Worcestershire What's On September 2023

News from around the region

Cinema beneath the stars at Compton Verney

The UK’s largest outdoor cinema tour is coming to Compton Verney this month. Providing local film fans with ‘a movie experience like no other’, Adventure Cinema will be screening a trio of blockbusters across the weekend of the 15th to 17th September. The fun begins with Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis on the Friday night. Mamma Mia! is the Saturday evening offering, with Top Gun: Maverick providing plenty of thrills and spills on the Sunday. And just to make the weekend an even more ‘mouthwatering’ prospect, Digbeth Dining Club will be in attendance throughout, to provide a smorgasbord of movie snacks! For more information, visit adventurecinema.co.uk

Gallery installs artsupplies vending machine

Coventry’s Herbert Art Gallery & Museum has installed a vending machine which supplies artwork and materials.

The repurposed machine, which is full of art kits, equipment, games and work by local artists, is the brainchild of Birminghambased artist Clara Stromeyer and forms part of the venue’s Work On Walls exhibition.

Digital Collection Day at Coventry Cathedral

Do you have any Second World War-related stories and objects passed down to you from family members?...

If so, would you like to share and preserve them for future generations?...

Coventry Cathedral is hosting a Digital Collection Day event on Saturday 9 September to provide people with the opportunity to do just that. To find out more, visit coventrycathedral.org.uk

After-dark tours return at The Commandery

After-dark tours of The Commandery return next month, providing visitors with the opportunity to learn all about the popular Worcestershire visitor attraction’s ghostly secrets.

New grime musical to show at Midlands theatre

A leading musical theatre company for young people is returning to Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio from Friday 1 to Sunday 3 September to present a brand-new musical.

Performed by British Youth Musical Theatre, a company of 14 to 21-year-olds from across the UK, #50 Days retells the story of the 50day period that led up to the outbreak of the British Civil Wars. With parallels to Brexit, questions about the monarchy and a new grime soundtrack, the contemporary musical ‘brings history back to the current day’. To find out more and book tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com

The tour lasts for an hour and takes place on five dates during October, including Halloween. For further information, check out visitworcestershire.org

Lights, Camera... Paint!

Worcester Film Festival 2023 takes place next month and has announced the launch of an art trail around the city centre.

Titled Lights, Camera… Paint! (Friday 1 September - Sunday 8 October), the trail sees posters - featuring work by local artists and organisations - presented in shop windows and on noticeboards, for residents and visitors to find. The film festival itself runs from Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 October, with more information available at worcesterfilmfestival.co.uk

More murder and mayhem as Cluedo returns in 2024

The theatrical version of classic boardgame Cluedo proved so popular on a recent UK tour that a follow-up show is set to hit the road in spring/summer 2024. Titled Cluedo 2: The Next Chapter, the comedy-mystery will feature ‘a new story, a new house, new suspects, and lots of new bodies!’...

The show stops off at Malvern’s Festival Theatre from 30 April to 4 May and The Alexandra, Birmingham, from 23 to 27 July.

Bewdley Festival is back with 10 days of fun

The 35th Bewdley Festival takes place across a 10-day period next month.

Highlights of the event’s 2023 line-up of entertainment include appearances by folk rock band Lindisfarne, author Lemn Sissay (pictured), comedian Shaparak Khorsandi, scientist & broadcaster Adam Rutherford, and talented classical music artists the Carducci Quartet. The festival runs at various venues from Friday 6 to Saturday 21 October. For further information, visit bewdleyfestival.org.uk

Conquer the coal for the hospice

Fancy a barefoot walk over red-hot wood embers to raise money for St Richard’s Hospice in Worcestershire?

A special fundraising firewalk is taking place at the hospice on Saturday 21 October.

To find out more and take up the challenge, check out strichards.org.uk

Town Hall debut for Damian Lewis

Actor Damian Lewis and his band visit Birmingham Town Hall this month (Friday 15 September) as part of a firstever UK tour.

The tour comes in support of Damian’s critically acclaimed debut album, Mission Creep, which was released in June. To find out more and check ticket availability, visit bmusic.co.uk

Another win for music museum

Coventry Music Museum has won a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for a ninth consecutive year.

The awards recognise venues which consistently receive good traveller reviews on Tripadvisor, with all the winners in the top 10 per cent of listings on Tripadvisor globally.

A big well done to the museum’s hardworking curator, Pete Chambers, and his team!

New musical La Bamba! dances into the Belgrade theatre

The Wanted’s Siva Kaneswaran and Strictly Come Dancing favourite Pasha Kovalev take top billing in a brand-new musical at the Coventry Belgrade Theatre this month. Featuring choreography by another much-loved Strictly star, Graziano Di Prima, La Bamba! tells

the story of 17-year-old Sofia’s attempt to become a Latin singing superstar.

The show runs at the Belgrade from Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 September.

For more information and to book tickets, visit belgrade.co.uk

Disney On Ice skates into the region

Feld Entertainment are bringing their hit show Disney On Ice presents 100 Years Of Wonder to Birmingham later in the autumn - and audiences should expect a seriously spectacular production.

Set & costume designers have created approximately 180 props and 250 different costumes for the show, all of which will be transported to Birmingham, alongside the impressive set itself, in a staggering 19 trucks! Featuring Mirabel and the stars of Encanto for the very first time in the UK, the show also includes plenty of well-established on-ice

favourites...

There’s Moana and Maui - who’ll be busy trying to save the island of Motunui - the Disney Princesses, Frozen’s Anna, Elsa & Olaf, the Toy Story gang, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Fantasia, and Dory, Nemo, Marlin and new pal Hank.

The storyline sees Mickey Mouse being joined by his friends on a journey to discover his favourite memory of all time.

Disney On Ice shows at Resorts World Arena from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 5 November.

Tickets are available at resortsworldarena.co.uk

Britten meets Holst in Ben And Imo at the RSC

Legendary composer Benjamin Britten’s struggle to write an opera in time for the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II provides the subject matter for a play which will premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford-uponAvon early next year.

Titled Ben And Imo, the new work focuses on the timely arrival in Britten’s life of the inspirational Imogen Holst, the daughter of composer Gustav and an accomplished musician in her own right...

Originally written by Mark Ravenhill as a radio play, Ben And Imo will be directed by Erica Whyman and runs at the RSC’s Swan Theatre from 21 February to 6 April. For more information, visit rsc.org.uk

Midlands venue to host 2024 basketball finals

Birmingham’s Utilita Arena will host the British Basketball League Men’s & Women’s Trophy Finals in the new year (Saturday 27 & Sunday 28 January).

To book your seat, visit theticketfactory.com

Classical favourites at Worcester Cathedral

There’s plenty for fans of classical music to enjoy at Worcester Cathedral this autumn and early winter.

Russell Watson’s visit to the venue this month (see the Classical Music section of this issue) is followed in November by G4 (pictured) celebrating Christmas early and Worcester Festival Choral Society performing Brahms’ A German Requiem. The Society then makes a welcome return in December to perform Handel’s Messiah. To find out more and book tickets, visit worcestercathedral.org.uk

Warwick Christmas Lectures set to boggle minds!

The award-winning Warwick Christmas Lectures are making a return this year, with organisers promising that the events will be ‘bigger and more fun than ever before!’ University of Warwick scientists will be leaving their labs to entertain audiences with

A singalong with Gareth

Following the success of his 2022 tour, choirmaster & broadcaster Gareth Malone is back with more dates for this autumn - including a stop-off at Birmingham Town Hall on Saturday 18 November. To find out more and book seats, visit garethmalone.com

Shakespeare Folio 400 Festival in Malvern

A brand-new festival to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the First Folio - the first time all of Shakespeare’s plays were collated into one book - is taking place at The Coach House Theatre in Malvern this autumn. The festival runs from Sunday 5 to Sunday 12 November, with further information available at coachhousetheatre.co.uk

Hit Drag Race show to visit Midlands arena

Bimini Bon-Boulash will be the only UK queen to appear in RuPaul’s Drag Race:

‘mind-boggling science, explosive experiments and audience participation’. The lectures take place at Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre from Thursday 30 November to Thursday 7 December. Check the venue’s website for further details.

Werq The World when it tours to Utilita Arena Birmingham next month (Thursday 12 October).

Bimini will appear in the show alongside Jaida Essence Hall, Aquaria, Vanessa Vanjie, Angeria, Bosco, Daya Betty, Kandy Muse and Ginger Minj. To find out more and book tickets, visit WerqTheWorld.com

Truckin’ at the museum

The British Motor Museum is this month once again hosting the Retro Truck Show. Taking place at the venue on Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 September, the popular event is mainly dedicated to trucks produced between 1972 and 2002, both here in the UK and abroad. To find out more about the show, visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk

PHANTOM THREAD

A landmark exhibition that aims to bridge the gap between artists past and present, as well as find traces - or phantoms - of one artist’s practice in another, Phantom Sculpture opens at Warwick Arts Centre’s Mead Gallery next month. What’s On chats to the exhibition’s curator, Thomas Ellmer...

A brand-new exhibition at Warwick Arts Centre’s Mead Gallery is set to gather together work by some of the most important artists from the last century for a sculptural survey that aims to find links between the discipline’s past, present and future.

Phantom Sculpture, which opens next month, explores the notion that the past is constantly being re-evaluated, particularly by contemporary artists, and that bridges can

be built between the work of artists of different generations, to see how ideas and processes have developed and adapted to help understand the world around us.

The ambitious venture also considers sculpture’s physical relationship to space and how it embodies lived experiences, notions of place and cultural significance.

The show will feature significant works by a range of established and upcoming artists,

including Anthony Caro, Richard Deacon, Mona Hatoum, Sarah Lucas and Rachel Whiteread.

Exhibition curator Thomas Ellmer says the show’s inspiration, and title, comes from the idea of finding hidden common threads between independent artists’ work and practices: “This thought-provoking exhibition brings together modern and contemporary artists, to identify

by Steve Adams

commonalities and correlations between artists and their works, and to seek traces, ghosts and phantoms of one artist’s practice in another.”

A key provocation also came from a quote by cultural philosopher and former University of Warwick student Mark Fisher.

An influential social theorist, philosopher and political & cultural critic who blogged under the alias k-punk, Fisher feared society was losing its ability to conceptualise a tomorrow that was radically different from the present, seeing signs of exhausted resignation everywhere he turned. He believed the 21st century was “oppressed by a crushing sense of finitude and exhaustion”, writing that “it doesn’t feel as if the 21st century has started yet. We remain trapped in the 20th century.”

Thomas admits the former Warwick alumni’s work “can be heavy going at times” but knows it holds considerable sway over contemporary art and artists.

“Mark Fisher is one of these writers or theorists that lots of young artists refer tofor someone who’s had such an influence on young artists, it was an obvious place to start.

“One of the things he talked about is the idea that there’s this lost future, where so much of the culture we absorb these days is a remake of something we’ve already experienced. If you listen to Radio One, for example, nearly 70 per cent of mainstream music has a sample from a previous generation. It’s incredible; it really is nearly every song. “But then you look at films - another Indiana Jones, another Mission Impossible… have we run out of ideas?”

From that somewhat despondent starting point, Thomas began to think about the exhibition a bit more holistically, with the idea of creating an arc of British art history, albeit containing work by non-native artists who have lived here a long time or had an influence on British art.

“We were thinking about whether those things that Fisher was talking about, in terms of a lost future, apply to the art that’s being made right now. We’ve included lots of young artists, to see if there is a relationship with artists from the past.”

And of course he didn’t want to put on an exhibition that proved Fisher right.

“Exactly, exactly!” he laughs. “So the idea is to make an exhibition that is a counterargument, I suppose - saying it’s fine to be influenced by the past, and somewhere within that those influences lead to new and really exciting material.”

His enthusiasm for the exhibition, and sculpture in general, is evident, as he reels off the names of a variety of artists, young and old, producing “incredibly exciting work”. These include the recently deceased Phyllida Barlow (who largely came to prominence as a result of a solo exhibition at the Mead Gallery in 2008), Veronica Ryan, William Turnbull and Kim Lim. During Phantom Sculpture’s six-month run, Thomas explains, some of the exhibits will be replaced by the work of other artists, with the aim of creating a kaleidoscope of synergies between artists’ practices.

“As works on display are taken away and replaced, people who visit the exhibition at the beginning will see a very different show when they attend later - one that emphasises different relationships and tells different stories.”

Recalibrating the display is also intended to enhance the historical arc he’s trying to demonstrate.

“The idea is to see where influences from the past have been but also to see where a dialogue across artists of the same generation - and maybe younger artists - is happening.”

Those links between past and present also extend to the way the work is created, with many artists in the exhibition eschewing modern technologies in favour of traditional techniques.

“3D printing exists now, and there’s lots of casting processes that don’t really involve the hands, but lots of these artists come back to original techniques. We’re commissioning a new work by a young artist called Phoebe Collings-James, and she makes work through traditional ceramic exploration. Certain clays that she uses are very, very old school.”

The visceral nature of sculpture is another element that really appeals to Thomas, as

well as the notion that the art form is effectively all around us, from statues in town centres to obelisks in more rural environments.

“Sculpture is the thing I feel most comfortable with when it comes to curating, because there’s that direct relationship with the body, as you experience the whole of the sculpture on a 360-degree angle, as opposed to a painting or film, which are on a flat screen.

“Sculpture is also a part of everyday life, so lots of these works have references to those kinds of things. For instance, Joseph Buckley has this work that features a figure on a throne, which feels very much like a monarch but actually is a critique of landlords, which feels very contemporary.”

As part of the ‘everyday’ appeal, the exhibition aims to show viewers that sculpture is not only in a strong place, but exciting, surprising and something they can have a relationship with.

“We always like to surprise people - it’s one of the things that contemporary art does. It shocks, it leaves people in awe, sometimes incredibly frustrated too, but I think for the most part we want to create a space which feels like an exciting one to be in.

“Even in this time where culture is really struggling because of how expensive everything is, I’d like to feel that people feel confident in sculpture and maybe they can be artists themselves. We’ll have a studio space within the exhibition, a making space where people can come and create art and leave it behind or take it with them.”

So as well as finding links between generations of artists and their work, the exhibition might even forge greater bonds with the audience as well?

“Exactly. We want to build lots of bridges between work, and create a narrative that feels really strong in modern and contemporary sculpture.”

Phantom Sculpture shows at Warwick Arts Centre’s Mead Gallery from Thursday 5 October until Sunday 10 March

Food news from across the region...

Sausage, cider and a singalong, anyone?

The touring Sausage & Cider Festival visits St Nicholas Park in Warwick on Saturday 16 September.

The event’s attractions include a wide range of craft cider from around the UK, more than a dozen types of sausage, a live performance from Scouting For Girls, and performances by tribute bands including Queen Greatest Hits, Kopycat Killers and Scam Fender. For tickets, visit sausageandciderfest.co.uk

Major expansion for The Park Bistro cafe

Popular café The Park Bistro - located in Coventry’s War Memorial Park - has undergone a £100,000 expansion after a successful first year in business. The venue now boasts 18 more covers inside and increased outdoor seating. A new coffee hatch will allow visitors to pick up drinks and snacks during weekends and holidays.

Fairtrade status for local drinks company

Pure Booch Kombucha, the innovative offshoot of Warwickshire’s Purity Brewing Company, has become the first kombucha brand in the UK to achieve the prestigious Fairtrade status. Blending premium organic Fairtrade teas and sugar, and employing a traditional fermentation process, the company has created an array of kombucha beverages that promote a healthy lifestyle... To find out more, visit purebooch.com

Earth, Wind & Fire’s autumn 1978 chart-topping song, September, is providing the inspiration for ‘a foodie’s dream journey’ at The Cottage In The Wood in Malvern.

New dining experience The Taste Of September is available to enjoy at the popular hotel’s 1919 Restaurant.

Presented by talented Head Chef Rob Mason and his team, the initiative offers guests a seven-course tasting menu packed with autumnal flavours that promise ‘a seasonal sensory journey using exceptional local

The Courtyard Kitchen opens at Hanbury Hall

New restaurant The Courtyard Kitchen has opened at the National Trust’s Hanbury Hall in Worcestershire.

The eatery fuses old with new, with a glazed link connecting the modern extension to the Grade I listed Hall. The Courtyard Kitchen’s simple, modern design complements the surrounding architecture and also reveals never-before-seen aspects of the Hall.

A new menu offers a range of meals to suit all tastes, with recipes using organic produce freshly picked from the venue’s Walled Garden. Seating extends into the Hall, with comfortable armchairs facing out onto the formal gardens.

For more information and opening times, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/hanbury-hall

produce’.

Each dish has been artfully curated to transport diners through ‘the earthy September month’, in so doing creating ‘a symphony of taste where the essence of Earth, Wind & Fire is expressed through a culinary work of art’.

The menu includes flame-grilled Hereford beef and goat’s cheese mousse with sun-kissed tomatoes, roasted figs and drizzles of golden honey...

To book a table, visit the venue’s website: cottageinthewood.co.uk

Heritage Open Days

The return of Heritage Open Days...

Heritage Open Days is England’s largest festival of history and culture, taking place every September and involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Stories are told, traditions explored and histories brought to life. The festival provides members of the general public with the chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences. And what’s more, it’s all absolutely FREE. The event returns this year from Friday 8 to Sunday 17 September - and here are just some of the venues you can explore around the region...

Worcestershire

Bromsgrove School Archive & Heritage Centre Open Morning Bromsgrove School, Worcester Road, Bromsgrove, B61 7DU

An opportunity to visit Bromsgrove School Archive & Heritage Centre and view its collections.

There will be an introductory tour of the centre and an opportunity to visit the museum, which houses a range of collections from the school’s history.

Scott’s sledge - from his Discovery Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04 - is on display, and there will also be a showing of recently acquired 1950s cine-film footage taken by a former student.

Sat 16 Sept | 11am-12.30pm, pre-booking required

The Hill & Evans Vinegar Line &

the Worcester Gas Works at Shrub Hill

West Midlands Trains, Shrub Hill Railway Station, Worcester, WR4 9EJ

In 1830, two chemists founded the world’s largest vinegar works, later producing two million gallons of malt vinegar annually. To aid distribution, in 1872 a railway track linked the Great Filling Hall with Shrub Hill station sidings, crossing Pheasant Street and the canal. The building is now Grade ll listed. Find out more about the industrial history of the Shrub Hill area with an illustrated talk in the History & Heritage Pod in Crowngate. Following the talk, there will be a walk around the location (at 1pm). The meeting place will be Shrub Hill Station.

Sat 16 Sept | Talk: 10.45am for 11am and walk at 1pm, no booking required

Have-A-Go History At Avoncroft

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Stoke Heath, Worcestershire, B60 4JR Explore the past, present and future at Avoncroft and get hands-on with history. This family-friendly day of displays and demonstrations will see the grounds of the museum and Medieval Town House come to life, as visitors learn all about the military tactics of the 17th century and find out what civilian life was like via interactive livinghistory encampments.

The Art That Made Evesham

Almonry Museum & Tourist Information Centre, Abbey Gate, Evesham, WR11 4BQ

Join the Almonry for the launch of The Art That Made Evesham, an autumn exhibition celebrating the beauty of the town. On display will be rarely seen artworks by local artist Edmund Hort New, a print of the Almonry by Valerie Thornton, and a brandnew Evesham Tapestry, crafted across a two-year period by a dedicated team of volunteers. Activities and workshops will take place throughout the day.

Sat 16 Sept | 10am-5pm, no booking required

Sat 9 Sept | 10am-4pm, no booking required

The Tudor House MuseumDiscover the site & town walks

The Tudor House Museum, 16 Church Street, Upton-upon-Severn, WR8 0HT

Upton’s historic Tudor House Museum by the River Severn has recently been refurbished and is ready to welcome visitors for an informative tour.

An eclectic mix of local history, vintage pastimes and professions, themed displays and collections of lace, glassware and Staffordshire Blue Pottery ensures there’s plenty to enjoy. And there’s also a tranquil garden in which to take a moment to relax.

Fri 8 - Sun 10 & Thurs 14 - Sun 17 Sept | Thurs, Fri & Sun 1.30-4.30pm, Sat 10.30am4.30pm, no booking required

Droitwich Spa Heritage & Information Centre - Behind the Scenes Tour

Droitwich Spa Heritage & Information Centre, St. Richards House, Victoria Square, WR9 8DS

A chance to go behind the scenes at Droitwich Spa Heritage & Information Centre. The 40-minute guided tour shows the remnants of the building’s past and provides a glimpse into the archives, which are not normally on display to the public.

Tues 12 Sept | 11am-11.45am, pre-booking required

The return of Heritage Open Days.....

Warwickshire

Art At The Alex

Art At The Alex (Alexandra Arts), 72-73 James Street, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 2SL

Visit this Victorian ex-pub turned quirky town-centre arts hub and enjoy local artists and makers demonstrating and discussing their use of traditional tools and techniques. There’s something different to check out each day, from printmaking and spinning, to pottery and lacemaking.

Fri 8 - Sun 10 & Fri 15 - Sun 17 Sept | 10am4pm, no booking required

Rugby Distillery: Gin distillery tour

Home Farm, Pailton Road, Harborough Magna, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV23 0HG

Enjoy a visit to the gin distillery in its farm location.

The tour consists of learning about how the distillery was created and how they craft Rugby gin from the start of the process to the very end. A chance to actually taste the gins is also included!

Tues 12 & Wed 13 Sept | 11am-12pm, pre-booking required

Centuries Of Craft & Creativity

Chedham’s Yard, Church Walk, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9QT

Traditionally at the heart of the agricultural economy, Chedham’s Yard has been a creative space for 200 years. The tools and equipment crafted for the local farming community can be seen in the carefully restored forge, workshops and garden.

Sat 9 & Sat 16 Sept | 11am-4pm, no booking required

Heritage Open Days

Roman Alcester Museum

Alcester Library & Roman Museum, Priory Road, Alcester, B49 5DZ

Roman Alcester Museum will be open over the Heritage Open Days’ first weekend, showcasing an impressive display of Romanera artefacts, all of which have been found in Alcester.

Highlights of the weekend include specially run children’s activities, photo opportunities with a Roman soldier, and the chance to dress in Roman costumes and handle Roman artefacts.

Sat 9 & Sun 10 Sept | Sat 10am-3.30pm and Sun 12pm-4pm, no booking required

Shakespeare’s New Place

Shakespeares New Place, Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6EP

History Tour on a Vintage Midland Red Bus

Rugby Art Gallery & Museum, Little Elborow Street, Rugby, CV21 3BZ

Enjoy a trip down memory lane on a No 5905 Midland Red class S22 single-deck bus, built by the Midland Red company in Birmingham in 1968.

The bus will be parked outside Rugby Art Gallery & Museum from 10am to 4pm, where there will also be an informative chat about the town itself, and the chance to learn more about the history of the bus and Midland Red. The bus will take two trips around Rugby, at 11pm and 2pm.

Coventry Railway Station Community Day

Station Square, Coventry, CV1 2GT

Celebrate community work at Coventry Railway Station’s Community Day with the Heart of England Community Rail Partnership. Free activities for all ages run throughout the day, from learning new crafts to discovering hidden local history.

Sat 9 Sept | 10am-2pm, no booking required

Tues 12 Sept | 11am & 2pm, pre-booking required

Shakespeare’s New Place will be free of charge for anyone participating in the trail organised by the Stratford-upon-Avon Heritage Volunteer Group on Saturday 9 September. After checking out the venue, continue the trail and visit the Guild Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Shakespeare’s School Rooms and the Stratford Library. Sat 9 Sept | 10am-4pm, no booking required

BBC CWR tours

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, Unit 5-8, Priory Place, Coventry, CV1 5SQ

BBC Coventry & Warwickshire has been on air since September 2005. The station broadcasts seven days a week and is also home to journalists from BBC Midlands Today and BBC News online. This free tour will take guests around a newsroom, radio studio and TV area.

Fri 8 & Sat 9 Sept | 10am-4pm Fri and 10am-3pm Sat, pre-booking required

Classical music from across the region...

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 16 September

The exceptionally gifted Sheku KannehMason makes a welcome return to Symphony Hall to perform Shostakovich’s gripping First Cello Concerto. Twenty-four-year-old Sheku came to prominence back in 2016 when he was named BBC Young Musician, becoming the first Black entrant to win the competition since its launch in 1978... Sheku’s contribution to this City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra concert is sandwiched between Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No1 and Walton’s explosive First Symphony. Kazuki Yamada conducts.

Orchestra Of The Swan

Armscote Manor, Stratford-upon-Avon, Fri 8 September

As well as being much admired for their championing of new music, the Stratfordbased Orchestra of the Swan are also held in high regard for their performances of works by legendary composers - two of which are here performed to kickstart the 2023/24 season. Grieg’s Holberg Suite, written in 1884 to mark the 200th anniversary of Dano-Norwegian humanist

The Sixteen: Choral Pilgrimage 2023

Tewkesbury Abbey, Sat 9 September; Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, Thurs 28 September

The Sixteen were formed by conductor Harry Christophers more than 40 years ago with the aim of providing a fresh insight into Baroque, early classical and more contemporary music.

With over 100 recordings under their belt and numerous accolades to their name, they return to the Midlands this month to perform a concert celebrating the legacy of William Byrd. The programme also features the world premiere of two specially commissioned works by Dobrinka Tabakova.

playwright Ludvig Holberg, is based on 18th-century dance forms but exemplifies late 19th-century romanticism... Tchaikovsky’s Serenade, meanwhile, was much loved by the composer himself, who wrote of it: “I don’t know if it is because it’s the youngest of my children or because it is not really too bad, but I’m truly in love with my Serenade.”

Armonico Consort: The French Connection

Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick, Sat 30 September; Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire, Thurs 5 October

Founded by organist and conductor Christopher Monks in 2001, Armonico are one of the largest organisations of their kind in the UK. Using authentic period instruments, the baroque consort regularly perform with some of the best solo musicians in the world. This Warwick concert sees them presenting a programme of music by French composers.

Russell Watson

Worcester Cathedral, Sat 23 September

It’s more than 20 years since Russell Watson released debut offering The Voice, an album which topped the classical charts in both the UK and US, catapulting him to stardom.

Despite often being accused of sitting on the fence musically, the man widely referred to as ‘the people’s tenor’ boasts an army of loyal and appreciative fans - a Midlands contingent of whom will no doubt be packing out Worcester Cathedral for this latest concert. Expect to hear ‘classic songs old and new, together with a selection of hits from his illustrious career’.

HAPPIER THAN EVER

Graham Nash’s contributions to music have seen him reap an exceptional number of rewards, not least two inductions into the Hall Of Fame - firstly with American supergroup Crosby, Stills And Nash, then with The Hollies. The Salford-born icon chats to What’s On ahead of joining a star-studded line-up at this month’s Moseley Folk Festival...

For anybody who doesn’t know, The Hollies were one of the biggest bands of the 1960s, releasing their debut single, Just Like Me, in 1963, and then going on to amass a string of hits, including Just One Look, Here I Go Again, Look Through Any Window, Bus Stop and Jennifer Eccles. At the heart of their sound were the voices of Allan Clarke and Graham Nash, Salford school pals who had been performing together for a number of years prior to the arrival of The Hollies. But frustrated by their musical direction, Nash quit the band in 1968 and relocated to the US, where he formed supergroup Crosby Stills And Nash (later joined by Neil Young). In the years since, the two old school friends have reunited now and again, but this year sees them writing and recording together for the first time in decades (Nash reckons 1983!), with the track Buddy’s Back appearing on both Nash’s new Now album and Clarke’s I’ll Never Forget LP (with Clarke’s record featuring further collaborations).

"Allan had lost his voice many years ago,” recalls Graham, “and couldn't sing The Air That I Breathe, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, and Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress. But he called me about eight months ago and said he’d found his voice, and I said, fantastic - any help I can give?

"He said: 'Yeah, well, I've got a couple of songs I want you to consider. If you like them, put your voice on and send them back.' So I did that. And he loved them. So what does he do? He sends me another two songs - and now I'm on 10 songs on his solo record! And I'm very happy about it.”

Born in 1942 and raised in Salford, Manchester, Nash was part of a young generation of British musicians for whom rock & roll/pop music was suddenly a viable, long-term, career option.

“Me and Allan started out in working men's clubs. We were just two teenagers with a couple of acoustic guitars singing skiffle songs. But the audience loved us. And once we realised that, we were off and running as musicians.

"We were supposed to do what our dads did,

and our grandfathers did. We were supposed to go down the mine and dig coal, or supposed to go in the mill and make cloth. But fortunately, my parents recognised my passion for music and encouraged me, rather than slapping me upside the head and telling me to get a real job... Do what you love.”

Although Crosby Stills Nash, and their various configurations, dominate Graham’s post-Hollies discography, the songwriter has nonetheless enjoyed a successful if sporadic solo career since releasing his debut offering, Songs For Beginners, in 1971. Occasional solo releases have followed, although only three this century. But as he's quick to point out, alongside working towards 2016’s This Path Tonight and this year’s Now, the last decade has seen him involved with a mass of other releases.

“Don't forget that in that time I put out something like 14 CDs. I did the CSNY Stadium tour of 1970 - that was four CDs; I did Stephen [Still]'s box set of four CDs; I did David [Crosby]'s box of three CDs; I did my own box; I did demos of Crosby Nash... in between making solo records.”

He also found time to marry his third wife, photographer Amy Grantham, and relocate to New York: “The city that never sleeps.” Now 81, and despite his concerns for the world and environment, he says he's personally happier than ever: “I used to think that I would never love again.”

A special guest at Moseley Folk & Arts Festival, where he joins a line-up that also includes Squeeze, Wilco, The Proclaimers, Stornoway, The Saw Doctors and The Mary Wallopers, Graham has no plans to slow down. Forthcoming projects include a new collection of previously unheard Crosby Nash live recordings, and the possibility of a new solo album culled from Now and This Path Tonight surplus cuts.

And as an avid photographer for decades, he’s also planning a new photography book. Inspired by his amateur photographer father, Graham began taking photos of his family at the age of 11. “That was the first time I realised that I could see things differently,” he says. Though music became his primary

obsession, he’s never stopped snapping and was quick to embrace the possibilities of digital photography and digital printing.

“I waited for years and years for digital to get to the resolution of film, but it's way past it now, right? I love to be able to work on images, having a cup of tea and using Photoshop to get rid of scratches and stuff like that. I'm always doing something.”

Capturing images of those around him over the years - from bandmates and associates, such as Joni Mitchell, to family and friendsGraham finds inspiration in studying pictures taken by some of the best in the business.

“Diane Arbus is a great photographer; Weegee is a great photographer. I like unusual photographs. I do collect photography - just images that I can’t leave the store without.”

Graham Nash plays Moseley Folk on Friday 1 September. The festival runs at Moseley Park & Pool, Birmingham, until Sun 3 September. For further information, visit: moseleyfolk.co.uk

Public Image Ltd

hmv Empire, Coventry, Mon 25 September

Widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of all time, Public Image Ltd’s music and vision has led to numerous UK top-20 singles and albums.

Frontman John Lydon, or Johnny Rotten to some, guided the band from debut album

First Issue in 1978 through to 1992’s That What Is Not. The group’s personnel has changed frequently over the years, with Lydon being the only constant member. After a 17-year hiatus, the band re-formed in 2009, and have spent plenty of time out on the road in the ensuing years.

Shania Twain

Utilita Arena Birmingham, Tues 26 September

One hundred million global album sales, 330 million streams in the UK alone and five Grammy awards speak volumes for the talent and status of Shania Twain, who is not only the best selling female artist in country-music history but also counts among her fans Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne and Harry Styles.

Crossover star Shania was catapulted into the limelight in the 1990s, scoring hit after fabulous hit as she morphed from country singer to pop goddess in the blink of an eye. But then an encounter with a blood-sucking tick threatened to bring her career to an abrupt end. The resultant Lyme Disease left her vocal box needing reconstruction and stopped her from making an album for a staggering 15 years.

Now returned to health, she’s certainly been busy in recent times. In the last few years she’s released and toured two albums, taken up a Las Vegas residency, made a couple of movies and featured in a Netflix documentary about her career...

She is visiting Birmingham as part of her Queen Of Me tour.

Eddi Reader

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 29 September

With three Brit Awards decorating her mantelpiece, Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader is well remembered for her association with folk & soft rock band

Martin Turner

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Sun 10 September

Wishbone Ash’s founding lead vocalist and key creative force, Martin Turner, here celebrates the 50th anniversary of the band’s seminal double live album, Live Dates.

Formed in 1969, Wishbone Ash were long admired for their unique blend of blues, jazz and English folk - but it was the way the guitars played melodic leads together that became their trademark, inspiring bands such as Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden. Classic album releases such as Argus, Pilgrimage, There’s The Rub, New England and the aforementioned Live Dates defined the band’s sound and have touched the hearts of several generations of music fans.

Tankus The Henge

Queens Hall, Nuneaton, Fri 29 September

Tankus The Henge describe their unique brand of rock & roll as ‘gonzo ’, a term meaning wild, crazy and bizarre.

Vocalist Jaz Delorean is happy to further enlighten. “Think illicit floating speakeasy barge sailing down a river,” Jaz told wheresmytent.com. “On one side is London, the other New Orleans. No-one is entirely sure who’s piloting the vessel, which sometimes sneaks itself alongside an oldtime music hall, other times crashes

Live music from across the region...

Fairground Attraction, with whom she scored a UK number one, Perfect, in 1988. Her solo-career highlights have included her 2003 album of material by Scotland’s ‘bard’, Robert Burns. The subsequent international resurgence of interest in Burns’ work saw Reader awarded the MBE in 2006 for her outstanding contribution to the arts.

headlong into the jetty of normality, destroying everything you’ve known about rock & roll up to that point...

“Mercifully you find yourself clinging to the remnants of it as you are swept away downstream, destination unknown.”

Devon Sproule + Marker Starling

The Tin Music & Arts, Coventry, Thurs 14 September

Born to hippie parents in an Ontario commune named Dandelion, Devon Sproule plays music which combines elements of folk, country and jazz. She scored a big hit in the UK with 2007’s Keep Your Silver Shined, since which time she’s been steadily developing a strong and loyal following of Brit-based fans.

She’s joined here by Toronto troubadour Chris A Cummings, known professionally as Marker Starling (and formerly as Mantler), who, as a solo performer for many a year, made music via a Wurltizer electric piano and an early pre-programmed drum machine. More recent times have seen him embracing the benefits of collaboration. Having both previously played at The Tin, Devon and Marker here return as part of the venue’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

GOING FOR (OLD) GOLD

SHED SEVEN GET READY TO HIT THE ROAD

by Steve Adams

Rejuvenated Britpop stars Shed Seven return to the Midlands next month for a show that will bring back fond memories of one of their favourite venues - as singer Rick Witter reveals...

“We have a soft spot for the Wulfrun - it’s a great little venue. We’ve played it loads of times over the years, and we’ve also done the Civic. We must’ve been big in the ’90s because they broadcast the entire gig live on Radio One!”

Shed Seven singer Rick Witter is on a roll, reminiscing about the band’s previous appearances in Wolverhampton as they prepare to return to the city next month. A quick check on Google reveals that the Radio One gig took place on 28 May 1998but it’s a legendary performance from 10 years earlier that first brought the venue to Rick’s attention; namely, the debut solo show by Smiths singer Morrissey.

“One of the reasons I enjoy the Civic so much is because it’s where Morrissey played his first-ever solo gig. He filmed the Hulmerist video there, and I remember the footage of him getting off his fancy tour bus backstage. I’m a big fan of The Smiths, so I’ve watched that video loads. It’s nice to know I’ve shared the stage with Morrissey, even though it was on different nights!”

The pair’s career trajectories have had a few ups and downs since the heady days of their ’80s and ’90s peaks, but Shed Seven - named after a numbered railway building the band spotted while on a train heading into their hometown of York - are currently enjoying something of an Indian summer. Nearly 30 years since the height of their fame - in 1996 they had more top-40 hit singles than any other act - the five-piece are playing the biggest shows of their career and are arguably a bigger live act now than they were in their heyday.

It’s something that seems to confound and delight the friendly, straight-talking Yorkshireman in equal measure.

“It’s funny because we’ve been going for so long and we were big in the ’90s, but we just seem to be going up again. We were kind of also-rans in the Britpop scene - it was basically Pulp, Blur and Oasis, then lots of also-rans like us, The Bluetones, Cast… lots of Championship teams!

“It’s weird to be back and doing so well, but I’m enjoying the process and long may it continue - I am the pilot of the good ship Shed Seven.”

The ship recently gained a couple of new passengers in the shape of drummer Rob ‘Maxi’ Maxfield and keyboardist/multi-

instrumentalist Tim Willis, who joined Witter and fellow core members Paul Banks (guitar) and Tom Gladwin (bass) following the departure of longstanding members Alan Leach and Joe Johnson. Rick believes the new arrivals have given the band a “big kick up the backside”, an argument borne out by the speed with which they wrote and recorded new album A Matter Of Time. The aptly titled LP is the band’s first new music in six years and came together in a matter of monthsunlike previous album Instant Pleasures, which took three years to write. And even though the songs were all written by Rick and Banks, “everyone brings their own little bit to the party.”

The new members have had a direct and indirect influence on proceedings, according to Rick.

“These two guys came on board and settled in straight away - they fit in so well, they’re great musicians and it just flows. Maybe that’s why the album was so quick to writewe were invigorated enough to think, let’s crack on with this.

“I think me and Paul must’ve also hit some type of purple patch because the ideas were just flowing. You have to kind of embrace that to a point because the tap can turn off at any time. We enjoyed the process a lot, and I think that shines through when you hear the music.”

The album wears its heart, if not its influences, on its sleeve. Rick reveals that during the writing, the duo went back to their early years and the music that inspired them as teenagers.

“Before the first Stone Roses album came out, Paul and I would listen to Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Duran Duran. Paul was hugely into Simple Minds, and I loved U2 around the Joshua Tree period. Almost without discussing it, I think we’ve kinda gone back to our youth.”

The resulting album - due out next Januaryis full of the catchy, jangly guitar anthems that made the band famous. “It’s very Shed Seven,” says Rick, “but it sounds fresh and new.” It also adds a few new colours to the palette, not least in the form of guest turns from the likes of Happy Mondays’ Rowetta, Laura McClure (Reverend & The Makers) and Peter Doherty. The latter connection was forged when Shed Seven opened for The Libertines at the Bingley Weekender festival

in Yorkshire last summer.

“As we played, I noticed Peter stood at the side of the stage watching our gig and singing along. I thought, alright, so you’re a bit of a fan, are you? We got chatting afterwards and he was telling us how he listened to Shed Seven in the ’90s. That opened the doors to me saying: If you like us that much, why don’t you come and sing on one of our songs!”

That track (Throwaways) is an anthem for “people who don’t fit”, according to Rick, and closes the album in suitably epic fashion. Earlier tunes, such as opener Let’s Go and current single Kissing California, are natural successors to the band’s best-known hits, such as Going For Gold and Chasing Rainbows.

“‘Kissing California is Shed Seven’s summer anthem. It’s essentially a celebration of being alive, and grabbing the opportunity to paint the town red with someone special and have the best of times.”

And these are very definitely the best of times for the band, he believes - even though he’s loathe to reel out one particular cliché. “I really don’t like it when I read interviews with bands and they’ve got a new album out and they tell you it’s the best thing they’ve ever done. But I’m just gonna have to be in that camp because I really do think it. And that’s after 30-odd years of doing this. It’s taken us that long to get to a point where I can feel like we’ve achieved something.” That satisfaction also comes from seeing younger audiences and generations of families at Shed Seven’s live shows, which Rick believes means that the band can go on forever (“we are the new Rolling Stones”) - an ambition he’s determined to follow through on.

“This is basically all I’ve ever wanted to do. When I was nine, I used to sing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush and shake me hips, so I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do it as a career. This is my life, so I’ll do it till I’m dead.”

Shed Seven play Victoria Hall, Stoke-onTrent, on Monday 23 October and Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, on Tuesday 24 October

Comedy

Suzi Ruffell

Old Rep, Birmingham, Sat 16 September; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 19 October

Gay, quirky and delightfully selfdeprecating, Suzi Ruffell is now well established in the challenging world of standup comedy.

Presenting an unquestionably likeable persona, she imbues her act with an impressive dynamism.

As well as being a comedian, Suzi’s also a writer, contributing to TV shows including 8 Out Of 10 Cats and The Last Leg. She’s also scored big hits with her podcasts, Like Minded Friends and Out.

Away from comedy, she lists her ‘likes’ as ‘cooking’ and ‘those cats with no hair’. Suzi visits Birmingham this month with latest touring show Snappy, in which she talks about settling down, becoming a mother and ‘still worrying about everything’.

Ricky Gervais

Utilita Arena Birmingham, Mon 4 September

Ricky Gervais has been called the most influential British comedian since Charlie Chaplin...

In fact, he’s been called all sorts of things, some of them far less complimentary. A comic who very much divides opinionhe’s clever and talented but often criticised for peddling ‘unacceptable’ material - there’s certainly no questioning the worldwide impact of the Reading-born 62-year-old.

Ruby Wax

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sat 23 September; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Fri 13 October

American comedian Ruby Wax here follows up her critically acclaimed show, How To Be Human, with what’s being described as her rawest, darkest and funniest offering yet. “The original idea behind this show [titled I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was] was based on the extreme journeys that I wanted to take in order to find an antidote to living a frazzled life,” says Ruby. “Along the way, I wanted to find meaning, peace, happiness - the stuff we’re all chasing. However, after some transcendent experiences, I ended up in a mental institution... Obviously, I didn’t find what I was looking for...”

After shooting to fame as David Brent in television’s The Office - the BBC mockumentary he co-wrote with Stephen Merchant back in the early noughties - he’s established himself as a star-name funnyman on both sides of the Atlantic, picking up his fair share of glittering awards, critical acclaim and severe reproaches along the way. This latest stand-up offering - titled Armageddon but not particularly focusing on ‘the end of everything’ - follows on from six previous touring shows.

Bridget Christie

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thurs 21 September; Stratford Playhouse, Stratfordupon-Avon, Sat 30 September; Old Rep, Birmingham, Sun 1 October; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Fri 10 November

It’s been a highprofile few months for Bridget Christie. Having enjoyed positive reviews for her Channel Four comedy drama series, The Change, she’s been back in the media spotlight this summer after it was announced that her 17-year marriage to fellow standup Stewart Lee had come to an end.

She tours to the region this autumn with the critically acclaimed Who Am I?, a show described in its publicity as ‘a menopause laugh-a-minute with a confused, furious, sweaty lady who is annoyed by everything’.

Fiona Allen

Stourbridge Town Hall, Sat 23 September With Emmys and kids under her belt, Fiona Allen spent some time

wondering what to do next...

...And coming to the conclusion she had nowhere left to turn, she decided to hit the road with her debut standup show!

Fiona is pretty long in the tooth when it comes to the business of creating comedy, rising to stardom in the dying days of the last millennium when she appeared as a regular in Channel Four sketch show Smack The Pony. Her acting CV, meanwhile, includes Skins, Waterloo Road and six months spent in Albert Square playing EastEnders character Michaela Turnbull. She visits Stourbridge with On The Run, ‘a show about family, marriage, and things that truly annoy her’.

It’s an evening for everyone, she says, “even those passive-aggressive school mums…”

previews from across the region...

Comedy

Simon Brodkin

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.

Kae Kurd

Birmingham Town Hall, Fri 23 September

British-Kurdish standup Kae Kurd didn’t have the easiest start in life. Even before he was one year old, he had become a refugee, as his parents fled Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime.

In Iraq, Kae observes, ‘activism’ means risking death; in sharp contrast (he further notes), here in the UK all you have to do to be an activist is tweet with the right hashtag!

This wry comment and plenty more in the same vein formed the basis of Kae’s firstever full-length standup show back in 2018.

Three years later, he made a significant splash with debut solo tour The Spoken Kurd.

His Town Hall show this month sees him performing another 90 minutes of brandnew material, presented under the title Kurd Immunity.

Rhys James

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Fri 15 September; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 30 September; Old Rep, Birmingham, Thurs 12 October; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thurs 26 October

The gags come thick and fast when Rhys James is in town. The Mock

The Week comedian is visiting the Midlands this month with fifth touring show Spilt Milk, in which he takes a look at life now that he’s in his 30s, and shares a number of ‘home truths’. These include the fact that nobody is self-aware enough to write their own New Year resolutions; that every vote for the Green Party is an unfortunate waste of paper; and that until you’re wearing a plaster, you don’t realise just how frequently that particular part of your body gets wet. Oh, and the 32-year-old comic has also discovered that mindfulness is a scam, comprising little more than a collection of empty mantras, intentionally freezing showers and glorified PE...

Everyone may be fighting their own mental battle, says Rhys, but the problem is, they’re doing it wrong...

Geoff Norcott

Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Wed 6 September; Old Rep, Birmingham, Fri 15 September; The Core Theatre, Solihull, Fri 16 February; The Roses, Tewkesbury, Thurs 29 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 15 March; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Fri 22 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 23 March; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Sat 13 April

One of the sharpest tools in the comedy shed, Geoff Norcott is visiting the Midlands this autumn and beyond with Basic Bloke, ‘a kindly and funny stock-take of both himself and his fellow man’.

Geoff will be taking a deep-dive into the business of being a fella, to try and find out what makes them tick. After all, there’s got to be more to being a man than watching football, enjoying sheds, reading sporting autobiographies, wearing socks at all times and strategically burying your feelings whenever necessary. Hasn’t there?...

Russell Brand

The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton, Thurs 28 September

Blending a memorable look with a penchant for courting controversy, it’s fair to say that Russell Brand has very much ploughed his own furrow in the world of light entertainment.

In recent times he’s developed a reputation as a public activist and campaigner, with climate change and corporate capitalism among the issues he’s tackled. He’s also been described as a freethinking contrarian, using his hugely popular podcasts and YouTube channel to espouse theories around topics including the Covid vaccine and Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Russell is stopping off in Wolverhampton with brand-new show Bipolarisation, during which he aims to investigate the subjects of rules, rule-breaking, democracy and freedom, by “polling the live audience”.

THE CIRCUS IS COMING!

Staffordshire theatre The New Vic is once again honouring Philip Astley - the founder of the modern circus - by staging its hit show, Astley’s Astounding Adventures. A spectacle to behold, the production is filled with fast-paced action and breathtaking circus skills. Here, lead actor Nicholas Richardson tells What’s On what it’s like to be playing a local hero...

The premiere of Astley’s Astounding Adventures at the New Vic in 2018 captivated and thrilled audiences of all ages with its fast-paced action and laugh-out-loud humour. The story is based on the life of Philip Astley, the Newcastle-under-Lymeborn impresario who invented circus, and incorporates gripping drama and breathtaking circus performance.

Five years later, the exciting production is returning to the venue and promises to be just as impressive.

This latest outing of Astley’s Astounding Adventures features added thrills and surprises. It also sees original cast member Nicholas Richardson once again playing Philip Astley. So how does he feel about being back in the title role?

“It’s a mixture of emotions,” Nicholas admits. “I’m excited and curious - and if I think too much on it, nervous! But only in terms of doing it justice. We’re telling a real story about a very significant local figure, and we have to live as close to that as possible. The story is already so magnificent and always bigger than the individuals acting it out, so we have a high standard to reach!”

Thinking back to 2018, where audiences were thrown into an ‘adrenaline-fuelled true story’, Nicholas recalls his favourite memory happening on a particular night midway through the first act…

“There was one amazing moment - a really moving moment, actually. It was where Dani (Danielle Bird, who plays Patty Jones) did this silk routine that happens mid-show - not at the end or anything - and there was a standing ovation. We just had to stand and wait on stage for the audience to stop applauding. I have never had an experience like that before or since - a standing ovation

mid-show! To make people feel that way again would be incredible.”

Combining drama and circus is no mean feat, and actors undergo an intensive training process before they are ready to perform. Nicholas doesn’t have a circus background to draw on, so what’s it been like for him?

“The training is easy! Super easy! No, just kidding! It’s actually very hard work. You can do as much training as you possibly can before coming into a play like this, but you just can’t prepare for something like silks without doing silks. It’s the height factor, the bruising, the stretching... We’re three days in and I’m having a bath every night; let’s put it that way. It’s a very intense process, but a rewarding one. After a while you start to feel excited as the story is wrapped around physicality.

“My favourite skill that I’ve learnt is probably juggling. I’ve never used it since, but at least I know I can do it! The escapology is really interesting, too. Learning how that works was a frustrating process but a really fascinating skill - it’s like learning a magic trick.”

Nicholas has also had to familiarise himself with the character he portrays. Philip Astley invented the modern circus in 1768 and was at the heart of many early performances. “Astley was an incredibly tenacious and determined individual who never gave up on his dreams. He’s a very inspirational character. One thing that struck me about him is just how competitive he had to be and his desire to prove to the world what is possible. He was a genius of his time.”

This latest staging of Astley’s Astounding Adventures is in celebration of the 850th anniversary of Newcastle-under-Lyme

receiving its charter to become a borough.

“It’s incredibly special to be celebrating the life of Philip Astley during a monumental year in his native-town’s history,” says Nicholas. “It’s also wonderful to celebrate the work, skillset and talent of circus performers. Watching these artists perform on silks and trapeze is remarkable, and to dedicate your life to learning a craft like that deserves some celebration because it’s a brave thing to do.”

It is hoped that the show may inspire the next generation of circus artists.

“I think it will inspire people to do something different and challenge themselves and be reminded that it’s okay to not always succeed. It’s an important lesson - not just for circus performers or actors or Philip Astley but for everyone in life. A story of failure and redemption and getting back up again - it’s an inspiring narrative. And circus in general is such a great fitness skill - it’s so accessible. I would encourage anyone interested to explore it.”

So how would Nicholas sum up Astley’s Astounding Adventures?

“It’s energetic and inspiring, moving and compelling. It’s a rollercoaster. I don’t know what it’s like to watch - I wish I did - but I know it’s like a heart-acceleration experience that will leave a longlasting impression on audiences. And the best part about it is that it’s all true - it’s a real-life extraordinary story about a local hero.”

Astley’s Astounding Adventures shows at The New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-underLyme, from Saturday 23 September until Saturday 21 October

Theatre

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane

Regent Theatre, Tues 12 - Sat 16 September; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 26 - Sat 30 September

Neil Gaiman’s critically acclaimed novel is here given the National Theatre stage treatment. Described as a thrilling adventure of fantasy, myth and friendship, the story takes audiences on an epic journey to a childhood once forgotten and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it.

“There are moments of utter theatrical magic,” says Neil, in talking about the stage adaptation, “but the things that demolish me emotionally are the moments of forgiveness, or a hug between two characters. The internet phrase for it is ‘all the feels’, and really it is the emotion that I hope people will take away. I’d love it if you took away what it was like to be a kid and to have less power...

“And of course there’s the astonishing puppetry and magic. I had always dreamed of stage magic being used for seamless illusion. This is always in service of the story, but you’re going to see miracles.” When a man returns to the home in which he grew up and the pond where he used to play, he finds himself transported back to his 12th birthday. There, his remarkable friend, Lettie, claims that the pond is in fact an ocean - a place where everything is possible. But as they plunge into a magical world, they find themselves confronting ancient forces that threaten to destroy everything around them...

The Woman In Black

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Wed 6Sat 9 September; Malvern Theatres, Tues 7 - Sat 11 November; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 6 - Sat 10 February; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Tues 23 - Sat 27 April

The Woman In Black, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the same-named gothic horror novel by Dame Susan Hill, is a classic ghost story first performed in 1989. It has since become one of the West End’s most successful plays.

Solicitor Arthur Kipp believes that his family has somehow been cursed by a mysterious woman in black. In an attempt to tell his story, and to exorcise the evil by which he feels threatened, he hires a young actor to assist him in recounting his experiences...

Brown Boys Swim

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 26Sat 30 September; The Rep, Birmingham, Tues 31 October - Sat 4 November

Exploring the pressures faced by young Muslim men, Karim Khan’s play focuses on best friends Mohsen and Kash as they ready themselves for a seriously important event: Jess Denver’s pool party. But the two pals are ill-prepared for what’s to come, as neither of them can swim...

Tackling cramped cubicles and cold showers, Mohsen and Kash throw themselves in at the deep end, in a desperate attempt to be at one with the water...

Theatre previews from around the region

The Book Thief

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Mon 11 - Sat 16 September

Published in 2006, Markus Zusak’s international bestseller, The Book Thief, has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and been made into a well-received film starring Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson.

The Long Road

Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 8 September; Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge, Sat 9 & Sun 10 September; Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 12 September; Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, Thurs 14 September

Shelagh Stephenson’s play - stopping off at four of the region’s venues with the aim of raising money for charities battling against knife crime - focuses on the impact which the senseless stabbing-to-death of 18-year-old Danny has on his family...

A cast of professional actors from across the Midlands is here joined by local singersongwriter Andy Jenkins. Andy will be performing a number of original songs during the show, some of which have been specially written for The Long Road.

The novel tells the story of an illiterate orphan girl who, after stealing an abandoned book in 1930s Nazi Germany, goes on to learn about the power of words from a Jewish man who her foster parents hide in their basement...

Despite some of the darker content, the Belgrade’s musical adaptation of The Book

Astley’s Astounding Adventures

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sat 23 September - Sat 21 October

Astley’s Astounding Adventures first delighted audiences five years ago, to mark the 250th anniversary of the circus. It returns in 2023 to celebrate the 850th anniversary of Newcastle-under-Lyme - the location of the New Vic Theatre and the home town of Philip Astley, the international impresario who invented the circus.

This bold, colourful and critically acclaimed show is co-helmed by expert circus choreographer Vicki Dela Amedume and the New Vic’s artistic director, Theresa Heskins.

Thief is very much a family show - not least because the two main characters, Liesel and Rudy, are children.

“We see a lot of the story through their eyes,” says the show’s director, Lotte Wakeham, “so we’ve thought a lot about how to tell it in a sensitive way that will also be suitable for children who’re watching.”

Faith Healer

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tues 5 - Sat 9 September; Malvern Theatres, Tues 19 - Sat 23 September; Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Tues 24 October; Lichfield Garrick, Fri 27 & Sat 28 October

London Classic Theatre are the talented ensemble behind this new adaptation of Brian Friel’s 1979 play.

Telling the story of a mercurial showman who travels with his wife to remote corners of Scotland and Wales, allegedly healing the sick, suffering and desperate as he goes, Faith Healer was named one of the hundred most significant plays of the 20th century in a poll conducted by the Royal National Theatre. The Independent newspaper, meanwhile, went one better, hailing it one of the 40 greatest plays of all time.

Theatre previews from around the region

Theatre

Theatre previews from around the region

Sister Act

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 25 - Sat 30 September; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Mon 9 - Sat 14 October

After seeing her gangster boyfriend kill an employee, Reno lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier is placed on a witness protection programme and hidden in a convent, where she proceeds to take over the rehearsals of the inhouse choir of nuns. Thanks to her musical expertise, the choir becomes a huge success and church attendances go through the roof. But in giving the church a new lease of life, Deloris may inadvertently have jeopardised her own safety...

Based on the hit Whoopi Goldberg movie of the same name, this fun-filled spectacular of a show boasts a real feelgood factor and stars Lesley Joseph.

Heathers The Musical

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 19 - Sat 23 September

Although far from being an unqualified success with the critics, Heathers The Musical did great business in the West End and is proving popular on its first-ever UK tour. Based on the cult 1989 movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, the show follows the character of Veronica Sawyer, a high school student who’s tired of being part of a feared and popular clique with three girls named Heather. Eager to opt out, she finds herself drawn to new student Jason ‘JD’ Dean, a rebellious young man with murder in mind...

Disney’s The Lion King

Birmingham Hippodrome, until Sat 16 September

Julie Taymor’s stage adaptation of the Oscarwinning animated film of the same name brings together a huge cast of actors, singers and dancers. Seen by a staggering 110 million people worldwide since premiering on Broadway in 1997 - and featuring hundreds of masks & puppets - the show tells the compelling story of Simba, a young lion cub, as he journeys through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities of adulthood...

The production’s rich tapestry of songs and compositions - the most famous among which is the iconic Circle Of Lifeincludes contributions from Elton John and Hans Zimmer.

Age guidance for the two-and-a-half hour show is six-plus.

Blood Brothers

Lichfield Garrick, Tues 5 - Sat 9 September

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. One-time X-Factor semifinalist Niki Colwell Evans takes the iconic role of Mrs Johnstone.

By The Waters Of Liverpool

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Wed 20 & Thurs 21 September; Lichfield Garrick, Tues 3 & Wed 4 October

Helen Forrester’s autobiographical play, from her same-titled bestselling book, is set in the 1930s and finds the teenage Helen fighting a bitter battle with her parents for the right to educate herself and go out to work. Life, however, has a habit of getting in the way of even the best-laid plans - and so it proves for Helen... Following her family’s fall from grace, she finds herself taken from school to work as an ‘unpaid slave’ looking after her siblings. But with Britain on the brink of war, the arrival in her life of a tall, strong seaman provides Helen with the chink of light for which she’s been desperately searching...

A Room Of One’s Own

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tues 19 September

From Tudor queen to shell-shocked soldier, and from Regency heroine to Hollywood icon, Dyad Productions’ Rebecca Vaughan portrays 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.

Falkland Sound

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sat 16 September

If you’ve clocked up a half-century or more on Planet Earth, you’ll remember the Falklands War; the 74-day conflict in Spring 1982 between Argentina and Britain over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic. The British won, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s popularity soared... But what was the conflict like for those who actually had to live in the shadow of the war? Falkland Sound offers a thought-provoking insight.

Inspired by real-life testimonies, Brad Birch’s new play explores a community and way of life turned upside-down following the invasion by Argentine forces.

Macbeth

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 12 - Sat 16 September

Having been spurred into action by the prophesies of supernatural beingsand egged on by his conniving wifeMacbeth’s desire to be king of Scotland sees him

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

Presented by the award-winning Daniel Taylor Productions.

And This Is My Friend Mr Laurel

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Sun 3 September

“I loved the way Olly thought he was smarter than Stan when in fact he was far more stupid,” says Jeffrey Holland. “It always made me laugh.”

Hi-de-Hi favourite Jeffrey is here starring as the legendary Stan Laurel in a one-man show which he’s co-written with award-winning playwright Gail Louw. A loving homage to one of the 20th century’s greatest comedy duos, the production has received plenty of positive reviews since making its debut a

handful of years back.

Set in Olly’s bedroom, it finds Stan visiting his sick friend and recalling their glory days together on the silver screen.

“Stan and Olly became my friendsmetaphorically speaking, of course,” continues the Walsall-born Jeff, recalling his childhood days. “I always looked forward to Laurel & Hardy films. If there wasn’t one, I was bereft!”

Crimes On Centre Court

Malvern Theatres, Fri 29 & Sat 30 September; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Tues 17 & Wed 18 October; Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 19 - Sat 21 October; The Roses, Tewkesbury, Tues 31 October

Poised and polished purveyors of mirth The New Old Friends make a welcome return with a show that serves up murder, mystery, mayhem - and tennis!

The chair of the Whombledun International tennis tournament has died, and his son is suspicious. Enter seriously silly sleuths Perry & Penny Pink, who’re hoping to solve the case with all the speed and efficiency of a Novak Djokovic forehand smash...

Highly regarded for their comic songwriting and happy to employ both puppetry and slapstick routines in the name of comedy, The New Old Friends serve another ace with this latest show.

The Merchant Of Venice 1936

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Thurs 21 September - Sat 10 February

Undoubtedly one of Shakespeare’s most difficult, complex and controversial works, The Merchant Of Venice follows the fortunes of the antisemitic Antonio, who bets on a venture that fails to repay and finds himself forced to borrow cash from Shylock, a Jewish money-lender whom he detests...

Relocated in time and place, the play is here set against a backdrop of London in 1936, as the threat of fascism grows on a daily basis and Oswald Mosley and the British Union of Fascists plan a march through the Jewish East End. Tracy-Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Doctor Who) stars as Shylock, in a production which has garnered widespread critical acclaim.

Diana: The Untold And Untrue Story

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 27 - Fri 29 September

Drag, multimedia, audience interaction and puppetry combine in this unashamedly tasteless offering from writer & performer Linus Karp and ‘harbingers of theatrical chaos’ Awkward Productions. The company’s previous shows have included the well-reviewed How To Live A Jellicle Life: Life Lessons From The 2019 Hit Movie Musical Cats and Awkward Conversations With Animals I’ve F*cked. This latest offering catches up with ‘people’s princess’ Diana in heaven, from where she shares ‘the untold and untrue tale of her extraordinary life’.

Theatre previews from around the region

TO BE PERFECTLY

Frank

Brand-new musical celebrates the life and loves of iconic crooner Frank Sinatra

Image: Matt Doyle who will play Frank Sinatra

by Steve Adams

A brand-new stage show about (and featuring the music of) Frank Sinatra receives its world premiere in Birmingham this month. Tony Award-winning writer Joe DiPietro tells What’s On why he jumped at the chance to work on Sinatra The Musical, a production which is promising to shed new light on the life and loves of the legendary singer...

A brand-new show about legendary crooner Frank Sinatra premieres at The Rep in Birmingham this month.

Titled Sinatra The Musical, the show is already raising plenty of eyebrows across the globe, thanks in no small part to the Tony Award-winning credentials of its key players. Matt Doyle, who took home the 2022 Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for his performance as Jamie in the Broadway revival of Company), plays Sinatra. Two-time Tony-winning writer Joe DiPietro has penned the script, and three-time Tony winner Kathleen Marshall will direct.

Frank’s youngest daughter, Tina Sinatra, is one of the producers, ensuring the show offers a unique insight into the life and times of the celebrated singer and actor. Alongside her duties as producer, Tina has shared with writer Joe DiPietro a number of stories about her father which had never really been heard before.

These unique elements give the musical a truly exciting edge, according to New Jerseyborn DiPietro, who says that working with Tina made the experience even more special for him.

“We have a very open dialogue,” he reveals. “She’s very supportive and she loves the show. Just the other night, she said: ‘This is the book that my father never wrote.’ Frank never wrote an autobiography, and there’s so much personal stuff about his life, and his life with his family, that Tina told me that’s never been told anywhere else.

“It’s hard writing a show about your beloved mother and father and his troubles and peccadilloes, but she’s been very open and honest about it. I think it’s gonna surprise people how deeply we explore Frank. It’s not a watered-down version of his life; it’s really about the demons he faced and overcame, and how he put all that into his songs.”

The show will feature more than 25 of Frank’s best-known tunes - likely to include such classics as My Way, Strangers In The Night, Fly Me To The Moon and New York, New York. And with a cast of 20 actors and 17 musicians, Sinatra The Musical is set to be a big event in more ways than one. Which begs the question: Why hold the world premiere in Birmingham? It turns out Joe has history with The Rep, as his last musical, What’s New Pussycat?, premiered there last year.

“It was a big success. I loved Birmingham, I thought the theatre was beautiful, Sean Foley [The Rep’s artistic director] is great, and we had terrific audiences. One of the producers of Sinatra came to see the show and really loved the theatre, so when we were looking for a place that was neither New York nor London to premiere it - a regional theatre with some prominence and the ability to produce a big, splashy musical - Birmingham Rep came up.”

And even though the show is inescapably very American - although the cast is British bar the two leads - Joe is quick to point out that its story has global appeal.

“The interesting thing about Sinatra is that he’s so worldwide. When I started this project, I knew he was huge obviously, but I was amazed about how he crosses cultures and generations. Once we started looking around for where to start the show, there was interest from all over.”

Despite his burgeoning reputation as the goto writer for major musicals - his next project will be a show about the work of songwriter Dianne Warren - Joe thinks his family roots were a major reason he was invited to script Sinatra.

“I got a phone call from a producer I knew, who I think thought ‘Oh, Joe’s an ItalianAmerican, he’ll know about all this!’ What Sinatra meant to the Italian-American community in the 1940s and ’50s was huge; beyond his role as an entertainer. He really was the embodiment of the American dream for Italians.

“When they asked if I’d be interested in meeting Tina and writing a musical, I said absolutely! It was a dream come true - I knew all the songs and I knew a lot about him, but Sinatra had a long life with lots of very different parts to it, so I also learned a lot in the process.

“The first time I met Tina, I told her my Italian grandmother, who lived in a little town in New Jersey, had two pictures hanging up on her kitchen wall - the Pope and Frank Sinatra. They were the real cultural touchstones for me growing up.”

The musical covers a specific - and dramatic10-year period in Sinatra’s life, during which he’d become a teen idol and his career was really taking off but his family life and marriage to wife Nancy were suffering. When

he began an affair with Ava Gardner, his records stopped selling, the press turned against him and he endured a huge fall from grace - setting the scene for one of the greatest comebacks in showbusiness history. Joe knows a dramatic scenario when he sees one (“no conflict, no play - and Frank definitely had conflict in his life”), but admits he’s tinkered with the timeline to ensure the show contains a wide selection of Sinatra’s classic tunes.

“It’s a musical, not a documentary. The show ends in 1952, but I took songs that were recorded after that. I really wanted to use songs from various parts of his life [because] even though he didn’t write them, they were very personal to him and made perfect sense for a lot of the drama that happened during this period of his life.

“He was clearly a complicated, emotional man who had many demons, and he took all of these emotions and feelings and put them into his music. When he sings about being in a bar at 3am, you know this guy didn’t have to do research. He’s experienced it; he’s lived that song.”

Joe also believes the show will appeal to audiences beyond Sinatra’s fans and those already familiar with the iconic singer and his songs, not least because, while he was very much a one-off, his story is universal. “He was a tough guy - what we used to call a ‘man’s man’. He loved women, got into fights, drank too much, but also supported his family and cared about what happened in the world. So there’s a lot in his story for everyone, and even though he wasn’t a rock & roller, he was one of the original rebels of music. He stood his ground - and not to use a cliché, did things his way.

“In many ways he was the precursor to Mick Jagger and all the folks who came after. The word I keep using is swagger - he was vulnerable in many ways and could access that place in his music, but he had swagger when he walked into a room, and I think that makes him a really compelling character for an evening of theatre.”

Sinatra The Musical shows at The Rep, Birmingham, from Saturday 23 September to Saturday 28 October

Light entertainment from around the region

Theatre

An Evening Without Kate Bush

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 16 September; Tamworth Assembly Rooms, Wed 20 September; Stourbridge Town Hall, Thurs 16 November

With Kate Bush less than enthusiastic about 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 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.

Magical Bones: Soulful Magic

The Core Theatre, Solihull, Fri 22 September Magical Bones’ inspiration for his Britain’s Got Talent audition back in 2020 came via the story of Henry Box Brown, a 19thcentury slave who, prior to becoming a magician, had escaped a life in captivity by hiding inside a box and posting himself to a free state...

With a man like Henry as his hero, there’s little wonder the critically acclaimed magician, illusionist & Bboy - real name Richard Essien - is hitting the heights and turning some heads. A spellbinding evening of sleight-of-hand trickery awaits...

Adam Willis: Joseph

The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 22 September

Adam Willis goes biblical with this new touring show, determined to prove that Nativity plays are only “boring” when presented by untrained children who can’t act! Focusing-in on the character of ‘the Bible’s third-best carpenter’ - that’s Jesus’ on-earth dad, Joseph of Nazareth - the Willis & Vere star looks set to score a major critical success with this latest offering.

Slay Queenz

Birmingham Town Hall, Mon 18 September; Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 30 September

Top-class drag is guaranteed when the Slay Queenz sashay into the Midlands this month. The production showcases the talents of the three most recent winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK: Krystal Versace, Danny Beard and Blu Hydrangea.

The talented trio are promising ‘an exclusive spectacular of side-splitting laughs, jawdropping vocals and eye-popping outfits’.

Most Haunted: The Stage Show

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Thurs 14 September; Dudley Town Hall, Thurs 21 September; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Mon 23 October; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Sun 4 February; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Thurs 14 March

You’ve seen the television series, now catch the stage production! Yvette Fielding hosts a show that features Most Haunted’s all-time top-10 scares, complete with unseen video footage from haunted castles, hospitals, prisons and manor houses. There’s even the chance for audience members to conduct their very own ghostly investigation!

Captain Sandy Live

The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 22 September After participating in seven seasons of Below Deck Mediterranean, Captain Sandy Yawn has become one of reality television’s most recognisable stars. She ‘sails’ into landlocked Birmingham this month to make waves in a brand-new tell-all offering. Seafaring stories and salacious gossip are on the menu in a show hosted by broadcaster, author & LGBTQ+ advocate Riyadh Khalaf. Musical performances are provided by Leah Rae.

Splash Test Dummies

Stourbridge Town Hall, Sun 10 September

Award-winning Aussie entertainers the Splash Test

Dummies invite you to grab your snorkel and flippers for 60 minutes of ‘catchyour-breath stunt work, dazzling acrobatics, dexterous juggling and sidesplitting, slapstick comedy’. A big hit in Edinburgh - and pretty much everywhere else in the world, for that matterthe Dummies specialise in narrative-driven circus comedy that’s ideal for a family audience.

Theatre for younger audiences...

In The Night Garden Live

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 9 & Sun 10 September

If your little ones are big fans of CBeebies television series In The Night Garden - now available to view on BBCiPlayer - they’re certain to adore this live version as well... And it’s not only the kids who’re in

Tales From Acorn Wood

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Mon 11 - Tues 12 September; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wed 13 - Sun 17 September; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Tues 21 & Wed 22 November

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.

love with the stage shows; according to audience surveys and parents’ reviews, nine out of 10 adults consider In The Night Garden Live to be a five-star theatrical experience. This latest show, called Igglepiggle’s Busy Day, features ‘full-size costumes, magical puppets, enchanting music and the amazing flying Pinky Ponk’.

The King Of Nothing

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sat 23 September; Bilston Town Hall, Sun 15 October; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Wed 1 November

While King Reginald busies himself keeping up to date with all the latest clothes fashions, his kingdom is in meltdown. When two supposed ‘weavers’ bring to court news of a brand-new magical fabric, the foppish king demands a sparkling new outfit for the Big Parade...

But all is not quite as it seems, as His Royal Highness is soon to find out...

Monstro and Little Angel Theatre come together to present this puppet-musical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s muchloved story, The Emperor’s New Clothes.

I Spy With My Little Eye

The Roses, Tewkesbury, Fri 1 September; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 17 September

If you’re familiar with other picture books by Steven Lee - think Don’t Dribble On The Dragon and How The Koala Learnt To Hugyou will surely want to take your little ones to see this delightful stage version of I Spy With My Little Eye.

Presented by The People’s Theatre Company, the story sees Molly and Bingo the Puppy-Dog inviting youngsters and their families to Molly’s sixth birthday party.

The celebration comes complete with ‘a terrific treasure hunt, all your favourite singalong songs and lots of fantastic games to play’.

LATIN FEVER

There’s a new musical visiting the region this month, and it’s causing quite a stir...

by Diane Parkes

A new musical inspired by the life and legacy of rock & roll legend Ritchie Valens has just embarked on its first UK tour. La Bamba follows the journey of 17-year-old Sofia as she looks to fulfill her dream of becoming a huge musical star. The show sees dancer Pasha Kovalev make his musical theatre debut, whilst his Strictly co-star, Graziano Di Prima, is responsible for the choreography. What’s On recently caught up with ‘Italian stallion’ Graziano to find out more...

Strictly Come Dancing professional Graziano Di Prima is turning his hand to choreography with new musical La Bamba!.

Working in a team alongside his wife - Giada Lini - and Erica Da Silva, Graziano has been creating the dance moves for the show, which features music from Latin superstars including Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Camila Cabello. Graziano’s fellow Strictly professional, Pasha Kovalev, and Siva Kaneswaran, from boyband The Wanted, both star.

“This is my first job as a choreographer, and I couldn’t be more happy with it,” he reveals during a break in rehearsals. “I’m very lucky to be doing it, sharing this job with producers, the director and also my wife. We’re often apart through work because I do Strictly and she does Dancing With The Stars in Italy, so this is incredible.”

But, he laughs, the urge to dance can be impossible to resist.

“Sometimes I forget I’m the choreographer, and I start dancing with the guys, and my wife is like ‘You need to step out - you’re the choreographer, remember!’”

La Bamba! tells the story of 17-year-old Sofia, played by Inêz Fernandez, who dreams of becoming a Latin singing superstar. She is inspired by her father’s love for the great Latin singers, including Ritchie Valens, who famously topped the charts with a rock & roll version of Mexican folk song La Bamba. Valens died at the age of 17 in the same airplane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Jiles Perry ‘JP’ Richardson.

Although the story draws on the spirit of Valens, Graziano says it is very much a 21stcentury tale.

“Sofia grew up with the same musical roots as her dad, and in the show she is touring her dream. She does everything to achieve it, and it’s incredible - but then her producers want to change her. They want her to sing a song which is less Latin, and they want to change her surname.

“I’m so in love with the story because it is so relatable for people today. You know, so many of us are influenced by what others think of us. Sometimes we’re led by things like social media, and we see how they can influence a 17-year-old girl. Sofia is facing all these kinds of problems, wondering ‘What is my identity? Should I listen to the people who are commenting on me, or should I trust my family?’

“It’s about the need for people to keep going

forwards and challenging themselves. They can dream about their passion and want to fight for it, but sometimes they are insecure about it. I think each of us has some insecurity, and we live in a world where it’s so easy to judge people and comment on people. Somehow you have to stay true to your roots.”

Sicilian Graziano toured with the dance show Burn The Floor, but choreographing a musical is a new challenge for him.

“The toughest part for a choreographer is that you first of all find the idea, but you always need to be open to a plan B. If I come into the room with an idea and we have 20 minutes to make the choreography, and then I realise it doesn’t fit the dancers who are doing it, I need to change it and find something which will be effective for them.

“I didn’t expect that choreography would be so beautiful and so deep. You have to put your person and your knowledge on the side sometimes. Instead, you need to know the person who is dancing. It’s not just telling them what to do in terms of the steps; you need to understand them.”

And the reunion with Pasha, who left Strictly in 2019 after eight years and is playing Sofia’s father, Ricardo, in La Bamba!, is also a bonus.

“Pasha and I have been friends for ages now and have done so many jobs together and Strictly together. He’s amazing; he’s the most humble person I have ever met, but he understands the movement. He’s so professional, and because we know each other so well, he knows that everything he says to me I take on board.”

With La Bamba! now out on the road, Graziano can start thinking about the upcoming series of Strictly.

“I’m back this year - this is going to be my sixth season and I can’t believe that already. It’s such a crazy journey every year, and yet they make you feel at home. Every year it’s like you start from zero. You’re meeting a new person, so you need to challenge yourself.”

Graziano has so far partnered television presenter Vick Hope, comedian Judi Love and singer & actress Kym Marsh. He won the 2021 Christmas special, dancing with singersongwriter Anne-Marie.

“I love the competition stuff, and that you can go as far as you can - but for me, the first thing is getting to know people and making a new friend. First of all, you have in front of you a person, and secondly, that person, for

most of the time, is doing something that is completely out of their comfort zone, and they’ve got someone telling them what to do.

“Imagine the person who joins Strictly is already scared about the whole journey and knows that on Saturday, no matter how they look or feel, they’re going to dance in front of 10 million people. It’s scary.

“Everyone is different, and I’m very straight when I need to be, but I want to create a friendship first. So Strictly made me grow up as a dancer and as a person.”

At the time of chatting, the celebrity contestants have yet to be announced.

“It’s too early to know yet, but I don’t have any preference. As long as the person wants to learn and make a dance relationship, I’m there to help them.”

And while his next few months may be taken up on the small screen, Graziano is hoping that La Bamba! will lead to future choreography opportunities.

“I’d really like to do more. Working with the director and finding a purpose in everything is something that fascinates me. It’s about portraying everything in the choreography.

“The dance in La Bamba! is a bit of everything, with the flavour of samba, salsa, and a flourish of tango, so this show is going to be a party for everyone. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to achieve, and I hope the people in the audience feel as much energy as we do and are as much a part of this as we are.”

La Bamba! shows at Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30 September and the Regent Theatre, Stokeon-Trent, from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 October

Dance

Dance previews from across the region

Black Sabbath: The Ballet Birmingham Hippodrome, Sat 23 - Sat 30 September

Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) turn up the volume with this fulllength, three-act show featuring eight Black Sabbath tracks re-orchestrated for the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.

“Black Sabbath is probably Birmingham’s biggest export,” says BRB Director Carlos Acosta, “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

Emerald Storm

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Thurs 21 September; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sun 8 October; Tamworth Assembly Rooms, Fri 13 October; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Sat 14 October

From gentle ballet to fiery salsa, and from Irish dance to modern tap, the critically acclaimed Emerald Storm offers something for dance fans of all persuasions. Along the way it tells a pulsating story of mortals battling against the elements to save the mythical land of the Celtic Otherworld from destruction. The show has been co-written and co-choreographed by Australian tap dancer, Hollywood actor and two-time Olivier Award nominee Adam Garcia. Expect mesmerising moves and lightning footwork aplenty...

original. That’s quite a responsibility, but one that we are beyond excited to take on.”

Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi is similarly enthused about the project.

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

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

Chantry Dance: A Matter Of Time

Swan Theatre, Worcester, Wed 27 September

The highly acclaimed Chantry Dance here presents a vibrant triple bill ‘exploring our relationship with time’. The programme features Nicholas Maw’s 1988 suite, Ghost Dances - a work combining contemporary dance with puppetry - Ariadne’s Lament - a dance setting of an extract from Roman poet Catullus’ Carmen 64 - and In Time Of Daffodils - an evocative piece danced to Chanticleer’s musical setting of EE Cummings’ poem of the same name. Nudity, scenes of a sexual nature and violence all feature in the one-hour show, suggested age guidance for which is 13-plus.

NEW MOVES

Ailey 2 returns to the Midlands next month to showcase The Next Generation Of Dance...

Ground-breaking New York dance company Ailey 2 embarks on its largest European tour in more than a decade this autumn, visiting 12 venues across the UK with a programme of hugely popular audience favourites and ambitious contemporary pieces.

About to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Ailey 2 is the second company of the iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and offers the exceptional dancers from The Ailey School the chance to perform their first professional roles.

This tour, says Ailey 2 Artistic Director Francesca Harper, is a rare chance for UK audiences to see the next generation of performers.

“What’s so exciting about Ailey 2 is that we are catching the enthusiasm and raw talent of the dancers at the beginning of their careers,” says Francesca.

“There’s such a rich history of the company fostering and nourishing young artists. They are so talented, and Ailey 2 gives them an opportunity for that talent to flourish.”

The programme for 12 dancers features four works - excerpts from Francesca’s Freedom Series and William Forsythe’s Enemy In The Figure, along with Robert Battle’s The Hunt and Alvin Ailey’s Revelations, which is a signature work of all the Ailey companies.

“Revelations is Mr Ailey’s most famous work and it’s a masterpiece,” says Francesca. “It reflects the cultural heritage of the African American community and Mr Ailey’s blood memories. It embodies this reverent grace and spiritual elation.”

Ailey 2 has also adapted The Hunt, which was originally created for six male dancers by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Artistic Director Robert Battle.

“I asked Robert if we could have women perform in it as well, so we are the first company within the Ailey organisation to have The Hunt performed by an all-female cast. It’s a very athletic work and is set to really powerful music by French percussion band Les Tambours du Bronx. Robert was inspired by modern sports and the rituals of gladiators, so it has this very ominous and threatening energy. For the women to be as ferocious and athletic as the men is really exciting and an important statement.”

Francesca also brings her own stamp to the programme in the shape of William

Forsythe’s Enemy In The Figure. From 1991 to 1999, she was a dancer in Forsythe’s hugely influential Ballett Frankfurt, rising to principal for the final five years.

“I thought it was so important to bring Forsythe’s work into the company because he was one of my mentors when I left New York and it helps the dancers understand who I am as an artist.

“Enemy In The Figure was inspired by Thom Willems’ percussive and electronic score. William had this sense of abstract storytelling, where he would take his personal stories and deconstruct them. It’s a powerful work and will leave the audience on the edge of their seats.”

Francesca’s own work, Freedom Series, was inspired by her taking up the post of Ailey 2 artistic director and her emotional responses to returning to the Alvin Ailey family - she trained at The Ailey School, where her mother, Denise Jefferson, was director.

“This is my home; it has always had that familial feeling,” says Francesca, who has also choreographed for Broadway shows and was the ballet consultant for the film Black Swan. “It grounded me to see all of these people of colour and diverse representation living their dreams, following their passions and feeling empowered. And to see them transform and develop and flourish. Over the years I feel so fortunate to have witnessed that, and for it to have been an integral part of my development. When I’m back here, I feel the power that is in that kind of cyclical journey.

“Freedom Series carries so much weight for me. I have so many memories that live in the building and this organisation. I created a series of vignettes that imagine this hybridity where these memories strive to influence my vision of the future. It examines identity and community and being an African American woman, as well as the diversity that Alvin embraced.”

Francesca is looking forward to sharing the programme with UK audiences. The tour is presented by Dance Consortium, a group of large-scale theatres which aims to bring the best international dance to venues across the UK and Ireland.

The tour also features an extensive community outreach project for young dancers, with workshops, masterclasses and open rehearsals all included. This forms part

of the Ailey Project UK, which was launched in 2021 with Dance Consortium member venues.

“We’ve established this wonderful relationship through the Ailey Project UK. It really falls in alignment with spreading the message of an inclusive voice, so it’s exciting to bring those two worlds together with this tour.

“Our outreach programme is so important to us. It’s sharing and spreading our mission to these young aspiring artists. As a young African American girl, I just didn’t see people like myself doing the things and performing the way that I dreamt of, so for us to reach young people who may have dreams of dancing or being involved in the arts in some other capacity, it’s so important. It can change lives.

“One of the most exciting things is that this tour is launching our anniversary season, as 2024 marks 50 years since Ailey 2 was founded. Audiences on this tour can expect excellence and heart, they can expect innovation, they can expect cutting-edge work, and they can expect these young artists at the height of their expression.”

Ailey 2: The Next Generation of Dance shows at Birmingham Hippodrome on Tuesday 3 & Wednesday 4 October

As the second company of internationally renowned Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey 2 provides a platform for early-career dancers to flourish and learn from the best. What’s On chats to Artistic Director Francesca Harper about the New York-based dance company’s forthcoming show at Birmingham Hippodrome...

Film highlights in September...

A Haunting In Venice CERT 12a (103 mins)

Starring Kenneth Branagh, Kelly Reilly, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dornan, Emma Laird, Tina Fey Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Kenneth Branagh here dons the twirly tash for a third time to play Hercule Poirot in an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1969 novel, Hallowe’en Party.

Shifting the action from the English countryside to postWorld War Two Venice - and replacing the All Hallows’ Eve shindig with a séance - Branagh, who also directs, will no doubt be relieved that his latest outing as the legendary Belgian detective has avoided the difficulties which beset the previous movie in the series, Death On The Nile. Not only was its release delayed on several occasions by the Covid pandemic, one of its stars, Armie Hammer, had allegations of sexual misconduct made against him.

“[Death On The Nile’s] theatrical release was challenged for various reasons,” Branagh told the Hollywood Reporter, “but it still did exceptional numbers in the circumstances. And then the streaming performance was really exceptional. So I was very pleased when they came back to us, for sure.”

Released Fri 15 September

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3

CERT 12a (91 mins)

Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Stephanie Nur, Elena Kampouris, Lainie Kazan, Andrea Martin Directed by Nia Vardalos

57 Seconds CERT tbc

Starring Morgan Freeman, Josh Hutcherson, Greg Germann, Lovie Simone, Bevin Bru, Griff Furst Directed by Rusty Cundieff

“Today we have tools at our fingertips that allow us to respond to events at the moment,” says director Rusty Cundieff in talking about his latest film, “short-circuiting our time to be thoughtful and consider the consequences. 57 Seconds examines how emotions influence the innate human desire to solve things quickly via technology, be it a gun, pill or computer.”

Saw X CERT tbc

Starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Steve Brand, Synnøve Macody Lund, Michael Beach, Renata Vaca Directed by Kevin Greutert

Everybody loves a wedding - and judging by the fact that the Portokalos family are here returning for a third time, it would seem that big fat Greek ones are particularly popular! Writer and star (and, for this latest film, also director) Nia Vardalos scored a global smashhit 21 years ago with the original movie, telling the story of 30-year-old Toula Portokalos’ ongoing efforts to dodge her family’s relentless matchmaking attempts. Eventually, Toula falls for a fella who isn’t Greek - and although her choice initially causes shockwaves, her relatives eventually accept her choice and throw her a spectacular wedding celebration. This latest adventure sees the Portokalos clan travelling to a family reunion in Greece ‘for a heartwarming and hilarious trip full of love, twists and turns’.

Released Fri 8 September

When tech blogger Franklin Fausti (Josh Hutcherson) interviews visionary entrepreneur Anton Burrell (Morgan Freeman), he stumbles across a mysterious ring which allows him to travel 57 seconds back in time. Driven by revenge, Franklin uses this newfound power to dismantle the pharmaceutical company responsible for his sister’s death. But as he dives deeper into an unfamiliar world of wealth and technology, he finds himself becoming entangled in a high-stakes chain of events that threatens his very survival... Released Fri 29 September

The Saw franchise makes a return with the 10th movie in the series. Both a prequel and a sequel - it‘s set between the events which took place in the first two films - it finds serial killer John Kramer travelling to Mexico in the hope that a risky and experimental medical procedure will provide a miracle cure for his cancer. Discovering that the entire operation is a scam, he decides that the con artists responsible must pay the price for their criminal deceit...

Director Kevin Greutert previously helmed Saw VI and Saw 3D - as well as editing a number of other Saw films - so this latest entry in the series is in a seriously safe pair of hands.

Released Fri 29 September

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Gaia by Luke Jerram

Lichfield Cathedral, Fri 22 September - Sun 5 November

If you stand 211 metres away from Luke Jerram’s touring artwork, Gaia - which features high-resolution NASA imagery of Earth’s surface - you will be able to see the planet as it appears from the moon.

Luke’s artwork - 1.8 million times smaller than the real Earthis certain to draw a crowd during its stay in Lichfield, where it will be suspended inside the cathedral’s nave.

Gaia visits the city a half-century after people were first able to view the Earth in its entirety; the ‘blue marble’, floating in the vast blackness of space.

That opportunity to do so - which came courtesy of an image provided by the crew of NASA’s Apollo 17 mission - changed forever humankind’s perception and understanding of the planet on which we live.

Luke is hopeful that Gaia - just like the 1972 NASA photograph - will make people aware of how isolated and fragile the Earth is.

“I hope visitors to Gaia get to see the planet as if from space,” says the artist. “An incredibly beautiful and precious place. An ecosystem we urgently need to look after; our only home.”

Gaia is accompanied by a 30-minute surround-sound composition by Luke’s regular collaborator, multi-awardwinning composer Dan Jones.

Mali Morris: Calling

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, Wed 20 September - Friday 22 December

Visual arenas in which colour moves through space and space moves through colour are a signature aspect of recent work by British artist Mali Morris.

Mali has been exploring the possibilities of abstract painting for more than half a century; she first mounted a solo exhibition at Ikon way back in 1979.

This latest show, featuring paintings produced during the past 25 years, illustrates the way in which she has rethought the role of gesture within abstract painting, using layers of colour to create luminous spaces which, although visually clear, are full of precisely judged ambiguities.

Worlds Away: Art, Nature & Wellbeing

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 2 September - Sun 26 November

The subtitle of this new exhibition nicely sums up its intention; to explore the ways in which artists have been inspired by the natural world - and particularly by its power to stimulate feelings of mental and physical wellbeing.

The art on show displays a range of perspectives. Some works celebrate nature as a therapeutic companion;

William Cobbing Exhibition

Airspace Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 23 September - Sunday 5 November

This major exhibition for the British Ceramics Biennial Festival showcases brandnew commissioned artwork by the internationally acclaimed William Cobbing.

William’s practice - which encompasses a diverse range of media, including ceramic sculpture, video and performance - sees him creating surreal, performative pieces that show the protagonists engaging in repetitive cycles of manipulating formless clay surfaces.

The exhibition features works spanning film, sculpture and performance.

others reflect its profile and significance in the contemporary era of ‘climate anxiety’...

A free-to-attend party on Friday the 1st launches not only Worlds Away but also another MAC exhibition related to nature and wellbeing: Madge Gill - The Clouds Will Burst The Sun Will Shine Again (like Worlds Away, it shows from Saturday 2 September to Sunday 26 November). Both exhibitions have been inspired by the 150th anniversary of Cannon Hill Park, the green space in which MAC is located.

This Is Our Love And It Knows No Division

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Sun 10 September

If you enjoy art, love football, but haven’t yet checked out This Is Our Love And It Knows No Division, delay your visit to Wolverhampton Art Gallery no longer - the venue is blowing the full-time whistle on the exhibition in the middle of this month...

Curated by artists and football fans Ewan Johnston and Dion Kitson, the show features contemporary works exploring topical themes such as football culture and its relationship to politics.

Quentin Blake: Birds, Beasts & Explorers

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, until Sun 1 October Still splendidly relevant at the grand old age of 90, Sir Quentin Blake is without question one of the UK’s most-loved artists.

In a career spanning several decades, Quentin has illustrated a staggering 500-plus books, bringing to life a host of treasured literary characters in his unmistakeable style.

He is most readily associated, of course, with the stories of Roald Dahl but has also provided illustrations for numerous other children’s authors, including David Walliams and Michael Rosen...

Compton Verney’s celebration of his art - featuring more than 70 original illustrations - takes its inspiration from birds, fantastical flying creatures and the joy of exploring in nature, all of which are themes often evident in Quentin’s work.

Events previews from around the region Events

LEGO DREAMZzz

Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham, until Mon 4 September

The LEGO DREAMZzz television series has taken over the Discovery Centre until the end of the school summer holiday... and there’s a brand-new and exclusive 4D movie - Z-Blob Rescue Rush - showing at the venue’s cinema.

A dream creature hunt, building activities and exclusive giveaways ensure there’s plenty to keep families entertained.

Malvern Autumn Show

Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Fri 22 - Sun 24 September

The UK’s biggest harvest-season celebration is back this month with a jam-packed programme.

Crowd-pleasers such as the CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship and the colourful RHS Flower Show will make a welcome return, featuring alongside a number of

A Place In The Sun Live

NEC, Birmingham, Fri 22 - Sun 24 September

If you’re looking to invest in overseas property, A Place In The Sun Live has everything you need to know.

Estate agents will be flying in from around the world to showcase hundreds of overseas properties, while lawyers, currency specialists, tax experts and specialist advisers will be on hand to answer house hunters’ questions. The hit Channel Four TV series’ presenters will be in attendance too, offering show visitors not only their property expertise but also the chance to find out lots of behind-the-scenes secrets.

brand-new features, including the Great Taste Food & Drink Market, Joseph’s Amazing Racing Camels and the Octopus Publishing Takeover. The latter event sees some of the UK’s bestselling food & drink authors sharing ‘snippets and insights from their latest books’.

Pirate Treasure Hunt

National SEA LIFE Centre Birmingham, until Mon 4 September

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

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

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

Horrible Histories Up In The Air Adventure

Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, Cosford, until Sun 3 September

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

Legendary aviation pioneers from throughout history will be on hand to steer families around six zones: The Engineer’s Workshop; Barnstorming Braves; Creation Station; Meet The Inventor; Selfie Zone and the Up In The Air Challenge.

Visitors can also pick up a bespoke Horrible Histories activity pack and check out the free Twinkletoes Trail.

Events previews from around the region Events

Insomnia

NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 September

Described as a ‘world of non-stop gaming’, Insomnia has everything from the latest video games to retro classics. Guests will have the chance to meet fellow gamers, attend panels and meet & greets with some of their favourite creators, and compete in tournaments for special prizes. A huge selection of gaming will be on offer, including VR games and esports competitions. Live performances and cosplay competitions also feature, as does the chance to pick up the latest gaming gear in the marketplace.

Autumn Steam Gala

Severn Valley Railway will be hosting a selection of guest locomotives alongside its home steam engine fleet at this month’s Autumn Steam Gala.

Although festivities kickstart on the Thursday with a centenary celebration of the ‘Big Four’ Grouping Act, the main event runs from Friday to Sunday.

Historic Rally Festival

Hatton Grange and Weston Park, Shropshire, Sat 30 September & Sun 1 October

The Historic Rally Festival returns for 2023, with the two-day Motorsport UK-permitted multi-venue event featuring stages at stately home Hatton Grange and dusk stages at Weston Park.

Up to 60 specially selected cars will compete in the rally, starting at Hatton Grange before taking on the famous RAC stages at Weston in the dark. A fireworks finale will bring proceedings to an end with a bang. Sunday visitors will have the opportunity to check out the cars and say hello to the drivers in the meet & greet area.

An intensive timetable will operate each day, with all available engines in service (including overnight running on Friday and Saturday with BR 75069).

The gala’s line-up of entertainment also includes a mini beer festival - taking place at The Engine House - and a Battle of Britain Memorial Flypast with a Spitfire.

Warwick Comic Con and Gaming Festival

NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, Sat 16 September

Making its debut at Stoneleigh this month, Warwick Comic Con & Gaming Festival features a selection of TV & film memorabilia, games, comics, Lego, Harry Potter and Japanese Manga items, all of which are available to purchase throughout the weekend.

Comic-book artists and film & television actors will also be in attendance at the event, providing fans with the chance to take advantage of some not-to-be-missed photo opportunities.

The show’s Gaming Zone, meanwhile, features a selection of virtual reality and retro computer games to check out.

Vikings Festival

Drayton Manor Resort, Staffordshire, Fri 15 September - Sun 1 October

The Vikings will be taking over Drayton Manor this month, for what’s being described as ‘the ultimate family festival’. Event highlights include fire performers, DJs, drummers, beer tents, and the chance to sample some specially themed food. Visitors can also check out the resort’s Vikings-themed Thor and Sleipnir rides and the Walhalla eatery.

Medieval Experience

Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Sat 23 & Sun 24 September

Step back in time to the Middle Ages at Avoncroft Museum this month.

As well as watching demonstration battles, visitors can also learn how to tell a commoner from nobility, find out how to arm a knight, and discover how their ancestors lived. The two-day event is presented by the well-established Beaufort Companye.

Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster, Thurs 14 - Sun 17 September

Malvern Cube

Rosie Jones - Palace Theatre, Redditch

Malvern Autumn ShowMalvern Showground

Orchestra of the Swan: Rococo - Stratford Town Hall

thelist

VISUAL ARTS IN THE MIDLANDS

The Barber Institute Of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham

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

MASTERING THE MARKET: DUTCH AND FLEMISH PAINTINGS FROM WOBURN

ABBEY Featuring masterpieces by, among others, Rembrandt van Rijn, Anthony van Dyck and Frans Hals, until Mon 25 Sept

DEFINING THE EDGE Exploration of the 17th & 18th-century fashion for depicting frames and borders within the printed image, until Sun 1 Oct

Compton Verney, Warwickshire

BIRDS OF AMERICA Exhibition

examining the artistry and legacy of one of the world’s rarest, largest and most coveted books, until Sun 1 Oct

PORTRAIT MINIATURES: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GRANTCHESTER COLLECTION

Showcasing over 40 miniatures from the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries, many of which are on show in public for the first time, until Sun 31 Dec

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

COMPTON VERNEY AND COVENTRY

BIENNIAL EXHIBITION AND RESIDENCY

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

Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry

DIPPY IN COVENTRY: THE NATION’S

FAVOURITE DINOSAUR Dippy the diplodocus is in Coventry on a three-year loan from the Natural History Museum

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

Rugby Art Gallery

THE ART OF MAKING COMICS AND FILMS Exhibition explaining how comics and films are made via ideas, character creation, rough visual concepts and storyboards, until Sat 9 Sept

RUGBY’S CORONATIONS A look back at previous coronations that have taken place across the borough, until Sat 23 Sept

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

GOING DUTCH: SEVENTEENTH CENTURY

PAINTING FROM THE COLLECTION A rare opportunity to see the gallery’s significant collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings on display together, until Sun 10 Sept

Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery

WIV LUV LARRY! Exhibition celebrating the centenary of local comic Larry Grayson, until Sun 3 Sept

COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE SOCIETY

OF ARTISTS Exhibition showcasing the talents of artists from across the region, until Sun 17 Sept

IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH ‘A horrible history of health in the borough’, until Sun 17 Sept

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

I GREW UP 80S A carefully curated time capsule showcasing iconic objects from a decade of great change, until Sat 9 September

PETER COLLINS, F1 HERO - MUSTOW GREEN TO NÜRBURGRING Exhibition telling Peter’s remarkable storythrough original photographs and letters - and featuring numerous personal items, including his racing helmet and gloves, until January 2024

Elsewhere:

ASPIRE Sculptures of winged creatures and beings created by contemporary artist Wayne Warren, until Sun 3 September, The Commandery, Worcester OF LAND AND SEA An exhibition by Sussex-based textile artist Wendy Dolan, featuring designs inspired by Upton’s gardens, until Sun 3 September, Upton House & Gardens, Warwickshire

400 YEARS OF THE FIRST FOLIO

Opportunity to delve deeper into the legacy of Shakespeare’s First Folio... until Sun 5 November, Shakespeare’s Birthplace Trust (New Place), Stratford-upon-Avon

CRASH - THE PERFECT POP SONG

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

COUNTRY HOUSES, JEWISH HOMES

Exhibition exploring how Jews who arrived in Britain fought for the right to acquire land - and the political rights and social status that came with it, Mon 4 Sept - Fri 3 Nov, Upton House & Gardens, Nr Banbury

Gigs

FALLOUT + SONDR + THE INSTINCT + UNIT 16 + EVER Fri 1 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

CATFISH Fri 1 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE SPECIALS - AN ORCHESTRAL RENDITION

Fri 1 Sept, The Rialto, Coventry

CHAPLAIN + INCURSION

+ BORN ZERO + KENSEI

Fri 1 Sept, Arches

Venue, Coventry

LIZZIE & THE BANSHEES

+ FITZKRIEG + ARMY OF SKANKS Fri 1 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

HEARTBREAK - TOM

PETTY TRIBUTE Fri 1

Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

FUTURE ISLANDS + R.A.P.

FERREIRA Fri 1 Sept, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton

KING Sat 2 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

CAMMY BARNES Sat 2 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

BOYCE AVENUE + RYAN

CABRERA Sat 2 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DEBBIE BOND Sat 2 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

ZZ TOPPD Sat 2 Sept, Arches Venue, Coventry

MEARFESTS FLAME - A TRADITIONAL HEAVY

METAL FESTIVAL Sat 2

Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

THE U2 EXPERIENCE Sat 2 Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

MICHAEL BUBLE - THE KING OF SWING TRIBUTE BAND Sat 2 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

8 Sept, The Benn Hall, Rugby

ULTIMATE COLDPLAY Fri 8 Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

THE MERSEY BEATLES Fri

8 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

TAKE THE FIFTH - THE CLASH TRIBUTE Fri 8 Sept, 45Live, Kidderminster

TOM CLARKE + JOE

DOLMAN Sat 9 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

ARIEL POSEN + JONNY MORGAN Sun 3 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE - NEIL DIAMOND TRIBUTE Sun 3

Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

LIME CORDIALE + COTERIE Mon 4 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE CANNY BAND Mon 4

Sept, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

LINDSAY MARTIN & THE NOUVELLE HOUSE BAND

Tues 5 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS Wed 6 Sept, Symphony Hall, B’ham

THE STORY OF GUITAR HEROES Wed 6 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

CIDERHOUSE REBELLION

Thurs 7 Sept,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

1999 - THE ULTIMATE PRINCE EXPERIENCE

Thurs 7 Sept, Palace

Theatre, Redditch

HOT MULLIGAN + SPANISH LOVE SONGS Fri 8 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

MELVIN HANCOX BAND Fri 8 Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

OLIVER CROSS & ELEANOR SERVANTÉ Fri 8

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

DAN CONNOLLY Fri 8

Sept, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

WISHBONE ASH Fri 8

Sept, hmv Empire, Coventry

THE RAMONAS + THE DC SPECTRES + YEAR ZERO

Fri 8 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

THE HISTORY OF ROCK Fri

BUSTED + HANSON + NEW HOPE CLUB + THE TYNE Sat 9 Sept, Utilita Arena Birmingham

TOTALLY TINA! Sat 9 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

REBECCA DOWNES Sat 9 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE ELO ENCOUNTER Sat 9 Sept, The Henrician, Evesham

JOHN OTWAY & WILD WILLY BARRETT + ASH

TUSTAIN Sat 9 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

EXPLOSIVE LIGHT

ORCHESTRA Sat 9 Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

RAVE ON Sat 9 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

BOOTLEG BLONDIE Sat 9 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

ABSOLUTION +

PEMPHIGOID + GRAVE

ALTAR Sat 9 Sept, Paradiddles Cafe, Worcester

WAYNE DILKS - THE GEORGE MICHAEL LEGACY Sat 9 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

FASTLOVE - A TRIBUTE TO GEORGE MICHAEL Sat 9 Sept, Malvern Theatres

GRANDSON + SWIM

SCHOOL Sun 10 Sept, O2 Institute, B’ham

EASY 3 Sun 10 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

LUCY MAY WALKER Sun 10 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

MARTIN TURNER Sun 10 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

MY DARLING CLEMENTINE Sun 10 Sept, Malvern Cube

My Darling Clementine - Malvern Cube

Classical Music

UK PROMS IN THE PARK Featuring movie scores favourites and Prom classics, Sat 2 Sept, Warwick Castle

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: SERENADE Featuring David Le Page (director). Programme includes works by Grieg & Tchaikovsky, Fri 8 Sept, Armscote Manor, Stratford-upon-Avon

THE SIXTEEN: THE CHORAL PILGRIMAGE 2023 Programme includes works by Byrd, van Wilder, de Monte, Dobrinka Tabakova & Clemens Non Papa, Sat 9 Sept, Tewkesbury Abbey

JOHN’S BOYS CHOIR Sat 9 Sept, Pershore Abbey

Comedy

JAMES ACASTER Thurs 31 Aug - Sun 3 Sept, The Alexandra, Birmingham

DAISY EARL, MICHAEL FABBRI, ANDY

ROBINSON, ADAM BLOOM & SEETA

WRIGHTSON Fri 1 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PAUL SMITH Fri 1 - Sat 2 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

GARY DELANEY Fri 1 - Sat 2 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

Friday 1 - Sunday 10 September

WAUGH & ANDREA HUBERT Fri 8 - Sat 9 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

DAN NIGHTINGALE Sun 10 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BRIAN BUTTERFIELD Sun 10 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Theatre

BLACKADDER GOES FORTH An evening of ‘classic satirical comedy’ as four episodes of the hit TV series are performed live on stage, Mon 28 Aug - Sat 2 Sept, Talisman Theatre & Arts Centre, Kenilworth

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

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

FALKLAND SOUND Brad Birch’s lyrical new play turns modern history into a theatrical epic, depicting a community and way of life turned upside-down, until Sat 16 Sept, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

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

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

stars as Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell’s iconic musical, Tues 5 - Sat 9 Sept, Lichfield Garrick

THE WOMAN IN BLACK Susan Hill’s chilling ghost story, Wed 6 - Sat 9 Sept, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

SHEILA’S ISLAND Amateur version of Tim Firth’s comedy, set during an annual outward-bound team-building weekend in the Lake District, Wed 6Sat 16 Sept, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth

THE MIKADO Presented by the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, Thurs 7 Sept, Malvern

Theatres

WHAT HO WODEHOUSE! Don’t Go Into The Cellar present a selection of choice comic cuts adapted from the short stories of PG Wodehouse, Thurs 7 Sept, The Civic, Stourport

uses puppetry and interactive scenes to explore the impact of humans on the environment, Sun 10 Sept, Bridge House Theatre, Warwick

ROBIN HOOD Fast-paced family show presented by Illyria, Sun 10 Sept, Church Lench Sports Field, Nr Evesham

Light Entertainment

LOOSE WOMEN LIVE The popular panel show takes to the road for the first time. Sherrie Hewson, Kaye Adams, Nadia Sawalha, Judi Love and Jane Moore star, Fri 1 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

DAISY EARL, MICHAEL FABBRI, ANDY

ROBINSON & ADAM BLOOM Sat 2 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

GEORGIE CARROLL Sun 3 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

RICKY GERVAIS Mon 4 Sept, Utilita Arena Birmingham

GEOFF NORCOTT Wed 6 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

JORDAN GRAY Thurs 7 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JARLATH REGAN Thurs 7 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

THE WARWICK COMEDY CLUB Thurs 7

Sept, The Warwick Arms Hotel

OFF THE KERB COMEDY CLUB Thurs 7

Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

RAW COMEDY Fri 8 Sept, Ecgwins Club, Evesham

NATHAN CATON, ANDREW WHITE, SAMANTHA DAY & JAMES COOK Fri 8

Sept, Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton

RED RICHARDSON, BEN NORRIS, GARETH

#50DAYS A state-of-the-nation grime musical with parallels to Brexit. Questions about the monarchy, a little bit of fake news and a new grime soundtrack all feature, Fri 1 - Sun 3 Sept, Patrick Studio, Birmingham

Hippodrome

SUPER/NORMAL & OTHER SHORT

STORIES Four comedy plays about being different, feeling trapped and not being so ‘super’ anymore, Sat 2Sun 3 Sept, Malvern Theatres

BERYL Amateur version of Maxine Peake’s four-hander, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of cyclist

Beryl Burton, Sat 2 - Sat 9 Sept, Criterion Theatre, Coventry

...AND THIS IS MY FRIEND MR LAUREL

Jeffrey Holland stars in a one-man show about comedy double-act

Laurel & Hardy, Sun 3 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

AMERICAN IDIOT Obsidian Theatrical Productions present an amateur version of the high-energy rock opera, Tues 5 - Sat 9 Sept, The Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull

BLOOD BROTHERS Niki Colwell Evans

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Amateur version of the sci-fi musical, presented by Coleshill On Stage, Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

WAR OF THE WORLDS (ON A BUDGET) An abridged version of the HG Wells classic, featuring ‘one actor, a loop pedal, a ukulele, lots of cardboard, many hats and terrifying tripod puppets’, Fri 8 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Presented by the National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company, Sat 9 Sept, Malvern Theatres

Kids Theatre

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE Interactive theatre for younger audiences, based on the book by Steven Lee, Fri 1 Sept, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

WIND IN THE WILLOWS Quantum Theatre’s brand-new version of Kenneth Grahame’s family favourite, Sat 2 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

SEEDHEART Indigo Moon present a new solo show for children which

AN EVENING WITH THE TWO TOMS Join viral star Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq and London cabaret virtuoso Tom Carradine for an evening of singalong fun and musical humour, Sat 2 Sept, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

AUTIN DANCE THEATRE: PARADE - THE GIANT WHEEL Autin Dance Theatre uses its unique blend of contemporary storytelling, striking physicality and innovative large designs to take audiences on a carefully choreographed journey, Sat 2 Sept, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

PODCAST Featuring special guests Adil Ray and Joe Lycett, Fri 8 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

RICHARD HERRING’S LEICESTER SQUARE

War Of The Worlds (On A Budget) - Albany Theatre, Coventry

Tickets:

The French Connection

This performance is generously supported by Mr Nigel May and Mr & Mrs Derek & Rosemary Holding.

ARMONICO CONSORT Director: CHRISTOPHER MONKS

Join Armonico Consort for a programme which embraces the French passion for pretty much everything from, food to literature and music, and from art to, well, national strikes. Nobody does it better than the French!

30th September 2023 7:30pm, Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick

Tickets from £17.50. 01926 334418 armonico.org.uk

5th October 2023 7.30pm, Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire

Tickets from £29.68. 01684 892277 armonico.org.uk

SUPPORT ARMONICO CONSORT WITH THE ENCORE APPEAL

thelist

MI FLAMENCO: ECHOES High-energy show combining ‘engaging imagery, emotive flamenco dance and soulstirring music and voice’, Fri 8 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

Events

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

Birmingham Science Museum

FREDDO’S MAGIC SHOW Master

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

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

Birmingham Science Museum

BAGS OF FUN! Choose one of three creative-crafts activity bags to enjoy, until Sat 2 Sept, Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

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

THE PIRATES OF THE ARRRRBORETUM

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

PIRATE SUMMER Find out about Tudor pirates and learn to talk like a pirate, until Sun 3 Sept, Tudor World, Stratford-upon-Avon

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

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

A SUMMER OF PLAY Take along a picnic and spend the day adventuring in the parkland and getting stuck into play-themed games and activities, until Sun 3 Sept, Charlecote Park, Warwick

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

WEEKENDS AT MARY ARDEN’S FARM

Featuring animals, archery and plenty more, until Sun 3 Sept, Mary Arden’s Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon

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

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: UP IN THE AIR

ADVENTURE Check out the Horrible

Friday 1 - Sunday 10 September

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

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

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

DINOSAURS ALIVE Enjoy a daily programme of dinosaur shows, activities and meet & greets, until Mon 4 September, Hatton Adventure World, Warwickshire

DIVIDED SELVES: BSL TOUR WITH

OLIVIER JAMIN Join artist Olivier Jamin for a deaf-led BSL tour of the Divided Selves: Legacies, Memories, Belonging exhibition, Sat 2 Sept, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

LET’S WATCH AND MAKE: MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE Free guided craft activity followed by a screening of the French-Swiss animated comedydrama, Sat 2 Sept, Coventry

Cathedral

COMPTON VERNEY DINING CLUB Awardwinning street food & drink from Digbeth Dining Club, Sat 2 Sept, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

MURDER MYSTERY DINING EXPERIENCE

- AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE Crack the clues, enjoy a four-course dining experience and travel along the Severn Valley Railway, Sat 2 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

JAGUARS AT GAYDON Friendly and informal gathering featuring hundreds of Jaguar cars, Sat 2 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

MURDER MYSTERY EVENING Threecourse dinner and murder-mystery entertainment, Sat 2 Sept, Coombe Abbey Hotel, Warwickshire

DIVINE BEAUTY SCAFFOLDING TOURS

Take a trip up the scaffolding to check out the cathedral’s stainedglass windows up close, Sat 2 Sept, Birmingham Cathedral

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

A guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 3 Sept, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

ENGLAND V NEW ZEALAND - VITALITY

IT20 2023 Sun 3 Sept, Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham

FAMILY FUN DAY Family fun with garden games and a zip-wire on the Valley Lawn, Sun 3 Sept, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

TOY COLLECTORS FAIR Featuring 200 stalls selling ‘the best in toy and model collecting’, Sun 3 Sept, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

BRIDGNORTH BEER FESTIVAL Up to 50 different beers, ciders and perries will be available, Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

THE LUNA CINEMA Outdoor screenings of Elvis, Top Gun: Maverick and Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone, Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Sept, Warwick Castle

INSOMNIA THE GAMING FESTIVAL Immerse yourself in a world of nonstop gaming, with everything from the latest video games to retro classics, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

GIN & JAZZ Enjoy some live jazz with Jazz Alchemy, including a variety of gins, Fri 8 Sept, Forge Mill Needle Museum, Redditch

BUSFEST The world’s biggest VW Transporter festival, Fri 8 - Sun 10 Sept, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

EXPLORE BLAKESLEY: HERITAGE OPEN

DAYS Celebrate Birmingham Heritage Week and Heritage Open Days with a visit to Blakesley Hall, a fine Tudor house and beautiful gardens built in 1590, Sat 9 Sept, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

VICTORIAN ASTON HALL: A MUSEUM OF CURIOSITIES Tour the different rooms of the historic Jacobean mansion, Sat 9 Sept, Aston Hall, Birmingham

OUTDOOR CINEMA Outdoor screenings of Sing and Back To The Future, Sat 9 Sept, Hanbury Hall, Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire

ARTISAN MARKET Support small and local businesses, have a coffee and something to eat in the Malt House coffee shop, and book a tour of the hall to make a day out, Sat 9 Sept, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster

FIREWORK CHAMPIONS Four of the UK’s top firework companies fire 10minute displays to music, Sat 9 Sept, Eastnor Deer Park, Herefordshire

PROMS SPECTACULAR Proms spectacular featuring music, a Spitfire in full flight and a fireworks finale, Sat 9 Sept, Weston Park, Shropshire

HAVE-A-GO-HISTORY WITH HERITAGE OPEN DAY Hands-on family day featuring a wide range of activities, Sat 9 Sept, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

DIGITAL COLLECTION DAY Chance to have your own personal World War Two stories and objects collated by Their Finest Hour online archive, Sat 9 Sept, Coventry Cathedral

BAT WALKS AT CHARLECOTE PARK Take an out-of-hours stroll through the parkland with a member of the Warwickshire Bat Group, Sat 9 Sept, Charlecote Park, Warwickshire

THE INTERNATIONAL N GAUGE SHOW A full range of modern image, steam, continental and American layouts will be on display, Sat 9 - Sun 10 Sept, Warwickshire Event Centre, Leamington Spa

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS Take advantage of free entry to all venues in Coalbrookdale over the weekend, Sat 9 - Sun 10 Sept, Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, Enginuity, The Old Furnace and Darby Houses, Ironbridge

RETRO TRUCK SHOW Featuring hundreds of trucks produced between 1972 and 2002, Sat 9 - Sun 10 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

A guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 10 Sept, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

BIRDS OF PREY DISPLAYS Static and flying birds-of-prey displays take place on the Valley Lawn, Sun 10 Sept, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

HERITAGE OPEN DAY AT THE COMMANDERY Enjoy free entry and explore the historic building, Sun 10 Sept, The Commandery, Worcester

Festivals in the Midlands

MOSELEY FOLK & ARTS FESTIVAL Lineup includes Billy Bragg (pictured), Squeeze, Louie Miles, & My Darling Clementine, Fri 1 - Sun 3 Sept, Moseley Park, Birmingham

OFF THE TRACKS FESTIVAL Line-up includes Dreadzone, Noble Jacks & Kissmet, Fri 1 - Sun 3 Sept, Castle Donington

BROMYARD FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up includes Merry Hell, The Young’uns & Eliza Carthy Trio, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 Sept, Bromyard, Herefordshire

thelist

Gigs

LOUIS CULTURE Mon 11

Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

BIG BIG TRAIN Mon 11

Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

CHARLIE DORE (DUO WITH JULIAN LITTMAN)

Mon 11 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

VC PINES Wed 13 Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

STEPHEN LYNCH Wed 13

Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE SWAPS + THOMAS

HEPPELL + JONATHAN

EARP TRIO Wed 13

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

REBECCA DOWNES

Thurs 14 Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

DEM BOYZ Thurs 14

Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

RED GUITARS

Thurs 14

Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DAN MCKINNON Thurs

14 Sept, Bromsgrove

Folk Club

RADIO GAGA - QUEEN

TRIBUTE Thurs 14 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

DEVON SPROULE + MARKER STARLING

Thurs 14 Sept, The Tin

At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

FLEECE CEILIDH BAND

Thurs 14 Sept, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

THE MUSIC OF LIONEL

RICHIE Thurs 14 Sept, Regal, Tenbury Wells

LYNDON MORGANS + VINNY PECULIAR (PICTURED) Thurs 14

Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

THE MUSIC OF FRANKIE

VALLI & THE FOUR

SEASONS

Thurs 14

Sept, Malvern Theatres

SEAL Thurs 14 Sept, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton

MARGARITA WITCH CULT

Fri 15 Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

THE REZILLOS Fri 15

Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE REAL PEOPLE Fri 15

Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS

Fri 15 Sept, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

DAMIAN LEWIS Fri 15

Sept, Birmingham

Town Hall

FRANCIS ROSSI Fri 15

Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Club

LEAH WELLER Sat 16

Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

FAIZED + MAN MADE

MOON + TRISTAN BERRY & THE INNOCENTS + THE RITZ Sat 16 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

BLUE NATION Sat 16

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE SESSION Sat 16

Sept, hmv Empire, Coventry

GUNS 2 ROSES Sat 16

Sept, Arches Venue, Coventry

SANCTUM SANCTORIUM

Sat 16 Sept, Queens

Hall, Nuneaton

THE CARPENTERS

LEGACY Sat 16 Sept, The Benn Hall, Rugby

MARTY WILDE Sat 16

Sept, Regal, Tenbury

Wells

ROCK FOR HEROES Sat

16 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

THE KINGS VOICE

STARRING GORDON

HENDRICKS Sat 16

Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

Classical Music

VERDI REQUIEM WITH KAZUKI YAMADA & THE CBSO Featuring Evelina Dobračeva (soprano), Karen Cargill (mezzo-soprano), Dmytro Popov (tenor) & Ashley Riches (bass), Thurs 14 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE: DIFFERENT

TRAINS Featuring Sara Wolstenholme & Anna Tulchinskaya (violins), Alex Mitchell (viola) & Christian Elliot (cello). Programme includes works by Cassandra Miller, Samuel Barber, Jasmin Kent Rodgman & Steve Reich, Thurs 14 Sept, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

SHEKU KANNEH-MASON, KAZUKI YAMADA & THE CBSO Programme includes works by Beethoven.

Shostakovich & Walton, Sat 16 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

CHANDOS ORCHESTRA Featuring Richard Laing (conductor). Programme includes works by Rachmaninov & Shostakovich, Sun 17 Sept, Pershore Abbey

Comedy

DOCTOR AND THE MEDICS + JAYLER +

MAJOR/MINOR Fri 15

Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

ABBA LEGACY Fri 15

Sept, 45Live, Kidderminster

ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN Fri 15 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

KAISER MONKEY KILLERS Fri 15 Sept, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

LIONEL: THE MUSIC OF LIONEL RICHIE Fri 15

Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

THOMAS BENJAMIN

WILD ESQ. + SCOTT

DOONICAN Fri 15 Sept,

The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

YOUNG ELTON Fri 15

Sept, The Rialto, Coventry

BEATLEMANIA Fri 15

Sept, hmv Empire, Coventry

KARINE POLWART Fri 15

QUEEN RELOADED Sat

16 Sept, 45Live, Kidderminster

THE RHEINGANS SISTERS

Sat 16 Sept, Malvern

Cube

THE SUBTERRANEANS

Sat 16 Sept, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

DEXYS Sat 16 Sept, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton

DEAD PONY Sun 17 Sept, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

BILL BAILEY Mon 11 - Fri 15 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

SIMON BRODKIN Thurs 14 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

ESTHER MANITO Thurs 14 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

TROY HAWKE, RHYS JAMES, HAL

CRUTTENDEN, FREDDY QUINNE, SHAPPI

KHORSANDI & ALEX KEALY Thurs 14 Sept, Warwick Castle

SPRING DAY, MICHAEL RICE, JOE WELLS, NICK DOODY & AARON LEVENE Fri 15 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ANDREW BIRD Fri 15 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

GEOFF NORCOTT Fri 15 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

DYLAN MORAN, PAUL SINHA, FREDDY QUINNE, GARRETT MILLERICK & SARAH

KEYWORTH Fri 15 Sept, Warwick Castle

ROSIE JONES Fri 15 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

SUZI RUFFELL Sat 16 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

JEN BRISTER Sat 16 Sept, Stratford

Playhouse

MILTON JONES, FREDDY QUINNE, ZOE LYONS, ESHAAN AKBAR & SCOTT

BENNETT Sat 16 Sept, Warwick Castle

TOMMY SANDHU, TEZ ILYAS, KIRAN

DEOL & RICHARD BLACKWOOD Sun 17 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MARK STEEL Sun 17 Sept, Evesham

Town Hall

SAM HARLAND, TONY COWARDS & DOM

HATTON-WOODS Sun 17 Sept, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

Theatre

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

Hippodrome

FALKLAND SOUND Brad Birch’s lyrical new play turns modern history into a theatrical epic, depicting a community and way of life turned upside-down, until Sat 16 Sept, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN

Thurs 14 Sept, Palace

Theatre, Redditch

BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY -

Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

PHIL BEER Fri 15 Sept, West Malvern Social

LOVEJOY Sun 17 Sept, O2 Academy, B’ham

RHEINGANS SISTERS

Sun 17 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE GLENN MILLER & BIG BAND SPECTACULAR

Sun 17 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

SPRING DAY, MICHAEL RICE, JOE WELLS & NICK DOODY Sat 16 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

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

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

THE BOOK THIEF A new musical based on Markus Zusak’s bestselling novel. Adapted for the stage by awardwinning author Jodi Picoult, Mon 11Sat 16 Sept, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

INSPECTOR DRAKE AND THE PERFEKT

CRIME The Nonentities present an amateur version of David Tristram’s murder-mystery, Mon 11 - Sat 16 Sept, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

MACBETH Shakespeare’s bloodsoaked tragedy is brought to life by Flabbergast Theatre, Thurs 14 - Sat 16 Sept, Malvern Theatres

WOMEN & THEATRE: NOT THE LAST A new production that shines a light on female land ownership, philanthropy and the vital and varied role of parks

Monday 11 - Sunday 17

and green spaces in the city, Thurs 14 - Sun 17 Sept, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

BRIDESMAIDS OF BRITAIN Comedy parody featuring dance-offs, sing-offs and eventually shout-offs at ‘the hen do of the year’, Sat 16 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Kids Theatre

TALES FROM ACORN WOOD Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s muchloved tales are brought to the stage, Wed 13 - Sun 17 Sept, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Light Entertainment

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? Leading man Adam - an actor turned paranormal investigator - unravels the legends of theatre ghosts, Wed 13 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

whodunnit presented by On The Floor theatre company, Fri 15 Sept, The Civic, Stourport

Talks & Spoken Word

AN EVENING WITH HARRY REDKNAPP

Join the ex-football manager and one-time I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! winner as he recounts stories from his long career and time in the jungle, Sun 17 Sept, The Alexandra, Birmingham

Events

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS Take advantage of Heritage Open Week free admission to the house, parkland and RAF museum, Mon 11 - Fri 15 Sept, Croome, Worcester

GAYDON GATHERING Monthly coming together of motoring enthusiasts and all sorts of vehicles, Tues 12 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

A WOMEN’S LIFE AT ASTON HALL TOUR Special event looking at the women of Aston Hall, Wed 13 Sept, Aston Hall, Birmingham

WONDER New worship gathering exploring themes of faith through art, dance, poetry, Wed 13 Sept, Coventry Cathedral

VICTORIAN PRINTERS EXPERIENCE DAY

Experience the life of a Victorian printer, Wed 13 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

THEATRE AND HERITAGE TOUR Go behind the scenes at the Palace Theatre and take a walk on its 110year-old stage, Wed 13 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

GUIDED WALK TO PANORAMA TOWER

Five-mile guided walk and a chance to enjoy panoramic views from the balcony of the tower, Wed 13 Sept, Croome, Worcester

TOUR OF THE COUNCIL HOUSE Guided tour of the Grade II listed building, Wed 13 - Thurs 14 Sept, Birmingham

Council House

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS Guided tour explaining how the venue’s collection is cared for, Wed 13 - Fri 15 Sept, World of Wedgwood, Stoke-on-Trent

house, Fri 15 - Sun 17 Sept, Croome, Worcester

VIKINGS FESTIVAL Family Viking festival with night rides, live shows and more, Fri 15 Sept - Sun 1 Oct, Drayton Manor Resort, Staffordshire

BIRMINGHAM HERITAGE WEEK: WEOLEY

WALKING TOUR Learn about the archaeology of Weoley Castle, Sat 16 Sept, Weoley Castle, Birmingham

ITALIAN WHEELS Brand-new event celebrating all kinds of Italian vehicles, Sat 16 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

MUSEUM COLLECTION CENTRE OPEN DAY Featuring family-friendly activities, meet-the-expert events, and the chance to explore the artefactpacked warehouse, Sat 16 Sept, Museum Collections Centre, Birmingham

MURDER MYSTERY EVENING Threecourse dinner and murder-mystery entertainment, Sat 16 Sept, Coombe Abbey Hotel, Warwickshire

be giving short introductory talks about the house and collection throughout the day, Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sept, Upton House and Gardens, Warwickshire

WORCESTER PAINT FESTIVAL Watch graffiti artists create new artwork across the city, Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sept, Worcester City Centre

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

A guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 17 Sept, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

QUIET SESSION Enjoy an all-round quieter experience, with fewer people and no music, Sun 17 Sept, Legoland Discovery Centre

Birmingham

AUTUMN ANTICS Join the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust for autumn-themed activities, Sun 17 Sept, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire

MALVERN FLEA AND COLLECTORS FAIR

DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS? Leading man Adam - an actor turned paranormal investigator - unravels the legends of theatre ghosts, Fri 15 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

A KILLER PARTY Help solve the mystery surrounding Deborah’s untimely demise in an immersive

AUTUMN STEAM GALA Severn Valley Railway presents a selection of guest locomotives alongside its home steam engine fleet, Thurs 14 - Sun 17 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

OUTDOOR CINEMA SCREENINGS The UK’s largest outdoor cinema tour, Fri 15 - Sun 17 Sept, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

OUTDOOR CINEMA AT CROOME Watch three films on the South Lawn by the

HERITAGE OPEN DAY 2023 Learn about the history of the Albany Theatre, Sat 16 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

TASKMASTER EDUCATION LIVE Join Little Alex Horne and the Taskmaster Education team for a day of family fun, Sat 16 Sept, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

HERITAGE OPEN DAY Explore a home full of Pre-Raphaelite art and William Morris interiors, Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sept, Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton

HERITAGE OPEN DAY Join the knowledgeable volunteers, who will

Featuring up to 250 indoor exhibitors selling pre-loved goods, Sun 17 Sept, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

Festivals in the Midlands

LICHFIELD FESTIVAL OF FOLK Line-up includes False Lights, Juan Martin & In The Bellows, Sun 17 Sept - Sat 14 Oct, various venues across Lichfield

BRASSED OFF Amateur version presented by Tewkesbury Arts & Drama Society, Sat 16 - Sun 17 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

Flabbergast Theatre’s Macbeth - Malvern Theatres

thelist

Monday 18 - Sunday 24 September

Classical Music

MALVERN CONCERT CHOIR Featuring Nicolas Van Kuijk & Sylvain FavreBulle (violins), Emmanuel François (viola), Anthony Kondo (cello) & Sean Shibe (guitar). Programme includes works by Vierne, Bocherini, Adés, De Falla, Poulenc & Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Thurs 21 Sept, Malvern Theatres

THE MASTERWORKS CHORALE WITH ORGANIST MATTHEW LAZENBY Featuring works by Randall Thompson, Weelkes, Daley, Parry, Bullard, Maccfarren & Johnson, Fri 22 Sept, Great Malvern Priory

THE PARMETTO TRIO LUNCHTIME

Gigs

OLIVER DARLING Mon

18 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

NEMZZZ Tues 19 Sept, O2 Institute, B’ham

THE HEAVY Tues 19

Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DEACON BLUE Wed 20

Sept, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

GENO WASHINGTON AND BAND + THE SWAPS

Wed 20 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

HAYSEED DIXIE Wed 20

Sept, 45Live, Kidderminster

NAKED LUNGS Thurs 21

Sept, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE

Thurs 21 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

PHILOMENA BEGLEY +

SHAWN CUDDY +

STEPHEN SMYTH Thurs

21 Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

JOHN COGHLAN’S QUORE-IMAGINED Thurs 21

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

BENJI KIRKPATRICK

Thurs 21 Sept, Stratford Playhouse

DAN LOCKHEART Thurs

21 Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

A CENTURY OF SWING WITH DOWN FOR THE COUNT Thurs 21 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

GET YOUR ROCKS OFF Fri

22 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

UK SUBS + MENACE +

CHELSEA Fri 22 Sept, O2 Academy, B’ham

DOMINIC FIKE Fri 22

Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

KOSHEEN Fri 22 Sept,

Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

WHITESNAKE UK Fri 22

Sept, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

IONA LANE Fri 22 Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

JULIE JULY BAND Fri 22

Sept, Stratford Playhouse

THE INSTITUTES + RODDY RADIATION +

SUNS OF REST + THE MUCKS Fri 22 Sept, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

LETZ ZEP Fri 22 Sept,

hmv Empire, Coventry

CHLOE MOGG Fri 22

Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

THE ROY ORBISON STORY Fri 22 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

LUCAS D AND THE GROOVE GHETTO Fri 22

Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

LOUD GEORGE + 7 YEAR

WAR + MAXIMUM ZERO

Fri 22 Sept, Paradiddles Cafe, Worcester

ROVING CROWS + TWO POUNDS DOWN +

MUDDY SUMMERS & THE DIRTY FIELD WHORES Fri 22 Sept, Malvern Cube

HIGHLY SUSPECT Sat 23

Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

SI CRANSTOUN Sat 23

Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

A BEAUTIFUL NOISENEIL DIAMOND TRIBUTE

Sat 23 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

THE STYLE

COUNCILLORS Sat 23

Sept, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

THE BAD DAY Sat 23

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

FLEETINGWOOD MAC Sat 23 Sept, hmv Empire, Coventry

RUST FOR GLORY - NEIL

YOUNG TRIBUTE Sat 23

Sept, Arches Venue, Coventry

JOHN GRANT SINGS THE SONGS OF PATSY CLINE WITH RICHARD HAWLEY & BAND Sat 23 Sept, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE UPBEAT BEATLES

Sat 23 Sept, The Henrician, Evesham

STATE OF QUO Sat 23

Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

CHRIS WOOD Sat 23

Sept, Malvern Cube

THE ANALOGUES Sun 24

Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

GO NOW! - THE MUSIC OF THE MOODY BLUES

Sun 24 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

TOBY WALKER Sun 24

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

FM + SONS OF LIBERTY

Sun 24 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

RECITAL Sat 23 Sept, St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Warwick

RUSSELL WATSON IN CONCERT Sat 23 Sept, Worcester Cathedral

Comedy

GARETH REYNOLDS Wed 20 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

TOM STADE Wed 20 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY

ROBINSON, MORGAN REES & ROBERT WHITE Thurs 21 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

BRIDGET CHRISTIE Thurs 21 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

KAE KURD Fri 22 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

ALISTAIR BARRIE, MARIA SHEHATA, MORGAN REES & ROBERT WHITE Fri 22 - Sat 23 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

RUBY WAX Sat 23 Sept, The Alexandra, Birmingham

SOPHIE DUKER Sat 23 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

LILY PHILLIPS, JACK TRAYNOR, BARRY DODDS & COMIC TBC Sat 23 Sept, Macready Theatre, Rugby

SARAH MILLICAN Sat 23 Sept, Malvern Theatres

STEVE BUGEJA, DANI JOHNS & LEW FITZ Sat 23 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

ROBERT WHITE Sun 24 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SOPHIE MCCARTNEY Sun 24 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MARK SIMMONS Sun 24 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Theatre

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

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

HEATHERS THE MUSICAL Black comedy rock musical based on the cult 1988 film, Tues 19 - Sat 23 Sept, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL New version of Helen Forrester’s period drama, Wed 20 - Thurs 21 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Dance

BLACK SABBATH: THE BALLET Birmingham Royal Ballet combine theatrical dance and a new Black Sabbath soundtrack, Sat 23 - Sat 30 Sept, Birmingham Hippodrome

Light Entertainment

SLAY QUEENZ Join the latest three winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK for a show featuring ‘side-splitting laughs, jaw-dropping vocals and eye-popping outfits’. Krystal Versace, Danny Beard and Blu Hydrangea star, Mon 18 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

MIRIAM MARGOLYES: OH MIRIAM! LIVE

An ‘unforgettable adventure’ through the extraordinary life and strong opinions of Miriam Margolyes - actor, author, broadcaster and voice of Cadbury’s Caramel Rabbit, Mon 18 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

LOOKING FOR ME FRIEND: THE MUSIC OF VICTORIA WOOD This acclaimed show takes audiences on a whistlestop tour of 21 of Victoria’s best-loved songs, including the hilarious Ballad Of Barry & Freda and the classic It Would Never Have Worked, Tues 19 Sept, Lichfield Garrick

Julie July Band - Stratford Playhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon

thelist

AUNTY DONNA: THE MAGICAL DEAD CAT

TOUR Featuring all-new sketches alongside fan favourites. Expect ‘funny voices, incredible costumes and silly songs’, Wed 20 - Thurs 21 Sept, The Alexandra, Birmingham

ADAM WILLIS: JOSEPH Brand-new oneman show retelling the Nativity story and putting the spotlight on the Bible’s third-best carpenter, Joseph of Nazareth, Fri 22 Sept, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

CAPTAIN SANDY LIVE Join the reality-TV star to find out more about life at the helm. The evening is hosted by broadcaster, author & LGBTQ+ advocate Riyadh Khalaf, with musical performances from Leah Rae, Fri 22 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

MAGICAL BONES - SOULFUL MAGIC

‘Awe-inspiring and high-energy magic from the Britain’s Got Talent finalist’, Fri 22 Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

Talks & Spoken

Word

BRIAN BILSTON IN CONVERSATION An evening with the ‘Banksy of poetry’ and Twitter’s unofficial poet laureate, Wed 20 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Events

VICTORIAN BLACKSMITH EXPERIENCE

DAY Pull on some gloves, pick up a hammer and feel the heat of the furnace, Wed 20 - Thurs 21 Sept, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge

ACTION RAYZ: A MAN ESCAPED AND A DIARY FOR TIMOTHY Two films relating to war and freedom, screened to mark International Day of Peace, Thurs 21 Sept, Coventry Cathedral

AN EVENING WITH BOSH! Hear about the personal story behind the BOSH! mega brand. Get tips on tasty recipes and how to live a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, Thurs 21 Sept, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ADULT NIGHT Enjoy a child-free Lego experience, Fri 22 Sept, Legoland

Discovery Centre Birmingham

PEAKY BLINDERS NIGHTS Grab your flatcap and don your finest threads for a night of fun and revelry as you step into the smoky underworld of the 1920s, Fri 22 - Sat 23 Sept, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

A PLACE IN THE SUN LIVE Featuring seminars, Q&As and panel talks across the weekend, Fri 22 - Sun 24 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW The UK’s biggest harvest-season celebration, Fri 22 - Sun 24 Sept, Three Counties

Showground, Malvern

THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW

Discover ‘breathtaking’ wedding dresses, explore ‘captivating’ stationery designs, and check out ‘enchanting’ top-tier entertainment, Fri 22 - Sun 24 Sept, NEC, Birmingham

GAIA BY LUKE JERRAM Featuring highresolution NASA imagery of Earth’s surface - an opportunity to see the planet floating and rotating in three dimensions, Fri 22 Sept - Sun 5 Nov, Lichfield Cathedral

JOURNEY THROUGH CREATION

Featuring mini-installations celebrating the Earth and the stages of its creation according to the Bible, Fri 22 Sept - Sun 5 Nov, Lichfield Cathedral

TRIBUTE TO HANS ZIMMER & JOHN WILLIAMS ILLUMINATED Experience

cinema’s most iconic music, performed by the London Film Music Orchestra, Sat 23 Sept, Coventry Cathedral

FIREWORKS CHAMPIONS Four firework displays light up the night sky over the lake at Ragley, Sat 23 Sept, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire

END OF SEASON TREASURE HUNT Look for clues around the grounds. This is the last Sunday open day of the season, Sun 24 Sept, Eastnor Castle

DR1VR SHOW Featuring a host of modified cars, Sun 24 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

BNBF BRITISH FINALS 2023 Athletes aged from 16 to 80-plus present their impressive physiques, Sun 24 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Festivals in the Midlands

WOODSHROP Line-up includes Not the Rolling Stones, ABBA Revival & Guns or Roses, Fri 22 - Sun 24 Sept, West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury

ON-TRAIN VINTAGE AFTERNOON TEA ‘Get ready for a very British culinary journey...’, Sat 23 Sept, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

VINTAGE, RETRO & CRAFT FAIRS

SOLIHULL Community event with live music, craft stalls, an afternoon tea party, old-time dancing and more, Sat 23 Sept, St Mary’s Church Hall, Hobs Moat, Solihull

MEDIEVAL EXPERIENCE WEEKEND

Presented by the Beaufort Companye, Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sept, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

THE PRINT FAIR Print makers from across the region come together to celebrate the best in print design, illustration and paper-based crafts, Sat 23 - Sun 24 Sept, Compton

Verney, Warwickshire

WELCOME WEEK Explore the venue via a number of free or ‘super-cheap’ events, Sat 23 Sept - Sun 1 Oct, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: JRR

TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK

A guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 24 Sept, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

Malvern Autumn Show - Three Counties Showground

thelist

Monday 25 - Saturday 30 September

JERRY LEE LEWIS

TRIBUTE Fri 29 Sept, Malvern Cube

ICONIC 80S VS ICONIC

90S Fri 29 Sept, Civic, Stourport

NIK KERSHAW Sat 30 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

GYPSY JACK + PARIAH STATE + MISTAKES

WORTH MAKING + KRYPTIC + MONETOPIA

Sat 30 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

GRACIE ABRAMS +

SEAROWS Sat 30 Sept, O2 Academy, B’ham

Gigs

MARTIN ALVARADO AND GERARDO VILLAR & LOS

AGUIRRE Mon 25 Sept,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

PIL Mon 25 Sept, hmv

Empire, Coventry

JP COOPER Tues 26

Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

SHANIA TWAIN Tues 26

Sept, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

JOE MARTIN + ALEX

HART Tues 26 Sept,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

WEIRD ON PURPOSE +

ROSIE TEE + MANZONI

GARDENS + MELOTONE

Wed 27 Sept, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

RUEL Wed 27 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE WONDER OF STEVIE

Wed 27 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

JAMES OLIVER BAND

Wed 27 Sept,

Temperance, Leamington Spa

TOBY WALKER + JAMIE

SCOTT Wed 27 Sept,

The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

PRINCESS GOES Thurs

28 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

LEE COLLINSON Thurs 28

Sept, Bromsgrove Folk Club

ROB LAMBERTI PRESENTS PERFECTLY GEORGE

Thurs 28 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

ROB TOGNONI Thurs 28

Classical Music

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER Plus special guest Roger Owens. Programme includes works by D Bédard, Franck, Chopin & Gershwin, Mon 25 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

HSUAN WU: PERCUSSION RECITAL Also featuring MengHua Lin (percussion) & Gigi Kuo (piano). Programme includes works by Andrew Thomas, John Psathas, Mark Applebaum, Emmanuel Séjorné & Taiwanese Folk Song (arr. Yi-Chih Lu), Mon 25 Sept, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

includes works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Jean Baptiste Lully, Jean-Philippe Rameau & Michel Richard Delalande, Sat 30 Sept, Collegiate Church of St Mary, Warwick

Comedy

MARK NORMAND Tues 26 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DURK & SKI Wed 27 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON, MATT RICHARDSON & ROBYN PERKINS Thurs 28 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

TOYAH & ROBERT’S

SUNDAY LUNCH LIVE Thurs 28 Sept, Number 8, Pershore

DANNY DREW Thurs 28

Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

80S LIVE Thurs 28 Sept, Malvern Theatres

LOVELESS Fri 29 Sept,

O2 Institute, B’ham

BLÜ EYES Fri 29 Sept, O2 Institute, B’ham

FIZZ Fri 29 Sept, O2 Institute, Birmingham

SAM OFFENDER + THE COURTBETWEENERS Fri 29 Sept, O2 Academy, Birmingham

HOME FREE Fri 29 Sept, O2 Academy, B’ham

THE KING’S VOICE STARRING GORDON

HENDRICKS Fri 29 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

PAINTED SKY Fri 29

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

CLOUDBUSTING - THE MUSIC OF KATE BUSH Fri 29 Sept, hmv Empire, Coventry

EDDI READER Fri 29

Sept, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

TANKUS THE HENGE + THE ORANGE RIVER REMEDY Fri 29 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

RUBEN SEABRIGHT & FRIENDS Fri 29 Sept, Paradiddles Cafe, Worcester

CATS IN SPACE Fri 29

Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE MANFREDS Sat 30 Sept, Birmingham Town Hall

AMMY VIRK Sat 30 Sept, Utilita Arena

Birmingham

MERCURY - QUEEN

TRIBUTE Sat 30 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

LONDON CALLING PLAY

THE CLASH Sat 30 Sept, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

KATHRYN WILLIAMS +

POLLY PAULUSMA Sat 30

Sept, Temperance, Leamington Spa

ALCHEMY - DIRE STRAITS

TRIBUTE Sat 30 Sept, Arches Venue, Coventry

BRUCE JUICESPRINGSTEEN TRIBUTE Sat 30 Sept, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS Sat 30 Sept, Regal, Tenbury Wells

MORETALLICA Sat 30 Sept, Marrs Bar, Worcester

PRINCESS OF DARKNESS - BLACK SABBATH

TRIBUTE Sat 30 Sept, Drummonds, Worcs

CODA - LED ZEPPELIN

TRIBUTE Sat 30 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

THE BLACKHEART

ORCHESTRA Sat 30 Sept, The Market Theatre, Ledbury

SEAMUS FOGARTY Sat 30 Sept, West Malvern Social Club

AYNSLEY LISTER + IAN

PARKER Sat 30 Sept, Malvern Cube

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: ROCOCO Featuring David Le Page (directorpictured) & Matthew Sharp (piano). Programme includes works by Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Martinû & Dvorak, Wed 27 Sept, Stratford Town Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon

RUSSELL BRAND Thurs 28 Sept, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton

PAUL SMITH Thurs 28 Sept, The Rialto, Coventry

PIERRE NOVELLIE Thurs 28 - Fri 29 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

IVO GRAHAM Fri 29 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

GARY TRO, DAVE TWENTYMAN & MASAI GRAHAM Fri 29 Sept, Royal Spa

Centre, Leamington Spa

HOT WATER COMEDY CLUB Fri 29 Sept, The Rialto, Coventry

LIAM FARRELLY, ERIC RUSHTON, ROBYN PERKINS & COMIC TBC Fri 29 - Sat 30 Sept, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SOPHIE MCCARTNEY Sat 30 Sept, Old Rep, Birmingham

SHOSTAKOVICH 8 WITH THE CBSO Featuring Michael Seal (conductor) & Boris Giltburg (piano). Programme includes works by Rachmaninoff & Shostakovich, Thurs 28 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE SIXTEEN: THE CHORAL PILGRIMAGE 2023 Programme includes works by Byrd, van Wilder, de Monte, Dobrinka Tabakova & Clemens Non Papa, Thurs 28 Sept, St Mary’s Church, Warwick

CLASSICS AT THE MOVIES WITH THE CBSO Featuring Stephen Bell (conductor) & Máire Flavin (soprano). Programme includes works by Mozart, Elgar, Sibelius, Offenbach & Puccini, Fri 29 Sept, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ENSEMBLE Programme includes works by Milhaud, Stravinsky & Bernstein, Fri 29 Sept, Bromsgrove School

PHILHARMONIC CHILDREN’S CHOIR

DRESDEN & NATIONAL CHILDREN’S

CHOIR OF GREAT BRITAIN Featuring Dan Ludford-Thomas & Gunter Berger (conductors) & Philip Mitchell & Iris Geissler (pianos), Sat 30 Sept, Elgar Concert Hall, Bramall Music Building, University of Birmingham

ARMONICO CONSORT: THE FRENCH CONNECTION Featuring Christopher Monks (director). Programme

GRACE PETRIE: BUTCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Sat 30 Sept, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

TOMMY SANDHU, DINESH NATHAN, KANE BROWN & TEZ ELYAS Sat 30 Sept, The Core Theatre, Solihull

THE MIGHTY KIDS BEATBOX COMEDY SHOW Sat 30 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

TOM STADE Sat 30 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

THE NOISE NEXT DOOR Sat 30 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

BRIDGET CHRISTIE Sat 30 Sept, Stratford Playhouse

Theatre

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

Painted Sky - Temperance, Leamington Spa

thelist

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

whodunnit performed by New Old Friends, Fri 29 - Sat 30 Sept, Malvern Theatres

YORKSHIRE KERNEL & THE LAND GIRL A Theatre On Your Doorstep double bill, featuring: Danny Mill’s Yorkshire Kernal, with songs by Jez Lowe, and Kate Bramley’s The Land Girl, performed by Ellen Carnazza and also featuring songs by Jez Lowe, Sat 30 Sept, Clent Parish Hall, Clent, Worcestershire

Dance

BLACK SABBATH: THE BALLET Birmingham Royal Ballet combine theatrical dance and a new Black Sabbath soundtrack, until Sat 30 Sept, Birmingham Hippodrome

THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE

Fantasy and myth combine in a story that takes audiences on a journey to a childhood once forgotten - and the darkness that lurks at the very edge of it... Tues 26 - Sat 30 Sept, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

BROWN BOYS SWIM Karim Khan examines the pressures faced by young Muslim men in an ‘exhilarating’ new play about fitting in and striking out, Tues 26 - Sat 30 Sept, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

BRIDESMAIDS OF BRITAIN Comedy parody featuring dance-offs, sing-offs and eventually shout-offs at ‘the hen do of the year’, Tues 26 - Sat 30 Sept, Malvern Theatres

LA BAMBA! The Wanted’s Siva Kaneswaran and Strictly star Pasha Kovalev star in a brand-new musical concerning a young girl with a big voice, big dreams and an even bigger heart, Tues 26 - Sat 30 Sept, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

EVERY MAN OUT OF HIS HUMOUR Ben Jonson’s farce about ‘terrible people getting their comeuppance’, Wed 27Sat 30 Sept, The Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

YORKSHIRE KERNEL & THE LAND GIRL A Theatre On Your Doorstep double bill, featuring: Danny Mill’s Yorkshire Kernal, with songs by Jez Lowe, and Kate Bramley’s The Land Girl, performed by Ellen Carnazza and also featuring songs by Jez Lowe, Thurs 28 Sept, Cawley Hall, Eye, Leominster, Herefordshire

DIVORCED, BEHEADED, DIED Jack Abbot’s one-man show in which Henry VIII recounts the events of his long reign, Fri 29 Sept, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth

WHAT’S YOUR POISON? Rumpus Theatre Company presents a truecrime Victorian murder-mystery, Fri 29 Sept, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

CRIMES ON CENTRE COURT Murder and mayhem combine in a tennis-themed

A MATTER OF TIME Chantry Dance Company present a triple bill of work ‘exploring our relationship with time’, Wed 27 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

Light Entertainment

THAT’LL BE THE DAY Nostalgic show featuring comedy sketches, music and impersonations, Tues 26 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY Drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry ‘and a lot of queer joy’ feature in ‘a unique celebration of the people’s princess’, Wed 27 - Fri 29 Sept, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

THAT’LL BE THE DAY Nostalgic show featuring comedy sketches, music and impersonations, Thurs 28 Sept, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE TRUTH ABOUT JACK THE RIPPER

Presented by crime historian Adam Wood, Thurs 28 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE CHOSEN HARAM Themes of sexuality, faith, addiction and connection are explored in what’s described as ‘a complex take on circus, performed on two Chinese poles’, Thurs 28 Sept, Swan Theatre, Worcester

LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR Nostalgic show featuring back-to-back hits from the 1950s and ’60s, Fri 29 Sept, The Roses, Tewkesbury

THE OPERA BOYS: A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS Sat 30 Sept, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE MIGHTY KIDS BEATBOX COMEDY SHOW STRIKES BACK ‘World-class beatboxing, jokes, banter, tomfoolery and more’... Sat 30 Sept, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

Talks & Spoken Word

AN EVENING WITH AGGERS Join cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew as he recounts tales from his ‘highly entertaining’ career, Thurs 28 Sept, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Events

PRE-RAPHAELITE REVOLUTIONARIES AND THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS The third annual Gore lecture on public theology, presented by The Reverend Dr Ayla Lepine, Thurs 28 Sept, Birmingham Cathedral

AUTUMN DIESEL BASH - THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Featuring seven former Western Region dieselhydraulics led locomotives, Thurs 28 Sept - Sun 1 Oct, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster

THE MALVERN CARAVAN & MOTORHOME SHOW Browse a variety of brands,

compare layouts and ask the experts for advice, Fri 29 Sept - Mon 1 Oct, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

THE MURDER OF FLORENCE CAMPBELL

An after-hours murder-mystery evening in the Victorian lock-up, Sat 30 Sept, West Midlands Police Museum, Birmingham

YOUNG DRIVER LESSONS An opportunity for kids and young people aged 10 to 17 to have fun and learn new skills, Sat 30 Sept, British Motor Museum, Gaydon

HISTORIC RALLY FESTIVAL Featuring up to 60 specially selected cars, Sat 30 Sept - Sun 1 Oct, Weston Park, Shropshire

HAUNTED ADVENTURES - GHOST HUNT Join Haunted Adventures for a ghost hunt in the theatre, Sat 30 Sept - Sun 1 Oct, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth

BRICK OR TREAT: MONSTER PARTY Get into the Halloween spirit with some fang-tastic activities, Sat 30 SeptTues 31 Oct, Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham

The Chosen Harem - Swan Theatre, Worcester

Brick Or Treat: Monster Party - Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham