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Birmingham Cover Online.qxp_Birmingham Cover 29/04/2016 09:26 Page 1 Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands Birmingham ’ Whatwww.whatsonlive.co.uk sISSUE On 365 MAY 2016 EDDIE IZZARD IN THE MIDLANDS inside: Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide Julian Clary Celebrating 30 years of Mincing! The Overtones (FP- June 16).qxp_Layout 1 09/05/2016 14:55 Page 1 Contents May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2016 16:17 Page 1 May 2016 Contents Political Mother - Hofesh Shechter’s acclaimed work at The Rep. Feature page 20 Laura Mvula Katherine Ryan King Lear the list performs The Dreaming Room Canadian funny lady at the Don Warrington takes the lead Your 16-page on home turf Town Hall in The Bard’s searing tragedy week-by-week listings guide page 15 page 28 page 31 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 14. Music 28. Comedy 31. Theatre 38. Film 42. Visual Arts 45. Events @whatsonbrum fb.com/whatsonbirmingham Birmingham What’s On Magazine Birmingham What’s On Magazine Editorial Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 Whats On Matt Rothwell [email protected] 01743 281719 MAGAZINE GROUP Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Ryan Humphreys [email protected] 01743 281722 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Heather Kincaid, Adam Jaremko, Kathryn Ewing, David Vincent Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry [email protected] 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine. We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it. All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers. FIRST WORD May Brum.qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2016 20:14 Page 1 First Word Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes amongst Hippodrome highlights A specially commissioned outdoor production commemo- rating the centenary of the Great War is one of the high- lights of Birmingham Hippodrome’s recently announced 2016/17 programme of shows. Furious Folly, taking place as night falls in a no-man’s land on the battle front between the two lines, immerses its audience within an open-air collage of sound, light, pyrotechnics and performance. The production will be presented in Sutton Park. The Hippodrome season also sees Sir Matthew Bourne making a welcome return to Birmingham with brand new show The Red Shoes, a dance piece based on the beloved fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie of the same title. Other highlights of the season include Shakespeare- inspired productions by Birmingham Royal Ballet and Welsh National Opera, Cuban choreographer Nilda Guerra’s ‘sizzling’ new dance show Vamos Cuba, and Billy Elliott The Musical, stopping off at the Hippodrome as part of its first ever UK tour. For more information about these shows and other ele- ments of the Hippodrome’s 2016/17 season, visit, birming- hamhippodrome.com. Plans revealed for city centre Will wannabe Aldo Zilli announced redevelopment surgeons make for Foodies Festival the cut? Midlands-based wannabe surgeons are being given the chance to work in a real operating theatre this summer. The anatomy dissection tour Operating Theatre Live is heading to Birmingham in August, and is aimed at children Award-winning celebrity chef and restauran- and young people teur Aldo Zilli is set to be a star attraction at between the ages of 14 Birmingham’s forthcoming Foodies Festival. Birmingham City Council has revealed plans to transform and 17 who want to pur- Aldo, who specialises in Italian, vegetarian one of the city’s largest public spaces. A full business case sue careers in health and and seafood cuisine, will take his place at for the redevelopment of Centenary Sqaure has been put to medicine. the Cannon Hill Park event next month, cabinet with councillors asked to accept a £10.55 million The students will work in heading a line-up of celebrity chefs that also Enterprise Zone grant from the Greater Birmingham and groups to dissect a real features Great British Bake Off 2015 winner Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (BGBSLEP) to fund GI tract (stomach & intes- Nadiya Jamir Hussain. the cost of delivering the project. tines), a heart, a set of Other attractions at the three-day festival The square’s new design was chosen following a high pro- lungs, a head and brain include an artisan producers market, craft file competition which attracted nearly 200 entries from sample and a real leg and beer masterclasses, a kids cookery theatre, a architects and designers around the world. The new design bone. vintage cider tent and, for those with an incorporates lighting columns, a water feature with foun- Operating Theatre Live adventurous nature and cast-iron stomach, a tain jets and a glade of trees. runs from 10 to 12 August jungle bug eating challenge. Work on the scheme is scheduled to begin in early 2017, in Sutton Coldfield. The Birmingham Foodies Festival takes place subject to subsequent planning permission, with the proj- in Cannon Hill Park from 3 to 5 June. ect due to be completed by summer 2018. 4 whatsonlive.co.uk FIRST WORD May Brum.qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2016 18:29 Page 2 Entertainment news from around the region Cabaret Festival Mel B promises to spice returns for a up the festive season second year It will definitely be a case of ‘mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the Spiciest one of all?’ at Birmingham’s Cabaret Festival is back for a second year, taking Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena this place at the city’s Old Joint Stock Christmas, when Spice Girl Mel B stars as the venue from 4 to 29 May. Scary Queen in Snow White. “Cabaret has undeniably under- Melanie Brown - aka Scary Spice - will head- gone a renaissance in the past line the production, which is being promoted couple of decades,” explain the as ‘the world’s biggest panto’. festival’s organisers. “Music, come- dy, circus, drag and burlesque Mel will be joined by Big Brother favourite acts, to name but a few branches, Rylan Clarke-Neal as her henchman, Paddy frequently dominate the headlines McGuinness as Muddles and Strictly Come at festivals and venues across the Dancing's Vincent and Flavia as the mysteri- world. Cabaret is often the place to ous spirits in the mirror. discover the newest and most dar- The show will also boast a giant castle, ing cross-disciplinary theatre, and it’s something we're delighted to ‘amazing’ special effects, 24ft-high fountains be bringing to the second city.” and impressive displays of aerial acrobatics. The production runs at the Barclaycard Arena from 19 to 22 December. For more information and to buy tickets, West Midlands visit, barclaycardarena.co.uk/whats- the best for on/worlds-biggest-pantomime young visitors Travel guidebook series Rough Guides has named the West Midlands as the third best place in the world to visit with children. Little Shop Of Be At One in Birmingham Edinburgh, the Isle of Wight and Wales were the only other UK des- Horrors for Cocktail bar chain Be At One is opening its first Birmingham tinations to feature in the top-30 Rhydian venue this month. list. Kerala in India took first place Founded in 1998 by bartenders Steve Locke, Rhys Oldfield and and Maribor in Slovenia second. Leigh Miller, Be At One is located in the Piccadilly Arcade and has Commenting on the success, Emma Gray, Director of Marketing one of the largest cocktail lists in the industry. & Communications at Visit Commenting on the Birmingham opening, co-founder Steve Locke Birmingham, said: “The West said: “We’re very much focused on providing a world class guest Midlands is bursting at the seams experience, which we deliver through our bartenders, in-house with vibrant cultural attractions, training and an extensive range of cocktails. globally-recognised cuisine and “Be At One is a cocktail institution, providing great service, an innovative independent festivals - all proving a hit with local and visit- unbeatable party atmosphere and, most importantly, a pretention- ing families. free attitude. Birmingham is a major step for us - the city has a “This latest recognition from Rough Welsh baritone Rhydian thriving cocktail scene and one that we’re very excited about join- Guides follows a record 2015 for Roberts is to star in Little ing.” the region’s visitor economy, with Shop Of Horrors when it The Birmingham Be At One Cocktail Bar opens for business on 12 Birmingham alone welcoming an tours to Birmingham and May. all-time high of more than 38 mil- Coventry in the autumn. lion tourists. “With an exciting 2016 calendar Rhydian, who’s sold in including Shakespeare’s 400th excess of one million anniversary, there’s so much here albums worldwide since Birmingham Jazz Festival just got bigger to inspire and enthral children from appearing on The X The Birmingham Jazz & Blues Festival has teamed up with across the globe.” Factor in 2007, will take Solihull Business Improvement District (BID) to become the For Rough Guides’ full list, visit, the role of sadistic dentist roughguides.com/special- Birmingham and Solihull Jazz & Blues Festival.