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Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands ISSUE 368 AUGUST 2016
JUSTIN BIEBER HEADLINES Staffordshire V FESTIVAL ’
WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On staffordshirewhatson.co.uk
inside:
Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide
Starring Rhydian Roberts The Buttermarker (Goldie) (FP- August 16).qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 10:06 Page 1 Contents August Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:39 Page 1
August 2016
Contents
Nikolai Foster - puts a ‘fresh spin’ on The Importance Of Being Earnest. Interview page 8
Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla Kerry Godliman Inspire 16 the list
Interview with the CBSO’s Comedian talks about her new Summer showcase Your 16-page newest music director show, Stick Or Twist continues at BMAG week-by-week listings guide page 8 page 27 page 40 page 51
inside:
4. First Word 11. Food 14. Music 26. Comedy 28. Theatre 37. Film 40. Visual Arts 43. Events
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First Word
Celebrating 450 years of Viennese tradition The Spanish Riding School of Vienna is this autumn celebrating its 450th anniversary with a series of exclusive shows in Birmingham and London. The shows will be hosted by TV presenter and British Dressage Ambassador Nicki Chapman. Commenting on her involvement, Nicki said: “The Spanish Riding School of Vienna tours are rare and exceptional. I’ve witnessed first hand these graceful horses thrilling crowds with their astonishing combination of elegance and power. This is an extraordinary, once-in-a-life- time opportunity to witness these world- renowned horses performing in the UK during the academy’s momentous 450th anniversary year.” The Spanish Riding School of Vienna perform at the Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, from 18 to 20 November.
Soho House Jodie does Bollywood Prenger Birmingham’s Soho House is ‘going joins Bollywood’ this month. The Handsworth- panto cast located Birmingham Museums Trust visitor Musical theatre star attraction, a restored Georgian house, will Jodie Prenger will be host ‘an atmospheric Indian evening’ on making wishes come Saturday 13 August. true this Christmas Devised in partnership with the Travelling when she stars as Cinema Company, the adults-only event’s Fairy Bow Bells in programme features al fresco entertainment, Birmingham Hippodrome's pantomime pro- including Bollywood dancers, and an open- duction of Dick Whittington. air showing of Oscar-winning movie Jodie, who found fame on BBC talent show Get up close and Slumdog Millionaire. I’d Do Anything, winning the role of Nancy personal with the Bard! Commenting on the event, Birmingham in the West End revival of Lionel Bart’s Museums Trust’s Alex Nicholson-Evans said: If you’ve missed out, but wish you hadn’t, on Oliver!, will be joined in the Hippodrome “There’s nothing better on a summer’s panto by John Barrowman, Steve McFadden, all the events marking the 400th anniversary evening than enjoying entertainment out- of Shakespeare’s death, the Birmingham The Krankies and comedian Matt Slack. doors, and this event is going to be great fun. Commenting on her forthcoming wand-wav- Repertory Theatre is this month providing a We’ll have deckchairs and picnic blankets further opportunity to get up close and per- ing role, Jodie said: “I’m so excited to be out on the lawn, and each participant will be heading to Birmingham this Christmas and sonal with the works of the bard. There is a given their own set of headphones to enjoy catch, though; you have to be between the working with my old I’d Do Anything judge the movie in this unique location. We’ve got John Barrowman. We’ve been saying for ages of 13 and 25! street food for sale too, so you can grab a The REP’s Shakespeare summer school pro- years we should do another show together, bite to eat while catching the movie, so why so to get the chance to do panto with him, vides participants with the chance to not make a night of it!” rehearse an abridged version of one of his Steve, The Krankies and Matt is really excit- plays, and then to perform it in a city centre ing. I can’t wait!” park for families, friends and passers-by to Dick Whittington runs at Birmingham enjoy. Featuring drama workshops and the Hippodrome from Monday 19 December to chance to collaborate with a professional Sunday 29 January. director to hone your acting skills, the week- Tickets are available at long school takes place at The REP from 1 to birminghamhippodrome.com 5 August. For more information, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk
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Entertainment news from around the region
The Big Yin gets on his High Horse Legendary Scottish comedian Billy Connolly is heading for Birmingham as part of an autumn tour. Connolly - also known as the Big Yin - will bring his High Horse show to the city’s Barclaycard Arena on 2 & 3 November. Earlier this year, he revealed that touring helps alleviate the symp- toms of his Parkinson’s disease. “It's a miracle,” he said in an inter- view in the US. “I think science should study it. I've gone on stage sick and come off better.” Tickets for Billy’s Birmingham shows are now on general sale via theticketfactory.com or by calling 0844 33 88 222. Cirque brings critically acclaimed show to the Midlands The internationally renowned Cirque du Soleil is returning to Birmingham in 2017 with its signa- ture production, Varekai. The critically acclaimed show has been updated with acts never before seen in the UK. Paying tribute to ‘the nomadic soul’, it tells the story of a young man who finds himself parachuted into ‘a kaleidoscopic world’ inhabited by fantastical creatures. Varekai visits the Genting Arena, Birmingham, from 1 to 5 March as part of a UK tour.
Young persons Theatres join forces in new festival at the playwriting initiative Hollywood debut Town Hall A year-long playwriting scheme for deaf and disabled writers has for Birmingham been launched in the Midlands. Birmingham’s Town Hall actor Write To Play is the brainchild of Graeae Theatre Company, an is hosting a free one-day organisation dedicated to placing deaf and disabled artists centre A young Birmingham actor is set to music & arts festival on appear alongside former Dr Who stage. The scheme is being run in partnership with Birmingham Saturday 6 August. favourite Billie Piper in a brand new Repertory Theatre, Curve Leicester and Belgrade Theatre The festival is part of British movie. Coventry. Project SoundLounge, an Twenty-year-old Antonio Aakeel will The 12-month programme includes a crash course in the art of star in the crime thriller City Of Tiny ongoing initiative curated playwriting, specialist work- Lights, directed by the BAFTA-win- by a team of talented shops, mentoring sessions and ning Pete Travis, whose Hollywood young people between the opportunities to have short films include Vantage Point and ages of 16 and 25. Dredd. pieces of work performed in Commenting on the event, Discussing his role in the movie, front of an audience. Antonio said: “Coming from a Project SoundLounge Applications to take part in working-class background, oppor- Fellow Lucy Mulgrew Write To Play open on 5 tunities like this for people like me said: “The team have September. are few and far between. I’ve had a worked incredibly hard to couple of TV jobs but nothing com- create a festival which pares to being on an actual film set.” showcases a variety of fresh and unique artists Something for all ages at and performers from across Birmingham. Cannon Hill Park venue Please do join us for an Popular arts venue mac birmingham has released details about unforgettable day created its 2016/17 programme of courses. The Cannon Hill Park-located by young people for destination is offering more than 200 courses for children, young young people.” people and adults, covering a wide range of subject matter Free tickets for the festival including music, visual arts, well- can be booked at being, dance and digital media. www.thsh.co.uk or by The venue’s autumn term com- phoning the box office on mences on Monday 12 September. 0121 780 3333. To see the whole range of courses on offer, visit macbirmingham.co.uk/courses
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First Word
RBSA explores the art of printmaking Flip Out in the A new festival exploring and celebrating the art of printmaking is being Black Country launched in Birmingham this month. Co-ordinated by the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA), the event A giant £1million trampoline begins on 15 August with a series of print workshops led by renowned printmak- park is opening in the Black ers. The workshops are suitable for everyone, from beginners with an interest in Country early this month. learning a new skill to advanced printmakers looking to refresh their technique. The Flip Out centre in Numerous other festival events will take place during the autumn. Oldbury will feature a multi- Commenting on the new festival, RBSA Gallery Director Dr Marie Considine said: level parkour area, a gladia- “We’re excited to launch Birmingham’s first ever printmaking festival and hope tor duel beam, a 30m tumble that it will encourage more people to engage with this historic, hands-on art track, a huge graffiti wall, a form. Birmingham has such a rich printmaking heritage, with many artists still special under-fives space, practising the technique in the city today. The festival offers people of all ages and penalty shoot-out and and abilities the chance to learn something new, whilst introducing both the art basketball areas. It will also form and the RBSA to a wider audience.” For more information, visit house three specialist rooms rbsa.org.uk for children’s parties and a large cafe, with a traditional big red bus used as a view- ing gallery. For more information, visit flipout.co.uk
Lighting up Fusing music and fire at mac Mamma Mia! Longbridge A show featuring fire, live and electronic music and glass blowing is joins HOYS The recently regenerated being presented at mac birmingham in early September. Equestrian fun combined Longbridge area of Torcher Chamber Arkestra sees glass artist Carrie Fertig using a with award-winning musical Birmingham is set to host a process of flameworking with fire to make glass instruments. These are theatre is The Name Of The light festival this autumn. then played by Carrie and participating musicians, together with pre- Game at Birmingham’s NEC Featuring a collection of made instruments, and are combined with electronic and digitally this October, when the West temporary and permanent manipulated sound. End cast of hit Abba produc- outdoor light & art installa- “We aim to create a new intersection of craft, music and technology,” tion Mamma Mia! perform at tions, the event also explains Carrie. “Torcher Chamber Arkestra combines fire, glass and the Horse Of The Year Show includes music, perform- digital manipulation of percussive glass instruments to produce a (HOYS). ance, pop-up theatre, free dark, theatrical, audiovisual experience. Through ritualistic music and Horse-loving Mamma Mia! family workshops, outdoor action, we take the audience to a new sonic interior between realms.” creator and producer Judy play, street food and a glow- Carrie Fertig: Torcher Chamber Arkestra is presented at mac birming- Craymer is the inspiration in-the-dark roller disco. ham on Friday 2 & Saturday 3 September. There’s an extra ‘relaxed behind the unusual team- The Longbridge Light family performance’ on the Saturday afternoon. up, which should make for a Festival takes place on the memorable final night at the evening of 22 October. popular five-day event. For more information, visit Commenting on the news, longbridgelightfestival.co.uk The future’s bright for Arenacross Helena Pettit, managing The Monster Energy Arenacross Tour is set to make a welcome return director of Grandstand to Birmingham in early 2017. Media, which organises Bringing indoors all the spectacular elements of Motorcross and set to PJ Harvey plays HOYS, said: “Judy had men- a pumping soundtrack and laser show, Arenacross sees the world’s top tioned Mamma Mia! per- Wolverhampton freestylers taking to the track to present some truly awe-inspiring forming at the Horse Of The The PJ Harvey is stopping entertainment. Year Show as an opportunity off in Wolverhampton this Commenting on the growth and popularity of the event, Matt Bates, a couple of years ago. For it autumn as part of a 17-date the boss of organisers e22 Sports, said: “Who would’ve thought just to come to fruition is hugely UK and European tour. four years ago the UK would have the strongest indoor Motocross exciting. Mamma Mia! is the The talented singer-song- series in Europe, with over 50,000 fans attending? I’m massively proud perfect accompaniment to writer went to the top of the of what we’ve achieved so far, but all I can say is that this is just the our show finale, which cele- UK charts earlier this year beginning - I believe we brates the champion of with the release of The have an absolutely massive champions and the culmina- Hope Six Demolition future and want to take the tion of another competitive Project, her first album for entertainment of year.” five years. She plays the Arenacross to a whole new The Horse Of The Year Show city’s Starworks Warehouse level.” runs at the NEC from 5 to 9 on 4 November. The 2017 tour visits October, with the Mamma Genting Arena, Mia! cast making their con- Birmingham, on 21 tribution on the evening of January. Sunday the 9th.
6 whatsonlive.co.uk FIRST WORD August.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:03 Page 4 Nikolai Foster DPS.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:40 Page 1
FEATURE
NIKOLAI FOSTER
Heather Kincaid talks to Leicester Curve’s Artistic Director about his ‘fresh and contemporary’ spin on Oscar Wilde’s farcial comedy
In the preface to The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde writes, “It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.” However astute the observation may have been, it's unlikely that Wilde would ever have envisaged its literal realisation in a production of a play of his own. Led by Curve Leicester's Artistic Director, Niko- lai Foster, in co-production with Birmingham REP, a bold new staging of The Importance Of Being Earnest uses a dazzling mirrored set to prompt reflection on the play's complex themes. “One of the very first productions I assisted on when I was at drama school was The Impor- tance Of Being Earnest.” explains Foster. “It was very traditional, with nice sets and posh frocks, and I just remember dreaming about what I'd do with the play if I was ever lucky enough to direct it. What we've come up with is something quite conceptual and expression- istic, which notionally takes place in the 1800s, but is set in this environment which is basically a world of mirrors.” Developed by Isla Shaw, the production's ar- resting design taps into ideas around identity, deception and the disconnect between appear- ance and reality which are not only central to this play, but recur time and again in Wilde's work. Though Wilde was writing over a cen- tury ago, these concepts remain just as rele- vant in today's world of social media and carefully curated online profiles. “It's a very witty, intelligent play that uses lan- guage in quite an exciting, subversive way. Wilde writes a lot about the hypocrisy and double standards of the times he lived in - Lady Bracknell, for example, wasn't born into this society, but has married into it and sort of clawed her way to the top. So I started thinking about that and about mirrors, and the question of whether or not, when you look in a mirror, you actually see a true reflection of yourself.”
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by Heather Kincaid
As Algernon would have it, “The truth is of both worlds: I think young people coming Bugsy Malone, and one of the kids in that rarely pure and never simple,” and “To be to see it for the first time will love the anar- played one of the Adrian Moles, so he's been natural is such a very difficult pose to keep chy of these young people telling porkies and in a professional production and has now up.” Foster hopes that this high-concept de- creating alter-egos to escape their overbear- come back to be in a community production. sign will offer something “truthful to the pe- ing parents and guardians, and people who I love that crossover. There's no barrier be- riod, but with a contemporary twist.” For his are a bit older and know the play will get to tween professional and amateur here - it's all initial inspiration, he turned to the world of see something very glamorous and unlike about genuinely engaging, and there are so high fashion - a world bubbling over with the any production they've ever seen before.” many ways that people do that here, whether kinds of big ideas, exclusivity, excess and ob- Alongside major, award-winning talent like it's being part of a company or just coming session with appearances that Wilde himself Cathy Tyson (Mona Lisa, The Serpent And in, putting on some music and practising would doubtless have found familiar. The Rainbow, Priest, Band Of Gold), the cast your breakdancing in the foyer.” “Just by accident, about a year ago, I found will also include local actor Sharan Phull, From a literary classic to a popular musical, this image of a fashion shoot in New York on who has previously performed with the Curve Foster goes from The Importance Of Being Twitter. It's basically just a box of mirrors Community Company. Earnest to directing Grease later in the year. with a table and a door at the back, and “At the launch of my very first season, Sha- Thanks to some last-minute rescheduling, clever lighting. Then we found these wonder- ran was an usher at the theatre. She'd just he'll also be working on a National Youth ful photographs of fashion now - these sort come back from drama school in London Music Theatre production of Spring Awaken- of country frocks and Dolce and Gabbana after having been in Rent and other commu- ing while Earnest is still in rehearsals. suits that look like they could absolutely be nity shows here. I saw her in Bend It Like “I think we really pride ourselves on having from Gwendolen's day.” Beckham when she was on for the lead role something for everybody here at Curve, and Composed by Curve Associate Artist Dougal which she'd been understudying, and conse- as an artist, I do feel like it's important to Irvine, the score will similarly straddle past quently we auditioned her for Cecily and she have that variety. It keeps you on your toes. and present to produce something fresh and was amazing. She absolutely captured the One of the things I was worried about when I dynamic, with what Foster describes as a sort of innocence and exuberance of the came to work in this building was that I'd get very “Curve feel”. character.” complacent without the rough and tumble of “Dougal and I talked about a composer In his capacity as Artistic Director, Foster is moving around as a freelancer, but we're al- called Steve Reich who creates these kind of passionate about nurturing links with the ways so busy and working so hard to chal- electropop-synth-classical compositions, local community, and since taking over from lenge ourselves here that it's never going to and that's the sort of sound we're starting Paul Kerryson in January last year, he has ac- become static. with. It might be that the play starts with a tively sought to bring new people into the “There are times when you miss the privacy scene in a nightclub where the lads have theatre, both onto the stage and into the au- and the chance to have a break. I have just been the night before and so we have some- ditorium. So far, his development work has said to myself, you're constantly going to be thing very aggressively 'now' to get us into been hugely successful, with several commu- tired and a bit stressed now because there's the world of the play, and then we'll have nity performers going on to be cast in profes- always something to worry about - but in a more of a contemporary-classical crossover sional productions at Curve and elsewhere. good way. Even after you've had a press sound to link scenes together and underscore “Mark Peachy, who played the title role in night, you've got other things to work on, it all. But it will all be tastefully employed to our Community Company production of whether it's your learning department or a support what we're trying to do tonally - we Richard III last year went on to be in A Street- new communications strategy or looking at don't want it to be a barrage of contemporary car Named Desire here. We also offered him a the Arts Council grant. It's a really full-on, nonsense for the sake of it.” part in Breakfast At Tiffany's but he couldn't full-time job, but I love it.” For Foster, this is crucial: Wilde's writing do it because he'll be in Birmingham doing speaks for itself, and there's no intention of Mamma Mia! Nick Read, whose stage name is updating or interfering with the text as writ- Nicholas Alexander, has been involved with The Importance Of Being Earnest is at ten. the young company and then was in A Street- Birmingham REP from Fri 9 to Sat 24 Sep- car Named Desire, and he's just got a place at “We're not messing with genius. People who tember and at Curve Leicester from Thurs drama school from September. But it goes know and love the play are going to get a 6 October to Sat 5 November very fine reading of it. Hopefully it's the best both ways: at the moment we're rehearsing
It’s a very witty and intelligent play that uses ‘‘ language in quite an exciting, subversive way. ”
whatsonlive.co.uk 9 FOOD August - Region Brum .qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:27 Page 1 FOOD August - Region Brum .qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:27 Page 2
Food
Omar Allibhoy makes Coming soon to Birmingham’s Spanish cooking simple food and drink scene... The chef and owner of Birmingham’s Birmingham’s ever-growing food & drink scene is set to expand Grand Central-located eatery, Tapas further in the forthcoming months, thanks to the addition of a Revolution, is publishing his second number of new venues. cookbook next month. Popular cocktail bar chain The Alchemist and Italian restau- Omar Allibhoy uses the book, rant Gusto will both open their doors next month in the Grand Spanish Made Simple, to introduce Hotel on Colmore Row. The venues are part of the Living readers to home-cooked meals that Ventures group, which also operates The Botanist on the city’s are widely enjoyed across Spain. Temple Street. “The dishes I grew up with have left Also opening in Colmore Row - in early 2017 - is a basement an indelible mark on my heart,” says restaurant next to Snow Hill Station. The site of the restaurant Omar, who hails from Madrid. “My features a glass pavilion-style door, a new lift and stairway. It’s aim is to convince everyone to add yet to be announced who will be operating from the venue. some of my favourites to their weekly Across the road, meanwhile, in the Great Western Arcade, repertoire at home.” Charter Brands, the company behind Langley’s No 8 Gin, is Spanish Made Simple is published by launching its first city centre bar in the autumn. The yet-to-be- Quadrille on 22 September. named venue opens in the wake of numerous pop-up projects coordinated by the company in recent times.
REVIEW: Bistrot Pierre, Gas Street, Birmingham lops were fine. Bavette steak would have been perfect when it ‘Warm and good value’ despite the teething problems... left the chef, but suffered for being left to linger under the hot wanted my beef stew cooked lamp for too long. rare! Anything that could have gone wrong did, but - and it’s a But the puddings, oh the pud- big but - the staff were so friend- dings. Lemon tart came with a ly and apologetic that they proper brûlée crust and a gor- deserve the benefit of the doubt. geous curl of raspberry sorbet. In a few weeks, with a bit more The star, though, was the délice training, they’ll be just fine. au chocolat (£5.25) - a dense slice of the richest chocolate So let’s get down to the food. My cake, offset with tart blackcur- starter of pâté de campagne rant ice cream and sweet choco- (£5.75) was skillfully made, stud- late sauce. This is the stuff that ded with green pistachios and a dreams are made of. cut above the average. The aforementioned beef stew (the Chains can often make you feel bourguignon maison, £13.95) disappointed and a bit ripped was the best of its kind that I’ve off. Bistrot Pierre felt warm and ever tasted - and I’ve tasted a good value - and, despite the few. A hunking great piece of teething problems, we left well- beef shin melted into a pool of fed. Definitely worth a visit. deep, rich, red wine gravy, stud- Helen Stallard ded with mushrooms, onions Another week and another new features, complemented with an and bacon. No corners were cut Food: n n n n n restaurant opening in Brum. airy glass atrium and courtyard. in the making of this dish and Service: n n n n n There are cosy alcoves hidden in Bistrot Pierre is a smallish chain the chef deserves a handshake. Ambience: n n n n n corners and you can even expe- of French-inspired eateries The side of potato dauphinoise Overall value n n n n n rience private dining in the old which sets out to offer good- was sadly very undercooked and OVERALL n n n n n safe. value cooking in a relaxed and was replaced with roasted new friendly environment. They’ve Let’s get one thing out of the potatoes. recently set up shop on Gas way immediately, which is that My partner, greedy as he is, Street in the refurbished, Grade on the night we visited, the serv- Bistrot Pierre went for the six-course set din- II listed, former headquarters of ice was - how to put it - chaotic. 46 Gas Street ner (the Soirée gastronomique, the Birmingham Canal Plates flying! Wrong food Birmingham £22.95), which is outstanding Company. It’s a lovely refit: set brought to the table not just B1 2JT value for money. The onion soup over two floors, the dining once, but twice! And my person- Tel: 0121 616 0730 was full-bodied and deeply rooms are packed with original al favourite - being asked if I savoury, and the pan-fried scal-
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Food
Sweet treats galore at new Digbeth venue Located in Digbeth, this latest addi- tion to the city’s ever-growing crop of dessert parlours showcases a New York loft-style cafe experience, with high ceilings, exposed brickwork and lots of copper. Pirlo’s serves everything from cakes and sundaes to cookie dough, waf- fles, crepes and gelato, as well as a range of vegan and gluten-free options. It also offers premium coffee - from local business Quarterhorse Coffee - and a range of milkshakes, smoothies and mocktails. There’s even alcohol-free Champagne! To start, myself and my partner decided to try a Kinder Bueno and a Snickers milkshake. Both were creamy and full of flavour without being too heavy - a very good start indeed. Next up was the milk chocolate cook- ie dough served with chocolate orange sauce and a white Ferrero Rocher gelato. The cookie dough was gooey and delicious, the sauce and Tom’s Kitchen to open in The Mailbox gelato perfect accompaniments. Pirlo’s boasts 23 gelato flavours, Award-winning chef Tom Aikens will open a “Birmingham is a vibrant and bustling city including Maltesers, bubblegum, restaurant, bar and deli in Birmingham in with a thriving food scene. There’s already a midnight mint and banana swirl, to December. wonderful array of restaurants in the city, and I name but a few. Tom’s Kitchen will be located in premier believe that Tom’s Kitchen will offer an exciting My partner is a huge fan of waffles, lifestyle and shopping destination The new option for diners in the Mailbox develop- so naturally we chose one as our sec- Mailbox. It will serve British favourites and ment.” ond dish - a Pirlo’s Super Special comfort-food classics in a relaxed and informal The new restaurant will be the first Tom’s with Ferrero Rocher, strawberries, setting. Kitchen venture outside of London. bananas and Nutella sauce, to be pre- Commenting on the news, Tom said: cise. It was huge! Pirlo’s certainly doesn’t skimp on its portion sizes. The waffles were cooked perfectly, extremely tasty, and the ratio of ingredients worked well. Jewellery Quarter restaurant Festival showcases the Both feeling suitably full, we opted gets a makeover best of Lichfield food for just one more dish. As tempting Recently expanded Birmingham Jewellery Quarter and drink as the red velvet cheesecake was, we restaurant Pasta di Piazza is launching a brand new went for the lighter option of the monthly eating experience. This month’s Lichfield Food Festival mixed berry pavlova - a perfect The venue’s Family Table event is designed to allow is a particularly mouthwatering choice to end the evening. participants to enjoy food and drink in the company of prospect for lovers of ’80s pop music, By the time we left, the majority of lots of other people - much like a big family occasion in with sibling duo Patrick and Gregory tables were taken - a really positive Italy. Kane - aka Hue And Cry - performing sign, considering it was 9 o’clock on a Commenting on the initiative, manager Roni Ferro said: a free concert in the grounds of Wednesday evening. “Sometimes we get so caught up in our busy lives that Lichfield Cathedral. Alongside the If you’ve got a sweet tooth and fancy we tend to get isolated and stick to our immediate music, the free-entry festival features a late-night treat, look no further - groups. Family Table eating aims to challenge that. We cookery demos, a huge range of food Pirlo’s is the place for you... want to reinvent the idea of the evening meal as a gath- & drink stalls and street food, a cele- bration of local brews, numerous Check it out! ering of friends and strangers - essentially a great mix- ing opportunity. It’s social dining - the city getting special offers and a birthday bake- Pirlo’s Dessert Lounge together - and a perfect way for people to make new off. 6 Coventry Street connections.” The event takes place on Saturday 27 Birmingham The first Family Table takes place on Thursday 4 August and Sunday 28 August. B5 5NH Tel: 0121 582 0586 at 8pm. Subsequent events take place on 8 September, 6 October, 3 November and 1 December.
whatsonlive.co.uk 13 Music - August - Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:27 Page 1
Gigs Gig previews from around the region
Julian Marley O2 Institute, Birmingham, Wed 17 August This month sees Grammy-nominat- ed reggae superstar Julian Ju Ju Marley embark on his first ever UK tour. Son of the legendary Bob Marley, Julian firmly secured his place in the reggae world with the 1996 release of debut album Lion In The Morning. After a second album (A Time & Place, 2003) and various tours, he and his Uprising band were invited by the Jamaican government Raghu Dixit brations in Windsor, hitting the number one to represent the country and perform spot seven times on the iTunes World Music at the 2008 Bejing Olympics. O2 Academy, Birmingham, Wed 31 August Charts and performing at Glastonbury. His third and most recent release, Raghu Dixit’s unique brand of infectious, He visits Birmingham - accompanied by his Awake, was nominated for a Grammy happy music transcends age, genre and band, Raghu Dixit Project - as part of a in the Best Reggae Album category. even language. string of UK events. Julian performs with his eleven-piece A real ambassador for Indian music, his The collective are also on the Shrewsbury band on this highly anticipated tour - career highlights include a performance for Folk Festival bill, playing there two days a must-see for any reggae fan. HM The Queen at the Diamond Jubilee cele- before their Birmingham date.
Ernest Ranglin & Soweto Kinch Carina Round Good Charlotte Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, Thurs 4 August O2 Institute, Birmingham, Sat 27 August Hockley Flyover, Birmingham, Sat 20 August Multi-platinum-selling pop punk icons Good Charlotte rose to fame in 2002 with the Jamaican jazz guitarist and composer release of second album The Young And The Ernest Ranglin here joins British jazz Hopeless, the breakthrough single from alto saxophonist and rapper Soweto which, Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous, Kinch. The two perform together as topped pop and rock charts around the part of The Flyover Show - a free, globe. one-day event which returns to Fronted by Joel Madden, the band visit Birmingham’s Hockley Flyover after a Birmingham in support of sixth album four-year break. The show features in Youth Authority and ahead of performances Ranglin’s farewell tour schedule, at Reading and Leeds Festivals. with the 84-year-old having already appeared with Kinch at both Glastonbury and Montreal Jazz Festival this summer. In the summer of 1996, following a base- Also featuring in the event’s line-up, ment gig in her home town of among others, are Basil Gabbidon, Wolverhampton, Carina Round was given a Eska, Ruben James, Alex Wilson, Call three-night support slot at Ronnie Scott’s Good Charlotte PUP Me Unique and Knox Brown. club in Birmingham. This led to other such slots with the likes of Coldplay, Annie PUP Lennox, David Gray and Elbow, to name but The Rainbow Venues, Birmingham, a few. Tues 30 August The singer-songwriter has since released four critically acclaimed albums - Blood PUP - said to be the acronym for Pathetic Mystery (2001), The Disconnection (2003), Use of Potential - are a punk rock band from Slow Motion Addict (2006) and Toronto. Following the release of critically Tigermending (2012). Although she’s been acclaimed second album The Dream Is Over producing and performing with the band (the title having being inspired by a direct Puscifer in recent years, she here appears quote from vocalist Stefan Babcock's doctor solo on what’s sure to be an unforgettable after the singer had damaged his vocal night of music for rock and indie lovers chords), the band embark on their biggest ever headline tour. Soweto Kinch alike.
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FEATURE by Heather Kincaid
Articles in Sound
New project gives an insight into Coventry’s rich musical heritage...
Ask any Coventrian about music from the sacred by Herod in Bethlehem following the al tape recorder, a favourite exhibit among area, and they'll probably talk to you at birth of Christ. The song has since become a visitors and volunteers alike. length about the heyday of ska and 2Tone in Christmas staple, with artists ranging from Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the room the ’80s. Tori Amos and Annie Lennox to John Denver stands a re-creation of the circular bench The instrumental role the city played in what and Chas’n’Dave recording their own ver- surrounding the acorns planted by John became a massive musical movement based sions. Lennon and Yoko Ono on their first public on values of multiculturalism and racial har- Among various vinyl records, tickets, tapes ‘date’ in Coventry, a kind of ‘peace-art per- mony is almost certainly its proudest claim and CDs by notable artists, as well as odds formance’ drawing on the city's historical to fame. and ends representing major music venues, status as a symbol of rebirth and reconcilia- Yet The Specials and The Selecter are far there's also a fabulous collection of jackets, tion. The copy of the bench on display fea- from the beginning and end of Coventry's suits and waistcoats belonging to such local tured in a ceremony at Coventry Cathedral contribution to British music. From the legends as Frank Ifield, Vince Hill, Taz Singh when Ono returned in 2005. Visitors are Coventry Carol to Clint Mansell, Pete and The Primitives' Tracy Cattel, along with invited to take a seat and write out a ‘peace Waterman to Panjabi MC, and Delia two pairs of custom Dr Martens worn by King leaf’ to be added to the ‘Cofa's tree’ wall dis- Derbyshire to The Enemy, Coventry's connec- bass player Tony Wall. play. tions to performers, innovators and record- But for any music buff, the real highlights Articles In Sound is an accessible starting ings of national and even international will be the specialist items made for more point for anyone interested in learning more renown have not been insignificant. than just show - the things that helped about music or local history, the optional Seeking to reclaim this rich heritage as secure the success of the musicians who guidebook fleshing out the information on Coventry launches its City of Culture bid is a used and created them. A demo CD featuring display with extra details and quotes from project led by Coventry Music Museum early tracks by The Enemy joins master tapes numerous fans and experts. Both this and founder Pete Chambers BEM, exploring the of Go For It, written by Steve and Heather the accompanying app will be handy for any- city's sonic history, with an exhibition of 50 Taylor in celebration of Coventry City one planning a trip around the town to visit carefully chosen objects at its heart. Football Club's 1987 FA Cup win, and of The some of the key sites the exhibition touches Selecter's Kingston Affair - arguably the song on. Funded through a Heritage Lottery grant, that started 2Tone. Elsewhere, you can catch Articles In Sound is an ambitious multime- The Coventry Music Museum has already a glimpse of Neol Davies' original handwrit- dia venture, encompassing a printed guide- been graced with appearances from various ten lyrics for the group's hit, On My Radio, as book, documentary film, outdoor mural and industry stars. well as distinctive instruments like Panjabi free smartphone app as well as physical Who knows - perhaps Articles In Sound will MC's tumbi and the hand-made musical ‘jug’ exhibits in the museum itself. see many more music pilgrims willingly used by folk singer Rod Felton. The wider sending themselves to Coventry... The story begins over 400 years ago with Warwickshire area also gets a look-in, with James Hewitt of the Coventry Waits, the first items like a harmonica owned by The musician from the city to be mentioned by Shadows' Bedworth-born Brian Locking. name in any surviving written records. It's In a section of the museum devoted to Delia Articles In Sound shows at the Coventry around this time that the first object on our Derbyshire - the electronic music pioneer Music Museum. For further information journey surfaces - the 16th century Coventry responsible for realising the original Doctor visit articlesinsound.co.uk Carol, a haunting lullaby to the infants mas- Who theme - you'll find Derbyshire's person-
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FEATURE
Meet the Music Director
She's been described as ‘mesmerising’, ‘awe- Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla on her some’, ‘a serious intellect’ and ‘the most ex- citing young conductor to come along since first season with the CBSO Gustavo Dudamel’: in taking on the mantle of CBSO Music Director from Andris Nelsons, Lithuanian-born Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla be- comes the latest in a string of brightė young things to land the role, as well as the only fe- male director of an orchestra in Britain. As she prepares for the launch of an exciting 2016-17 season, What's On spoke to her about her plans for the year ahead and beyond. “I feel an incredible good will and enthusi- asm from the orchestra and all of our sup- porters to go on this new journey together,” says Gražinyt -Tyla. “It's very impressive, and of courseė that enthusiasm inspires me to give the same back.” Still in her 20s, Gražinyt -Tyla follows in the footsteps of several formerė rising stars who have developed names for themselves in the role. Seven years ago, her immediate prede- cessor took up the position aged 28, and has since gone on to lead the Boston Symphony and Leipzig Gewandhaus orchestras. Before that, a 30-year-old Sakari Oramo took the baton from the now globally renowned Sir Simon Rattle, who led the CBSO for 18 years, beginning at the age of 25. This willingness to take a chance on relative newcomers is largely the result of an openness and recep- tiveness to fresh ideas which Gražinyt -Tyla identifies as a distinguishing characteristicė of the Birmingham orchestra. “The spirit of the CBSO breathes openness and freedom. It is incredible how democratic their system of working is. The musicians are very active, not only during rehearsals and concerts in which they play a direct part, but also in all the issues which affect the orches- tra. They participate in discussions on all sorts of decisions, and I think it's something that's very special about the CBSO.” The new director will begin her tenure with an inaugural concert at Symphony Hall on 26
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by Heather Kincaid
The spirit of the CBSO breathes openness and freedom. It ‘‘ is incredible how diplomatic their system of working is. ” August, conducting a small selection of very credited with symbolic significance as a rep- theme of ‘The Spirit of England’ through an different pieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and resentation of Fate knocking at the door). eclectic programme of concerts and events the contemporary Danish composer, Hans The whole piece seems to be searching for showcasing a huge diversity of perspectives Abrahamsen. this motif and trying to arrive there, and I'm on the subject of Englishness - an interesting “At the very beginning of the concert will be very glad that we will be presenting this in- choice for someone coming from outside the the overture of The Magic Flute. teresting composer to the British public.” country. Mozart, along with Haydn and Beethoven, is The second piece to be performed to UK audi- “This sense of British and English spirit is absolutely at the core of our Western classi- ences for the first time is an older, but more something I will be taking with me not only cal music tradition, and playing their music recently ‘discovered’ piece from a ballet by for the coming season but across my whole is always a huge challenge because it is so Mieczysław Weinberg, an under-appreciated journey with the CBSO and my time in Birm- simple and so naked. Every single detail is Polish-Jewish composer whose work was ingham. I see it as a wonderful opportunity exposed, which forces musicians to really largely ignored by the Soviet establishment to gain an inside insight. We are starting with concentrate on the smallest things. Also, I during his lifetime. Tippet this season, but for later years I think felt that the humanist ideas expressed by “The suite from The Golden Key will start our it will be one of the most important tasks for Mozart would make it a great, symbolic journey into the work of Weinberg, who al- me to discover more British music and com- choice to start with. ready has a following in Britain. There is a posers.” “On the other hand, new music has always British musicologist called David Fanning Even a cursory glance over the orchestra's been a crucial part of the CBSO's profile, and who has been researching his life and is cur- 2016-17 programme of events reveals plenty is something I wanted to continue with. Hans rently working on a second book about him. to look forward to, and Gražinyt -Tyla can't Abrahamsen's piece is incredibly poetic, and Fanning says that once we've discovered wait to fully immerse herself in theė work of we will be performing it with a wonderful more of Weinberg's work, there will be no the orchestra here. For the time being, singer, Barbara Hannigan, which is very ex- question that he was at least the third most though, there are still a few loose ends to tie citing for all of us. Finally, I chose important Soviet composer after up: this dynamic young conductor is much in Tchaikovsky’s 4th Symphony because Andris Shostakovich and Prokofiev, and perhaps demand. did a lot of Tchaikovsky with the orchestra, even more significant than that. There is still “There are many exciting projects I am look- and I wanted to follow that focus while also a huge amount of his work left to discover - ing forward to - I have my calendar marked doing something different to the pieces he he wrote 22 symphonies, seven operas and 17 with concerts by Ed Gardner and Michael chose.” string quartets among many other pieces.” Seal. But I have to say that during the coming Over the coming season, Gražinyt -Tyla will Unsurprisingly for the daughter of a choir season, I will still be finishing my engage- bring two UK premieres to Birmingham,ė the conductor, Gražinyt -Tyla is also passionate ments in Salzburg and Los Angeles, so at the first of which is the “atmospheric, explosive” about conducting sungė pieces, and among moment, I may not be able to attend every- Fires, written by a contemporary composer the things we can expect to see under her thing I would really love to. However, once I from her native Lithuania and set to be per- leadership is an increased emphasis on have seen through my contracts to the end of formed in Birmingham in mid-November. opera and choral music. their final year, I will be completely dedi- “The composer, Raminta Šerkšynt , was “We have quite a few ideas which we will be cated to CBSO with a full force, so I'm excited originally commissioned to write aė piece to mainly looking at starting in 2017-18, the sea- about experiencing more in future seasons.” be played before Beethoven's 5th Symphony son after this one, but for the coming season by the Bavarian Symphony Orchestra. At we will be putting on Idomenio in concert, first, she had trouble, because it had never which, of all Mozart's operas, is the chorus been her style to use music or even intona- opera. It has so many wonderful numbers for Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla's welcoming concert tions by other composers, and she almost re- the chorus and all the different characters, so is at Symphony Hall on Friday 26 August. fused the job, but eventually she created it will be a huge pleasure to work on it with The CBSO's full 2016-17 season Fires, which became a kind of story of the the choir led by Simon Halsey.” programme is now available to view online. birth of the Destiny motif (the famous open- Elsewhere, she'll be looking to explore the ing notes of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, often
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Festivals
Shrewsbury Folk Festival West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury, Fri 26 - Mon 29 August A key date in any folk fan's calendar, this four-day festi- val takes place in the picturesque, historical town of Shrewsbury, where the West Midlands meets the Welsh and North West borders - the perfect setting for a festival focused on unearthing music from a range of folk tradi- tions. Just don't be fooled into thinking it's all old-fash- ioned: as medieval instruments meet modern tastes and global grassroots cultures collide in dynamic fusion styles, folk is fast becoming one of today’s most innova- tive musical genres. Conveniently coinciding with the bank holiday weekend, Shrewsbury Folk offers some- thing for all the family, with dancing, music workshops and children's activities alongside the main acts. It's also been known to broadcast performances live online, so even those at home can join the fun. Line-up includes: Eliza Carthy & the Wayward Band, The Levellers, Show of Hands, Treacherous Orchestra, The Wilsons, Lady Maisery, Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, The Will Pound Band, A Day's Work (a folk opera by Mick Ryan) and Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack & Andy Fairweather Low
Rosanne Cash
Lakefest Brecon Jazz Weekend Sunshine Festival Fish Meadow, Upton-upon-Severn, Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire, Various venues, Brecon Town Centre, Worcestershire, Fri 26 - Sun 28 August Thurs 11 - Sun 14 August Powys, Fri 12 - Sun 14 August Taking place during the August bank holiday Priding itself on putting family first and Celebrating 33 years in 2016, Brecon weekend, this multi-stage, family-friendly treating its guests like royalty, Lakefest's Jazz reinvents itself with a smaller- festival brings big-name pop acts and retro story began five years ago with a giant cider scale, more collaborative and commu- favourites together with family fun and fancy festival at Croft Farm Waterpark. The music nity-led approach. Transforming past dress. Tribute bands take to the Sunflower side of things has since expanded massively, difficulties into a platform for positive Stage, alongside pop favourites, comedy acts though it still retains its friendly, hippie, change, the festival re-emerges as and more on the Main and Variety Stages. West Country vibe. This year, the festival strong as ever with the proud support Brand new for 2016 is the Little Sunshine relocates to Herefordshire's beautiful Eastnor of various local partners and organi- Stage, hosting kids' disco and karaoke ses- Castle with an impressive and varied line-up, sations. Expect an exciting mix of sions. This year's optional costume themes ranging from popular indie bands to an headline performers and emerging are ‘glam rock’, ‘tribute’ and ‘tartan’, on eclectic mix of smaller acts. There'll also be a acts, social and folk activities, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively. ton of fun activities for the kids. workshops, with indoor and outdoor Full-on fun and silliness guaranteed. venues hosting fantastic line-ups Line-up includes: 3 Daft Monkeys, Primal curated by the Brecon Jazz Club. Line-up includes: Nazareth, MUD, Hello, The Scream, We Are Scientists, Molotov Jukebox, There'll also be film screenings and a Magoos, Midge Ure, Fine Young Cannibals, Cast, Starsailor, Afro Celt Soundsystem, Big special exhibition on Women in Jazz. Bad Manners, T'Pau, Black Lace, Mari Country, The Coral, Newton Faulkner, Nahko Wilson, Bay City Rollers, Sister Sledge & and Medicine for the People, Roving Crows, Line-up includes: Teddy Smith Big Beverley Craven Granny's Attic Band, Tina May & Wales Latin Jazz Ensemble, Brownfield Byrne Quintet with Trish Clowes, Trefor Owen Quartet & Megan Thomas, Geoff Eales, Smooth Celtic Jazz, Ashley John-Long & Friends and a film and exhibition on women in jazz
Molotov Jukebox Midge Ure
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Festivals
Line-up includes: Rihanna, Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Sia, Faithless, Kaiser Chiefs, Bastille, Little Mix, Jess Glynne, Jake Bugg, Years & Years, Rita Ora, Katy B, Tinie Tempah, James Morrison, Craig David's TS5, Travis, Tom Odell, Halsey, Sigma, All Saints, Lethal Bizzle, Rick Astley, Soul II Soul, Lightning Seeds, Corinne Bailey Ray, Laura Mvula and Annie Mac. Comedy line-up includes: Bill Bailey, Adam Hills, Josh Widdicombe, Sara Pascoe and Katherine Ryan
Rihanna Justin Bieber
V Festival forward the idea of playing in two outdoor venues over two days, V Festival is unique in Weston Park, Staffordshire, Sat 20 - Sun 21 August taking place in two separate locations simul- taneously. Chart-topping acts of all genres, Among the UK's best-known music events, along with a host of comedy talent, take to Virgin's V Festival brings together world- stages in Staffordshire and Chelmsford, visit- class performers in two beautiful parks for ing one on Saturday and the other on one epic cross-country weekend. Born in Sunday. Katherine Ryan 1996 when Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker put
The Green Man Festival Music Line-up Includes: Belle & Sebastian, Line-up includes: The Festival Orchestra (dir. James Blake, Laura Marling, Wild Beasts, Keith Nichols), Richard Leach's 7 Stars of Glanusk Park, Powys, Wales, Grandaddy, Warpaint, Lush, White Denim, Jazz, Ivory & Gold, JB Jazz & Blues, Jeff Thurs 18 - Sun 21 August Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Barnhart's Tribute to Fats Waller, Andy Tindersticks, Battles, The Unthanks, Cate Le Legget & Chris Pearce's Sopranos, Bon and Charlotte Church's Late Night Pop Magnificent 7, Remi Harris Trio with Alan Dungeon Barnes, TJ Johnson Band and the Worcester Youth Jazz Orchestra Comedy Line-up includes: The Horne Section, John Shuttleworth, Ivo Graham, David Trent, Rob Deering and Angela Barnes Beermageddon Films include: A Bigger Splash, High-Rise, Stoke Prior Country Club, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, Fri 26 - Sun 28 August Inside Out, Fantastic Planet, Janis: Little Girl Blue, Metropolis (with live piano score from Billed as the best-kept secret in British metal, Belle & Sebastian Dmytro Morykit), Where You're Meant To Be Beermageddon returns after four successive (+ Aidan Moffat solo show), Green Room, sold-out years to showcase the rising stars of Now in its 14th year, Wales' largest music Expresso Bongo and The Man Who Fell To the UK's alternative music scene. The music and arts festival has established a strong rep- Earth might be hard and heavy, but the set-up is utation for its ethical, independent business comfortable and civilised, with indoor stages model and quality line-ups. Over the years, and facilities, hot food, affordable beers and Green Man has picked up a whole host of Pershore Jazz Festival free entry for under-14s with any paying accolades, including an Outstanding Pershore College, Avonbank, Pershore, adult. Achievement Award for its director, Fiona Worcestershire, Fri 19 - Sun 21 August Line-up includes: Gehtika, Def-Con-One, Stewart. Dubbed one of Britain's top 50 Evolving from humble beginnings to gain coolest brands in 2013/14, Green Man shines Annihilated, Eradikator, Kambrium, Solitary, renown across the UK jazz scene, Pershore Garganjua, Demons of Old Metal, Cambion, a spotlight on folk, world, indie, electronic College's annual jazz festival showcases for- and psychedelic music, lending it a hippie Old Corpse Road, Outright Resistance and midable musical talent on local, national The Dead XIII vibe in keeping with its folkloric name. In and even international levels. Though the addition to the main music line-up, there's Club tends to err on the side of the tradition- also literature, film, comedy, theatre, al, young musicians and audiences are ceilidhs, all-night bonfires and secret gigs, encouraged to come along and share fresh all surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of ideas about the future of jazz. A friendly, not- the Brecon Beacons. for-profit event run by a passionate and dedi- cated team.
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Festivals
ravers, experimenters and anyone looking for music to move to, this 12-stage event has previously earned the title of the UK's best dance festival. Music line-up includes: Chase & Status, Calvin Harris, Annie Mac, Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Eric Prydz, Pete Tong, Gorgon City, Above & Beyond, AVICII, Andy C, Wilkinson, Alesso, Knife Party, Robin Schulz, Kurupt FM, DJ EZ, Mistajam, Charlie Sloth, Axwell & Ingrosso and DVBBS
Chase & Status Creamfields energy of Cream's Liverpool club nights on the wide open space of Halton's Daresbury Daresbury Estate, Halton, Cheshire, Estate. Originally held at Winchester's Thurs 25 - Sun 28 August Matterley Bowl, Creamfields has gone on to A hedonistic four-day dance party packed become a huge, international phenomenon, full of cutting-edge live acts and world-class spawning events in multiple countries DJs, Creamfields lets loose the relentless around the world. Made for the trailblazers, Annie Mac
Towersey Festival Second, Nell Bryden, Nizlopi, Andy Kershaw, Fine Young Cannibals) and Toots & the 9Bach, Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Maytals. Thame, Oxfordshire, Fri 26 - Mon 29 August Lynched, Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, The Young'uns and Brighde Chaimbeul
The Big Feastival Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, Fri 26 - Sun 28 August Taking place on the idyllic Cotswold farm Roisin Murphy owned by Blur's Alex James, The Big Feastival gets its name from its focus com- The Young’uns bining great food with great music. Co-run Chefs include: Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge, by Jamie Oliver, the festival boasts an entic- Raymond Blanc, Thomasina Miers, Gizzi Billed as the original independent festival, ing array of feasts and banquets, cooking Erskine, Nadiya Hussain, Cyrus Todiwala, Towersey began as a single-day village event and healthy-eating workshops, delicious Nathan Outlaw, Olia Hercules, Gennaro in 1965. Folk music and folk movements go street food, market stalls, boutique bars, a Contaldo, Ashley Palmer-Watts, Neil right to its roots: in the ’60s, the village came ‘cheese hub’, hands-on kids' activities and Borthwick, DJ BBQ, Fabulous Baker Brothers together to purchase a field from a family of demonstrations, and Q&A sessions from sev- and The Skinny Jean Gardeners. wealthy landowners nearby, raising funds to eral world-class chefs. In addition to big- drain, plough and reseed the area. Today, name music acts, the entertainment also Towersey has built a reputation as a major includes performances from kids’ TV stars folk festival, attracting some of the biggest Justin Fletcher and Dick ’n’ Dom, a ‘family names in the genre. In honour of its origins, Olympics’, vintage funfair, farm park, a part of the profits are paid back into main- ‘lifestyle village’ and a range of fitness class- taining the village and its facilities, and part es in the Action Station. This is dinner and a donated to local charities. This year's event show like you've never experienced before! features multiple Radio Two Folk Award win- Line-up includes: Mark Ronson, Tinie ners, as well as some well-known indie acts. Tempah, Kaiser Chiefs, Roisin Murphy, Ella Line-up includes: Billy Bragg, Kate Rusby, Henderson, Foxes, DJ Fresh, Reef, The Midge Ure, The Wonder Stuff, Ukulele Proclaimers, Stereo MCs, Reverend & the Jamie Oliver Orchestra of Great Britain, Edward the Makers, DJ Yoda, Norman Jay, Roland Gift (of
For more festivals visit whatsonlive.co.uk 23 Corinne Bailey Rae DPS MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:25 Page 1
INTERVIEW by Lauren Foster
CORINNE BAILEY RAE Lauren Foster chats to the Grammy Award-winning singer songwriter ahead of her performance at this month’s V Festival
Your third and most recent album, The hop. Kendrick Lamar and all his crew, Ka- Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena. We also Heart Speaks In Whispers, is your first masi Washington, Flying Lotus - they’re all played at the Eden Project down in Cornwall collection of new material for six years. out of that particular part of LA, so it was re- and lots of rugby stadiums. It was amazing Why have we had to wait so long? ally nice to be there. We went over there for to play outdoors and indoors in these huge It was a really long process because I was seven weeks and ended up staying for seven places and really feel like you have to try producing it myself. I really wanted to get months, just because it was so productive and capture the room. It was a really good the songs right, and I built a studio myself and creative and so much fun. trial for me because everyone’s there to see in Leeds too, and that took a long time. I re- Lionel Richie, but it was great because I think his audience were open to whatever ally wanted to work somewhere where I Can you see yourself moving to LA was going to happen. I signed my record in could be independent and do it whenever I permanently? felt like it; that was really important. I was the break and there would always be 100 I really like moving around quite a lot. I feel just making the right conditions. people waiting to have their copy of the like being a nomad, you know? I’ve recently album signed - that was always really amaz- found out what ‘nomad’ actually means, ing and I really enjoyed that experience. How does the album differ from your and it doesn’t mean just wandering from Also, hanging out with Lionel - he’s a really previous two? place to place aimlessly. It means you visit fun person, a really fun character with a lot It’s different because it’s quite an experi- known homes. I feel like we have a few of great stories. mental record; it’s really joyous. I was using known places we can go to where we feel re- quite a lot of subconscious ideas - it all just ally at home. I love being at home in the UK, Your first headline show for over five came to me in a really natural way. I would but I also loved spending time in LA, I love years sold out in less than 60 minutes. sit and play my guitar and see what hap- spending time in New York, I love being in Were you expecting such a great re- pened. I made a lot of it in my studio in Jamaica - and I’m very happy to keep on a sponse? Leeds, but then we went over to Capital circuit around those places. Thankfully, Records in LA. It was really amazing to work through touring, you end up doing exactly No, I wasn’t actually. It was amazing. I think with some of my heroes, like James Gadson - that. the New York show went in 10 minutes and who used to play with Bill Withers and Mar- everything else went really fast. We deliber- ately did an intimate tour of the US when vin Gaye - and Pino Palladino, who played You’ve just finished supporting Lionel the album first came out, and that was so re- with D’Angelo. There were lots of musicians Richie on his All The Hits UK tour. How warding for me. People would stay after the around that scene who I really wanted to was that experience for you? hook up with, but I also wanted to meet new show to say hi. At one of the gigs, I think the It was amazing. The main thing for me was people like Moses Sumney and Thundercat. entire audience stayed. There were a lot of playing in these huge venues that I’ve never There’s a really amazing scene in LA; it’s really young people who’d liked me in 2006 played in before, like the O2 Arena and kind of underground, electronic, soul, hip- when they were seven or something and
24 whatsonlive.co.uk Corinne Bailey Rae DPS MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:25 Page 2
their mum had got them into me. They used same. I quite like playing a festival because It’s funny because Helen was always an to listen to me on the way to school and stuff. you feel like you’ve got something to prove. indie, noisy band but also had really soulful I really loved that tour. People might be wandering past who don’t songs. I wrote Like A Star when I was in necessarily know who they’re listening to, Helen and we used to play that song. I liked and you get a chance to show those people Radiohead and Portishead, and I liked If you could collaborate with anyone in what you’re about, which is always a really dreamy, soulful music but also aggressive the industry - dead or alive - who would it good thing. drums. So we always tried to match those be? two things. I guess I got more into soul The people who’ve gone before. I really like music when I started working in a jazz club Has singing been a passion from a young Prince and got to spend a good bit of time while I was at university. I loved hearing age? with him when we were touring. He was a re- that kind of harmony and finding that sub- ally good supporter. We met up in Abu Dhabi I always loved singing but I never felt I could tlety. I guess to cut through loud electric gui- and went back to his hotel room and hung sing. I was brought up in a school where the tars I’d always had this shouty, loud kind of out for hours, ending up having breakfast music education was really quite conserva- style, but it was nice to be able to sing qui- there the next morning. That was a really tive. It was all about singing Andrew Lloyd etly and more conversationally. We were nice time with him. I love Marvin Gaye too; I Webber songs. It had the type of choir where recording in a basement underneath an art think he’s got an incredible voice. I would’ve everyone has an angelic voice. I never felt my shop, so I couldn’t have a whole band pile in loved to have done some work with him. I’ve voice fitted into that. I’d always felt that I had there. So I guess that’s why it turned out been really lucky, though. I got to perform more texture to my voice, and I felt like I more mellow, because a lot of the time it with Al Green on a record, and I was on a couldn’t sing really high like that. Two things would be just me and my guitar. Herbie Hancock record doing a Joni Mitchell opened me up to the idea that there are lots song. I feel like I’ve been really lucky to have of different types of voice. One was getting worked with some of my heroes. I performed into Billy Holiday, the other was hearing Kurt And finally, what does the future hold for with Paul McCartney at an event at the White Cobain sing. That’s what got me into believ- Corinne Bailey Rae? House, did a tribute to him and it got ing in my own voice. I really want to write some music for film, do recorded. And we did a tribute to Fats more writing for TV, do more records and Domino when we were in New Orleans. So I guest on people’s songs. I’ve been sent quite Who were your musical influences grow- feel really lucky that music has brought me a few things since the record came out. It’s ing up? face-to-face with so many of the people I’ve nice when people who have a completely admired for a long time. I loved Nirvana, Radiohead, Bjork, Erykah different style like my voice or whatever. Badu, Portishead - they were really big influ- That’s been a good thing in the past few ences on me. I guess it was that early ’90s weeks - just thinking about which of those You’re playing V Festival this month. Do music which I felt was really independent - projects I’m going to do. I’d love to be in a you prefer playing to audiences of that stuff like Tori Amos and PJ Harvey. The alter- film doing some singing - that would be size or doing smaller, more intimate native became the mainstream. It was a re- amazing - and I’d like to write more stuff. shows? ally exciting time because it meant people I’m going to be touring for the next 12 I like them all, I really like them all. I love in- who were kids who weren’t just cool and on months - South East Asia, Europe, Latin timate shows, where it’s 500 people and you cool blogs and whatever would be exposed America. I’m really looking forward to that. can see everyone. You feel like you’re all in it to this unusual music. That was a really together. Someone can shout out a song and good time to grow up. it can totally change the environment, Corinne Bailey Rae plays V Festival at change the feeling of the place. I also like Weston Park, Staffordshire on Saturday You formed indie group Helen before you playing at festivals. We played Glastonbury, 20 August and brings her headline tour began working on solo material. Was and it’s amazing when it’s going well. You to the O2 Institute, Birmingham, there any reason why you decided to see more and more people arriving where the on Friday 4 November. steer towards a soulful sound? music is. Hopefully V Festival will be the
‘‘ I feel really lucky that my music has brought me face-to-face with so many people I’ve admired for a long time. ”
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Comedy
Sarah Millican: Outsider Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Mon 29 - Tues 30 August One of the brightest comedians around, Sarah Millican enjoyed a sell-out success with her very first tour, with bums on all available seats on no fewer than 120 laughter-filled nights. It almost goes without saying that she’s not looked back since. She returns to the Midlands with touring show Outside, in which she focuses on her recent switch from town to country liv- ing. Out on the road since last year and the recipient of plenty of positive reviews, the show is awash with Millican’s trademark smut and flatulence gags, ensur- ing her long-term admirers get exactly the sort of evening they’ve come to expect from her.
Three of the best...
Josh Widdicombe Jarred Dana Alexander Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, Fri 5 August; Christmas The Comedy Loft, Birmingham, Palace Theatre, Redditch, Thurs 23 August; Fri 5 - Sat 6 August Evesham Arts Centre, Fri 26 August Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, Tomboy comedian Dana Alexander was once Peddling a nice line in exasperated, self-dep- Wed 17 August; The billed as the only black female comic on the recating humour when performing live, Glee Club, Birmingham, Canadian comedy circuit. Now she’s here in Thurs 18 - Sat 20 Devon-born funnyman Josh Widdicombe fan- August the UK, peddling an outspoken, irreverent cies himself the Speedy Gonzales of the com- and ballsy style of humour that’s often Kiwi comedian Jarred edy circuit, pumping out well-crafted gags at inspired by her diverse lifestyle, her gay Christmas is delighted with the warm recep- the kind of pace you'd maybe expect from a friends and her crazy Jamaican family. tion he receives from UK audiences. “I think man who's worried he might miss the last When it comes to the delivery of material not it’s the charming and ‘sixy’ New Zealand bus home. He’s become an extremely famil- directly connected to Dana’s own life, how- accent that does it,” he jokes. “I think Brits iar face thanks to TV shows like Mock The ever, there’s plenty of room for improvement, are also great at laughing at themselves, so Week and looks set to score a significant hit both in terms of the content and her style of don’t mind Johnny Foreigner making jokes with comedy-loving audiences for many a presentation. If she can work out how better about British stuff. In fact, they seem to love year to come. to engage with this more general subject it.” Jarred is joined for this Shrewsbury gig Josh visits the Midlands this month as part of matter, there’s every chance she could quick- by fellow funnyman Andrew Bird. Resident the second leg of a national tour. ly become one of the UK comedy scene’s host Mark Olver comperes - and as a com- most cutting-edge performers. pere himself, Jarred has some hard-hitting views about the business of being an MC. “A lot of comperes just don’t get it,” he observes. “They seem to forget that, along with keeping the show moving and warming up the audience, they still have to be funny. If they’re not funny, then they should get the **** off the stage.” Best gags at the ready, then, Mr Olver...
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Kerry Godliman
You may remember comedian and actress Kerry Godliman from such TV shows as Ricky Gervais’ Derek (where she played ultra-caring care worker Hannah), Miranda, Our Girl and Extras. She’s also had her own Radio Four show, Kerry’s List. Like a breath of fresh, post-summer air, Kerry will be bringing her rapier wit to October’s BIrmingham Comedy Festival. What’s On caught up with her as she pre- pared to head out on tour...
Kerry Godliman’s new touring show, Stick Or Twist, zeroes in on why people take certain decisions and make particular choices - baby jokes with nostalgia. As they grow up, Donald Trump (“it’s like they’ve got especially when it comes to that potentially your material also changes with them.” Yosemite Sam to lead the Republican life-transforming (or ruining) moment when And so in Stick Or Twist, Kerry will reflect Party”); she’s confused about the TV shows they start to think about moving house, city on why she’s kept her own children’s baby that get made over others which only reach or country. teeth in a box. “I didn’t keep them on pur- pilot episode stage (she’s been there); and she’s also quite befuddled by the modern “I was prompted by whether I should move pose, I just did the tooth fairy thing and teaching methods that enter her home now out of London with my family,” explains threw them in a box which I then stumbled that she has school-age offspring: “I’m Kerry, “but it opens up beyond that to why upon recently and thought, ‘What am I bewildered about my children’s homework. people live where they live: some people going to do with that?’ I mean, they’re just Phonics bewilders me, but that’s how they choose it, others are forced to stay where teeth at the bottom of a box, which is a little do it. My husband went to a phonics work- they are or forced to move. Whether I’m bit macabre and sort of voodoo. They’re shop the other day and that was bewilder- happy where I live is the 64 million dollar quite pristine. They haven’t gone rotten, ing.” question.” which I think is a measure of my good par- enting. That routine is about sentimentality Bewildered or not, 2016 is proving to be a As Kerry acknowledges, this is an age where and about why we keep every memento of big year for Kerry. As well as taking a stand- we’re constantly being encouraged to con- their childhood, their hair and every birth- up show across the country (her second full sider alternatives to everything, but nowhere day card they’ve been given, and take mil- UK tour, after 2014’s Face Time), her exten- is this more prevalent than with regard to lions of photos of them. But to what end?” sive acting CV is set be enhanced with a decisions about where we permanently lay major role in Mascots, the new mockumen- our hats and put down our roots. Friendship is still an area which Kerry tary film by Christopher Guest (This Is “Generations ago, people were born some- believes provides a great source of material, Spinal Tap, Best In Show) which is sched- where and lived there and died there, particularly the ever-evolving (and occasion- uled to appear on Netflix. whereas now, people go on Rightmove on a ally warped) nature of companionship in daily basis to find out what they can get for this technologically centred age. “That’s all “I do love acting and going to work with dif- their house. It just seems as though we’re 24- changed because of social media, and the ferent people and playing in an ensemble hour consumers considering alternative way we conduct our friendships has become set-up, where you don’t have to worry about lifestyles all the time.” quite administrative. I do Twitter but I’ve the lines because someone else has written had to step away from Facebook. People just them. But when I go back to stand-up, it’s While Kerry began work on her show around know everything about everyone else now such a creative opportunity to say all the this central theme, she soon found herself and it’s killed conversation. We can’t do stuff I want to say about things like politics wandering into some familiar areas of con- exposition anymore. You can have a debate and parenting. And that’s amazing - there cern. “It was originally about considering with someone about spurious facts and then aren’t many jobs where you can just say moving and then questioning why and how somebody will google it and you suddenly exactly what you like.” where you live influences all other parts of have actual knowledge, Can’t we just mean- your life, such as your friendships and par- der around with half-knowledge?” enting choices. But it then seemed to open Part of Kerry’s stage persona is to be con- out into things that I’ve covered before. Kerry Godliman plays Artrix, Bromsgrove stantly bewildered at the stuff life throws at When you do a few shows, you do notice on Sat 8 October and The Glee Club, her. It turns out that in the real world, she’s that you revisit things. Parenting is an ongo- Birmingham (as part of the Comedy just as perplexed. For now, she’s shocked by ing subject, where you look back on your Festival) on Fri 14 October. politics and the rise of divisive figures like
For more comedy listings visit whatsonlive.co.uk 27 Theatre August New.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 12:06 Page 1
Theatre Theatre previews from around the region
Mamma Mia! Birmingham Hippodrome, until Sat 3 September This legendary show is of course a nicely contrived vehicle for the chart-topping music of 1970s Super Troupers Abba. The Swedish Fab Four scored mega-hit after mega-hit with catchy numbers like Waterloo, Dancing Queen, The Name Of The Game, The Winner Takes It All and Take A Chance On Me - all of which are present and correct in this blockbuster offering. Abba boys Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus were both involved in the devel- opment of the show, while Anni-Frid Lyngstad - she’s the dark one - con- tributed in a financial capacity. A 2008 movie version received a thumbs up from many if not most of Mamma Mia!’s adoring fans - despite former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan having been given, rather unwisely, a Licence to Sing...
The Glenn Miller Story The Old Joint Stock Theatre Company are the MavERICk talented ensemble behind this latest version New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, of the, er, flushed-with-success West End New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tues 23 - Sat 27 August musical, which made its debut off Broadway Tues 30 August - Sat 10 September in 2001. New Vic favourite Eric Smith here makes a welcome return to the stage, saddling up his horse and heading for the Wild West town of Sonia Sabri Company: Dead End Gulch. Set in the 1860s and featur- Salaam ing music from the 1960s, the show is being Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 5 August publicised as ‘the best night out you’ll have this summer’ - and there are plenty of dedi- A double bill celebrating ‘harmony, inner- cated Eric fans who’ll be only too happy to stillness and the simple bliss of being alive’, lend their support to that claim. So how Salaam (meaning ‘peace’) is the latest work about moseying on over to the New Vic an’ Ever-popular song-and-dance man Tommy from British-born dancer-choreographer findin’ out fer yerself, pardner... Steele takes top billing in this homage to leg- Sonia Sabri and her dynamic ensemble. endary band leader Glenn Miller. Sonia describes Salaam as “a response to Featuring classic numbers such as In The unrest around the world that aims to refocus Mood, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Moonlight on and reminisce about all that is good”. Murder On The Serenade and Tuxedo Junction, the show Over the years, her highly rated company has Churchill Express explores Miller’s extraordinary life and established an international reputation for Lichfield Garrick, Fri 26 - Sat 27 August career - from his two-decades’-long effort to its presentation of Kathak dance in a con- create a unique sound, through to his disap- temporary context. All aboard for any theatre lovers who enjoy pearance in mysterious circumstances over an immersive, interactive experience... the English Channel in December 1944. A classic whodunnit story is here combined with plenty of ‘fun and laughter’ as eccentric Austrian inventor Professor Kildorf is shot Urinetown The Musical while awaiting the departure of his train. The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, question is, who perpetrated this most until Sat 6 August heinous of crimes? The professor’s brainbox Social and political satire Urinetown is set in assistant, Heidi Heibrau, is one possible sus- a fictional future where water is scarce. With pect - but then so is the RAF wing command- the government having imposed a ban on all er with the peculiar limp and the bushy private toilets in order to control water con- moustache... sumption, spending a penny proves to be somewhat problematic...
28 For more theatre previews visit whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre August New.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 12:06 Page 2 Theatre August New.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 12:06 Page 3
Theatre Theatre previews from around the region
King Lear Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon- Avon, Sat 20 August - Sat 15 October Greed, betrayal, cruelty and lust for power combine to make King Lear one of the most deeply moving and violent of Shakespeare's tragedies. Lear is an elderly monarch who decides to divide his kingdom between his three daughters - as long as each of them first declares their love for him. But when the loyal Cordelia fails to satisfy his demand - saying only that she has no words to describe how much she loves her father - Lear disowns her. In so doing, he sets in motion a train of events that will lead to tragic consequences for all concerned... Sir Antony Sher makes a welcome return to Stratford to take the title role. The RSC’s artistic director, Gregory Doran, is the man at the helm.
Much Ado About Nothing Present Laughter Fast Woman Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 6 August Malvern Theatre, Mon 15 - Sat 20 August Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sat 13 August Much Ado About Womaniser, idol and suavely sophisti- Nude photographic model, dancer at the Nothing revolves cated theatrical Gary Essendine lives in Casino de Paris, enthusiastic downhill skier around the stum- a world of hopeful actors, star-struck and convention-busting Grand Prix motor bling romance teenagers and adoring fans. His antics racing driver - Helle Nice was no ordinary between Benedick and casual love affairs require the most woman. Roaring her way through the and Beatrice. delicate handling by his manager and Roaring 20s, Helle lived life in the fast lane, Their liaison is secretary - and although he pretends to augmenting her aforementioned activities strewn with diffi- be harassed to the brink of a nervous with numerous other daredevil undertak- culties - not least among which is an unwill- breakdown, he secretly welcomes the ings, including high-wire acts, mountaineer- ingness on the part of either to admit a liking adulation... ing and speed-record attempts. for the other... RSC actor Samuel West stars alongside Sandra Hunt is joined for this celebration of Not that the plot of Much Ado is likely to be Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan in this a truly remarkable 20th century woman by overly important in this particular produc- stylish Noel Coward offering, directed Fine Time Fontayne, who accompanies on tion, given that it’s zany funsters Madcap by Stephen Unwin. acoustic guitar to evoke a sense of France Theatre who’re at the helm! Expect plenty of between the wars. mayhem and laughter from this Bromsgrove- based ensemble. Joanne The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Loserville: A New Musical Thurs 11 - Fri 12 August Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Clean Break, the company behind this hour- Wed 10 - Sat 13 August long collection of monologues, have spent Co-written by Busted and Son Of Dork star the last 37 years working with women in James Bourne, first performed in 2009 and prison and exploring issues connected to set in 1971, Loserville tells the story of com- crime and justice... puter geek Michael Dork and his science fic- One of the company’s two current produc- tion-obsessed friends and social misfits tions, Joanne debuted to critical acclaim last Lucas, Francis and Marvin. Between the four year. The title character is absent from pro- of them, they’ve hatched a plan to change ceedings. The five monologues, written by the course of history, fashion and dating - five writers, are given by female characters particularly the dating... who’ve had a brief involvement with Joanne. This new version of Loserville is the product In so doing, they’ve profoundly shaped the of this year’s Stafford Gatehouse summer vulnerable young woman’s destiny... Olivier school. It’s being presented by young per- Award-nominated Tanya Moodie stars in this formers between the ages of seven and 21. thought-provoking one-woman show.
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Theatre for younger audiences...
Big Wooden Horse Peter Pan In Scarlet LazyTown Live
Big Wooden Horse Peter Pan In Scarlet LazyTown Live mac, Birmingham, Sun 21 August New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, The Core, Solihull, Fri 5 August; Regent until Sat 6 August Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 6 - Mon 8 August Having created a whole world of whacky This brand new show looks sure to be a inventions and incredible monsters, young Second star to the right and straight on till major hit with its young audience, blending inventor Monty doesn’t know what to do with morning, that's the way to Neverland. But laugh-out-loud fun and plenty of singalong them all... Wendy and the Lost Boys could certainly be songs with not a little dancing in the aisles. The creators of Aliens Love Underpants make forgiven if they’d forgotten how to reach the When the pink-haired Stephanie arrives in a welcome return with this brand new and magical island, given that it’s been 20 long LazyTown, it isn’t long before she meets the ‘monster-ously good show’, which comes years since their adventures with the boy world’s laziest super-villain, Robbie Rotten, complete with original music and plenty of who wouldn't grow up. When they suddenly and slightly-above-average hero Sportacus, audience participation. find their dreams being infiltrated by visions of pirates, mermaids, fairies and crocodiles, who somehow always manages to save the they realise that something is terribly wrong day... The Smartest Giant and that Peter Pan is in urgent need of their help... In Town This official sequel to JM Barrie’s classic Hairy Maclary & Friends Biddulph Grange Garden, Staffordshire, Sat 6 story was written by three-time Whitbread Artrix, Bromsgrove, Thurs 4 August August; Martineau Gardens, Birmingham, Wed Children’s Book Award winner Geraldine Music and singing lie at the heart of this feel- 10 August; Bishops Wood Garden Centre, Thurs 11 August; Wightwick Manor, McCaughrean. It’s been adapted for the stage good show that’s based around the famous Wolverhampton, Sat 13 August by the New Vic’s Theresa Heskins. character of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's The wise old owls at Folksy Theatre know a Dairy. It features numerous much-loved char- smart move when they come across one - acters from the Hairy Maclary universe, and presenting a stage adaptation of a Julia Ratburger including Hercules Morse, as big as a horse; Donaldson book is just about as clever as a Shugborough Historic Working Estate, Bottomley Potts, covered in spots; Schnitzel theatre company can be when it comes to Staffordshire, Thurs 11 August; St John’s von Krumm, with the very low tum; and House Museum, Warwick, Tues 16 August attracting a young audience. Scarface Claw, the toughest tomcat in town. Donaldson’s Smartest Giant, George, decides Although Heartbreak Productions are per- Nonsense Room Productions are the ensem- his scruffy days are a thing of the past and haps best known for their outdoor presenta- ble behind this highly recommended presen- buys himself some oversized clothes. But tions of Shakespeare plays, the company also tation. when he encounters various animals need- tours a selection of other stage works, one of ing his assistance - and, more particularly, which is this brand new adaptation of David his newly purchased items of clothing - Walliams’ 2012 bestseller. Heartbreak have George soon realises that it isn’t clothes that impressive form when it comes to Walliams’ maketh the giant but rather a gargantuan work, having last year presented a critically sense of generosity and a colossal warm acclaimed, under-the-stars version of his heart... massively popular Mr Stink - so it’s fair to assume this latest offering will also be of the very highest quality. For those unfamiliar with the story, it follows the adventures of a 12-year-old girl named Zoe as she attempts to keep both herself and her pet rat safe from the ever-menacing Burt of Burt’s Burgers. The show is suitable for children aged seven and older.
For full theatre listings, visit whatsonlive.co.uk
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whatsonlive.co.uk 33 Film August - GROUP.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:23 Page 1
To enter all competitions go to whatsonlive.co.uk
Win!
Tickets to the Shrewsbury Tickets to The Two Noble Family day ticket to Flower Show + Meet the Artists Kinsmen Solihull Summer Fest
Closes Friday 5 August Closes Wednesday 10 August Closes Wednesday 17 August
Tickets to Prison Escape at Tickets to Summer Nights Tickets to Daniel Koek The Dana Prison, Shrewsbury Film Festival ‘My West End Story'
Closes Friday 19 August Closes Thursday 1 September Closes Friday 2 September
Tickets to Sister Act Tickets to That'll Be The Day! Tickets to Bowie Experience
Closes Friday 2 September Closes Monday 5 September Closes Wednesday 7 September
Tickets to The Three Degrees at Tickets to Jimmy Osmond Tickets to The Shawshank The Old Rep and his band Redemption
Closes Monday 12 September Closes Monday 19 September Closes Monday 21 September
To enter all competitions go to whatsonlive.co.uk also follow us on Twitter for more great competitions
34 whatsonlive.co.uk Film August - GROUP.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 16:23 Page 2
Film
Suicide Squad CERT 15 (123 mins) Starring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Cara Delevingne, Ben Affleck, Common Directed by David Ayer (USA) Comic-book fans have been waiting way too long for this. But here it is, with Will Smith heading an all-star cast as the masterful marksman Deadshot. For those in the not-know, this is the third instal- ment in the so-called DC Extended Universe in which superheroes of various stripes share the big screen. Viewers will be familiar with The Joker, here played by the rock star and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto, and with Batman, courtesy of Ben Affleck. They’re all actually more anti-heroic than superheroes and have been granted clemency should they muster their awesome black-op abili- ties to combat an unknown menace threatening the very future of the planet. We’re particularly looking forward to Margot Robbie’s psychotic Harley Quinn, a funny-sexy-terrifying combo. She previously starred opposite Will Smith in last year’s crime romance Focus. In 3D. Released Fri 5 August
CRITIC’S CHOICE
Film highlights released in August...
Mike And Dave Need Nerve CERT 15 (96 mins) Pete’s Dragon Wedding Dates CERT 15 (98 mins) Starring Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, CERT tbc (100 mins) Juliette Lewis, Emily Meade Directed by Starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Starring Zac Efron, Anna Kendrick, Adam Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (USA) Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Robert Redford DeVine, Aubrey Plaza, Stephen Root Directed Directed by David Lowery (USA/New Zealand) by Jake Szymanski (USA) You can’t keep a good dragon down. A Zac Efron continues the backlash against his remake of Disney’s very own film of the formerly squeaky-clean persona, this time same name of 1977, this is the tale of a young playing the outrageous Dave Strangle, who lad with a dragon for a pet. This time, has a habit of destroying family get-togeth- though, there will be no musical numbers. In ers. However, when his sister is to be married 3D. in Hawaii, their parents insist that he and his brother Mike (DeVine) find appropriate dates Released Fri 12 August for the occasion. So they advertise them- selves on television… Nerve is what you need to play the Released Wed 10 August Internet game of the same name, a sort of ‘truth or dare’ without the truth. The film suggests that the world is divided between ‘watchers’ and ‘players’ and baits the gullible with financial rewards. But once you start to play… A clean cinematic leap from last year’s Unfriended to David Fincher’s The Game (1997), Nerve is a slick, kinetic exploration of the dangers of and addiction to the World Wide Web. Hang on to your mobiles. Released Thurs 11 August
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Film
The Shallows CERT 15 (86 mins) Starring Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Brett Cullen Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (USA) Just when you thought it was safe… A surfer on a secluded beach in Mexico finds herself the prey of a great white shark, even though she is only 200 yards from the beach. From the director of House Of Wax, Orphan and Non-Stop. CRITIC’S CHOICE Released Fri 12 August
comedies with a twist, which more often Up For Love CERT 12a (98 mins) than not end up being remade by Starring Jean Dujardin, Virginie Efira, Hollywood. The difference here is that Cédric Kahn Directed by Laurent Tirard (France/Belgium) Laurent Tirard’s effortlessly Gallic and engaging comedy is a remake of a 2013 Following a flaming row with her ex, Argentine film. Although technically a Diane Duchêne (Efira) leaves her phone romcom, Up For Love is more than just behind at a restaurant. Not long after- touching and funny, although it is cer- wards a stranger rings her at her apart- tainly both those things. Ultimately, ment and, with a bit of coaxing, per- though, it is about prejudice, in whatever suades her to meet for lunch the follow- form it occurs, and in spite of his enor- ing day. Not knowing what to expect, mous success, Dujardin’s Alexandre does Diane is more surprised than she could have his shortcomings - but only because have imagined: the man who rescued her of the preconceptions of other people. phone (Dujardin) is suave, charming, It’s a small film, but an enchanting, witty funny, handsome and fabulously and poignant one. wealthy. And 4’7”… The French have a habit of producing delightful romantic Released Fri 5 August
Wiener-Dog CERT tbc (90 mins) David Brent: Life On Starring Ellen Burstyn, Kieran Culkin, Julie The Road CERT 15 (96 mins) Delpy, Danny DeVito, Greta Gerwig, Tracy Letts Directed by Todd Solondz (USA) Starring Ricky Gervais, Doc Brown, Andy Burrows, Tom Basden, Nina Sosanya Taking the template of François Girard’s Directed by Ricky Gervais (UK) remarkable film The Red Violin (1998) - in David Brent, you will remember, is the char- which a violin passed through innumerable acter that Ricky Gervais played in the mocku- hands explored the diversity of mankind - mentary sitcom The Office (2001-7). Now, 15 Todd Solondz has replaced the fiddle with a years later, Brent fancies himself a rock star dachshund, or wiener-dog. Here, though, the and is followed up and down the country by pooch’s ‘owners’ are all rather dysfunctional a camera crew. However, Brent’s delusions of and are dramatically changed by the tenure grandeur sit uneasily in the real world… of the dog. Released Fri 19 August Released Fri 12 August Nine Lives CERT 12a (87 mins) Starring Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Walken, Malina Weissman, Cheryl Hines Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (France/China) Like so many workaholics, business tycoon Tom Brand (Kevin Spacey) has put his work before his family. So, when’s he turned into a cat, he has to reconcile with his young daughter before he can think about being human again. The director previously brought us The Addams Family, Get Shorty and Men In Black. Released Wed 17 August
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Film releases in August
Lights Out CERT 15 (81 mins) The Purge: Election Year Starring Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Billy CERT tbc (90 mins) Burke, Maria Bello Directed by David F Sandberg (USA) Starring Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson After lights out, the dark takes on an entirely Directed by James DeMonaco (USA) more menacing aspect. Having believed that When did The Purge become a trilogy? When she has rid herself of a supernatural entity the first film grossed almost $90million (on a that once haunted her, Rebecca (Palmer) dis- budget of $3m). The original was certainly covers that the ‘being’ is now picking on her one of the most disturbing and frightening little brother. Based on David F Sandberg’s Hell Or High Water films of 2013, and now comes the supposed CERT tbc (102 mins) short film of the same name. conclusion to the franchise (but we’ll see Released Fri 19 August Starring Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben how much money it makes, first). There is a Foster, Gil Birmingham Directed by David Mackenzie (USA) presidential election afoot and the front-run- ner (Mitchell) is seeking to abolish the Purge, Chris Pine has already been through the one night of the year when killing is hell and high water this year (in the endorsed by the government. waterlogged Finest Hours), but here the title proves to be a little more Released Fri 26 August metaphorical. He plays a Texan farmer whose business is facing foreclosure, so he and his brother, an ex-con, set about acquiring some major cash by somewhat unorthodox means. Swallows And Amazons Released Fri 26 August CERT tbc Starring Rafe Spall, Andrew Scott, Kelly Macdonald, Jessica Hynes, Harry Enfield Mechanic: Resurrection Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe (UK) CERT tbc Can’t remember the last time we had a remake, but this one goes back to Arthur Starring Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh, Sam Ransome’s original 1930 book about a child- Hazeldine hood summer in the Lake District, last filmed Directed by Dennis Gansel (USA) in 1974. Two groups of children - in their Jason Statham, 48, has been no slouch dinghies Amazon and Swallow - play pirates when it comes to sequels and here he in between the camping and fishing trips. resurrects his role as Arthur Bishop, an Let’s just hope the new film retains the old assassin who disguises his hits as acci- innocence and nostalgia. dents. Although now retired, he’s War Dogs CERT tbc (120 mins) Released Fri 19 August forced to go back into business when Starring Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, his girlfriend is kidnapped. Bradley Cooper Filmed in Thailand, Bulgaria, Brazil Directed by Todd Phillips (USA) and Australia. From the director of The Hangover films, this Released Fri 26 August is the true story of David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, two arms dealers who were given $300million by the US government to pro- vide weapons for the country’s allies in Popstar: Never Stop Afghanistan. You couldn’t make it up. Never Stopping Released Fri 26 August CERT 15 (87 mins) Bad Moms CERT tbc Starring Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Starring Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Jorma Taccone, Sarah Silverman, Tim Hahn, Annie Mumolo, Jada Pinkett Smith, Meadows, Imogen Poots Christina Applegate Directed by Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (USA) Taccone (USA) We’ve had bad teachers, bad neighbours, a A musical mockumentary, Popstar fol- bad Santa and, now, Heaven forbid, some lows the privileged life of wanton mamas. When Amy Mitchell (Kunis) Conner4Real(Samberg), a singer who reaches the end of her tether, she decides to becomes quite desperate when his sec- take off with another couple of over-stressed ond album fails to make the grade. moms to find a bit of fun, freedom and fast Expect lots of star cameos. living. Could this be the mother of all come- Released Fri 26 August dies? Released Fri 26 August
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Visual Arts
Inspire 16: The Young Creatives Of Birmingham Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, until Sat 17 September This summer showcase celebrates the diversity and creativity of local young artists. Included in the presentation are sculptural models designed by Birmingham schoolchildren and a selec- tion of high-quality entries from an online youth arts competition. The show also encourages visitors to get ‘hands on’ via a dedicated programme of creative activities for youngsters. Arts masterclasses, per- formances, spoken word events, story- telling and a ‘crafty kids’ session all fea- ture. First-prize recipient Sonia Tam’s mixed media piece, Essence (pictured), is inspired by the atmosphere and textures of an old fishing village, Tai O, at her fami- ly home in Hong Kong.
Britain In The Fifties Coast Wildlife Photographer Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford, Of The Year until Sun 2 October until Sun 4 September Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Nostalgic beach scenes, atmospheric until Sun 18 September seascapes and an installation of 600 ceramic sardine tins are included in this multimedia selling exhibition inspired by and celebrat- ing ‘the coast’. Comprising paintings, photo- graphs, textiles, glass and ceramics, the dis- play features jewellery by Jasmine Bowden, metalwork by Sharon McSwiney and textiles by Jo Hill. A range of rock pool glass bowls by Loco Glass and ceramics by Rose Dickinson and Caroline Barnes are also included.
As part of an international tour spanning six Objects as diverse as a Vespa scooter and continents, this globally renowned exhibi- original illustrations for a celebrated tion arrives in Wolverhampton on loan from Ladybird book take pride of place in this the National History Museum. engaging exhibition exploring the history of Launched in 1965, Wildlife Photographer Of post-war design in Britain. The show looks at The Year is the most prestigious photography all aspects of design during the 1950s, a event of its kind, with this year's competition decade which saw the country rediscovering attracting over 42,000 entries from 96 differ- its reputation for innovation following years ent countries. of austerity and rationing. The 100 award-winning photographs will Other ’50s design items under the spotlight take visitors on a journey across seas, skies include Lucienne Day’s furnishing fabrics, and sand dunes, with shots of breathtaking Robert Welch’s cutlery, Ken Wood’s Kenwood landscapes, fascinating animal behaviour Chef, Enid Seeney’s ‘Homemaker’ ceramics and other awe-inspiring scenes from nature and Alec Issigonis’ Mini. all featuring.
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Jesse Bruton Common Culture Cabaret Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, mac, Birmingham, until Sun 11 September until Sun 11 September The public fascination with celebrity takes centre stage in this brand new One of the founding artists of Ikon, presentation by collaborative artists' group Common Culture. Featuring a Jesse Bruton took landscape - in partic- video installation specially commissioned for mac, the show combines ular the Welsh mountains and the the use of ventriloquism and impersonation to explore television viewers’ Pembrokeshire coast - as a starting appetite for the often cruel spectacle of TV talent shows. point for his highly praised abstract paintings. Created using a stringent palette of black and white, his artworks reflect his interest in “the way things work, things like valleys, rock formations and rivers”. The paintings depict the landscape in terms of how it appears when a viewer is actually passing through it on a car journey. Bruton stopped producing artwork in the early 1970s in favour of a career in picture conservation.
For more visual arts listings visit whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Flower Show MM2.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 18:16 Page 1
FEATURE
10 GREAT REASONS TO VISIT SHREWSBURY FLOWER SHOW
One of the country’s premier horticultural events, the an- taking the headline spots on the main stage. nual Shrewsbury Flower Show delivers a diverse pro- If you’ve not already checked out what Shrewsbury Flower gramme of attractions and entertainment for all the family Show has to offer this summer, here are 10 ‘blooming’ good to enjoy. This year it’s the Red Hot Chilli Pipers (Friday) reasons to add this prestigious event to your holiday list of and ’80s chart-toppers The Christians (Saturday) who’ll be places to visit...
Floral attractions Attractions for These include: the Quarry Mar- quee, featuring two floral the young arrangements designed and cre- This year’s show features an ated to mark the 90th birthday array of themed activities 1 of Her Majesty The Queen; the 4 based around Beatrix Potter Severn Marquee, packed to the and Roald Dahl, for whom rafters with vegetables, cut flowers, hanging 2016 is a special anniversary year. Mr Boom, baskets, pot plants and alpines; the Dingle Malcolm Malan and Jack the Jester all pres- Marquee, showcasing the artistic talents of ent new shows and circus workshops, while amateur exhibitors; ten Show Gardens in- David Hatfield hosts a series of children’s spired by the theme Hope & Glory; a Lecture personal account of the life, history and gar- planting sessions and workshops in which Theatre featuring talks and demonstrations dens of Sissinghurst in Kent - regarded as youngsters can decorate their own plant by experts. one of the most inspirational gardens in the pots. world. Craft Marquee From unique papercut cards and Slip Trailed Ceramics to bespoke upholstery and silk 3 clothing from France and Italy, the marquee features an impressive array of artisan crafts, with more than 66 exhibitors showcasing their wares.
Gardening Food and drink There are gastronomic delights exhibitors for all tastes and pockets at this Inspirational and passionate year’s Shrewsbury Flower broadcaster, journalist, public 5Show, with more than 30 ex- 2 speaker and teacher Sarah hibitors showcasing artisan Raven is the celebrity gardener products from across the region and further at this year’s show. afield. From sweet pies and pastries, Turkish Sarah speaks on a variety of subjects, in- Delight and Baklava to all things garlic from cluding gardening, flower arranging and the Isle of Wight, there’s plenty to tantalise cooking. She also delivers an in-depth and your tastebuds...
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Live Music Main stage acts are always a Food Exhibitors Fireworks real crowd-puller at Shrews- People flock from all over bury Flower Show. This year’s to bag a good vantage line-up features When Will I point from which to wit- 6 Be Famous winners The Red ness the skies above Hot Chilli Pipers - taking to the stage on the 8 10 Shrewsbury being lit up Friday evening - and ’80s soul sensations Celebrity chef by a magnificent py- The Christians (Ideal World, Harvest For Gizzi Erskine rotechnic display. The finale to both days’ The World and Forgotten Town), who prom- is making her activities, the firework display is regarded by ise to wow audiences on the Saturday fair share of many locals as a signal that summer is draw- evening. festival ap- ing to a close. pearances Main arena over the summer months. She stops off in Shrewsbury on both days of the show to attractions share her knowledge of the UK food scene. As always, there’s plenty of Gizzi was one of the first to back the pop-up main arena activity taking restaurant trend and has opened numerous 7 place at Shrewsbury Flower pop-ups over the past 14 years. She was also Show. Renowned for its show jumping one of the first to introduce Korean street classes, the event has in the past attracted food to the UK. big names including Tim Stockdale and Geoff Billington. Other main arena highlights include per- formances from The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment Musical Ride, an Army Shrewsbury Flower Show takes place at Section and Forge Falconry display. The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 August
Steam Locomotive A brand new attraction for 2016. Railway enthusiasts young and old can delight in the arrival of a steam engine from the Ffestin- iog and Welsh Highland Rail- 9 way. It will operate close to the river side of the Quarry site.
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Events
Insomnia58 huge exhibition hall, special guests ‘doing cool interactive content’, large-scale eSports tournaments and a wide selection of activities tai- NEC, Birmingham. Fri 26 - Sun 29 August lored to gamers of all ages. The UK’s biggest gaming festival has recently relocated to Commenting on the event, Craig Fletcher, founder and CEO of Birmingham’s NEC, having outgrown its previous home at the Ricoh Multiplay, the company which runs Insomnia, said: “The festival has Arena in Coventry. enjoyed an incredible journey in recent times. Ticket sales have Insomnia58 is a four-day, round-the-clock event ‘combining all the soared in the last four years and we’re expecting to welcome a total best bits of video-gaming’. The show features LAN gaming halls, a of over 100,000 visitors through our doors in 2016.”
Donington Classic Digital Days Spy School Motorcycle Festival Enginuity Museum, Ironbridge, The REP, Birmingham, Shropshire, Mon 1 - Thurs 18 August Mon 8 - Fri 12 August Donington Park, Derby, Fri 5 - Sun 7 August If your youngster loves James Bond, this The legendary Steve Baker makes a headline week-long event is one that they really won’t appearance at this year’s get-together, almost want to miss. 40 years after he became the first American Children between the ages of seven and 12 motorcycle racer to win a road racing world get the chance to work with professional championship (the Formula 750, on a factory theatre directors, participate in games, Yamaha in 1977). improvisations and drama workshops, and “I’m very excited to return to England and take part in a story about spies, secrets and the Donington Classic,” says Steve, who, in all things espionage. They can follow sus- that same Formula 750-winning season, also pects, bug telephones and create secret triumphed in the prestigious Daytona 200 How to use LEGO, construct a program- identities too, not to mention cut eye-holes race and finished second to Barry Sheene in mable robot and tell stories via anima- in a newspaper so that they can pretend the 500cc World Championship. “It’s like a tion are among the workshops being they’re reading when they’re actually spy- dream come true to ride at Donington and be offered in this new series of entertain- ing. All in all, then, an event that’s only a with old friends and the best racing fans in ing and educational teacher-led activi- ‘vodka martini shaken not stirred’ away the world.” ty days. There’s also the opportunity from being the full spy experience! As well as star appearances by Steve, Jim for youngsters to explore, play and dis- Redman and Steve Parrish, this year’s festi- cover the world of Minecraft within a val also features 50 races throughout the safe and secure digital environment. weekend, huge display areas, parades and Suitable for children aged between six numerous activities to keep younger mem- and 15, all workshops need to be bers of the family entertained. booked and paid for in advance. For more information, visit ironbridge.org.uk/shop
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Events
Our pick of top places to visit this Summer
Coventry Transport Museum A journey through the recently relaunched museum begins with a look at the transport industry's history and includes the chance to hop inside a Coventry-made black taxi to enjoy a video tour of the city. Visitors can then check out numer- British Showjumping National Championships ous work & leisure vehicles - including unique items like a Sky Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, be crowned. A new addition to the calendar Blues tour bus - and stop off in the Tues 9 - Sun 14 August last year and returning in 2016 is the Innovation & Future area, offering The British Showjumping National Stoneleigh Horse Show, running in conjunc- glimpses of modern car construc- Championships this month come to tion with the championships and sure once tion and a state-of-the-art driver- Warwickshire for the third time. The event is again to make a big impression. less model. one of the summer highlights on the British The event also offers plenty of competitions, Other attractions include the showjumping calendar and features the pres- indoor performances, hospitality and shop- Supersonic section - complete with tigious International Stairway League final ping opportunities for visitors to enjoy. And three simulations to enjoy - and (Sunday 14 August), at the end of which the just to make the day even more appealing, the glittering Jaguar room, the British Showjumping National Champion will entry to the show is free. bright lights and sparkling floors of which complement the gleam- ing surfaces of the new F-Type and C-X75. Art In The Park Spectacular Jephson Gardens, Royal Leamington Spa, Science Show Sat 6 - Sun 7 August The Core Theatre, Solihull, Thurs 25 August British Motor Leamington’s Art In The Park festival is Museum expected to attract in excess of 5,000 visitors The British Motor Museum, for- when it makes a welcome return this month. merly known as the Heritage The 2016 edition of the event features exhibi- Motor Centre, recently reopened tions of paintings, ceramics, textiles and following a £1.1million refurbish- sculpture, a dozen bands presenting a feast ment. The museum features an of blues, jazz and soul music, and numerous immersive display of British motor- workshops ranging from upcycling to ing history and a new Collections bespoke T-shirt designing and a pottery Centre. The centre allows members ‘throw down’. of the general public access to an Local ensemble Motionhouse perform physi- extra 250 cars from the reserve col- cal dance piece Lost, while the Pauline lections of the British Motor Quirke Academy and Stagecoach Theatre TV astronomer and author Mark Thompson is Industry Heritage Trust and the School also make contributions. the man behind this brand new show, which Jaguar Heritage Trust. As well as Commenting on the festival, organiser Carole has been designed with the very definite one of the top car collections in Sleight said: “With the range of art and activ- intention of dispelling the popular myth that the world, the museum also boasts ities on offer, we know that visitors will get a science is boring. a comprehensive archive and pic- huge amount of value from the weekend and “This is science like you’ve never seen ture library, runs education and leave with many great memories, new skills before,” says Mark. “The Spectacular Science learning programmes, and hosts and inspirational ideas.” Show explores the strange and magical prop- numerous specialist motoring erties of matter, with exploding elephant’s events, clubs and rallies through- toothpaste, vortex-generating dustbins, danc- out the year. ing paste, vanishing beakers and even exploding Pringle tubes!” The show is suitable for children aged six and older.
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more events from around the region
Our pick of top places to visit this Summer
Thinktank Thinktank science museum offers plenty for children to see and do throughout the summer holidays, from unlocking Birmingham’s industrial heritage to uncovering the secrets of the science that’s all around them - in the city, in the wild and even in their own bodies. There’s the chance to explore the outer reaches of space too, and to get to grips with innovative inven- tions and contemplate scientists’ predictions for the future. Family Night Other activities include arts & crafts and daily Planetarium Black Country Living Museum, Sat 13 August face painting and singalong songs to the museum’s cobbled streets. There’s also the shows, while Birmingham’s An evening of old-fashioned fun is on offer at chance to enjoy a birds of prey show and go ‘Spitfire story’ is recounted in the the Black Country Living Museum this month face-to-face with a variety of creepy crawlies. Spitfire Gallery. as Family Night returns. Featuring a jam- This year’s get-together celebrates the 100th New for 2016 is the Marine Worlds packed line-up of activities, the seventh anniversary of the birth of children’s author Gallery, featuring the Thinktank incarnation of this annual event brings Roald Dahl. Ichthyosaur, a giant sea monster games, Punch & Judy shows, storytellings, from the dinosaur era that’s being displayed in full for the first time. The outdoor Science Garden, meanwhile - complete with giant- Lockdown at The Dana Gypsy Wedding sized exhibits - is open daily and The Dana Prison, Shrewsbury, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Shropshire, free to enter after 3pm. Thurs 11 - Sat 13 August Sat 27 - Mon 29 August After over 200 years of service, former HM Prison Shrewsbury - or the Dana, as it’s affec- tionately known - closed its doors in 2013. Jackfield Tile Following much speculation about the build- Museum ing’s future, the cobwebs were dusted off, the Ironbridge Gorge’s popular muse- hinges oiled, and history & heritage tour um provides visitors with the company Jailhouse Tours took active posses- opportunity to learn about the his- sion of the decommissioned gaol... tory of the tile-making industry, as One of the company’s August attractions at well as to design and create a the Dana is Lockdown, a prison-based unique tile of their own. The Zombie-chase event which its organisers say venue’s attractions include the is the first of its kind in the UK (perhaps not The chance to view a traditional gypsy wed- chance to walk through an surprisingly, given its curious nature). ding is one of the highlights of a bank holi- Edwardian tube station, a pub, a The governor of the prison has lost control day weekend of entertainment at Blists Hill children's hospital ward and the and the inmates are not only revolting, Victorian Town. Visitors to the popular attrac- original gas-lit trade show room. they’re clawing, scratching and biting - them- tion can check out the elaborate gypsy wag- Visitors can also discover tile-dec- selves as well as the prison officers. Escape is ons on the Green before settling down to orating techniques, see the Craven the only option - but where are the keys to watch the recreated marriage ceremony, after Dunnill factory in operation (on the front gate? Visitors will certainly need to which they can join in with the post-wedding certain days) and enjoy an enter- get a wriggle on if they want to stay one step fun and merriment. taining and educational factory ahead of the undead... Other activities taking place at Blists Hill tour, taking place every Jailhouse Tours are keen to make it known across the weekend include candle-dipping Wednesday at 11am. that this isn’t a suitable event for anybody workshops, a lesson in the school house, a who is affected by strobe lighting, in poor ride on a horse-drawn bus and a singalong in health, has a heart condition or is unable to the pub. climb stairs and cover one mile at a brisk pace.
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more events from around the region
Events
Coventry Sky Ride Our pick of top Coventry City Centre, Sun 7 August places to visit The West Midlands’ only Sky Ride event is once again taking place in Coventry this year. this Summer Sky Ride provides participants with the chance to enjoy the experience of cycling around a traffic-free city. Attractions and activities to enjoy along this year’s Tamworth Castle route include the Extreme Mountain Bike Show, British Cycling’s Go Ride children’s obstacle course, From Norman fort to stately home quiz-show games and face painting. to 21st century museum, “We want more people to enjoy riding a bike,” says Tamworth Castle stands as a phys- Sky Ride ambassador Sir Chris Hoy. “That’s why Sky ical record of almost a millenni- and British Cycling have teamed up to bring you Sky um's worth of history. Ride. We’ve made it easier than ever to get out on The castle is currently home to your bike and spend quality time with your family unique artefacts from the and friends. Staffordshire Hoard and offers “Sky Rides close towns and cities for big bike events some fascinating insights into the so you can ride safely on traffic-free streets. With a Anglo-Saxon era from which they huge festival atmosphere and loads to do, they’re date. great fun and a great way to get on your bike.” Summer holiday visitors to the venue this month can learn about weaponry, armour and battle tac- tics from the Saxon, Medieval, There’s plenty of music to enjoy too, and ‘eye- Festival Of Quilts Tudor and English Civil War peri- swivelling’ acrobatics to (hopefully) make you ods (4 August), and about the his- NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 11 - Sun 14 August gasp - not to mention a different story every tory of toys and games, from Bringing together a unique blend of day, recounting the adventures of princes and Medieval times to the Second exhibitors, galleries, practical workshops and maidens, donkeys and roosters, enchanted World War (9 - 11 August). There’s in-depth lectures, the Festival Of Quilts is fish and forest-dwelling wild men. also a Tudor Living History Day Europe’s largest celebration of patchwork and Each show has been designed to appeal to (well, three actually - 16 to 18 quilting. people of all ages and lasts for approximately August) and the chance to follow Commenting on the show, Jonathan Burton, 75 minutes. a ‘magical trail’ through the castle Portfolio Director, said: “The festival offers a from the 22nd to the 26th of the truly inspirational showcase of quilt-making, month. with the finest skills on display. It’s a place August’s programme of family- for beginners through to professionals to friendly events is rounded off on share ideas, learn new skills and meet with Bank Holiday Monday (the 29th) others who’re equally passionate about the with a storytelling session, includ- world of patchwork and quilting.” ing sure-to-be-enchanting tales of castles, knights, dragons and princesses.
The Big Read: Enchancted Circus Animal Story Time Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire Soho House, Birmingham, Sat 13 August Thurs 4 - Sun 7 August Birmingham children’s author BB Taylor takes The circus is coming to town - and what’s her writing inspiration from her love of ani- more, it’s an enchanted one. Visitors who mals, enjoys making magic come to life step inside the big-top tent located within the through the power of words, and here shares castle walls will find themselves transported some of the tricks of her trade. ‘deep into a forest, past a robber’s hideout An interactive workshop in which BB teaches and right to the edge of the sea’. Ancient sto- participants how to write their own stories, ries are brought to life in a fairytale world the event has been designed for children aged illuminated by ‘glittering’ visual effects. between five and 10.
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Places ito visit Enjoy the great
Thinktank, Birmingham Blists Hill, Ironbridge Drayton Manor Theme Park
The Midlands is home to an abundance of enjoyable and exciting places to visit, catering for people of all ages and from all walks of life. Whatever you’re looking for to keep the kids entertained this summer, you’re sure to find somewhere and something that fits the bill. Our What’s On directory features just a small handful of some of the best places to visit across the region this summer. Check out whatsonlive.co.uk for more details...
MAC A huge range of theatre, music, comedy, plays toric aircraft are displayed in three wartime hangars Birmingham for children, dance, creative and craft courses, fam- on an active airfield. Shifnal, TF11 8UP ASTON HALL This 17th century red-brick mansion ily shows, film and free exhibitions on offer, Cannon SEVERN VALLEY COUNTRY PARK An oasis of calm and hosts many family activities throughout the season, Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH beauty on the banks of the River Severn, this Aston, Birmingham, B6 6JD MUSEUM OF THE JEWELLERY QUARTER The museum award-winning, 51-hectare country park is a place BBC BIRMINGHAM Go behind the scenes of some of tells the story of Birmingham’s renowned jewellery for quiet enjoyment of the countryside. Bridgnorth, your favourite TV shows with informative and enter- and metalworking heritage, Hockley, Birmingham, WV15 6NG taining tours, The Mailbox, Birmingham, B1 1RF B18 6HA SHREWSBURY MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Housed BECKETT’S FARM Hosts a number of family events NATIONAL SEA LIFE CENTRE Featuring over 1,000 within the town’s grade II Victorian Music Hall and throughout the year, including cookery classes for creatures and 60-plus displays, including a million- one of the country’s rare 13th century mansions, young and old, with a farm shop and restaurant on litre underwater tropical tank, Nemo's Kingdom, tur- featuring a broad range of artefacts alongside a site, Wythall, Birmingham B47 6AJ tle breeding and much more, Brindleyplace, rolling programme of contemporary art. Shrews- Birmingham, B1 2HL bury, SY1 1LH BIRMINGHAM BACK TO BACKS Restored 19th-century courtyard of working people’s houses, Hurst Street, RESORTS WORLD Boasting the largest casino in the TELFORD STEAM RAILWAY A heritage railway located Birmingham, B5 4TE UK, a shopping mall, restaurants and cinemas, at Horsehay and formed in 1976. The railway is op- Birmingham, B40 1NT erated by volunteers on Sundays and Bank Holi- BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS Spanning 15 days. Telford, TF4 2NF acres, with four glasshouses hosting a variety of cli- SAREHOLE MILL A 250-year-old working watermill fa- mates, from tropical rainforest to arid desert, Edg- mous for its association with Lord Of The Rings au- THE BRITISH IRONWORK CENTRE Boasting a varied baston, Birmingham, B15 3TR thor JRR Tolkien, Hall Green, Birmingham, B13 collection of beautifully decorative metal items, 0BD some of which are faithful reproductions of iron- BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Explore over work no longer seen today. There’s also a collec- 40 galleries displaying various eras of art, with a di- THINKTANK SCIENCE MUSEUM Over 200 interactive ex- hibits on science and discovery, including a pro- tion of animal sculptures to admire. Oswestry, SY11 verse exhibition programme on offer, Chamberlain 4JH Square, Birmingham, B3 3DH gramme of workshops, shows and demonstrations, and a digital Planetarium, Millennium Point, Birm- THE QUARRY PARK Shrewsbury’s 29-acre parkland BLAKESLEY HALL Discover a fine Tudor house and ingham, B4 7XG hosts numerous events throughout the year, includ- beautiful gardens just a few miles from the heart of ing the Shrewsbury Flower Show 12-13 August, the city, Yardley, Birmingham, B25 8RN SY1 1RN CADBURY WORLD Discover the origins of everyone’s Shropshire favourite sweet treat, from the cocoa beans in the Aztec jungle to the making of Cadbury confec- ATTINGHAM PARK An elegant 18th century mansion Staffordshire tionery today, Bournville, Birmingham, B30 2LU house with Regency interiors. Set within an expan- CANNON HILL PARK Opened in 1873, the park is sive deer park, there are riverside walks, a wood- AERIAL EXTREME Ever fancied swinging about, high made up of 80 acres of formal parkland and 120 land sculpture trail and family events to enjoy. up in the trees? Now's your chance with Aerial Ex- acres of conservation and woodland plantation, Shrewsbury, SY4 4TP treme’s tree-mendous course at the Trentham Es- Moseley, Birmingham, B12 9QH CARDING MILL VALLEY Covering almost 5,000 acres, tate. All ages are guaranteed a bucketload of fun. How much can you handle? Trentham, ST12 9HR EASTSIDE PARK Birmingham’s first central city park with stunning views of the Shropshire and Welsh in over 130 years, situated only a stone’s throw hills. An important place for wildlife, geology and ALTON TOWERS Enjoy a mind-blowing mix of fantas- from the Bullring Shopping Centre and New Street archaeology. Church Stretton, SY6 6JG tic rides and attractions, offering unlimited fun for Station, Birmingham City Centre, B4 7AP CHOLMONDELEY CASTLE A Gothic castle - a product kids of all ages, families and thrill-seekers. Alton, ST10 4DB LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM A major cultural destina- of the early 19th century - that stands on a high rise tion, providing a dynamic mix of events, activities above a lake. The castle is surrounded by lawns, a BIDDULPH GRANGE COUNTRY PARK Originally part of a and performances, resources and access to expert variety of mature trees and gardens. Whitchurch, larger Biddulph Grange Estate, this is a 73-acre help for learning, information and culture, Cente- SY14 8AH wooded hillside site with a large lake, ponds and nary Square, Birmingham, B1 2ND IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUMS The Shropshire site of meadows, Stoke-on-Trent, ST8 7TA LICKEY HILLS COUNTRY PARK Covering 524 acres, the the birth of the Industrial Revolution has been des- CENTRAL FOREST PARK Located in the heart of Stoke, park is a place for family fun, whether that be walk- ignated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, with 10 Central Forest Park is a green space providing fa- ing the dog, cycling, horse riding, or maybe just for award-winning museums. Ironbridge, TF8 7DQ cilities for walking, cycling, dog walking, informal the views and a cup of tea, Rednal, Birmingham, RAF COSFORD The museum houses one of the sports and skateboarding. Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 6BB B45 8ER largest aviation collections in the UK. Over 70 his- CHURNET VALLEY RAILWAY Take a journey back to
48 whatsonlive.co.uk Venue Directory MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 18:06 Page 2 outdoors this August!
Coventry Transport Museum Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley
the classic days of railway travel on a rural line that KENILWORTH CASTLE A vast complex of ruined fortifi- with an important collection of Pre-Raphaelite and passes through beautiful countryside known as cations and palatial apartments spanning over five Arts & Crafts pictures and furnishings, Wolver- Staffordshire's ‘Little Switzerland’. Froghall, ST10 centuries,CV8 1NE hampton, WV6 8EE 2HA RAGLEY HALL Family entertainment, with an adven- WOLVERHAMPTON ART GALLERY Explore more than DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK A definite stop-off ture playground, 3D maze, boating and a wood- 300 years of art, including regular world class tour- venue for thrill-seekers, featuring, as it does, all land walk. Alcester, B49 5NJ ing exhibitions, Wolverhampton, WV1 1DU manner of white-knuckle rides. Also offers a range SHAKESPEARE BIRTHPLACE TRUST Six unique proper- of rides that are somewhat less challenging.And ties - Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Harvard House, with a zoo on site, it’s a venue that’s got plenty for Hall’s Croft, Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, Mary Worcestershire kids and adults of all ages to enjoy. Tamworth, B78 Arden’s Farm & Shakespeare’s New Place. 3TW AVONCROFT MUSEUM A fascinating museum of his- STONELEIGH ABBEY Visitors to the Abbey can learn HANLEY PARK Hanley Park and the adjacent toric buildings spanning seven centuries, rescued about the house's history through a guided tour of from imminent destruction and carefully rebuilt, tim- Cauldon Grounds are open to the public. Features the West Wing, CV8 2LF include three play areas: toddler, sensory and ad- ber by timber or brick by brick, on a beautiful open- venture (including aerial slide). Shelton, ST1 4DX STRATFORD BUTTERFLY FARM A unique opportunity to air site in the north of Worcestershire, Bromsgrove, watch hundreds of the world's most spectacular B60 4JR PEAK WILDLIFE PARK Large walk-throughs allow you butterflies flying around. Stratford-upon-Avon, BERRINGTON HALL Created by architect Henry Hol- to come face to face with exotic and endangered CV37 7LS animals from across three continents. Leek, ST13 land, the hall is one of a small number of his build- 7QR WARWICK CASTLE Experience over 1,000 years of ings to survive intact. As well as being able to history at Warwick Castle. Aside from visiting the explore the family rooms and servant quarters, THE POTTERIES MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Exhibits in- castle itself and looking at the battlements, towers, guests can take part in activities or relax by the clude the world’s greatest collection of Stafford- turrets and interiors, there are also jousting shows, lake, Nr Leominster, HR6 0DW shire ceramics, a World War Two Spitfire, the Horrible History show and Time Tower to keep BROCKHAMPTON ESTATE Set in 1,700 acres of estate, decorative arts and natural history, along with items you entertained. CV34 4QU from the Staffordshire Hoard. Hanley, ST1 3DW the romantic Manor House dates back to the late 14th century and is accessible via a small gate- THE WEDGWOOD MUSEUM The home of one of the house and over a moat, Nr Bromyard, WR6 5TB most interesting ceramic collections in the world. Wolverhampton The galleries tell the story of Josiah Wedgwood, his CROFT CASTLE Located deep in the heart of the family, and the company he founded over two cen- & Black Country Herefordshire countryside, surrounded by 1,500 turies ago. Stoke-on-Trent, ST12 9ER acres of historic woodland, farm and parkland. BANTOCK HOUSE MUSEUM Restored to its Edwardian Home to the Croft family for nearly 1,000 years, this glory, Bantock House sits within 43 acres of park- castle has many intriguing stories to uncover. Warwickshire land, with activities for all ages, Wolverhampton, Yarpole, Nr Leominster, HR6 9PW WV3 9LQ CROOME PARK Explore what remains of a secret BADDESLEY CLINTON A secluded estate set in the BILSTON CRAFT GALLERY A lively programme of wartime air base and discover how thousands of heart of the Forest of Arden. With guided talks, changing exhibitions featuring the best of contem- people lived and worked there during the 1940s. walks through the gardens and activities for chil- porary ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles, metal, Worcester, WR8 9DW dren such as pond dipping and garden trails. War- woodwork and more, Wolverhampton, WV14 7LU EASTNOR CASTLE DEER PARK Set within the dramatic wick, B93 ODQ BLACK COUNTRY LIVING MUSEUM A tribute to the tra- beauty of the Malvern Hills and surrounded by a BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM The museum features the ditional skills and enterprise of the people that beautiful deer park, arboretum and lake. Ledbury world's greatest collection of classic, vintage and once lived in the heart of industrial Britain, Dudley, HR8 1RL veteran British cars. Gaydon, CV35 0BJ DY1 4SQ HAMPTON COURT CASTLE Originally formed by the CHARLECOTE PARK This grand 16th century country DUDLEY CANAL TUNNEL TRUST Guided boat trips merging of two manors, Hampton Court was re- house comes complete with deer park and is a through the tunnels, accompanied by videos, life- modelled in the 1830s/’40s. The castle and property of the National Trust. Warwick, CV35 9ER like reconstructions and stunning music and light grounds offer a great location for adventure and COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK Set in 160 acres of park- shows, Dudley, DY1 4SB events, Leominster, HR6 0PN land and gardens, Cotswold Wildlife Park now has DUDLEY CASTLE AND ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS Home to HARTLEBURY CASTLE A Grade I listed building which one of the UK’s largest zoological collections. Bur- more than 1,300 animals, with up to 200 species. was built in the mid-13th century as a fortified ford, OX18 4JP At the heart of the site sits the ruins of an 11th cen- manor house. Kidderminster, DY11 7XZ COVENTRY MUSIC MUSEUM Activities to interest and tury castle, Dudley, DY1 4QF SEVERN VALLEY RAILWAY A full-size standard-gauge delight youngsters, and a studio in which visitors HIMLEY HALL & PARK An 18th century building set in railway line which runs regular steam-hauled pas- can try their hand at composing and music-mak- 180 acres of Capability Brown-landscaped park- senger trains, for tourists and enthusiasts alike, be- ing. CV2 4ED land, Dudley, DY3 4DF tween Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, a distance of 16 miles, Bewdley, DY12 1BG COVENTRY TRANSPORT MUSEUM The museum RED HOUSE GLASS CONE A heritage site with 225 houses the largest publicly owned collection of years of glass, industrial and social history within THE MALVERN HILLS A wide variety of walks, from British vehicles in the world. Now fully open after a its walls, Stourbridge, DY8 4AZ short and gently graded slopes to more strenuous £9.5million redevelopment programme. CV1 1JD options, WR14 3EY SANDWELL PARK FARM A fully restored working Vic- HATTON ADVENTURE WORLD An attraction for families torian farm with grazing meadows, a traditional WITLEY COURT One hundred years ago, Witley Court with children up to the age of 12. Hatton, CV35 8XA farmyard, walled kitchen gardens, Grade II listed was one of England’s great country houses, host- HERBERT ART GALLERY & MUSEUM A family-friendly buildings, a small museum and award-winning tea ing many extravagant parties. Today, it’s a spectac- museum, with activities that run throughout the rooms, West Bromwich, B71 4BG ular ruin, the result of a disastrous fire in 1937. Great Witley, WR6 6JT school holidays. Coventry, CV1 5QP WIGHTWICK MANOR & GARDENS A manor house filled
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Your week to week listings guide August 2016 thelist The Color Run at NEC, Birmingham - Saturday 20 August 20 Saturday - Birmingham NEC, at Run Color The
Music I Comedy I Theatre I Dance I Film I Events I Visual Arts I and more!
What’s On Mon 1 to Sun 7 August Mon 8 to Sun 14 August Mon 15 to Sun 21 August Mon 22 to Wed 31 August
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Quill at O2 Institute, Kissing Frogs at mac, Solihull Summer Festival at at Packwood House, Solihull Birmingham Birmingham Tudor Grange Park Sat 6 August Sat 13 August Fri 12 - Sat 13 August Sat 26 - Sun 27 August
whatsonlive.co.uk 51 The List 1 - 7 August - BIRMINGHAM ONLY VERSION MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:41 Page 1
thelist Monday 1 - Sun 7 August THROUGHOUT AUGUST
and drawings capturing the expan- Visual Arts sion of European cities from the 17th to 19th century, until Sun 2 Oct Artifex Gallery, Sutton BURIED TREASURES Exhibition explor- Coldfield ing coin hoards, telling the stories of their deposition and discovery, until NEW MATHÉ SHEPHEARD Showcasing Sun 26 Feb 2017 works in watercolour, mixed media and ink, Sat 30 July - Wed 31 Aug mac, Birmingham Birmingham Museum & BERT HACKETT: THE GEMINI YEARS A Art Gallery timely tribute to the former Birmingham Post cartoonist, display- ABBEYFIELD'S GOLDEN GALLERY: ART & ing a selection of his best-loved SOUL Pioneering new exhibition high- drawings, until Sun 4 Sept lighting the therapeutic benefits that MADE AT MAC: LIFE OF A SONG art brings to older people - particular- ly those living with dementia and Interactive exhibition allowing audi- other medical conditions, until Fri 14 ence members to listen to the differ- Oct ent song stages while observing the Beres Hammond - O2 Academy, Birmingham songwriting process. Get involved by FAITH IN BIRMINGHAM, Exploring how strumming, pushing buttons and lis- Rooms, Stourbridge Sat 6 Aug, O2 Institute, different faiths have influenced and tening, until Sun 11 Sept shaped the city, until Sun 3 Feb 2019 Gigs MENTALLICA Fri 5 Aug, Birmingham COMMON CULTURE: CABARET Exhibition The Roadhouse, ZOE GREEN BAND Sat 6 Grand Union featuring new work made in Birmingham Aug, Route 44, B’ham response to the unruly traditions of DON BROCO Mon 1 Aug, LAURA OLDFIELD FORD SOLO comedy and popular entertainment, O2 Institute, B’ham BAZAAR PRESENTS AN BRUK UP WITH EVM 128 EXHIBITION A new body of work fol- EVENING OF LIVE MUSIC, & LORD BYRON Sat 6 until Sun 11 Sept LOCK & KEY Tues 2 Aug, lowing six weeks in residence at the COMEDY & MORE... Fri 5 Aug, Hare & Hounds, Sunflower Lounge, Grand Union, until Fri 5 Aug BOM (B’ham Open Media) Aug, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Birmingham ART IN CRISIS - DIGITAL STORIES The Birmingham GIN ANNIE BAND Sat 6 Ikon Gallery IMARHAN Wed 3 Aug, BOM Fellows have been collaborat- RELAPSE Fri 5 Aug, Aug, The Robin, Bilston KAN XUAN The first UK exhibition of Hare & Hounds, B’ham ing with Crisis members to produce Hare & Hounds, THE WRONG UNS Sat 6 work by renowned Chinese artist HONKY TONK ROSE Wed digital stories using photography and Birmingham Aug, Sunflower Kan Xuan, until Sun 11 Sept 3 Aug, The Jam House, sound, to explore relationships with URBAN INTRO Fri 5 - Sat Lounge, Birmingham PATRICK KILLORAN Public space and the urban environment, until Sat 6 Birmingham 6 Aug, The Jam House, DEVIL RED Sat 6 Aug, the role of participation in contempo- Aug TROUBLEMAKER - OLLY Birmingham The Slade Rooms, rary art informed by social practice MURS TRIBUTE Wed 3 THE NAKED BEATLES Wolverhampton are essential elements of Killoran’s Museum of The Jewellery Aug, The Robin, Bilston work, until Sun 11 Sept Quarter Fri 5 Aug, The Robin, KILLERSTREAM Sat 6 PHUNDO ART Wed 3 Bilston Aug, The River Rooms, COLLECTING BIRMINGHAM: STORIES Aug, Sunflower The Library of Birmingham FRED ZEPPELIN Fri 5 Stourbridge THAT SHOULD BE SHARED The first in a Lounge, Birmingham OUR SHAKESPEARE The Library of series of four exhibitions showcasing Aug, Route 44, BAD MANNERS Sat 6 Birmingham joins forces with the LISA STANLEY AND HER objects collected from local people, Birmingham Aug, Assembly Rooms, British Library to stage a free and BAND Thurs 4 Aug, telling their stories of life in MARAUDIOLOGY Sat 6 Leamington Spa colourful exhibition, until Sat 3 Sept The Robin, Bilston Birmingham, until Sat 31 Dec Aug, Hare & Hounds, CREEDENCE CLEARWATER BEGGAR & CO Thurs 4 RBSA Gallery Birmingham REVIEW Sat 6 Aug, The Other Aug, The Jam House, BERES HAMMOND Sat 6 Roadhouse, B’ham NEW DAVID WALTON RBSA Portraits, Birmingham SOHO AT 21 Exhibition celebrating 21 Aug, O2 Academy, drawn from life, in graphite or ink, PURE/DC Sun 7 Aug, years since Soho House opened as CARINA ROUND Thurs 4 Birmingham Mon 15 Aug - Sat 1 Oct The Robin, Bilston a museum, until Sun 7 Aug, Soho Aug, Hare & Hounds, GREEN CIRCLES Sat 6 NEW CHRIS SALMON ARBSA: House, Birmingham Birmingham IRENE & TOM Sun 7 Aug, The Irish Centre, RETROSPECTIVE Original prints, paint- Aug, The Irish Centre, BIRMINGHAM BIG ART PROJECT THE WEST COAST EAGLES Birmingham ings, and drawings. Chris will also be Birmingham Exhibition presenting five shortlisted Fri 5 Aug, The River demonstrating on Sat 27 Aug, Mon STRAIGHT FOR THE SUN artists’ proposals, commissioned by 22 Aug - Sat 3 Sept Birmingham Big Art Foundation, to NEW DRAWN An exhibition of draw- imagine a major new work of public ings by members and associates of art for the city of Birmingham, to be the RBSA which show the variety of completed in 2018, until Wed 31 skills involved within the discipline of Aug, Millennium Point & Eastside drawing, Mon 22 Aug - Sat 3 Sept Park NEW JASMINA AJZENKOL ARBSA Solo NEW BRITAIN FROM THE AIR show of clay sculptures inspired by Birmingham is hosting a prestigious marine forms and the patterns creat- street photography exhibition with ed by wind blowing across the sand, over 100 giant aerial photographs on Mon 29 Aug - Sat 8 Oct display, Sat 30 July - Wed 31 Aug, Birmingham City Centre The Barber Institute WELLCOME IMAGE AWARDS EXHIBITION CURIOUS BEAUTY Display showcasing until Sun 23 Oct, Thinktank at Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot's Millennium Point, Birmingham eccentric, neoclassical drawings for ornamental vases, engraved by NEW SUMMER EXHIBITION Work from Benigno Bossi (1727-1792), until Sun 16 contemporary artists in a range of 4 Sept mediums, genres and subject matter- are are on display, Sat 30 July - Sun ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE Marking the 28 Aug, Castle Fine Art in The 400th anniversary of the death of International Convention Centre, William Shakespeare, until Sun 25 Birmingham Sept Bad Manners - Assembly Rooms, Leamington Spa TALES OF THE CITY A display of prints
52 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 1 - 7 August - BIRMINGHAM ONLY VERSION MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:42 Page 2
Monday 1 - Sun 7 August
present Melvyn Bragg and Howard AS YOU LIKE IT Folksy Theatre present and they both find themselves on the Classical Music Goodall's award-winning British musi- an outdoor production of run. mac, Birmingham, Wed 3 – cal, until Sat 6 Aug, Lichfield Garrick Shakespeare's pastoral comedy, Fri 5 Thurs 4 Aug URINETOWN THE MUSICAL The Old Aug, Martineau Gardens, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (15) NATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA OF GREAT Joint Stock Musical Theatre Birmingham Some time in the ’80s, trucker Jack BRITAIN Conducted by Edward Company presents its version of the LAZYTOWN LIVE A nonstop, highly Burton arrives in a small town to Gardner. Programme comprises award-winning tale of greed, love, interactive show, jam-packed with deliver his cargo and win a few Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, revolution (and musicals), in a time singing, dancing, acrobatics, music bucks playing cards with the locals 33’; Holst’s The Planet, 49’ & Isir ter when water was worth its weight in and original tracks from the hit chil- down at the Chinese market. Schiphort’s Gravitational Waves, 6’, gold, until Sat 6 Aug, Old Joint Stock dren's TV show, Fri 5 Aug, The Core Practically bankrupting nearly all of Fri 5 Aug, Symphony Hall, Theatre, Birmingham Theatre, Solihull his opponents, he’s challenged to a Birmingham CYMBELINE Melly Still directs BIRMINGHAM IS FUNNY: YOU, ME & game of ‘double or nothing’. The SUNDAY CLASSICS Presenting a range Shakespeare's rarely performed MONKEY: ABSURDLY FABULOUS - THE Mockingbird, Birmingham, Thurs 4 of young stars of the future from the romance, until Sat 16 Oct, Royal IMPROVISED EPISODE Feature-length Aug classical world, ranging from opera Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford- show inspired by the hit ’90s sitcom, ELVIS AND NIXON (18) The most singers to violinists to harpists at the upon-Avon Fri 5 Aug, mac, Birmingham requested photo from the US very start of their careers…, Sun 7 National Archives is of Richard M Aug, The Spotted Dog, Birmingham HAMLET Simon Godwin directs Paapa SALAAM Sonia Sabri Company crafts Essiedu as Hamlet in Shakespeare's a stunningly intricate dialogue Nixon shaking the hand of Elvis A searing tragedy, until Sat 13 Aug, between Kathak dance and live Presley. The occasion was on 21 Royal Shakespeare Theatre, music that celebrates harmony and December 1970, in the Oval Office, Stratford-upon-Avon the finding of peace within the simple and the official notes of the meeting pleasures of being alive, Fri 5 Aug, reveal the King’s interest in Comedy Gigs Artrix, Bromsgrove Communist brainwashing and a dis- taste for The Beatles. Michael MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Madcap Shannon plays Elvis and Kevin JQ COMEDY Tues 2 Aug, Rose Villa Theatre Productions present a fast- Spacey is Nixon. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Tavern, Birmingham paced version of Shakespeare’s Thurs 4 Aug MANILLA ROAD COMEDY Thurs 4 Aug, sparkling battle of the sexes, Sat 6 ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS The Victoria, Birmingham Aug, Artrix, Bromsgrove (PG) Like Superman and Marty McFly COMEDY CAROUSEL FEAT. ANDY ROBIN- A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (and others), Alice is forced to travel SON, JUNIOR SIMPSON & COMIC TBC Chapterhouse Theatre Company back in time in order to alter the out- Thurs 4 Aug, The Glee Club, present Shakespeare's best-loved come of events. You see, when she Birmingham romantic comedy, Sat 6 Aug, returns to Underland she finds the Packwood House, Solihull ROB ROUSE, NOEL JAMES, PETER COLE Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) in a terri- & MC DAVE WILLIAMS Thurs 4 Aug, THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA Sun ble state and decides to dabble in a The George Hotel, Lichfield & Moon Theatre present an outdoor bit of quantum physics. But would staging of one of Shakespeare’s first Lewis Carroll approve? Also stars BIRMINGHAM IS FUNNY: YOU, ME & and most underrated plays, Sat 6 Anne Hathaway & Mia Wasikowska. MONKEY: ABSURDLY FABULOUS - THE Aug, The Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon mac, Birmingham, Fri 5 Aug IMPROVISED EPISODE Fri 5 Aug, mac, ALWAYS ORANGE Fraser Grace pres- Birmingham ents a tragicomic exploration of how AS YOU LIKE IT The King’s Troupe THE SWIMMER (PG) A wealthy, middle- to be human in a world always on return to The Dell along with a aged advertising man embarks on a TREVOR CROOK, NOEL JAMES, JUNIOR edge, until Sat 27 Aug, Studio Romanian inter-generational theatre revelatory journey through suburban SIMPSON & COMIC TBC Fri 5 - Sat 6 Theatre @ The Other Place, group they helped establish, the Connecticut, slowly making his way Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham Stratford-upon-Avon London Taiko Drum School and to his split-level home by travelling JUST THE TONIC FEAT. KEVIN GILDEA, MAMMA MIA! The smash-hit musical actors from a Halifax centre for from swimming pool to swimming STEVE SHANYASKI, DANA ALEXANDER & continues to show in Brum as part of refugees, Sun 7 Aug, The Dell, pool. At each stop he faces an inci- DAN NIGHTINGALE Fri 5 Aug, The its first ever UK tour, until Sat 3 Sept, Stratford-upon-Avon dent from his past. Stars Burt Comedy Loft, Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome Lancaster & Janet Landgard. mac, JASON MANFORD Sun 7 Aug, Artrix, Birmingham, Fri 5 Aug REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN Play Bromsgrove by Alice Birch which examines the FANTASTIC MR FOX (PG) Mr and Mrs language, behaviour and forces that Fox live an idyllic home life but after shape women in the 21st century. Film 12 years of quiet domesticity, the Note: this production contains strong bucolic existence proves too much language and scenes of a sexual INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. nature, Tues 2 - Sat 13 Aug, Studio Director Wes Anderson's adaptation Theatre @ The Other Place, of a beloved children's novel by Stratford-upon-Avon MA MA (12a) In the aftermath of a Roald Dahl. With the voices of tragedy, a woman, Magda, reacts in George Clooney & Willem Dafoe. THE HOLLYWOOD SPECIAL EFFECTS a way that engulfs her circle of family mac, Birmingham, Sat 6 Aug SHOW Interactive and explosive family and friends. Stars Penélope Cruz & THE WITCHES (PG) Based on the clas- show which goes behind the scenes Luis Tosar. Foreign language, subti- of famous films to discover the sci- sic book by Roald Dahl. A young boy tled. mac, Birmingham, until Thurs 4 stumbles onto a witch convention ence and secrets of creating movie Aug magic, Tues 2 - Wed 3 Aug, Artrix, and must stop them, even after he’s Bromsgrove JASON BOURNE (12a) Jason Bourne is been turned into a mouse. Stars beginning to remember stuff. And so Anjelica Huston & Rowan Atkinson. LES MISERABLES Worcester Operatic he sets about trying to uncover the Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 6 Aug Theatre & Dramatic Society Youth Section truth about who he really is. The present an amateur staging of Boubil MOUNTAIN BIKING: THE UNTOLD BRITISH good news is that Paul Greengrass STORY Mountain biking is now in its & Schonberg’s world famous musi- returns as the director of this hope- DOCTOR FAUSTUS Maria Aberg returns fourth decade and has come a long cal, Tues 2 - Sat 6 Aug, Swan lessly addictive franchise (he direct- to the RSC to direct Marlowe's notori- way from its beginnings in the hills of Theatre, Worcester ed the best in the series, The Bourne ous tale of vanity, greed and damna- the West Coast USA. But that’s only TREASURE ISLAND A family musical Supremacy and The Bourne tion, until Thurs 4 Aug, The Swan part of the story. The UK MTB scene show featuring sea shanty songs and Ultimatum). Stars Matt Damon & Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon grew in parallel to the US’s and this plenty of audience participation, Julia Stiles. The Electric Cinema, documentary tells its unique history. THE ALCHEMIST Polly Findlay directs Thurs 4 Aug, The Core Theatre, Birmingham, until Thurs 11 Aug Ben Jonson's comedy about human Followed by Q&A. mac, Birmingham, Solihull HOME (U) There’s no place like… folly, until Sat 6 Aug, The Swan Sat 6 Aug HAIRY MACLARY & FRIENDS Stage Actually, the loveable extraterrestrial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon DISTANT NORTH - HIDING THE adaptation of Lynley Dodd’s much- Oh is very far from home when he KUNGSLEDEN Four friends set off on a THE HIRED MAN A cast of talented loved Hairy Maclary children’s books, escapes to Earth to evade an alien local performers join the theatre's 440km journey through the largest Thurs 4 Aug, Artrix, Bromsgrove race. He then teams up with a remaining wilderness in Europe. This professional production team to teenage girl, Tip (voiced by Rihanna),
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thelist Monday 1 - Sun 7 August documentary charts their journey, tional garden games, including beginning in the northern most sec- quoits, giant jenga and croquet, until tion of the trail in Abisko. It’s a stren- Wed 31 Aug, Blakesley Hall, uous 30-day hike over impressive Birmingham mountains and down through glacial ZOO CLUB An opportunity for animal- carved valleys abundant with rein- loving eight-to-12-year-olds to take deer. Followed by Q&A. mac, part in a range of exciting activities at Birmingham, Sun 7 Aug Drayton Manor Zoo, Mon 1 - Wed 3 MEN & CHICKEN (15) Gabriel and Elias Aug, Drayton Manor Theme Park, are two very different brothers. Their Tamworth father is dead. Things take a turn BLOOD, GUTS AND GORE Join former when the brothers learn through a RSC Head of Wigs and Make-up videotape recorded by their now late Brenda Leedham as she talks about father that he wasn't, in fact, their bio- the tricks of the trade and how bruis- logical father... Stars David Dencik & es, cuts and scars are created, Tues Mads Mikkelsen. Foreign language, 2 Aug, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, Sun 7 - Stratford-upon-Avon Thurs 11 Aug LIVING HISTORY - WEAPONRY An opportunity for visitors to learn about Digbeth First Fridays NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: weaponry, armour and battle tactics through history, Tues 2 - Thurs 4 Digbeth, Birmingham, Fri 5 August Released from Fri 5 Aug, showing at Aug, Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire selected cinemas The ‘First Friday’ of the title refers to the first Friday of every month, SPEAKING SHAKESPEARE A chance to when Digbeth comes alive with ‘exhibitions, late-night openings, BOBBY SANDS: 66 DAYS (15) perform some of Shakespeare's SID AND NANCY (18) speeches, Wed 3 Aug, Clore special events, culture in unexpected spaces, live music, street food and more’. The ‘first Friday’ concept isn’t unique to Birmingham, but SUICIDE SQUAD (tbc) Learning Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon there’s no question that the city has taken the event to its heart. “By SWEET BEAN (PG) STORYTELLING IN THE COURTYARD Hear a variety of old folktales from Britain showing off once a month,” explain the organisers, “we can create a UP FOR LOVE (12a) and beyond - tales of dragons, trolls, critical mass of events and make it easy for audiences to cross over giant cats and magical mermaids, between venues, shops, pubs, clubs, galleries and eateries.” Wed 3 Aug, Aston Hall, Birmingham Digbeth First Friday runs from 6pm till late. Event times vary, so it’s FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: PUPPET strongly recommended that visitors check the listings in advance to MAKING Turn your hand to puppet- ensure they make the most of their evening. Events making and create colourful charac- ters to ignite your imagination, Wed 3 CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Be inspired by Aug, Aston Hall, Birmingham the colours of nature with a range of TEDDY BEAR ZIP WIRE Make a cape for activities for children, until Tues 2 your teddy and fly him/her down the variety skills to perform shows about Suffragette movement and Mr Charlie Aug, Moseley Old Hall, zipwire, Wed 3 Aug, Blakesley Hall, the gladiators of Ancient Rome, war- Chaplin, Sat 6 - Sun 7 Aug, The Wolverhampton Birmingham rior queen Boudicca and the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Spartans, Fri 5 Aug, Forge Mill Lichfield 2-DAY ROBOTICS PROJECT Design, 3D BUILD AND PROGRAMME WITH Needle Museum, Redditch BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 print and programme your very own MINECRAFT Learn how to build and DONINGTON CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE robot over two days, until Wed 3 programme virtual working machines Beginning in the commercial heart of FESTIVAL Aug, Enginuity Museum, Ironbridge, in Minecraft using a range of Featuring a massive line-up the city at the end of Colmore Row, Shropshire advanced blocks, including of hundreds of racing machines, this live guided tour takes in all of the huge off-track displays and numer- city’s major buildings of architectural BOOKBENCH SUMMER CRAFT ACTIVITIES Redstone, Thurs 4 Aug, Enginuity Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire ous stars of the sport, Fri 5 - Sun 7 interest including St Philip’s and St Join in a family craft activity inspired Aug, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Chad’s Cathedrals, the Victoria Law by a different children's story each COLLAGE PORTRAITS: INSPIRED BY VAN Derby Courts, the Town Hall, the Council week of the summer holidays, until DYCK Be inspired by 400 years of ULTIMATE STREET CAR House, Birmingham Museum & Art Tues 23 Aug, Blakesley Hall, portraits to create your own portrait Europe’s biggest modified car festival, Fri 5 - Gallery and Library, Sat 6 - Sun 7 Birmingham with feathers, sequins and more, Aug, Birmingham City Centre Thurs 4 Aug, Aston Hall, Birmingham Sun 7 Aug, Santa Pod Raceway, HISTORY DETECTIVE THURSDAYS Northants ART IN THE PARK More than 120 artists Become a History Detective for the ACTIVE STORYTELLING Become an HANDSWORTH HERITAGE WALK Admire from Leamington’s vibrant creative day and enter Blakesley Hall to com- actor and tell Shakespeare’s stories, scene showcase their talent, Sat 6 - plete the history mystery trail, until Thurs 4 Aug, Clore Learning Centre, fine Georgian and Victorian architec- ture, a convent designed by Sun 7 Aug, Jephson Gardens, Thurs 25 Aug, Blakesley Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon Leamington Spa Birmingham Augustus Pugin, a church that was ENCHANTED CIRCUS Follow the for- built nearly one thousand years ago, THE BADDESLEY BOOK FAIR 2016 Sat 6 tunes of princes and maidens and Sat 6 Aug, Soho House, Birmingham - Sun 14 Aug, Baddesley Clinton, see their adventures come to life via THE BIG READ: GAVIN YOUNG Solihull eye-swivelling acrobatics, Thurs 4 - Sat 6 RARE PLANT FAIR Sun 7 Aug, Kenilworth Castle Aug, Soho House, Birmingham Sun 7 Aug, Castle BIG BULL BARN DAY Bromwich Hall Gardens, Birmingham CRAFTY KIDS WORKSHOP Thurs 4 - Dig out your old CLASSIC VAN AND PICK UP SHOW Thurs 25 Aug, Museum of the cowboy boots and handkerchiefs for Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Birmingham's only barn party, Sat 6 Featuring the best light commercial Aug, The Big Bulls Head, vehicles from yesteryear, including BUILD AND PROGRAMME WITH LEGO Birmingham vans, pick-ups, campers and police WE-DO Using motorised WeDo kits, BECKETT’S LITERATURE FESTIVAL Sat 6 vehicles, Sun 7 Aug, British Motor learn how to solve problems using a Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire variety of sensors, Fri 5 Aug, Aug, Beckett's Farm, Birmingham MAC CONTEMPORARY CRAFT MARKETS Enginuity Museum, Ironbridge, KINGS HEATH FARMERS MARKET Sat 6 Shropshire Aug, All Saints' Church, Kings Heath, Sun 7 Aug, mac, Birmingham THE CLASSIC CAR AND TRANSPORT SAFARI SUMMER SCHOOL Three differ- DIGBETH FIRST FRIDAY Exhibitions, Birmingham SHOW ent clubs on offer, all tailored towards late-night openings, special events, BUCKINGHAM’S RETINUE: MEDIEVAL Featuring over 1,000 exhibits, different age groups and all offering culture in unexpected spaces, live WEEKEND Sat 6 - Sun 7 Aug, including classic cars, American, kit hands-on animal experiences and music, street food and more, Fri 5 Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, & custom, motorcycles, commercial knowledge of the natural world, until Aug, Digbeth, Birmingham Worcestershire and club stands, Sun 7 Aug, Sat 27 Aug, West Midland Safari and Shugborough Historic Working CONDENSED HISTORIES: ANCIENT WWI/EDWARDIAN WEEKEND Featuring Estate, Staffordshire Leisure Park, Worcestershire WARRIOR SHOWS Greg Chapman the soldiers of the Empire, the gallant PLAY DAY WEDNESDAYS Enjoy tradi- uses juggling, unicycling and other French allies, the ladies of the
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thelist Monday 8 - Sunday 14 August backdrop of classic hits from the Classical Music 1980s, Fri 12 - Sat 13 Aug, mac, Birmingham
THE REALLY BIG CHORUS Programme comprises Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Sat 13 Aug, Birmingham Town Hall Comedy Gigs
LOUDEEMY SOUP COMEDY NIGHT Featuring new and established acts, Mon 8 Aug, The Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham THE SMARTEST GIANT IN TOWN Folksy Theatre present an outdoor perform- MY COMEDY FEAT. MAUREEN YOUNGER ance of Julia Donaldson & Alex Wed 10 Aug, Kitchen Garden Cafe, Scheffler's story of a giant who gives Birmingham away his clothes to those who need Clay - Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham COMEDY CAROUSEL FEAT. ANDY ROBIN- them more than he does, Sat 13 SON, MARK OLVER & MICK FERRY Thurs Aug, Wightwick Manor, Hounds, Kings Heath, Robin, Bilston 11 Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham Wolverhampton Birmingham Gigs THE JAM’D Sat 13 Aug, JUST THE TONIC FEAT. PAUL TONKINSON, THE WIZARD OF OZ Immersion Theatre CLAY & RISCAS Thurs 11 The Roadhouse, WES ZAHARUK, ANDY ROBINSON & MATT present an outdoor re-telling of the Aug, Sunflower Birmingham SHOW ME THE BODY REED Fri 12 Aug, The Comedy Loft, classic children's tale, Sat 13 Aug, Lounge, Birmingham Mon 8 Aug, Hare & THE REPEAT OFFENDERZ Birmingham Anne Hathaway's Cottage & Hounds, Birmingham THE TIDE Fri 12 Aug, Sat 13 Aug, Route 44, Gardens, Stratford-upon-Avon O2 Institute, B’ham Birmingham DAG NASTY Mon 8 Aug, TWELFTH NIGHT Fathom Theatre O2 Academy, B’ham BENTLEY RHYTHM ACE BLACK BOMBERS Sat 13 Company present an outdoor pro- Fri 12 Aug, Hare & Aug, Hare & Hounds, duction of Shakespeare’s identity- SARABETH & GLEN Hounds, Birmingham Kings Heath, B’ham swapping comedy, Sat 13 Aug, The MITCHELL Tue 9 Aug, Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon The Robin, Bilston FRAN THE MAN Fri 12 BRITISH SEA POWER Sat Aug, The Irish Centre, 13 Aug, Hare & RICHARD II Everyman Youth Theatre BIG D AND THE KIDS Birmingham Hounds, Birmingham presents an outdoor staging of TABLE Wed 10 Aug, Shakespeare’s tale of justice, power, O2 Academy, B’ham LEVELLERS Fri 12 Aug, SWIM WITH SHARKS Sat The Empire, Coventry 13 Aug, The Irish identity and loyalty, Sun 14 Aug, The GOSPEL CENTRAL Wed Paul Tonkinson Centre, Birmingham Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon 10 Aug, The Jam SKABUCKS Fri 12 Aug, House, Birmingham The Roadhouse, QUILL Sat 13 Aug, CHRIS KENT, ROB HUGHES, MARK OLVER Birmingham Artrix, Bromsgrove & COMIC TBC Fri 12 - Sat 13 Aug, The JOHN VERITY BAND Glee Club, Birmingham Thurs 11 Aug, The DETROIT SOUL Fri 12 - THE SEX PISTOLS Robin, Bilston Sat 13 Aug, The Jam EXPERIENCE Sat 13 Aug, JUST THE TONIC FEAT. SIMON BLIGH, House, Birmingham The Slade Rooms, DOUGIE DUNLOP & MATT REED Sun 13 Film DEATH SPELLS Thurs 11 Aug, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham MAGIC - A KIND OF Wolverhampton Aug, O2 Academy, INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Birmingham QUEEN Fri 12 Aug, THE HARTS Sat 13 Aug, THE LAUGHING SOLE COMEDY FOR KIDS The Robin, Bilston Sunflower Lounge, Compered by Mrs Barbara Nice, the APOLLO SOUL Thurs 11 comedy club is specifically for chil- VON KRYSATI ROXZ & MR Birmingham FANTASTIC MR FOX (PG) Mr and Mrs Aug, The Jam House, dren and their families, bringing APOLLO Fri 12 Aug, BLAKE & BRAZIL Sun 14 Fox live an idyllic home life but after Birmingham together some of the best acts on Route 44, Birmingham Aug, The Irish Centre, 12 years of quiet domesticity, the FLAMINGO FLAME Thurs the circuit performing family friendly Birmingham bucolic existence proves too much 11 Aug, Hare & UB4T Sat 13 Aug, The jokes. Recommended age 5 plus, for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. Sun 14 Aug, mac, B’ham Director Wes Anderson's adaptation of a beloved children's novel by Roald Dahl. With the voices of George Clooney & Willem Dafoe. Theatre Artrix, Bromsgrove, Wed 10 Aug
THE SMARTEST GIANT IN TOWN Folksy Theatre present an outdoor perform- ance of Julia Donaldson & Alex Scheffler's story of a giant who gives away his clothes to those who need them more than he does, Wed 10 Aug, Martineau Gardens, Birmingham AS YOU LIKE IT Folksy Theatre present an outdoor production of ELVIS AND NIXON (18) The most Shakespeare's pastoral comedy, requested photo from the US Thurs 11 - Fri 12 Aug, Wightwick National Archives is of Richard M Manor, Wolverhampton Nixon shaking the hand of Elvis A JOANNE One-woman show performed Presley. The occasion was on 21 by the Olivier Award-nominated December 1970, in the Oval Office, Tanya Moodie, Thurs 11 - Fri 12 Aug, and the official notes of the meeting Studio Theatre @ The Other Place, reveal the King’s interest in Stratford-upon-Avon Communist brainwashing and a dis- KISSING FROGS A journey of love, loss taste for The Beatles. Michael Shannon plays Elvis and Kevin British Sea Power - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham and self-discovery set against a
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Monday 8 - Sunday 14 August
theSpacey is Nixon. Artrix,list Bromsgrove, NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Thurs 11 Aug Released from Fri 12 Aug, showing THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (U) It’s a at selected cinemas dog’s life for a terrier called Max BOBBY SANDS: 66 DAYS (15) when his owner adopts a mongrel from a dog pound. But this problem SID AND NANCY (18) seems small fry when the pooches SUICIDE SQUAD (tbc) uncover a nefarious conspiracy SWEET BEAN (PG) aimed at pets from human homes. With the voices of Louis CK, Eric UP FOR LOVE (12a) Stonestreet. mac, Birmingham, Sat 13 Aug THE CONFESSION (15) From supporting the Bosnian Mujahideen to being imprisoned in Bagram and Events Guantanamo, from the rebel training camps in Syria to the prison cells of CONDENSED HISTORIES: ANCIENT Belmarsh in Britain, Moazzam Begg WARRIOR SHOWS Greg Chapman has experienced a generation of con- uses juggling, unicycling and other flict. This is his first-hand account, a variety skills to perform shows about chronicle of the rise of modern jihad, the gladiators of Ancient Rome, war- its descent into terror and the disas- rior queen Boudicca and the Jewellery Quarter Heritage Walk trous reaction of the West. Followed Spartans, Mon 8 Aug, Forge Mill The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, Sat 13 August by Q&A. mac, Birmingham, Fri 12 Needle Museum, Worcestershire Aug KNIGHTS AND PRINCESSES ACADEMY The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is offering visitors the chance HAIRSPRAY (PG) An academy for budding knights and to step back in time this month, by taking part in the latest in its Sundown Cinema princesses, with hands-on medieval series of popular two-hour walks. returns to mac's fun. Transform yourself into a courtly Outdoor Arena The walk is designed to provide participants with an opportunity to lord or lady, with tips on everything explore the themes, people and places that once upon a time made with this popular from curtsies to combat, Mon 8 - Fri musical comedy 12 Aug, Kenilworth Castle the area the largest centre of jewellery production in the world. starring John “Although the heritage walk focuses on the jewellery trade,” LIVING HISTORY - TOYS THROUGH TIME Travolta and explained Birmingham Museum Trust’s Oliver Buckley in launching Michelle Pfeiffer. Tues 9 - Thurs 11 Aug, Tamworth mac, Birmingham, Castle, Staffordshire the series, “it also encompasses the many other aspects of the Fri 12 Aug BRITISH SHOWJUMPING NATIONAL Quarter’s rich history that placed Birmingham firmly on the national TERMINATOR (15) Classic cult sci-fi CHAMPIONSHIPS AND STONELEIGH and international map.” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger & HORSE SHOW Tues 9 - Sun 14 Aug, Linda Hamilton. This is an 18+ Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire event. The Mockingbird, FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: MONSTER Quarter, Birmingham this live guided tour takes in all of the Birmingham, Fri 12 Aug MASKS Make your very own monster AN INDIAN SUMMER NIGHT See page 4 city’s major buildings of architectural mask, inspired by the grotesques BORN TO BE BLUE (15) In the 1950s, for details, Sat 13 Aug, Soho House, interest including St Philip’s and St who decorate the Great Dining Chet Baker was one of the most Birmingham Chad’s Cathedrals, the Victoria Law famous trumpeters in the world, Room’s ceiling, Wed 10 Aug, Aston Courts, the Town Hall, the Council THE BIG READ: ANIMAL STORY-TIME renowned as both a pioneer of the Hall, Birmingham House, Birmingham Museum & Art Hear tales about author BB Taylor's West Coast jazz scene and an icon HONDA RON HASLAM RACE SCHOOL Gallery and Library, Sat 13 - Sun 14 favourite animals and meet them in of cool. By the 1960s, he was all but Experience riding on the Donington Aug, Birmingham City Centre real life, Sat 13 Aug, Soho House, washed up, his career and personal Park GP Circuit, Wed 10 Aug, Birmingham BONSAI DEMO Demonstration of best life in shambles due to years of Donington Park Racing Circuit, Derby care and practice for Bonsai trees, BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 addiction. Stars Ethan Hawke & HANDSWORTH HERITAGE WALK Admire Sun 14 Aug, Birmingham Botanical Beginning in the commercial heart of Carmen Ejogo. mac, Birmingham, Fri fine Georgian and Victorian architec- Gardens the city at the end of Colmore Row, 12 - Sat 13 Aug ture, a convent designed by SUMMERTIME (15) Two women from Augustus Pugin, a church that was entirely different worlds - Carole is a built nearly 1,000 years ago, Wed 10 militant feminist teaching Spanish in Aug, Soho House, Birmingham Paris and Delphine is a farmer’s LOCKDOWN The UK's first ever prison- daughter committed to her parents in based Zombie chase event. Set in rural southwest France - fall passion- HMP Shrewsbury (the Dana), a 4.5- ately in love. Stars Cécile de France acre site which until recently was a & Izïa Higelin. mac, Birmingham, Sat fully populated and functioning 13 - Tues 16 Aug prison, Thurs 11 - Sat 13 Aug, The ROCKY (12) Sundown Cinema at Dana Prison, Shrewsbury mac's Outdoor Arena presents the THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS Celebrating rags-to-riches American Dream story patchwork and quilting in all its of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but forms, Thurs 11 - Sun 14 Aug, NEC, kind-hearted Italian-American boxer Birmingham working as a debt collector for a loan shark in the slums of Philadelphia. FAMILY NIGHT An evening of games, Rocky starts out as a small-time club crafts and laugh-out-loud entertain- fighter, and later gets a shot at the ment, Sat 13 Aug, Black Country world heavyweight championship. Living Museum, Dudley Stars Sylvester Stallone & Talia Shire. KINGS NORTON FARMERS MARKET Sat mac, Birmingham, Fri 12 - Thurs 18 13 Aug, The Green, Kings Norton, Aug Birmingham JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (U) An RAGLEY HALL BATTLE PROMS The final orphan with terrible aunts for night of the UK’s premier picnic con- guardians befriends human-like bugs cert series, Sat 13 Aug, Ragley Hall, who live inside a giant peach. Stars Warwickshire Paul Terry & Joanna Lumley. Artrix, JEWELLERY QUARTER HERITAGE WALK Bromsgrove, Sat 13 Aug Sat 13 Aug, Museum of the Jewellery Condensed Histories: Ancient Warriors - Forge Mill Needle Musuem, Redditch
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thelist Monday 15 - Sunday 21 August taste of life in professional musical theatre, Wed 17 - Sat 20 Aug, New Classical Music Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham THE TAMING OF THE SHREW The ALPs NATIONAL CHILDREN’S ORCHESTRA OF present a Commedia dell’arte version GREAT BRITAIN Programme includes of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, works by Verdi, Curtis, Tchaikovsky, Sun 21 Aug, The Dell, Stratford-upon- Gershwinn arr. Rose & Badelt arr. Avon Ricketts, Sat 20 Aug, Birmingham Town Hall HAMLET Festival Players Theatre Company present an outdoor produc- SUNDAY CLASSICS Presenting a range tion of the Bard's most famous play, of young stars of the future from the Sun 21 Aug, Hall's Croft, Stratford- classical world, ranging from opera upon-Avon singers to violinists to harpists at the very start of their careers…, Sun 21 MONSTERSAURUS Brand new chil- Aug, The Spotted Dog, Birmingham dren’s show from the creators of Aliens Love Underpants, Sun 21 Aug, mac, Birmingham Comedy Gigs
TOADALLY FREE COMEDY! Members of Film Box of Frogs present their own inim- INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: itable brand of high-octane impro- vised nonsense from audience sug- DAVID BOWIE IS (PG) The Victoria & gestions, Mon 15 Aug, The Blue Albert Museum presents David Bowie Orange Theatre, Birmingham Is Happening Now, a nationwide cine- Atomic Kitten - Kasbah, Coventry COMEDY CAROUSEL FEAT. ANDY ROBIN- ma event screened live from David Heath, Birmingham Aug, Route 44, SON, CRAIG MURRAY & JARRED CHRIST- Bowie Is, as the finale to the muse- Birmingham MAS Thurs 18 Aug, The Glee Club, um’s enormously successful exhibi- Gigs MOTOWN & SOUL NIGHT Birmingham tion. This unique event is the last WITH DJ PAUL KELLY Fri STAR OF THE SEA Sat 20 opportunity to view the V&A’s exhibi- 19 Aug, The Irish Aug, The Irish Centre, MARTHA REEVES & VAN- tion before it goes on international Centre, Birmingham Birmingham DELLAS Mon 15 Aug, tour. mac, Birmingham, Tues 16 Aug The Robin, Bilston BON GIOVI Fri 19 Aug, NIRVANA UK Sat 20 WEINER (15) Documentary about US The Robin, Bilston Aug, The Roadhouse, ANNA AND ELIZABETH politician Anthony Weiner's failed Birmingham Mon 15 Aug, Kitchen SKIT FEST Fri 19 Aug, attempt to run for Mayor of New York Garden Cafe, B’ham Hare & Hounds, Kings SOUL JUNCTION Sat 20 City in 2013. Many politicians have Heath, Birmingham Aug, The Robin, seen their careers slip off the tracks, GRYPHON Tues 16 Aug, Bilston but few have had their failure so inci- The Robin, Bilston THE HANDSOME BEASTS Fri 19 Aug, Route 44, THE MIGHTY YOUNG Sat sively and painfully recorded. mac, JULIAN JU JU MARLEY Birmingham 20 Aug, Hare & Birmingham, Tues 16 - Wed 17 Aug Wed 17 Aug, O2 Hounds, Birmingham Jarred Christmas WE ARE MANY (12a) A documentary Institute, Birmingham MR BEN Fri 19 - Sat 20 Aug, The Jam House, TEMPLETON PEK Sat 20 about the protest movement against THE BIG WOLF BAND JUST THE TONIC FEAT. OTIZ CANNELLONI, Birmingham Aug, O2 Academy, the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Directed Wed 17 Aug, The Jam JULIAN DEANE, QUINCY & DAVID MOR- by Amir Amirani. Followed by Q&A. THE FLYOVER SHOW FEAT Birmingham House, Birmingham GAN Fri 19 Aug, The Comedy Loft, mac, Birmingham, Tues 16 - Wed 17 SOWETO KINCH Sat 20 GOLDIE + MORE Sat 20 Birmingham HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS Aug Aug, Hockley Flyover, Aug, The Rainbow Wed 17 Aug, O2 JOHN FOTHERGILL, ANDREW STANLEY, Birmingham Venues, Birmingham BARRY LYNDON (12a) In this adaptation Academy, Birmingham CRAIG MURRAY & JARRED CHRISTMAS of William Makepeace Thackeray’s TROPICAL SPECIAL WITH NIK TURNERS INNER CITY Fri 19 - Sat 20 Aug, The Glee Club, BUZZ D'ANGELO BAND novel about the exploits of an 18th ALTERNATIVE DUBSTEP UNIT Sun 21 Aug, Birmingham Thurs 18 Aug, The Jam century Irish adventurer, Ryan O’Neal ORCHESTRA Sat 20 Aug, Hare & Hounds, House, B’ham UPFRONT COMEDY’S SUMMER JAM stars as Redmond Barry (later Barry Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Featuring Slim, Judi Love, Jamie Lyndon) and Marisa Berenson is Lady MINISTRY Thurs 18 Birmingham PAT JORDAN & FINIANS Howard & John Simmit, Sat 20 Aug, Lyndon. mac, Birmingham, Fri 19 Aug Aug, O2 Institute, THE GLAMOPHONES Sat RAINBOW Sun 21 Aug, mac, Birmingham Birmingham MAD MAX (15) Sundown Cinema at 20 Aug, Tamworth The Irish Centre, JUST THE TONIC FEAT. OTIZ CANNELLONI, mac's Outdoor Arena presents Mel THE FLYNNTONES Thurs Castle Birmingham JULIAN DEANE, ROB HEENEY & DAVID Gibson as a vengeance-bent cop in 18 Aug, The IVOR & LYNN’S CLASSIC MORGAN Sat 20 Aug, The Comedy the near-future dystopian Australian Roadhouse, B’ham ROCK NIGHT Sat 20 Loft, Birmingham outback. Also stars Joanne Samuel & ATOMIC KITTEN Thurs 18 Steve Bisley. mac, Birmingham, Fri 19 Aug, Kasbah, Coventry Aug MOTION CITY ASTERIX AND OBELIX: MANSION OF THE SOUNDTRACK Thurs 18 GODS (U) The setting is 50 BC. The Aug, O2 Institute, Theatre entire territory of Gaul is occupied by Birmingham the Romans... Or is it? mac, DIAMOND HEAD Birmingham, Fri 19 - Thurs 25 Aug THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN Based on HEAVY METAL BAND Chaucer's The Knight's Tale, The Two AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON (15) Thurs 18 Aug, Noble Kinsmen is attributed to John This John Landis landmark depicts The Robin, Bilstonr Fletcher and William Shakespeare the story of two college yanks wan- MOON SUGAR Fri 19 and is best described as a tragicome- dering the English moors on vaca- Aug, O2 Institute, dy exploring the intoxication and tion. When David (David Naughton) Birmingham strangeness of love, Wed 17 Aug - and Jack (Griffin Dunne) happen BOW WOW WOW Fri 19 Tues 7 Feb 2017, The Swan Theatre, upon a quaint pub, they’re warned Aug, O2 Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon not to leave the road when walking Birmingham after dark. Needless to say, they GREASE: STAGE EXPERIENCE Featuring ignore the advice... This is an 18+ MR C Fri 19 Aug, Hare some of the West Midlands’ most tal- event. The Mockingbird, Birmingham, & Hounds, Kings Templeton Pek - O2 Academy, Birmingham ented young performers, hungry for a Sat 20 Aug
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Monday 15 - Sunday 21 August
THE COMMUNE (15) Thomas Vinterberg (Festen, The Hunt, Far Events From The Madding Crowd) sets his latest film in a commune in the ’70s where not everybody sees eye to SUMMER HOLIDAY TILE DECORATING eye. Trine Dyrholm won the best WORKSHOPS Create your own ceram- actress award at Berlin for her per- ic tiles at family drop-in tile decorat- formance. And if Ms Dyrholm looks ing workshops running Monday to familiar to you, she starred opposite Friday during the summer school Pierce Brosnan in the delightful Love holidays, Mon 15 - Fri 19 Aug, Is All You Need (2012). mac, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Birmingham, Sun 21 - Thurs 25 Aug Shropshire CIRCUSMASH WORKSHOPS Circus workshops and masterclasses for the Birmingham community, Mon 15 - Fri NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: 19 Aug, Circusmash, Birmingham Released from Fri 19 Aug, showing MEDIEVAL FUN & GAMES Hands-on at selected cinemas activities, Mon 15 - Fri 19 Aug, 400 DAYS (tbc) Kenilworth Castle ALMOST HOLY (PG) DISCOVER AND EXPLORE WITH MINECRAFT Explore, play and discov- ASTERIX AND OBELIX - MANSION OF THE er the world of Minecraft within a safe GODS (U) and secure digital environment. Tues CircusMASH Workshops BEHEMOTH (tbc) 16 Aug, Enginuity Museum, COSMOS (tbc) Ironbridge, Shropshire Circusmash, Kings Heath, Birmingham, Mon 15 - Fri 19 August DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD (15) BUILD YOUR FAVOURITE BRITISH CAR Specialising in the development of circus in the West Midlands, six- Build your favourite British car with LIGHTS OUT (15) year-old company CircusMASH is inviting children and young people LEGO, Tues 16 - Thurs 18 Aug, aged between eight and 17 to take part in its summer youth show, SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS (tbc) British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire Elemento. Participants get to try out a selection of circus skills before LEGO MINDSTORMS ROBOTS Work with focusing on one particular discipline, which then forms part of a LEGO MindStorms to build and pro- final-day show for friends and family to enjoy. gramme a robot to solve a variety of Check out the company’s website - circusmash.co.uk - for further problems, Wed 17 Aug, Enginuity details about how to take part.
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thelist Monday 15 - Sunday 21 August Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire Beckett's Farm, Birmingham FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: SILHOUETTE BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Sat 20 - STAGES Get crafty and creative as Sun 21 Aug, Birmingham City Centre you make your own puppet theatre, BLISTS HILL IN STEAM Collection of complete with silhouette props, Wed steam machines in their full working 17 Aug, Aston Hall, Birmingham splendour, plus visiting miniature PEPPA PIG See Peppa Pig and engines brought by steam enthusi- George in the gardens, Wed 17 Aug, asts, Sat 20 - Sun 21 Aug, Blists Hill, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Ironbridge, Shropshire CLAYMATION - STORY TELLING MECCANO EVENT See some amazing THROUGH ANIMATION Create back- working Meccano models and find drops, figures and objects that can out more about the versatile building be used to tell a story through ani- system with the Telford Meccano mation, Thurs 18 Aug, Enginuity Society, Sat 20 - Sun 21 Aug, Blists Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire PRINTED PORTRAITS: INSPIRED BY VAN RUN WHAT YA BRUNG Take your car or DYCK Try out polytile printing and motorcycle out on the famous quar- make your own portrait in a beautiful ter-mile dragstrip and test its per- frame, Thurs 18 Aug, Aston Hall, formance limits in a safe and legal Birmingham environment, Sat 20 - Sun 21 Aug, A Day Out With Peppa Pig THE COLOR RUN Unique 5km run cele- Santa Pod Raceway, Northants Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Wed 17 August brating healthiness, happiness, VINTAGE CAR RALLY Featuring 100 vin- Peppa Pig and George make a welcome return to Birmingham friendship and having the time of tage cars from 1900 to 1975, Sun 21 Botanical Gardens this month to delight and excite their legion of your life, Sat 20 Aug, NEC, B’ham Aug, Charlecote Park, Warwickshire young fans. ROUNDHOUSE UN-TOUR Tour of the BUSES FESTIVAL Featuring up to 100 Roundhouse Birmingham with a dif- restored, vintage and modern buses And there’s plenty more besides to enjoy at this always-popular visi- ference, Sat 20 Aug, Birmingham and coaches, Sun 21 Aug, British tor attraction. Opened in 1832, the 15-acre venue has changed very lit- Back to Backs Motor Museum, Gaydon, tle in its near-200-year history. The gardens feature four glasshouses - THE BIG READ: BEATFREEKS One-hour Warwickshire tropical, subtropical, Mediterranean and arid - a wetlands enclosure, creative writing session for young MONSTER TRUCK NATIONALS The battle a seasonal butterfly house and 7,000-plus types of plant. It’s also people, Sat 20 Aug, Soho House, to find the ultimate Monster Truck home to the British National Bonsai Collection and a small number of Birmingham National Champion, Sun 21 Aug, exotic birds from around the world. Santa Pod Raceway, Northants BECKETTS VINTAGE FAIR Sat 20 Aug, Plenty to see and do for visitors of all ages, then...
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whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List 22 - 31 August - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:44 Page 1
thelist Monday 22 - Wednesday 31 August JOE PASQUALE Royal Variety Show Classical Music favourite Joe Pasquale contem- plates an array of subjects, including CBSO: WELCOMING MIRGA GRAZINYTE- ‘Why is an orange called an orange TYLA Introducing the City of when a carrot is more orange than Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s an orange?’, Wed 31 Aug, Lichfield new Music Director. Programme Garrick includes works by Mozart, Abrahamsen & Tchaikovsky, Fri 26 Aug, Symphony Hall, Birmingham. Read our interview with Mirga on page 16
Comedy Gigs
COMEDY CAROUSEL FEAT. ANDY ROBIN- Our World Below - O2 Institute, Birmingham SON, DAVID HADINGHAM & COMIC TBC Thurs 25 Aug, The Glee Club, Fri 26 - Sat 27 Aug, Grange Park, Solihull Birmingham Gigs The Jam House, SUMMER CHAPTER JUST THE TONIC FEAT. DALISO CHAPON- Birmingham Sat 27 - Sun 28 Aug, DA, JOSH HOWIE, JOHN FOTHERGILL & THE SCOPYONS Fri 26 The Rainbow Venues, BILLY KIRKWOOD Fri 26 Aug, The WHITNEY Tues 23 Aug, Aug, The Roadhouse, Birmingham Comedy Loft, Birmingham Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Joe Pascquale - Lichfield Garrick Birmingham CLUB A GO GO Sun 28 TIM CLARK, ANDY WHITE, DAVID HAD- KRIS DREVER & IAN Aug, Hare & Hounds, INGHAM & COMIC TBC Fri 26 - Sat 27 BEACH SLANG Tues 23 CARR Fri 26 Aug, Birmingham Aug, The Glee Club, Birmingham Aug, The Sunflower Kitchen Garden Cafe, Lounge, Birmingham THE GARDEN Sun 28 Birmingham Aug, Hare & Hounds, CELEBRATE - KOOL AS THE HURLING BOYS Sat Birmingham THE GANG Wed 24 Aug, 27 Aug, The Irish Film The Jam House, NORTHERN SOUL SPE- Centre, Birmingham Birmingham CIAL Sun 28 Aug, The GOOD CHARLOTTE Sat Robin, Bilston INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: ETHAN JOHNS Wed 24 27 Aug, O2 Institute, Aug, Hare & Hounds, NOVACROW Sat 28 Birmingham Kings Heath, B’ham Aug, The Slade SID & NANCY (18) Morbid biographical OZZY OZZSPAWN Sat 27 Rooms, PHOENIX RISING Wed story of Sid Vicious, bassist with Aug, The Roadhouse, Wolverhampton 14 Aug, The Robin, British punk group the Sex Pistols, B’ham Bilston LIQUIDBRASS Sun 28 and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. DIRTY JANE Sat 27 Aug, Aug, Tamworth Castle Andy White - The Glee Club Stars Gary Oldman & Chloe Webb. DEAD! Wed 24 Aug, mac, Birmingham, Mon 22 - Tues 23 O2 Academy, TONT KEARNEY Sun 28 The Asylum, B’ham Aug Birmingham Aug, The Irish Centre, CHARITY COMEDY NIGHT FEAT. ANDY KEVIN MORBY Thurs 25 T-REXTACY Sat 27 Aug, Birmingham WHITE In aid of Alzheimer’s Society, PAN (PG) Fantasy action adventure in Aug, Hare & Hounds, Sun 28 Aug, The Glee Club, which Peter Pan is kidnapped and The Robin, Bilston RAGHU DIXIT Wed 31 Birmingham Birmingham taken to Neverland by the pirates, OUR WORLD BELOW Sat Aug, O2 Academy, THE PRETTY THINGS where he has to confront their dan- 27 Aug, O2 Academy, Birmingham JUST THE TONIC FEAT. DALISO CHAPON- Thurs 25 Aug, The DA, JOSH HOWIE, JOHN FOTHERGILL & gerous leader, Blackbeard. Stars Birmingham THE ACOUSTIC Robin, Bilston BILLY KIRKWOOD Mon 29 Aug, The Hugh Jackman & Garrett Hedlund. SUBHUMAN RACE Sat SESSIONS Wed 31 Aug, DEL CAMINO Thurs 25 Comedy Loft, Birmingham mac, Birmingham, Fri 26 Aug 27 Aug, Route 44, The Jam House, Aug, The Jam House, PSYCHO (15) Marion Crane (Janet Birmingham Birmingham SARAH MILLICAN: OUTSIDER Mon 29 Birmingham Aug, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Leigh) goes on the run after stealing SOLIHULL SUMMER HOODIE ALLEN DOING YOUR OWN DANG $40,000 from one of her employer's FESTIVAL Featuring - Unsigned American FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Wed 31 Aug, Fri 26 Aug, Hare & clients. Taking a wrong turn in a UB40, Scouting For hip-hop artist and rap- The Patrick Kavanagh, Birmingham Hounds, Kings Heath, storm, she arrives at the isolated Girls & Lucy per, Wed 31 Aug, O2 Birmingham Bates Motel, run by the twitchy Spraggan, Sat 27 - Institute, B’ham Norman (Anthony Perkins). mac, UP4 THE DOWNSTROKE Sun 28 Aug, Tudor Birmingham, Fri 26 Aug THE BFG (PG) The last time Steven Theatre Spielberg and the screenwriter Melissa Mathison collaborated on a THE GLENN MILLER STORY Tommy film was on ET The Extra-Terrestrial, Steele stars as America’s most 34 years ago. This one is a live-action famous big band leader, Tues 23 - adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story of Sat 27 Aug, New Alexandra Theatre, the lonely giant (played here by Mark Birmingham Rylance) who kidnaps a little girl (Ruby Barnhill) to help him outwit the MURDER ON THE CHURCHILL EXPRESS man-eating giants that have been An interactive, immersive evening of plaguing the human world. Also stars fun centred around the murder of Ruby Barnhill & Dame Penelope eccentric Austrian inventor, Wilton. mac, Birmingham, Fri 26 Aug Professor Kildorf, Fri 26 - Sat 27 - Wed 31 Aug Aug, Lichfield Garrick STRANGE MAGIC (U) A madcap fairytale A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM The musical inspired by A Midsummer same company of actors present Night's Dream. Popular songs from two one-act versions of plays linked the past six decades help tell the tale by the dangerous power of magic, of a colourful cast of goblins, elves, Sat 27 - Sun 28 Aug, The Dell, fairies and imps, and their hilarious Stratford-upon-Avon Lucy Spraggan - Solihull Summer Festival misadventures sparked by the battle
64 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 22 - 31 August - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:44 Page 2
Monday 22 - Wednesday 31 August
over a powerful potion.. mac, rior queen Boudicca and the Birmingham, Sat 27 Aug Spartans, Mon 22 Aug, Forge Mill SHAFT (15) Sundown Cinema at Needle Museum, Redditch, mac's Outdoor Arena presents John Worcestershire Shaft, a black private eye with a SIEGE THE DAY! A week-long event small office near Times Square. Stars preparing for the great siege of Richard Roundtree & Moses Gunn. Kenilworth. Would-be young castle mac, Birmingham, Sat 27 Aug defenders can practise their tre- CALAMITY JANE (U) Sundown Cinema buchet skills and hear tales about at mac's Outdoor Arena presents the terrifying siege, Mon 22 - Fri 26 Calamity Jane, the classic mucical Aug, Kenilworth Castle starring Doris Day & Howard Keel. ENCHANTED CASTLE Aimed at anyone mac, Birmingham, Sun 28 Aug who likes knights, dragons and GOOSEBUMPS (U) An adventure horror fairies. Follow the magical trail about a boy who has to save his through the Castle, Mon 22 - Fri 26 town when hundreds of monsters are Aug, Tamworth Castle unleashed from his neighbour's book SUPERHEROES TO THE RESCUE! Make collection. Stars Jack Black & Dylan your own mask and cape, and use Minnette. mac, Birmingham, Mon 29 your special powers to create a utility Aug belt, Tues 23 Aug, Selly Manor, Birmingham SUMMER WORKSHOP - ILLUSTRATION AND FOLD-OUR STORY BOOKS Be inspired by Selly Manor and learn fun ways to draw and translate stories and characters into a hand-made picture book, Wed 24 Aug, Selly Manor, Birmingham Drawn TEDDY BEARS PICNIC Featuring games RBSA Gallery, Birmingham, Mon 22 August - Sun 3 September on the lawn, a bouncy castle, a chil- Goosebumps dren’s entertainer, arts and crafts and The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (RBSA) here displays a activity trails, Wed 24 Aug, range of artworks by its members and associates with the intention Birmingham Botanical Gardens of showcasing the variety of skills involved within the discipline of FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: CRAFTY drawing. The exhibition also seeks to illustrate the numerous ways NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: CASTLES Take inspiration from the in which drawings can be used - as a form of visual research, for the Released from Fri 26 Aug, showing magnificent architecture of Aston Hall purpose of planning and design, or as drafts for final pieces of art- at selected cinemas to create a crafty castle and become work. BAD MOMS (tbc) the lord or lady of your own make- believe world, Wed 24 Aug, Aston The pieces on show are available to buy, with the RBSA offering an CELL (PG) Hall, Birmingham interest-free loan on purchases of between £100 and £2,000. For fur- JULIETA (15) THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE YUCKY ther details, enquire at the gallery or visit www.rbsa.org.uk KIDS IN LOVE (15) Interactive family show which finds THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR (TBC) the Mrs History team trying to out- gross each other with nasty objects WAR DOGS (TBC) from the past, Wed 24 Aug, Aston MOSELEY ARTS MARKET Sat 27 Aug, and hazard awareness, Sat 27 Aug, Hall, Birmingham Victoria Parade, Moseley, B’ham British Motor Museum, Gaydon, SUMMER WORKSHOP - EDWARDIAN TOY SUTTON RECORD FAIR Sat 27 Aug, The Warwickshire MAKING Get toy tinkering and make Carpenter’s Arms, Sutton Coldfield, BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Events your own peg doll, Jacob’s ladder Birmingham Beginning in the commercial heart of and spinning tops, Thurs 25 Aug, THE BIG READ: STORY-TIME TRAIL the city at the end of Colmore Row, Selly Manor, Birmingham Explore Soho with Stories By Jo. this live guided tour takes in all of the CONDENSED HISTORIES: ANCIENT BRINDLEYPLACE SUMMER MARKETS Fri Make your own story by collecting city’s major buildings of architectural WARRIOR SHOWS Greg Chapman 26 Aug, Brindleyplace, B’ham items through the story time trail, Sat interest including St Philip’s and St Chad’s Cathedrals, the Victoria Law uses juggling, unicycling and other INSOMNIA58 The UK’s biggest gam- 27 Aug, Soho House, Birmingham variety skills to perform shows about Courts, the Town Hall, the Council ing festival, Fri 26 - Mon 29 Aug, MOTORCYCLE RIDER SKILLS WORKSHOP the gladiators of Ancient Rome, war- House, Birmingham Museum & Art NEC, Birmingham Improve your riding skills, knowledge
(EST 86) THEA RECIPE DINNER FOR FINE FOOD ANDCLUB GOOD COMPANY
MEETING POINT: corner of Colmore Row & SINGLE? Waterloo Street, Victoria Square For the more discerning TOUR TIMES: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm unattached person, age 40+ Events weekly include dining out, dinner dances, black tie CONTACT: balls, theatre, parties, weekends away and holidays abroad. 0121 427 2555 / 07805 115 998 [email protected] NOT A DATING AGENCY
AVAILABLE FOR 01244 677030 (Day)/01244 548816 (Eve/W-end) PRIVATE HIRE THROUGHOUT www.thedinnerclubuk.com
whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List 22 - 31 August - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 11:44 Page 3
thelist Monday 22 - Wednesday 31 August Gallery and Library,Sat 27 - Sun 28 HANDS ON HISTORY - SIEGE! Get set for Aug, Birmingham City Centre a summer packed with time-travelling BECKETTS BANK HOLIDAY FAMILY fun, Tues 30 - Wed 31 Aug, WEEKEND A weekend of family fun, Kenilworth Castle with fairground rides, inflatables, and GREAT FIRE OF LONDON WEEK plenty for the whole family to see Commemorate 350 years since the and do, Sat 27 - Mon 29 Aug, Great Fire of London, with themed Beckett's Farm, Birmingham crafts, garden and house trails, THE SIEGE OF KENILWORTH CASTLE quizzes and performances based on Mark 750 years since the Kenilworth the Great Fire, Tues 30 Aug - Sun 4 siege with a weekend of live-action Sep, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham re-enactments, Sun 28 - Mon 29 FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: HAND PRINT Aug, Kenilworth Castle BEASTS Aston Hall is filled with mythi- STORYTELLING WITH RUBY Visitors are cal and legendary beasts hidden invited to come along dressed in within the architecture. Find as many their favourite costumes and listen to as you can and then get hands-on as stories of knights, dragons, princess- you create your own colourful crea- es and castle-related themes, Mon ture, Wed 31 Aug, Aston Hall, Scouting For Girls 29 Aug, Tamworth Castle Birmingham SUMMER WORKSHOP - DINOSAUR STORYTELLING IN THE COURTYARD Hear Solihull Summer Festival DESIGNS Stomp along to Selly Manor a variety of old folktales from Britain, and construct your very own terrific and beyond; tales of dragons, trolls, Tudor Grange, Solihull, Sat 27 - Sun 28 August T-Rex or brilliant brachio using recy- giant cats and magical mermaids, Wed 31 Aug, Aston Hall, Birmingham Birmingham band UB40 headline this live music festival to raise cled materials, Tues 30 Aug, Selly Manor, B’ham SUMMER WORKSHOP - ANIMATION AND money for Help Harry Help Others, a local cancer charity set up in MAKE A CODE BREAKER OLDSKOOL CINEMA Learn about a memory of the late schoolboy Harry Moseley, who died five years Make your very own code breaker to help you range of inventors and animators ago aged 11. write messages in code, Tues 30 who’ve worked with early forms of The longstanding Midlands favourites will conclude their European Aug, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham cinema, then create your own mini festival tour at the event, the first of its kind in Solihull. Other artists theatres and shadow puppets, Wed CIRCUS WORKSHOPS Plate spinning, 31 Aug, Selly Manor, Birmingham taking part include Kevin Simm (winner of The Voice UK 2016), juggling, clowns and more, Tues 30 - Scouting For Girls, The Hoosiers, The Wonder Stuff, Five, S Club Wed 31 Aug, Birmingham Botanical BEHIND THE SCENES AT HIMLEY HALL Gardens Wed 31 Aug, Himley Hall & Park, Party and The Blow Monkeys. Dudley
66 whatsonlive.co.uk p67 (IBC) R2 Staffordshire.qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 09:40 Page 1
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2LT
PRESENTED BY STAFFORD GATEHOUSE THEATRE SUMMER SCHOOL LOSERVILLE
WED 10 - SAT 13 AUGUST, 2.30PM & 7.30PM (NO MATINEE 10 AUGUST) £10.50 / £38.00 family
CHAS & DAVE ‘THE FULL STORY LIVE’
THURS 1 SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM £30.00 / £28.00 concessions
NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE THE AUDIENCE
FRI 2 SEPTEMBER, 7.00PM £13.00 / £10.50 concessions
RUSSELL HOWARD SOLD WARM UP SHOW OUT
WED 14 & THURS 15 SEPTEMBER, 8.00PM £15.50
MILES JUPP SONGS OF FREEDOM
FRI 16 SEPTEMBER, 8.00PM £18.00
STICK MAN FROM THE BOOK BY JULIA DONALDSON, ILLUSTRATED BY ALEX SCHEFFLER, CREATORS OF THE GRUFFALO
FRI 23 SEPTEMBER, 2.00PM & 4.30PM SAT 24 SEPTEMBER, 11.00AM & 1.00PM £11.50, *SCHOOL PARTY RATE AVAILABLE*
DALLOWAY FROM THE CREATORS OF JANE EYRE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AUSTEN’S WOMEN, FEMALE GOTHIC, I, ELIZABETH AND THE UNREMARKABLE DEATH OF MARILYN MONROE…
TUE 27 SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM £15.50
KATE RUSBY EVERYBODY LOVES AND RESPECTS KATE RUSBY… SHE HAS MOVED FOLK FORWARD WHILE REMAIN- ING TRUE TO TRADITION. ‘SUNDAY TIMES ‘
WED 28 SEPTEMBER, 7.30PM £20.50 / £15.50 under 16s
View the full listings at www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk Box office 01785 619080 Appetite (FP- August 16).qxp_Layout 1 25/07/2016 10:07 Page 1