Worcestershire What's On March 2023

ISSUE 434 MARCH 2023 THE TIME MACHINE: A COMEDY LANDS IN MALVERN

worcestershirewhatson.co.uk

inside:

A LOVERLY SHOW! iconic musical My Fair Lady returns

TOE TAPPING FUN

THE SACRIFICE marking the advent of spring with dance star Dada Masilo

to the Midlands

News from around the region

ALSO festival returning to Compton Verney

Masterclasses, talks, music, comedy and food pop-ups will all feature at this year’s Also Festival, taking place at Park Farm, Compton Verney in Warwickshire from 14 to 16 July. Commenting on the event, its founder and artistic director, Helen Bagnall, said:

“Reaching our 10-year anniversary, we feel it’s the perfect time for us all to experience ‘re-enchantment’, which is our theme for 2023. So to celebrate, we will be creating a weekend unlike any other - a chance to enmesh ourselves with nature for a fabulously fun, immersive, experiential three days of ideas running wild.”

For tickets and further information, visit also-festival.com

Sustainable theatre comes to the Belgrade

The Coventry Belgrade will this spring engage in a groundbreaking experiment in sustainable theatre-making when Miranda Hall’s A Play For The Living In A Time Of Extinction is presented at the venue.

Directed first at the Barbican by Katie Mitchell, the production is touring to Coventry without people or materials physically travelling. All aspects of the performance (on stage) will be powered by bicycles peddled in real time throughout the duration of the show.

A darkly funny and uplifting work of theatre, A Play For The Living... shows at the Belgrade from Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 May. To find out more about the show - and the rest of an innovative season at the Belgradecheck out the theatre’s website.

Panto at The Courtyard

A professional performing arts company comprising visually impaired artists and theatre practitioners is stopping off at a Herefordshire venue this month to present a pantomime-style family show. Extant Theatre Company will perform Super Power Panto at The Courtyard in Hereford on Tuesday 7 March. The ensemble describe their production as an inclusive show ‘which

takes audiences on a fun-filled adventure to find their superpowers’... To access more information about the show and book tickets, visit courtyard.org.uk.

Starter’s orders for the Cheltenham Festival

The Cheltenham Festival returns this month with four days of top-quality horse racing. Taking place at Cheltenham Racecourse from Tuesday 14 to Friday 17 March, the festival features 14 Grade One races and the prestigious Gold Cup, which is run on the fourth and final day of the event. To find out more and check ticket availability, visit thejockeyclub.co.uk

from, among many others, Pointless presenter Alexander Armstrong, Midlandsborn actor Anton Lesser, bushcraft expert Ray Mears, Guardian columnist Marina Hyde, and authors Sir Anthony Seldon and Stuart Maconie.

To check out the festival’s programme and book tickets, visit stratlitfest.co.uk

Coventry kids’ author aiming to help youngsters learn about the city

Coventry children’s author Aaron Ashmore has partnered with two iconic venues to help bring the city’s history to life for young audiences.

The author of, amongst other titles, The Time Travelling Coventry Taxi and Lady Godiva’s Birthday Suit, Aaron is making available a selection of his books at St Mary’s Guildhallin the heart of the city’s Cathedral Quarterand Coombe Abbey Hotel, on the Warwickshire border.

Commenting, Aaron said: “It would be great to see lots of young visitors and their families finding a moment to leaf through one of the books and hopefully learn something about their city and the incredible people who have shaped its identity.”

Dames galore at the 16th Stratford Literary Festival

Three of the acting world’s best-loved Dames - Judi Dench, Penelope Wilton and Harriet Walter - are among the star names appearing at the 16th Stratford Literary Festival later in the spring.

Taking place from Tuesday 2 to Sunday 7 May at the town’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, the popular event will also feature contributions

Revisiting The Twits in Stratford

Stratford-upon-Avon’s Bear Pit Theatre Company is this month once again presenting its highly regarded stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s much-loved children’s story, The Twits.

The show returns following an initial run back in December and will be performed at the Bear Pit Theatre on 10, 12, 17, 18 & 19 March. To book tickets, visit rsc.org.uk and search for The Twits.

Michael McIntyre: Macnificent! in the Midlands

Michael McIntyre is bringing a brand-new stand-up offering to Birmingham nex year.

The much-loved comedian will visit the city’s Utilita Arena with touring show Macnificent! on Friday 24 & Saturday 25 May 2024.

For more information and to check ticket availability, visit michaelmcintyre.co.uk

Birmingham Royal Ballet set to get its metal on...

Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) will present the world premiere of Black Sabbath: The Ballet at Birmingham Hippodrome in the autumn.

Running at the venue from 23 to 30 September, the full-length, three-act show will feature eight Black Sabbath tracks re-orchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

Commenting on the news, BRB Director Carlos Acosta said: “Black Sabbath is probably Birmingham’s biggest export... so I was naturally

drawn to the idea of a collaboration between what most people might think are the most unlikely of partners.

“The band’s enthusiasm for the project is a huge endorsement. They are putting their trust in us to deliver something completely new and original. That’s quite a responsibility, but one that we are beyond excited to take on.”

For more information and to book tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com

Hit thriller set to spook Midlands theatre-goers

Smash-hit supernatural thriller

2:22 - A Ghost Story will stop off in the Midlands next year as part of a UK tour.

Oh Miriam!

BAFTA-winning actress Miriam Margolyes will visit Birmingham in the autumn to present a show publicising her new book. Sharing the book’s title, Oh Miriam! stops off at Symphony Hall on 18 September. For further information and to book tickets, visit bmusic.co.uk

Written by Danny Robins, the creator of popular BBC podcast

The Battersea Poltergeistm, 2:22 - A Ghost Story visits The Alexandra, Birmingham from 16 to 24 January and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 20 t0 24 February.

Commenting on the tour, Danny said: “We are beyond excited to be taking the show around the UK. It’s a play that will make you laugh, scream, cry, think and jump out of your seat - a proper spooky night out!”

For more information and to book tickets, visit: 222aghoststory.com/uk-tour-tickets

Image from West End production.

News from around the region

Coventry theatre to host festival of performing arts

Coventry’s Criterion Theatre is this month hosting a week-long festival of performing arts presented by amateur, community and professional companies and artists. Taking place at the venue from 25 March to 1 April, Springboard Festival will include drama, new writing, poetry & spoken word, multimedia performances, musical offerings, art exhibitions and installations.

To find out more, visit criteriontheatre.co.uk

More acts announced for Moseley festivals

US funk/disco legends KC And The Sunshine Band are the latest big-name act to be announced for this year’s Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Festival in Birmingham’s Moseley Park. Taking place from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 July, the 2023 edition of the popular event also features, among many others, Afrobeatinfused Kokoroko, BBC 6Music’s Huey Morgan and Newcastle favourites Smoove & Turrell.

The news coincides with the announcement that Irish legends The Saw Doctors will later in the year be headlining another popular Moseley Park music event - the Moseley Folk & Arts Festival. The early-autumn gettogether takes place at the outdoor venue from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September.

Stars come out for Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival

Ragley Hall is next month staging the UK’s first outdoor festival dedicated solely to musical theatre.

Taking place on Saturday 30 April, Gaiety Musical Theatre Festival features performances by, among others, Collabro, Kerry Ellis (pictured), Marisha Wallace, Lee Mead and Cassidy Janson.

To find out more and book tickets, visit gaietyfestival.co.uk

Pretty Woman The Musical heading for the Midlands

The stage musical version of hit Richard Gere/Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman will begin a UK & Ireland tour at Birmingham theatre The Alexandra later in the year. The critically acclaimed show, which is

Magic Alley unveils new ‘spellbinding’ attraction

Stratford-uponAvon venue Magic Alley is this spring inviting families to check out its ‘spellbinding’ new attraction.

Titled Witchcraft And Wizardry, the immersive experience features dragons, unicorns, fairies, alchemy, fortune telling, astrology, witches and wizards. Tickets can be booked in advance at magicalleystratford.com. Pre-booking is advised for weekends and school holidays.

Harry Potter concert at Coventry Cathedral

Harry Potter fans are being urged to grab their cloak and wand and head for Coventry Cathedral on Saturday 25 March, where the International Film Orchestra will be performing a concert of music from the much-loved series of films. The concert will be accompanied by ‘dazzling lighting effects’... To find out more and book tickets, visit coventrycathedral.org.uk

playing at London’s Savoy Theatre until June, hits the road in the autumn, showing at the Alex from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 28 October. For more information about the production and to purchase tickets, visit atgtickets.com

A night at the opera at Worcester Cathedral

Worcester Cathedral is to host a candlelit ‘night at the opera’ later in the spring. The special event, taking place on Saturday 20 May, will see critically acclaimed chamber orchestra London Concertante performing music from, among other works, Madame Butterfly, Turandot, Tosca and The Barber Of Seville.

For further information and to book tickets, visit worcestercathedral.co.uk

Great Malvern’s story festival to return in 2023

The Great Malvern Festival Of Stories For Children will return in the autumn following the success of last year's debut event. A collaboration between Malvern Hills District Council and Boffy Arts Events People, the six-day celebration of stories is presented by professional storytellers, children's authors & illustrators, puppet companies, musicians and theatre performers.

The festival will take place across a number of venues throughout Great Malvern from 24 to 29 October. To find out more, go to visitthemalverns.org

DIGGING IN THE DIRT

A brand-new play based on a darkly comic novel shows at the Coventry Belgrade next month...

by Steve Adams

Trailblazing theatre company Complicité’s latest production, Drive Your Plow Over The Bones

Of

The Dead, might have a murder-mystery at its core, but a variety of moral, political, ecological and metaphysical issues mean it’s no Agatha Christie. Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name, it’s the sort of edgy, thought-provoking theatre Complicité does best - as the company’s senior producer, Tim Bell, explains to What’s On...

Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead is the sort of title that can’t fail to intrigue, and Polish author Olga Tokarczuk’s darkly comic novel more than delivers on the page. Her meditation on human existence and rallying call to save the planet is thinly disguised as an unconventional feminist detective story - and one that features a similarly unconventional feminist.

The book is narrated - unreliably - by its eccentric central character, Janina Duszejko. An ageing woman who lives in a remote rural village near the Czech border, she spends her time studying astrology and translating the poetry of William Blake. When her hunter neighbours start turning up dead, she turns detective to find out who - or what - is killing them. Could the animals be taking their revenge?

The novel was translated into English in 2018 and instantly captured the attention and imagination of Simon McBurney, artistic director of award-winning theatre company Complicité. He loved the book so much that he re-read it as soon as he’d finished it - and then added it to a list of options worth exploring for stage adaptation with the company’s senior producer, Tim Bell.

“I read them all and this was the one that really sang,” says Tim. “It’s got so many qualities that I think are exciting and compelling for the stage. It was irresistible.” Irresistible it may have been, but the challenge of reimagining a tale that largely exists in the narrator’s mind, contains wild animals and is set in a frozen, wooded location that’s critical to the story, was never going to be an easy one to negotiate...

It turns out, though, that the company loves a challenge - as Tim explains...

“I like taking a book where people think ‘My goodness, how would this ever work on stage?’ and trying to solve that particular puzzle!

“The other thing that makes it complicated to stage is that it’s told through the voice of this extraordinary central character, Janina - this older woman who has such a unique, idiosyncratic, articulate narrative voice. The book is really inside her head, so taking that

and putting it alongside all the other thingsthe animals, the poetry, the bleak Polish landscape, the dark, dark humour - and finding a form that captures all of those things and puts them on stage, that’s the challenge for us really.”

Casting the central character was always going to be crucial. McBurney’s friend, Kathryn Hunter - a noted Shakespearean actress with a heightened profile courtesy of a recurring role in Star Wars spinoff series Andor - was the perfect choice.

“Kathryn is an extraordinary performer, and we knew from day one that we would need someone extraordinary in that role if the piece was really going to fly,” says Tim, whose tone dips when we discuss the horrific tragedy that struck during pre-production, when Hunter’s husband, Marcello Magni, succumbed to prostate cancer. The couple had been married for 36 years after being introduced to each other by McBurney, who co-founded Complicité with Magni and Annabel Arden in 1983. The loss clearly devastated the entire company.

“Marcello has been a big part of Complicité’s life for 40 years,” whispers Tim, who says the production - which Hunter initially quit - is very much in his honour.

“He was very present in the rehearsal process. We had a picture of him up in the rehearsal room. When we got stuck, we would ask ourselves what Marcello would do - and I think he’s very present in the production itself.

“He was an extraordinary man and continues to inspire Simon and of course Kathryn. All of us, really. It’s in his memory that we’re doing this, in his honour, and we tread in his footsteps.”

Without making light of such a dreadful scenario, Tim admits Magni’s death gives the show - which is essentially about loss - an even greater poignancy and emotional heft (“to have that in the room is incredibly powerful”). But as with most of the company’s productions, the audience needs to go the next mile to get the most out of it.

“As with a lot of Complicité shows, Simon’s work exists in the imagination of the

audience in a way. I’ll try to explain this as best I can: I think our shows exist somewhere in that murky gap between the audience’s imagination and the actors’ imaginationand that’s what’s really thrilling. You don’t go to a Complicité show and sit back and have all the answers fed to you. You’re kept on the edge of your seat as you are trying to piece together what’s going on.

“The reason I’ve loved watching our shows as an audience member is that Simon knows how to give you just enough to piece together the clues and feel like you’ve got agency within the story as an audience member. But at the same time, you’re never confused or lost - that’s the key to that style of work.”

The balancing act obviously requires serious investment from the audience, and although the Belgrade Theatre has historically played host to more-traditional detective stories and murder-mysteries, the venue’s new leadership team - CEO Laura Elliot and Creative Director Corey Campbell - are keen to bring productions which are more contemporary to its main stage.

“This is a detective show with a difference! It’s a murder-mystery, and at the heart of it is a romper-stomper whodunnit plot that I think a lot of the Belgrade audiences might be used to, but it’s certainly done in a different way.

“The Belgrade are co-producers, so they put money in to make the show happen, which is a very powerful statement of intent. Complicité would not exist without partners like that, and this show would not exist without that, so we’re tremendously grateful.

“We’re really excited by what’s going on at the Belgrade at the moment - the change of leadership and all the possibilities and the exciting ideas that those guys are bringing in. We’re really keen to see where the theatre goes over the next few years.”

Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead shows at Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from Wednesday 19 to Saturday 22 April

REVIEW: Warwick Spice

As a much-loved staple of the town for over 20 years, Warwick Spice Bangladeshi & Indian restaurant is a local success story worth celebrating.

Situated just a short walk from the town centre, within near reach of the historic high street, this bustling restaurant & takeaway has been a major hit with customers for many a year. Indeed, it earned the accolade of Most Loved Indian Restaurant In The UK in ‘thebestof’ business awards 2018 and a nomination for Bangladeshi Restaurant Of The Year at last year’s English Curry Awards.

So what is the secret to its longevity? As a first-time visitor to the venue in 2023, I think the recipe is simple enough; fresh, authentic food, cooked from the heart, delivered with unmatched hospitality and a genuine friendliness that finds its way into every aspect of the customer experience.

Entering the venue from the nearby high street, we were

greeted like old friends by the restaurant’s attentive waiting staff and its charismatic owner, Hosoun Miah, whose genuine warmth and infectious sense of humour made us feel instantly at home.

A brief glance at Warwick Spice’s menu revealed a comprehensive selection of South Asian favourites, individually cooked to order for maximum freshness.

As well as tried-and-tested curryhouse dishes - Madras, Dopiaza, Byriani and Dhansak - there were also less familiar ‘chef specials’ available. These included Sorisha (chicken cooked in garam masala and mustard), Manik’s ‘home-style’ special curry, King Prawn Pasanda and Jumri - grilled chicken cooked with kidney beans, hot paprika & fresh chillies. Warwick Spice offers choice enough to satisfy all tastes, whether you’re eager to expand your culinary horizons or content in your comfort zone of a classic korma or masala.

We settled down to our table -

complete with fresh linens - and a serving of house special Pinot Grigio.

My partner’s choice of starter - a Tandoori Mix (£5.25) of Lamb Tikka, Chicken Tikka and Sheek Kebab served with fresh raita and side salad - was chargrilled to perfection and bursting with authentic, aromatic flavour. Marinated in classic ‘tikka’ spices using only the tenderest cuts of meat, this was tandoor cooking at its best; smoky, richly spiced with hints of coriander, chilli and garlic, and boasting a tenderness of texture that can only be achieved by the true experts!

For the non-meat eater looking to sample the authentic taste of tandoori cooking, Warwick Spice also offers ‘paneer’ and ‘salmon’ tikka starters as standard.

My starter of Keralan ‘Aam’ chicken (£4.95) was the perfect marriage of sweet and sour; cooked in a rich mango sauce with a subtle aftertaste of warm spice and served in small, individually marinated chunks that simply melted in the mouth.

With so many great dishes to choose from, it was time to consult the experts. Selecting from the ‘chef specials’ menu for my partner, our helpful waiter was quick to recommend the restaurant’s most popular dish: the chicken ‘Makhoni’ (£10.50). This was cooked in a classic red sauce, flavoured with almond, butter and cream, and served, in this case, with the most generous portion of garlic naan bread (£3.50) that I’ve ever seen. Poised somewhere between a Masala and Pasanda, the ‘Makhoni’ sauce of fresh tomato, cream, onion and butter was delightfully sweet (if a little too rich for my tastes) and incredibly good value at just over £10 per portion.

Choosing instead from the menu of traditional curries, my Lamb Tikka Saagwala (£10.25) - made with spinach and garnished with fresh lemon - well and truly lived up to its ‘super food’ credentials.

Bursting with the fresh citrus scents of coriander and lemon juice, and served in a sauce of aromatic spices, the tender chunks of grilled lamb tikka provided the perfect counterpoint to the robust, earthy flavour of the sauteed spinach. My choice of chapati side proved the ideal vehicle for mopping up all that vitamin-rich spinach sauce.

And whilst our stomachs couldn’t quite stretch to sampling one of Warwick Spice’s many and varied vegetable sides and sundries this time around, it’s safe to say we weren’t short of choice; from the lentil-based Tarka Dhal, Saag Paneer and Bombay Aloo, right through to the less common ‘Gobi’ peas (cooked in cauliflower), Egg Bhuna (cooked in a mediumspicy sauce) and Navratan curry, made with cabbage, onions, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, beans, carrots, marrow and okra. Ultimately, though, what continues to bring Warwick Spice’s customers back to the restaurant again and again isn’t just the authentic South Asian food. It’s the feeling of being part of something indispensable; something solid and timeless. From its regular charity fundraisers to its three-course Bollywood banquet nights and special-events programme, this is a venue that exists at the very heart of its local community.

Warwick Spice has been serving regulars and newcomers alike with an unswerving pride and genuine ‘passion for people’ for the last 23 years - and long may that continue.

Katherine Ewing

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Warwick Spice

24 Smith Street

Warwick CV34 4HS Tel: 01926 491736

Authentic South Asian food at the very heart of the local community

POWER TRIP

Brutus and Cassius are reimagined as female characters in the RSC’s new production of Julius Caesar

Image: Thalissa Teixeira

by Steve Adams

The stated intention of the RSC’s current Power Shifts season - which comprises five plays from Shakespeare’s First Folio, performed in the year that marks its 400th anniversary - is to address the question of power, who holds it, who should hold it, and how it changes human beings and the world as a result.

The ‘shift’ element is also illustrated by changes to traditional casting, with a number of traditionally male characters reimagined as women. Alex Kingston recently played the RSC’s first female Prospero in The Tempest, while the upcoming production of Julius Caesar sees the murderous duo of Brutus and Cassius performed by Thalissa Teixeira and Kelly Gough respectively.

The move reflects the company’s desire to keep the Bard’s work fresh and relevant to contemporary society, according to Acting Artistic Director Erica Whyman: “As the RSC embarks on a new chapter, with a fresh and fearless determination to look at ourselves and our world through the lens of Shakespeare’s plays, all of our creative activity in 2023 will address questions of power. Who has it, who doesn’t, how does it change a human being, when does it corrupt, and how might it disrupt and liberate?”

Erica says the plays would have been lost forever if not for the First Folio, which was published in 1623 (just seven years after Shakespeare’s death), an act she believes sent a powerful message in itself.

“The Folio invested enormous lasting power in one playwright, who was himself fascinated by how power is apportioned according to race, gender, class and birth right, and how rarely the smartest and the bravest people are afforded power.”

The season also includes new productions of Cymbeline (directed by Gregory Doran), As You Like It and Macbeth, with Next Generation Act - the RSC’s young companyalso set to perform Hamlet.

“These six fascinating and wonderfully different plays explore political power, the crumbling of imperial power, the power of young people - especially young women - to free themselves from expectation and find new ways of living, and the terrible psychological destruction of the murderous desire for power.”

The ‘especially young women’ line is a telling

one, given how prevalent women will be during the season, not least in Julius Caesar, which sees Brutus, Cassius and Octavius all reimagined as female characters. The former is played by British-Brazilian actress Thalissa Teixeira. Thalissa thinks it’s important to explore how women in roles of power are still judged differently to men. She cites the likes of Nicola Sturgeon, Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin (“who was caught dancing and having a good time like a normal human being”), and how race, and racial stereotyping, can add another layer to the dynamic.

“I think it’s really time to be questioning women’s roles in the public eye, and the optics of putting women in power as well,” she says. “It’s quite cynical sometimes. As a cast we’ve been talking a lot about Brutus being a black woman and Cassius being a white woman, and almost needing Brutus to take over because it will be stronger in the eyes of the optics.

“Having a black woman kill an old white man on stage is an image that we’ve got, whether or not we’re talking about race.”

Director Atri Banerjee’s production not only features a young cast (“I think we’re all the ages that the characters really were,” counters Thalissa), but a diverse one in terms of gender, race, nationality, class and disability - two of the actors are deafensuring it represents contemporary society as it tells a story with contemporary resonance.

“There’s this incredible cast from across the globe, with all our own ideas about revolution and war and fighting and dictatorship,” says Thalissa. “In terms of civil war, some have lived through it, so it’s been a really moving experience.

“But what is contemporary when you’re talking about humans? Black people were in Rome, people who couldn’t hear were in Rome… it’s maybe quite old-fashioned that we haven’t put those people on our stage.”

Thalissa also finds it exciting to have a power struggle in Rome (44BC), the fears of an Elizabethan society with an ageing monarch at the time the play was written (1599), and the horrors of the modern world “all being talked about and placed on a stage simultaneously”.

“Shakespeare was writing about Julius

Caesar but chose to talk about the aftermath of the assassination. He’s interested in the people, what the outcomes are and what the result of violence is. Probably because while he was writing it, Elizabeth was old and they didn’t have a monarch to follow her, and that was terrifying. The idea of not knowing what was coming next and [the prospect of] civil war was huge.”

Standing up to power and drawing a line in the sand - Caesar was arguably murdered for the good of the people - is another theme that is especially pertinent to the present day, given the number of workers taking strike action to fight their respective causes.

“It’s people deciding that enough is enough. When I got cast, Atri said he was really interested to see if I could get into the mindset of being able to kill your dad if you know that is going to save the population.

“It’s a huge question, but it’s also like ‘When do I stand up against my boss as a train worker’, or ‘when do I decide I’m not going to work however many hours a week and be paid very little as a nurse?’”

Finding contemporary resonance in Shakespeare’s work is like shooting fish in a barrel. Thalissa reels off a Cassius quote from the play to demonstrate the point: How many ages hence shall this our lofty scene be acted over in states unborn and accents yet unknown. But she also believes it shows how Shakespeare wanted his work to remain relevant to, and performed by, all types of people.

“He’d be turning in his grave if he knew old white men in togas were doing this story over and over again on a British stage, because he was a modern guy writing about absolutely current affairs.

“There was a new play almost every other second, just to keep up with what was happening in society, and that’s why I think Atri wants to make it contemporary. It’d be a huge disservice to tell this story without questioning what is going on in our current climate.”

Julius Caesar shows at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, from Sat 18 March to Sat 8 April

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Power Shifts season continues with a hard-hitting new version of Julius Caesar that not only addresses the question of power and who does, or should, hold it, but sees its two male protagonists reimagined as women. It’s a way of adding another layer of contemporary resonance to a work that continues to remain relevant to modern society, according to two of the production’s key figures...

Classical

Classical music from across the region...

Serbian-French violinist Nemanja Radulovi is the soloist for a concert which sees the Swedish Philharmonia making their Warwick Arts Centre debut. The 111-year-old orchestra was founded in Gävle and includes in its concert programme a work by Bo Linde, a composer who was born in

Armonico Consort: St Matthew Passion

Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, Thurs 30 March; Malvern Theatres, Fri 31 March

A favourite at Eastertide, St Matthew Passion - Bach’s moving retelling of Christ’s betrayal and death - continues to be one of classical music’s most profound experiences, combining perfectly formed recitative and powerful choruses with beautiful arias in a dramatic and almost operatic way.

Performed at two venues on consecutive days by Armonico Consort & Baroque Players, the work is directed by the group’s founder, Christopher Monks.

the city. His 1954 composition, A Merry Overture - a joyful but rarely performed work - takes its place in the concert alongside Sibelius’ second symphony and Tchaikovsky’s only concerto for violin. The orchestra’s principal conductor, Jaime Martin, is the man with the baton.

Orchestra Of The Swan: Earthcycle

Drapers’ Hall, Coventry, Thurs 9 March Stratford-upon-Avon-based Orchestra Of The Swan visit Coventry this month with Earthcycle, a musical contemplation of humanity’s impact on the planet’s environment and natural rhythms. The work features two renditions of Vivaldi’s celebrated masterpiece, The Four Seasons - a traditional performance and a specially commissioned version by baroque/jazz musician & composer David Gordon.

The orchestra is also visiting Warwick Hall this month to perform a concert entitled Goodnight Vienna, on Thursday the 16th. Then, one week later, on Thursday the 23rd, they present Mysterious Barricades at The Courtyard in Hereford.

To find out more about these concerts, visit orchestraoftheswan.org

Ex Cathedra: Baroque Passion

Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, Tues 21 March

Ensemble 360

Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sun 5 March

With a well-established reputation for successfully engaging with different audiences and age groups, Ensemble 360 comprises a group of musicians of international standing who share the belief that concerts should be informal, friendly, relaxed and, wherever possible, performed ‘in the round’. Their early-month Royal Spa Centre performance sees them presenting a programme featuring compositions by Mozart, Beethoven and Berwald.

In a concert presented in Warwick as part of Leamington Music’s early-music series, long-established Birmingham ensemble Ex Cathedra performs a programme of sublime music telling of the sacrifice, heartbreak and healing of the Easter story. Including Scarlatti’s Stabat Mater, which sees Mary weeping at the foot of the cross, the concert concludes with the optimism of Bach’s glorious motet, Komm, Jesu, Komm. Music by Purcell, Lotti, Kuhnau, Monteverdi, Carissimi and Charpentier also features. Ex Cathedra founder Jeffrey Skidmore conducts.

Swedish Philharmonia Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 17 March

Image credit: Ⓒ Charlotte Abramow / DG

Gigs

Live music from across the region...

Ellie Gowers

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 9 March

Boasting a strong voice full of expression and maturity, Ellie Gowers writes and performs songs with sociological, ecological and personal themes in mind. Her sensitive, tender yet powerful and thought-provoking material hints at the music of Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake and Laura Marling.

She’s performing at Warwick Arts Centrewhere she’s artist-in-residence - on the back of her debut album, Dwelling By The Weir. The record is an exploration of the folklore, stories and people that have made her home county of Warwickshire what it is today.

Sunjay

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thurs 9 March

Brierley Hill-based singer-songwriter Sunjay started performing in front of audiences at the tender age of seven. Now 29, his shows blend exquisite blues, country and folk music with a masterclass in guitar playing and no small amount of humour.

Once likened to a young Ralph McTell, Sunjay’s career thus far has seen him reach the final of the BBC Radio Two Young Folk Awards (in 2012) and play the lead role in touring theatre show Buddy Holly & The Cricketers.

Dirty Sound Magnet

The Tin Music & Arts, Coventry, Fri 24 March

Swiss psychedelic rockers Dirty Sound Magnet call to mind some of music’s greatest bands. They’ve been likened to Led Zeppelin for their groove, energy and instrumental virtuosity, hailed a more

Mad Dog Mcrea

hmv Empire, Coventry, Fri 24 March

Mad Dog Mcrea blend a unique mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz and bluegrass. From self-penned numbers telling of adventure, drinking, love and life, to traditional offerings about gypsies, fairies, legless pirates and black flies, their infectious songs never fail to capture their audience’s imagination.

Neville Staple

The Rialto Plaza, Coventry, Sat 18 March Best known, of course, from his time in The Specials, Neville Staple - aka The Original Rude Boy - here teams up with Roddy Radiation & The Skabilly Rebels to present a nostalgic night of Ska and 2 Tone hits, including Ghost Town, A Message To You Rudy, Rat Race and Gangsters.

As well as those early-career days with The Specials, Neville has also enjoyed major successes with Fun Boy Three - among whose chart hits were notable collaborations with Bananarama - and Special Beat, a team-up project with The Beat’s Ranking Roger.

violent version of Pink Floyd and commended for summoning up a mysticism that calls to mind The Doors. Visiting Coventry with a well-established reputation for impressive live performances, they are joined on the night by Satsangi and Strip Search Tramp.

David Ford

Temperance, Leamington Spa, Mon 13 March

Although greatly admired for the way in which he turns live music into elaborate performance art, David Ford’s most impressive talent lies in his songwriting. His fluent melodicism, lyrical dexterity and willingness to tackle complex and controversial subject matter has marked him out as one of the country’s most accomplished singer-songwriters. This Leamington gig sees the Dartford-born musician keeping things simple, ‘leaving most of the crazy machines at home’, playing some of his favourite songs and sharing stories about where they came from.

THE LAUNCHPAD

Shrewsbury Folk Festival is inviting applications for its emerging-artists initiative

Shrewsbury Folk Festival has kicked off its annual search for folk stars of the futuremusicians looking to showcase their talent and reach new audiences at this year’s fourday event in late August.

Organisers are looking for bands, duos or solo artists to pitch for one of the three places available on The Launchpad, the festival’s platform for emerging artists.

Successful candidates will get to perform two 30-minute sets on the Village Stage over the weekend. Hopefully they will then follow in the footsteps of numerous previous Launchpad performers who’ve gone on to enjoy great success.

“Every year we are astounded at the wealth of talent that we uncover for The Launchpad,” says Festival Artistic Director Sandra Surtees. “One of our first-ever Launchpad artists was The Trials Of Cato, who won Best Album at the BBC Folk Awards in 2019 and played on our main stage last year.

“For many young musicians, appearing on The Launchpad will be the first time they’ve had the opportunity to take part in a major festival like ours. It’s good experience and the chance to reach a new audience. We’re

inviting applications from bands, duos or solo artists in the folk, roots or acoustic genre who’d like this opportunity.”

Bonnie Schwarz, from duo Good Habits, who played on The Launchpad last year, said: “Performing at Shrewsbury Folk Festival was such a joyful experience, and we were thrilled to have such an attentive crowd at the Village Stage. A lovely opportunity that we’re very grateful for!”

Shropshire musician Jessie Reid is another artist who made her mark on The Launchpad (in 2019). The singer-songwriter went on to release her first single in 2022 and now regularly performs at music venues and festivals across the UK.

What’s On Media Group has been the official sponsor of The Launchpad for a number of years and is thrilled to continue the partnership in 2023: “Shrewsbury Folk Festival is one of the top events of its kind, and the opportunity to play there is a great step for young musicians who are looking to make a name for themselves and get some festival experience.

“There is a wealth of talent across the region, and we’re delighted once again to be supporting this fantastic initiative.”

How to apply:

Artists must be available to attend the festival between Friday 25 and Monday 28 August. They must be aged over 16. All 16 to 18-yearolds require parental permission. There is no upper age limit.

Launchpad musicians will receive a free artist and guest ticket, on-site camping and artist hospitality.

Applicants must include a short biography (including location and ages) and links to performances (Soundcloud, YouTube etc).

Applications must be sent, before 26 May, to: jo@shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk Only elected performers will be contacted.

Shrewsbury Folk Festival is an awardwinning family-friendly event taking place at West Midland Showground, Shrewsbury, from Friday 25 to Monday 28 August.

Highlights for the 2023 festival so far include Billy Bragg, Leveret, Jiggy & The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican.

To find out more and book tickets, visit: shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

Comedy previews from across the region...

Gary Meikle

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 31 March; Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 2 April; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 22 April “This show will be a continued celebration of me being me,” explains Gary Meikle, “which in the current climate of cancel culture could be seen as risky!

Rosie Holt

The Old Rep, Birmingham, Fri 17 March

Rosie Holt’s online videos became so popular that her podcast, NonCensored, hit number two in the charts before it had even been released! A jobbing actor before the pandemic, lockdown saw her holed up with her parents and itching for something to do with the acres of spare time at her disposal. So she put her acting talents to good use by tweeting clips of herself ‘skewering the political landscape’, as she puts it. Much to Rosie’s surprise and delight, she

Alfie Moore

Lichfield Garrick, Fri 17 & Sat 18 March; Stourbridge Town Hall, Fri 31 March; The Core Theatre, Solihull, Fri 19 May; The Roses, Tewkesbury, Sat 17 June

Staunch Sheffield socialist Alfie Moore is a very funny man and a former police officer. Indeed, back in the day, his website referenced his two careers, advising that if you wanted to see him live, your best options were either to ‘catch him at one of his gigs’ or ‘drive to Scunthorpe and park on a double yellow line’.

He visits the Midlands with Fair Cop Unleashed, a show based on a dramatic reallife incident - taken from Alfie’s police casebook - that recounts ‘the thrilling ups and downs of the night a mysterious clown came to town and more than one life ended up in the balance’.

became an online sensation, her up-to-theminute satirising of Westminster life seeing her Twitter following rising from 3,000 to more than 250,000 in the proverbial blink of an eye.

With evidence of her comedic talent accumulating at a spectacular rate of knots, it’s little wonder the Chortle Award winner has decided to hit the road with her first-ever tour...

The show, titled The Woman’s Hour, did great business in Edinburgh last summer and promises 60 minutes of topical humour to savour.

Sara Pascoe

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sun 19 March Covid. Conflict. Cost of living. Climate. The 2020s are certainly providing standups with plenty of material from which to chisel out and polish up all manner of comedy gems. And against so dramatic and often heartstrings-pulling a backdrop, there’s one thing about which Sara Pascoe is clear: There are no off-limit subjects when it comes to comedy...

“People forgive the subject matter when they find something funny,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean the comedian has no responsibility to question their own material. If they’re going to tell a joke about rape, they should first consider how you might feel if you’ve been a victim of it. If, after that, they still feel it’s a joke worth telling, then they’ll be doing so with complete faith in their own material, which is great.”

Sara visits the Midlands this month with her touring show, Success Story.

“My targets, as always, will be my girls and me, as well as life observations on things like how equality between the sexes has a clear, definitive line, all medication side-effects, my loathing of stupid questions, how our ancestors were idiots and much, much more. I’m going to remain playfully dark and as always do what I do best, which is to be relatable, honest, and give you an insight into what it’s like to be me - a young, single grandad who’s passionate about making his audience laugh!”

Patrick Monahan

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 11 March

Half Iranian, half Irish stand-up comic Patrick Monahan is no slouch when it comes to bringing up the subject of his own ethnicity on stage.

“I guess I like to think that maybe I’m breaking down stereotypes,” explains Patrick, who’s eager to make it clear that his comedy isn’t just political. “I think it’s important to look for positive stuff in life. Focusing on the bad stuff all the time would mean that the only people who’d come to my shows would be the ones who thought the end of the world was nigh!”

Josh Pugh

Birmingham Town Hall, Fri 17 March Hailing from Atherstone in Warwickshire, Josh Pugh made his stand-up debut in the spring of 2014 and within 18 months had won the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award.

Then, in 2016, he picked up the English Comedian of the Year title - the prize for which included a string of Australian gigs. “The weirdest thing about that,” recalls Josh, “was the ex-pats who came to the show because I was billed as English Comedian of the Year. I’d have people coming up to me saying, ‘I used to live in Coventry,’ or ‘I’ve been to The Roadhouse’ (a now-closed venue in Birmingham). I found that dead odd - being so far away, on the other side of the world, and having people coming up to me who knew where I lived!”

Simon Brodkin

The Old Rep, Birmingham, Sun 5 March; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Fri 24 March; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 8 April; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 16 April; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wed 13 September; Birmingham Town Hall, Thurs 14 September; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 11 November

Former medical doctor Simon Brodkin is perhaps best known as the creator of comedy character Lee Nelson, a blingwearing Stella-swigging South London geezer.

Simon has also hit the headlines for his unwavering commitment to the business of being a top-quality prankster: In 2017 he famously handed Prime Minister Theresa May her P45 at the Tory Party Conference... This latest tour, entitled Screwed Up, sees him ripping into celebrity culture, social media, the police, Putin, Prince Andrew and Jesus.

Colin Hoult: The Death Of Anna Mann

Colin Hoult here puts his fabulous comedy creation, Anna Mann, to the sword. For those not in the know, Colin’s character of Anna is an actress & singer whose back-up profession is welder, whose past is littered with failed marriages, and whose quest for stardom has taken her from a Midlands egg-sandwich

Jimmy Carr

Dudley Town Hall, Sat 25 March; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Fri 12 May; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sun 11 June; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wed 1 November & Fri 1 December

Jimmy Carr’s comedy is all about quickfire, deadpan one-liners - so many of them, in fact, that he’s not sure whether their content actually matters all that much: “People don’t really remember the individual jokes I tell because I tell such a lot of them. What they do remember is how those jokes make them feel.”

Jimmy is a comedian for whom no subject is off limits: “I’ll talk about anything as long as I feel the joke justifies it. Sure, it may cause controversy - but then controversy is an easy story on a slow-news day. And I never apologise for jokes. After all, I’m not making a serious political statement, I’m just trying to make somebody laugh.”

Jimmy visits the region with Terribly Funny 2.0, a show which he warns contains ‘jokes about all kinds of terrible things’.

shop to the dizzying career heights of Predator The Musical and video nasty Cannibal Bagpipers... A smash-hit meditation ‘on life, death and literally everything in between’, The Death Of Anna Mann was a nominee for best show at Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards last year.

John Kearns

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sat 4 March; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 25 March; Glee Club, Birmingham, Sun 26 March; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 1 November

“When I visit your town, dogs will start barking, as will clergy,” warns John Kearns, who’s stopping off in the Midlands this month with his ‘heart-stopping, glassesdropping, hard-rocking, wig-shaking’ new show, The Varnishing Days. “Your microwave will go haywire. The lights in your vestibule will flicker, and the Bank of England will nervously look at interest rates...

“On the day I write this, the pound has hit an all-time low against the dollar. Mark my words: This show will break that record again and again and again...”

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 11 March

A TITANIC RETURN

Director Thom Sutherland talks about bringing his award-winning musical back to Birmingham...

The tragic story of RMS Titanic’s fateful maiden voyage in 1912 was made into an awardwinning Broadway musical over a quarter of a century ago. Then, in 2013, the production was massively reworked by director Thom Sutherland, who grew up in Walsall. Thom talks to What’s On about his show’s 10th anniversary tour, which sails into Birmingham next month...

Director Thom Southerland would be the first to admit that a musical about RMS Titanic could have gone horribly wrong. Faced with one of history’s most infamous tragedies - in which more than 1,500 people died after the luxury liner hit an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage - the question was how to tell the story in a way which was respectful to the memory of those who perished.

For Thom, the answer was about celebrating the lives of the people on board the shippaying tribute to their hopes and dreamsrather than focusing on the catastrophe. Titanic The Musical had first been produced on Broadway in 1997, but Thom massively reworked the show when he directed it at Southwark Playhouse in 2013. His version, with music & lyrics by Maury Yeston, not only received critical and audience acclaim but this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, next month visiting Birmingham Hippodrome for a second time.

“I think the Titanic story will always be with us,” says Thom. “There’s a fascination with it, the majesty of the legend of Titanic. The success of the musical is that it takes that story and legend of history and makes it a very human story. It makes it a story that we can all associate with, as we all set sail on the journey with the passengers who were brave enough to sail on that maiden voyage more than 100 years ago.

“We honour and remember them, and we celebrate the positive aspects of their lives, how brave and courageous they were, and what we can learn from that fateful night that they encountered. I think by telling a story from as much as we know to be the truth, or to be from factual events - and not to replicate or over-dramatise or simplify itwas the solution.

“In the musical, unlike any other dramatisation of the story, all the people represented on stage are real people. Peter Stone, who wrote the script, chose very different sorts of people, who could all be connected together and had aspects of their lives which I think we can all associate with. Whether it’s the Irish immigrants, who are desperate to be free and have a new life across the world in America, or the middleclass aspirational people running away for

love, or whether it’s the aristocracy, there’s something for everyone.

“The ship and its people are the stars of our show. We made a very intentional decision when we created this version that we would not turn it into a disaster movie, as that could be in bad taste. And I wanted to bring in the memorial boards and have the names of everybody who lost their lives that night shown on stage. I want us to remember and to celebrate their lives, and at the end of the night that board returns. It’s wonderful to see people go down to the stage at the end and look at that board and the names and take in the human scale of it.”

This connection with the characters means the story remains relevant more than a century after the event.

“We have to tell human stories to reflect on our own stories today. It’s an absorbing piece, but we have to do it carefully. The key thing is to show how unhistorical these stories are, how contemporary they are, and therefore to celebrate and not be overly maudlin about it. We have to celebrate what was so wonderful about their lives and go forward.”

Thom believes the music also helps ensure the show captures the emotion of the stories.

“When you are dealing with such a tragedy, I have learnt that to musicalise it helps to tell those moments of either horror or, actually, optimism, quickly and without words. Maury’s music does it. I remember at the very beginning, when we said we were going to do a musical of the Titanic story, people laughed. It sounded like the worst idea possible, but actually, with music, you’re able to portray such a wide range of emotion.

I think Maury’s Titanic music is universal, and I learn, as we continue to tour this production, how really affecting the show is in any language and any culture.

“And there’s also something wildly joyful about Titanic. She was the largest moving object in the world, and the wealth and the glamour and the excitement of the idea of getting to the other side of the world was immense. Actually the disappointment and the upset and the tragedy is only the last bit. The excitement of being on the most luxurious ship in the world is the story.”

The show has toured the UK and played dates in China, Japan, Canada and Germany, but for Thom, who grew up in Walsall, Birmingham Hippodrome remains a special venue. As a child, the shows he would see there with his grandparents provided him with an introduction to the world of theatre.

“My heart is in Birmingham! On the last tour, I was there at the Hippodrome on the first night and the last night, and all the family came as well. It was a special day when we were there because I sat in the front row of the dress circle, where I used to sit with my grandparents when they used to bring me to the pantomime. It was a day that I won’t forget. And again, this time when Titanic comes to the Hippodrome, we’re all coming. Just to sit in that auditorium is special.” Last autumn Thom took on the position of associate artistic director of MAST and Mayflower Theatre in Southampton. And he’s keen to continue to promote large-scale shows like Titanic visiting different venues.

“I think it’s wonderful that Titanic tours and visits places like the Hippodrome. Titanic is one of those pieces that I think should be seen by as many people as possible locally. It’s on a huge scale with the music and the stage, and I love getting that scale of show touring and visiting venues.”

Titanic The Musical drops anchor at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tues 18Sat 22 April & Regent Theatre, Stoke-onTrent from Mon 24 - Sat 29 April

Lady Birmingham Hippodrome, Wed 8 March - Sun 19 March

Based on George Bernard Shaw's play, Pygmalion, My Fair Lady tells the story of Professor Henry Higgins, an arrogant expert in phonetics who reckons he could teach any woman to speak properly. Enter, Eliza Dolittle - a young flower seller who’s no great lover of pronouncing her aitches. But will Eliza prove a challenge too far for the proper-speakin’ professor?

Of Mice And Men

The Rep, Birmingham, Sat 18 March - Sat 8 April

George and Lennie are drifters who only have each other and their shared search for the American Dream. George is the sharp little guy who looks out for Lennie. Lennie, meanwhile, is a big-hearted fella who, unaware of his own strength, seems unable to keep out of trouble.

Finding work on a ranch in California, they plan to stay long enough to buy a little place of their own. But their arrival triggers a tragic chain of events that threatens to destroy the very dream that unites them...

This brand-new version of the John Steinbeck classic is helmed by Rep Associate Director and Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony Director Iqbal Khan.

Lesley Garrett and Adam Woodyatt star in this touring version of the critically acclaimed West Ender, which comes complete with Lerner & Loewe’s famous score.

Memorable songs include Wouldn't It Be Loverly?, With A Little Bit Of Luck, The Rain In Spain, I Could Have Danced All Night and Get Me To The Church On Time.

Death Drop: Back In The Habit

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Mon 13 - Sat 18 March

Jersey Boys

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 7 - Sat 18 March

Rockin’ and rollin’ New Jersey boys Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons scored some truly massive hits during the mid-1960s. This award-winning jukebox musical tells their story.

If you like your spinetingling murdermysteries liberally festooned with raucous ridiculousness and outrageous drag stars, then this is the show for you. When a convent’s peace and tranquillity is shattered by a serial slayer slashing their way through the sisters, the Mother Superior and the rag-tag nuns of St Babs must gird their loins and save their souls...

Expect witty one-liners, breathtaking costumes, grisly murders and madcap mayhem aplenty in this camp-as-Christmas comedy starring Jujubee, Cheryl Hole, Victoria Scone and LoUis CYfer.

Taking a documentary-style format, the show is structured as four ‘seasons’, each being narrated by a different member of the band. Featured hits include Walk Like A Man, Bye Bye Baby, Big Girls Don't Cry, Sherry, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Working My Way Back To You and December 1963 (Oh, What A Night).

Theatre previews from around the region

My Fair

Theatre previews from around the region

The Rocky Horror Show

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 6 - Sat 11 March; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Mon 27 March - Sat 1 April

Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’The Rocky Horror Show is returning to the Midlands!

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, the show takes 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)!

How Not To Drown

Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 7 & Wed 8 March

“I’m really excited to bring How Not To Drown to Birmingham,” says director Neil Bettles, in talking about a show that tells the real-life story of a Kosovan boy sent on a perilous journey to Europe with a gang of people smugglers. “It’s a story that resonated with audiences when we made it in 2019 at the Edinburgh Festival, and I think it’s even more relevant today, with immigration so prominent in the media and our political discussions. It’s a play about how we care for people, what it’s like to be lost in a system at breaking point, where you belong, and ultimately what it takes to call a place home. Above all it’s a story of hope about a cheeky young lad who used his wit and charm to get through it.”

Run Rebel

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 21 - Sat 25 March

Fresh from presenting their acclaimed production of Noughts And Crosses, Pilot Theatre make a welcome return with another adaptation of a celebrated work of youngadult fiction: Manjeet Mann’s 2020 novel, Run Rebel.

Trapped by her family’s rules, their expectations and her own fears, Amber finds freedom on the running track. As her body speeds up, the world slows down, and she soon feels compelled to start a revolutionfor her mother, her sister, and herself... Run Rebel has been written especially for audiences aged 11-plus.

The Moth

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 9 - Sat 11 March

“This innovative, contemporary version of an American classic has now been relocated to working-class Britain and set in the 1990s,” explains Lying Lips Theatre Company in describing latest production The Moth - an adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. “Join us as we explore and unpack the toxicity of relationships and dissect the presentation of masculinity and femininity. Witness the struggles of societal expectations and the repercussions that can occur when these are challenged. When hierarchy becomes contested, what extremities will one go to, to attempt to bring it back to order?”

The production contains ‘scenes of domestic abuse, sexual violence and partial nudity’.

The Time Machine: A Comedy

Malvern Theatres, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April

With their tour of Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d ending early this month, Original Theatre turn their attention to HG Wells’ famous time-travelling adventure, cleverly augmenting their telling of the terrific tale with a healthy dose of fast-paced, wise-cracking humour.

“Expect the most surprising and unforeseen consequences as we go on a journey through time,” explain Original Theatre. “This is a comedy that travels to the end of the earth's life in order to reflect on our own.”

The cast includes Dave Hearn, a founding member of the Olivier Award-winning Mischief Theatre.

Theatre

Theatre previews from around the region

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 13 - Sat 17 June

“I’m so thrilled that my characters are stepping into a new life on the stage,” says Deborah Moggach in talking about the theatrical version of her bestselling novel of the same name. “They’ve been waiting impatiently for the curtain to rise, and none of them are getting any younger. So welcome again to the Marigold Hotel! We've assembled an amazing cast, so I hope they bring you plenty of laughs and some warm sparks of recognition.”

Best known from its 2011 film version starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel tells the story of an eclectic group of British retirees as they embark on a new life in India and, more precisely, as residents of the hotel of the title... Belinda Lang (2 Point 4 Children), Paul Nicholas (Just Good Friends), Tessa PeakeJones (Only Fools And Horses) and Graham Seed (The Archers) star.

Too Much World At Once

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 13 - Wed 15 March

Award-winning Manchester theatre company Box Of Tricks here does what it does bestchampions a playwright by presenting a new work reflecting ‘the world in which we live today’.

Billie Collins’ Too Much World At Oncedescribed by the company as ‘a lyrical, theatrical journey that spans continents and lives’ - finds teenager Noble transforming into a bird on the occasion of his 15th birthday.

Thousands of miles away, his sister, Cleo, is stationed on a remote island with the British Antarctic Survey. The birds have disappeared and Noble needs to reach Cleo. Lying low until it’s time to take flight, he finds solace in misfit Ellis, while his mother, Fiona, desperately tries to stop their home from falling apart...

Menopause The Musical 2

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent; Sat 18 March; Telford Theatre, Tues 21 March; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Thurs 30 March; Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock, Sat 1 April; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 13 April; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Fri 14 April; Malvern Theatres, Thurs 20 April; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Fri 21 April; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 17 June

Mary Byrne, Annabel Giles, Rebecca Wheatley and Susie Fenwick star in this highly anticipated sequel.

In the first show, four women met in a department store, with conversation quickly turning to the one thing they all had in common - the menopause. Cue innumerable one-liners on subjects including mood

Blood Brothers

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April

Although it’s effectively a class-driven ‘scouse melodrama’, to describe Blood Brothers as such is to greatly underestimate the emotional response it produces within its audience.

The show features adult actors playing children, a narrator who wanders through the scenes with warnings of impending doom, a good helping of sharp social awareness to counteract the sticky sentimentality, and a raft of much-loved musical numbers, including Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged Tell Me It’s Not True.

swings, forgetfulness, wrinkles, night sweats and uncontrollable chocolate binges... This follow-up offering - subtitled Cruising The Menopause - catches up with the ladies five years later, this time as they set off on the high seas.

Quality Street

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Fri 3 - Sat 25 March

JM Barrie is best known as the creator of Peter Pan, but years before he ventured to Neverland, he penned a farce so popular that it gave its name to one of the UK’s most famous brands of chocolate.

When Captain Valentine returns from fighting Napoleon, he’s disappointed to find Phoebe Throssel somewhat less glamorous than he remembers her. But Phoebe has a plan to rekindle his interest, courtesy of her younger alter-ego, the wild and sparkling Miss Livvy...

Presented by the ever-impressive Northern Broadsides.

Niki Colwell Evans stars as Mrs Johnstone.

Theatre previews from around the region

Abigail’s Party

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March

Making its television debut as a BBC Play For Today in November 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 since been hugely challenging for any actress to play the character in any other way. This London Classic Theatre version is out on tour following a successful run in the West End.

Family Tree

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fri 10 - Sat 18 March

Henrietta Lacks is considered by many to be one of the most widely influential Black women of modern times. The reason? Her cells form the basis of the most important medical research and breakthroughs happening in the world today, from cancer to HIV to Covid-19.

But Henrietta, who died of cancer in 1951, aged 31, never knew any of this, because her cells were taken without either her or her family’s knowledge or permission...

Hailed as both a remembrance and a celebration, Mojisola Adebayo’s awardwinning play has been described as fearlessly honest and ultimately transformative.

Michelle Asante stars as Henrietta.

Julius Caesar

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, Sat 18 March - Sat 8 April

When Roman emperor Caesar is assassinated by a group of prominent senators, one of his staunchest supporters, Mark Antony,

manages not only to turn the crowd against the conspirators but also to defeat them in battle...

This bloody story of conspiracy and murder, noble intentions and ignoble actions is directed by the critically acclaimed Atri Banerjee, here making his RSC debut.

“Julius Caesar is the perfect play for our age of emergency, asking uncomfortable questions about today,” says Atri. “When asked to imagine a better future for us all, what resources do we have left? What are the limits of peaceful activism? How far would you, personally, go, to make the world a better place?...”

Little Women

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Wed 15 March

The highly rated Jenny Wren Productions visit Coventry with their adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s famous story. Written in the 19th century, it tells the tale of four sisters - Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy - as they experience passion, romance, heartache and hardship during the brutal and challenging years of the American Civil War.

Nothing Happens (Twice)

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Fri 17 March

An exploration of companionship, codependency and what motivates people to keep going, Nothing Happens (Twice) follows the failing fortunes of theatre performers Mercè and Patricia. After successful years spent making and touring shows across the world, the duo have lost their momentum - so much so, in fact, that they now find themselves dressing up as flamingos in a shopping centre to make ends meet.

But all may not be lost; they have a shared dream of getting back on track by staging Waiting For Godot - always assuming they can negotiate the red tape that threatens to strangle the life out of their career-saving project...

Slapstick humour meets Samuel Beckett head-on in this quest for life’s meaning, presented by Patrícia Rodríguez and Mercè Ribot, aka Little Soldier.

A Room Of One’s Own

Lichfield Garrick, Wed 15 March; Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Fri 21 April

From Tudor queen to shell-shocked soldier, and from Regency heroine to Hollywood icon, Dyad Productions’ Rebecca Vaughan has portrayed a dazzlingly diverse array of characters in her touring solo shows. With previous theatrical offerings including Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, Austen’s Women and Dalloway, Rebecca here returns to provide a 21st-century take on Virginia Woolf’s late-1920s extended essay - an exploration of the impact of poverty and sexual inequality on intellectual freedom and creativity.

Theatre for younger audiences...

Demon Dentist

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Thurs 30 March - Sun 2 April; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Wed 28 June - Sat 1 July

Telling a toothy tale of dental disaster, David Walliams’ Demon Dentist finds Alfie and his pal Gabz doing their level best to solve a disturbing mystery: Why is it that children who leave their teeth for the tooth fairy are then waking up to find horrible things under their pillow?...

Could it have anything to do with the town’s new dentist - the aptly named Miss Root?

The Tiger Who Came To Tea

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Fri 24 - Sun 26 March; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Tues 18 - Wed 19 July; Birmingham Town Hall, Tues 22 - Sat 26 August

The tea-guzzling tiger once again stops off in the Midlands to drop 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 55-minute show comes without an interval, features singalong songs and boasts plenty of magic - not to mention a big stripy tiger, of course!

Tales From Acorn Wood

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 7 - Thurs 9 March; Worcester Swan Theatre, Tues 14Wed 15 March

Stage adaptations of books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler invariably offer theatrical magic aplenty, so this is definitely a show that’s well worth catching.

Presented by the team behind two other hit kids’ productions, Dear Zoo Live and Dear Santa, the show features clever puppetry, toetapping songs, and the chance to join in with Pig and Hen’s game of hide & seek.

Light entertainment from around the region

Circus Of Horrors: Haunted Fairground

Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Sun 5 March; Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 25 March

An off-kilter affair that bears more resemblance to a freak show than any modern definition of a circus, one-time Britain’s Got Talent finalists Circus Of Horrors here present a world beyond political correctness and taste. With the performers dressed in a manner reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Show, there’s no denying the skill of those participating - or indeed the ensemble’s sheer ‘wow’ factor. Set in a decrepit fairground ‘on the edge of nowhere’, this latest offering features ‘beautifully bizarre circus acts, a sinister storyline and the darkest of magic - all performed to an original rock score’...

Daniel Nicholas: Eugene

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 10 March

“I like to confuse and engage an audience at the same time,” says Daniel Nicholas, “whether that’s through comedy or storytelling, whilst playing lasertag, or with a dancer reacting to the set.”

Daniel’s currently touring show is certainly an attention-grabber: “Think The Terminator does a Ted Talk with Steve Jobs and you’d be on the right track!”

The storyline sees a millionaire & inventor in a not-too-distant future - “Think Elon Musk with a further attitude problem!” - launching the first superhuman artificial intelligence at a press conference to which the audience is invited... With the show having made a

splash in Edinburgh a couple of years back, this UK tour looks set to further establish Daniel as one of the country’s most interesting, imaginative and interactive comedians.

I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 2 March; Birmingham Hippodrome, Sat 25 March

One-time Young Ones star Adrian Edmondson has called it “The most ridiculous, most surreal, most incomprehensibly funny show on any medium,” while The Radio Times confidently describes it as: “Indisputably the greatest radio comedy of all time.” Having garnered plenty more similarly effusive praise across its 51 years and 70-plus series, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue continues to strike chords with BBC Radio Four listeners throughout the country. The comedy panel game has been touring to theatres since 2007 and here makes a welcome return to the Midlands. This particular evening of inspired nonsense sees host Jack Dee being joined by Rory Bremner (Tony Hawks at Warwick Arts Centre), Pippa Evans, Milton Jones and Marcus Brigstocke.

Send In The Clowns: Hey Big Bender

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 23 - Sat 25 March

A drag celebration of ‘sexy, sultry and downright lustful’ musical theatre favourites, Send In The Clowns is hosted by cabaret performer and Drag Idol UK winner Fatt Butcher. The show features some of the

Theatre

An Evening Without Kate Bush

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 19 March With Kate Bush no fan of performing live (to put it mildly), cabaret stalwart Sarah-Louise Young has stepped into the breach to present this lively stand-in offering - a show that’s surely going to be in the ‘must see’ category for Kate’s legion of West Midlands-based fans.

It’s not a tribute show in the conventional sense of the word - Sarah-Louise doesn’t spend the hour impersonating Kate - but it certainly has more than enough for Bush lovers to delight in and thoroughly enjoy, including impressive renditions of their idol’s greatest hits.

The show visits Coventry on the back of successful runs in both Edinburgh and Soho.

Midlands’ best-known drag & cabaret entertainers performing favourite numbers from, among other theatrical hits, Chicago, Cabaret and La Cage Aux Folles.

Queenz: The Show With Balls

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Wed 29 March; Lichfield Garrick, Sun 30 April; Telford Theatre, Wed 11 October; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Thurs 26 October; The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, Sat 18 November

Loved and adored by celebrities including Gary Barlow and Dawn French, Queenz is described as ‘a trailblazing, life-affirming drag extravaganza that’s currently taking the UK by storm’. The show sees death-dropping divas slaying the biggest hits of all time - and there won’t be a lip-sync in sight! Get ready to sing along to reimagined classics from The Spice Girls, Lady Gaga, Little Mix, Britney, Whitney and everything in between...

Ceri Dupree

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Thurs 30 March Female impersonator Ceri Dupree was once described as a cross between Joe Longthorne and Lily Savage - only with better legs! Well known to Midlands theatre-goers following past pantomime stints in both Birmingham and Wolverhampton, the hugely popular Ceri here returns to the region with her hit show, Back To The Rhinestone. Expect an evening of visual comedy, impressions, music and ‘thousands of pounds-worth of jaw-dropping costumes’.

Going solo

Actor & playwright Mark Farrelly talks about bringing a popular one-man show back to the region...

Mark Farrelly writes and performs in shows which aim to lift the lid on the lives of well-known figures from British public life. Comedian Frankie Howerd, playwright & novelist Patrick Hamilton and film director Derek Jarman have all come under Mark’s spotlight in recent years. So, too, has gay icon & raconteur Quentin Crisp, who the Sheffield-born actor will next month play when his critically acclaimed solo production, Naked Hope, returns to the Midlands. What’s On recently interviewed Mark to find out more about his shows and career...

You’re bringing Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope back to the Midlands this spring, Mark. Tell us a little bit about the play...

It’s an up-close encounter with one of the most remarkable, brave and witty figures of the 20th century. Quentin was openly gay from the 1930s onwards, and was routinely beaten because of this. But he refused to hide his true nature, which is something we all should learn to do. After John Hurt played Quentin in the TV film, The Naked Civil Servant [1975], Quentin became famous and travelled the world doing one-man performances in which he elucidated his advice on how to live a truthful life. He did so with tremendous wit, and I recreate part of that performance in my show, as well as exploring his earlier years.

You’re also performing another of your plays, Jarman, in Warwickshire. Again, can you provide an idea of what audiences can expect...

You can expect dynamism, inspiration and spontaneity. Derek Jarman was a wondrous polymath, a writer, painter, gardener, filmmaker and activist. He lived a life without boundaries or convention and is a beacon for anyone who wants to express themselves without restriction. He also showed tremendous, heart-breaking courage in dealing with and dying from AIDS. So you get a thrilling, funny and authentic encounter with this man, who still has so much to teach us.

Your plays have proved hugely popular. What are the secrets of their success?

Honesty. I’m playing characters who were utterly sincere and spoke pure truth. That’s a surprisingly rare commodity in this world. I also choose people who are funny, because we all need a laugh, no? Perhaps above all is that I speak directly to the audience all the way through, in all my work. There’s no fourth wall. I allow the audience to feel seen and valued.

As the actor appearing in the shows, which play has given you the most pleasure to perform?

I don’t have a favourite because they all

provide particular pleasures, otherwise I wouldn’t have performed them almost 400 times collectively. Also the audience is, of course, different for every show, so each performance feels fresh. You never know what you’re going to get!

How did your career as a playwright come about?

Despair. I went through some great losses and setbacks about 10 years ago, and felt so broken that I tried writing to help myself out of my misery. I chose figures like Quentin Crisp, who I felt had something to say, not only to me but to an audience. Then I found that I rather liked writing. And also, words and wit are more powerful when born of suffering, which is something known by all the characters I play.

Did you make a conscious decision to forge your writing career around biographical plays about interesting people in the public eye, or did you have the initial idea for your first such play and then, once it had been successful, decide it was a genre to return to?

I wanted to write about Quentin, and also the novelist Patrick Hamilton. After that, the ideas to write about Frankie Howerd and Derek Jarman very much came along organically. It’s not been a very conscious or chosen path; I’ve just written when I’ve felt the urge. I certainly never write something because I anticipate that it will be a success or ‘sell well’, which would be a big mistake.

How do you decide which real-life people to write about?

I have to be struck by some aspect of the person’s life, and maybe that’s also a part of myself that I need to develop or enhance. For instance, I much admire Quentin Crisp’s stoic endurance and Derek Jarman’s artistic iconoclasm. I’ve often said that although the plays explore the lives of well-known figures, they are also a veiled form of autobiography, in that I’m simultaneously exploring my own life as well as that of the characters. As the saying goes, the unexamined life is not worth living.

Which of the plays proved to be the most challenging for you as a writer, and which, relatively speaking, was the easiest?

Perhaps The Silence Of Snow: The Life Of Patrick Hamilton was the toughest, because it was my first. Possibly Quentin was the easiest because Mr Crisp left behind such immaculately crafted language in his books, and I wanted to get as much of that into the script as possible.

For many writers, breaking the fourth wall is not an option, but as you’ve already mentioned, the characters in your plays speak directly to the audience. What’s your motivation as a writer/creator for breaking with that particular convention?

I detest the fourth wall. I think it traps performers and represents a blind alley in which theatre has become stuck. Shakespeare constantly broke the fourth wall. We seem to have lost the art. Live comedy does it. Live music does it. Panto does it. And that’s why they are all more popular than most fourth-wall theatre. I need to connect. I hunger and I burn to do it. And I think audiences do too.

You’re certainly on a roll, Mark. Are there any other public figures about whom you’d like to write a biographical play in the future?

The answer is currently no. As I said, it has to be organic, and nobody leaps out at me presently. Who knows? Maybe I’ve already written my last play. And if that were the case, I’d genuinely be grateful for what I’ve had. Then again, a new idea might whisper to me tomorrow afternoon. I’m content to let things take their natural course.

Mark Farrelly brings Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope to The Hive, Shrewsbury, on Saturday 26 March and the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 May.

He performs Jarman at the Guild Hall, Henley-in-Arden, on Thursday 20 April

Dance previews from across the region

James Wilton Dance: The Four Seasons

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tues 7 & Wed 8 March

Award-winning Cornwall-based company James Wilton Dance here get to grips with Max Richter’s recomposed version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons.

Richter wrote the critically acclaimed piece in an attempt to re-enthuse himself about the original. “Hearing it principally in shopping centres, advertising jingles, on telephone-hold systems and similar places, I stopped being able to hear it as music,” Max told ClassicFM. “It had become an irritant - much to my dismay! So I set out to try to find a new way to engage with this wonderful material, by writing through it anew... and thus rediscovering it for myself.

“I deliberately didn’t want to give it a modernist imprint but to remain in sympathy and in keeping with Vivaldi’s own musical language.”

Internationally renowned and award-winning South African dancer & choreographer Dada Masilo here makes a welcome return to the Hippodrome, four years after she and her company presented a stunning version of Giselle at the venue. Inspired by Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite Of Spring and featuring live-on-

Firedance: Gorka Marquez & Karen Hauer

Symphony Hall, Birmingham Fri 31 March

It’s time to turn up the heat and join Strictly stars Gorka Marquez and Karen Hauer for a show that’s been widely praised for its fresh flavours and super-charged choreography. Taking the form of a dance-off, the production finds its inspiration in Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge, Carmen and West Side Story. In the process it showcases not only an eclectic mix of Latin, rock and pop music but also a ‘sensational’ live band and a lineup of ‘sizzling’ dancers and ‘mesmerising’ fire specialists.

stage music, The Sacrifice tells the story of how a celebration of the advent of Spring sees a young girl being chosen as a sacrifice and dancing herself to death as part of an ancient ritual. The piece features the uniquely rhythmic and expressive movements of Tswana, the traditional dance of Botswana.

Ballet Theatre UK: Romeo & Juliet

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Wed 22 March; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sun 26 March; The Core Theatre, Solihull, Sat 15 April

Ace Dance & Music: Unknown Realms

Malvern Theatres, Wed 1 March; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Fri 31 March Committed to the presentation of contemporary dance inspired by the African Diaspora, ACE Dance & Music here collaborate with two internationally acclaimed Black male choreographersSerge Aime Coulibaly (Burkina Faso) and Vincent Mantsoe (South Africa) - to present a double bill of work which they describe as ‘transcending the past and present’. The Night Before Tomorrow sees people engaging in their last dance ahead of an uncertain future. Mana, The Power Within, meanwhile, aims to ‘trace the journey of past lives by unifying beliefs & cultures’.

Hailed as the greatest love story ever told, Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet is here presented by the always excellent Ballet Theatre UK, an ensemble with an impressive history of producing bright and colourful shows designed to promote classical dance as an accessible art form.

Expect ‘stunning costumes, innovative stage sets and heartbreaking intimacy’ in a show which the company reveal is making a comeback ‘by popular demand’.

Dada Masilo: The Sacrifice Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 28 & Wed 29 March

PRUE STORIES

Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith takes to the road to talk about a life in which she does Nothing In Moderation...

by Simon Gage

Having lived a life every bit as colourful as the clothes she wears in Channel Four’s The Great British Bake Off, Prue Leith is taking to the stage to share her stories - from a childhood spent in Africa, to messing up a cup of tea for the late Queen and being the butt of Noel Fielding and Matt Lucas’ jokes...

If there’s one thing Dame Prue Leith likes at the age of 82 - apart from a drink! - it’s a challenge. It’s the reason the TV presenter, chef, writer of bestsellers and director of a brand-new TV production company has chosen this moment to embark on an international tour of one-woman shows to tell some of her stories.

And there are plenty of stories to tell: her childhood in Africa, her years in Paris, her glittering career in cooking and as a pioneering businesswoman… and, of course, her judging role on The Great British Bake Off.

“At the end of the first shows, I thought, I must be mad,” says Prue with a chuckle from behind some outsize multi-coloured spectacles. She’s talking about her early tryouts of Nothing In Moderation, the show that starts with highlights from her glittering life against a backdrop of personal photographs“mostly funny” - and “clips of past disasters’, before moving into an audience questionand-answer session after the interval. “I was so frightened, but by the time I did New York, I absolutely loved it and realised why people become addicted to doing one-man - or onewoman - shows. The audience was on my side, the atmosphere was terrific, and I just had a ball.”

The UK leg of Prue’s tour kicked off in February and goes “all over the place”, ending up at the Palladium. “Imagine!” she laughs. “What the hell am I doing?”

The whole show is done pretty much chronologically - though Prue admits she sometimes gets over-excited and jumps around a little, starting with her saying to the audience that “probably the one thing you know about me is that I eat cake for a living on telly”.

“Basically because I’ve lived such a long life, there’s quite a lot that’s interesting. How I failed at university in Cape Town, how I went off to Paris and fell in love with food, how I started as a chef-for-hire in a bedsit in Earl’s Court, going around in a little bubble car delivering food. And I tell lots of disaster stories. People love to hear what goes wrong. And you only have to have a member of the royal family come into a situation and everything automatically goes wrong.”

Prue illustrates that belief with a story about

how she had to present the late Queen with a simple cup of tea and managed to mess it up completely, adding lemon, taking out lemon, making it too weak, ruining the tea-tray… “It should be easy enough, shouldn’t it? I still feel ashamed that I couldn’t present our beloved Queen with a simple cup of tea. But I actually have quite a few royal disaster stories, which the audiences love!”

And yet she still got the Damehood! “It did take me 50 years,” she laughs. “I blame that cup of tea!”

In the 1980s, after she had sold her businesses - a cooking school, a catering business and a restaurant - Prue found herself sitting, usually as the only woman, on a lot of high-powered company boards, representing the customer and women in general to groups of men in grey suits, who treated her as something of a novelty. “There weren’t many women very high up in business back in the ’80s, especially not running their own businesses, and so I got a lot of these jobs: Halifax, Sainsbury’s, Whitbread, British Rail…”

She tells the story of the time she started on one particular board with 16 older men, mostly Scottish engineers. When she got up “because I was dying for a wee but was too shy”, all 16 men stood respectfully “to bow me out of the room!” They then stood up again when she came back in. “The first time I opened my mouth was to say ‘Now look, guys, you’ve got to treat me like a chap! You can’t keep jumping up and down!’”

The reason these stories are so inspirational is not that Prue is fearless but rather that she feels the fear… and does it anyway. “I’m always a bit nervous,” she admits - and not least when she first went on stage, which she says terrified her so much that she could feel her heart hammering. “But John does turn up in the interval with a whisky…” John, her second husband, lives in a virtually ‘cakefree house’ and jokes that he should have married Mary Berry instead of Prue. It’s not the whisky that makes the second half of the show go easier but the fact that Prue takes questions from the audience, some of which she’s not permittedcontractually - to answer. “People want to know about things that happen off-screen in Bake Off, and I’m not allowed to tell them

about that,” she explains, adding that she also won’t talk about who she beat to the Bake Off job when Mary Berry left.

“I can say I lie in a hammock between shots, but I think they’re longing to know whether Paul Hollywood’s eyes are really that blue. Paul and I get on really well because we both care a lot about food and we know the same people.” Prue actually phoned Mary Berry to ask about Paul before she took the job. The main advice from Mary was “You have to hold your own.”

As for Bake Off presenters Noel and Matt... “They are like 15-year-old children,” says Prue. “I just don’t understand their sense of humour, I mostly don’t get their jokes, and I’m the butt of most of them because I don’t get any of the innuendos. They think a sausage is something to laugh about. I don’t get it, but I love them dearly.’

Embarking on a major international tour at the age of 82, in a tour bus - “I’d love groupies,” she jokes, “I’m all for attention!”isn’t what most people are thinking about doing at that stage in their lives. For most people of 80-plus, surely it’s more about sitting at home with a slice of cake and a cup of tea, watching Pointless? “That’s the last thing I want to do!” laughs Prue. “Not that I don’t love Pointless. I just have a lot of energy and want to do stuff. I’m not sure you shouldn’t have a revolution in your life every few years. I did food for the first 25 years, then I sold all the companies because I wanted to write novels, so for the next 20 years I wrote novels and the autobiography. Then it was television…”

Given that she has a tour bus and an entourage, you can’t help but wonder if she also has a rock’n’roll rider - the list that rock stars send ahead to the venue, outlining how many bottles of Jack Daniels are required for backstage. Prue wasn’t aware that such a thing existed. When she finds out, she smiles that smile of hers, turns to someone and shouts “I think we need a rider!”

Prue Leith takes to the stage at The Alexandra, Birmingham, on Sunday 12 March

Film highlights in March...

Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

CERT 12a (130 mins)

Starring Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Meagan Good, Grace Caroline Currey, Lucy Liu, Adam Brody, Rachel Zegler Directed by David F. Sandberg

It’s fair to say that in the US comic-book giants’ ongoing battle for cinematic supremacy, Marvel has pretty much had DC in a long-term headlock. But it’s not been all bad news for the latter. Among a handful of superhero success stories was 2019’s Shazam!, telling the story of how young Billy Batson became ‘the world’s mightiest mortal’. It’s not surprising, therefore, that four years later there is a much-anticipated sequel offering, with fans of the character crossing fingers that Fury Of The Gods is every bit as funny, inventive and engaging as the first film. Zachary Levi again dons the spandex, this time finding himself pitted against the Daughters of Atlas, one of whom is played by Helen Mirren, making her DC Extended Universe debut.

Released Fri 17 March

Creed III CERT tbc (116 mins)

Starring Jonathan Majors, Michael B Jordan, Tessa Thompson, Wood Harris, Florian Munteanu, Phylicia Rashad

Directed by Michael B Jordan

After dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed (Michael B Jordan) has been thriving in both his career and family life.

When a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian (Jonathan Majors), resurfaces after doing time in jail, he is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. But the face-off that follows between the two former friends is more than just a fight. To settle the score, Adonis must put his future on the line, and in Damian face up to a fighter who has nothing to lose...

This latest installment in the successful sports drama franchise sees Jordan making his directorial debut.

Released Fri 3 March

Scream VI CERT 15 (123 mins)

Starring Melissa Barrera, Courteney Cox, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Hayden Panettiere Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

65 CERT tbc

Starring Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman, Nika King

Directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods

“It doesn’t feel like ‘part six’; it feels like you’re watching this big, huge, fresh reinvention. I love, love, love, love it!...” So says Kevin Williamson, the writer of the original Scream movie, who is executive producing this latest installment of the hugely successful horror franchise. “I’ve watched the movie with a big smile on my face,” Kevin told SyFy Wire. “I think it’s everything and more... The movie feels new, it feels fresh, it feels like a new movie.”

A direct follow-up to last year’s Scream, which took place over two decades after the infamous Woodsboro killings, Part Six sees the four survivors of the Ghostface murders heading for New York City - only to find themselves in a fight for their lives when a new killer embarks on a bloody rampage...

Released Fri 10 March

Adam Driver takes the lead role in a film that really could go either way at the box officemaking Tyrannosaurus Rex-sized profits or quickly establishing itself as an early contender for ‘flop of the year’. After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth - 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at a rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa, must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures.

Released Fri 10 March

Allelujah

CERT 12a (99 mins)

Starring Jennifer Saunders, Bally Gill, David Bradley, Russell Tovey, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench Directed by Richard Eyre

Now here’s a film that will hopefully warm the cockles for cinema-goers who love a good British movie.

With the screenplay by Heidi Thomas, who’s best known for her writing contribution across all 12 series of BBC television’s Call The Midwife, Allelujah is based on Alan Bennett’s play of the same name and boasts an all-star cast.

A warm and humorous story about surviving old age, the film’s action takes place in a small Yorkshire hospital, the geriatric ward of which is threatened with closure. Until, that is, the local community decides to fight back...

Released Fri 17 March

Pearl CERT 15 (102 mins)

Starring Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland, Emma JenkinsPurro, Alistair Sewell Directed by Ti West Filmmaker Ti West here makes a swift return with a prequel movie to his 2022 slasher pic, X. Set some 60 years before the events of the first film - which saw a group of young filmmakers fall foul of murderous elderly couple Pearl & Howard on a rural Texas property - the film focuses on how Pearl became a killer. The movie premiered last autumn at the Venice International Film Festival, and in common with X, scored a major hit with the critics.

Legendary Goodfellas and Taxi Driver director Martin Scorsese was also impressed. He hailed it “a wild, mesmerising, deeply - and I mean deeplydisturbing 102 minutes”, revealing that it left him “enthralled, then disturbed, then so unsettled that I had trouble getting to sleep”. Praise indeed.

Released Fri 17 March

A Good Person

Allison seemingly has it all: wonderful fiance; blossoming career; supportive family and friends. But then a fatal car accident involving her soon-to-be-sister-in-law shatters her world and catapults her into a downward spiral of addiction and unresolved grief.

Mummies CERT PG (88 mins)

With the voices of Sean Bean, Joe Thomas, Eleanor Tomlinson, Hugh Bonneville, Celia Imrie, Dan Starkey

Directed by Juan Jesús García Galocha

Juan Jesús García Galocha’s feature directorial debut follows the adventures of three mummies - a princess, a former charioteer and his younger brother - who live in a secret underground city, hidden in ancient Egypt.

Through a series of unfortunate events, the mummies end up in present-day London. There, they embark on a ‘wacky and hilarious’ quest for an old ring, belonging to the royal family, which was stolen by the ambitious archaeologist Lord Carnaby.

Released Fri 31 March

The road back is a hard one - but when she forms an unlikely friendship with her wouldbe-father-in-law, Allison begins to see an unexpected light at the end of a very dark tunnel...

Released Fri 24 March

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

CERT tbc (134 mins)

Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic - but things go dangerously awry when they fall foul of the wrong people...

The playful spirit of Dungeons & Dragons, the much-loved and long-established roleplaying game from which the film takes its main title, is very much alive and well in this action-packed adventure.

“It’s Game Of Thrones mixed with a little Princess Bride and just a smidge of Holy Grail,” lead actor Chris Pine told Collider.

“It’s a lot of fun. It’s got a lot of thrills. It’s poppy, it’s ’80s heartfelt, there’s a bit of Goonies in there...

“We had a great cast and we had a good time making it. And that’s all you can ask for.”

Released Fri 31 March

CERT 15 (129 mins)

Starring Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Celeste O’Connor, Molly Shannon, Chinaza Uche, Zoe Lister-Jones Directed by Zach Braff

Rhythm & Passion

Strictly stars Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez return with Firedance, featuring fresh flavours and super-charged choreography...

by Jules Boyle

Tell us about the new show...

Karen: This is our third year doing Firedance. The first year, we only got six shows in before it got stopped by the pandemic, so it still feels very new and exciting! It’s a show that is fresh, it’s sexy and it’s just a celebration! We have all the dances that the audiences love, like our tangos, our sambas and our salsas. It just celebrates all the fun we have together and everything we love to share with people. We just love dancing together so much, so we’re bringing that joy out onto the stage for everyone to have fun with us!

What’s different this time around?

Gorka: It’s still along the lines of what we did before, but we’ve remade some of the show and brought in some more uplifting songs, some more modern songs and a fair few surprises too. The idea is still the same obviously - we’re going to be dancing all night, there’s lots of fire and a lot of energy. Everything people loved about it the last time is still there, just with some new things brought in which we think really add a new spark to the whole thing.

The previous shows have been really wellreceived. How did you go about changing it up while still keeping in everything that people loved the last time around?

Karen: We have a great creative team. For us, it’s always about the volume when you do a show, as you can hear and feel when a number really, really connects with the audience. So it’s always fun to be able to evolve and change things up. You have an idea what people are really going to respond to, and the challenge then is to be able to give them that. It’s like a little puzzle, putting it all together and seeing which parts worked, which parts didn’t so much, and what you can do to constantly be improving the whole show.

Although you’re the stars, Firedance is as much about the other performers and the production itself as it is about the pair of you. Why is that so important for you to ensure?

Gorka: As Karen said, we have an amazing team with us, so the production is always huge and of the highest standard. From day one, though, when we were looking for dancers, singers, musicians and so on, we were determined to get the most amazing ones we could find. That way, when we aren’t on stage, the show is still amazing - with the

level everyone is at, you can’t help getting lost in it for the full 90 minutes. For us, it’s all about the dancing, the music and the performers.

How much does having your own show free you from the constraints of the ballroom?

Karen: We’ve trained in so many different styles, and being able to utilise that is really special. Obviously we can do all the waltzes and tangoes etc, which we do in our own way, and we do enjoy putting things in there that we know people really like to see, but there are still dances we actually don’t like. Every dancer has some, so it’s great to have the freedom to just do the things we love, and I think that comes over in the performances. We like the fire dances; we like the strong, rhythmical dances that have power behind them. At the same time, though, we do have some very simple, beautiful and understated numbers that people love to see. So there’s a good mix in there, but it’s all the things we love. The fact we have a background in different styles is a good thing, so why not put it out there and show ourselves in a different light?

One of the biggest things that people loved at the previous shows was the huge production and in particular the massive amounts of fire you have onstage. Like the rest of the show, is that another element that you will be taking to the next level this time around?

Gorka: I think it’s going to be even more epic than it was before, to be honest. The production, and the fire in particular, was always hugely important to us. Like the music and the dancing, we really wanted to make sure that the other aspects of the show stepped up another gear too. What we have in store this time around is just incredible. I think people would be blown away by it even if there was nothing else happening on the stage! We’re already planning on stepping it up even more for next year’s show, too!

If you had to pick one thing, what would be your favourite part of the show?

Gorka: I love every part of it, but in a funny way, I love the last number which we used to do. It was so fun and upbeat! We’d always end up getting the giggles, as we don’t take ourselves too seriously and just have a laugh with it. I’m sure that will be the same with the new one.

Karen: I agree. The fact that we get to be so creative, and do something that allows us to

be so proud of ourselves and our team, really means so much to us - so that moment at the end of the night is always really special. It doesn’t feel like a job; it’s more like a gig that we just happen to be at. It doesn’t feel choreographed in a way, as there’s so much freedom in it, which is what we want the audience to feel too. It’s just such a liberating feeling to be up there with everyone.

Across all the years you’ve been on Strictly, you’ve inspired so many young people to take up dancing, either for fun or as a career. What advice would you like to give them?

Gorka: I would just say that if it’s something you love, just do it. If you are a dancer and are passionate about it, put all your effort into it 24/7, as nothing is easy in life. If you really want it, don’t let anyone try and take that passion away from you. Work hard and love it every day. Standards are high, so if you don’t love it, you’ll quit, but if you do… just do it.

Karen: I couldn’t agree more with that. It’s all about discipline. You have to be so disciplined with yourself and be very aware of all the ups and downs. The ups are going to feel amazing, though, as the downs are the things that will push you harder to feel the ups when they happen! You have to be always listening and learning, as you’re always a beginner in a way. That’s why I’m always ready to be watching and learning from anyone in front of me, whether they have just started or have been doing it for a long time. Always be learning and get ready to work hard, as it never stops. It’s not to scare anybody, but no matter how far you go or how much success you have, in order to keep that success, you need to keep working hard. But it’s worth it!

What do you think the future holds for you?

Karen: I’m not ready to hang up my shoes yet, put it that way! In fact, I can’t see my drive ever retiring, as once you do, what’s left? It’s lovely for people who do enjoy retirement, but I don’t ever want this to end; I’ll always want to be involved in the arts and in dancing. It’ll always be a part of my life. I’ll go as far as I can and for as long as I can, that’s for sure!

Firedance shows at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, on Friday 31 March

Foka Wolf: Why Are We Stuck In Hospital

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, Sun 19 March

This latest Ikon exhibition is a response to a project conducted by the School of Social Policy at the University of Birmingham, working in partnership with rights-based organisation Changing Our Lives.

The project aims to raise awareness of the 2,000 autistic people and/or individuals with learning disabilities who live in hospital settings for long periods of time, often for many years and with no planned date to leave.

The Ikon exhibition is the work of Birmingham-based artist & activist Foka Wolf, who has become well known as a result of his ‘subvertisements’, which parody corporate and political posters. Foka’s interventions serve the purpose of posing questions about the city’s infrastructure and whether it meets the needs of its community.

Paying Respects: Money And Mortality

Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, until spring 2024

Having been struck in tribute to emperors, monarchs and leadersand also used in many of the rituals and routines that mark the passage from life to the afterlife - coins of historical significance are invariably accompanied by some fascinating stories.

That’s certainly true of the examples on show in this ongoing Barber display. The exhibition draws from a superlative collection that features caches of Byzantine, Trapezuntine and Sasanian currency, as well as significant holdings of Roman and medieval coins.

Living Traditions: A Director’s Acquisitions Of Works On Paper

Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, until Mon 10 July

Nicola Kalinsky acquired 53 works on paper by a whole variety of artists during her nine years as the Barber’s sixth director. Her acquisitions added to an already world-class collection of drawings (the venue owns 343 ) and prints (596). In Living Traditions, Nicola has curated a selection of these works, primarily focusing on examples that feature the human figure.

From The Cornish Coast To The Malvern Hills...

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, Sat 4 March - Sat 1 July

Characteristically painting en plein air with free brushstrokes and joyful colours, British Impressionists focused on the interplay between working people, families at leisure and the landscapes in which they lived.

Bringing together works from the Worcester City collection, the Bowerman Trust and Southampton Art Gallery, this fascinating exhibition celebrates the links between Worcestershire and the Newlyn school of artists, who played a significant role in what is widely considered to have been a ‘magical moment’ in British art history.

The exhibition includes paintings by Stanhope Forbes, Dame Laura Knight and Elizabeth Forbes. Artworks by Camille and Lucian Pissarro represent the influence of French Impressionists.

Craftspace: Queer & Metals

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, until Sun 2 April

The multiplicity of queerness is here explored via metalwork and metalsmithing, in an exhibition that makes visible the ways in which LGBTQIA+ creatives are shaping, disrupting and contributing to contemporary culture.

Featuring artworks, video interviews and an Instagram campaign, the Craftspace presentation aims to ‘make connections within a diverse, intersectional, complex and fluid community of making’.

SnapperSquad ‘Natural World’ Exhibition

The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-onTrent, until Sun 16 April

SnapperSquad is an independent group of amateur photographers living across North Staffordshire & South Cheshire. Their latest exhibition showcases their natural-history interests and technical abilities, which they hope will encourage other amateur photographers to try different ways of photographing a vast array of subjects.

Image: Forbes (Stanhope Alexander), Chadding on Mounts Bay, 1902

Dippy In Coventry: The Nation’s Favourite Dinosaur

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until Tues 21 February 2026

The Natural History Museum’s iconic Diplodocus cast - life-size, made of plaster-of-paris, and affectionately referred to as Dippy - has taken up residence in Coventry for an initial period of three years.

Diplodocus carnegii, to give it its official name, lived during the Late Jurassic period, somewhere between 155 and 145 million years ago. Huge, plant-eating

The Moon

Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery, until Sun 16 April

More than 50 years after Neil Armstrong’s ‘giant leap for mankind’, the moon continues to fascinate. This family-friendly exhibition not only invites visitors to relive moments in lunar discovery and exploration but also features ‘real, touchable moon rock’.

The exhibition is accompanied by a series of workshops and events. To find out more about these, visit the venue’s website.

dinosaurs with long, whip-like tails, they grew to about 25 metres in length and are believed to have weighed around 15 tonnes, making them three tonnes heavier than a London double-decker bus. Dippy first arrived in London in 1905 and recently visited Birmingham as part of an eight-city tour that attracted a recordbreaking two million visitors.

Breaking The Mould

New Art Gallery, Walsall, until Sun 16 April Surveying the post-war period and exploring the art of more than 40 female sculptors, Breaking The Mould addresses the many accounts of British sculpture that have marginalised women or airbrushed their work from art history altogether.

The works on show have been selected from the Arts Council Collection, which holds more than 250 sculptures by more than 150 women.

A wide range of digital resources have been developed to accompany the exhibition.

Shemza Digital: Across Generations

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Sun 16 April

A hybrid exhibition featuring ‘the physical experience of the work at the art gallery’ and an online version on the venue’s website, Shemza Digital displays examples of the output of celebrated British Pakistani Modernist artist Anwar Jalal Shemza, presented alongside artworks by his granddaughter, Aphra. The exhibition features participatory digital projections - inviting viewers to create their own digital paintings - and interactive architectural sculptures that respond to visitors’ movements. A specially commissioned soundscape fuses traditional South Asian instruments with drone & ambient electronic sounds.

Tudor Mystery: A Master Painter Revealed

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, until Sun 7 May If you have an interest in art history and also fancy trying your hand at some Sherlock Holmesstyle detective work, then this is the exhibition for you...

The ‘Tudor mystery’ of the title revolves around the Master of the Countess of Warwick, an important, talented and largely forgotten painter who played a pivotal role in the development of portraiture in Britain. His identity remains unknown.

A Master Painter Revealed not only offers visitors the chance to speculate about who the artist was, but also takes a look at the production of art in Tudor Britain and the ways in which art historians use evidence to determine authorship.

The exhibition features numerous loans from public and private collections across the UK and Ireland, many of which are rarely displayed.

National Outdoor Expo

NEC, Birmingham, Sat 18 & Sun 19 March

For those who love the outdoors, The National Outdoor Expo provides all the inspiration, kit, tech, nutrition information and general advice needed for your next adventure.

The show offers the opportunity to take part in a range of performance workshops and get your adrenaline going via one of the many family-friendly interactive features (think paddle boarding, zip lining and open water swimming, to name but a few).

Contributions from some of the world’s greatest outdoor enthusiasts and familiar faces - including Ben Fogle, Julia Bradbury, Hamza Yassin, Helen Skelton and Ray Mears - further add to the show’s appeal.

YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships

Utilita Arena Birmingham, Tues 14 - Sat 19 March

The world’s oldest and most prestigious badminton tournament (it was first held in 1899), the YONEX All England Open Badminton Championships returns to Utilita Arena this month.

The 2023 edition of the event marks the 30th anniversary of the tournament being held at the popular Birmingham venue. Commenting on this month’s championships,

organisers Badminton England said: “Nothing can prepare you for watching the greatest badminton players in the world play live.

“The speed, agility and skill needed to compete at the highest level is breathtaking, and the passion and noise of some of the most committed fans in the world needs to be experienced to be believed.”

Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show

NEC, Birmingham, Fri 24 - Sun 26 March

Whether you’re looking to reignite your passion for cars, finish a restoration project or simply want to reminisce with family and friends over the classic cars on display, the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show is the event for you.

The show brings together 1000-plus cars, 150-plus car clubs representing a wide variety of marques and models, and 250-plus exhibitors and autojumblers, including restoration companies, services providers and product suppliers.

Famous petrolheads making a contribution to the show include Richard Hammond, Ant Anstead and Mike Brewer.

Homebuilding & Renovating Show

NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 March

If you’re looking to give your humble abode an upgrade in 2023, The Homebuilding & Renovating Show is well worth checking out. Visitors to the event can access tailored oneto-one advice, browse thousands of new and

innovative products, and discover the ins and outs of everything from planning regulations for extensions and managing renovation budgets, to stylish kitchen design and integrating underfloor heating.

Events previews from around the region Events

The Kids’ Festival

Staffordshire County Showground, Sun 12 March

Aimed at families with children aged between one and 11, The Kids’ Festival features a wide range of interactive activities. Attractions include bouncy castles and fairground rides, electric cars, BMX stunt shows, messy play, baby massage, a climbing wall, face painting, workshops in cookery and sports, and the chance to meet princesses and superheroes.

Everything (aside from food & drink and merchandise) is included in the ticket price. Babies-in-arms go free.

Famously described as ‘black by day and red by night’ - a phrase coined at a time when the local furnaces churned out smoke and grime during the daytime and glowed after darkthe Black Country played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution.

To celebrate this legacy, Black Country Living Museum is this month opening its doors after hours for its Red By Night event, an evening

of live entertainment, industrial demonstrations, steam action and living history.

The special event is always a welcome addition to the venue’s list of attractions, which also includes a traditional sweet shop, underground mine, a 1950s pub and a hugely popular fish & chip shop.

Peppa Pig’s Aquarium Adventure

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, until Fri 2 June

This brand-new event sees Peppa Pig diving into a Sea Life Centre adventure and making friends with some of the venue’s 2,000 underwater creatures. Families can take part in a fun interactive

trail around the aquarium, along the way spotting seahorses, counting starfish and finding out how fast sharks can swim. A variety of fun activities also feature, including bracelet and jigsaw-making.

Aston Alive: Big Book Day Takeover

Aston Hall, Birmingham, Sun 19 March

Aston Hall comes alive this month with wellknown storybook characters who’ve escaped from their stories and taken over the famous venue. And families attending the Big Book Day Takeover had better keep their wits about them, because alongside princesses, knights and heroes there’s likely to be foul witches, fierce beasts and evil villains!

Red By Night Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, Fri 24 & Sat 25 March

Ray Bradshaw - Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

The Twits - The Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Kate Mosse OBESwan Theatre, Worcester Sat 18 March

Ace Dance: Unknown

The Albany Theatre, Coventry

thelist

VISUAL ARTS IN THE MIDLANDS

The Barber Institute Of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

LIVING TRADITIONS: A DIRECTOR’S ACQUISITIONS OF WORKS ON PAPER An exhibition focusing on examples that feature the human figure, until Mon 10 July

PAYING RESPECTS: MONEY AND MORTALITY A 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 Sun 25 June, 2024

Compton Verney, Warwickshire

TUDOR MYSTERY: A MASTER PAINTER REVEALED The world’s first exhibition devoted to an important, talented and largely forgotten painter known as the Master of the Countess of Warwick, until Sun 7 May

MAKING MISCHIEF: FOLK COSTUME IN BRITAIN A celebration of grassroots traditions that challenge preconceptions about folk customs being fixed and nostalgic, until Sun 11 June

PORTRAIT MINIATURES: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GRANTCHESTER COLLECTION Showcasing over 40 miniatures from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, many of which will be shown in public from the first time, until Sun 31 Dec

Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry

DIVIDED SELVES: LEGACIES, MEMORIES, BELONGING Exploring notions of belonging at a time when the idea of nation is threatened... until Sun 24 Sept, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

DIPPY IN COVENTRY: THE NATION’S FAVOURITE DINOSAUR Dippy the diplodocus visits Coventry on a three-year loan from the Natural History Museum, from Mon 20 February

COVENTRY OPEN 2023 Showcasing work by West Midlands artists using an array of visual art mediums, Fri 24 March - Sun 21 May

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

SILOCON SPA: VIDEO GAMES IN LEAMINGTON Exhibition tracing the history of the gaming industry in Leamington and the surrounding area, until Sun 8 May

Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

KATRINA PALMER: WHAT’S ALREADY

GOING ON The artist’s largest commission to date unfolds along constructed corridors inspired by those located in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Warwick, until Sun 12 March

Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

CRAFTSPACE: {QUEER} + {METALS}

The multiplicity of queerness is here explored via metalwork and metalsmithing, in an exhibition that makes visible the ways in which LGBTQIA+ creatives are shaping, disrupting and contributing to contemporary culture, until Sun 2 April

GRAYSON’S ART CLUB: THE EXHIBITION

III Major exhibition featuring over 100 artworks selected by Grayson Perry, his wife Philippa, and guest celebrities during season three of the popular TV series, Grayson’s Art Club, until Sun 16 April

Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery

HEXACHROME SPRAWL Exhibition by Mark Scammell featuring a series of cross-stitch works based on aerial views of car parks, housing estates and retail parks, until Sun 19 March

TAKE 5! Showcasing the talents of artists and makers from around the region, until Sun 19 March

Rugby Art Gallery

DAVID REMFRY RA SELECTS: THE RUGBY COLLECTION Bringing together more than 60 works from Rugby Art Gallery’s own collection, including paintings, photographs and works on paper from some of the most exciting names in modern and contemporary British art, until Sat 3 June

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

WATERMARK EXHIBITION

Contemporary artworks and paintings from the museum’s collections are brought together to explore climate change in terms of flooding - both locally and globally, until Sat 3 June

FROM THE CORNISH COAST TO THE MALVERN HILLS: BRITISH

IMPRESSIONISM FROM THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES Featuring works by Stanhope Forbes, Dame Laura Knight and Elizabeth Forbes, Sat 4 March - Sat 1 July

Gigs

SIMEON HAMMOND

DALLAS Wed 1 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE OOZES Wed 1 March, The Tin Music and Arts, The Canal Basin, Coventry

ROBERT MITCHELL Wed 1 March, Drapers’ Hall, Coventry

SELF ESTEEM Thurs 2 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

KHARMA + BOSS MADRA + DOWNDRAFT + MOONSCREAM Fri 3

March, Arches Venue, Coventry

JIVE TALKIN’ - BEE GEES

TRIBUTE Fri 3 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

SEAS OF MIRTH + THE RETINAL CIRCUS TRIO Fri

3 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

ROCKNEY Fri 3 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

GUNS FOR GIRLS +

NAKED SUNDAY Fri 3

March, 45Live, Kidderminster

SOMEONE LIKE YOUADELE TRIBUTE Fri 3

March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE ROOTERS Fri 3

ROBERT CASTELLI Thurs 2 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

TOTALLY TINA - TINA

TURNER TRIBUTE Thurs 2 March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

HUNDRED REASONS + HELL IS FOR HEROES + MY VITRIOL Fri 3 March, O2 Institute, B’ham

PUNK ROCK FACTORY Fri 3 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

TURIN BRAKES Fri 3 March, Birmingham

Town Hall

IAGO BANET Fri 3 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

BEYONCÉ VS RIHANNA!TRIBUTE Fri 3 March, The Rialto, Coventry

JILTED GENERATION - THE PRODIGY TRIBUTE Fri 3 March, hmv Empire, Coventry

March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

DON’T STOPFLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE Fri 3 March, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

STONE FOUNDATION Fri 3

- Sat 4 March, Queens

Hall, Nuneaton

FATBOY SLIM Fri 3 - Sat 4

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

ELIZA + KEMI ADE Sat 4

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

ISAIAH RASHAD Sat 4

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

DANIEL MARTINEZ Sat 4

March, Birmingham

Town Hall

LEVELLERS Sat 4 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE GREATEST HITS OF

MOTOWN Sat 4 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

XANDER AND THE PEACE

PIRATES Sat 4 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

FAIRPORT CONVENTION

Sat 4 March, Stratford

Playhouse

ERASURED Sat 4 March, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

WE LOVE THE 80S Sat 4 March, The Rialto, Coventry

ULTIMATE COLDPLAY Sat 4 March, hmv Empire, Coventry

SHAPE OF YOU - ED SHEERAN TRIBUTE Sat 4 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE HISTORY OF SOUL Sat 4 March, The Benn Hall, Rugby

JACK GOODALL AND THE KICK Sat 4 March, Fairfield Village Hall, Bromsgrove

HEARTBREAK - TOM PETTY TRIBUTE Sat 4 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

THE SAMPLES + BORROWED TIME Sat 4 March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

ROB HERON AND THE TEA PAD ORCHESTRA Sun 5 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

DOWN FOR THE COUNT Sun 5 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

SOUNDS OF SIMONSIMON AND GARFUNKEL TRIBUTE Sun 5 March, Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

The Oozes - The Tin Music and Arts, Coventry

Classical Music

CBSO: THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS

Featuring Sir Andrew Davis (conductor), Alice Coote (mezzo soprano), Brendon Gunnell (tenor), Ashley Riches (bass baritone) & the CBSO Chorus, Thurs 2 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

ENSEMBLE 360 Featuring Benjamin Nabarro & Claudia Ajmone-Marsan (violins), Rachel Roberts (viola) & Gemma Rosefield (cello). Programme includes works by Berwald, Mozart & Beethoven, Sun 5 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Comedy

JIMEOIN Wed 1 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

PROJECT MAYHEM COMEDY NIGHT Wed 1 March, Sky Blue Tavern, Coventry

PAUL SMITH Wed 1 March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

RAY BRADSHAW Fri 3 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

multi-award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller, until Sat 4 March, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Dance

ACE DANCE: UNKNOWN REALMS An allembracing, multi-layered production celebrating mortality, perseverance and hope overcoming adversity, Wed 1 March, Malvern Theatres

Light Entertainment

THE ROCK ORCHESTRA BY CANDLELIGHT

THE KING AND I Call The Midwife’s Helen George stars as Anna in a new version of Bartlett Sher’s iconic musical, until Sat 4 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

THE WINTERLING Amateur version of Jez Butterworth’s comedy thriller, until Sat 4 March, Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa

IDIOTS ASSEMBLE: SPITTING IMAGE

SAVES THE WORLD Join the Spitting Image puppets in this world premiere, in which King Charles enlists Tom Cruise to save Great Britain, until Sat 11 March, The Rep, Birmingham

A FAMILY BUSINESS China Plate and Staatstheater Mainz’s show about ‘how not to blow up the planet’, Wed 1 - Thurs 2 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

SOL BERNSTEIN, FIONA ALLEN, IAN CRAWFORD & DAVE TWENTYMAN Sat 4 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

DAWN BAILEY, DANNY POSTHILL & STEVIE GRAY Sun 5 March, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

Theatre

THE TEMPEST Alex Kingston plays Prospero in Shakespeare’s elemental tale of survival and forgiveness, until Sat 4 March, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

THE WAY OLD FRIENDS DO World premiere of a new comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens, until Sat 4 March, The Rep, Birmingham

SIX From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing 500 years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st-century girl power, until Sat 4 Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome

HOME, I’M DARLING Laura Wade’s award-winning comedy about one woman’s quest to be the perfect 1950s housewife, until Sat 4 March, Malvern Theatres

AN INSPECTOR CALLS Stephen Daldry’s

I FEEL LOVE An insight into the queer nightlife that sustained a community through the AIDS crisis, Thurs 2 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

MAD(E) Mandala Theatre Company present ‘an epic story of life, death, and everything in between’, Thurs 2Fri 3 March, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

BUGSY MALONE SOSage Factory present an amateur version of Alan Parker’s 1976 film, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

THE THRILL OF LOVE A play exploring the enigma of Ruth Ellis - the last woman to be hanged in Great Britain, Sat 4 - Fri 11 March, Rugby Theatre

Kids Theatre

THE DARK Peut-Être Theatre presents a show for younger audiences. Follow Lazlo on his journey to meet the dark, and find out why it will never bother him again... Sun 5 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

PYJAMA CONCERT: SNOOZY STORIES & YAWNY YARNS Experience an exciting range of bedtime stories told by University of Warwick students, Sun 5 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

Watch and listen as a chamber orchestra breathes beautifully dark energy into legendary rock & metal classics, Tues 2 March, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THAT’LL BE THE DAY Nostalgic variety performance featuring songs, impressions & comic sketches, Thurs 2 - Fri 3 March, The Roses, Tewkesbury

COME WHAT MAY Former Strictly star Robin Windsor stars in this ‘ultimate tribute to Moulin Rouge’, Fri 3 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

URZILA CARLSON: IT’S PERSONAL A show about keeping your cards close to your chest while walking around naked, Sun 5 March, Birmingham Town Hall

Talks & Spoken Word

KATE MOSSE OBE: WARRIOR QUEENS & REVOLUTIONARIES Celebration of some of history’s most extraordinary, brilliant, trail-blazing and inspirational women, Tues 7 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

AN EVENING WITH SIR GEOFF HURST

Join the football legend as he shares amusing stories from his illustrious career, Wed 8 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Events

SPECTACLE OF LIGHT Explore the stunning installations and be amazed by the sparkling beams of light across the historic lake, until Sun 5 March, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

MONTGOMERY BONBON: MUSEUM

MYSTERY TRAIL Grab a free activity sheet from reception and solve the puzzles, until Fri 31 March, Coventry Transport Museum

PEPPA PIG AT SEA LIFE Meet Peppa as she dives into a new adventure, making new friends with thousands of sea creatures, until Fri 2 June, National SEA LIFE Centre, Birmingham

SEVERN RISING 2222 GAME New interactive and immersive game set 200 years in the future in a flooded version of the city consumed by nature, where the wildlife does the talking. Can human existence be pieced back together?, until Sat 3 June, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum

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 to complete, until Sun 4 June, Legoland Discovery Centre, B’ham

BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK 2023:

CONNECTIONS Celebrate British Science Week with a host of activities exploring this year’s theme of ‘connections’, Wed 1 - Fri 31 March, Coventry Transport Museum

THE CITY IS FULL OF NOISES Monthlong celebration of electronic music, culminating in a weekend of workshops, networking and concert performances, Wed 1 - Fri 31 March, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

LIVE & DYE GARDEN Take part in some garden work every first Thursday of the month, Thurs 2 March, Coventry Cathedral

WORLD BOOK DAY: WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT Celebrate World Book Day with a sensory retelling of Michael Rosen’s We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, Thurs 2 March, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

FARGO LIVE DISCO A special night of live music, dancing and drinks, Fri 3 March, FarGo Village, Coventry

THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW

Featuring hundreds of wedding specialists, all with exclusive show discounts and unique ideas for your big day, Fri 3 - Sun 5 March, NEC, Birmingham

AN EVENING OF UKRAINIAN CUISINE An evening of traditional Ukrainian cuisine in aid of the charitable foundation, Serhiy Prytula, Sat 4 March, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

LET’S WATCH: SHAUN THE SHEEP Follow Shaun the Sheep and his friends on their crazy adventures, Sat 4 March, Coventry Cathedral

THE NATIONAL EQUINE SHOW Featuring inspiring speakers, interactive elements, skills workshops and some of the best brands in the equine world, Sat 4 - Sun 5 March, NEC, Birmingham

GO DIVING The only UK consumer and trade event dedicated to scuba diving and dive travel, Sat 4 - Sun 5 March, NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

FAMILY ACTIVITIES: ANIMAL ANTICS Test your safari skills and go wild looking for ‘fabulous famous animals on this grrreat trail’, Sat 4 March - Sat 1 July, Worcester Art Gallery & Museum

thelist

Monday 6 - Sunday 12 March

Classical Music

PAUL LEWIS PIANO RECITAL

Programme comprises Schubert’s Piano Sonatas No.2, Tues 7 March, Birmingham Town Hall

CBSO: ELGAR & SCHUMANN Featuring Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla (conductor), Vilde Frang (violin) & the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Programme comprises Elgar’s Violin Concerto, 50 & Schumann’s Symphony No 1 (Spring), 30, Wed 8 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: EARTHCYCLE

Comedy

PROJECT MAYHEM COMEDY NIGHT Wed

8 March, Sky Blue Tavern, Coventry

GARY DELANEY Thurs 9 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

BILAL ZAFAR Fri 10 March, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

RAW COMEDY - COMICS TBC Fri 10

March, Ecgwins Club, Evesham

ROB NEWMAN Fri 10 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Gigs

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE + JINJER +

ATREYU Tues 7 March, O2 Academy, B’ham

CLAUDE BOURBON Tues

7 March, The Roses

Theatre, Tewkesbury

SOULS OF MISCHIEF +

DJ ONEOFAKIND Tues 7

March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

TOBY LEE Tues 7 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

LOYLE CARNER Wed 8

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

BO NINGEN Wed 8

March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE BACKSEAT LOVERS

Thurs 9 March, O2

Academy, Birmingham

BETH HART Thurs 9

March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

MONTHLY PERFORMERS

NIGHT Thurs 9 March,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

MOMENTS OF PLEASURE - THE MUSIC OF KATE

BUSH Thurs 9 March,

The Rialto, Coventry

ELLIE GOWERS Thurs 9

March, Warwick Arts

Centre, Coventry

TANK Thurs 9 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

WILLE & THE BANDITS

Thurs 9 March,

Drummonds, Worcester

SUNJAY Thurs 9 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

ESTHER BENNETT Thurs 9 - Fri 10 March,

45Live, Kidderminster

LAMB OF GOD +

KREATOR + MUNICIPAL

WASTE Fri 10 March, O2 Academy, B’ham

THE SLOW READERS

CLUB Fri 10 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SOMEONE LIKE YOU -

ADELE TRIBUTE Fri 10 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull WILL POUND AND JENN

BUTTERWORTH Fri 10 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

OH WHAT A NIGHT! - THE MUSIC OF FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS

Fri 10 March, Stratford

Playhouse

ABSOLUTE BOWIE Fri 10 March, The Rialto, Coventry

SUPERHOOCH + THE PRISTINES + BLACKSTAR BULLET + THEE

ASPIRING Fri 10 March, hmv Empire, Coventry

AMY G - AMERICAN

DIVAS Fri 10 March,

45Live, Kidderminster

MELVIN HANCOX BAND

Fri 10 March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

NAPALM DEATH +

SIBERIAN MEAT GRINDER

Sat 11 March, O2

Institute, Birmingham

OLIVIA DEAN Sat 11 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE JETTYS + VIENNA +

ROAD CLOSED + THE SKEME + GROW YOUR OWN STUPID Sat 11 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS

Sat 11 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE K’S Sat 11 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE FUREYS Sat 11 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

LUCY FARRELL Sat 11 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

SIGALA Sat 11 March, hmv Empire, Coventry

THE U2 EXPERIENCE Sat 11 March, Arches Venue, Coventry

A CENTURY OF SWING

Sat 11 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE ULTIMATE COMMITMENTS + BLUES BROTHERS EXPERIENCE

Sat 11 March, The Henrician, Evesham

THE TOM PETTY LEGACY

Sat 11 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

MADE IN TENNESSEE Sat

11 March, The Benn Hall, Rugby

BRAIN OF J - PEARL JAM

TRIBUTE Sat 11 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

PREM SEVA Sat 11 March, West Malvern Social Club

NEIL COLEY BIG BAND

Sat 11 March, Civic, Stourport

ARON Sun 12 March, O2 Institute, B’ham

WILL PAGE Sun 12 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

COLDPLACE Sun 12 March, The Henrician, Evesham

RAVEN + HELLGRIMM + DAXX + ROXANE Sun 12 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

Featuring David Gordon (keyboard), Jackie Oates (vocals) & David Le Page (director). Programme includes works by Vivaldi, David Gordon & trad. Jackie Oates arr. Le Page, Thurs 9 March, Drapers’ Hall, Coventry

RANDOM OPERA COMPANY: COSI FAN

TUTTE Featuring Susie Gibbons, Becca Madden (sopranos), Anna Cooper (mezzo-soprano), Jorge Carlo Mariani (tenor), Michael Dewis & Richard Tegid Jones (bass) & Ashley Beauchamp (piano/conductor), Sat 11 March, Temple Speech Room, Rugby

WORCESTER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Programme includes works by Schubert, Weber & Beethoven, Sat 11 March, Number 8, Pershore

WARWICKSHIRE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Featuring Roger Coull (conductorpictured). Programme includes works by Weber & Bruckner, Sat 11 March, All Saints Parish Church, Leamington Spa

SHAZIA MIRZA Sat 11 March, The Rep, Birmingham

IGOR KWIATKOWSKI Sat 11 March, The Old Rep, Birmingham

PATRICK MONAHAN Sat 11 March, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham

DAMIAN SKÓRA Sat 11 March, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

NOREEN KHAN, EMILY LLOYD SAINI, TEJ

DHUTIA & STELLA GRAHAM Sat 11 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

COLIN HOULT Sat 11 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

HAL CRUTTENDEN Sat 11 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Theatre

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION Joe Absolom and Ben Onwukwe star in the stage adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novella, Mon 6 - Sat 11 March, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

HOW NOT TO DROWN A story of endurance for a little kid who wasn’t safe anywhere in the world, Tues 7Wed 8 March, Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome

CBSO FAMILY CONCERT: FILM

FAVOURITES Featuring Delyana Lazarova (conductor), Tom Redmond (presenter), Sarah Butt (BSL Interpreter) & the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Programme includes music from Star Wars, The Jungle Book, The Sound of Music, Harry Potter, Slumdog Millionaire and more... Sun 12 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

WARWICK UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA & CHORUS: A SEA CHANGE

Featuring Robert Brookes & Suzzie Vango (conductors) & Lorna James (soprano). Programme includes works by Wagner, Arnold Baz & Will Todd, Sun 12 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

RELATIVELY SPEAKING Liza Goddard stars in Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘charmingly English’ farce, Tues 7 - Fri 11 March, Malvern Theatres

JERSEY BOYS Award-winning musical telling of the rise to fame of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, Tues 7Sat 18 March, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Bo Ninjen - Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

thelist

ANNA CLOVER: GOING DEUTSCH A studio comedic theatre show about relationships, inherited trauma and how the past shapes the future, Wed 8 March, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

KISS ME KATE Astwood Bank Operatic Society present an amateur version of Cole Porter’s musical, Wed 8 - Sat 11 Mar, Palace Theatre, Redditch

MY FAIR LADY Multi-award-winning production of Lerner & Loewe’s world-famous musical, starring Michael D Xavier, Charlotte Kennedy, Adam Woodyatt, Lesley Garrett & John Middleton, Wed 8 - Sun 19 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

Dance

GREAT BIG DANCE OFF - WEST MIDLANDS HEAT Primary and secondary schools from across the region come together to compete to become the West Midlands champions 2023, Tues 7 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

THE FOUR SEASONS James Wilton Dance fuse capoeira, acrobatics, martial arts and classical dance in a production set to Max Richter’s recomposed version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, Tues 7 - Wed 8 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

Light Entertainment

IRELAND THE SHOW Featuring an allstar cast of talented singers and performers, Wed 8 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

FOX Katie Guicciardi’s brutally honest and amusing exploration of new motherhood in an increasingly isolating society, Thurs 9 - Fri 10 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

SAMPHIRE The Young Rep present an amateur version of Shamser Sinha’s compelling coming-of-age tale about a young couple - one of whom lives in a children’s home, the other in a shed, Thurs 9 - Sat 11 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

THE MOTH A contemporary version of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar

Named Desire, set in working-class Britain in the 1990s, Thurs 9 - Sat 11 March, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

DANIEL NICHOLAS: EUGENE Comedy theatre show about the power of technology. Think The Terminator does a Ted Talk with Steve Jobs, Fri 10 March, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

FAMILY TREE A powerful drama about race, health, the environment and the legacy of one of the most influential Black women of modern times, Fri 10 - Sat 18 March, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

THE TWITS A Bear Pitt Theatre Company production based on Roald Dahl’s much-loved children’s book, Thurs 10 - Sun 19 March, The Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Monday 6 - Sunday 12 March

THE LITTLE MERMAID: ADULT PANTO

Starring Divina De Campo in the title role, Thurs 9 March, The Civic, Stourport

DREAMCOAT STARS Featuring hits from the West End and Broadway, Thurs 9 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

SOLVE-ALONG MURDER SHE WROTE A unique interactive event featuring games, prizes, audience participation and a screening of an episode of the classic series, Fri 10 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

PSYCHIC SALLY Evening of mediumship, Fri 10 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

THE DREAMBOYS The UK’s ultimate Magic Mike-style show, Fri 10 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

DICK AND DOM IN DA BUNGALOW The promise of a messy night out filled with chaos and familiar favourites, Sat 11 March, Birmingham Town Hall

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

WORLD TOUR Brand-new collection of short films from the world’s most prestigious mountain film festival, Sat 11 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Talks & Spoken Word

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SERIAL KILLERS

Join expert forensics lecturer Jennifer Rees to explore one of forensic psychology’s most troubling topics, Wed 8 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

HIT THE ODE A unique performance poetry night where spoken-word artists perform alongside open micers, Fri 10 March, Patrick Studio,

Birmingham Hippodrome

UNISLAM 2023 See the UK & Ireland’s ‘most exciting’ spoken-word poets perform live, Sun 12 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

PRUE LEITH: NOTHING IN MODERATION

Join the British Bake Off judge as she shares stories from an eventful career, Sun 12 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

Events

A WOMAN’S LIFE AT ASTON HALL TOUR

From the glamour of the lady of the manor to the work of the scullery maid, this special tour focuses on the women of Aston Hall, Wed 8 March, Aston Hall, Birmingham

WONDER A new worship gathering for people who are looking to explore themes of faith through art, dance and poetry, Wed 8 March, Coventry Cathedral

CRUFTS Organised by the Kennel Club, the show celebrates every aspect of the role that dogs play in our lives, Thurs 9 - Sun 12 March,

NEC, Birmingham WOMEN IN POLICING - EVENING TOUR

Discover the roles undertaken by pioneering women, from the first lock-up matrons to the first fire-arms officers, Fri 10 March, West Midlands Police Museum, Birmingham

AN EVENING OF UKRAINIAN CUISINE An evening of traditional Ukrainian cuisine in aid of the charitable foundation, Serhiy Prytula, Sat 11 March, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

TUDOR WOMEN GUIDED TOUR AT BLAKESLEY HALL Learn about Tudor women on a guided tour to mark International Women’s Day, Sun 12 March, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

YOUNG DRIVER LESSONS Opportunity for 10 to 17-year-olds to have fun and learn new skills, Sun 12 March, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

CELEBRATING HOLI - FESTIVAL OF COLOUR Take part in splat art, the big community colour weave, bubble art, spin art and crazy paisley patternmaking, Sun 12 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

James Wilton Dance: The Four Seasons - Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

Fox - The Albany Theatre, Coventry

thelist

FRANKIE’S GUYS - A CELEBRATION OF FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS Sat 18 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

THE BEAT FT. RANKING JNR Sat 18 March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

NEVILLE STAPLE +

RODDY RADIATION & THE SKABILLY REBELS Sat 18 March, The Rialto, Coventry

THE BON JOVI EXPERIENCE Sat 18 March, hmv Empire, Coventry

Gigs

AOIFE SCOTT Mon 13

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

DAVID FORD + JP

RUGGIERI Mon 13

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

JAMES TW Tues 14

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

hmv Empire, Coventry

THE ANSWER + OLI

BROWN & THE DEAD COLLECTIVE Fri 17

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

JIVE TALKIN’ - BEE GEES

TRIBUTE Fri 17 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT

Fri 17 March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

MAN MADE MOON +

RUTH KELLY Fri 17

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

LONDON CALLING - THE CLASH TRIBUTE Fri 17

March, hmv Empire, Coventry

Monday 13 - Sunday 19 March

Classical Music

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER: THE PRIDE OF BIRMINGHAM A history of Town Hall told in music, words & images, Mon 13 March, Birmingham Town Hall

CBSO PLAYS ROMEO & JULIET Featuring Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla (conductor) & Kirill Gerstein (piano). Programme includes works by Weinberg, Schumann & Prokofiev, Wed 15 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Programme includes works by Khachaturian, Beethoven & Amy Beech, Sun 19 March, Stratford Playhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon

Comedy

SCOTT BENNETT, SAMANTHA DAY, MAD RON & ELLIOT POWELL Wed 15 March, Clarendon Arms, Kenilworth

PROJECT MAYHEM COMEDY NIGHT Wed 15 March, Sky Blue Tavern, Coventry

THE MUDSHARKS - LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE Sat 18 March, Arches Venue, Coventry

THE COUNTERFEIT SEVENTIES Sat 18 March, The Henrician, Evesham

MAET LIVE AND THE NEVER NEVERLAND

EXPRESS Sat 18 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

ION MAIDEN - IRON MAIDEN TRIBUTE +

WIZARDS OF OZ - OZZY

OSBOURNE TRIBUTE Sat 18 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

MALOPECIA TRIO + MEZZOTONIC +

COLLIDER SKIES! Sat 18 March, 45Live, Kidderminster

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: GOODNIGHT VIENNA Featuring Michael Collins (conductor) & Aaron Akugbo (trumpet). Programme includes works by Strauss arr. Le Page, Schubert arr. Le Page, Haydn, Schoenberg & Mozart, Thurs 16 March, Warwick Hall

THE KINGS SINGERS Thurs 16 March, St Mary’s Church, Warwick

HOWARD READ, ANDREW BIRD, SALLYANNE HAYWARD & PATRICK MONAHAN Thurs 16 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

JOSH PUGH Fri 17 March, Birmingham

Town Hall

SARA PASCOE Sun 19 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

Theatre

THE WEDDING SINGER Amateur version presented by Kidderminster Operatic & Dramatic Society, Mon 13 - Sat 18 March, The Roses Theatre, Kidderminster

BELARIA Featuring John Davidson (tenor), Patricia Head (soprano) & Catherine Lack (piano), Thurs 16 March, Great Malvern Priory

SLEEPING WITH SIRENS + STATIC DRESS + CHARMING LIARS Tues

14 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MCGOLDRICK, MCCUSKER AND DOYLE

Tues 14 March, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

XHOSA COLE Wed 15

March, Stratford

Playhouse

THE SMYTHS Fri 17

March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

WORD OF MOUTH Fri 17

March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

CREEDENCE

CLEARWATER REVIEW Fri 17 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

ABBA SENSATION Fri 17 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

TIN DRUM Fri 17 March, 45Live, Kidderminster

COLD BLUE DAZE Fri 17

March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

BEARTOOTH + MOTIONLESS IN WHITE + STRAY FROM THE PATH Sat 18 March, O2

THUNDER DAZE Sat 18 March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

REMI HARRIS & TOM MOOR Sat 18 March, West Malvern Social Club

I PREVAIL + TRASH BOAT + BLIND CHANNEL Sun 19 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE BLOW MONKEYS Sun 19 March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

RICHARD STRANGE Sun 19 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

BEN AND DOM Sun 19 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

ARCADIA STRING QUARTET Featuring Ana Török and Răsvan Dumitru (violins), Traian Boală (viola) & Zsolt Török (cello). Programme includes works by Haydn, Weinberg & Beethoven, Fri 17 March, Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa

TALES FROM ACORN WOOD Puppetry and songs combine in this stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s much-loved book, Tues 14 - Wed 15 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

ABIGAIL’S PARTY New version of Mike Leigh’s modern classic, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

DEATH DROP - BACK IN THE HABIT Comedy thriller paying homage to ‘all your favourite horror films’ - from IT to Scream and everything in between, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham

HELLO DOLLY Knowle Musical Society present an amateur version of Jerry Herman’s energetic musical, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

OUR HOUSE Amateur version of Tim Firth’s award-winning musical, Tues 14 - Sat 18 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

SWEDISH PHILHARMONIA Featuring Jaime Martin (conductor) & Nemanja Radulović (violin). Programme includes works by Bo Linde, Tchaikovsky & Sibelius, Fri 17 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

WORCESTER FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY: THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS Sat 18 March, Worcester Cathedral

CHANDOS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

LITTLE WOMEN Brand-new take on Louisa May Alcott’s enchanting story, Wed 15 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

CHRIS WOOD Thurs 16

March, Stratford

Playhouse

ROACHFORD + ACANTHA

LANG Thurs 16 March,

Academy, Birmingham

JOESEF + ETTA MARCUS

Sat 18 March, O2

Academy, Birmingham

THE SKIDS + STATIC KILL Sun 19 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

THE ELO SHOW Sun 19 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

Programme includes works by Rossini, Benjamin Creighton Griffiths & Franck, Sun 19 March, Malvern Theatres

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: SPRING CONCERT

Roachford - hmv Empire, Coventry

LATELY James Lewis’ intimate & emotional story about the places we can never escape from, the dreams

thelist

we never realise and the people that bring us back down to earth again, Thurs 16 March, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

LITTLE SOLDIER: NOTHING HAPPENS (TWICE) Exploration of companionship, co-dependency and what motivates us to keep going, even in the face of failure and bureaucratic brick walls, Fri 17 March, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

JULIUS CAESAR Atri Banerjee’s staging of Shakespeare’s political thriller, Sat 18 March - Sat 8 April, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratfordupon-Avon

OF MICE & MEN Iqbal Khan puts ‘a 2023 lens’ on John Steinbeck’s classic story of economic migration, racism, prejudice and enduring friendship, Sat 18 March - Sat 8 April, The Rep, Birmingham

TERRY DEARY’S TWISTED TALES Three actors perform over 100 roles in this fast-paced, fact-packed show, Sat 18 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Amateur version presented by Bridge House Young Company, Sun 19 March, Bridge House Theatre, Warwick

TWINKLE Philip Meeks’ poignant oneman play tells of the demise of ageing panto dame Harold Thropp, Sun 19 March, Talisman Theatre & Arts Centre, Kenilworth

Light Entertainment

A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS WITH THE OPERA BOYS Wed 15 March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

SHELL SUIT CHER: BELIEVE IN BINGO

Imagine if Cher left showbiz behind, swapped leather for leisure wear and became a shell-suit wearing bingo host... Fri 17 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Talks & Spoken Word

NEIGHBOURS: THE CELEBRATION TOUR

Hear never-before-shared stories from the cast of the popular Aussie soap, Thurs 16 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

KATE MOSSE OBE: WARRIOR QUEENS & REVOLUTIONARIES Celebration of some of history’s most extraordinary, brilliant, trail-blazing and inspirational women, Sat 18 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

Monday 13 - Sunday 19 March

THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH EDGAR

Look at the evidence, follow the clues and interrogate the suspects in their cells as you attempt to get to the bottom of what happened to poor Elizabeth, Sat 18 March, West Midlands Police Museum, B‘ham

LYRA FILM SCREENING Screening also includes a post-show Q&A with the film’s producer and other key contributors, Sat 18 March, Coventry Cathedral

THE MYTON HOSPICES ABSEIL A 90ft abseil down the cathedral in aid of Myton Hospice, Sat 18 March, Coventry Cathedral

MINIATURA SPRING SHOW 2023 One of the longest established and bestloved dolls’ house shows in the world, Sat 18 - Sun 19 March, NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

CHOCOLATE MARKET Bringing together the finest quality artisan producers of chocolate in all its various forms, Sat 18 - Sun 19 March, FarGo Village, Coventry

MOTHER’S DAY AFTERNOON TEA AND MICHAEL BUBLÉ TRIBUTE Starstruck’s Jordan Williams performs as Michael Bublé, Sun 19 March, Coombe Abbey, Warwickshire

MOTHER’S DAY AFTERNOON TEA Enjoy an afternoon tea in the neoclassical Adam Hall, Sun 19 March, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

MOTHERS’ DAY AT HARTLEBURY CASTLE

Mums get free entry with a ticketpaying child, Sun 19 March, Hartlebury Castle, Worcestershire

ASTON ALIVE: BIG BOOK DAY TAKEOVER

Explore the mansion and discover characters who have escaped from their stories and taken over the hall, Sun 19 March, Aston Hall, Birmingham

MOTHER’S DAY AFTERNOON TEA Treat your mum to an afternoon tea with a welcome glass of fizz in the beautiful surroundings of Spring Grove House, Sun 19 March, West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Kidderminster

MOTHERS’ DAY AT THE COMMANDERY

TALES TILL RAMADAN Eleanor Martin goes in search of sincerity through a collection of Muslim heritage stories, Sat 18 March, The Rep, Birmingham

Events

PI WEEK Spend two hours at the cathedral measuring, exploring and discovering ‘all the fabulous things you can do with this very special number’, Mon 13 - Fri 17 March, Coventry Cathedral

YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN BADMINTON

CHAMPIONSHIPS 2023 Bringing together the best badminton players from around the world to compete in one of the sport’s oldest and most prestigious tournaments, Tues 14Sun 19 March, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

PLANETARIUM LATES: NAVIGATING

ROUND OUR WORLD Discover how technology helped mariners know exactly where they were on the world’s oceans over 200 years ago, Thurs 16 March, Thinktank

Birmingham Science Museum

FASHION & EMBROIDERY Event for textile artists, with exclusive features and industry experts, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 March, NEC, Birmingham

THE NATIONAL OUTDOOR EXPO Be inspired and motivated by some of the world’s greatest outdoor enthusiasts, Sat 18 - Sun 19 March, NEC, Birmingham

Mums get free entry with a ticketpaying child, and there’ll be fun colouring-in for children and a nature play area, Sun 19 March, The Commandery, Worcestershire

AN EVENING WITHOUT KATE BUSH Award-winning show which pays homage to the music, fans and mythology of one of the most influential voices in British music, Sun 19 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

SEWING FOR PLEASURE The latest stitching supplies and plenty of ideas to inspire, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 March, NEC, Birmingham

THE CREATIVE CRAFT SHOW A haven for enthusiasts of knitting, cross stitch, paper crafting, jewellery & dressmaking, and stitching, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 March, NEC, Birmingham

thelist

GO YOUR OWN WAYFLEETWOOD MAC

TRIBUTE Sat 25 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

NEARLY DAN - STEELY

DAN TRIBUTE Sat 25

March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

THE CADILLAC KINGS Sat 25 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THIS CARPENTERS

MASQUERADE Sat 25

March, Stratford

Playhouse

Gigs

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE + SLOW PULP Tues 21

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

SUEDE Tues 21 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE DUNWELLS Tues 21

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE MAGNETS Tues 21 March, Malvern

Theatres

KING KING + GLENN

TILBROOK Wed 22

March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

THE STORY OF THE DUBLINERS Wed 22

March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

SUNGAZER Thurs 23

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

PENGSHUI Thurs 23

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE + LOLA BROOKE + J.I. + BOUBA SAVAGE Thurs

23 March, O2

Academy, Birmingham

TOM WALKER Thurs 23

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE CINELLI BROTHERS

Thurs 23 March,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

CHOP SUEY (SYSTEM OF A DOWN TRIBUTE) + KILLSWITCH UK Thurs

23 March, Arches

Venue, Coventry

SUBHUMANS + HURRICANE TAPES Thurs

23 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

FEAST OF FIDDLES Thurs

23 March, Huntingdon

Classical Music

MAGDALEN COLLEGE ORCHESTRAL & CHORAL CONCERT Programme includes Dvorak’s Carnival Overture, Walton’s Crown Imperial & Coronation Te Deum, Handel’s Zakok the Priest & Parry’s I Was Glad, Mon 20 March, Symphony Hall, B’ham

EX CATHEDRA: BAROQUE PASSION

Featuring Jeffrey Skidmore (director) & Andrew Skidmore (cello).

Programme includes works by Bach, Purcell, Lotti, Scarlatti, Monteverdi, Carissimi & Charpentier, Tues 21 March, St Mary’s Church, Warwick

Rachmaninoff, Sun 26 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Comedy

PROJECT MAYHEM COMEDY NIGHT Wed 22 March, Sky Blue Tavern, Coventry

PETER KAY Thurs 23 March, Resorts

World Arena, Birmingham

ASHLEY FRIEZE, TAL DAVIES, CHRIS

MCGLADE & CRAIG DIXON Fri 24 March, The Mount Pleasant Hotel, Malvern

JOHN KEARNS Sat 25 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Hall, Worcester

LET ME ENTERTAIN YOUROBBIE WILLIAMS

TRIBUTE Thurs 23

March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE STORY OF GUITAR HEROES Fri 24 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

JANET KAY & CARROLL

THOMPSON Fri 24

March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

BIG WOLF BAND Fri 24

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

DIRTY SOUND MAGNET + SATSANGI + STRIP SEARCH TRAMP Fri 24

March, The Tin Music and Arts, The Canal Basin, Coventry

MAD DOG MCREA Fri 24

March, hmv Empire, Coventry

ROBINSON STONE - THE MUSIC OF CLIFFORD T WARD Fri 24 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

THE ELO EXPERIENCE Fri 24 March, Palace

Theatre, Redditch

STEVIE MAC BANDFLEETWOOD MAC

TRIBUTE Fri 24 March, 45Live, Kidderminster

THE FINAL 4 Fri 24

March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

JACK GARRATT Sat 25

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE LANCASHIRE

HOTPOTS Sat 25 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

AND FINALLY... PHIL

COLLINS TRIBUTE Sat 25

March, The Core Theatre, Solihull

BLAZE Sat 25 March, The Rialto, Coventry

HELLO AGAIN - NEIL

DIAMOND TRIBUTE Sat

25 March, Number 8, Pershore

THE KILLERZ + THE DRIVE Sat 25 March, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

EMPIRE OF LIGHTS Sat

25 March, Fairfield Village Hall, Bromsgrove

SOUL STRIPPER + GAS

ATTACK Sat 25 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

LOGICALTRAMP Sat 25 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

THE KINGS VOICE

STARRING GORDON

HENDRICKS Sat 25

March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

BOOTLEG BEATLES Sat

25 March, Malvern

Theatres

EASTWOOF Sat 25 March, 45Live, Kidderminster

UNDER THE FRIDGE - RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS

TRIBUTE Sat 25 March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

THE FEZZ - STEELY DAN TRIBUTE Sat 25 March, West Malvern Social Club

BLACK HONEY Sun 26 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DARREN HAYES Sun 26 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

ELTON JOHN Sun 26 March, Resorts World Arena, Birmingham

FRASER ANDERSON AND JOHN PARKER Sun 26 March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE CALIDORE QUARTET Featuring Jeffrey Myers & Ryan Meehan (violins), Jeremy Berry (viola) & Estelle Choi (cello). Programme includes works by Mozart, Widmann & Beethoven, Thurs 23 March, Malvern Theatres

Theatre

GREASE THE MUSICAL Amateur version presented by West Bromwich Operatic Society, Tues 21 - Sat 25 March, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

RUN REBEL Pilot Theatre present the world premiere of Manjeet Mann’s celebrated novel, Tues 21 - Sat 25 March, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: MYSTERIOUS BARRICADES Featuring David le Page (director) & Victoria Brown (oboe). Programme includes works by CPE Bach, Pachelbel, Corelli, Marcella, Vivaldi, Purcell, Couperin & Bach, Thurs 23 March, The Courtyard, Hereford

BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

GROUP Programme includes works by Tristan Murail, Brian Ferneyhough, Anton Webern, Christian Mason, and more... Fri 24 March, Coventry Cathedral

LEAMINGTON SINFONIA: THE PLANETS Sat 25 March, All Saints’ Church, Leamington Spa

VOCES8 Sun 26 March, Malvern

Theatres

MARIA MARCHANT PIANO RECITAL Programme includes works by Handel, Grieg, Debussy, Schubert, Sibelius, Roderick Williams, Ireland, Schumann, Joanna Gill &

FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS Based on the true story of the chart-topping Cornish sensations. James Gaddas (Coronation Street), Parisa Shahmir (Mamma Mia!), Robert Duncan (Drop The Dead Donkey), Anton Stephans (The X Factor) & Susan Penhaligon (Bouquet Of Barbed Wire), star, Tues 21 - Sat 25 March, Malvern Theatres

STEEL MAGNOLIAS Heart-warming play following the trials and tribulations of six fierce and sassy women as they set the world to rights. Laura Main, Lucy Speed, Harriet Thorpe, Diana Vickers, Elizabeth Ayodele and Caroline Harker star, Tues 21 - Sat 25 March, The Alexandra, Birmingham SAP A new play about passion, power, and photosynthesis, Thurs 23 - Fri 24 March, The Rep, Birmingham

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? A series of scenarios inspired by real-life stories to promote the importance of access and inclusion. Suitable for seven to 12-year-olds, Sat 25 March, The Rep, Birmingham

The Cinelli Brothers - Temperance, Leamington Spa

Steel Magnolias - The Alexandra, Birmingham

Kids Shows

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Musical play for younger audiences, based on Judith Kerr’s bestselling book, Fri 24 - Sun 26 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Monday 20 - Sunday 26 March

for an evening of inspired nonsense, Sat 25 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE WRONG TROUSERS WITH LIVE BRASS BAND

Watch the iconic Aardman film accompanied by a brass band playing the soundtrack, Sat 25 March, Birmingham Town Hall

DAVE MOYLAN’S FUNNY TURNS Oneman variety show featuring comedy, magic & music, Sun 26 March, The Civic, Stourport

Talks & Spoken

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE A roarsome interactive show for all the family, Fri 24 - Sun 26 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

Dance

BALLET THEATRE UK: ROMEO & JULIET

Recreation of the world’s greatest love story, Wed 22 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

BALLET THEATRE UK: ROMEO & JULIET

Recreation of the world’s greatest love story, Sun 26 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

Light Entertainment

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR! Epic 1980s singalong hosted by Nobu Adilman & Daveed Goldman, Tues 21 March, Birmingham Town Hall

COME WHAT MAY Former Strictly star Robin Windsor stars in this ‘ultimate tribute to Moulin Rouge’, Tues 21 March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Word

HENRY BLOFELD: MY DEAR OLD THINGS

Join the cricketing legend as he reflects on a ‘truly extraordinary’ life, Wed 22 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Events

MINI MOTORISTS MONDAYS Busthemed crafts for under-fives, to celebrate Bessie the Bus’ 100th birthday, Mon 20 March, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

SHAKESPEARE WEEK Be part of Shakespeare Week and join schools and families up and down the country in celebrating the Stratford bard, Mon 20 - Sun 26 March, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust venues, Stratfordupon-Avon

LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Featuring a wide range of events covering all types of literature, from historical fiction to poetry, via memoir, true crime, children’s books and more, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 March, various venues across Lichfield

THE NATIONAL HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING SHOW Be inspired by over 400 exhibitors and masterclasses, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 March, NEC, Birmingham

’PINS AND POKING STICKS’: DRESS IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME Public lecture with costume historian Jacqueline Ansell, Fri 24 March, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

nature with the Forest Fairy as she takes care of all the wild things in the gardens, Sat 25 March, Aston Hall, Birmingham

THE SPECTACULAR MUSIC OF HARRY

POTTER Concert featuring music from the Harry Potter films, performed by the International Film Orchestra, Sat 25 March, Coventry Cathedral

PUBLIC THEATRE TOUR Check out the

stage, backstage areas, dressing rooms and front-of-house, along the way learning about the theatre’s history, Sat 25 March, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

MEGACON LIVE BIRMINGHAM & KIDTROPOLIS Popular culture show with special guests Sat 25 - Sun 26 March, NEC, Birmingham

PRISCILLA: QUEEN OF DISASTER A frank and honest story about the realities of parenting - as told by mother and natural storyteller Susie, Fri 24 March, The Civic, Stourport

DREAMCOAT STARS Featuring hits from the West End and Broadway, Sat 25 March, Swan Theatre, Worcester

I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE Join Jack Dee, Rory Bremner, Pippa Evans, Milton Jones and Marcus Brigstocke

RED BY NIGHT Atmospheric evening celebrating the region’s rich industrial heritage and featuring live entertainment, demonstrations, food and living history, Fri 24 - Sat 25 March, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

PRACTICAL CLASSICS CLASSIC CAR & RESTORATION SHOW Bringing together 1000-plus cars, 150-plus car clubs and 250-plus exhibitors and autojumblers, Fri 24 - Sun 26 March, NEC, Birmingham

RUSTICUS PRESENTS: THE FOREST FAIRY An ‘enchanting adventure’ into

Fisherman’s Friends - Malvern Theatres

thelist

Classical Music

LEAMINGTON CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Featuring Daniel Sanford-Casey (clarinet) & Angela Dickson (viola). Programme includes works by Philip Sawyers, Bruch, Brahms & Beethoven, Sun 28 March, Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH DANIEL MOULT Programme includes works by Elgar, Mendelssohn, JS Bach, Mozart, Thalben-Ball, Whitlock & Britton, Mon 27 March, Birmingham Town Hall

ARMONICO: ST MATTHEW PASSION

Featuring Christopher Monks (director), Ben Thapa (Evangelist) & Stuart O’Hara (Christus), Thurs 30 March, Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick

Gigs

LOVEJOY Mon 27

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

CLAVISH Mon 27

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SAM RYDER + TORS + CHARLOTTE JANE Tues

28 March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SNOOP DOGG Tues 28

March, Resorts World Arena, Birmingham

FEAST OF FIDDLES Tues

28 March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

DAVE THOMAS Tues 28

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE GHOST INSIDE Wed 29 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

KRANIUM + BIG JOHN + DJ NATE Wed 29 March, O2 Academy, B’ham

HANNAH JAMES AND TOBY KUHN Wed 29

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE FUREYS Wed 29

March, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE ELO EXPERIENCE

Wed 29 March,

Malvern Theatres

RAINBOW KITTEN

SURPRISE Thurs 30

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

QUINN XCII Thurs 30

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS Thurs 30

March, O2 Academy, Birmingham

UNION JILL Thurs 30

March, Bromsgrove Folk Club

BECKI MORGAN + JESS

LEA + JOSIE FIELD + KIRSTY GALLACHER

Thurs 30 March, The Benn Hall, Rugby

LAIMU Thurs 30 March, Marrs Bar, Worcester

COUCH Fri 31 March, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

THE STEVE HILLAGE

BAND Fri 31 March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

BLOODYWOOD Fri 31

March, O2 Institute, Birmingham

UK PINK FLOYD

EXPERIENCE Fri 31

March, The Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury

GIANTS OF ROCK Fri 31

March, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

LITTLE SPARROW Fri 31

March, Temperance, Leamington Spa

SUNS OF REST +

DOWNDRAFT + THE ROLLOCKS Fri 31 March, The Tin Music and Arts, The Canal Basin, Coventry

ED FORCE ONE - IRON

MAIDEN TRIBUTE Fri 31

March, Arches Venue, Coventry

THE BON JOVI

EXPERIENCE Fri 31

March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

US! Fri 31 March, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham

AMAEL PIANO TRIO Featuring Peter Zoltan (piano), Volodja Balzalorsky (violin) & Damir Hamidullin (cello). Programme includes works by Haydn, Schubert, Paganini & Smetana, Thurs 30 March, Great Malvern Priory

ARMONICO: ST MATTHEW PASSION

Featuring Christopher Monks (director), Ben Thapa (Evangelist) & Stuart O’Hara (Christus), Fri 31 March, Malvern Theatres

Comedy

JIM JEFFERIES Wed 29 March, Utilita Arena Birmingham

March - Sat 1 April, Lichfield Garrick

HEDDA Here To There Productions present a re-examining of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, Mon 27 March - Sat 1 April, Malvern Theatres

THE CHILDREN The Nonentities present Lucy Kirkwood’s disaster drama, Mon 27 March - Sat 1 April, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Special anniversary production of Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock’n’roll musical, Mon 27 March - Sat 1 Apr, The Alexandra, Birmingham

BLOOD BROTHERS Willy Russell’s iconic musical tells the tale of twins separated at birth who grow up on opposite sides of the track, only to meet again with tragic consequences, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

PROJECT MAYHEM COMEDY NIGHT Wed

29 March, Sky Blue Tavern, Coventry

TOM DAVIS Thurs 30 March, Evesham Town Hall

SARAH JOHNSON, PETER BRUSH & LINDSAY SANTORO Thurs 30 March, The Royal Pug, Leamington Spa

GLENN MOORE, BELLA HULL & ALEXANDRA HADDOW Thurs 30 March, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

DARA Ó BRIAIN Thurs 30 - Fri 31 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

BRENNAN REECE, FREDDY QUINNE, ROB MULHOLLAND & STEPHEN BAILEY Fri 31 March, The Rialto, Coventry

Theatre

THE MOUSETRAP Todd Carty & Gwyneth Strong star in Agatha Christie’s bestselling classic, Mon 27

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL Comedy about taking risks, finding love and embracing second chances. Paul Nicholas, Belinda Lang, Tessa Peake-Jones and Graham Seed star, Tues 28 MarchSat 1 Apr, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE TIME MACHINE - A COMEDY Fastpaced adaptation of HG Wells’ epic novel, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April, Malvern Theatres

WEST SIDE STORY Amateur version presented by the Peterbrook Players, Tues 28 March - Sat 1 April, The Core, Solihull

ARMS AND THE MAN Amateur version of George Bernard Shaw’s romantic and witty comedy, Wed 29 MarchSat 1 April, The Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE Amateur version of Mark Jefferies’ mystery thriller, Wed 29 March - Sat 8 April, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth WYRD SISTERS Amateur version of Terry Pratchett’s tale, which turns Shakespeare’s Macbeth on its head, Wed 29 March - Sat 8 April, The Loft, Leamington Spa

Dance

DADA MASILO: THE SACRIFICE UK premiere in which award-winning choreographer Dada Masilo presents a fusion of contemporary dances, powered by original music performed live on stage, Tues 28 - Wed 29 March, Birmingham Hippodrome

Snoop Dog - Resorts World Arena

Hannah James & Toby Kuhn - Temperance, Leamington Spa

ACE DANCE: UNKNOWN REALMS An allembracing, multi-layered production celebrating mortality, perseverance and hope overcoming adversity, Fri 31 March, Albany Theatre, Coventry

FIREDANCE: GORKA MARQUEZ & KAREN

HAUER Featuring ‘super-charged choreography’ inspired by Moulin Rouge, Carmen, West Side Story and more... Fri 31 March, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Light Entertainment

A NIGHT OF BURLESQUE WITH RUBY & THE DIAMONDS An evening of singing, comedy & drag, accompanied by a live all-female band, Wed 29 - Thurs 30 March, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

CERI DUPREE - BACK TO THE RHINESTONE Join the ‘country’s greatest female impersonator since Danny La Rue’ for an evening of wit and glamour, Thurs 30 March, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

PHONEY TOWERS: THE STAGE SHOW

Tribute show performed in the style of

Monday 27 - Friday 31 March

iconic BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers, Thurs 30 March, Palace Theatre, Redditch

YIPPEE KI YAY Richard Marsh’s acclaimed retelling of classic action film Die Hard, Thurs 30 March, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Talks & Spoken Word

HENRY BLOFELD: MY DEAR OLD THINGS

Join the cricketing legend as he reflects on a ‘truly extraordinary’ life, Wed 22 March, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

GORDON BUCHANAN: 30 YEARS IN THE WILD Join the wildlife presenter and filmmaker as he reflects on 30 years spent working both behind and in front of the camera, Thurs 30 March, Malvern Theatres

Events

EXPERIENCE EASTER MORNING SESSION

The Easter story experienced through activities and reflection, Mon 27

March, Coventry Cathedral

THE HUNT FOR THE GOLDEN EGG TRAIL

Look for the Easter bunnies and chicks around the arboretum and follow their clues to find the hidden Easter eggs, Wed 29 March - Sun 16 April, Bodenham Arboretum, Kidderminster

GRAYSON’S ART CLUB: THE EXHIBITION

III: MEET THE TEAM BEHIND THE TV SERIES Find out about the making of Channel Four TV series Grayson’s Art Club with the show’s producers and featured artists, Fri 31 March, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

Ace Dance: Unknown Realms - Albany Theatre, Coventry

WIN! with What’s On...

The Halls Wolverhampton reopens in just couple of months and we’ve joined with the venue to offer readers the chance to WIN! a pair of tickets the following events...

Penn & Teller

Emmy award-winning duo Penn and Teller showcase their ‘outrageous and innovative’ style of magic at The Halls Wolverhampton on Thursday 1 June.

Competition closes Friday 26 May

Ranjit Bawa

After a seven year break, Punjabi singer and actor Ranjit Bawa is back in the UK. He stops off at The Halls Wolverhampton with his Old Skool tour on Sunday 11 June.

Competition closes Wednesday 31 May

The Vamps

Amongst the ‘most-watched artists on YouTube’, pop band The Vamps bring their Greatest Hits World Tour to The Halls Wolverhampton on Saturday 10 June.

Competition closes Friday 2 June

McFly

One of the most iconic British bands of the ‘00s, the BRIT award-winning McFly are back on tour and will perform at The Halls Wolverhampton on Friday 16 June.

Competition closes Monday 5 June

Siouxsie

Marking her return to the stage after a decade-long hiatus, music icon Siouxsie plays The Halls Wolverhampton on Wednesday 21 June as part of just a few UK dates.

Competition closes Monday 12 June

Sugababes

The era-defining girl group makes an epic comeback with original line-up Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy. The band plays The Halls Wolverhampton on Thursday 29 June.

Competition closes Monday 19 June