by candlelight’ - but for rock music afficiandos, it’s definitely a more unusual experience...

But now there’s a chance for Meat Loaf fans to get with the programme, so to speak, by enjoying their hero’s greatest hits in an atmospheric semi-darkness.

The boys first came together five years ago and not surprisingly went down an absolute storm. Indeed, celebrity fan Bob Geldof was so enthused that he apparently burst into their dressing room after only their secondever show to tell them in no uncertain terms that they were “****ing great!”

Bolstered by the adoration of not only Bob but legions of hero-worshipping punk rockers the world over, the veteran quartet visit the Midlands this month after completing a summertime tour of Europe.

Expect all the late, great rock legend’s bestloved songs, performed by a cast of West End singers (some of whom starred in the original production of critically acclaimed musical Bat Out Of Hell).

The Fallen State

O2 Academy, Birmingham, Fri 21 July

With tours alongside the likes of Black Stone Cherry, Halestorm and 3 Doors Down under their belt, British rock band The Fallen State are pushing forward with the important business of making a real name for themselves. It’s an endeavour which was greatly assisted last year by the release of their critically acclaimed second studio album, Between Hope And Disillusion.

Festivals

Festivals coming to the region in July...

Bromsgrove Folk Festival

Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July

Now in its 32nd year, Bromsgrove Folk Festival features intimate concerts by UKbased folk, roots & acoustic performers. The four-day event is this year taking place at Avoncroft Museum for the first time, with organisers promising ‘a fabulous weekend of music, dance, story, food and crafts’.

2023 line-up includes: The Lost Notes (pictured), Colum Sands, The Jigantics, Vicky Swan & Jonny Dyer, Zulu Tradition, Keith Donnelly, Patchwork Skies and Pocket Choral Society.

Solihull Summer Fest

Grange Park, Solihull, Sat 22 & Sun 23 July Solihull Summer Fest has become one of the most popular music get-togethers on the Midlands events calendar. Speaking about the 2023 edition, festival founder & organiser Ian Rogers said: “We are delighted to be bringing such huge talent to

El Dorado Festival

Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Thurs 6 - Sun 9 July

The chance for partygoers to revel in four days of unadulterated fun is the tempting offer being made by the organisers of this boutique festival.

Alongside a diverse and eclectic programme of established and emerging live and electronic artists, El Dorado also features a wide range of activities and entertainment to enjoy, including cabaret, talks and comedy events.

2023 line-up includes: KC And The Sunshine Band, Sampa The Great (pictured), Shy FX, Ben Hemsley, Goldie, Barry Can’t Swim, Prospa, Dutty Moonshine Big Band, Mr Scruff and VC Pines.

Intermission Festival

The Mill, Digbeth, Birmingham, Sat 22 July Inclusivity is very much at the core of Intermission, a culturally rich and genderbalanced festival that celebrates the music and creativity of people from underrepresented backgrounds. Exploring the sounds of the UK’s jazz, Afro, global, electronica and hip-hop scenes, the event features two stages of live music, a creative area, DJ and mental-health workshops, an outdoor yard with food traders and stalls, and a rooftop takeover by female and gender-minority DJ collectives.

2023 line-up includes: Steam Down, Children of Zeus (pictured), Shy One, Toya Delazy, Romo Weeks, TC and the Groove Family ft Franz Von.

Solihull this July - every year the festival gets bigger and better.

“The performances are obviously outstanding, but what people talk about the most is the Summer Fest atmosphere, which is electric.”

2023 line-up includes: Lisa Stansfield, Sophie Ellis-Bexter, The Human League, Boney M & Martin Kemp (pictured).

Fuse Festival

Beacon Park, Lichfield, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July

Founded in 2001 and now established as one of the Midlands’ largest free music & arts festivals, Fuse features a line-up of music spanning genres as diverse as rock, afrobeat, RnB/soul, ska, pop, folk, jazz and reggae. Alongside the music, other attractions for 2023 include circus skills, storytelling and art sessions.

2023 line-up includes: Kioko, The Silver Lines (pictured), Vibrant Ducks, The Kubrics, THEIA, Open Arms, Jess Silk, Collective Sleep, Marquis Drive, Lobster and Gasoline & Matches.

Credit:

Festivals coming to the region in July...

Upton Blues Festival

Various venues around Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire, Fri 21 & Sun 23 July

Set in the beautiful riverside town of Upton upon Severn, Upton Blues started in 2001 as a small event taking place in just a couple of pubs... The festival now features a full weekend of live, free-to-experience music presented across a variety of venues, including pubs, boats and clubs.

2023 line-up includes: Catfish, Martin Harley, Polly Gone Wrong, Josie Field (pictured), Vo Fletcher, Dave Acari, Sister Bodhi, The Washboard Resonators, The Troy Redfern Band and Emma Jonson.

Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival

Moseley Park, Birmingham, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July

Created by the Midlands masterminds behind Moseley Folk & Arts Festival, Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul sees world-class artists coming together with leading lights of the local jazz community for a laidback familyfriendly event designed to celebrate

Warwick Folk Festival

Warwick Castle, Thurs 27 - Sun 30 July

Now in its fifth decade, Warwick Folk Festival boasts the very best in contemporary and traditional folk arts from the UK and beyond.

As well as an extensive line-up of performers, the four-day camping event features workshops, dance performances, children’s entertainment and a festival village.

There’s a fringe event to enjoy as well, including a Morris procession, pop-up stages, and session music in bars & restaurants across the town.

2023 line-up includes: This Is The Kit (pictured), Chris Wood, Mànran, O’Hooley & Tidow, Benji Kirkpatrick and the Excess and Suntou Susso Band

MADE Birmingham

Digbeth Triangle, Birmingham, Fri 28 - Sun 30 July

Now in its ninth year, MADE Festival is heading back to Birmingham. The popular three-dayer was forced to relocate as a result of the city’s successful bid for the Commonwealth Games.

After taking place at Sandwell Valley Country Park in 2021 and Wolverhampton Racecourse last year, the get-together this month returns to its original site and presents a high-energy celebration of the city’s music and culture.

2023 line-up includes: Sean Paul (pictured), Hedex + Eksman, Hybrid Minds, Bou + Haribo, Shy FX and General Levy.

Birmingham’s musical heritage. The festival is located in the picturesque surroundings of Moseley Park, a stunning woodland glade tucked away behind busy Birmingham streets, making it the ideal retreat for music-loving city dwellers.

2023 line-up includes: Fat Freddy’s Drop (pictured), Ezra Collective, KC And The Sunshine Band and Fred Wesley & The New JB’s.

Nozstock: The Hidden Valley

Rowden Paddocks, Bromyard, Herefordshire, Thurs 20 - Sun 23 July

Indulge your curiosity at this eclectic and eccentric festival. Founded by a fun-loving family in the noughties and still overseen by Farmer Noz, the four-day bash presents a line-up of off-the-wall and generically diverse talent. Look out for arts & crafts distractions too, not to mention folk diversions, screenings, workshops and plenty more.

2023 line-up includes: The Wailers, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Shy FX ft. Stamina MC, Grandmaster Flash (pictured) and David Rodigan.

CIRCLE OF LIFE

THE LION KING RETURNS TO BIRMINGHAM

by Diane Parkes

Disney’s The Lion King is one of the most successful musicals of all time. Based on the hit animated film of the same name and premiering on Broadway in 1997, the show has been seen by more than 110 million people across six continents. This summer, the musical returns to Birmingham Hippodrome for a 10-week run. Playing the part of the adult Simba is an actor who grew up determined that he too would be king. As a youngster in the Caribbean island of St Kitts, Kyle Richardson fell in love with the story and its songs.

“I loved it so much that I broke the VHS through watching it too much!” he says. “And I really wanted to be Simba in the show. “They do auditions for The Lion King in Trinidad every five to six years, so I went to audition when I was about 20, but I didn’t get it at that point. Then they came back five years later, and I auditioned again and didn’t get it again. But then the last time I auditioned, which was in 2019, I was offered a part.”

Kyle initially joined the ensemble but had his eyes on the prize. After a period as understudy for Simba, he was finally offered the part for the UK tour last December.

“I knew from the moment I saw the Simba costume and heard the songs that it was a role I wanted, but it took a bit of time!

“The role of Simba is so close to my character - who I am as a person as well as a lot of what he’s going through. I can see parallels to my journey. Every night delving deeper into this character allows you to explore your personal issues, so for me it’s almost like a therapeutic session every time I’m on stage! It allows you to have that moment with the audience of saying ‘I’m vulnerable, this is what I am experiencing.’ And I think everybody can connect to that.”

Kyle believes The Lion King has been so successful because of the strength of its story and characters.

“Anybody who comes to see the show is going to be able to get something from it. It is a spectacle, with the intricate puppetry, the costumes and the amazing staging, but it’s

also a story for everyone. For the kids, it’s the animals; for the teenagers, it’s the idea that ‘I might be going through this as well,’ and for the adults, it’s ‘I remember when I used to have these issues and what I did to deal with them.’ Everyone is going to get something different.”

South African actress Nokwanda Khuzwayo, who plays female lead Nala in the UK tour, is keeping it in the family - her twin sister Nokubonga has also portrayed Nala in The Lion King international tours.

“I always hear people saying they saw the show when they were children, but I was about 21 or 22 the first time I saw it, and that was because my sister was in it,” Nokwanda recalls. “When I saw it, I was blown awayand that’s when I knew I wanted to be in the show.”

Nokwanda auditioned in Johannesburg and toured with the production in Brazil, China and Germany. Initially she was in the ensemble before being offered the lead roleand she admits to a bit of sibling rivalry. “There was a part of me that said I need to do it better than my sister! She hasn’t been to see me yet, but I know she’s going to give me lots of notes when she does.

“I’ve learnt so much from the character of Nala and from her journey. I’m actually quite shy, but I’ve learnt how to be stronger and to speak up.”

Nokwanda says the costumes and masks, which are a signature of the show, also help her form the character.

“You get accustomed to doing it every day, and for the costume and the mask you are wearing to become part of the role and part of your body. So now if you tell me to do it without my mask, it doesn’t feel real. My sister took a break from The Lion King and did some TV. Every time I watched her, she would do this move, and it’s interesting because it’s actually from The Lion King and is now so ingrained in her.”

Matthew Forbes, who plays the hornbill royal attendant Zazu, has been with The Lion King for four years.

“This is one of those magical musicals which I have always been a massive fan of,” he says. “I remember seeing it with my grandparents when I was very little in London. It just blew me away the first time I saw it. I remember sitting in the auditorium during Circle Of Life and just having a really strong response to it and wanting to be part of that story.”

Zazu brings much of the comedy to the show. “He has such brilliant one-liners. There are lots of gags there, and we try to make many of them local to the city where we are, which is really fun. Comedy is always difficultyou’re always nervous in case people don’t find you funny - but this show has been so beautifully written and is so well-crafted that audiences always laugh.”

Matthew, who grew up in Leicester, also draws on all of his expertise as a puppeteera skill he first honed in the National Theatre production of War Horse.

“Zazu is one of the most complicated puppets in the show - his eyes blink, his mouth moves, his wings open, he’s got two little feet that are responsive, and then his neck is a slinky kind of thing. He’s so expressive. Every performance you’re making sure that he’s coming to life and then focusing on the words, and the dance moves, and not falling off the stage! It’s quite complicated, but I love bringing him to life.”

And Matthew also loves being part of the show. “When I was younger, I thought it was beautiful and wonderful, but then as I grew up, I realised it has some quite adult themes. It’s a story of overcoming adversity, of friendship, of trying to work out where you sit within the world.

“It’s such a popular show - everybody loves it. And it’s just a joy as a performer to work on a show that has such an exciting buzz.”

Disney’s The Lion King shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Thursday 6 July to Saturday 16 September

Theatre

Seen by millions across the globe, Eleanor Bergstein’s smash-hit musical tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds who come together for what will prove to be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives...

Theatre previews from around the region

Heathers The Musical

Malvern Theatres, Tues 25 - Sat 29 July; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 19Sat 23 September

Although far from being an unqualified success with the critics, Heathers The Musical did great business in the West End and is proving popular on its first-ever UK tour. Based on the cult 1989 movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, the show follows the character of Veronica Sawyer, a high school student who’s tired of being part of a

Featuring music by the likes of Gene Chandler, The Chantels, The Drifters, Marvin Gaye, Lesley Gore, Mickey & Sylvia, The Surfaris and Django Reinhardt, the show’s hit numbers include Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and the iconic I’ve Had The Time Of My Life.

feared and popular clique with three girls named Heather. Eager to opt out, she finds herself drawn to new student Jason ‘JD’ Dean, a rebellious young man with murder in mind...

Bridesmaids Of Britain

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 11 & Wed 12 July; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sun 30 July; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 5 August; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 16 September; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Sat 23 September; Malvern Theatres, Tues 26 - Sat 30 September

Derry Girls actress & comedian Diona Doherty took inspiration from hit Hollywood movie Bridesmaids in writing this touring comedy, her first-ever play. Originally titled Bridesmaids Of Northern Ireland, the show tells the story of three thirtysomething women whose footloose and fancy-free days are set to become a thing of the past as one of them prepares to get married.

“I loved the idea of writing just for women and having an all-female cast on stage,” says Diona. “I wanted to write a play that showed what women talk about, rather than what men think we talk about.”

The Rocky Horror Show

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Mon 10 - Sat 15 July Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’The Rocky Horror Show is once again out on tour!

Richard O Brien’s cult production tells the tale of the straight-laced Brad and the deliciously corruptible Janet, who arrive at the castle of the alien transvestite Frank N Furter and witness the birth of the monster, Rocky. Along the way, they take the audience through a selection of love-’em-or-loathe-’em musical numbers, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and The Time Warp. Great fun’s a guarantee - particularly if you get into the spirit of things and attend the show dressed in your very best stockings & suspenders (as many patrons do)!

Dirty Dancing Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 4 - Sat 8 July; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 18 - Sat 22 July

Theatre previews from around the region

Abigail’s Party

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Fri 28 - Sun 30 July; Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire, Tues 4 - Sat 8 July

Making its television debut as a BBC Play For Today in autumn 1977, Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party became an instant hit and catapulted Alison Steadman to stardom.

A fascinating study of the pretensions of 1970s suburbia, the play focuses on the interaction between five ill-matched people during an evening characterised by alcohol, cigarettes, Demis Roussos records and cheesy nibbles.

Steadman’s portrayal of the monstrous Beverly was so definitive that it’s a brave actress indeed who attempts to play the character in any other way.

Imaginary: A New Musical

Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Fri 7 & Sat 8 July

Milo and Sam spend all their time together, using their imaginations to transform their world into a place of adventure and excitement. But as Sam’s first day at a new school approaches, her mother worries that Milo is holding her daughter back...

Performed by the Hippodrome’s Musicals Youth Theatre, Imaginary is described by its producers as a funny and inspiring show about the wonder of childhood, the power of imagination, and what it means to grow up.

Patel’s Millions

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Fri 14 July

Described as a rags-to-riches adventure, Patel’s Millions blends ‘foot-tapping Bollywood songs with dazzling dances and laugh-out-loud comedy’ to tell the story of a struggling shopkeeper with big dreams... Patel is desperate to make life better for himself and his family, and one night he unexpectedly finds himself with the opportunity to do just that. But he soon finds out that becoming rich beyond your wildest dreams can come at a price - one that he may well find he doesn’t want to pay...

Candide

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Wed 12 July

The starting point for legendary composer Leonard Bernstein’s Candide was Voltaire’s 1759 satirical novella of the same name. Bernstein worked on Candide while composing West Side Story, having been prompted to create the operetta by playwright Lillian Hellman. For Hellman, the world about which Voltaire had written two centuries earlier provided an ideal metaphor for America’s anti-Communist ‘McCarthyism’ of the 1950s, a witch hunt that had negatively impacted herself, Bernstein, and many of their friends. Candide is a work which, despite initially being slammed by the critics, has gone on to become one of the most performed operas in the world... This new version is presented in Birmingham by Welsh National Opera.

Trapped

Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 20 - Sat 22 July

TwoJens&Me theatre company return with their fourth play, presented at the Blue Orange as part of Birminghamfest 2023. A powerful and thought-provoking one-man show, Trapped focuses on the trials and tribulations of Thomas Rogers, a man living on his own in a small bedsit and struggling to overcome mental-health issues brought on by past experiences...

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 14 - Sun 16 July

This one-man show debuted to rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival and depicts the legendary Quentin Crisp in two distinct phases of his extraordinary life: firstly in the late 1960s, in his filthy Chelsea flat, where he surveys a lifetime of degradation and rejection; and then in New York in the 1990s, where, finally embraced by society, he regales the audience with his hard-earned philosophy on how to make the most of one’s time on earth. “Life will be more difficult if you try to become yourself,” he advises. “But avoiding this difficulty renders life meaningless. So discover who you are. And be it. Like mad!”

The production is written and performed by Mark Farrelly.

As You Like It

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 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 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,

The Empress

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 turns 73 this month - makes her RSC debut (as Rosalind) and leads a company of veteran actors.

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, Fri 7 July - 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 step off a boat at Tilbury Docks after making the long voyage from India.

Much Ado About Nothing

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 8 & Sun 9 July; Telford Theatre, Oakengates, Shropshire, Wed 19 July; Victoria Gardens, Tewkesbury, Sun 16 July; Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Sun 23 July

Much Ado About Nothing revolves around the stumbling romance between Benedick and Beatrice. It’s a liaison strewn with difficulties, chief among which is an unwillingness on the part of either of them to admit a liking for the other...

Not that the plot of Much Ado is likely to be overly important in this particular production, given the fact that it’s zany funsters Oddsocks who’re at the helm! Expect plenty of madcap mayhem and laughter from this always-value-for-money ensemble.

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...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, until Sun 9 July

Accessible language, likeable characters and a series of comic capers with an ass combine to make Dream one of Shakespeare’s most popular works.

Lysander and Demetrius both fancy Hermia, Helena’s sitting on the shelf, Titania and Oberon are up to no good, and Puck’s got his finger in more pies than Mr Kipling.

Add to this a group of rude mechanicals and the recipe for success is guaranteed... West End favourite Kerry Ellis stars as Titania.

Outdoor theatre productions showing across the region

Romeo And Juliet

Lichfield Cathedral, Mon 10 July

Widely regarded as Shakespeare’s fifth tragedy, Romeo & Juliet tells a tale of forbidden and secret love. And although it tends to fair less well critically than the rest of the playwright’s high-profile works, its

Robin Hood

Bolton Gate Farm, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 21 July; Stourbridge Lawn Tennis & Squash Club, Stourbridge, Sun 13 August; Forge Mill Valley, Sandwell Farm, West Bromwich, Wed 15 August; Hanbury Hall, Droitwich, Sun 20 August

The Sherwood Forest-dwelling hero makes a welcome return in this high-energy romprobbing from the rich, giving to the poor and making life generally unpleasant for the everso-wicked Sheriff of Nottingham.

The show is being presented in the great outdoors by Ilyria, a well-established ensemble which has ‘given more performances to more people across a wider area’ than any other open-air touring theatre company.

timeless themes ensure its continuing popularity.

The play is here presented as Shakespeare first saw it: in the open air, with Elizabethan costumes, music and dance, and performed by an all-male cast - in this particular case, the critically acclaimed Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Coventry Cathedral, Sat 15 July

The cleverly named HandleBards are the company behind this show, which promises to be a splendidly unique version of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedy. Explaining exactly why, the ensemble say: “We are cycling Shakespearean actors who carry all of our set, props and costumes on the back of our bikes, performing extremely energetic, charmingly chaotic and environmentally sustainable Shakespeare plays across the UK. We specialise in open-air theatre, but we’re really happy appearing anywhere: theatres, castles, gardens, bicycle shops, pub gardens and schools. You name it, we’ve probably performed there!”

Bad Dad

Brueton Park, Solihull, Tues 18 July

Although Heartbreak Productions are perhaps best known for their outdoor presentations of Shakespeare plays, the company also tours a selection of other stage works, one of which is this adaptation of David Walliams’ 2017 bestseller. For those unfamiliar with the story, it’s a high-speed cops & robbers adventure about a father and son who take on a villain known

as Mr Big - and win!

Heartbreak have impressive form when it comes to Walliams’ work, so it’s fair to assume this latest offering will also be of the very highest quality.

The Importance Of Being Earnest

The Commandery Gardens, Worcester, Wed 12 - Sun 23 July

This famous Oscar Wilde work is a rightly adored slice of farce that sits in the upper echelons of British comic theatre. The story revolves around the attempts of Jack to marry his true love, Gwendolen, in spite of the fact that Algernon is masquerading as Jack’s wayward brother, Ernest, in order to see his exquisite ward, Cecily. Add in the ingredient of the redoubtable Lady Bracknell and there’s little wonder that disaster looms large on Jack’s horizon... Presented by Worcester Repertory Company.

The Comedy Of Errors

Bushley Village Hall, Tewkesbury, Sat 1 July; Wenlock Priory, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire, Sun 23 July; Evesham Golf Club, Pershore, Sun 30 July; Honeybourne Village Hall, Evesham, Sun 16 August

Shakespeare’s forerunner to modern farce, Comedy is a superbly crafted catalogue of mistaken identity, adulterous liaisons and slapstick humour.

Two sets of identical twins are separated during infancy. When their paths cross again later in life, all manner of confusions ensue. Matters are then further complicated by the involvement of an irate courtesan, an insistent jeweller and a mad exorcist! The production is presented by Rain Or Shine Theatre Company.

As You Like It

Acton Scott Hall, Church Stretton, South Shropshire, Wed 26 July; Coventry Cathedral, Thurs 3 August

“Taking on far too many characters between them, we present three exhausted actors trying to pull off an impossible feat.”

So says highly rated theatre company Three Inch Fools in talking about this touring production of Shakespeare’s popular comedy. “Rosalind and Celia are on the run, Orlando is practising his passionate yet pathetic attempts at poetry, and a cohort of boisterous lords are rubbing shoulders with a company of country bumpkins!

Outdoor theatre productions showing across the region

RELIGHT YOUR FIRE

Kym Marsh talks to What’s On about her starring role in Greatest Days, the official Take That musical, which stops off at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre mid month...

Kym Marsh is having the Greatest Days starring in Take That’s hit musical, which comes to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this month.

Premiered in Manchester in 2017 under its original title of The Band, the show has returned this year - now named Greatest Days - for a tour of the UK. And to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Take That’s first UK number one, Pray, this summer also sees the release of a movie version of the musical.

Greatest Days is written by Tim Firth - who also penned Calendar Girls and Kinky Bootsand tells the story of a group of teenage girls. Sharing one special night when they go to see their favourite band, they promise to be friends forever - but life then pulls them apart. Twenty-five years later, when one of the group, Rachel, wins tickets to see the band, she invites her friends for a reunion. Kym takes the part of the older Rachel, while her real-life daughter, Emilie Cunliffe, plays 16-year-old Rachel. It’s the first time they have starred together in a musical.

“It’s been such a wonderful experience for me to watch her grow in the way she has,” says Kym. “This is her first-ever stage production, and to watch how she’s progressed and flourished from day one of rehearsals to where she is now, I feel very privileged. She has always wanted to be a performer, from when she was a little girl, very similar to me and my back story. It’s always been there in her blood, and she’s starting to break through now. She recorded her first album in Nashville last year, and it’s all coming together.

“We get on really well - we’re like best friends, really - so it’s nice for us both to have a little bit of home on tour. I’m always there if she needs a chat or advice about any of the performance. She did do that in the beginning, but she’s flying by herself now. Generally we’re not on stage a lot together because she’s playing a young me, so when she’s on, I get to listen and watch from the wings. Every day she’s doing something different, trying something new, and that’s part of being a performer and an actor; to trust yourself.”

The show features a string of songs made famous by Take That, including Shine, Back For Good, A Million Love Songs, Rule The World, Pray and Never Forget.

For Kym, who was a teenager when Take That were at the height of their fame, there are special memories attached to the music.

“In 1993 I was about 16 or 17, so I was the

same age as the young girls in the show. Take That had a huge impact on your life if you were that age in 1993. They were the next big thing. I was obviously a big fan back in the day. Actually, when my eldest son was born, I was 18, and Back For Good was at number one, so it holds lots of nice memories for me.

“They are wonderful songs, and they really stand the test of time. That’s the genius of Take That; you can put them on at any time and guarantee you’ll know the words, and you can’t help but sing along. I think that’s a testament to them.”

But Kym stresses Greatest Days is not Take That’s story.

“One of the things that surprises people when they come to see the show is that they don’t always realise the story behind it. They think they’re coming to see a musical about Take That, but it’s not about Take That. It’s just that the music of Take That is what supports the girls through their lives.

“The story is very much about friendshipthe things these girls are going through in their lives at 16, the things they’re going through 25 years later, and how the music helps them through their lives.

“When we begin the story, the audience are often quite surprised at the mix of emotions they go through whilst watching it - but in a good way. We have people coming up to us at the end saying they cried, they laughed, they danced, and how uplifting it is. I think people will come away feeling like they’ve just been on some kind of rollercoaster because there are so many emotions involved, but the one thing in common is that they all have a great time. It’s just joyous.”

Kym rose to fame at the turn of the millennium in reality television series Popstars, winning a place in the group Hear’Say. After a year of hits with them, she left to embark on a solo career. She has since taken to the stage in shows including Saturday Night Fever and Fatal Attraction. On television she’s played numerous parts, most famously the role of Michelle Connor in Coronation Street for 13 years and, currently, Nicky Walters in Waterloo Road. Now a 47-year-old mother and grandmother, she always hoped to be a singer and actor - so what advice would she give to her 16-year-old self?

“When I was 16, I had dreams and aspirations, and I always wondered what would happen. I’ve been lucky to realise my dream, but I think if I could say anything to myself at that age it would be: Be prepared

by Diane Parkes

for the ride because it’s not an easy one.” But like the girls in Greatest Days, Kym has always been supported by her friends.

“This show says a lot about friendship. These teenage girls break apart and don’t meet up for 25 years - what has happened to the dreams they had? Have they turned out to be what they wanted to be? Are they the same people? For me, the key in this is the friendships, and it shows how much we need our friends and how we help each other through our lives. I’ve got friends who I might not see from one year to the next, but we can always pick up from where we left off - that friendship will always remain.

“This is why people connect with the show; it’s such a human story. It’s a brilliant show, and I keep saying to people that you have to come and see it. It’s such fun on stage that it’s not like work. And to find something like that is quite rare - it’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever done.”

Greatest Days - The Official Take That Musical plays the Wolverhampton Grand from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 July

Theatre for younger audiences...

Zog

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fri 26 - Sun 30 July

With their other shows including Tiddler And Other Terrific Tales, Stick Man and Tabby McTat, it’s fair to say that Freckle Productions know a thing or two about presenting stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler books.

One of the most popular, and here making a welcome return to the stage, is Zog - the delightful story of a young dragon who is determined to win himself a gold star while attending dragon school.

Zog is so determined, in fact, that he tries a little bit too hard, bumping, burning and roaring his way through years one, two and three. Somewhat the worse for wear from his experiences, he not only finds himself being patched up by the plucky Princess Pearl but also coming face-to-face with his biggest challenge yet… a duel with the knight, Sir Gadabout the Great!

Fireman Sam

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sun 30 July; William Aston Hall, Wrexham, Wed 2 August

Now an impressive 36 years into his firefighting career, Fireman Sam is still putting out blazes in Pontypandy and lighting up children’s eyes with delight. In this long-touring adventure, perpetual troublemaker Norman Price decides to become the star of the circus. But with a tiger on the loose and faulty lights threatening everybody’s safety, it’s soon time for Fireman Sam to reach for his trusty hose and come to the rescue.

know what to expect from a Milkshake! show. If not, get ready for an event that promises lots of laughter, bucketloads of family fun, bags of audience participation and plenty of singing and dancing...

The Snail And The Whale

Brewhouse Theatre, Burton upon Trent, Fri 28Sun 30 July; 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.

Milkshake Live!

Telford Theatre, Shropshire, Sat 22 July

Milkshake Monkey’s putting on a show - and he’s inviting little ones to come along and join in the fun with Paddington, Daisy & Ollie, Milo, Noddy, Pip & Posy and Blue’s Clues...

If you’ve watched the TV series and/or been to a previous live production, you’ll already

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Tues 18 & Wed 19 July; 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 Award-nominated 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!

by Steve Adams

Birmingham Festival 23 kicks off late this month, providing 10 days of free events to mark the oneyear anniversary of the city hosting the Commonwealth Games. Looking back to last summer is one thing, but organisers also see the festival as a way of showcasing Birmingham’s cultural offering. The opening event will set that agenda nicely - as What’s On discovers...

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the Commonwealth Games turned the spotlight on Birmingham, and the city responded by hosting a fabulous sporting spectacle as well as the wonderful Birmingham 2022 Festival of events.

The Games were always meant to leave a lasting legacy, and not just in terms of sporting involvement, encouragement and infrastructure. The six-month Birmingham Festival, commissioned and supported by the city council and - according to an independent report - attended by nearly 2.5 million people, is something organisers hope has whetted the city’s appetite for the arts. The aim is to develop a new international festival for the city and region.

There are plenty of reasons to do so - the report also revealed that the festival brought more than £10million into the region’s economy, with 96 per cent of festival event attendees rating their experience either good or excellent. Eight out of 10 residents of the region said it had improved their perception of where they live.

Raidene Carter, the festival’s creative director, was delighted with the event’s impact: “It showed the true power of bringing arts & culture together with a major sporting event, making the cultural festival and the sporting festival greater than the sum of their parts.”

The success has prompted the creation of Birmingham Festival 23, a 10-day eventmirroring the dates of last year’s Commonwealth Games - that will bring a range of live music and performance, creative and participatory activities, as well as bigscreen content, to Centenary Square.

Designed to be an opportunity for audiences, artists, local communities and volunteers to come together to watch, listen, relax, dance and play, the event will not only look back at last year’s wonderful summer but also forward into the future - as Raidene explains: “We only look back to move forward, like the mythical West African Sankofa Bird (or a ‘push-me, pull-you’ if that’s more your kind of thing).

“Whilst this year’s festival will pay homage to the Games, it will do so by creating another quality platform for homegrown talent,

giving more space to showcase our creative communities, and by inviting new voices to take centre stage.”

Friday 28 July will see the festival’s opening event set the scene. While it will acknowledge the success of last year - and the people who made it a success - there’s a definite eye on the future too.

“We think Birmingham deserves a massive pat on the back for what we all achieved last year,” Raidene continues, “and we want everyone who comes along to remember that they played some part and should feel an enormous sense of pride.

The show will be entertaining and rouse positive emotions. By re-looking at some of the highlights of last year, but through a new cultural lens, we hope to recreate some of that big ‘summer of 2022’ atmosphere, relive some of the memories and, importantly, show just how creative the Games were.”

The event will see house DJ Echo Juliet and BBC Asian Network’s Bobby Friction building excitement on the square ahead of the show, which will be hosted by BBC presenter Ayo Akinwolere and DJ & Radio 1Xtra presenter Kaylee Golding.

Initial entertainment will be provided by Birmingham 2022’s mascot, Perry, Bhangra group the Dhol Blasters, and a host of medalwinning athletes from last year’s Games, who will form a parade prior to a performance by Birmingham Conservatoire-trained mezzosoprano Samantha Oxborough, who sang the national anthem at the 2022 Opening Ceremony.

The final part of the evening is due to take place on the fountain area of Centenary Square in front of the festival stage, when Ayo and Kaylee will introduce speeches and interview guests before a live-music finale courtesy of Birmingham Music Archive.

The music show will feature an eclectic mix of local talent and draw heavily from last year’s On Record album - a specially commissioned 11-track ‘sonic love letter’ to Birmingham which has had more than 100 million digital listens in 233 countries around the world, as well as an equally incredible 2.5 million live streams during the Games. Artists who appeared on the album and are set to perform at the festival’s opening event

include singer, dancer & multiinstrumentalist Bambi Bains, Urban Music Award winner SANITY, and the night’s headline act, Friendly Fire Band (for more details, see page 36).

Jez Collins of Birmingham Music Archive said: “We called the On Record album ‘A Sonic Love Letter To Birmingham’ but we’ve tweaked that a little this year so it’s a Sonic ‘Live’ Letter instead! People can come and hear the music, see some of the bands who were on the record and really get the festival up and running with a bit of a party vibe.

“I’m so excited to be part of the team programming the opening night. Last summer was so joyous, and I was so proud that On Record helped to soundtrack the Games. To hear the songs in the stadium and at the live sites was magic, but this event promises something we didn’t manage to make possible last year, with three On Record artists performing live together for the first time.”

Reliving the glory days of last summer while creating something that could become a regular fixture is what the event is all about, says Jez.

“I think there’s a real desire and aspiration not to let last year be forgotten, and I hope Birmingham Festival 23 is the start of something that will become an annual event which will grow, get bigger and change. We won’t always be celebrating or looking back at the Commonwealth Games; we want to use the festival as a springboard.

“For me, it’s gonna be 10 days of brilliant arts & culture in the city, and the sort of excitement that’s hard to quantify but you could feel it walking round Birmingham last year. There was a real buzz, a real happiness and a real sense of pride and excitement, so I’m hoping these 10 days will be like that. And the opening night is going to be really special.”

The opening event takes place in Birmingham’s Centenary Square on Friday 28 July and kicks off Birmingham Festival 23, which runs until Sunday 6 August

MEET THE STARS

The opening event on Friday 28 July will see a host of artists and special guests come together to bring a party atmosphere to Centenary Square. Here’s our guide to who’s who...

The opening event of any festival is key to setting the tone and getting people fired up for what’s to come, and organisers of Birmingham Festival 23 hope their first night will do just that. It’ll certainly get things off to a lively start, with a variety of musical acts set to get people dancing and moving about at the all-standing event (although there’s an accessible viewing platform for those who need it). Accessibility has been one of the primary interests of festival organisers, and the event will also be BSL interpreted and audio described.

Picking highlights of the evening’s entertainment is no easy task. When we asked Jez Collins of Birmingham Music Archive, who helped organise the musical finale, who to look out for, his response was “All of it!” Thanks a lot, Jez!

When pushed, he did admit the opening set from DJs Echo Juliet and Bobby Friction was something he was particularly excited about.

“It’s a very special DJ collaboration to kick off the night,” he said. “It’s something that hasn’t been done before, as far as I’m aware, so people should definitely come down and listen to that.

“For our bit on the night, we’ve got Bambi Bains, SANITY and Friendly Fire Band, who

BAMBI BAINS

Singer, model & dancer

Bambi learned bhangra dancing, won talent shows and mastered a variety of musical instruments while still at school in Birmingham. Her debut single, Chakkar, was released in 2017. Follow-ups

Retro Rarri and Duniya have earned her global acclaim, while bilingual tune Khavaal mixes her Punjabi heritage with a strong R&B vibe.

FRIENDLY FIRE BAND

Mainstays of Birmingham’s reggae scene, these international musicians have been exciting festival crowds for years, their fusion of traditional roots, dancehall and one-drop rhythms creating a suitably ‘fiery’ brand of party music. Their anthemic It’s A Brum Ting became the soundtrack to the summer of 2022 and was used by the BBC for its Commonwealth Games broadcast music.

were all on the On Record album, are all amazing performers and have all gone on to bigger things. Not long after On Record last year, Bambi was playing Glastonbury, for example.

“I’m confident audiences who come down will experience some great music that crosses different genres. There’s a bit of AsianBhangra pop & soul with Bambi, there’s SANITY, whose sound is going from rap to jazzy funk & soul, and then we’ve got Friendly Fire Band, who are the party group of all groups and will end the night on a real high.

“I’m really looking forward to watching the very last bit of their performance - as the crowd disperses, they’ll go out with a little bit of a skank, dancing and celebrating into the night. I know I’m biased, but I’d say all of those.”

As well as the finale featuring the On Record acts, the event will also include performances by a number of other stars from last year. Among them are Bhangra group the Dhol Blasters, Samantha Oxborough - who performed the national anthem at the 2022 Opening Ceremony - The Choir With No Name - who were part of the Wondrous Stories event that opened last

DHOL BLASTERS

Dhol Blasters are the world’s first, oldest and biggest dhol outfit, created and managed by Bhangra music pioneer and godfather Gurcharan Jit Mall, aka King G Mall. The band have been spreading their infectious brand of Dhol music and performing around the world for more than 55 years.

BOBBY FRICTION

DJ, television & radio presenter Bobby is one of the faces of the BBC Asian Network, as well as a documenter and historian of Asian music culture. He’s won multiple Sony Radio Academy awards, was a regular DJ at the Custard Factory’s legendary Shaanti club and is a recognised specialist in desi beats. When he hits the decks, be prepared to dance!

year’s festival - and community BSL choir Music In Motion, who responded to the festival’s Made In Brum open call and should provide a musical moment for everyone to join in with.

All the performers are aiming to get the festival party started in their own unique way, and none more so than the Friendly Fire Band, who are looking forward to rolling out It’s A Brum Ting, which they recorded for On Record. The song has since become an anthem for the city.

“We knew it was a catchy song, but we had no idea that Brummies would take it so much to their hearts,” says the band’s guitarist, Robin Giorno. “To hear it sung back at us is amazing! And it’s not just popular in Birmingham - it’s part of our set and always gets a great reaction wherever we’re playing. We can’t wait to play it on the opening night of Birmingham Festival 23 and get the whole crowd singing along. What a way to start 10 days of fun in Brum!”

SANITY

Formerly known as Lady Sanity, the Erdington-born rapper gained international acclaim for her captivating performance at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony in Australia. The urban musician has since expanded her musical palette to incorporate elements of jazz, funk & soul. Her highly anticipated debut album is due out next month.

ECHO JULIET (EMILY JONES)

The artist formerly known as Emily Jones is a classically trained musician who fell in love with electronic music and became a DJ & producer. She has a club residency in London but can also be found behind the decks at Hockley Social Club, where her DJ sets often become a journey through deep, percussive, organic and soulful house sounds.

TAKING OVER!

The first weekend of Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 July sees two festival partners - Sampad and FABRICtake over Centenary Square, with each organisation providing an exciting programme of activity...

SATURDAY 29 JULY

Get ready for amazing dance & music from festival partners Sampad and friends. The daylong programme features live music, dance and spoken word in celebration of the city of Birmingham.

Based in Brum for over 30 years, Sampad connect people with South Asian and British Asian arts & heritage.

3pm

MUSIC AND DANCE

Celebrating regional Indian culture, Stoke-on-Trent-based all-female Bhangra group Vakhri-Tohr get the next hour started. Then join a South Asian dance party with Dharmesh and Jaya, before renowned opera singer Abigail Kelly performs Jamaican Suite on the theme of home.

4.10pm

SOWETO KINCH

The award-winning saxophonist and MC is back in his home town, so be sure to give him a big Brummie welcome.

4.30pm

NATASHA ROSE SETH

8pm

APACHE INDIAN - BOOM SHACK-A-LAK!

Apache Indian returns home to Brum from a worldwide tour to close Sampad’s Festival day. Expect pure ’90s magic while celebrating the 30th anniversary of his banging classic.

SUNDAY 30 JULY

Celebrate the city with an allinclusive day of dance for ‘every body’ with lots of opportunities to join in, from festival partner FABRIC - the Midlands’ strategic dance development organisation.

11am

athletic 2FacedDance showcase

Where All Paths Lead.

LYNNEBEC’s You’re Out Of This World will also be looking for recruits to take part.

4pm

DANCE BATTLE

Join a dance battle with a twist. Show off, work with others and keep the energy high...

4.15pm

BIG GAY DISCO BIKE

Elsewhere in the Square, Fatt Projects brings a feelgood D-I-S-C-O directly to you with its ‘anywhere can be a dancefloor’ mentality.

11am

RELAXED WELCOME AND STRETCH

Mindful movement accompanied by soothing South Asian melodies.

12noon

PERRY’S PARTY PICNIC

Join all-female Dhol drumming & dance group Eternal Taal for an explosive start to the day - and learn a fun routine with Perry!

1pm

POETRY & DANCE

Young poets Anam Hussain and Sana Rashid will read from My City My Home, before three local dance groups (from India and Bangladesh) come together for a celebration of their homelands.

2pm

MIDDAY MANTRA - CHAND ALI

KHAN QAWWAL & PARTY

Expect fiery and compelling Qawwali music from this local group with Pakistani origins. Experience music that resonates with their ancestral homeland and its Sufi soul.

The star of The Voice sings popular English and Hindi songs.

5pm

MADE IN BRUM

Enjoy some Bharatanatyam - one of the most spectacular and ancient Indian classical dance styles, from Chitraleka Dance Academy. Next up, India Island Academy dance take audiences on an epic journey through film.

5.30pm

DEVIKA RAO

Devika Rao and her dancers perform Yakshagana, a story of good overpowering evil.

6pm

POWER HOUR - ULTIMATE BHANGRA

Get your heart pumping as Parm from Ultimate Bhangra leads a bhangra workout for all...

7pm

NO PLACE LIKE HOMEQUEERSIDE

A joyful celebration of pride and togetherness in a colourful extravaganza.

RELAXED WELCOME AND STRETCH

Warm up in an inclusive workshop of calming movement and sound, led by SENSE.

12noon

PERRY’S PARTY PICNIC Check out special guests

LYNNEBEC’s infectious and disco-inspired routines.

1pm

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DANCE

Enjoy contemporary and Afrofusion styles in What The Eye Sees by Linden Youth Dance, plus the world premiere of The Twelve by Future Shift & FABRIC’s Centre of Advanced Training and a Bollywood Spectacular with Aspire Dance.

2pm

EVERYBODY DANCING

Expect Afro-contemporary, parkour and disco. Highlights include Parade - The Giant Wheel, by Autin Dance Theatre, and Linden Dance Company’s thought-provoking Unboxed. Hip-hop theatre company O’Driscoll Collective present Hope in the Barrel, while the

5pm

SOLARA - CRITICAL MASS

DANCE COLLECTIVE

ZoieLogic Dance Theatre and the inclusive Critical Mass Dance Collective are back after last year’s Commonwealth Games spectacular. Feel the power of connection, community and dancing together.

5.45pm

THE BIG FATT DANCE PARTY

A fabulous dance party to get hearts racing and bodies moving, complete with a killer soundtrack, live vocals and accessible interactive dance routines from Fatt Projects.

For further information on both organisations, visit: fabric.dance or sampad.org.uk

Film highlights in July...

Elemental CERT PG (109 mins)

With the voices of Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie Del Carmen, Shila Omni, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Catherine O’Hara

Directed by Peter Sohn

In a city where anthropomorphic elements of nature - fire, water, land and air - all live together, a fiery young woman and a go-withthe-flow guy are about to discover something elemental: How much they actually have in common...

Director Peter Sohn has drawn on his childhood experiences to tell this charming tale of an unexpected but beautiful romance... “My parents emigrated from Korea in the early 1970s and built a bustling grocery store in the Bronx,” says Peter. “We were among many families who ventured to a new land with hopes and dreams - all of us mixing into one big salad bowl of cultures, languages and beautiful little neighbourhoods. That’s what led me to Elemental.”

Released Fri 7 July

Mission ImpossibleDead Reckoning Part One

CERT 12a (156 mins)

Starring Tom Cruise, Vanessa Kirby, Rebecca Ferguson, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff Directed by Christoper McQuarrie

Tom Cruise and the gang make a welcome return for a two-part Mission Impossible adventure, one which saw filming take place in Birmingham’s Grand Central back in 2021. Tom also took in a curry or two while he was in Brum, and even landed his helicopter in a Warwickshire garden!

This latest action-packed outing sees Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team doing their utmost to track down a dangerous weapon

before it falls into the wrong hands.

The two-parter is rumoured to be the franchise finale, and if that proves to be the case, then it’s evident that Cruise intends to go out on a stunt high - the film includes an audacious moment when Hunt rides a motorbike off the edge of a sheer cliff!

The sequence required 60-year-old Cruise to skydive more than 500 times and perform as many as 13,000 motocross jumps...

“This is far and away the most dangerous thing we’ve ever attempted,” said Tom, in talking about a stunt that’s been billed as the biggest in cinema history. “I have to get so good at this that there’s just no way I can miss my marks.”

Released Fri 14 July

Insidious: The Red Door

CERT 15 (107 mins)

Starring Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson, Hiam Abbass, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Andrew Astor Directed by Patrick Wilson

The horror franchise’s original cast returns for what the producers are calling ‘the final chapter’ of the Lambert family’s terrifying saga.

This fifth installment finds Josh (Patrick Wilson) and a college-aged Dalton (Ty Simpkins) struggling to put their demons to rest once and for all. To do so, they must go deeper than ever before into the vast, dark, empty dimension known as The Further, face up to their family’s dark past and confront a host of new and horrifying terrors lurking behind the red door...

In contrast to various other horror franchises, Insidious has done pretty well at holding onto its original fanbase through the turbulent waters of numerous, sometimes dubious-in-quality sequels. It’s fair to assume the die-hards will be sticking around for this eagerly anticipated denouement. Released Fri 7 July

Barbie CERT tbc (114 mins)

Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Ariana Greenblatt, Helen Mirren Directed by Greta Gerwig

It’s rare indeed that a film can be blamed for the global shortage of a product, but that’s exactly what happened during the making of Barbie. The movie’s Barbieland set and lifesize Dreamhouse required so much pink paint that it wiped out a company’s entire supply.

“They used as much as we had,” Lauren Proud, vice president of global marketing at Roscoe, the company supplying the paint, told the Los Angeles Times. Now, admittedly, the pandemic and extreme weather conditions in Texas - the latter affecting vital materials used to create the paint - also played a part in the shortage, but as cinemagoers will nevertheless see, Barbie is indeed a movie that’s very much ‘in the pink’. Inspired, of course, by the legendary doll of the same name, the film stars the always-value-for-money Margot Robbie in the titular role, with Ryan Gosling lending support as Barbie’s almost-as-legendary pal/boyfriend, Ken. Released Fri 21 July

Oppenheimer CERT tbc (180 mins)

Knights Of The Zodiac

CERT 12a (112 mins)

Starring Mackenyu, Famke Janssen, Madison Iseman, Diego Tinoco, Mark Dacascos, Nick Stahl Directed by Tomasz Baginski

A headstrong street teen named Seiya (Mackenyu) spends his time fighting in return for cash while he searches for his abducted sister. When one of his fights unwittingly taps into mystical powers he never knew he had, he finds himself thrust into a world of warring saints, ancient magical training and a reincarnated goddess who needs his protection...

Based on Saint Seiya, a classic manga and anime series which first launched in the mid1980s, Knights Of The Zodiac has left many fans of the original less than impressed, with a threadbare plot and de-fanged action sequences featuring among the more frequently heard complaints.

On the other side of the coin, the film has also been hailed ‘a fun reboot’... so if fantasy actioners are your cup of summertime tea, Knights Of The Zodiac may well be worth a couple of hours of your time.

Released Fri 28 July

Starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr, Josh Hartnett Directed by Christopher Nolan Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer will “blow people’s lids off”, according to its star, Cillian Murphy. The Peaky Blinders actor leads a stellar cast in Nolan’s historical drama, a film which tells the story of Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist who, in leading the now-infamous Manhattan Project during World War Two, is often credited with being ‘the father of the atomic bomb’. Speaking to Empire, Murphy said: “I think it’s a truly

essential cinematic experience. And I know that’s what I’m supposed to say, that’s the studio line. But you have to see this in the cinema on the biggest ****ing screen possible. There are moments in it that will blow people’s lids off.”

Nolan, meanwhile, was keen to avoid condemning Oppenheimer in the film: “I didn’t want to sit by him and judge him. That seemed a pointless exercise. That’s more the stuff of documentary, or political theory, or history of science. This is a story that you experience with him - you don’t judge him...”

Released Fri 21 July

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Works On Walls

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until Sun 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.

“Work On Windows was a fantastic way of using the Herbert’s collections to create new works when it was difficult to gather indoors at the height of the pandemic,” says the gallery’s exhibitions manager, Dominic Bubb. “Work On Walls builds on that success and brings striking and colourful images to the walls. All of the artists who we’ve been collaborating with have created really eye-catching works, and this is a great way of attracting a whole range of audiences this summer. “As part of the exhibition, we are showing the particular works or objects that have inspired the artists, to help get more of our collection on display and also to bring context to Work On Walls.”

Visual Arts

Birds Of America

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Sat 1 July - Sun 1 October

Birds Of America showcases 46 prints from a same-named book published as a series between 1827 and 1838.

Hailed for its spectacular, large-scale ornithological illustrations, the book stands almost one metre in height and was the culmination of French-American artist John James Audubon’s ambition to paint every bird species in North America...

The exhibition is presented by National Museums Scotland and also features letters, manuscripts, films and audio.

Microworld

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Sat 22 July - Mon 28 August

Touring exhibition Microworld is described as an immersive art space filled with digital 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

Karl Blossfeldt: Art Forms In Nature

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 8 July - Sun 20 August

Karl Blossfeldt’s intricate botanical photographs marked him out as one of the outstanding photographers of the 20th century. In a career which spanned more than three decades, the German artist - who was a sculptor as well as a photographer - took more than 6,000 photographs, many via cameras and lenses he made himself and which enabled him to magnify his subjects by up to 30 times...

Featuring signature close-up images of plants and flora, this Hayward Touring exhibition presents an original portfolio of 40 of Blossfeldt’s photogravures. The portfolio, titled Wundergarten der Natur, was edited by the artist himself and published in 1932, the year of his death.

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.

The project is presented by UK-based collective Genetic Moo, whose art is inspired by ecology, artificial life and evolution.

Nature And Artifice

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, until Sun 23 July

Featuring artworks drawn from the Barber’s own collection, Nature And Artifice explores the subject of landscape via etchings and engravings made in the Netherlands during the first half of the 17th century.

Although most of the featured landscapes allude to the countryside of the Netherlands, a number depict views from further afield. In so doing, the artworks reflect not only the widespread travel of artists during the period but also the sophisticated tastes of some of their patrons.

Scenes of rustic life are also included in the show.

I Grew Up 80s

Worcester Art Gallery & Museum, Sat 8 July - Sat 9 September

If you’re someone who lived through the decade of Glasnost, yuppies, Thatcherism and mullet hairdos, then I Grew Up 80s is well worth a look. More than 200 items feature in this nostalgic celebration of the Britain of 40 years ago, a time when the country’s cultural landscape featured Betamax video tapes, BMX bikes, the Rubik’s Cube and the New Romantics.

As well as the exhibition, ’80s fans can also immerse themselves in memories of their favourite decade via family workshops and adults-only after-hours visits to the museum. The latter comes complete with an ’80s soundtrack provided by DJ Ed Steelefox.

Events previews from around the region Events

Legendary Joust

Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire, Sat 29 & Sun 30 July

Experience ‘an exhilarating spectacle of speed and skill’ as four legendary knights compete for honour and glory in the Grand Medieval Joust at Kenilworth Castle this month.

In an ‘unforgettable display of chivalry and sheer courage’, the fearless fighters and their horses will charge at each other at full speed, while the no-doubt-excited crowds cheer on their favourite combatant from the sidelines!

Secret Cinema - Grease: The Live Experience

NEC, Birmingham, Wed 26 July - Sun 13 August

Tell me more, tell me more!

Immersive storytellers Secret Cinema take 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

Pirate Treasure Hunt

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, Sat 8 July - Mon 4 September

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 summertime fun.

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.

Summer Of Science

Severn Valley Railway, Sat 22 July - Sun 3 September

Alongside its steam and heritage diesel train services, Severn Valley Railway (SVR) is this summer hosting a number of interactive exhibits and workshops, in the process aiming to get young visitors interested in the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics).

Summer-fun highlights include daily shows from Sublime Science, SVR regulars

TrainTime UK making a welcome return with their giant trainset, and a back-by-populardemand nine-hole ‘crazy golf’ course.

Lego City: City Of Champions

Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham, until Sun 9 July

The Lego City Minifigure team - Ricky Rocket Racer, Mech-Max, Go-To Gary and Fearless Fi - have taken over Legoland Discovery Centre to set epic missions for little ones and their families to complete.

Testing their skills with each mission, participating youngsters will rescue animals, find messages in street art and have a go at brick-building games, earning themselves an exclusive limited-edition card and sticker in recognition of their endeavours.

Nature Explorers

Sarehole Mill, Birmingham, selected dates across the summer Get hands-on with nature in the grounds of Sarehole Mill this summer, courtesy of numerous weekly activities designed to help young visitors explore the natural world.

Aimed at children aged from five to 10, the sessions are relaxed, informal and suitable for all... This month’s activities include pond dipping in the Mill Pond and River Cole (Saturday 17 July), and den building with natural resources (Wednesday 26 July).

What’s On recommends: Places to visit in the Midlands

GoBoat

Days Out

Brindleyplace, Birmingham Website: goboat.co.uk/birmingham

Situated by Birmingham’s lively canalside development of Brindleyplace, GoBoat offers visitors the opportunity to see the city from an entirely new perspective.

People can choose between one, two or three-hour trips, enjoying a leisurely cruise and travelling at speeds of 4mph.

The experience is both dog- and child-friendly, with lifejackets and buoyancy aids provided and no prior boating knowledge necessary. Staff give a full tutorial on land, before guests set sail and steer the boat... Along the route, you’ll see historic landmarks like the ‘roundabout’ at the Old Turn Junction and the former wharves and houses at Gas Street, eventually reaching the modern architecture of The Cube and Mailbox.

PRICES: One hour costs £80 - £95, two hours £120 - £135, three hours £160 - £175

Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham

Utilita Arena Birmingham, King Edwards Road, Birmingham, B1 2AA

Website: legolanddiscoverycentre.com/birmingham

Legoland Discovery Centre is a great place to share creative play time with your little ones.

The venue houses a city builder area, a duplo farm, two ridesKingdom’s Quest and Merlin’s Apprentice Ride - and a 4D cinema. Perhaps the most impressive attraction at the centre is Lego Miniland. Built from more than 1.5 million Lego bricks, Miniland is a replica of Birmingham. The model includes Lego constructions of Bullring, the BT Tower, The Mailbox and the Library of Birmingham.

PRICES: Standard Play Session ticket starts from £18.50, Anytime Entry ticket £28, adults and pre-schoolers £12 (online only)

Bear Grylls Adventure

Birmingham International Railway Station, Exhibition Way, Marston Green, B40 1PA Website: beargryllsadventure.com

Celebrity adventurer Bear Grylls has certainly pulled out all the stops with this popular visitor attraction, with activities including high ropes, indoor archery and climbing, escape rooms, axe-throwing and a Royal Marines-inspired assault course.

The more-courageous visitor can check out Cage Snorkel and Shark Dive, where they can ‘take the plunge’ with blacktip reef sharks and tropical fish.

Fancy experiencing the thrill of free-falling at 12,000ft without having to jump out of a plane? Then iFly is for you. The weightless adventure takes place in a wind tunnel and comprises two one-minute flights to get the adrenaline pumping.

PRICES: Activities start from £20pp with online advance tickets.

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

Millennium Point, Curzon St, Birmingham B4 7XG

Website: birminghammuseums.org.uk/thinktank

Located in Birmingham city centre, Thinktank offers a great day out for visitors of all ages.

From steam engines and talking robots through to gurgling guts and a chocolate wrapping machine, the venue features more than 200 hands-on science & technology displays.

Highlights include MiniBrum - an interactive mini city for undereights - a 4k planetarium and a science garden.

PRICES: Adults from £15.50, children (three - 15-year-olds)from £7.50, concessions £12.50, under-threes go free.

What’s On recommends: Places to visit in the Midlands Days Out

Severn Valley Railway

Kidderminster: Station Dr, Kidderminster, DY10 1QX; Bridgnorth: 2 Hollybush Rd, Bridgnorth, WV16 4AX Website: svr.co.uk

Operating mainly steam-hauled passenger trains between Bridgnorth, Bewdley and Kidderminster, this much-loved railway transports visitors on a route of about 16 miles along the beautiful Severn Valley. The journey includes a stop-off at the Engine House Visitor Centre at Highley, where passengers can check out massive locomotives, enjoy themed exhibitions of unique railway vehicles and meet Gordon the Blue Engine.

Those starting their journey at Bridgnorth will also have the option of stop-offs at Bewdley and Kidderminster, the latter of which boasts a railway museum.

PRICES: Freedom Of The Line adult tickets £32, child (four - 15-yearolds) £21, Small Family Saver (one adult and up to two children) £50, Large Family Saver (two adults and up to four children) £75

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

The Water’s Edge, Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HL Website: visitsealife.com/birmingham

Housing more than 2,000 creatures - including a colony of gentoo penguins, blacktip reef sharks and a giant green sea turtle - National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham features a world-class rescue Marine Mammal facility, which homes the UK’s first-ever sea otters, Ozzy and Olain.

Other SEA LIFE Centre highlights include a 4D cinema, the zebra shark in Shark Lagoon and the Clownfish Kingdom tunnel. The venue also boasts the UK’s only 360° Ocean Tunnel, in which visitors can marvel at hundreds of underwater creatures while enjoying the truly unique experience of ‘walking through the sea’!

PRICES: Standard Entry ticket starts from £19, Anytime Entry ticket £29, parent & toddler, £19.

Coventry Transport Museum

Millennium Place, Hales St, Coventry, CV1 1JD Website: transport-museum.com

This popular museum not only houses the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles on the planet, it also tells the story of a city which changed the world through transport.

There are 14 fully accessible galleries to enjoy at the venue, featuring, among other attractions, pioneering bicycles, transport champions, innovative, memorable and luxurious vehicles from the last 200 years, and the world’s two fastest cars.

PRICES: Adults from £14, concessions (senior & student) from £10.50, junior (five - 16-year-olds) from £7, under-4s and essential carers free

Compton Verney Art Gallery & Park

Warwickshire, CV35 9HZ Website: comptonverney.org.uk

Compton Verney is widely considered to be an art gallery of international standing. The Georgian house is set in more than 120 acres of Grade II listed classical parkland, created in the 18th century by eminent landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Although the original estate was split up and sold a century ago, the ‘pleasure grounds’ still clearly reflect the sweeping grassland, ornamental lakes and Cedars of Lebanon for which Brown is famous.

PRICES: Adults £19.80, 19 - 25-year-olds £11, under-18s free

What’s On recommends: Places to visit in the Midlands

Days Out

The Royal Air Force Museum Midlands

Shifnal, Shropshire, TF11 8UP Website: rafmuseum.org.uk

Telling the story of aviation history and housing one of the largest collections of its kind in the UK, RAF Museum Midlands is home to more than 70 historic aircraft displayed in three wartime hangars on an active airfield.

The museum boasts a variety of exhibitions and displays. One of the most popular features a collection of aircraft from the Battle of Britain era, including the world’s oldest Spitfire and the collection’s latest permanent addition, Strike Hard, Strike Sure: Bomber Command 1939 - 1945... Virtual tours, hands-on fun’n’flight activities and dedicated conservation and exhibition areas further add to the venue’s impressive offer.

THIS SUMMER: The museum is free to enter, but from Saturday 22 July to Sunday 3 September, the Horrible Histories Up In The Air Adventure event will have a charge of £7.50 per person, or £25 for five people.

Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings

Spring Gardens, Shrewsbury, SY1 2SZ Website: shrewsburyflaxmillmaltings.org.uk

Made up of eight listed buildings, Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings has been transformed by Historic England into a multi-use space. Known as ‘the grandparent of skyscrapers’, the main mill opened in 1797 as a purpose-built flax mill. Since then, the site has grown and been repurposed - as maltings from 1897 to 1987, and as a temporary army barracks during the Second World War.

On-site exhibition The Mill explores the stories of the people connected to the building; from those who built it and who worked there across nearly two centuries, to the people who saved it.

Other attractions at the venue include a shop and café. Behind-the-scenes guided tours are also available to enjoy.

PRICES: The Mill exhibition, adult £7.50, concession £6, child (five - 17year-olds) £5, under-fives free. Behind-the-scenes guided tours, adult £5, concession £4, child (five - 17-year-olds) £3.50, under-fives free.

Weston Park

Weston-under-Lizard, Shifnal TF11 8LE Website: weston-park.com

Weston Park is a house set in 1,000 acres of Capability Brownlandscaped parkland, making it the perfect destination for long walks, lazy lunches, and fun days out with the kids.

The venue is also home to a nationally important art collection, a restaurant, a woodland adventure playground, a miniature railway, a deer park and luxurious holiday cottages.

PRICES: You can purchase entry on arrival at Weston Park, with prices as follows: Adult £11, seniors (65+) £9.90, child (four - 14-yearolds) £6.60 and family (two adults & three children) £37.40.

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings

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

Spread over 19 acres of Worcestershire countryside, England’s first open-air museum covers in excess of 700 years of Midlands history. The site includes a collection of 20-plus historic buildings, ranging in date from Worcester Cathedral’s 14th-century Guesten Hall roof, to a post-Second World War Birmingham prefab.

Visitors to Avoncroft can also enjoy a wildflower meadow, period gardens and a traditional cider & perry orchard.

And if checking out the aforementioned attractions works up an appetite, the museum also boasts an award-winning tearoom.

PRICES: Adult £12.50, child (five - 17-year-olds) £6.50, concession £10.50, under-fives free, family (two adults & three children) £35.

Two Door Cinema Club at The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton

Rachel Fairburn at Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury

Just Like That! The Tommy Cooper Show at Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock

Luisa Omielan at Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

thelist

VISUAL ARTS IN THE MIDLANDS

The Barber Institute Of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

PAYING RESPECTS: MONEY AND MORTALITY Compelling exhibition featuring highlights from the Barber’s superlative coin collection, which includes world-class caches of Byzantine, Trapezuntine and Sasanian currency, as well as significant holdings of Roman and medieval coins, 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 Masterpieces by Rembrandt van Rijn, Anthony van Dyck and Frans Hals are among the selection of paintings taking centre stage in this summer exhibition, until Sun 24 September

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

MELATI SURYODARMO: PASSIONATE

PILGRIM The 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

Midlands Arts Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham

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

New Art Gallery, Walsall

JOHN BECK AND MATTHEW CORNFORD Exhibition offering an opportunity to reflect on the changing nature of art education and the value of creativity... until Sun 2 July

KARLA BLACK Major solo exhibition from the critically acclaimed Scottish artist, featuring previously unseen sculptures, until Sun 29 October

A SENSE OF PLACE Featuring artworks created across the West Midlands, with a focus on nature, collections & wellbeing, Sat 1 July - Sun 26

November

PRIDE & PRIVILEGE AT THE CLASS ACT Temporary exhibition exploring class & identity, Sat 1 July - Sun 9 June

2024

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DOLLS

Family-friendly exhibition inspired by Jules Verne’s adventure novel and exploring the museum’s extensive

doll collection, until Sun 27 August

DRESSING THE ROYALS Costumes from film and TV, spanning over 400 years of royal fashion, until Sun 3 September

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

THE CHANGE OF FASHION FROM 10661980 An exhibition of miniature historical costumes by Lisa Jayne Smith, until Sun 2 July

CITIZEN UK - WOLVERHAMPTON

PUNJABI MIGRATION EXPERIENCES An exhibition that creatively explores stories of the Punjabi community in Wolverhampton through newly commissioned portraits, archive material, oral histories & poetry, until Sun 9 July

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE...

Featuring the work of the founder artists of the Blk Art Groupincluding Claudette Johnson, Keith Piper, Marlene Smith, Donald Rodney and Janet Vernon, until Sun 9 July

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

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

Elsewhere:

I GREW UP 80S Travel through the cultural landscape of 1980s Britain via the eyes of a child, revisiting the vibrancy, quirkiness and innovation that defined the decade, until Sat 1 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

CELESTIAL A 2D and 3D celebration of everything celestial, until Sat 1 July, VAN Gallery, Darwin Centre, Shrewsbury

THE CHANGE IN FASHION FROM 1066 TO 1980 Exhibition taking visitors on a journey from Anglo Saxon style and Elizabethan ruffs to post-war fashion and 1980s couture, until Sun 2 July, Bantock House & Museum, Wolverhampton

GROUNDED IN BEAUTY Featuring works by regional artists Jackie Yeomans & Cara Campbell, until Sat 8 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

REMOVED/REIMAGINED/REPURPOSED

Exhibition of work by Helena Shave, featuring collages made with the plastic she collects from beaches, until Sat 8 July, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

SUMMER ART EXHIBITION Sat 21 - Sun

22 July, Wellington Methodist Church

Gigs

FLEETWOOD MAD Sat 1

July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

ROB LAMBERTI AS GEORGE MICHAEL Sat 1

July, The Robin, Bilston

GLAM 45 Sat 1 July, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

KEVIN PAUL AS ELVIS Sat

1 July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-onTrent

S.H.E.P Sat 1 July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

THE REGGULITES Sat 1

July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THE REVIEW Sat 1 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

SASS BROWN AND THE RIVER DEEP BAND - TINA

TURNER TRIBUTE Sun 2

July, The Robin, Bilston

TV FACE + THE TETLEYS + DOG TRAIN Sun 2 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

BILLY F. GIBBONS + MATT

SORUM + AUSTIN HANKS

Mon 3 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

DAVID KUSHNER Tues 4

July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MAROON 5 + GUNNAR

Tues 4 July, Resorts

World Arena, B’ham

IRON MAIDEN + LORD OF THE LOST + THE RAVEN

AGE Tues 4 July, Utilita Arena Birmingham

MOLLY HATCHET Tues 4

July, The Robin, Bilston

LOGAN PAUL MURPHY Fri 7 July, Tamworth Assembly Rooms

VOODOO ROOM Fri 7 July, Lichfield Garrick

SLACKRR + HOMECOMING + JOSH

SAM Fri 7 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THE GREAT LESLIE + BILLY HUNT & THE MODERN CLASSICS Fri 7 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

VAIWATT + DEAD HAPPY Fri 7 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

IZUZVO + ALISHA + THE INSTINCT + CAMERON JENKINS + EMILY ALICE Sat 8 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

KOYO + FLESHWATER + BROOZER + COWER

HOUNDS! + BLACK TAPE

Wed 5 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

CLOSE TO YOU - TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTERS

Thurs 6 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

KK’S PRIEST + PAUL

DI’ANNO + TAILGUNNER

Thurs 6 July, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB

Thurs 6 July, The Civic at The Halls

Wolverhampton

VOODOO ROOM Thurs 6 July, Telford Theatre, Oakengates, Shropshire

LOVE WITH JOHNNY

ECHOLS Fri 7 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

KING KRAB + CREEDITE + WAX RATS + MORNING

AFTER + LAMPPOST Fri 7

July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE BEATLES SOUND Fri 7 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

ULTIMATE COLDPLAY Fri 7

July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

THE MADCHESTER

EXPERIENCE Fri 7 July, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

THE MUSIC OF DOLLY

PARTON AND KENNY

ROGERS Fri 7 July, Victoria Hall, Stoke-onTrent

CHARMAINE BAINES Fri 7

July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-onTrent

ENDLESS LOVE - TRIBUTE TO LIONEL RICHIE & DIANA ROSS Sat 8 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

STEVIE NICKS - A TRIBUTE

SHOW Sat 8 July, Halesowen Town Hall

THE DENOTONES 60’S

EXPERIENCE Sat 8 July, The Robin, Bilston

THE SMYTHS Sat 8 July, The Sugarmill, Stokeon-Trent

BUTCHER’S BREW Sat 8 July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-onTrent

DAVE JOHNSON Sat 8 July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

MADLADS Sat 8 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS Sat 8 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth THE MARDIGRAS BOMBERS + TICNOTOC Sat 8 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

OF VIRTUE + LED BY LANTERNS Sun 9 July, Devil’s Dog, Birmingham

HOZIER + VICTORIA

CANAL Sun 9 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

USTAD RAHAT FATEH ALI

KHAN Sun 9 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Two Door Cinema Club - The Halls Wolverhampton

Classical Music

BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: BEAUTIFUL BRAHMS Featuring Paul Spicer (conductor) and John Thwaites (pianist), Sat 1 July, CBSO Centre, Birmingham

WELSH NATIONAL OPERA ORCHESTRA: MUSIC FROM THE HEART Featuring Matthew Kofi Waldren (conductor), Trystan Llŷr Griffiths (tenor) & Nadine Benjamin (soprano). Programme includes works by Verdi, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, Bellini, Offenbach & Lehár, Sun 2 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

LICHFIELD SINFONIA Sun 2 July, St Nicholas Church, Abbots Bromley

STAFFORD SINFONIA Featuring Melvin Tay (conductor) & Kerensa Guest (soloist). Programme includes works by Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Amy Beach, Cécile Chaminade, Ethel Smyth & Emilie Mayer, Sun 2 July, Holy Trinity Church, Eccleshall, Stafford

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER: SUMMER REQUESTS

Mon 3 July, Birmingham Town Hall

JORDAN BAK (VIOLA) & IYAD SUGHAYER (PIANO) Programme includes works by De Falla, Vaughan Williams, Brahms & Piazzolla, Thurs 6 July, Wade Street Church, Lichfield

BRODSKY QUARTET Programme includes works by J.S Bach, Britten & Debussy, Thurs 6 July, The Hub at St Marys, Lichfield

Richard Strauss, Sun 9 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

RACHEL PODGER (VIOLIN) AND DANIELE CAMINITI (THEORBO) IN CONCERT

Programme includes works by Fontana, Leonarda, Biber, Castello, Piccinini, Vivaldi, Leclair, Kasperger, J.S Bach & Schmelzer, Sun 9 July, Lichfield Cathedral

Comedy

DARREN HARRIOTT, DAVE LONGLEY, ANNA MANN (COLIN HOULT) & TATTY MACLEOD Sat 1 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

GARY DELANEY Sat 1 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

tales, until Sat 5 Aug, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratfordupon-Avon

THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL Tom Read Wilson and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Divina De Campo take top billing in an ‘all-singing, all-dancing, deepsea pearl of a show’, Tues 27 JuneSat 1 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Society, Tues 4 - Sat 8 July, Lichfield Garrick

THE GREEK MYTHOLOGY OLYMPIAGANZA

Presented by the Grand Arena Youth Theatre Seniors (aged 13 - 18), Wed 5 - Thurs 6 July, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

THE FULL MONTY Get Your Wigle On present an amateur stage version of the cult film of the same name, Wed 5 - Sat 8 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Pentabus present a ‘funny, honest, and vibrant’ celebration of diverse voices ‘exploring unique perspectives on the world in which we live’, Thurs 6 - Fri 7 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow, South Shropshire

TOM WRIGGLESWORTH, JAMIE SUTHERLAND, MASAI GRAHAM & DAVE

TWENTYMAN Thurs 6 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

MANDY MUDEN, DALISO CHAPONDA, ASHLEY FRIEZE & JAMES COOK Thurs 6 July, Lichfield Sports Club

JOSH JONES Thurs 6 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

TONY BURGESS, CHRIS YATES, BEN BRIGGS & DAN SMITH Thurs 6 July, Stourbridge Town Hall

GAURAV KAPOOR Fri 7 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ANDY ASKINS, PAUL F TAYLOR, ANDREW

MENSAH & JOSHUA BETHANIA Fri 7 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BARBARA NICE, THE BOYS FROM THE ALL NIGHT CHEMIST & DARREN MORTIBOY

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

Smash-hit musical charting the rise to fame of one of rock & roll’s most iconic musicians, Tues 27 June - Sat

1 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-onTrent

PRIVATE PEACEFUL Little Theatre Company present Michael Morpurgo’s classic wartime story, Tues 27 June - Sat 1 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent

HAPPY DAYS Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls/The Great Pottery Throw Down) plays Winnie in Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece, Wed 28 June - Sat 1 July, The Rep, Birmingham

GOD OF CARNAGE Here To There

Productions present Yasmina Reza’s comedy of manners - without the manners!, Wed 28 June - Sat 1 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

WE’LL MEET AGAIN Amateur production celebrating life, love and music in World War Two, Thurs 29 June - Sat 1 July, Festival Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, North Shropshire

DISNEY’S THE LION KING Acclaimed production telling the story of Simba’s epic journey to fulfil his destiny as King of the Pridelands, Thurs 6 July - Sat 16 Sept, Birmingham Hippodrome

IMPROMPTU SHAKESPEARE ‘Packed with wit, lyrical smarts, romance and a dash of double-crossing’, all inspired by audience suggestions, Fri 7 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

IMAGINARY - A NEW MUSICAL Musicals Youth Theatre present a show about ‘the wonder of childhood, the power of the imagination and what it means to grow up’, Fri 7 - Sat 8 July, Birmingham Hippodrome

MY THOUSAND YEAR OLD LAND (A SONG FOR BIH) A story of the search for truth, justice and hope through three generations of women, Fri 7 - Sat 8 July, New Vic Theatre, Newcastleunder-Lyme

THE LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL

CHOIR Thurs 6 July, Lichfield Cathedral

DOMINIC DOUTNEY PIANO CONCERT

Programme includes works by Scriabin, York Bowen & Rachmaninoff, Fri 7 July, Wade Street

Church, Lichfield

TRIO MAZZOLINI AND GUESTS

Programme includes works by Mozart, Ravel & Schubert, Sat 8 July, St Michael’s Church, Lichfield

DANNY DRIVER PIANO CONCERT

Programme includes works by Mozart, Schumann & Chopin, Sat 8 July, St Michael’s Church, Lichfield

DR MICHAL SZOSTAK ORGAN RECITAL Sat 8 July, Shrewsbury Abbey

GRIMETHORPE COLLIERY BAND Sat 8 July, Lichfield Cathedral

POLLY LEACH: WEARING THE TROUSERS RECITAL Programme includes works by Handel, Mozart, Johann Strauss &

Fri 7 July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

KANE BROWN & RICHARD BLACKWOOD

Fri 7 July, Bilston Town Hall

JACK WHITEHALL Fri 7 - Sat 8 July, Utilita Arena Birmingham

ANDY ASKINS, PAUL F TAYLOR, ANDREW

MENSAH & COMIC TBC Sat 8 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Theatre

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM West End favourite Kerry Ellis stars alongside Jonathan Hyde (Titanic, Jumanji) and Milly Zero (EastEnders, The Foreigner) in a new version of Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, until Sun 9 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

AS YOU LIKE IT Geraldine James stars in Omar Elerian’s playful new take on one of Shakespeare’s most joyous

DINNER WITH GATSBY New musical based on F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby. Note that the show contains explicit language and depictions of and reference to domestic violence, abuse, misogyny, sexism and suicide, Fri 30 June - Sat

1 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

THE MIDNIGHT GANG David Walliams’ heart-warming story about friendship, magic and making dreams come true, Sat 1 July, Mitchell Arts Centre, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent

THE THIRTY NINE STEPS Stage version of the classic John Buchan tale, Sat 1 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

DIRTY DANCING Iconic musical telling of the coming together of Baby and Johnny - two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, Tues 4 - Sat 8 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS

Presented by Lichfield Operatic

THE EMPRESS Tanika Gupta’s epic story reveals how socially diverse the Asian presence was in 19th-century Britain, Fri 7 July - Sat 18 Nov, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon THE MIKADO Charles Court Opera present an intimate production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic masterpiece, Sun 9 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

Kids Theatre

DEMON DENTIST David Walliams’ ‘hilarious and thrilling’ story, live on stage, Wed 28 June - Sat 1 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

thelist

PIRATES OF THE CURRY BEAN

Swashbuckling adventure for younger audiences, ‘packed to the rafters with colourful characters and sparkling songs’, Tues 4 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent

ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RHYMES: LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD & THE THREE LITTLE PIGS Two interactive, familyfriendly stories, told through music, dance and spoken word, Sat 8 July, Lichfield Cathedral School

Light Entertainment

CIRQUE Award-winning circus musical featuring aerialists, contortionists and ‘thrilling feats of agility and flair’, Sat 1 July, Birmingham Town Hall

STEVE-O XXX-rated multimedia comedy show that’s not for kids or the faint-hearted, Sun 2 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

to complete, until Sat 9 July, Legoland Discovery Centre

Birmingham

THE IBIZA ORCHESTRA EXPERIENCE A 26-piece orchestra perform some of the greatest hits from the famous white isle, Sat 1 July, Trentham Estate, Staffordshire

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH PROSECCO This summer singalong event includes five different glasses of prosecco and a screening of the hit film, Sat 1 July, Millennium Point, Birmingham

GLADSTONE ‘WAKES’ Experience the sights and sounds of a Victorian funfair with a carousel, swing boats, coconut shy and hoopla stall, Sat 1 July, Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke-on-Trent

MEDIEVAL OPEN DAY Learn what life was like in medieval Birmingham with re-enactors, battle displays, storytelling, guided tours, craft activities and much more, Sat 1 July, Weoley Castle, Birmingham

EXPLORE SAREHOLE MILL Enjoy the sights and sounds of a traditional 18th-century water mill, learn about the life of a miller and take part in hands-on demonstrations, Sat 1 July, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

WORLD SUPERCROSS BRITISH GP

Featuring high-octane supercross racing, freestyle motocross stunts, pyrotechnics and more, Sat 1 July, Villa Park, Birmingham

A SPLASH OF ROYAL COLOUR Join Meridith Towne as she explores ‘fabulous royal style’, Sun 2 July, The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

THE BET365 SUMMER CUP Day of racing alongside family entertainment, Sun 2 July, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffordshire

FUNTOPIA A fun-filled festival designed especially for the under-10s, Sun 2 July, Hanley Park, Stoke-on-Trent

TEACHING REMEMBRANCE DAY The Royal British Legion and National Memorial Arboretum host an interactive cross-curricular Teaching Remembrance event for more than 1,000 young people in Key Stage 2, Tues 4 - Wed 5 July, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

OSWESTRY FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

for the under-fives, Sun 9 July, Sandwell Valley Visitor Centre

Festivals in the Midlands

ALDERFEST 2023 Back for its second year, the two-day festival features, among others, McFly and Sam Ryder, Fri 30 June - Sat 1 July, Alderford Lake, Shropshire

NOISILY FESTIVAL Line-up includes DM Theory, Dickster and Hamish, Thurs 6 - Sun 9 July, Coney Woods at Noseley Hall, Leicestershire

TIMBER FESTIVAL Line-up includes The Destroyers, Sister Wives, Lady Nade and William Crighton, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July, Feanedock, The National Forest

STEVE-O XXX-rated multimedia comedy show that’s not for kids or the faint-hearted, Sat 8 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

JUST LIKE THAT! THE TOMMY COOPER SHOW Celebration of the legendary comedian/magician, complete with classic gags and magic routines, Sat 8 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Talks & Spoken Word

SERIAL KILLERS & PSYCHOPATHS NIGHT

Two-hour talk investigating the darkest criminal minds, Wed 5Thurs 6 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

WE DON’T SETTLE & B:MUSIC PRESENT: POETRY JAM LIVE! Event bringing together seasoned veterans with poets who are starting out, Thurs 6 July, Justham Family Room & Jane How Room, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Events

LEGO CITY Join the Lego City Minifigure team - Ricky Rocket Racer, Mech-Max, Go-To Gary and Fearless Fi - as they set epic missions for you

STONEMASONS WEEKEND A special weekend celebrating the ancient craft of stonemasonry, Sat 1 - Sun 2 July, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

DOG SHOW Dogs can compete in running a small obstacle course and show their barking prowess whilst accompanying the famous Victorian ‘Quality Dog Song’, Sat 1 - Sun 2 July, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

SUMMER CRAFT FAIR Artisans, artists and craft makers display their handmade goods, Sat 1 - Sun 2 July, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

STEP BACK TO THE 1940S Immersive 1940s experience across 16 miles of railway, Sat 1 - Sun 2 July, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

SUNNYCROFT HOUSE TOUR Discover

Sunnycroft’s fascinating collection, Sat 1 - Sun 2 July, Sunnycroft, Telford

SUMMER NIGHTS Every Saturday night throughout the summer, enjoy live music, late-night riding and themed food & drink, Sat 1 July - Sat 26 August, Drayton Manor Resort, Tamworth

ANTIQUES FAIR Dozens of traders descend on Bantock to offer everything from costume jewellery to ceramics and furniture, Sun 2 July, Bantock House, Wolverhampton

‘Shropshire’s finest and friendliest foodie extravaganza’, Sat 8 - Sun 9 July, Oswestry

SPORTS WEEKEND Visitors are invited to take part in numerous events, including an egg & spoon race, a sack race and a tug-of-war, Sat 8Sun 9 July, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

CAMPER JAM One of the most highly regarded Volkswagen shows on the calendar, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July, Weston Park, Shropshire

THE FRIENDS™ EXPERIENCE: THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM Featuring a variety of nostalgia-packed interactive sets, Sat 8 July - Fri 18 August, NEC, B’ham

PIRATE TREASURE HUNT Navigate the high seas with a swashbuckling treasure hunt through the aquarium, Sat 8 July - Mon 4 Sept, National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham

RECORD AND CD FAIR Opportunity to buy large and small record collections and music memorabilia, Sun 9 July, Bantock House, Wolverhampton

BMC & LEYLAND SHOW Enjoy a throwback to the key eras of BMC, British Leyland and Rover Group, Sun 9 July, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

TEDDY BEAR PICNIC AT SANDWELL

VALLEY Celebrate National Teddy Bear Picnic Day with family activities

EL DORADO FESTIVAL Line-up includes KC and the Sunshine Band, Sampa

The Great and Maverick Sabre, Thurs 6 - Sun 9 July, Eastnor Castle, Ledbury

THE ROCK AND BIKE FEST Line-up includes Spirit Levellers, Fleetwood Mac Songbook, Idol Maiden and B 2 Sabbath, Thurs 6 - Sat 8 July, Carnfield Hall, Derbyshire

2000TREES FESTIVAL Line-up includes Soft Play, Bullet For My Valentine and Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, Wed 5 - Sat 8 July, Upcote Farm, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

BROMSGROVE FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up includes The Lost Notes, Colum Sands and Anthony John Clarke, Thurs 6 - Sun 9 July, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

NAPTON MUSIC FESTIVAL Line-up includes Definitely Mightbe, The Rejects and Spicey Girls, Fri 7 - Sat 8 July, Napton Village Hall Grounds, Napton On The Hill, Warwickshire

THE MOSTLY JAZZ FUNK AND SOUL FESTIVAL Line-up includes Fat Fredy’s Drop, Ezra Collective and KC and the Sunshine Band, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July, Moseley Park, Birmingham

FUSE FESTIVAL Line-up includes Kioko, The Silver Lines and Vibrant Ducks, Fri 7 - Sun 9 July, Beacon Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire

Step Back To The 1940s - Severn Valley Railway

thelist

Monday 10 - Sunday 16 July

Classical Music

KIERAN GUNTER IN CONCERT

Programme includes works by J.S Bach & Sanz, Mon 10 July, Swinfen Hall Hotel, Lichfield

RICHARD HILLS ORGAN CONCERT

Programme includes works by Sullivan, Coates, Whitlock, Vierne and Quilter, Mon 10 July, Lichfield Cathedral

YOUNG ARTIST SERIES FEAT. ARCHIE

MCVICAR Programme includes works by Schumann, Arnold and Alec Wilder, Tues 11 July, Wade Street Church, Lichfield

Gigs

GENERATION SEX Mon

10 July, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton

HOLLYWOOD VAMPIRES + THE TUBES Tues 11

July, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

80S LIVE Tues 11 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE ROLLING STONES

STORY Thurs 13 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

THE ROD STEWART

EXPERIENCE Thurs 13

July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

JUST RADIOHEAD Thurs

13 July, The Robin, Bilston

JEREMIAH CHIU & MARTA

SOFIA HONER Thurs 13

July, Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury

BELLE & SEBASTIAN +

SACRED PAWS Fri 14

July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

TEDDY SWIMS Fri 14

July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE ELVIS EXPERIENCE WITH THE DIXIE

ROCK’N’ROLL BAND Fri

14 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

THE SKA45S Fri 14 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

TASHA LEAPER AS

MADONNA Fri 14 July, The Robin, Bilston

FLEETWOOD MACHINE Fri 14 July, Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton

TWIN LIZZY Fri 14 July, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

LINDISFARNE Fri 14 July, Tamworth Assembly Rooms

THE JAM’D Fri 14 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

VOODOO SIOUX +

STONELOAD Fri 14 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

WATERMELON

CHRONICLES Fri 14 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

ANTI-PALLETGANG +

CHARM + EMMY +

FALLOUT + JINXED Sat 15 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE DRIIVE Sat 15 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SYNTH Sat 15 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

ONE NIGHT OF GIRL

POWER Sat 15 July, Walsall Arena & Arts Centre

LABOUR OF LOVE - UB40

TRIBUTE Sat 15 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

THE NEIL DIAMOND

SONGBOOK Sat 15 July, The Robin, Bilston

MARQUIS DRIVE +

FITZROY HOLT + METHODS + WORLD SPEED RECORD +

SMOKIN ESKIMO +

GIANT & THE GEORGES +

THE PROCTORS + OLLIE

COOK Sat 15 July, Newhampton Arts Centre, W’hampton

HOW SWEET IT IS - THE GREATEST HITS OF MOTOWN Sat 15 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

DEATH OF ME Sat 15 July, The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent

BRAVADO - RUSH

TRIBUTE Sat 15 July, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

MATRIX CLUB MATRIX Sat 15 July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-on-Trent

ADAM BLACK Sat 15

July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

DIRTY ROCKIN’ SCOUNDRELS Sat 15

July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

RUFFNECKS Sat 15 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

JACK BOTTS Sun 16 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

HANDEL: ORLANDO Featuring the Liberata Collective & Ensemble Hesperi, Tues 11 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

LAURA COPPINGER & DAVID PALMER IN CONCERT Wed 12 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow, South Shropshire

THE YEHUDI MENUHIN SCHOOL YOUNG

ARTISTS Programme includes works by Brahms, Leclair, Chopin & Bridge, Wed 12 July, St Michael’s Church, Lichfield

THE YEHUDI MENUHIN SCHOOL

ORCHESTRA Programme includes works by J.S Bach, Gorecki, Elgar, Bartok, Britten, Trad, Shor, Skoryk & Tabakova, Wed 12 July, Lichfield Cathedral

MAJA HORVAT (VIOLIN) & JOSEPH

HAVLAT (PIANO) Programme includes works by Mozart & Schubert, Thurs 13 July, Wade Street Church, Lichfield

HUGH MACKAY (CELL0) & MILDA

DAUNORAITE (PIANO) Programme includes works by Schumann, Beethoven & Shostakovich, Fri 14 July, Wade Street Church, Lichfield

HALESOWEN ORCHESTRA SUMMER

CONCERT Featuring Chris Hoggarth (conductor) & Ann Perry (leader). Programme includes works by Bizet, Schubert & Brahms, Sat 15 July, Halesowen Town Hall

HENRY LEWIS PIANO CONCERT

Programme includes works by Schubert & J.S Bach, Sat 15 July, St Michael’s Church, Lichfield

JACK LIEBECK (VIOLIN) & DANNY DRIVER (PIANO) Programme includes works by Korngold, Waxman & Ponce, Sat 15 July, St Michael’s Church, Lichfield

SHREWSBURY MALE VOICE CHOIR Sat 15 July, Shrewsbury Abbey

BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES

Featuring Ryan Bancroft (Principal Conductor). Programme includes works by Berlioz & Sibelius, Sat 15 July, Lichfield Cathedral

DANNY DRIVER PIANO CONCERT

Programme comprises J.S Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Sun 16 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

LIZZIE BALL & MILOŠ MILIVOJEVIC IN CONCERT Programme includes works by Stravinsky, Sun 16 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

JULIAN & JIAXIN LLOYD WEBBER: BACH BY CANDLELIGHT Sun 16 July, Lichfield Cathedral

HSUAN WU PERCUSSION CONCERT Programme includes an exciting repertoire for marimba, tom-toms and a variety of other drums, as well as multi-media and body percussion, Sun 16 July, Lichfield Guildhall

Comedy

MICHAEL MCINTYRE: WORK IN PROGRESS Wed 12 - Thurs 13 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY

ROBINSON & COMICS TBC Thurs 13 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

DARREN HARRIOTT Thurs 13 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

SCOTT BENNETT Thurs 13 July, Frankville, Shrewsbury

TROY HAWKE Thurs 13 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

ROB ROUSE Thurs 13 July, Frankville, Shrewsbury

CRAIG DEELEY Fri 14 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury

DAVE TWENTYMAN Fri 14 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury

LAURA SMYTH, EMMANUEL SONUBI, CARL HUTCHINSON & SOL BERNSTEIN Fri 14 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JJ WHITEHEAD Sat 15 July, Frankville, Shrewsbury

RACHEL FAIRBURN Sat 15 July, Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury

ALFIE MOORE Sat 15 July, Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury

ADAM ROWE, TOM WRIGGLESWORTH, JESSICA FOSTEKEW, CLINTON BAPTISTE, PAUL SINHA & PETE FIRMAN Sun 16 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Belle & Sebastian - 02 Institute, Birmingham

Dirty Rockin’ Scoundrels - Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

Theatre

ROMEO AND JULIET Outdoor version presented by all-male troupe The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, Mon 10 July, Lichfield Cathedral

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Ore Oduba and Haley Flaherty star in Richard O’Brien’s cult rock & roll musical, Mon 10 - Sat 15 July, Crewe Lyceum

BRIDESMAIDS OF BRITAIN Comedy parody featuring dance-offs, sing-offs and eventually shout-offs at ‘the hen do of the year’, Tues 11 - Wed 12 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE PEARL Sterran Touring Company use storytelling, dance and song to examine human emotions and the subjects of duality and identity, Wed 12 - Fri 14 July, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

SEUSSICAL JR. Amateur version presented by the Regent Theatre Academy, Tues 13 & Fri 14 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

PATEL’S MILLIONS Brand-new family musical, complete with ‘foot-tapping Bollywood songs, dazzling dances and laugh-out-loud comedy’, Fri 14 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

MOTHER’S RUIN A ‘heart-warming’ exploration of modern motherhood, Fri 14 July, The Hub at St Marys, Lichfield

SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED

MUSICAL Brand-new musical comedy created from scratch at each performance, Fri 14 July, Lichfield Garrick

PHONEY TOWERS THE STAGE SHOW New production based around classic TV comedy series Fawlty Towers, Fri 14 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE Mark Farrelly’s acclaimed solo play depicting one of the most memorable figures of the 20th century in two phases of his extraordinary life, Fri 14 - Sun 16 July, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

THE TAMING OF THE SHREW The Crescent Theatre Company present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s provocative comedy, Sat 15 July, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster

SENSE & SENSIBILITY Heartbreak

Productions present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s biting social satire, Sun 16 July, Tamworth Castle Grounds

Light Entertainment

BOB HARRIS AND COLIN HALL PRESENT

‘THE SONGS THE BEATLES GAVE AWAY’

Fri 14 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

Events

TILT FESTIVAL Two-week festival of aerial circus and physical theatre featuring masterclasses, seminars, networking and performances, Mon 10 - Sun 16 July, West Midlands Circus Centre, Digbeth, Birmingham

SUMMER TILE DECORATING WORKSHOP

Learn and apply the traditional technique of tube-lining as you decorate your very own ceramic tile, Tues 11 & Fri 14 July, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge

CLASSIC IBIZA Dance music’s most iconic tracks, reinvented by the Urban Soul Orchestra, Sat 15 July, Weston Park, Shropshire

STAFFORDSHIRE BALLOON FIESTA The hot-air balloons return for a third year, Sat 15 July, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffordshire

WE’LL MEET AGAIN: A 1940S EVENING

Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of wartime Britain, as the canalside village is transformed into a homefront community celebrating VE day, Sat 15 July, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY LAUNCH

DAY Family day packed with activities relating to the archaeology and history of the castle and gardens, Sat 15 July, Powis Castle, Welshpool

FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY Discover what life was like for an Anglo-Saxon family, Sat 15 July, The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent

FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY AT IRONBRIDGE Featuring hands-on activities for families, talks throughout the day, and walks around the local area, Sat 15 July, Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, Ironbridge

VINTAGE & CLASSIC TRANSPORT

FESTIVAL Featuring steam engines, lorries, buses, commercials, fire engines, military vehicles, motorbikes and thousands of cars, Sat 15 July, British Ironwork Centre, Oswestry, North Shropshire

COMMUNITY 2023 ‘Community’ returns to the New Horizons stage for another celebration of the West Midlands music scene, Sat 15 July, Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton

HAY MEADOW FESTIVAL Family day celebrating wildflower meadows, Sat 15 July, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, Craven Arms, South Shropshire

FESTIVAL FIREWORKS The finale of this year’s Lichfield Festival, Sat 15 July, Beacon Park, Lichfield

STONE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL

Featuring artisan produce, streetfood stalls, talks, tastings, live music and live cookery demonstrations with top local chefs, Sat 15 - Sun 16 July, Stone, Staffordshire

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Lichfield Garrick, Friday 14 July

If ever there was a show worth seeing more than once, this is itand not only because it’s an Olivier Award winner. Showstopper! is exactly what it says on the tin, a musical that’s improvisedmeaning that no two nights are ever the same. The rotating cast of quick-witted performers take audience suggestions and then spin a brand-new comedy musical out of thin air, complete with tunes, lyrics, dances and harmonies. Clever stuff indeed, performed by clever people. Prepare to be impressed..

STEAM IN MINIATURE WEEKEND

Discover the fascinating world of Victorian steam as 10-miniature engines trundle through the historic streets of Blists Hill, Sat 15 - Sun 16 July, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge, Shropshire

TUDOR AND STUART DAY Find out about life in Tudor and Stuart England, Sun 16 July, Ford Green Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

ARCHAEOLOGY SKILLS TRAINING DAY

Special event during which a limited number of members of the public can have a go at some traditional archaeological practices, Sun 16 July, Powis Castle, Welshpool

WEM SWEET PEA ANNUAL SHOW With vase classes for Spencer and Grandiflora varieties, as well as floral art and children’s classes, with experts, Sun 16 July, Wem Town Hall, Shropshire

Festivals in the Midlands

ALSO FESTIVAL Line-up includes Get The Water, Honey Moon and About The Humans, Fri 14 - Sun 16 July, Park Farm, Warwickshire

THE BIRMINGHAM, SOLIHULL & WESTSIDE FESTIVAL Line-up includes Lisa Stanfield, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Pixie Lott, Fri 14 - Sun 23 July, various venues in and around Birmingham & Sandwell

LET’S ROCK SHREWSBURY Line-up includes Soft Cell, The Boomtown Rats, Soul2Soul, Midge Ure, Heaven 17, Janet Kay, Blancmange, Neville Staple, Five Star and The Undertones, Sat 15 July, The Quarry, Shrewsbury

thelist

Monday 17 - Sunday 23 July

Classical Music

CLAUDIA GRINNELL ORGAN CONCERT

Sat 22 July, Shrewsbury Abbey

Comedy

DARREN HARRIOTT Mon 17 July, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY

ROBINSON & COMICS TBC Thurs 20 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PAUL SMITH Thurs 20 - Fri 21 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

ANDREW BIRD, JOE MCTERNAN, BRENNAN REECE, OMID SINGH & KARL PORTER Fri 21 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BRENNAN REECE Fri 21 - Sat 22 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Gigs

POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND

Mon 17 July, The Alexandra, B’ham

OUR MAN IN THE FIELD

Mon 17 July, Herman

Arts, Oswestry, North Shropshire

TINARIWEN Wed 19

July, O2 Institute, Birmingham

J.I.D + EARTHGANG Wed

19 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

COLDPLACE Thurs 20

July, Tamworth

Assembly Rooms

DON’T STOP QUEEN NOW

Fri 21 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE FALLEN STATE + TWISTER Fri 21 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham

OASIS VS STONE ROSESDEFINITELY MIGHT & ADORED Fri 21 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

THE LEGEND OF SPRINGSTEEN Fri 21

July, The Robin, Bilston

HI ON MAIDEN Fri 21

July, Eleven, Stoke-onTrent

TOTALLY ELTON Fri 21

July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-onTrent

JUPITER’S BEARD Fri 21

July, The Underground, Stokeon-Trent

POTATO HEAD JAZZ BAND

Fri 21 July, Tamworth

Assembly Rooms

SUDDEN IMPACT Fri 21

July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

A DIFFERENT THREAD Fri 21 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

DAVID BUSBY - THE MUSIC OF ED SHEERAN

Fri 21 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

THE BATTERY FARM Fri 21 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

ALEX DAVIES Fri 21 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford UK PINK FLOYD

EXPERIENCE Fri 21 July, Telford Theatre, Oakengates, Shropshire

DARNELL COLE & THE VIBE + SMOKIN ESKIMO

Fri 21 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

LOXZ + MAGNATAS

COURT +

UNDERGROUND RIOT + EMPIRE + BROKEN

DRUMSTICK Sat 22 July, O2 Institute, B’ham

THE QUAD ROX Sat 22 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

SWEDE DREAMZ - ABBA

TRIBUTE Sat 22 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

THE FOUNDATIONS Sat 22 July, The Robin, Bilston

MELIORA Sat 22 July, The Sugarmill, Stokeon-Trent

THE FREDDIE & QUEEN

EXPERIENCE Sat 22 July,

Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

THE DRIFTERS Sat 22

July, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

NOASIS Sat 22 July, Tamworth Assembly Rooms

COLLETTE Sat 22 July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

MICROBABY Sat 22 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

SKABURST Sat 22 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

CONJOVI Sat 22 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire

STEVIE JONES AND THE WILDFIRES + THE BAD

DOGS Sat 22 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

GRANDMASTER FLASH

Sat 22 July, Aston Hall, Wrexham

TROY HAWKE Sat 22 July, Birmingham Town Hall

QUARTET The Lichfield Players present an amateur production of Ron Harwood’s play about ageing opera singers, Tues 18 - Sat 22 July, Lichfield Garrick

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Oddsocks present Shakespeare’s romantic romp, Wed 19 July, Telford Theatre

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Wed 19 July, Dawley Park, Telford

WE WILL ROCK YOU Amateur version presented by Musical Youth Theatre, Wed 19 - Sat 22 July, Stafford

Gatehouse Theatre

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR Folksy Theatre present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s story of marriage, wealth, jealousy and lies, Thurs 20Fri 21 July, Wightwick Manor Gardens, Wolverhampton

PERMANENT Junior Youth Theatre present a show exploring the subject of bullying, Fri 21 July, Crewe

Lyceum Theatre

ROBIN HOOD Fast-paced, fun-packed family show, presented by Illyria, Fri 21 July, Bolton Gate Farm, Stoke-onTrent

PAUL SINHA & JO CAULFIELD Sun 23 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

Theatre

THE INVISIBLE Senior Youth Theatre present a show exploring the subject of mental health, Mon 17 July, Crewe Lyceum Theatre

GREATEST DAYS Kym Marsh stars in the official Take That Musical, Mon 17 - Sat 22 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

DIRTY DANCING Iconic musical telling of the coming together of Baby and Johnny - two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, Tues 18 - Sat 22 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

THE REMARKABLY TALENTED MR WEAVER PRESENTS... A rich mix of baroque music, dance and words, presented in celebration of the 350th anniversary of Shrewsbury dancing master John Weaver (1673 - 1760), Fri 21 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

PIAF One-woman musical homage to one of France’s most endearing icons, Édith Piaf, Fri 21 - Sat 22 July, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

MILKSHAKE! LIVE Interactive show for younger audiences featuring Milkshake Monkey, Paddington, Daisy & Ollie, Milo, Noddy, Pip and Posy, Blue’s Clues & You!, Sat 22 July, Telford Theatre, Shropshire

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE Illyria present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s social comedy, Sat 22 July, Sandwell Valley Visitor Centre, West Bromwich

JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS RHYTHM & BLUES

ORCHESTRA FT PAULINE

BLACK & GAPS

HENDRICKSON Sun 23 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

CREEDENCE

CLEARWATER REVIVED

Sun 23 July, Tamworth

Assembly Rooms

Tinariwen - O2 Institute, Birmingham

thelist

THE UGLY DUCKLING Folksy Theatre present an outdoor version of the classic story, Sat 22 July, Wightwick Manor Gardens, Wolverhampton

HYSTERIA FESTIVAL A women-led theatre & arts festival celebrating ‘the diverse and powerful voices’ of female-identifying playwrights, directors, actors, comedians, creatives and designers, Sat 22 - Sun 30 July, The Old Rep, Birmingham

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS Outdoor production presented by Rain Or Shine Theatre Company, Sun 23 July, Wenlock Priory, Much Wenlock, Shropshire

Kids Theatre

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Join the tea-guzzling tiger in a family show packed with magic, singalong songs and clumsy chaos, Tues 18 - Wed 19 July, Crewe Lyceum Theatre

Light Entertainment

JUST LIKE THAT! THE TOMMY COOPER SHOW Celebration of the legendary comedian/magician, complete with classic gags and magic routines, Thurs 20 July, Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock

from Suzie Lavender Contemporary Glass, Tues 18 July, Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton

SUMMER TILE DECORATING WORKSHOP

Learn and apply the traditional technique of tube-lining as you decorate your very own ceramic tile, Thurs 20 July, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire

TONY ROBBINS UNLEASH THE POWER

WITHIN Motivational speaker Tony Robbins holds a four-day event, Thurs 20 - Sun 23 July, NEC, Birmingham

SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES Take part in outdoor challenges and trails, Thurs 20 July - Fri 1 Sept, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire

LYCEUM GHOST HUNT Participate in an all-access investigation of the venue, Fri 21 July, Crewe Lyceum Theatre

RAIL ALE TRAIL STAFFORDSHIRE 2023

Featuring ‘ale, live music and good food’, Fri 21 - Sun 23 July, Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire

LDN WRESTLING Action-packed wrestling matches for the whole family to enjoy, Sat 22 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent

SANDWELL & BIRMINGHAM MELA

Featuring music, dance, food, arts and crafts, Sat 22 - Sun 23 July, Victoria Park, Smethwick

CREPE CITY SNEAKER FESTIVAL

Showcasing the rarest and most desirable pairs of trainers, all for sale under one roof, Sat 22 July, 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, Sat 22 July - Sun 3 Sept, Bodenham

Arboretum, Kidderminster

THE BEACH Returning for the school summer holidays with sand, deck chairs, and children’s activities, Sat 22 July - Sun 3 Sept, Lichfield Cathedral

Festivals in the Midlands

NOZSTOCK Line-up includes The Wailers, Grandmaster Flash and Fat Freddy’s Drop, Thurs 20 - Sun 23 July, Rowden Paddocks, Bromyard, Herefordshire

TRUCK FESTIVAL Line-up includes Two Door Cinema Club, Alt-J and Royal

Blood, Fri 21 - Sun 23 July, Hill Farm, Steventon, Oxfordshire

UPTON BLUES FESTIVAL Line-up includes Ben Poole, Emma Jonson and Claude Bourbon, Fri 21 - Sun 23 July, various venues around Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire

INTERMISSION FESTIVAL Line-up includes Steam Down, Children of Zeus and Shy One, Sat 22 July, The Mill, Digbeth, Birmingham

TOM SEAL PRESENTS... AMY DOWDEN

Music chat show in which Strictly favourite Amy chooses her favourite songs, to be performed by jazz/blues pianist & vocalist Tom, Fri 21 July, Stourbridge Town Hall

Events

SUMMER TILE DECORATING WORKSHOP

Learn and apply the traditional technique of tube-lining as you decorate your very own ceramic tile, Tues 18 July, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire

FUSED GLASS WORKSHOP Learn fused glass-making techniques with Wolverhampton glass artist Suzie

SUMMER AT THE FARM From tractors to pizza and everything in between, learn all about the farm and what they do there, Sat 22 July - Sun 3 Sept, Forge Mill Farm, West Bromwich

SUMMER OF SCIENCE Interactive exhibits, workshops and more, Sat 22 July - Sun 3 Sept, Severn Valley

Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

FARMARAMA Featuring seaside shows, sand art, the huge maize maze and a foam party, Sat 22 JulyMon 4 Sept, National Forest

Adventure Farm, Burton upon Trent

PRINCESS PICNIC AT THE CASTLE Take along your own picnic and enjoy the company of three classic princesses, Sun 23 July, Shrewsbury Castle

HAMSTER FAIR Featuring vendors selling hamster products, Sun 23 July, Millennium Point, Birmingham

The Beach - Lichfield Cathedral

thelist

Monday 24 - Monday 31 July

Classical Music

YOUTH ORCHESTRA ACADEMY Featuring Michael Seal (conductor). Programme includes works by Maxwell Davies, Bruch & Mendelssohn, Sun 30 July, Birmingham Town Hall

MARK BEBBINGTON PIANO RECITAL

Programme includes works by Beethoven, John Ireland, Liszt/Wagner & Liszt/Verdi, Sun 30 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow, South Shropshire

Comedy

GARY DELANEY & ANDREW O’NEILL Wed 26 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Gigs

THE DICKIES Mon 24

July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

AIRBOURNE + FLORENCE

BLACK Tues 25 July, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO GERRY MARSDEN

Tues 25 July, Stafford

Gatehouse Theatre

SEBA SAFE + PATRICK

JAMES Wed 26 July, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

ROBERT CRAIG OULTON + ODMANSBOX + FERGY

LH Wed 26 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

FAKE THACKRAY Wed 26

July, The Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

DEMI MARRINER Thurs

27 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

QUINN XCII + DWLLRS

Thurs 27 July, O2

Institute, Birmingham

CUTTING CREW Thurs 27

July, The Robin, Bilston

ABSOLUTE REGGAE

Thurs 27 July, Stafford

Gatehouse Theatre

ULTIMATE COLDPLAY

Thurs 27 July, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield

DIRTY FRENCH KISS + BLOODSTAINED REPUTATION Thurs 27

July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THE ELO ENCOUNTER Fri 28 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

LIMEHOUSE LIZZY Fri 28

July, The Robin, Bilston

ELTONESQUE Fri 28 July, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

ECCI THE DOG Fri 28

July, The Underground, Stokeon-Trent

THE DAMN TRUTH +

EMPYRE Fri 28 July,

Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

INDIGO CLUB + JESSIE

DESAI BAND + ALAN

JENKINS Fri 28 July,

Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THUNDER DAZE Fri 28

July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

TINA LIVE - TINA TURNER

TRIBUTE Fri 28 July, Telford Theatre, Oakengates, Shrops

EMMA LINNEY BAND Fri 28 July, Herman Arts, Oswestry, North Shropshire

FILHOS DE INÁCIO + TOM TOM AND THE KNUCKLEHEADS + BROKEN LUNGS + TBITCH Fri 28 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

SABBRA CADABRA + METAL GODS Fri 28 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

THE DEADSHOTS LIVE Fri 28 July, The Night Owl, Birmingham

OPEN ARMS Sat 29 July, O2 Institute, B’ham

GUNS 2 ROSES +

MOTLEY CRUDE Sat 29

July, O2 Academy,

Birmingham

WHITE TYGER + HIGHWAY Sat 29 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

MAET LIVE AND THE NEVER NEVERLAND

EXPRESS Sat 29 July, The Robin, Bilston

TRUE ORDER Sat 29

July, Eleven, Stoke-onTrent

MEAT LOAF BY CANDLELIGHT Sat 29

July, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

SOUL TRAIN Sat 29 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

STEVE MARLS Sat 29

July, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

UNFORGIVEN Sat 29

July, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield

THE FABULOUS

BORDELLOS Sat 29 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THE INDIGO MACHINE Sat 29 July, Albert’s Shed, Southwater, Telford

KILLER RHAPSODYQUEEN TRIBUTE Sat 29

July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire

THE PAWNS + THE SPONTANES + CONEY

ISLAND JESUS Sat 29

July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

BYE BYE BABY - THE MUSIC OF FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS

Sun 30 July, Lichfield

Garrick

PAUL SMITH Wed 26 - Thurs 27 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON, JASON PATTERSON & COMIC TBC Thurs 27 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JASON PATTERSON, GARETH WAUGH, GARRETT MILLERICK, MERYL O’ROURKE & BEN SILVER Fri 28 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PETER KAY Fri 28 July, Utilita Arena Birmingham

LUISA OMIELAN Fri 28 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

present an outdoor version of the legendary folk tale, Thurs 27 July, Shrewsbury Castle

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS Community musical based on Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved riverbank tale, Thurs 27 - Sat 29 July, Lichfield Garrick

DR DOLITTLE Tethered Wits use puppetry to bring to life the story of a man who could talk to animals, Fri 28 July, Tamworth Castle Grounds

EMMA Outdoor version of Jane Austen’s Regency rom-com, presented by Pantaloons Theatre Company, Fri 28 July, Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire

THE GREAT GATSBY Tethered Wits present a stage adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, complete with the music of Cole Porter and George Gershwin performed live on stage, Fri 28 July, Tamworth Castle Grounds

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Fri 28 July, Bolton Gate Farm, Staffordshire

SHREK JNR Amateur production presented by Curtain Call Theatre Company, Fri 28 - Sun 30 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

ABIGAIL’S PARTY London Classic Theatre present a new version of Mike Leigh’s modern classic, Fri 28Sun 30 July, Crewe Lyceum Theatre

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Sat 29 July, Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire

BRIDESMAIDS OF BRITAIN Comedy parody featuring dance-offs, sing-offs and eventually shout-offs at ‘the hen do of the year...’, Sun 30 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

JASON PATTERSON, GARETH WAUGH, GARRETT MILLERICK & MERYL O’ROURKE Sat 29 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ROFL COMEDY CLUB Sat 29 July, The Quarter at Potbank, Stoke-on-Trent

DAN NIGHTINGALE Sun 30 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

Theatre

AS YOU LIKE IT The Three Inch Fools present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s tale of rustic revelry, Wed 26 July, Acton Scott Hall, Craven Arms, South Shropshire

BAD DAD Heartbreak Productions present an open-air version of David Walliams’ warm-hearted tale about a father/son relationship, Thurs 27 July, Bantock House, Wolverhampton

ROBIN HOOD The Three Inch Fools

Kids Theatre

THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE Join an adventurous young girl and her seafaring father as they reimagine the story of a tiny snail’s incredible trip around the world. Inspired by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s muchloved picture book, Fri 28 - Sun 30 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent

Guns 2 Roses - O2 Academy, Birmingham

thelist

Dance

ANTON & GIOVANNI Dance

extravaganza featuring Strictly favourites Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice, alongside a cast of professional singers and dancers, Sat 29 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Light Entertainment

AN UNFUNNY EVENING WITH TIM

MINCHIN Chat and songs drawn from Tim’s 2020 studio album, Apart Together, Mon 24 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham

MR B - THE GENTLEMAN RHYMER Join Mr B as he continues his quest to reconnect hip-hop with manners and the King’s English... Fri 28 July, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

HARVINGTON HISTORY FESTIVAL

Harvington’s first-ever history festival features, among other attractions, an exploration of Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I’s relationship, Tues 25Sun 30 July, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster

GRUFFALO WORKSHOP Exploring animal movements, Gruffalo music and dance, Wed 26 July, Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke-on-Trent

SECRET CINEMA PRESENTS GREASE: THE LIVE EXPERIENCE Step back in time to the 1950s and experience ‘those summer nights’, Wed 26 July - Sun 13 Aug, NEC, Birmingham

FOSSIL PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP

Explore your creative side through relief printmaking. Also featuring a spotlight talk on the museum’s fossil collection, Thurs 27 July, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

FESTIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY OPEN DAY

Learn about the archaeology of Weoley Castle and check out some of the archaeological finds discovered at the ruins, Fri 28 July, Weoley Castle, Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL 23 ‘Ten days of brilliant, free entertainment celebrating all that’s great about the city and region’, Fri 28 July - Sun 6 Aug, Centenary Square, Birmingham

Splash Test Dummies

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 29 - Sun 30 July; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Mon 31 July

Award-winning Aussie entertainers the Splash Test Dummies invite you to grab your snorkel and flippers for 60 minutes of ‘catch-your-breath stunt work, dazzling acrobatics, dexterous juggling and side-splitting, slapstick comedy’. A big hit in Edinburgh - and pretty much everywhere else in the world, for that matter - the Dummies specialise in narrative-driven circus comedy that’s ideal for a family audience.

DREAMBOYS - THE NO STRINGS

ATTACHED TOUR Fri 28 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

MEAT LOAF BY CANDLELIGHT Concert production featuring a live cast of West End singers - including stars of the original West End production of Bat Out Of Hell, Sat 29 July, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

SPLASH TEST DUMMIES Narrativedriven performance featuring ‘dazzling acrobatics, dexterous juggling and slapstick comedy’, Sat 29 - Sun 30 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

ENCANTO IN CONCERT: THE FILM WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA Screening of the hit film with a full orchestra performing the score, Mon 31 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

SPLASH TEST DUMMIES Narrativedriven performance featuring ‘dazzling acrobatics, dexterous juggling and slapstick comedy’, Mon 31 July, Crewe Lyceum Theatre

Events

DISCOVERING DRAGONFLIES Featuring an introductory talk and an exploration of the ponds and riverside, Mon 24 July, Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, Craven Arms, South Shropshire

SONIA SABRI PRESENTS: MUGHAL MINIATURES Family-friendly performance event celebrating the traditional art of Indian and Persian miniature painting, Sat 29 July, Aston Hall, Birmingham

Festivals in the Midlands

WARWICK FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up includes This Is The Kit, Mànran and O’Hooley & Tidow, Thurs 27 - Sun 30 July, Castle Park, Warwick

Y NOT FESTIVAL Line-up includes Royal Blood, Kasabian and Paul Weller, Fri 28 - Sun 30 July, Aston Hill Farm, Pike Hall, Derbyshire

MADE BIRMINGHAM Line-up includes Hybrid Minds, Shy FX and Girls Don’t Sync, Sat 29 July, Digbeth Triangle, Birmingham