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YEARS & YEARS AT Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands

ISSUE 401 MAY 2019 BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON MAY 2019 Birmingham ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD Onbirminghamwhatson.co.uk

PARTOF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP inside:

Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide

ROSIE KAY returns to the Hippodrome with new show 10 Soldiers WTE:@WHATSONBRUMTWITTER:

THE WORST LITTLE WAREHOUSE... at the Old Joint Stock Theatre FACEBOOK:@WHATSONBIRMINGHAM

SEALS IN THE CITY another good reason to visit the National Sea Life Centre! BIRMINGHAMWHATSON.CO.UK The Old Rep Full May 2019.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:53 Page 1 Contents May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 09:01 Page 2

May 2019

Contents

Let’s Do The Time Warp Again - The Rocky Horror Show visits the Alexandra Theatre - page 22

Calendar Girls Years & Years The Baby Show the list

Tim Firth talks about bringing join the party at this month’s the UK’s leading parenting Your 16-page the hit musical to the stage Birmingham Pride festival event returns to the NEC week-by-week listings guide feature page 8 page 19 page 45 page 51 inside:

4. First Word 10. Food 17. Gigs 20. Comedy 22. Theatre 38. Film 40. Visual Arts 43. Events

@whatsonbrum fb.com/whatsonbirmingham @whatsonmediagroup Birmingham What’s On Magazine Birmingham What’s On Magazine What’s On Media Group

Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 WhatsOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 MEDIA GROUP Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Subscriptions: Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Steve Adams, Lauren Cole, Nanci Davies, Jack Rolfe, Daisy Sparkle, Steve Taylor, Chris Eldon Lee, Patsy Moss, Tom Silverton 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 Birmingham May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:27 Page 1

Entertainment news from around the region

MoonFest set to land in Birmingham this summer Blast off to Birmingham for a once-in-a-life- time festival this summer, as Little Earth- quake theatre company join forces with Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) and the Uni- versity of Birmingham to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. Taking place from Tuesday 16 to Wednes- day 24 July, MoonFest is a programme of moon-inspired events, performances, screenings and activities created with artists, academics and audience members. For more information, visit little-earth- quake.com

Celebrating club tune-tellers and living statues. Sizzling line-up for Brum’s The event will take place at the city's Great legends at Perry Park Hall in the University Of Birmingham. The popular Foodies Festival brunch is family-friendly, with under-18s Foodies Festival is requiring a parent/guardian in attendance. making a welcome Each ticket includes a meal and all entertain- return to Birming- ment. Fancy dress is encouraged but guests ham’s Cannon Hill are welcome to wear whatever they wish. To Park next month. find out more about ticket availability, visit This year’s show designmynight.com takes place from 21 to 23 and features appearances by Birm- ingham's Michelin-starred restauranteur, Glynn Purnell. Other contributors to the three-day event in- clude The Neville Staple Band and Boyzlife, A brand new festival celebrating the giant comprising former Westlife star Bryan Mc- Midlands brands that dominated UK club- Fadden and ex-Boyzone member Keith Duffy. land during the 1990s and early 2000s will The festival also includes a street food vil- take place in the city this summer. lage, a cakes & desserts theatre, a kids cook- Legends In The Park will recall the events, B’Opera commission on ery school, a healthy living area, a chef’s brands and venues that helped put the sec- show in theatre, a vegan beer tent and a dog arena. ond city on the global map. A new show for young audiences will this Performers on the day include Eddie Halli- summer explore ‘the wonder of libraries and well (pictured), Jeremy Healy, Mauro Picotto, how they inspire curiosity’. Peter Pan flies into Sonique, DJ Hype, Randall, Freemasons and Alice And The Library Tree will be presented The REP for Christmas Fergie. The festival is being held at Perry Park in Sutton Coldfield Library by children’s on Sunday 28 July. opera company B’Opera during June and July. Birmingham Reper- For more information and to purchase tick- The show will also feature in the line-up for tory Theatre will be ets, visit legendsinthepark.com the Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council’s taking audiences on Concerts In The Park. a journey to the ‘sec- ond star to the right Hungry to enjoy and straight on till morning’ this Christ- The Wizard’s Brunch mas, when it presents a brand new staging of Get ready to experience all the magic of a Peter Pan as its festive production. critically acclaimed immersive dining The show will be directed by Liam Steel, who experience... scored a major hit for the theatre last Christ- After huge sell-out success in Australia and mas with his production of The Wizard Of Oz. Canada, The Wizard's Brunch is coming to Peter Pan runs at The REP from 30 November Birmingham on Saturday 7 September, com- to 19 January. Tickets are now available and plete with ‘a feast’ and ‘wonderful can be purchased by phoning 0121 236 4455 entertainment’, including illusionists, for- or online at birmingham-rep.co.uk 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:27 Page 2

First Word

Euro performing arts fest returns Birmingham’s annual summer festival of European perform- ing arts is celebrating its 10th birthday next month. Taking place from 27 June to 6 July in the back stages of Birmingham Repertory The- atre, BE FESTIVAL will pre- sent four 30-minute shows each night. During the interval, the main stage will make way for a pop- up restaurant, with audience members, actors and festival staff invited to enjoy a meal together. After the shows, au- diences can stay behind to possibly go wrong?... enjoy a free programme of live More cheese, Gromit? The event also features a screening of the music and DJs until the early An interactive experience featuring specially Academy Award-winning movie, Wallace & hours. created animations, live orchestral accompani- Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, with the sound- ment and Aardman Animations’ much-loved track being performed by the orchestra live on PE inspires new characters Wallace & Gromit is heading to the stage. work by BCMG Midlands. Wallace & Gromit's Musical Marvels visits Wallace & Gromit's Musical Marvels sees Wal- Victoria Hall, Hanley, on Monday 20 May and Birmingham Contemporary lace preparing to perform his musical master- Birmingham Symphony Hall on Wednesday 29 Music Group (BCMG) will next piece, My Concerto In Ee Lad, with help from May. There will be an afternoon and evening month premiere a new work faithful canine companion Gromit. What could performance at both venues. inspired by emotionally charged memories of child- hood PE lessons. Physical Education - created Ola! Ride-hailing by Apprentice Composer-in- platform launches Residence Robert Reid Allan, performed at the city’s CBSO in Birmingham Centre on Friday 21 June and New ride-hailing platform Ola featuring live performance is set to launch in Birmingham and projection - transports the after being granted taxi and audience back to their days in private hire licences. the school gymnasium. The easy-to-use platform says The work is performed by it will transform the use of BCMG musicians and actor, transport in Birmingham, Soli- dancer and singer Richard hull and , with Court, with film by Sasha Bal- more than 2.8 million people mazi Owen. set to benefit from greater Commenting on his new travel choice and quicker, eas- Mini-city magic at Thinktank museum piece, Robert Reid Allen said: ier access to taxis. Customers A child-sized mini-city where kids are in charge is opening for “In this new work, sporting will also enjoy competitive May half term at Birmingham’s Thinktank science museum. imagery finds a new place in pricing, says Ola, as well as 24- MiniBrum! allows families to explore ‘the amazing world of sci- projected video, and violent hour safety support via the ence and engineering, and learn about the body, the city and the musical gestures sit alongside company’s in-app customer environment through fun interactive play’. the physical movements of the care and emergency service. The new attraction has been created for children under the age of dancer. Ben Legg, Managing Director eight and features shops, the inner city, a construction site, a “All the while the text weaves of Ola UK, said: “We are lead- park, a home and a purpose-built classroom for the delivery of a the audience through a shared ing the way with driver bene- new science education programme. nostalgia for the dreaded gym fits and are the only platform For more information, visit birminghammuseums.org.uk/think- hall.” to include black cab drivers in tank our dynamic fleet.” whatsonlive.co.uk 5 First Word Birmingham May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:27 Page 3

First Word

Skyline Symphonica brings mance, entertainment and the after-party - or Flagship gallery to Ibiza to the city alternatively just for the evening, without din- open at Brum’s ner. Full details can be found at A 25-piece orchestra is set to bring the very best seetickets.com Mailbox beach-beats to Birmingham this month. The UK’s leading fine art retailer is Skyline Symphonica will be playing Ibiza club soon to unveil its biggest gallery yet classics on Level 25 at The Cube on Sunday 26 in the heart of the Midlands. May, with those in attendance at the event also Castle Fine Art’s brand new gallery having the opportunity to enjoy a three-course will open to the public on Saturday 8 dinner. June in a 6,000 sq ft space at Birming- Commenting on the evening, Paul Brina from ham’s Mailbox... To find out more, Higher House, the event’s co-organisers with visit castlefineart.com Elegant Entertainment, said: “This fully im- mersive musical experience is going to be one not to be missed, taking guests to the next level of entertainment. From Lola's Theme and Insomnia to Moloko and Cafe del Mar, Skyline Symphonica is a collaboration between local artists and occasion-makers, and we’re thrilled to be bringing this to life with the talented Ele- gant Entertainment and Level 25.” Tickets are available for either the full experi- ence - comprising dinner, the orchestra perfor-

Grease is the word this summer Midlands-based Peter Andre fans are sure to have chills that are multiplyin’ at the moment, as they look forward to their hero’s summertime visit to Birmingham in hit musical Grease. Peter will play the role of Teen Angel in the show, starring alongside Dan Partridge, Martha Kirby, Louis Gaunt and Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky, who take on the roles of Danny, Sandy, and Rizzo respectively... Grease runs at Birmingham Hippo- drome from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 24 August, with Peter appearing from the 13th to the 17th and then on the 21st and 22nd. For tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com

Weekend event marks park opening The 2019 Birmingham Prom and a mass singing event will next month mark the official opening of the University of Birmingham’s new 12-acre parkland space, Green Heart. Led by the University of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Festival Voices and alumni singers, the free-to-attend Birmingham Prom takes place on Saturday 8 June and features an array of musical fes- tivities, including Prom classics such as Elgar’s Pomp And Circumstance and Rule Britannia... The mass singing event, entitled Song Festival, takes place at the Green Heart the following day, (Sunday the 9th) and is led by the City of Birming- ham Symphony Orchestra.

6 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:27 Page 4 .qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:53 Page 1

Award-winning musical comes to the Midlands…

8Calenda whatsonlive.co.uk Girls Calendar Girls Tim Firth.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 12:53 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

What’s On speaks to playwright and screenwriter Tim Firth about his heartwarming production...

The original ‘calendar girls’ took the world by lives, especially for women at the local That-inspired show, The Band. storm when they posed nude for a charity cal- Women’s Institute. They started an interna- “There’s a saying that all playwrights write endar following the death of one of their hus- tional phenomenon and raised so much basically the same play but from different an- bands from the blood cancer, non-Hodgkin money for the charity Bloodwise. The nude gles throughout their career, and I think that lymphoma. Since then, their witty, uplifting calendar rose in popularity as a way of rais- could be applied to songwriters also. This can story has touched millions across the world. ing cash for a variety of causes while at the be pretty damaging for a musical because same time having a really good laugh. What In 2003, Tim Firth took on the task of writing after two hours of sitting in a theatre, it can made the Calendar Girls’ calendar so special the screenplay for a film about their story, become pretty obvious that you’re hearing al- was that, firstly, the photographs, taken by and then followed it up with a stage play. He most the same song over and over. The great Terry Logan, were works of art within them- then joined forces with - and thing about Gary is that he gave me so many selves, and secondly, that it was understated. Calendar Girls The Musical was born… ideas. Also, I think because he’s been work- It was all about what you didn’t see; it was a ing the length of time that he has, he re- “Gary and I have known each other for a very fan dance. Also, if there had just been the sponds to different lyrics with different kinds long time,” Tim explains. “We’d talked about idea of making the calendar, as opposed to of songs. Originally we had over 90 songs, writing a musical together for ages but had making it in response to grief and loss, the and it’s like looking at the wall of an old- nothing to write it about. Seeing as I’d al- mixture would have been a lot less potent. fashioned sweet shop. Through the story, you ready done Calendar Girls as a film and a The reason people react to it in the theatre is hit certain points and jars start to rattle on play, it was the last place I was looking. But because everyone has been touched by loss the shelf and everything falls into place. To the play was always slightly straining to be a and grief, even if it’s not directly through dis- do that, though, you have to have a very musical, I think. What then emerged was a ease. The reason it works as a show is be- strong work ethic, and Gary certainly has different structure to the story. If you’ve seen cause people are laughing and crying at the that. So in Calendar Girls, we have the variety the play, the calendar shoot comes at the end same time. In a way, that’s what people of songs and tones that you need for a musi- of the first act, but in the musical it only across the world were doing in response to cal - and in a more acoustic style too, rather comes right at the very end. What this does is the actual calendar; it was a witty act of war than the pop music Gary is best known for.” allow us to spend more time with the women, against grief. People respond to that bravery their husbands and their children. This little and valiance.” Tim has other exciting projects in the village becomes a small poem for the rest of pipeline: “I’ve got my new comedy, This Is My Tim views the original Calendar Girls as pio- the world that’s full of hope and wit, and is Family, and Gary and I have already started neers of body positivity, challenging the idea all about defeating despair through comedy.” thinking of ideas for our next musical, so that a woman’s body had to fit with a certain we’re busy stockpiling songs. We’ve also been Tim admits Calendar Girls is close to his image: “It’s 20 years since they made the cal- preparing for The Band’s tour of Germany, heart: “It’s set in a tiny village in Yorkshire, endar, and they were so forward-looking with and then Gary will be going out on tour but which also happened to be the village where regard to body-image issues. Obviously, they will also be writing during that time.” my parents went on their honeymoon about hadn’t been airbrushed in any way. Also, in 50 years ago, and to which they took us back the lead-up to the calendar, they all decided And finally, back to Calendar Girls. What many times as kids. I knew the views and I to go on a diet, but that didn’t work out and does Tim think makes the production an knew the way the people spoke, so there was they gave up! I think what’s so beautiful experience not to be missed? a degree of familiarity there for me that about the pictures on the calendar is that “I think it’s an unusual show in that, for helped a lot. Purely by chance, my family and they’re just human beings. These aren’t many, it will be the first time they’ve ever I had gone to a Yorkshire fete and bought the women of an exactly similar shape and body ‘craughed’, to use a borrowed phrase, which calendar a year before I was even approached type - and that should be celebrated. Without means crying and laughing at the same time. to do the film. So I’d had it hanging on my wishing to make a statement about body Calendar Girls is also funny enough for you to wall for a year and I’d already met the real image, they actually made a very loud state- want to come back again. People just can’t Calendar Girls! It felt as if fate and the York- ment about it because it encouraged a great seem to get enough of it!” shire Dales were pushing me towards this sense of collective support. What was great story. In fact, given all those coincidences, I about the calendar, and what’s great about think I’d have been really annoyed if some- the story subsequently being on stage, is that one else had written it!” you get the idea of women sticking together, saluting everybody’s individual body shape Tim has a number of theories as to why the Calendar Girls The Musical shows at and encouraging each other for a common from Tuesday original calendar was such a phenomenon: goal.” “In the first instance, it was completely unex- 28 May to Saturday 8 June, and then at pected and such a funny idea to do a nude Calendar Girls isn’t the only musical on Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from calendar with normal people in their normal which Tim has collaborated with Gary Bar- Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 September. low. They also worked together on the Take whatsonlive.co.uk 9 Food May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:47 Page 1

Food

My partner opted for the pan- fried breast of cornfed chicken, confit leg, crispy gnocchi, yellow oyster mushrooms, broad beans and a mushroom sauce. The flavours from this dish were fan- tastic. The chicken was cooked nicely and boasted a salty and delicious crispy skin, while the mushroom sauce, one of the nicest elements, helped bring the dish together. Elegantly pre- sented, it was a dish we’d be happy to order again. Desserts at Sky On The Water come from a pastry team headed by Darryl Collins, a finalist on Channel Four’s Bake Off: The Professionals. Unfortunately, due to time, we didn’t get a chance to sample any of the sweet treats on offer. Arctic roll with a soured cherry compote, streusel choux bun with a pear, hazelnut and praline crémeux and salted caramel millionaire’s shortbread with butterscotch crémeux and malted milk ice-cream were amongst the mouthwatering options available. REVIEW: Sky By The Water Neither the restaurant nor the Stunning views and high-quality food in a rooftop location bar area were overly busy, and the service, although friendly, A new addition to Birmingham’s with puffed black rice. English mustard mayonnaise, was a little slow, which was why Resorts World complex, rooftop Following a warm and polite pickled vegetables and crispy we missed out on dessert - a bar & restaurant Sky By The welcome, we were shown to our croutons. shame because I’d heard great Water opened its doors in table. We were sat at the back of The salmon starter was light, things. What we did get to January following a multi-mil- the restaurant against the floor- fresh and an enjoyable dish to sample, however, was certainly pound investment. to-ceiling windows (the best spot kick off the evening’s proceed- enjoyable and of a high quality. Boasting stunning views, a in the house!) and enjoyed an ings. The ham hock was equally I can definitely see myself visit- classy gold and blue interior, an ever-so-tasty Butterscolada cock- tasty. Both were presented beau- ing the venue again, pre-Genting exclusively curated cocktail tail (Koko Kanu coconut rum, tifully. Arena gig, to sample some more menu and a food menu that homemade butterscotch sauce For my main course, I ordered fil- of its cocktails. Lauren Foster offers a refreshed twist on classic and double cream!) whilst admir- let of Scottish beef with mush- British and French cooking, Sky ing a beautiful sunset and perus- room, tomato and chips. The Food: nnnnn By The Water has a capacity of ing the food menu. steak was cooked perfectly and Service: nnnnn 260 and is located just off the Selecting from starter options boasted a melt-in-the-mouth tex- Ambience: nnnnn A45 from . including seared scallops with ture. It did, however, lack ever so Overall value nnnnn The restaurant menu has been black pudding, cauliflower and slightly in flavour. I’ve eaten so OVERALL nnnnn created by Birmingham-born apple, risotto of mushroom laced many incredible steaks over the Head Chef Aaron Darnley and with truffle oil and Italian hard years that it’s hard not to make Sky By The Water includes slow-cooked ox cheek, cheese, and chicken and duck comparisons. I also ordered a Resorts World bamboo-steamed medallion of liver parfait with sticky onion side of onion rings, which were Pendigo Way Marston Green cod with a chorizo & bean cas- jam and brioche bun, we chose absolutely delicious. Large in Birmingham soulet, lamb hotpot with sticky duo of salmon, poached and hot size, the batter was of a perfect B40 1PU red cabbage, and lightly spiced smoked, bound in crème fraiche, consistency. They were certainly Tel: 0121 273 1140 curried sweet potato, with pea, mint and shallot salad, up there with some of the nicest cauliflower, spinach and peas and the pulled ham hock with I’ve eaten.

10 whatsonlive.co.uk Food May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:47 Page 2 Joe McElderry Club Tropicana.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:45 Page 1 Joe McElderry Club Tropicana.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:45 Page 2 Club Tropica Camp, witty, flamboyant and sassy - Joe McElderry stars in Club Tropicana...

It might be 10 years since Joe McElderry, then Club Tropicana The Musical takes audiences self but nonetheless admits the decade has a fresh-faced 18-year-old, took X Factor and on a trip back to the electric ’80s, a time since made a massive impression on him: the nation by storm with his chart-topping when hair was big, shoulders were padded, “Club Tropicana has a great storyline. It’s a rendition of The Climb, but the enthusiasm, and mobiles weighed a ton. Set to a sound- fun family-friendly show that you can come passion and energy that endeared him to mil- track of some of the most iconic chart-top- and sing along to. It’s really feelgood, and lions of viewers in 2009 remains undimin- ping hits of the era, the story unfolds in the I’ve realised that ’80s music is still massively ished. vibrant Club Tropicana Hotel, the 1980s an- relevant and that I know most of the songs. I swer to Love Island. don’t remember them being played over the He positively bounces into the interview radio but subconsciously I must have heard room for our “usual natter”, having already When a budding bride & groom get cold feet them many, many times because when we had the cast and company of Club Tropicana, before their wedding, they decide to jet off first had a read-through of the show, I found the brand new ’80s musical in which he separately to sunnier climes, but little do that I knew not just the tunes but the lyrics to stars, in absolute hysterics with his portrayal they realise they’ve checked into the same nearly all of them. That’s the impact ’80s of Garry, a Club Rep with an eye for the outra- hotel. The sizzling summer season sees music has had on me, even though I wasn’t geous and an impressive selection of barbed drinks flowing and tans glowing, but with the around at the time.” one-liners. young lovers unsure whether to go through with the wedding, and hotel inspectors Club Tropicana is the latest in a long line of “Garry is camp, witty, very flamboyant and threatening to close the resort, it looks like projects to have kept the singer busy in the quite sassy,” laughs the 27-year-old from there’s trouble in paradise. decade since winning The X Factor. South Shields. “I’ve never played a comedy role before, but it’s been really fun. At first I Joe is joined on stage by a stellar cast, includ- “It’s mad because when I first started in the was really nervous, but I’m excited by it ing ex-EastEnder Neil McDermott, top im- industry, I was looking for some sort of now.” pressionist Kate Robbins and former longevity. People always used to ask us what Sugababe Amelle Berrabah, who makes her I wanted to do, and I always used to say, I Joe ponders for a moment, then confesses, musical theatre debut in the show. want to still be doing this in 10 years’ time. “There are no rules with Garry - he’s probably The fact that I still am is crazy! It’s feels like me after four or five vodkas!” Born in 1991, Joe missed out on the ’80s him- yesterday, yet I feel like a completely different Joe McElderry Club Tropicana.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:45 Page 3

person now - it’s been a huge learning curve, that. I had to learn how to navigate a way coat. He played the part on and off for two- but I’ve had a good time and grown up a lot. through that, but I was lucky. I had a really and-a-half years, winning rave reviews for his strong tight-knit family behind me, and still performance. “If you ask most 18-year-olds, they will say do.” they haven’t really worked out who they are “Joseph was a challenge because I was step- yet or where they fit in. I was really self-aware Having now done “loads of different things I ping into an iconic role that lots of very fa- for the first three years of my career, until I never thought I’d do”, one thing McElderry mous people have become very loved for realised I just had to be a good person and has been surprised to discover is that he playing: Philip Schofield, Jason trust that. copes very well under pressure, something Donovan, Donny Osmond and the rest. I’d he puts down to his time on The X Factor. seen them and grew up with them playing “There were times people would pick apart Joseph, so I realised the weight of the role I the most ridiculous things, and I didn’t know “I cope under pressure better than when I’m was taking on. I didn’t want to be the worst how to react, so I gave myself a bit of a pep not under pressure!” he laughs. “I think that person to play it!” talk and said, ‘You know Joe, you’re a nice comes from the boiling pot that is The X Fac- person, just enjoy your job and have fun. tor. It’s so intense you have no choice but to Joe was, and still is, aware of the stigma that Showbusiness is supposed to be lights cam- get your head down and get on with it. So comes with being discovered on a TV talent eras, fun’. So I learned to accept it for what it now something really big won’t phase me, show and was determined to prove that he was and not take things too seriously.” but something you might think wouldn’t was the right person for the job. freak me out does. Little things like everyday As a person, Joe reflects that “becoming an “Coming from a show like The X Factor, I worries I find a much bigger deal than adult” in the industry has made him a more wanted people to come to Joseph and say, ‘He preparing for a two-hour musical. It’s really confident performer: “I didn’t trust my own deserves to be in that role and not because he weird.” ability as much as I do now; I was a bit un- was in The X Factor’. I didn’t want to be one sure of myself. There was that pressure of Joe’s musical theatre career took off in 2015 of those people just put in the job to sell tick- being thrust into the public eye with lots of when he was cast in the title role of the An- ets. So I felt the pressure to be good and different people with different opinions be- drew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice musical, worked really hard. hind the scenes telling me to do this or do Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dream- Joe McElderry Club Tropicana.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:45 Page 4

“I don’t think the X Factor stigma ever goes, to be lost so much that I lose perspective on songs. “But first I’ve got Club Tropicana, but in a way you can use it to your advantage real life. Going back to Newcastle, that’s me which takes me up to September,” he says, because if people do come with that expecta- real life, and this is the fun job I step in and gazing at the almost-lifesize picture of him tion, and you’ve grafted really hard to pro- out of.” that adorns the poster for the production. duce something really good, they go away That said, much of Joe’s time these days is So how does ‘Newcastle Joe’ respond when happy and with a new appreciation of what spent on the road, and another venue he’s he looks at that image? you can do.” been looking forward to returning to with “He says, ‘You don’t look like that when you Despite his busy schedule, Joe has eschewed Club Tropicana is the Edinburgh Playhouse. wake up!’ It’s always a very humbling thing the usual path taken by performers and cho- “Last time I was in Edinburgh with Joseph I to see yourself on a huge poster outside a sen to remain based in the north. got a huge apartment and all me family came venue. I’ll never get used to that. It makes me “I’ve always fought living in because up. We had a few crazy nights out, eating appreciate that not everybody gets to do what I love it in Newcastle. People in the industry haggis and chips, and I even had a deep-fried they love, and I feel very lucky to have expe- come up to me and say, ‘What, you still live Galaxy Bar, which was beautiful. I didn’t feel rienced that as much as I have. I really do feel in Newcastle?’ But I’m very lucky because the so good in the loin-cloth the next day, but it blessed.” work I do fits around my schedule and peo- was wonderful while I was eating it!” ple incorporate my commuting into theirs. He explodes with laughter as he confesses, For me, Newcastle is where me sanity is. I do “You certainly become very aware of mirrors all the crazy work and everything that comes and camera angles when all you’re wearing is Club Tropicana shows at Wolverhampton with it, then I go back to normality where I’m a loin-cloth; you see a camera in the front Grand Theatre from Monday 29 April to not immersed in the industry. row and think, ‘That angle is not going to be Saturday 4 May, and then at the Belgrade “All me childhood friends are there and me pretty’ as you’re singing Close Every Door!” Theatre, Coventry, from Tuesday 7 to family. It’s important to understand that al- Saturday 11 May. To celebrate 10 years in the business, Joe is though we work in a wonderful industry, it’s also writing a new album of original not the be all and end all of life. I don’t want MAC Controversy.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 17:33 Page 1 MAC Controversy.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 17:33 Page 2

Down With This Sort Of Thing film season courts controversy at Midlands Arts Centre...

There’s an exciting new season of cinema screenings and outraged moral guardians, sparked controversy, challenged special events taking place at Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) over attitudes and in one case even been banned by its own the next couple of months. director! Down With This Sort Of Thing: Film & Television Beyond The Here’s a selection of highlights to put in your diary. Pale focuses on content which has pushed boundaries, For full listings, visit macbirmingham.co.uk/controversy

Michael Cumming’s Box Of Brass Toast films ever made. It is also one of the most Scum + Mick Ford Q&A Sunday 12 May, 2pm censored. For years, countries around the Thursday 20 June, 7pm Remember controversial Chris Morris series globe refused to allow it to be screened for Alan Clarke’s original version of Scum, a bru- Brass Eye from the 1990s? Morris’ partner-in- fear that it might spread Communism. tal and bloody look at the failings of the crime was series director Michael Cumming, It was banned here in the UK until 1954. British borstal system, was originally pro- who will be appearing at MAC to celebrate his For this special screening, acclaimed pianist duced for the BBC in the mid-1970s. It was so work on the darker side of comedy. This spe- Jonny Best performs a live, improvised score shocking, however, that the BBC proceeded cial evening starts with a screening of Oxide to accompany the startling imagery. to ban it for more than 15 years. Undeterred, Ghosts: The Brass Eye Tapes, a fascinating Clarke and writer Roy Minton decided to deep-dive into the twisted world of Brass Eye Viridiana - Sunday 2 June, 2pm make it as a theatrical film instead. The result that includes a number of never-before-seen It takes a very special kind of film to receive prompted moral campaigner Mary White- outtakes and deleted scenes. There will then the denunciation of the Pope. Luis Buñuel’s house to take the movie’s broadcaster, Chan- be a Q&A with Michael, along with a selec- Viridiana was labelled ‘blasphemous’ by the nel Four, to court... In a Q&A session after the tion of clips from the comedy work he di- Vatican upon its release in 1961, although screening, actor Mick Ford talks about his rected after Brass Eye. that didn’t stop it winning the Palme d’Or in work on the film, his relationship with Alan Cannes... The screening will be preceded by Clarke and the legacy of the movie. Queer As Folk + Russell T Davies Q&A an introduction from University of Saturday 18 May, 5pm lecturer and Spanish cinema aficionado José A Clockwork Orange Twenty years after Queer As Folk’s initial Arroyo. Saturday 29 June, 5pm broadcast, MAC welcomes writer and pro- Stanley Kubrick’s controversial adaptation of ducer Russell T Davies for a celebration of the Behind The Scenes At The BBFC the Anthony Burgess novel about violent show. The event includes rare public screen- Wednesday 12 June, 7pm teenagers in a future dystopian Britain was ings of three episodes of Queer As Folk, plus As the title explains, this is a behind-the- incorrectly perceived as an attempt by the di- a Q&A in which Russell will talk about both scenes look at the work of the British Board rector to corrupt young minds. Another long- the legacy of the series and its impact at the of Film Classification (BBFC). How do they held misconception is that the ban placed on time, when the UK parliament was debating decide on age limits and what content needs A Clockwork Orange in the 1970s was im- the age of consent for homosexual couples. to be cut? BBFC Education Officer Emily posed by the UK government. In fact, it was Fussell will discuss the legal and ethical con- Kubrick himself who banned the film in the Battleship Potemkin + live score siderations of BBFC Compliance Officers, il- UK, tired of being blamed for copycat vio- Saturday 25 May, 2pm lustrating her talk with clips from feature lence and the continued attention of protes- Sergei Eisenstein’s 1925 five-act silent movie films, trailers, DVD and digital works across tors. The ban was lifted following Kubrick’s is widely considered to be one of the greatest the age ratings. death.

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Classical

Russian Philharmonic of Novosibirsk Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 22 May Often referred to as ‘Siberia’s cultural gem’, the Russian Philharmonic of Novosibirsk perform under the baton of the impressively energetic Thomas Sanderling and are here making their first ever appearance in Birmingham. The programme for the evening features Tchaikovsky’s Romeo And Juliet Fantasy Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol and Ravel’s arrangement of Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition. British violinist Alexander Sitkovetsky makes a welcome return to the city to per- form Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto. CBSO: Yuja Wang Plays Prokofiev Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 9 May She’s currently one of the world’s most talked-about pianists, not least for her daring wardrobe choices, and she’s coming to Birmingham this very month... Fast-rising Chinese star Yuja Wang made some rather unusual headlines for a classical musician when she chose to perform at the Hollywood Bowl while wearing a very short skirt. One journalist wrote that if the skirt had been any shorter, her performance would have required an 18 certificate. Not that Wang had time to stop and contemplate the media reaction to her fashion decision Pavel Kolesnikov - she was way too busy making music in the middle of a hugely demanding tour; the kind Barber Institute, Birmingham, that invariably comes the way of talented young musicians tipped for the top of the Wed 8 May classical tree. Pavel Kolesnikov made a real splash back This latest City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra concert sees her joining the orchestra in 2012 when he was named a BBC New and its Music Director, Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla, to perform a programme featuring Ligeti’s Generation Artist, since which time he’s Concert Românesc, Brahms’ Symphonyė No2 and Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No5 - a work, earned himself an enviable reputation as we’re reliably informed, that will see Wang ‘going for broke’. one of the finest classical pianists of modern times. Described by as a ‘poet of the keyboard’, and selected Roderick Williams sings Morgan State by Pianist magazine as one of its ‘stars of tomorrow’, the Novosibirsk-born 30-year- Beethoven & Schubert University Choir old here performs works by Brahms, Routh Hall, Bromsgrove School, The Bramall, Birmingham, Sat 25 May Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Couperin. Thurs 9 May Judge a choral ensemble by the company it Away from music, Pavel enjoys what he This concert with a splendidly self-ex- keeps and there’s only one conclusion to describes as the ‘weird hobby’ of collect- planatory title has been organised by be drawn about Morgan State University ing vintage perfumes. “It is a very com- Birmingham Bach Choir as part of its Choir: they are emphatically and conclu- plex science,” he explains. “And there’s centenary celebrations. Roderick Williams sively the real deal. Invited in 2015 by First no doubt that if I wasn’t a pianist, I would recently became the choir’s patron, a role Lady Michelle Obama to perform in a tele- be a parfumier.” which the highly rated baritone and soloist vised White House concert alongside was happy to take up: “I’m delighted to be , they’ve also shared associated with the Birmingham Bach billing with the prestigious Chicago Sym- Choir; living as I do in the Midlands makes phony Orchestra and New York Philhar- this pretty much my local choir. My associ- monic - so catching up with them on this ation with Paul Spicer [the choir’s conduc- Birmingham stop-off should be a real treat. tor] goes back more than 30 years, so I am Their varied programme includes Ameri- especially pleased to support the work he can spirituals and gospel music, art song, has done, and continues to do, with this excerpts from Porgy and Bess and, most fa- proud and magnificent choir.” mously, gospel-flavoured arrangements of Beatles tunes. whatsonlive.co.uk 15 GIGS May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:46 Page 1 GIGS May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:46 Page 2

Gigs

Michael Bublé Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Mon 20 & Tues 21 May Having sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, Grammy Award-winning global megastar Michael Bublé is without doubt one of the best entertainers on the music scene. Oozing charisma, velvety vocals and plenty of smooth moves, he returns to the UK this month with a brand new tour to support his latest album, Love.

Sam Fender 2019 with new single Play God. Having recently been praised by Sting - who O2 Institute, Birmingham, Fri 10 May wrote on his social media accounts, “Sam Marc Almond Following a hectic year of touring, during Fender is off-the-scale good!” - the rising which he’s become one of the hottest new star will here be playing songs fro Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 15 May; m his Birmingham Pride, Birmingham , names in the industry, BRIT Critics’ Choice debut album alongside numerous other Sun 26 May award winner Sam Fender launched into favourites. One of the most compelling and heartfelt voices in British music, as well as one of pop’s greatest storytellers, Marc Almond’s il- lustrious, diverse and maverick career has Ex Hex Sting & Shaggy seen him sell over 35 million records world- Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, Wed 29 May O2 Academy, Birmingham, Fri 24 May wide, both solo and as part of Soft Cell. Made up of Mary Timony (guitar, vocals), Hot off the back of winning Best Reggae Having also collaborated with the likes of Betsy Wright (bass, vocals) and Laura Harris Album for their collaborative UK top-10 Gene Pitney, Tony Visconti and of course (drums), Ex Hex exploded onto the music record, 44/876, at this year’s Grammy Jools Holland, the Tainted Love singer is scene in 2014 with their unfettered brand of Awards, Sting & Shaggy return to the UK looking forward to his Birmingham gig: “The rock and riffage. with the supporting promotional tour. concert at Symphony Hall is an evening of With a reputation for fun and frenzied live The show not only features hits from the music that showcases my repertoire and gives shows, the band have released two albums: album but also collaborations on each me the space and time to spend with an audi- Rips - which scored them the Best New other’s most celebrated songs, including ence as an intimate experience.” Music honours from Pitchfork and the top Every Breath You Take, Englishman In New spot on Magnet Magazine’s Best Of 2014 list York, Message In A Bottle, It Wasn’t Me, Mr - and On It’s Real - a more collaborative ef- Boombastic and Angel. fort than its predecessor, featuring vocal harmonies and heaving power chords. Rita Ora , Sat 25 May Rita Ora rose to prominence in 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, Hot Right Now, which reached number one in the UK. R.I.P., her collaboration with Tinie Tempah, and her debut album, Ora, also hit the num- ber-one spot in the same year. The former X Factor judge and The Voice coach is bringing her first ever headline arena tour to Birmingham to promote her long-awaited second album, Phoenix. whatsonlive.co.uk 17 Festival Full May 2019.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:12 Page 1 Festivals MAY 2019-2.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:02 Page 2

Festivals

Lichfield Arts Blues & Birmingham Pride Jazz Festival , Sat 25 - Sun 26 May Various venues around Lichfield, , Thurs 30 May - Sun 2 June Birmingham Pride attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year and boasts a Having launched in 2015, this ever-growing diverse array of activities and entertain- festival is fast establishing itself as a firm ment, including music, cabaret, dance favourite on Lichfield’s cultural calendar. and a hugely popular carnival parade. With events taking place at numerous city This year's two-day celebration is based centre venues, the four-day get-together around the theme of Love Out Loud. celebrates the best in local jazz and blues Tickets are available from birmingham- talent, as well as showcasing quality pride.com. musicianship from further afield. 2019 line-up includes: Years & Years 2019 line-up includes: Remi Harris (pic- (pictured), The Human League, Marc tured), The Escape Committee, The Sleaze Almond, Lady Leshurr, 5ive, Mabel, Kate Brothers, The Alison Rayner Quintet and Nash, Sigala, Faithless (DJ Set), The more. Black Madonna, Hannah Wants, Alice Chater, M.O, Rogue Symphony, Aja and NAO.

Under The Hill Cheltenham Jazz Festival Ashton Under Hill, Worcestershire, Various venues arounds Cheltenham, Fri 24 - Sun 26 May Wed 1 - Mon 6 May Back for a third year, Under The Hill is an Rock And Bowl eclectic, boutique festival with a line-up Picnic Area, Market Drayton, Shropshire, showcasing the best in brass, ska, balkan, Sat 25 - Mon 27 May electroswing, hip-hop and gypsy punk. Run by a small team of arts enthusiasts who Not-for-profit community event Rock And wanted to create a unique experience with a Bowl is described as ‘a small festival with a personal touch, the family-friendly event fea- big heart’ and boasts a variety of acts, in- tures music, crafts, fancy dress fun, live per- cluding some of the UK's best tribute per- formers and face painting. formers, indie and rock bands, Bollywood Children under the age of 16 go free with a dancers and blues & ska stars. paying adult. One of the festival’s main aims is to promote All tickets offer access to the festival from Fri- up-and-coming local musical and produc- day to Sunday (with camping) and cost no tion talent, both on and off stage. more than £50 depending on which tier ticket “We don’t fit into any one genre,” explain is purchased. the organisers proudly, “and we absolutely don’t want to.” 2019 line-up includes: Slamboree Soundsys- Rock And Bowl has a number of weekend tem, Popes of Chillitown, Mr Tea and The With 20,000-plus music fans attending the camping tickets available for a friendly, fam- Minions (pictured), onlyjoe, Town of Cats, event each year, Cheltenham has become one ily-run campsite just a short walk from the Binbag Wisdom, Mista Trick Live, Jimi Nee- of the country’s best-loved jazz festivals. festival grounds, and also features plenty of dles, Stone Bear, Rob Why?, Ed Spinna and Showcasing its trademark mix of interna- children’s entertainment. The Brass Funkeys. tional icons, up-and-coming artists and unique performances, the festival includes 2019 line-up includes: The Stones (pic- and Moira Stuart among its le- tured), Mercury, Re-, Ego Friendly, gion of fans. Hipster, Guns 2 Roses and Boston Shakers. 2019 line-up includes: Gregory Porter (pic- tured), James Morrison, Katie Melua, Level 42, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Jamie Cullum, The Destroyers, Incognito and Friends, Alfa Mist, Katie Birtill, Charenee Wade, Andreya Triana, Alina Engibaryan, Carmel and Cherise Adams-Burnett.

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Comedy

Bill Bailey Victoria hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 21 May; Arena Birmingham, Thurs 23 May A member of a very select club, is a musical comedian who actually manages to be funny, rather than just clever and smug. Formerly the funniest of the two Rubber Bishops, Bill was brought up on a diet of Sex Pistols, Morecambe & Wise and Mozart, and presents an act that nicely mixes displays of his musical virtuosity with straight standup. A winner, he’s par- ticularly known for a routine that unearthed a new musical genre: classical comedy. Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, it seems, contains the leitmotif, ’Ave A Banana! In- spired nonsense that’s typical of the man. He Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 11 May visits the Midlands with Larks In Transit, All-round American creative Kevin Smith is cover either - the boys will also occasion- here joined by fellow actor Ralph Garman ally wander into the murky waters of US a show that’s been so to present a live touring version of their hit politics. “We do dabble,” Ralph told the well received he’s podcast, Hollywood Babble-On. Calgary Herald, “because there’s a big touring it again. Blending comedy, impressions and impro- crossover now between showbusiness and visation, the seven-year-old podcast is well American politics. When the president is on its way to its 400th edition and brings taking a serious meeting with Kanye West Mark Watson together all manner of Tinseltown tittle-tat- and Kim Kardashian and the guy used to The Old Rep, Birmingham, Sun 5 May; tle for the delight and delectation of Kevin host a reality show himself, you can’t help Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 2 June & Ralph’s ever-expanding army of fans. but realise there’s a connection between And it’s not only showbiz gossip that they the two in this country.”

Seann Walsh Rich Hall The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wed 22 May Trent, Sat 11 May; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 16 May His official biography somewhat less than modestly describes American funnyman Rich Hall as ‘a comic genius’ - albeit a ‘grouchy, deadpan’ one. Well established on the UK comedy circuit, With much of his comedy focusing on Mark Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh making fun of life across the pond in his parents and initially delivered his act with a homeland, Rich is best known for his cre- Welsh accent, claiming he felt “more com- ation of Otis Lee Crenshaw, a bourbon- fortable talking in a voice that I didn't quite swilling redneck jailbird from Tennessee recognise as my own”. whose many wives have all been named A regular contributor to the Edinburgh Brenda. Fringe, Mark has the curious distinction of Rich returns to the Midlands this month having performed standup shows which with a show that he’s called Hoedown: have lasted for a period in excess of 24 “There’s standup comedy, improvised bal- “Every year I have to write a 100-word blurb hours. “Comedy is certainly a time-consum- lads, cracking good for a new show,” says Seann Walsh, “and ing element of my life,” he admits, “but then musicianship, and basically I've now been doing this long while I’m out touring and on stage, there are ultimately a hilari- enough to know that none of this bullshit people at home doing far less glamorous ous, foot-stomping, makes any difference. I've never heard any- things. There have certainly been times s**t-kicking good one say, 'I think the bloke's an unfunny when I’ve been very happy to say, ‘Of course time to be had by c*nt, but my, what a cracking blurb - two I’d like to stay and help out with that plumb- all. Even if you tickets please!' Come, or don't come.” ing , but Birmingham awaits!’” don’t own a hoe.” 20 whatsonlive.co.uk Comedy May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:57 Page 2

Tom Allen Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Sun 12 May Tom Allen is a master of camp comedy. Often likened in style to legendary racon- teurs Kenneth Williams and Frankie Howard, he also doffs his comedian’s cap in the direction of Michael McIntyre and Eddie Izzard. Jokes include: “For a long time I was in denial about my sexuality and being bald - I had a wig and a beard,” and “I believe in gay marriage so that gay people can be as miserable as straight people.” Tom is here headlining the ‘grand finale’ of the first Coventry Comedy Festival.

The Guilty Feminist Live Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 24 May This touring show will surely prove to be a those goals, the podcast is presented by co- winner with theatre audiences, given that the median Deborah Frances-White. Deborah is podcast of the same name (well, minus the joined for this stage version by Desiree ‘live’ bit) has been downloaded a staggering Burch, Jess Fostekew and Kemah Bob. Music 50 million-plus times. Aimed at exploring the comes from Grace Petrie, who the Huffington 21st century goals of feminists, as well as the Post describe as ‘the musical of Corbyn- insecurities, hypocrisies and paradoxes mania’. which work to hamper the achievement of

Scott Bennett The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, Fri 17 May; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 18 May What a standup comedian surely needs after weeks and months of tough touring is a nice relaxing holiday. Well, unless you’re Scott Bennett, that is. Scott’s capacity to fully enjoy his vacations is currently some- what compromised by his kids, the youngest of whom takes to joining mum & dad in bed. “We came back shattered,” re- veals Scott in writing about his daughter on Edinbrum his blog: “She’d always say, ‘Daddy I’m scared, I’ve had a nightmare.’ I felt like say- Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, various dates between Thurs 23 May & Thurs 25 July ing, ‘So have I, mate. What’s yours about? Yep, it’s that time of year again, when all measuring the audience reaction to their Mine started in 2016, looks exactly like you, good comedians stop off at Birmingham’s every gag, as they frantically try to hone their and it doesn’t end even when I’m awake. Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) to try out their material in preparation for their forthcoming But why don’t you pop in here with us and new material en route to the Edinburgh Festi- trip to Bonnie Scotland. for the next eight hours, just use my back as val. MAC’s May Edinbrum shows are: Sarah a treadmill. I love the way you position The venue’s regular line-up of mirthful mer- Kendall & Michael Legge (pictured) on Thurs yourself just at the perfect height to kick me rymakers should certainly ensure a chuckle the 23rd, followed and Darren Harriott & Rob repeatably in the kidneys until the sun or several is never too far away. And the Kemp on Thursday the 3oth. rises.’” comedians in question will no doubt be whatsonlive.co.uk 21 BlueJays DPS.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:03 Page 1 BlueJays DPS.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:03 Page 2

Rock n Roll! The Bluejays chat ahead of musical Rock and Roll Revolution

Tell me more about The Bluejays... the first time to those that remember it the son and Peggy Lee tunes. Amelia’s our secret first time around. One of our favourite com- weapon and often ends up stealing the show. Ollie (Vocals/Guitar): The Bluejays are a ments is always, “You took me back to my Her version of ‘Fever’ is unbelievable. We 1950s Rock ‘n’ Roll and from London. Our youth”. We hear that after almost every show once overheard an audience members saying show Rock and Roll Revolution features over and it really means a lot to us. it sent chills up their spine. No pressure, 40 of the biggest hits of the era by some of Amelia! the biggest names in popular music - Elvis What are your favourite songs to play? Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Cliff Strangest gig to date? Ollie: Tough question. There are so many. We Richard, Connie Francis, The Everly Broth- love all the Buddy Holly stuff, I get to do all Ollie: Again, so many to choose from! We’ve ers... the list goes on! the lead guitar parts on those and don the played lots of shows onboard Cunard and You’re all pretty young to be into fifties glasses! Sharing lead vocals with Matt on the P&O cruise ships. That’s always surreal. Par- music. What got you started in Rock ‘n’ Everly Brothers songs is fun and the crowd ticularly when you’re three days from land in Roll? really enjoy singing along to those. Other big the middle of the Atlantic! Aside from that, sing-alongs include The Young Ones, A we played at Brian May’s daughter’s wedding Chris (Bass): Thank you! Yes, we’re all in our Teenager in Love and Johnny B. Goode. a few years back. The man himself got up and 20s and 30s. I think we all had parents who joined us for the encore of Johnny B. Goode. loved the music, so we’ve known it from a What’s been your most fun gig to date? That was incredible. Most bizarre however young age. The big turning point, however, Dan: We post a lot of videos online. (Find us must be being booked to play for Donald came in 2008 when we were cast together in on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheBlue- Trump in New York last year. It didn’t end up Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story on its UK tour. jaysUK. A couple of years ago we shared a happening in the end but the exchange of Ollie played Buddy whilst Dan and I were The video of us recording Buddy Holly’s That’ll emails was enough to raise our pulses for the Crickets. Be The Day for a CD we were making. The rest of time. You just never know who’s going Have you been in any other West End video ended up being seen by Buddy’s family to book you! shows? who then invited us out to play for them in So what can people expect when the come Lubbock, Texas - Buddy’s hometown. It was Dan (Drums): We have! Quite a few actually. and see Rock and Roll Revolution? completely surreal. His brother Larry was After Buddy we all went on to appear in there, as was his wife María Elena, not to Ollie: They can expect a really fun, energetic, Dreamboats and Petticoats on a yearlong tour mention Duane Eddy. It was a crazy few days. slick and truly authentic 1950s experience. of the UK. Ollie then starred as Carl Perkins We even got to record in Buddy’s old studio We actively encourage the audience to sing in the West End production of Million Dollar in Clovis, New Mexico. along throughout and the night always seems Quartet. Matt Wycliffe who plays keys for us to culminate in everyone up and dancing in has just finished playing the same role on the So you’re big fans of Buddy Holly then? the aisles. If you’re a fan of any style of music recent world tour and spent a couple of years Chris: I think that’s fair to say! We love play- we think you’ll love this show! in Boys in London. ing all the artists from the 1950s but I think Where can we find out more about The What made you write Rock and Roll Revo- our followers really enjoy the Buddy stuff we Bluejays? lution? do. We recently made a video commemorat- ing the 60th anniversary of ‘The Day The Chris: There’s loads on Facebook as Dan Ollie: There are a few Fifties shows out there Music Died’. On February 3rd we re-recorded mentioned but you can also check out our but none of them do what we do. We wanted Buddy’s first posthumous hit It Doesn’t Mat- website www.thebluejays.co.uk for more info, to make a show that not only featured all the ter Anymore complete with a string quartet videos, music and downloads plus all of our songs that audiences know and love but also led by my wife Sally. It’s the best thing we’ve tour dates! Hopefully we’ll see you at the Old looked a little bit into the history of the time. ever done and has already had thousands of Rep! How Rock ‘n’ Roll came into being and how it views. You can find the video online. changed everything that followed. It really was a revolution. Which other artists can we expect to hear? What kind of people come to your shows? Dan: It’s obviously not all about the male The Bluejays will star in the musical Rock Rock ‘n’ Rollers. We have our wonderful fe- Chris: What makes it really fun is that we and Roll Revolution at The Old Rep, male vocalist, Amelia Rendell covering all have an incredible mix of people. All ages. Birmingham on Sunday 12th May the Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Wanda Jack- From people just discovering the music for Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:57 Page 1

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Motown The Musical The musical’s narrative is based around plans for a 25th anniversary bash for the - and a stubborn Gordy’s refusal to attend. Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 21 May - Sat 1 June Reflecting on his career, the show tells the story of how the former Based on Motown founder Berry Gordy’s bestselling book and pre- boxer (with the help of an $800 loan from his family) took both black senting a potted history of the famous record label, this five-star pro- and popular music to spectacular new levels. duction is crammed to its proverbial rafters with hit after legendary The show features more than 50 classic Motown hits, including My hit, transporting audiences back to a long-ago era of vinyl, flares, furs Girl, What's Going On, Dancing In The Street, I Heard It Through The and feathers. Grapevine and Ain't No Mountain High Enough.

The Worst Little Warehouse Shylock The Girl On The Train In London Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Wed 8 May Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Mon 13 - Sat 18 May; Theatre Severn, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Mon 27 May - Sat 1 June Fri 31 May & Sat 1 June Faecal explosions, bathroom baskets and First a bestselling book, then a hit film, The shockingly thin bedroom walls are very Girl On The Train took the world by storm. much in evidence when Aussie couple Lala Now, a touring stage adaptation of Paula and Robbie move into a north-London ware- Hawkins' 2015 novel is rolling into the Mid- house that’s been reimagined as a bohemian lands, with EastEnders star Samantha Wom- living space. And they’re not alone there ei- ack in the lead role of Rachel Watson. ther, with a houseload of archetypal hipsters “There’s actually a lot more licence with the- also trying to make a life for themselves at atre to do the dream-like flashback and mem- One Daisy Mill... This high-energy cabaret ory scenes from the book,” says Samantha. was shortlisted for best musical and best Gareth Armstrong's solo play is a sometimes “This means that you can access Rachel’s cabaret at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. moving, often humorous and always fasci- brain in those scenarios a lot more than I nating exploration not only of Shakespeare’s think you can with film.” Shylock but also of Jewish stereotypes in general. Along the way, all manner of char- acters are presented to the audience, ‘from Portia to Pontius Pilate, Romeo to Max Rein- hardt, and Barabbas to Richard Burbage’. Described as ‘a dazzling dissection of The Merchant Of Venice’, the production is no stranger to four and five-stars reviews.

22 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:57 Page 2 La Voix online magazine.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:43 Page 1 La Voix online magazine.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:43 Page 2

chats ahead of bringing her brand new tour to Brum...

Hello, La Voix! How exciting that How do you prepare before Kylie fan club! Well, maybe I still am - I you’re back on tour! What are you performing on stage? never called her to cancel. most looking forward to? I always listen to one of my Oh, I’m beyond excited. It’s what I do! inspirational divas whilst getting Which song is your personal Travelling the country spreading the ready, be it Liza, Judy, Cher or Shirley. favourite to sing live? love! This year I’m let loose! You can I find it just gets me in the mood. It has to be anything Liza. New York, expect to see me give my all, more I have many rituals, which do include New York was my first Britain’s Got thanL ever. It’s all new! New songs, Voixa cheeky vodka cranberry! My motto Talent audition song, and it still holds stories, confessions and costumes. is, if the audience are at the bar in the a great place in my heart. Her It’s hard to describe what occurs in my theatre, I should join them backstage arrangement is so amazing. shows, but it’s an ‘experience’! You in having a tipple. I like to be on the will leave feeling empowered, stage in the wings, hearing the What can people expect from you on exhausted and relieved, all in one. It’s audience, rather than stuck in a this tour? pure escapism entertainment mixed dressing room. It’s all about soaking There are many surprises in the new up with modern therapy. up the atmosphere. show. Have you seen my Theresa May You can escape the misery of life like singing Dreamgirls? Or Gemma Collins on television, or celebs singing Adel? If not, then you need to go smearing, anything political is out, grab a ticket! My favourite classic and most of all, phones are turned off. divas, like Liza, Tina, Shirley and Cher, I endeavour to make my audiences You will leave are still featured of course. And some experience true variety. I recreate “ of the most phenomenal costumes! vaudeville-style cabaret, immerse them in quality entertainment and feeling If you hadn’t become the UK’s most

give them a blast of live music. There’s glamorous performer, what would

no one doing what I’m doing... who empowered, you be doing instead? hasn’t been sectioned! Hunting down whoever had robbed me exhausted and“ of that title! Have you been busy so far this year? I haven’t stopped. As soon as the Is there anyone in particular who curtain fell on my last panto show, on relieved, all in you’d like to work with? New Year’s Eve, I hotfooted it to The Dame Shirley Bassey! It would be Heathrow to start my 2019 residency one a dream! at the glamourous Limelight Club onboard P&O Britannia. Who was the first person you ever Finally, what have you learned from Alongside that, I was itching to get saw in concert, and what was the your experiences in the industry so home and join my full band for this first album you bought? far? new Live, Loud And Fabulous touring Chase your dreams and be nice to It was Barbra Streisand at Madison show. Add to that new dress designs, everyone! Give an audience your all, Square Gardens and it blew my mind. endless visits to the hairdressers for and they will give you it back in It wasn’t in person, it was on a VHS up blowouts and my new passion for buckets! Also, feathers cost a fortune north in Stockton-on-Tees, but she had yoga... if I’m not downward dogging, and Swarovskis are better than men! a really profound impact on me. I’m upright in a fitting! My first single was Eternal Flame by The Bangles, and my first album was La Voix plays The Old Rep Theatre, Kylie’s first ever album! I was in the Birmingham, on Saturday 1 June Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 3

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

The Rocky Horror Show Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 13 - Sat 25 May; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 3 - Sat 8 June; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Mon 14 - Sat 19 Oct Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’ - The Rocky Horror Show’s returning to the Midlands! Richard O’Brien’s cult production tells the tale of the straight-laced Brad and the deliciously corruptible Janet, who arrive at the castle of the alien transvestite Frank N Furter and witness the birth of the monster, Rocky. Along the way, they take the audience through a selection of love-’em- or-loathe-’em musical numbers, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and The Time Warp. Great fun’s a guarantee - particularly if you get into the spirit of things and attend the show dressed in your very best stockings and suspenders (as many patrons do)! Birmingham's stars as the Narrator alongside Blue singer Duncan James, champion and A1’s Ben Adams.

The Death Show The Hound Of The Les Miserables Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 17 May Baskervilles Birmingham Hippodrome, until Sat 11 May & Tues 30 Jun - Sat 18 Jul 2020 Much admired for Lichfield Garrick, Fri 24 May their playful, dy- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is namic and cross- one of literature’s most enduring characters, artform approach The Hound Of The Baskervilles his most fa- to producing origi- mous adventure. Yet no matter how many ac- nal, contemporary tors don the deerstalker and solve the work, independent mystery of the moors-dwelling beast, the theatre makers story remains a popular choice for both stage Lucy Nicholls and Antonia Beck here get to and screen adaptation. This latest version, grips with the grim reaper. which has been picking up its fair share of Preparation for The Death Show included the plaudits, should be well worth a look for any- Les Misérables is lavish, magnificent and duo working as artists-in-residence at a fu- body with a love of Victorian detective work awesome in its power, an epic saga that grips neral parlour, as well as spending time with or monstrous moorland mutts... from start to finish as it presents a heart- patients at a hospice. rending story of struggle and survival. The pair here invite audience members to cel- Based on Victor Hugo’s classic 1862 novel, ebrate their own mortality, ‘laugh, cry and the show focuses on the character of fugitive stick two fingers up’ at the aforementioned Martha, Josie And The Jean Valjean as he’s pitted against the tena- reaper, and discover why talking about death Chinese Elvis cious Inspector Javert in a lifelong struggle to can ultimately be a life-affirming activity. evade capture. Their high-stakes conflict is a New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Thurs 2 - Sat 18 May deeply personal one, brought to vivid life against a historical backdrop of unparalleled Cranford It’s dominatrix Josie’s 50th birthday, but scale. she’s in no mood to celebrate. Her best client, For all the show’s drama, though, it’s the ma- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, the cross-dressing Lionel, who’s determined Tues 14 - Sat 18 May jestic music composed by Claude-Michel to give her a party to remember, hires Chi- There’s trouble in the sleepy village of Cran- Schönberg and Alain Boublil for which Les nese Elvis impersonator Timothy Wong, a Mis is best known and most loved. ford, and the rector’s daughter, Miss Matilda man whose spectacular outfits are far more Jenkins, aka Miss Matty, has been left impe- Blockbuster musical numbers include I impressive than his knowledge of the King’s Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home, On My cunious. Thank heaven, then, for the other rock’n’roll repertoire... Charlotte Jones’ delightful-if-a-bit-gossipy ladies of the vil- Own and One Day More. quirky comedy bagged awards galore when it The production comes complete with brand lage, who rally round to try and help their premiered in the late 20th century, and is suddenly destitute friend... Elizabeth new staging and the promise to be ‘a Les Mis here produced by the New Vic in association for the 21st century’. Gaskell’s 19th century novel has been with Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre. adapted for the stage by Martin Coleman and Read our ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ review online at is here presented by the Stafford Players. whatsonlive.co.uk

24 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 4 Antony Costa.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:38 Page 1 Antony Costa.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:38 Page 2

by Jenny Ell

Rocking Out! A quarter of one of the most successful boy bands of all time, Blue’s Antony Costa is now turning his hand to playing rock star Stacee Jaxx in the UK tour of Rock Of Ages, which visits Wolverhampton late this month. We spoke to Antony a couple of weeks before he started his run in the show…

How are rehearsals going for Rock Of woman who specialises in singing rock brilliant and a lovely bunch of people, so it Ages? music. I’ve got a powerful voice, but I’m hav- will be nice to go back there, for sure. ing to learn how to sustain it over eight I properly start rehearsals next week, so I’m How long are you contracted with Rock Of shows a week. It can take its toll on your excited about that. I can’t wait to meet the Ages? cast and get my teeth into the material. voice, so I’ve got to treat it as a muscle that’s I start in Eastbourne in early April and finish Stacee Jaxx is a part I’ve loved since seeing it new to me. When I’m singing Blue songs, I in your lovely city of Wolverhampton on the in the West End, so it’s going to be good. could do them with my eyes closed, not be- cause I’m lazy but just because I’ve been first of June, so I’m in the show for eight As the show is currently touring, you will doing them for so many years. However, weeks. be joining an existing company. How do when you’re on your own and the spotlight’s Does a shorter contract appeal to you? you feel about that? on you, there’s a lot of pressure. I’ve never actually done a short contract, so I’m very nervous, I’ll be honest with you, but Do you think the 2012 film version of Rock it’s quite new to me. Sometimes with a six to excited at the same time. I could join the Of Ages is a good representation of the 12-month contract, by the third or fourth company and find a friend that I’ll have for stage production? week, you feel really into it and could do it the rest of my life. I’m told everyone is really with your eyes closed. With my eight-week lovely, so I’m looking forward to it. I saw the film when it came out, but I don’t know if it did the show any justice. I under- contract, I’ll literally be in and out, which is a Does Stacee spark recollections for you of stand why they made a film, but I wasn’t sure bit sad as I’ll probably make some good being in Blue, with so many adoring fans about some of the casting decisions. friends whom I won’t want to leave so soon. following you around? But that’s life! What do you enjoy most about being part I can sort of relate, but I was never an idiot of a musical company? Do you have anything in the pipeline after like Stacee Jaxx! He has fans swarming Rock Of Ages? around him and thinks he’s a rock god, but I I love it because I get to meet and know dif- I hope so. I’ve been speaking to a few produc- certainly wasn’t! Towards the end of the ferent people from various walks of life. ers about potential projects. I tend to do show, you see the real Stacee coming Speaking from a personal perspective as well, panto every year, but I don’t know where I’ll through, who is actually alright. His persona I love the fact that I can be someone else for be yet. I love panto, it’s my guilty pleasure! is more of a façade. two hours every night; that’s what I’m look- ing forward to. Do you have a favourite song to perform? Have you toured to Wolverhampton be- Dead Or Alive - 100%! It’s just insane. My fore? 15/16-year-old rock self is able to come Antony Costa joins Kevin Kennedy, Zoe Yes, I came to Wolverhampton two years ago through, and I can’t wait to perform it to a Birkett, Jodie Steel, Luke Walsh, Lucas for a play I was in called Judgement In Stone. live audience. Rush, Andrew Carthy, Vas Constanti & I was only in the city for two days, as I had to Rhiannon Chesterman in Rock Of Ages at Has it been a difficult transition from leave sharpish on the Thursday because my Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 28 singing pop songs to ’80s rock classics? other half was having our second baby, but I May to 1 June. Yes, I’ve been going to vocal lessons with a do remember the Wolverhampton crew were Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 5

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Heart Of Darkness Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wed 8 - Sat 11 May The company producing this show, Imitating The Dog, have already enjoyed success with a stage adaptation of another literary classic - Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell To Arms - so there’s every chance that their version of Joseph Conrad’s 1899 masterpiece will prove to be a similar tour de force. Relocated in the forsaken landscape of a timeless Europe, the production tells the story of one man’s journey into a perilous un- known - the ‘heart of darkness’ of the title - and comes complete with the benefits of some impressive digital technology.

A Thousand simple enough; poor old Angelo is left in Rotterdam charge of an anarchic Vienna, whilst the Splendid Suns The REP, Birmingham, Mon 20 - Wed 22 May; Duke pretends that he has work overseas. Malvern Theatres, Thurs 23 - Sat 25 May The REP, Birmingham, Tues 2 - Sat 18 May Instead, he uses the opportunity to spy on his diligent (though misguided) deputy, waits for a mistake to be made, then reappears to make Angelo a convenient scapegoat for Vienna’s woes... A stitch-up or just judicial authority? No wonder politicians of all parties quote Shakespeare to justify their dark deeds...

Bells And Spells Khaled Hosseini's spiritual sequel to The Kite Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Runner is here receiving its European stage Tues 21 & Wed 22 May Engaging with a multitude of issues relevant première. Taking the viewer on a journey through hal- to the LGBTQ+ community, Jon Brittain’s When orphaned Laila finds herself left alone lucinatory lands and libertarian countries, heartwarming play features a majority cast of in an Afghanistan ravaged by war, salvation Victoria Thierrée Chaplin’s new production non-binary, transgender and queer actors. comes in the form of her older neighbour, sees Aurélia Thierrée getting inside the skin ‘Rotterdam is a fantastic comedy with lots of Rasheed, who takes her as his second wife of a kleptomaniac - only to find herself ma- heart,” says cast member Ellie Morris, who and makes her pregnant. nipulated by the objects that she steals... plays out-and-proud Dutch party- Lelani. Rasheed’s decision kickstarts a rivalry be- Expect a spark of absurdity and more than a “It’s about a lesbian couple - Alice and Fiona tween Laila and his first wife, Mariam - but as dash of surreal humour in a thought-provok- - who live in Rotterdam, and Fiona comes out the Taliban take over and life becomes a des- ing show in which the bizarre rubs shoulders as transgender at the start of the play. The re- perate struggle against starvation and brutal- with the supernatural... mainder of the play follows his journey from ity, the two women find themselves engaging being Fiona to becoming Adrian, and looks at in an unlikely alliance... how that affects his relationship with Alice, his own identity and the people around him.” Measure For Measure Ellie is returning to the role of Lelani having previously played her during Rotterdam’s run Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon- Avon, Fri 28 June - Thurs 29 Aug at the Arts Centre in London. “I honestly just adore this play. I think I’ve The darkest of Shakespeare’s comedies, maybe performed it, like, 100 times, and Measure For Measure is usually considered a every single time it’s just as good as the last. problem play. Which means that it asks more If you want fireworks, balloons and a seri- questions than it answers - leaving doubt ously good soundtrack, then this is the play about which side of the political fence for you!” Shakespeare is really on. The structure is 26 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 6 Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 7

Theatre Theatre for younger audiences...

Zog Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 8 & Thurs 9 May; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 24 - Sun 26 May; Malvern Theatres, Wed 5 & Thurs 6 June With previous shows including Tiddler And Other Tales and Tabby McTat, it’s fair to say that Freckle Productions know a thing or two about presenting stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler stories... Zog is at Madam Dragon’s school and is de- termined to win himself a gold star. He’s so determined, in fact, that he tries a little bit too hard and finds himself bumping, burning and roaring his way through years one, two and three.

The Worst Witch the . But keeping Mowgli safe is no walk Imaginative sets and costumes are very much in the jungle, as his two furry pals soon find present and correct in a show that the pro- Birmingham Hippodrome, out... Presented by Wicked Productions and ducers are confident will send your kids Wed 22 - Sun 26 May featuring some brand new songs. home positively wild (which may or may not be a good thing!). X Factor 2016 winner Matt Terry stars. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Aliens Love Underpants Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Oakengates Theatre @ The Place, Telford, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 May Thurs 30 May In a career stretching back to the mid-1960s, Given its title, it’s Eric Carle has illustrated more than 70 books perhaps not sur- - writing most of them too. None have been prising that the Step aside, Harry Potter, Mildred Hubble is more famous or successful than his 1969 visiting town - and she’s ready to unleash producers of Aliens story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. In Underpants are some family-friendly magic and mayhem! The popular picture book has been translated Many a year before Harry’s Hogwarts hocus- selling the show as into more than 60 languages, selling in ex- one that’s so funny pocus took the world by storm, Jill Murphy cess of 52 million copies... wrote a series of books about ordinary-girl ‘you’ll laugh your This 50th anniversary stage version of Carle’s pants off’. Mildred and her adventures at a school for much-loved tale is presented alongside three witches. The Worst Witch, first published in And they may well be right about that. other popular children’s stories by the same Based on the bestselling children’s book by 1974, spawned seven sequels, a movie and a author: Brown Bear, Brown Bear; 10 Little Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, the produc- television series, with worldwide book sales Rubber Ducks; and The Very Lonely Firefly. tion features ‘stunning effects, madcap ac- reaching the five million mark. The show features no fewer than 75 ‘lovable tion and original music’. This brand new show is directed by Theresa puppets’. Heskins and comes complete with original And if that little lot isn’t enough to tempt you, songs, music, magic and a healthy dose of the promise of a close encounter with ‘lots of aliens’ surely is... Mildred-created pandemonium. Madagascar The Musical Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 7 - Sat 11 May The Flying Bath The Jungle Book The smell of the greasepaint and roar of the Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Sat 25 May The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, crowd has tempted the furry cast of Madagas- Mon 27 May car the movie to forsake New York's Central Take a book by the brilliant Julia Donaldson, Made universally popular by the classic Walt Park Zoo in favour of treading the boards on place it into the award-winning hands of Lit- Disney movie, Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book a UK tour. tle Angel theatre company - and wait for the tells the story of a young boy named Mowgli The blockbuster DreamWorks film comes to theatrical magic to happen... who’s been raised in the jungle by a family of life in Wolverhampton when Alex the Lion, When everyone has left the house in the wolves. His friends, Baloo the bear and Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Glo- morning, the bath toys spring into and Bagheera the panther, are determined to save ria the hip hip Hippo stampede onto the head off on exciting adventures in their magi- him from the evil intentions of Shere Khan stage with a great big jungle roar. cal flying bath!

28 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:58 Page 8

whatsonlive.co.uk 29 RSC Venice Preserved.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:37 Page 1

War. Corruption.

Power.Thomas Otway’s tragedy, Venice Preserved, gets a contemporary reboot by the Royal Shakespeare Company this month. RSC Venice Preserved.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:37 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

What’s On chats to the show’s director, Prasanna Puwanarajah, about the production, its socio-political resonances and his varied career…

“Venice Preserved follows disaffected Vene- ing at it originally - now they just feel like so- from the NHS in order to recharge. I was mak- tian nobles,” the show’s director, Prasanna cial realism! So, if anything, the play has only ing little short films and doing the odd bit of Puwanarajah, explains. “Out of the two main grown in its ability to relate to our present acting in my free time. I remember I audi- male characters, one is the son-in-law of a day.” tioned at the RSC because Helena Palmer, senator and the other is a war veteran. Both one of the casting directors, saw me in a play Venice Preserved also explores feminist of them join a conspiracy against the senate at the Arcola Theatre. So I ended up in issues… of Venice, as they believe it to be oppressive Twelfth Night at the RSC. I finished my final and in need of change. In order to join the “One of the things that I wanted to do was job at Eastbourne General Hospital to do that plot, one of them, Jaffeir, has to demonstrate not to shy away from the fact that, at the time role, and I haven’t been back since, which his allegiance by handing over his wife, this play was written, women suffered at the was more than 10 years ago. So it’s just lovely Belvidera. One of the other conspirators hands of playwrights - not literally as such, to be returning to the RSC now. I’ve been vis- threatens Belvidera, so she and Jaffeir go on but in their representation. So we’ve done a iting as a punter for many years, so it’s a the run and have to work out whether to re- lot of work looking at the genre of play called wonderful thing to be coming back to direct.” veal the conspiracy to the senate, or to carry ‘She Tragedy’, where people got obsessed In his early acting career, Prasanna was often on with it knowing how bloody the outcome with the idea of watching women suffering subject to type casting: “In some ways I think will be…” on stage. Some of the plays we looked at were we’re going forwards and in other ways I absolutely horrendous in their enjoyment of The work of Thomas Otway, Venice Preserved think we aren’t. There’s still a sense that indi- women suffering. Interestingly, Venice Pre- was a widely celebrated play when it was viduals from minority groups ought to be rep- served doesn’t quite feel like those plays be- written and performed in the 1680s. resented in drama, but they often only come cause ‘She Tragedies’ tended to be in the 20 in as frame characters, such as somebody’s “I think theatre back then was very much a or so years that followed Venice Preserved. friend. I think there’s still a lot of head count- vehicle for celebrity,” says Prasanna, “so this This play, however, has a performance his- ing being done, where the interest in diversi- play would have featured some of the stars of tory that is quite operatic in style and ob- fying these industries hasn’t been met with a that age. People would have gone to the the- sessed by the notion of the virgin whore. desire for that to be brought about in an or- atre and seen characters and plotlines that Belvidera is pure until the point where she ganic way. I think it’s a slow journey, as often were insinuating the political events and peo- damages the men around her. When you ac- the instruments of change are quite blunt.” ple who were in the limelight. This is the case tually read it, though, it’s more about the hor- even in drama now. To make something pop- rendous abuse and attempted rape that He also hopes to continue with the many ular, it has to speak to the audience directly. Belvidera has to process, which is a direct threads of his career: “At the moment I’m di- Venice Preserved is talking about a nation consequence of her relationship with Jaffeir. I recting a film that’s set in Northern Ireland, coming out of the war, corruption in power wanted to find the true story about human so that’s a project for the next 12 months. and what happens when people are pushed experience, in a way that feels like it isn’t Then I’ve got a few on-screen roles coming into poverty. But it also explores what hap- looking away from their suffering but that out soon - I have a BBC Two comedy about pens when people’s relationships are threat- also isn’t fetishising it like the ‘She Tragedies’ barristers called Defending The Guilty com- ened by the workings of the state. Mainly, do.” ing out later on this year, and then a couple this play has a really emotionally available of other bits and pieces there too. I’m also Prasanna hopes that other directors follow quality to it.” doing some writing on a new show on Chan- his lead in producing works by Early Modern nel Four.” Prasanna has been thinking about staging playwrights who aren’t Shakespeare: “I defi- Venice Preserved for many years and feels the nitely think more directors should look fur- Prasanna has some final words about why play has become even more relevant in recent ther than Shakespeare for playwrights in this Venice Preserved is not to be missed: “We’re times: “I started looking at the play because I period. Obviously a lot of plays don’t survive making this show in a way that I hope really found it really fascinating how people’s rela- this long because they don’t have those uni- opens it up to the audience, while making it tionships get pulled apart in times of great versal, relatable themes that make good plays really exciting and emotional. It’s a political political upheaval. I was completely intrigued relevant to most time periods. Staging things thriller and feels like a really interesting mix by the play, as it’s famously long and diffi- which don’t have that connectivity to contem- of Restoration play and graphic novel. There cult. Also, its setting and tone caught my eye. porary audiences isn’t really something I really are wonderful actors in it who do some It has that kind of noir theme and feels al- want to be doing, as then it feels more like a incredible things, so it’s one of those rarities most like a graphic novel. When I first started museum exhibition of sorts. That being said, that’s really worth travelling to see!” looking at it, we were in the pre-Trump, pre- there are a lot of gold mines out there.” Brexit era and just after the financial crash. Prasanna turned his hand to directing, writ- The idiot in power or the huge political ing and acting while he was working as a change was somewhat removed from us back doctor for the NHS… then: while it was something we were aware Venice Preserved shows at the Swan of, it wasn’t driving our headlines as it does “It wasn’t an instant switch that I made, it Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from Friday today. The political characters that were in was more of a cross-fade that happened over 24 May to Saturday 7 September. the play felt a little satirical when I was look- four to five years. I did acting in my time off BRB Peter and The Wolf.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 08:55 Page 1

PETER AND THE WOLF gets an urban makeover

30 whatsonlive.co.uk BRB Peter and The Wolf.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 08:55 Page 2

by Patsy Moss

Birmingham Royal Ballet choreographer and First Artist Ruth Brill talks about delivering an exciting new staging of Prokofiev’s much-loved tale…

An hour-and-a-half spent watching Ruth Brill quite challenging. The show has to be widely out, so it’s best for me to say, ‘What do you putting her choreography skills into action in accessible for families, but my work also think on this, Paul?’ The experts contribute rehearsals for Peter And The Wolf makes for a needs to stand up in its own right when per- their knowledge, I listen and learn. mesmerising experience. Seeing the rumble formed at Birmingham Hippodrome and Lon- I’m still performing with BRB. When I go back unfold between Bird and Wolf gave me a real don Sadler’s Wells.” to that role, I find that my whole approach as sense of how technically challenging it is to Ruth’s approach to satisfying the show’s di- a dancer has changed. I can’t unsee what I’ve put together a Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) verse audience is to keep the narration and learned as a choreographer, on the other production of this magnitude. music true to the original but at the same time side.” Commissioned by outgoing Director David make the setting an urban one. Ruth believes that it’s crucial to let the Bintley, Peter And The Wolf is Ruth’s fourth “Peter And The Wolf is a carefully protected dancers find their own way in a production: commission for BRB. She’s been with the work, and rightly so, as it’s genius. That’s why “If there are two people doing the same role company for seven years as a First Artist, and we’re keeping the core as is. What we are on different days, I don’t feel that they have to her choreographic repertoire (for BRB) to date doing, however, is transporting it to a new set- do it in exactly the same way. Yes, the steps comprises Rhapsody In Blue (2014), ting. Rather than being done in a traditional need to be the same. Yes, the key moments Matryoshka (2015) and Arcadia (2017). way, with a meadow, grandfather’s house and need to be the same, but within that there’s But as Ruth herself admits, Peter And The a forest, we’re setting it in an urban environ- stretch for them to find their own character. Wolf is her most ambitious project to date. ment. I’m collaborating with Spike Kilburn on They then have ownership with their own Her excitement about presenting the show to the set and costume design. The audience will interpretation of the role.” a Midlands audience is palpable: “It’s such an see the tree represented by a huge scaffolding Each of the production’s nine cast members iconic, much-loved story that’s familiar to so tower. It has different levels, a ladder, a pulley has a crucial role in telling the story of Peter many people. Anyone of my age or older and rope with which to catch the wolf. The And The Wolf. “It’s quite a small cast, but I would probably recognise the music. A characters are dressed in street wear. Spike think the amazing thing about this - and the younger generation may not know it, so now has a wealth of experience and great vision. dancers love it too - is that everybody has a seems a perfect opportunity for us to retell the It’s really exciting, as this is the first time he’s character. There’s no big ensemble. We have story.” designed for ballet. There are certainly no Peter, Bird, Cat, Duck, Grandad, Wolf, three tutus in sight!” But this isn’t just any old retelling of Peter hunters and that’s it. Each member of the cast And The Wolf... The music for Peter And The Wolf was origi- has a key role and has their own character to nally written to explain to children about the focus on.” In a quest to appeal to a wider audience, instruments in an orchestra. Every character BRB’s staging of one of Prokofiev’s finest So with the premiere of this much-anticipated has an instrument depicting a theme which works has been given an urban feel - as Ruth production fast approaching, and with will be cleverly used throughout. Ruth is keen explains: “One of the main slants is that Peter umpteen hours of rehearsal under her belt, to point out that although construction of a is going to be played by a girl. It feels very cur- what’s Ruth’s biggest concern about putting production like this always begins with the rent to have a strong heroine at the heart of on her most challenging show to date? music, it’s very much a collaborative affair, the story. This production has dance, narra- “When you’ve made your decisions and and one in which she sees herself as the pro- tion and music all rolled into one, which you’ve set the choreography on the dancers, ject manager, wearing many hats. makes it very accessible because the story is the hardest thing is letting go, letting the per- explained. People don’t expect spoken word “I like to be really involved in every aspect of formance happen. On the night of the pre- as a major element when they go to a ballet. It the process. I see all of the elements - set, cos- miere performance, I’m going to be sitting in breaks down the barriers, so no-one should tume, music, dancers, even the marketing the audience with everyone else, watching. feel apprehensive that they won’t understand campaign - as part of the choreographer’s vi- It’s about detaching and trusting that your the story or know what’s going on.” sion. I trust everyone in charge of those differ- team - the technicians, the musicians, the ent aspects; they have their input and they dancers - will pull it together and do you Ruth’s brief for Peter And The Wolf was a take my ideas to a place that I wouldn’t have proud. Then the production becomes its own challenging one in that it’s being performed got to on my own. However, it’s down to me to thing in its own right, living and breathing as part of BRB’s Home From Home tour, ensure that all of these different threads com- and going on...” which means the production will visit Mid- bine to become a coherent whole. The whole lands venues outside Birmingham; in Wolver- process is a learning curve, and every day I’m hampton, Shrewsbury and Malvern. It will Birmingham Royal Ballet’s performance learning. Principal Conductor Paul Murphy then form part of a programme on the main of Peter And The Wolf shows at Theatre has been so pivotal in this journey because so stage at Birmingham Hippodrome and Lon- Severn, Shrewsbury on Fri 17 & Sat 18 May; much of this production comes back to the don’s Sadlers Wells later in the year. Malvern Festival Theatre, Tues 21 & Wed 22 music. Speeds are really crucial in how every- May; and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, “My brief for the Home From Home tour is thing builds. Paul knows this music inside- Fri 24 & Sat 25 May.

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Dance

Rosie Kay: 10 Soldiers Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 21 May The award-winning Rosie Kay Dance Com- pany this month make a welcome return to present an expanded version of their highly acclaimed 2010 production, 5 Soldiers: The Body Is The Frontline - an exploration of how the human body remains essential to war in the 21st century. “Working with soldiers over the last 10 years has been an incredible and eye-open- ing experience,” says Rosie. “Over 8,000 people join the British Army each year, yet it’s not a world that many members of the public get to access. “Using dance, 5 Soldiers has clearly touched a lot of people, with the response from soldiers, veterans and audiences being incredibly positive. Inspired by my own ex- perience of a career-threatening injury, I wanted to tell this story of how soldiers’ bodies remain essential on the frontline. The show digs down into the foundations of their commitment to each other, inner strength and dedication in coping with war and recovery. It’s a story that I hope inspires empathy and a greater understanding of life from a soldier’s perspective.”

Autin Dance Theatre: Dystopia Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 31 May “We draw on contemporary social issues and into intense dance worlds which we hope events to make work which is beautifully will resonate with them long after they leave crafted, accessible and relevant,” says the auditorium.” Johnny Autin, the founder of Birmingham- The company’s latest work is a thought-pro- based Autin Dance Theatre. “The company is voking dance-theatre duet which takes a gaining a reputation for creating powerful look at the human need for connection and performances and catapulting audiences belonging. Northern Ballet: Puss In Boots Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 4 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Fri 7 June; Crewe Lyceum, Sat 8 June Leeds-based Northern Ballet has developed a reputation for producing work which is as much about storytelling as it is about dancing - a fact very much in evidence in its latest children’s production. Puss In Boots follows on from the company’s hugely successful adaptations of Goldilocks & The Three Bears, The Ugly Duckling and Tor- toise And The Hare. The production is approx- imately 40 minutes in length and offers the - dare we say - purr-fect introduction to live ballet, music and theatre for younger chil- dren... 32 whatsonlive.co.uk Dance April.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:56 Page 2

Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Amina Khayyam Thurs 16 & Fri 17 May Dance Company: The autumn may still be a summertime away, but fans of Strictly Come Dancing A Thousand Faces don’t need to wait for darker nights and Warwick Art Centre, Coventry, colder temperatures in order to enjoy their Thurs 9 May next fix of the hit television series’ glorious Fusing classical Kathak dance with glitz and glamour. puppetry, the Amina Khayyam Dance This ever-popular stage show brings to- Company here presents a bold perform- gether some of Strictly’s professional ance examining the worldwide phenom- dancers for an evening of ‘sequins, sparkle ena of acid violence against women. The and stunning production values’, not to piece engages its audience via the intri- mention some truly fleet-of-foot presenta- cate and detailed theatrical movements tions of the very best in ballroom and Latin of abhinaya - a South Asian classical dancing. technique of communication based on a narrative mode. Ballet Black Triple Bill Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 23 & Fri 24 May

National Dance Company Afterimage makes use of mirrors to form a ‘unique theatrical experience where the past Wales: Awakening and present collide with a poetic and cre- Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 7 May ative style of dance’... Revellers’ Mass, mean- With its mission statement to create extraor- while, is a new work inspired by famous dinary and inclusive dance which engages religious paintings such as DaVinci’s The and resonates with audiences, National Last Supper... The triple bill is completed by Dance Company Wales ‘makes dance for Tundra, a piece that ‘tears pages from the stages large and small, in unusual spaces Russian history books on folk dance, mass and online’. parades and revolution, revitalising old The ensemble is here presenting three works ideas with renewed meaning’. designed to ‘amuse and amaze’...

Eighteen-year-old company Ballet Black comprises British and international dancers of black and Asian descent and takes an impressively daring approach to its work. Under the guidance of highly rated Artistic Director Cassa Pancho, the company here presents Ingoma (Song) - a fusion of ballet, African dance and singing - Martin Lawrance’s intimate duet, Pendulum - the choreographer’s first work for the company back in 2009 - and the premiere of an origi- nal and lighthearted work by Scottish Bal- let’s choreographer-in-residence, Sophie Laplane. whatsonlive.co.uk 33 Dance XChange.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:46 Page 1

First steps into dance Dance takes centre stage in a new education initiative in Birmingham

Hundreds of children are taking their first rather than positioning it on the periphery as topics such as electricity and the weather, steps into dance thanks to a new education part of PE. What we bring is the expertise to and we have also been working with groups initiative by Birmingham-based DanceX- create a bespoke programme with each on positive social interaction, empathy and change. school. well-being. Sessions begin by encouraging the children to think creatively, building on Launched in the autumn of last year, the “In order to ensure that we’re making a long- something they can relate to, for example the dance agency’s schools programme is reach- term impact, we prefer to deliver sessions creative task might be ‘imagine you’re a sol- ing into classrooms across the city, introduc- weekly across a whole academic year. Each dier’ or ‘imagine you’re splashing around in a ing youngsters to dance and using movement school and each class can work differently, puddle’. Our dance artist then guides them to to support the wider school curriculum. depending on the children’s needs and fo- develop movement material around this, to cuses. This new focus on education is the latest step shape their own choreography,” explains in a refreshed strategy for DanceXchange, “While a final performance could be an im- Alex. which is based in the Birmingham Hippo- portant goal, our focus is predominantly on The response to the new programme so far drome campus. For more than 25 years, the process itself and the learning journey has exceeded expectations, with school DanceXchange has supported the growth and the children are on. Their responses and their teachers observing that the sessions have development of dance in the Midlands, con- voices are respected so that they feel a true had a positive impact on the children, help- necting people with great dance, nurturing sense of ownership and achievement by the ing them to gain confidence beyond the young dancers and championing some of the end of the programme.” classroom. UK’s most exciting choreographers – as well For some pupils, it is the first time they have as producing the award-winning Birmingham “We have found that many of the children taken part in organised dance activities. International Dance Festival. have benefitted from increased self-aware- “The children may see the sessions as a way ness, getting to know themselves better and Now the new education project sees dance to express themselves, they may develop expressing themselves more confidently,” artists visiting schools throughout the aca- dance as a hobby or they may find a real says Alex. demic year, working with teachers in pri- commitment to it,” says DanceXchange’s mary, secondary and special needs schools. “Dance has also proved a perfect fit with Head of Learning and Participation Alex Hen- They offer a tailored programme that meets schools’ well-being initiatives and can make wood. “The programme gives them the intro- the specific needs of each school, with op- a valuable contribution to pupils’ personal duction to technical skills and creative tions including themed and topic-based development as well-rounded individuals. expression so they can absorb the experience learning, specialist sessions for GCSE and and use it for their own personal develop- “Each child is unique and not every child has BTEC levels and Continuing Professional De- ment. the chance to express their individuality velopment for teachers. within the school structure. We hope that “We enjoy taking a thematic approach and DanceXchange’s Executive Director Clare dance allows those children to feel they have making sessions cross-curricular. For in- Lewis explains: “We are passionate about a chance to shine, find a new skill to excel in stance, we’ve been working on curriculum placing dance at the heart of the curriculum and express themselves.” Dance XChange.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 09:46 Page 2

This year the initiative has taken a huge leap able to work with the young people in a really Birmingham where he was busking, doing forward with a project connecting five Birm- bespoke way, so that each individual’s re- hip hop,” recalls Alex. “He came to CAT, then ingham schools which will lead to a perform- sponses are heard and reflected in the mak- went on to dance in National Youth Dance ance by around 500 children and young ing of each piece,” Clare adds. “For us, the Company for two years and now he has set people at the city’s Town Hall in July. The value and legacy of this project is as much in up his own youth academy work has been commissioned by Living Arts the artistic process as it is in the final prod- Brums Dynasty in Birmingham and is invest- , supported by the uct. We want this to be a rich and engaging ing back into his community and the region, Bridge Organisation Arts Connect, and brings creative process for young people and teach- helping the next generation.” together pupils from five Roman Catholic ers alike, and for them to own and be proud It is success stories like those of Vidya and Schools based in and around Chelmsley of what they share at the final performance Christian which ensure DanceXchange will Wood – John Henry Newman Catholic College event in July.” continue to foster young talent – whether and St John the Baptist, St Thomas More, St For the DanceXchange team, working with this is in the school classroom or through its Anne’s and St Anthony’s Primary Schools. schools is a vital way to engage the next gen- own training programmes. “It’s a creative dance and music project eration in dance at a grassroots level and to “It’s really rewarding to know we are helping which centres on the themes of identity, be- develop the audiences, performers and lead- to create the next generation of successful longing and community and uses the ers of the future. dance artists who are highly skilled and re- schools’ mottos as an artistic stimulus,” says “Our schools work can be a first step for chil- ally capable,” says Alex. “We see it as our job Clare. “For example one class has composed dren to discover they have a talent and a pas- to find these young people with real talent a really heartfelt and uplifting song around sion for dance – which we can then nurture and invest in them so they can go onto the the John Henry Newman Catholic College through our training and talent development next stage.” motto ‘Heart speaks to heart’ – helping the programmes Generate and the Centre for Ad- young people to connect more deeply with Clare adds: “These young people are our rea- vanced Training (CAT), providing young peo- their school values and also with one an- son for being. We want to inspire and facili- ple with the tools to reach their potential as other. This song will be performed live by the tate their journey through dance, supporting dancers,” explains Alex. students as well as being mixed to create a talent right from the grass-roots, through en- track for the dance piece they are soon to Successful CAT alumni include Vidya Patel, gagement with those who want to enjoy choreograph with our hip hop artist. who was a finalist in BBC Young Dancer in dance just for itself, right through to encour- 2015 and has been a guest artist with Richard aging excellence in young people who want “For us, this is an amazing opportunity to de- Alston Dance Company. Vidya was also re- to progress to careers in dance.” liver an authentic and empowering artistic cently nominated for Outstanding Female experience for young people across all five Modern Performance at the 2018 National project schools. Dance Awards. For more on all of DanceXchange’s “It has been important to bring on board a programmes see “Christian Griffin, another successful stu- team of artists who share our ethos and are www.dancexchange.org.uk dent, was talent-spotted on the streets of Comics Salopia.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 16:52 Page 1 Escape to another world...

Renowned comic book artist Charlie Adlard talks about his involvement in Shrewsbury’s brand new Comics Salopia event - ‘a festival with a difference’...

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by Stephen Taylor

If, one day, The Walking Dead does finish, I’ll be perfectly happy doing French comic books for the rest of my career Charlie Adlard

Judge“ , and The Walking For Charlie, the Beano event exemplifies the Dead are just some of the iconic publications broad appeal of the festival: “We’re trying to showcased at a brand new event coming to say, ‘Comics are for everyone, whether it’s Shrewsbury in early June. The Beano, Dandy, something from Redan ” [Publishing] - the local publisher that does Described as ‘a festival with a difference’, pre-school and young kids’ magazines like Comics Salopia will celebrate comic art and Peppa Pig - through to Marvel Comics, its associated wider culture with a series of [Japanese] manga, French comics, under- events at numerous venues across the ground comics, everything. We’re trying to Shropshire town. embrace the whole culture and show people The festival is the brainchild of former Mayor that there’s something for everyone.” of Shrewsbury, Councillor Jane Mackenzie. While others of a similar age to him may have Conscious of the need to create something been devouring copies of The Beano in their unique for the town, Jane approached local youth, Charlie was developing a fascination comic book artist Charlie Adlard with the for superheroes from across the Atlantic. notion of staging a comics event. “When I was really young, my dad had a Charlie has been the artist on the hugely newsagent in Wellington. I remember there successful zombie apocalypse comic book being a spinner rack which had American series, The Walking Dead, for the past 15 comic books. That was what I was brought up years. on, so, since 1972, I was able to access this “My favourite conventions are not ‘conven- stuff, from issue one, to two, to three, to four, tions’, they’re festivals,” says Charlie, “and to five.”

there’s a fundamental difference between a Photo credit: Jamie Ricketts at Shropshire Star Just over 30 years later, Charlie started work convention and a festival. Festivals are cele- on The Walking Dead comic book series, Walking Dead good notice, so we gave him a brations that should be open to everybody.” unaware that it would still be paying the bills year, saying, ‘I want to get back into doing A self-confessed devotee of French comic more than a decade later. both’ because I was getting frustrated and I books, Charlie drew on Gallic inspiration for didn’t enjoy the process. “When Robert [Kirkman] asked me to do it, I what could be achieved in Shrewsbury. was thinking, ‘Great, this could be my oppor- “He did a great job. He was the second-best ‘There’s this amazing festival in Angoulême, tunity to do long-form storytelling’. I didn’t inker on my work, after me, and he genuinely France, and it’s one of the biggest in the know at the time that it would last this long, did a good job, but I wanted to get back and world. It attracts over 100,000 people to a but here we are, 16 years later, still running take full control.” town that’s not too dissimilar in size to with this zombie soap opera!” Apart from his work on The Walking Dead, Shrewsbury. I said to Jane, ‘If we’re going to The Walking Dead was adapted for TV in Charlie has also developed a passion for do it, that’s how I’d like to see it done; 2010, though it would appear that many of comic books from across the Channel. His involve the town, be all-inclusive.” the show’s viewers are ignorant of the origi- second French comic book, Vampire State An interactive exhibition of Charlie’s art - nal comic books, a fact that Charlie takes in Building, was published in early April. featuring original artwork from a complete his stride. “I was a big fan of Asterix, which, when I was issue of The Walking Dead - will form just “I’d say one in 10 people would have heard of six or seven, I didn’t realise was French. one of the many attractions at Comics the comic. Most people go, ‘It’s a TV show,’ French comic books are probably my Salopia. and I inform them that it’s a comic and we’re favourite part of the whole world of comics. I “We’ve got events going on in the prison, the the co-creators, blah-de-blah-blah, and they love the way they’re produced, and I love the castle and the Guildhall. Loads of shops will go, ‘Oh my god, really?’ But that’s the way way the French call comic books the ninth have displays, there’ll be stuff in the Square, Hollywood eats up these things, and fair art, so they respect it enough that they lump and we’ve got a big experience enough, it’s not up to them to promote the it in with painting, sculpture and the other happening in the prison. The object is to take original source material. It’s there in the arts. over the town and turn it into comic books credits.” “If, one day, The Walking Dead does finish, central.” With issue 191 of The Walking Dead due to be I’ll be perfectly happy doing French comic Many visitors to the two-day festival will have published on the weekend of Comics Salopia, books for the rest of my career.” grown up in a world of comics rather than after several years of pencilling the comic comic books, with titles such as The Beano book, Charlie is looking forward to taking on introducing generations of readers to the inking duties from issue 193. likes of Biffo The Bear and Lord Snooty. Comics Salopia takes place at various “I’ve never really enjoyed just pencilling, to Comics Salopia’s An Audience With The Shrewsbury locations on Saturday 1 & be honest. I’m my own best inker, if you see Beano promises to be an amusing discussion Sunday 2 June. See overleaf for our pick what I mean, so I’ve just gone back to inking. on the enduring success of one of Dundee’s of festival highlights... I wanted to give the guy who was inking The finest exports.

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Top picks You’ll be surprised, amazed and thrilled by what the festival has in store... For full festival listings, head to comicssalopia.com

How Do I Become An Audience With A Comics Writer? The Beano: with Jamali Maddix Live panel with 4 Beano Legends A ‘lively, fascinating and fun discussion’ about creating Join Beano editor John stories for comic books, in Anderson as he welcomes to which standup comedian the stage four of the comic Jamali Maddix quizzes a book’s top artists and writers panel of international comic - , Laura writers - Andy Diggle, Chip Howell, Lew Stringer and the Kidd, Alex Paknadel and Star legendary . Wars writer Pierrick Colinet included - about industry trade secrets.

Interview with From Hellboy to Tyler Kirkham Baltimore... The Venom & Spider-Man Exclusive event which sees cover artist talks to Ollie Leonard Sultana interview MacNamee about his Hellboy, Baltimore and BPRD professional career, which artist Ben Stenbeck about his stretches back almost 15 time in the movie industry, years. his working methods and As well as working for the what drives him to keep world’s biggest superhero making comics... publishers, Tyler has also published graphic novels and children’s books.

The Zombie Walk An Interview with Be part of the festival and Eric Stephenson make yourself into one of the by Kieron Gillen undead for a fun zombie walk Join Star Wars and X-Men through the town. The best writer Kieron Gillen in zombies will be awarded conversation with publisher special prizes by Walking and head honcho at Image Dead artist and co-creator Comics, Eric Stephenson. Charlie Adlard. The walk Together, the duo will cover starts at the Castle Grounds subjects including creator- on the Saturday afternoon at owned comics and how the 2pm and goes all the way ’90s upstart publisher has down Pride Hill to the Square, become America’s third where the winners will be largest publisher of comic awarded their prizes. books... whatsonlive.co.uk 37 Film May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 08:56 Page 1

Film

Rocketman CERT tbc Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard, Stephen Graham, Gemma Jones Directed by (UK/USA) Reginald Dwight took up piano lessons at the age of seven and four years later won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. But he was really a fan of Elvis and Bill Haley & His Comets, and it was this passion that was to steer him towards a career in rock’n’roll. In 1972 he changed his name to Elton John... Although for technical reasons he never got a credit on Bohemian Rhapsody, Dexter Fletcher actually directed much of that film (after the original director, Bryan Singer, was dismissed) and high hopes are resting on his new musical biography. The screenplay is by Lee Hall, whose script for Billy Elliot was nominated for an Oscar. Released Fri 24 May CRITIC’S CHOICE

Film highlights released in May...

A Dog’s Journey CERT PG Extremely Wicked, Tolkien CERT 12a (112 mins) Starring Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Shockingly Evil And Vile Starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Henry Lau, Kathryn Prescott, Dennis Quaid Meaney, Derek Jacobi and the voice of Josh Gad CERT tbc (108 mins) Directed by Dome Karukoski (USA) Directed by Gail Mancuso (USA) Starring Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario, Jeffrey Donovan, Angela Sarafyan, John Malkovich Directed by Joe Berlinger (USA) Talk about loyal. Elizabeth Kloepfer (Lily Collins) believed only the best of her boyfriend and it wasn’t until many years after his conviction that she conceded Ted Bundy (Zac Efron) was the killer of at least 30 young girls and women. This is the eighth time the killer has been portrayed on the big screen. Released Fri 3 May

Bailey, a dog of many colours and, indeed, Before he went on to write The Lord Of The breeds, finds his soul moving on in this un- Rings, was an orphan who expected sequel to the episodic and fright- found himself something of an outcast at Ox- fully saccharine A Dog’s Purpose (2017). ford. But he also formed a friendship with Well, the first film did make over $200mil- some of his fellow outsiders, a bond that was lion. to inspire his creation of Middle-Earth. Released Fri 3 May Released Fri 3 May

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Film highlights released in May...

The Hustle CERT 12a (94 mins) Starring Anne Hathaway, Rebel Wilson, Alex Sharp, Dean Norris, Tim Blake Nelson Directed by Chris Addison (USA) It may look like Ocean’s Two, but this comic story of a pair of female con artists is actually a remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) - which, itself, was a remake of Bedtime Story (1964). Released Fri 10 May

EDITOR’S CHOICE

which really did present A Whole New Aladdin CERT PG World. Here, there will be new songs Starring Will Smith, Mena Massoud, Naomi penned by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Scott, Marwan Kenzari, Navid Negahban, Pokémon Detective Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen who previously lit up the soundtracks of Directed by Guy Ritchie (USA) La La Land and The Greatest Showman, as Pikachu CERT PG (104 mins) This might not be a subject one might as- well as the original numbers by Alan Starring Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Suki Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. Waterhouse, Ken Watanabe, Bill Nighy and the sociate with the director of Lock, Stock voice of Ryan Reynolds And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, but Aladdin is played by the Egyptian-Cana- Directed by Rob Letterman (USA/Japan) then Guy Ritchie did dabble with fantasy dian newcomer Mena Massoud, and Ryan Reynolds supplies the voice of the in King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword. Al- Jasmine by the London-born eponymous Pikachu, an ace Pokémon detec- addin, though, is very different, as it’s Naomi Scott. Will Smith is the Genie with tive who teams up with the son of his partner aimed at a family audience and is a live-ac- the magic lamp. after the latter goes missing. Let’s hope this is tion remake of Disney’s 1992 cartoon Released Wed 22 May more successful than the previous human/creature crossover semi-animated shambles, The Happytime Murders (2018). Released Fri 10 May Booksmart CERT 15 (102 mins) Godzilla: King Of Monsters Starring Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jes- CERT tbc sica Williams, Billie Lourd, Lisa Kudrow, Will Starring Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Forte, Jason Sudeikis Bobby Brown, Bradley Whitford, Sally Directed by Olivia Wilde (USA) Hawkins, O'Shea Jackson Jr, David Strathairn, Marking the directorial debut of the actress Ken Watanabe, Zhang Ziyi Directed by Michael Dougherty (USA) Olivia Wilde, this comedy focuses on two high school over-achievers who realise that An all-star cast steps up to the plate to marvel they have let academia get in the way of fun. at the mighty combat of Godzilla and a vari- And they have only one night to make up for ety of humongous beasties, including the all their years of hard work. three-headed King Ghidorah. This is the third instalment in the so-called MonsterVerse. The Secret Life Released Mon 27 May Released Fri 31 May Of Pets 2 CERT PG With the voices of Patton Oswalt, Eric Ston- estreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Tiffany Had- Ma CERT 15 (96 mins) dish, Harrison Ford Starring Octavia Spencer, Juliette Lewis, Diana Directed by Chris Renaud and Jonathan Del Val Silvers, Luke Evans, McKaley Miller, Missi Pyle (USA) Directed by Tate Taylor (USA) Max the Jack Russell has his life turned up- A lonely women (Octavia Spencer) befriends side down when his owner gets married and some teenagers and allows them to party at has a child. Patton Oswalt takes over as Max, her place - on the condition that they call her after the original voice artist, Louis C.K., was ‘Ma’. Among other things… From the director mired in sexual misconduct allegations. In of The Help (2011) and The Girl On The Train 3D. (2016). Released Wed 22 May Released Fri 31 May

whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Visual Arts May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:08 Page 1

Visual Arts previews from around the region

British Wildlife Photographer Awards Exhibition Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire, Sat 11 May - Tues 10 September “No other image in my portfolio had been so clearly conceived and yet so difficult to achieve,” says Paul Colley in talking about Con- trails At Dawn, the image with which he won last year’s British Wildlife Photographer of the Year award, and which takes pride of place in this touring exhibition of the 2018 competition’s best entries. “I experienced a huge gradient of emotion. There were the lows felt during months of long, cold and exhausting dusk-to-dawn ses- sions, sometimes waist deep in water and often without getting a single usable image. And then the natural highs of those lightbulb moments, when new ideas blossomed, problems were solved and the project inched closer towards having the potential to win this exceptional ac- colade.” Photo credit: David Bennett, Goose Barnacles, Sanna Bay, Highland

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Visual Arts

Digital Diorama PACCAR Room, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sun 8 September Augmented reality technology - similar to popu- lar apps like Pokémon Go and BBC Civilisations - here brings to life a version of Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon - complete with perfor- mances by RSC actors and associate artists. To create the performances, the actors were recorded using photogrammetry and motion capture before being turned into avatars - digital versions of themselves. Commenting on the exhibition, RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran said: “Dioramas were very popular in the 19th century. They involved large-scale models with vast panoramas which could transport excited audiences into the midst of a battlefield, a storm at sea, or onto the slopes of an erupting volcano. “Our dioramas are digital. We’ve combined an Childhood Now Compton Verney Art Gallery, , until Sun 16 June old technique with the latest technology to take you right into Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon- Three contemporary figurative British painters - Chantal Joffe, Mark Fairnington and Avon. We’ve invited a great cast of RSC alumni Matthew Krishanu - here develop the conversation initiated in Compton Verney’s to perform tiny extracts from Shakespeare’s Painting Childhood exhibition by depicting childhood in very different ways. plays to illustrate a journey from birthplace to Joffe’s expressive paintings chart the growth of daughter Esme from birth to adolescence. graveyard, and introduce the Seven Ages of Mark Fairnington turns a scientific eye to the depiction of his twin sons with hyper- Man.” realistic precision. Matthew Krishanu’s radiant paintings reveal memories of an exotic childhood in Bangladesh. Taken together, the works aim to present a fresh perspective on what constitutes childhood in the 21st century. Royal Photographic Society: International Photography The White Bicycle Exhibition Library of Birmingham, Sat 4 - Thurs 30 May Andrew Lacon Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Exhibition until Sun 12 May New Art Gallery, Walsall, The world’s longest-running photographic exhi- until Sun 2 June bition makes a welcome return to the region and features 100 images taken by 54 contemporary The value of materials photographers. when viewed in different The images were selected from a shortlist of 189, contexts and historical which itself was created from a total of 7,327 en- periods, particularly in tries. The exhibition’s Midlands Arts Centre relation to public display, stop-off is its only one in the Midlands. is the subject of sculptor Andrew Lacon’s residency at the New Art Gallery. Photographer David Buss’s exhibition demonstrates During his time at the that bicycles are used not only as a means of venue, Andrew will transport, but also for other often surprising extend his knowledge purposes, whether that be as an object to personalise, into display strategies a memorial (known as ‘ghost bikes’), an artwork, a and the history of status symbol, a signifier or an item of nostalgia. sculpture, drawing on The exhibition’s title comes from David’s use of a photographs of the white bicycle as a recurring motif in his photographs; studio of sculptor Sir sometimes as a major element of the image, on other Jacob Epstein and the occasions simply as an incidental fragment. backdrop of sculpture on The show has been mounted to coincide with Velo display from the Birmingham, a major cycling event taking place in Permanent Collection. and around the city on Sunday 12 May.

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Events previews from around the region Events

UK Slot Car Festival British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Sat 18 & Sun 19 May Billed as Europe’s biggest and best slot car event, this two-day festival promises great Scalextric fun for children and big kids! All the major slot car manufactur- ers, including Scalextric, will be at the event, allowing fans not only to meet them face-to-face but also to swap, buy and sell cars. There will also be plenty of interactive activities to enjoy, including a Let’s Go Racing competition, oval banger racing, a drag strip, H0 Scale tracks, digital layouts and a slot stunt show.

Red By Night tions, good food, living history and more’. Visitors to the Red By Night event will be in- The Black Country Living Museum, , vited to step inside period houses and shops to Sat 18 May discover how Black Country folk used to live. The Black Country Living Museum this month The evening also features street entertainment opens its doors ‘after hours’ to provide ‘an and the chance to try the museum’s 1930s-style atmospheric evening of industrial demonstra- fish and chips!

Freddo’s Treasure This Morning Live Donington Historic Festival Trove NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 May Donington Park, Fri 3 - Sun 5 May Cadbury World, Birmingham, The live version of the popular ITV daytime show Sat 25 May - Sun 2 June returns to the NEC for a third year. Boasting in- Ahoy, me hearties! Cadbury’s spiring and informative content presented by Freddo is this half term donning This Morning’s very own stars, the show features his captain’s hat and teaching lit- more than 200 exhibitors offering shopping deals tle ones about becoming a pirate across four distinct areas - Beauty & Wellbeing, on the seven seas. Freddo’s show Fashion & Style, Home & Gifts and Food & Drink. comes complete with ‘a barrel of New for 2019 are two evening stage shows - An laughs and a chestful of goodies’ - Evening With The Speakmans and but will your youngster have what Late: Girls’ Night Out. it takes to become a pirate - or might they have to walk the dreaded plank instead?!...

Fifteen grids take to the track across 18 races this month when 400-plus classic racing cars con- verge on Donington Park from all over the world. New for 2019, the international historic series Sportscar 2000 grid will be added to the timetable for 1961-71 two-litre cars, while making its festival debut will be the HRDC Allstars grid for pre-’66 sports, GT and touring cars. whatsonlive.co.uk 43 Events May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 08:57 Page 3

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Events previews from around the region Events

Knights’ Tournament Kenilworth Castle, Sun 26 - Mon 27 May Go back in time and get closer to the action as rival knights com- pete in the ultimate test of strength and skill. Arrows will fly, swords will clash and the winner will be decided in the Grand Melee finale. Immerse yourself in medieval life in the encampment, where you can meet people from the Middle Ages and try on a knight’s armour for yourself. Budding warriors can join in with drills out on the field, and even get a taste of medieval combat in the kids’ battle.

Shropshire Kids Festival slide, roll around in zorb balls, jump around on the inflatable obstacle course or have a go at a Quarry Park, Shrewsbury, Sat 11 & Sun 12 May host of sports. Building popularity year on year, Shropshire For the more creatively minded youngster, Kids Festival is back and bigger than ever this there are music and drama performances to month. enjoy, relaxing storytime sessions in the book Event highlights include a specialised under- tent, the chance to play a variety of instru- fives area featuring crafts and inflatables. ments and the opportunity to get delightfully Kids who love an adventure can take part in cir- messy via a number of arty workshops. cus skills workshops, slip down the giant water

The Baby Show The Original Harlem Globetrotters NEC, Birmingham, Fri 17 - Sun 19 May Arena Birmingham, Thurs 2 May Sleep-deprived new parents would do well to call on their reserves of energy and get along to this Featuring some of the world’s popular show. Widely considered to be the UK’s finest athletes, the world famous leading pregnancy and parenting event, The Baby Globetrotters bring their spectacu- Show brings together leading retailers and lar show to Birmingham as part of brands, includes one-to-one demonstrations, and a worldwide tour. also provides the opportunity to ‘touch, feel and Expect ball-handling wizardry, compare’ items, enabling shoppers to make an in- rim-rattling dunks, trick shots, formed decision about their purchases. plenty of humour and some bril- liant fan interaction. Telford Balloon Fiesta Telford Town Park, Sat 11 & Sun 12 May It’s a case of up, up and away in Telford this month when the town’s family-friendly balloon festival makes a welcome return. As well as numerous arena performances and children’s activities, the two-day event also of- fers visitors the chance to experience their very own balloon ride. The Saturday evening sees the balloons lit up and dancing in a special glow-in- the-dark musical display.

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Events previews from around the region Events

Castle Capers Evening Dudley Castle, Fri 24 May There’s the chance to go back in time at Dudley Castle this month to learn about the history of the popular visitor attraction. Highlights of the evening include ghost and history walks, archery demonstrations and the opportu- nity to try on arms and armour. Attingham Camp Attingham Park, Shropshire, Sat 25 May Described as a ‘one-night, fun- filled camping spectacular in the beautiful grounds of Attingham Park’, this popular event is now in its fourth year. Guests can enjoy the National Trust site after dark and take part in a wide variety of family activi- RHS Malvern Spring Festival inspiration from exhibitors in the floral marquee ties, including storytelling and and acquire some handy hints and tips via nu- marshmallow-eating around the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, merous talks and demonstrations. Worcestershire, Thurs 9 - Sun 12 April campfire, twilight bushcraft and Famous faces appearing at this year’s show in- star-watching. Green-fingered horticultural types can prepare clude gardening favourites Monty Don, Joe Swift for the upcoming gardening season by paying a and Carol Klein, and culinary whizzes Raymond visit to this ever-popular festival and taking a Blanc and John Torode, who’ll be treating the stroll around the always-impressive selection of crowds to a feast of food-related chat. show gardens. There’s also the chance to gather

Seals in the City The National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham has opened a state-of-the-art marine rescue facility following multi-million pound investment and an extensive remodelling of the popular visitor attraction. Two of the newest residents of the rescue facility are Miley and Boo, seals who each have medical conditions which mean that they wouldn’t survive in the wild. Cherry Tree Walk Several rescued mammals will take up Mitton Manor, near Penkridge, Staffordshire, Sun 5 May residency in the newly engineered open-to-the- public environment, which spans two floors of Enjoy the beauty that spring the venue. The new facility has been carefully brings by admiring Mitton designed and constructed to emulate the Manor’s hopefully-in-full-bloom natural ocean habitat to which the mammals cherry trees and exploring the are accustomed. seven-acre country garden sur- Atmospheric effects in the themed area help rounding the Victorian manor create a replica environment to further house. enhance the experience. Visitors can also treat themselves For more information or to book tickets, visit to afternoon tea and a glass of sealife.co.uk/birmingham beer or Champagne to celebrate the bank holiday weekend.

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Events previews from around the region Events

Midlands Air Festival Arbury Hall, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Fri 17 - Sun 19 May Taking place at Arbury Hall for the first time, the Midlands Air Festival offers three action-packed days of aviation-based fun. More than 30 aircraft are on dis- play across the weekend, 100 hot- air balloons take to the skies, and multiple exhibitors, rides and other forms of entertainment en- sure there’s plenty for the whole family to enjoy. The Friday evening sees a Night- fire display lighting up the sky with pyrotechnics, a flying circus, glowing hot-air balloons and, of course, fireworks.

Shrewsbury Wacky Races fully avoiding the icy waters of the River Severn at the end of their journey! Quarry Park, Shrewsbury, Sun 26 May Competitors will work their way through a knock- Forty-four crazy soapbox cars descend on out-style competition, with only the fastest 10 Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park this Spring Bank Holi- cars making it through to the final, where they’ll day Sunday, as the town hosts its first ever wacky battle it out to take home the winner’s trophy. races. The event is free to attend, with pop-up street Spectators can watch as racers hurtle down the food stalls, bars and loads of family-fun activities 300m track in their carefully crafted carts, hope- all featuring. Unicorn Pony Rides Arley Arboretum, Worcestershire, Mon 6 and Mon 27 May Back by popular demand, the Bellator Birmingham: Primus vs Wilde Resorts World Arena, Sat 4 May magical unicorns of Arley Arbore- Leading mixed martial arts promoter Bellator periment’ Wilde. Birmingham’s hometown tum are making appearances on MMA's next event in the European Fight Series hero Fabian Edwards, who fights out of Team both of this month’s Bank Holiday is headlined by a lightweight bout between for- Renegade Gym, also competes on the card Mondays. mer Bellator world champion Brent alongside a host of other local fighters. Children can take a ride on a ‘uni- Primus and the Cannock-based Tim ‘The Ex- corn’ through the enchanted woodland, ending their journey at the Unicorn Bar and enjoying some special treats. The rides are suitable for young- sters aged three to 12, depending on size and height. Pre-booking is required.

whatsonlive.co.uk 49 Eurovision feature.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:02 Page 1

Let’s hear it for the...

EurovisionEurovision superfan Dean Asker gives us the lowdown ahead of this month’s Song Contest...

Brexit or no Brexit, one thing is certain: the Netherlands. Duncan Laurence, pretty much song, Soldi, is my personal favourite. And UK will continue to take part in the unknown in his own country, sings Arcade, a Sweden’s John Lundvik (he looks after . Thankfully entry to superb, atmospheric ballad that really does himself too!) should do well with the gospel- everyone’s favourite musical event is not deserve to come out on top. The Dutch last flavoured Too Late For Love. limited to EU countries. won in 1975 with the classic Ding-A-Dong by Teach-In (YouTube it if you’re under 40), so The return of Sergey Indeed, this year, following Netta’s victory another win is very much overdue. Some with Toy, we’re in Tel Aviv in Israel, a full 20 readers might also be interested in years after the contest came from Jerusalem YouTubing Duncan’s promo video, which One of the biggest stories in the lead-up to (thanks to Dana International’s win in features him naked and underwater. this year’s contest has been the return of Birmingham in 1998). Sergey Lazarev for Russia. Sergey came third If unclothed men in water is your thing, then back in 2016 with the Eurobanger You Are The big news actually has nothing to do with also take a look at the video for Azerbaijan’s The Only One. Expectations for another the 41 countries taking part. Three years ago, entry. The beefy and topless Chingiz sings the strong entry were high, but when he released Justin Timberlake was the Contest’s interval very catchy Truth, which, if you concentrate his song, the bombastic ballad Scream, it was act, and now it’s Madonna’s turn. Although on the music (and not just the body!), could met with a muted response from fans. That not 100% signed and sealed, it’s looking very also be a contender for a top-five place. said, Sergey is a great performer and Russia likely that the Queen of Pop will perform two will throw the kitchen sink at the staging, so songs, including one from her forthcoming This year’s Eurovision has more than its fair its chances must not be dismissed. album. share of good-looking guys. Switzerland’s Luca Hänni is well fancied with She Got Me, What about the girls? The frontrunners which sounds a bit like the Latin hit Despacito. Luca’s definitely been hitting the gym, and it’s easily Switzerland’s best entry What about the girls? Well, following the But what of the competition itself? Do we since Celine Dion walked away with the second-placed success of Fuego last year, have any budding Madonnas in our midst? crown in 1988. Cyprus is sending another upbeat song, Well, maybe a couple, but this year’s front- Replay, by Tamta. Fans who love it get a bit runners are all men. If you can’t get enough of Eurovision totty, annoyed when you say it sounds like Fuego, then check out Italy’s Mahmood, whose but it does (not that that’s a bad thing!). To The favourite to win comes from the Eurovision feature.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:02 Page 2

How will the UK’s entrant Michael Rice fare on the Eurovision stage?

be fair, there are a few songs that seem to then I point you in the direction of have been inspired by the Cypriot entry from Norwegian pop trio KEiiNO. Spirit In The Sky 2018, including the aforementioned Swiss is pure Eurovision: poptastic, dramatic and entry and Chameleon by Malta’s Michela with a bit of Sami joik - ‘the traditional form Pace. To prove a point, some ’s even of song of the Sami people’ - thrown in. What created a mash-up of these four tunes. Bigger Than Us is, more could you ask for? Well, maybe the “ entry from San Marino. Turkish crooner And as for the UK... Serhat returns to the contest for a second for me, the UK’s time with Say Na Na Na, the title of which The UK’s hopes rest with Michael Rice, who should really tell you everything you need to won the first series of BBC One talent show know. It’s cliched, a bit trashy, and yes, All Together Now. Michael has a powerful best entry since utterly fabulous. voice, and the song, Bigger Than Us (written by Swedish contender John Lundvik), is, for In a period when the world outside is a bit me, the UK’s best entry since Blue in 2011. Blue in 2011. Let’s divisive and downbeat, Eurovision provides a Let’s just hope Michael can nail the stage welcome distraction from these uncertain performance on the night. times. So pour yourself some , make sure plenty of nibbles are on hand, and

If Europop is really not your thing, then just hope Michael enjoy the most joyous musical experience of

Iceland’s ‘award-winning, anti-capitalist, the year. BDSM, techno-dystopian, performance art collective’ Hatari might be right up your can nail the stage “ street. Hatrið mun sigra is a slice of techno- The Eurovision Song Contest 2019 takes punk sung in Icelandic. That’s not something place in Tel Aviv, Israel, from Tuesday 14 you hear every day, is it? But it’s certainly performance to Saturday 18 May. different and should see Iceland back in the The Grand Final will be broadcast on BBC final after an absence of four years. One on Saturday 18 May.

If Europop is your thing (and I suspect it is), Eurovision feature.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:02 Page 3

The contenders Michael Rice has some stiff competition in Tel Aviv. Here are the bookies favourites... 50/1

13/8 4/1 8/1 Duncan Laurence Sergey Lazarev Mahmood THE NETHERLANDS RUSSIA ITALY

8/1 8/1 John Lundvik Luca Hänni Hatari 12/1

SWEDEN SWITZERLAND ICELAND

17 :B 18 :A 19 :A 20 7 :A 8 :C 9 :B 10 :C 11 :A 12 :A 13 :C 14 :B 15 :A 16 :C :B 1 :C 2 :A 3 :A 4 :B 5 :C 6 ANSWERS: :B Eurovision feature.qxp_Layout 1 01/05/2019 10:02 Page 4

Top marks or QUIZ ‘nul points’?

1. ABBA’s Waterloo won the 1974 Contest, 8. How many times has Norway ended 15. How is Thomas Neuwirth better but which song did the Swedish super- the Contest with ‘nil points’? known? group enter into their national heats the A. Four times A. Cliff Richard year before? B. Three times B. Conchita Wurst A. People Need Love C. Twice C. Alexander Rybak B. Ring Ring 9. Which of these songs did Jedward not C. Hasta Mañana 16. Which of these UK cities has not sing at the Contest? hosted the Contest? 2. How many UK number one singles did A. Lipstick 1981 winners Bucks Fizz have? B. Waterline A. B. Harrogate A. One C. All The Small Things B. Two C. Brighton C. Three 10. The last time the UK hosted the Con- test, it was presented by Terry Wogan and 17. Which of these pop groups unsuccess- 3. How many times has the UK finished in which other presenter? fully tried to represent Norway in the 2010 the Top 10 since 2010? A. Davina McCall Contest? A. None B. A. Brother Beyond B. Once C. Nathasha Kaplinsky B. C. Twice C. A1 11. Which of these countries is the only African country to have taken part in the 4. Which of these countries has yet to win Which former UK entrant said they Contest? 18. the Contest? would rather put pins in their eyes than A. Tunisia A. Iceland represent the UK again? B. Egypt B. Serbia C. Morocco A. Cliff Richard C. Luxembourg B. Michael Ball 12. What was memorable about the 1969 C. Sonia Celine Dion won the 1988 Contest, but 5. contest? for which country? A. There were four winners 19. Which year did Australia first take A. France B. The contest wasn’t broadcast live part in the Contest? B. Switzerland C. It was the first contest to be broadcast in C. Monaco A. 2015 colour B. 2016 C. 2017 6. Blue represented the UK in 2011 with 13. Which of these song titles is not a Eu- which song? rovision winner? 20. The theme for this year’s Contest is: A. I Will A. Pif Paf Pof B. I Do B. Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley A. Dare To Dream C. I Can C. La La La B. Feel The Rhythm C. Join Us 7. Who wrote the UK’s 2009 entry, It’s My 14. How many countries took part in the Time, sung by Jade? first Contest in 1956? A. Pete Waterman A. Five Check answers at the B. Andrew Lloyd Webber B. Six bottom of page 18 C. Jim Steinman C. Seven How did you score?

17-20 10-16 5-9 0-4 As Cliff Richard Gina G Bucks Fizz ’s ‘Making Your would say, ‘Ooh Aah... ‘Rock Bottom’ - ‘Congratulations!’ Mind Up’ as to Just A Little Bit’ whether you like you’re better off you’re a Superfan down the pub more effort... Eurovision? The List Cover May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:23 Page 1 The List Cover May Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:23 Page 2

YourYour wweek-eek- bby-weeky-week llistingsistings gguideuide MayMay 22019019 thelist

Seeta Patel’s The Rite Of Spring at Patrick Studio, Birmingham - Tuesday 14 May

Music I Comedy I Theatre I Dance I Film I Events I Visual Arts I and more!

What’s On Wed 1 to Sun 12 May Mon 13 to Sun 19 May Mon 20 to Sun 26 May Mon 27 to Fri 31 May

Hair The Musical at The Michael McIntyre at Birmingham Pride in the Sofie Hagen at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome Birmingham Gay Village The Old Rep, Birmingham until Sat 4 May Tues 14 May Sat 25 - Sun 26 May Fri 31 May

whatsonlive.co.uk 51 The List Birmingham 1-5 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:44 Page 1

thelist THROUGHOUT MAY

viduality and freedom of expression, Visual Arts Fri 3 - Sat 18 May NEW CRISTINA CELESTINI The drawings Birmingham Museum & Cristina is presenting are inspired by Art Gallery the precision and detail of Renais- sance line drawings and by classical LEONARDO DA VINCI: A LIFE IN DRAWING chiaroscuro techniques, Mon 13 May To mark the 500th anniversary of the - Sat 29 June death of Leonardo da Vinci, 12 of the NEW RBSA PRIZE 2019 Artists from Renaissance master's drawings from across the region and beyond com- the Royal Collection are displayed as pete for inclusion, producing a strong part of 12 simultaneous exhibitions and vibrant show, Thurs 23 May - Sat across the UK, until Mon 6 May 22 June TOO CUTE!: SWEET IS ABOUT TO GET NEW STEPHEN BUTT ARBSA Exhibition SINISTER A range of artworks that in which Stephen continues with his The Vamps - Arena Birmingham show different takes on cuteness, theme of the manmade city in har- from contemporary-based issues to SWAMPMEAT FAMILY ESA Fri 3 - Sat 4 May, mony or opposition to nature, Mon 19th century oil paintings, until Sun BAND + CAVE GIRL Fri Hare & Hounds, Birm- 27 May - Sat 13 July Gigs 12 May 3 May, The Night Owl, ingham Birmingham COLLECTING BIRMINGHAM: WHO IS WARREN & THE MAG- SUBTERRANEANS Fri 3 - BIRMINGHAM? Discover new collec- The Barber Institute PIES Wed 1 May, The LANCO Fri 3 May, O2 Sat 4 May, The Jam Jam House, B’ham tions that reflect the experiences of DRAWING OUT THE SOUND Featuring Institute, Birmingham House, Birmingham diverse Birmingham people - from artists ranging from Dürer to Renoir, EDWINA HAYNES PLUS A CELEBRATION OF JOHN FREE RADIO HITS LIVE working lives to community activists this print display brings together SONNY Wed 1 May, The DENVER Fri 3 May, Ar- 2019 Sat 4 May, Arena and protest movements, until Sun 27 works that reflect on the changing Red Lion Folk Club, trix, Bromsgrove Birmingham Oct Birmingham meanings of music in society, until THE PICTUREBOOKS Fri THE UPBEAT BEATLES Sun 19 May KEIRA CARTER / JOE 3 May, The Asylum, Sat 4 May, Sutton Grand Union NEW A TALE OF TWO EMPIRES: ROME HICKMAN / ELLISHA Birmingham Coldfield Town Hall GREEN Wed 1 May, The NEW ON THE SUBJECT OF PRECARITY AND PERSIA Exhibition exploring how THE VAMPS Fri 3 May, 1215 Sat 4 May, Re- Sunflower Lounge, Group exhibition by artists Betsy the ancient superpowers of Rome Arena Birmingham sorts World, B’ham Bradley, Gareth Proskourine-Barnett and Persia spun humiliating defeats Birmingham THE MYSTERINES Fri 3 THE NELSON BROTHERS and Rafal Zajko exploring the percep- and promoted their bloody victories CONNIE CONSTANCE May, The Castle & Fal- Sat 4 May, Stafford tion of precarity in the entanglement on the small pieces of art circulating Wed 1 May, Hare & con, Birmingham Gatehouse Theatre of past, present and imagined fu- in the pockets of the masses, Fri 10 Hounds, Birmingham tures, Fri 3 - Sat 18 May May - Sun 15 Mar 2020 FLING + MARC + SHAI LOTTO BOYZZ: LOTTO STEALING SHEEP Thurs BRIDES Fri 3 May, The LINGO TOUR Sat 4 May, 2 May, Hare & Sunflower Lounge, O2 Academy, B’ham Ikon Gallery Hounds, Birmingham Other VISUAL ARTS Birmingham HEW LOCKE: HERE’S THE THING Work in- COCAINE PISS + SUE + MEMORY OF TOUCH Exhibition of work ALABAMA 3 ACOUSTIC volving a wide range of media - paint- CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. BAD GIRLFRIEND + by contemporary British photogra- Thurs 2 May, The Mill ing, drawing, photography, sculpture THE NEW REPUBLIC Fri 3 DEAFS DOOR Sat 4 May, pher Colin Wilson. Focusing on still , Birmingham and installation - making extensive May, O2 Academy, The Sunflower life and working with black-and-white JUNIORE Thurs 2 May, use of collage and found objects, Birmingham Lounge, Birmingham film, Colin meticulously prints his own The Sunflower until Sun 2 June VOLTUMNA, SATHAMEL ECLIPSE - THE PINK work, until Sat 4 May, Argentea Lounge, Birmingham AND SHADOWFLAG FLOYD EXPERIENCE Sat LIN KE - FLY Performance video Gallery, Birmingham Fri 3 NAFE SMALLZ Thurs 2 screened in the Tower Room and fea- May, Scruffy Murphys, 4 May, Artrix, Broms- IAN ANDREWS - THE SKETCHBOOK AND May, O2 Institute, turing a young Chinese artist facing a Birmingham grove THE COLLIDER: COLLISION EVENT Draw- Birmingham laptop camera, his meditative posi- EL DIABLO BUCK & EVANS Sat 4 ing links between fine art & particle Fri 3 May, tion foiled by the irritating movement JOSEPHINE FOSTER Resorts World, B’ham May, The Castle & Fal- physics, until Fri 14 June, Library of Thurs 2 May, The Glee of his mouse cursor, as if it were a fly- ANOUSHKA LUCAS Fri 3 con, Birmingham Birmingham Club, Birmingham ing insect, until Sun 2 June JAMIE LAWSON Sat 4 MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP - 50 YEARS OF May, Pizza Express HANNAH ALDRIDGE & Live, Brindley Place, May, Birmingham SCIENTIFIC OCEAN DRILLING Thou- THE GOAT ROPER RODEO Birmingham Town Hall Midlands Arts Centre, sands of scientists, technical staff, BAND Thurs 2 May, Birmingham MANDALORIAN AND NO FUTURE FESTIVAL drillers and crew have gathered criti- Hare & Hounds, Birm- FRIENDS Fri 3 May, The 2019 Sat 4 May, The BRAVE: THE GIRLS OF SOUTH SUDAN Ex- cal data and samples to tell the story ingham hibition by award-winning photogra- of ‘our blue planet’, until Mon 17 Flapper, Birmingham Mill Digbeth, B’ham pher Kate Holt showing girls’ June, Birmingham City University OPEN ARMS Sat 4 May, everyday lives as they survive in the NEW FLESHING, FILCHING & FETISHES O2 Institute, B’ham world’s youngest country, until Sun Vicky Roden presents a new body of DAVID RODIGAN & 19 May work drawn from Digbeth, its people, MIGHTY CROWN Sun 5 HANDSWORTH SELF-PORTRAIT Exhibi- places and legends, Wed 1 - Sat 11 May, O2 Academy, tion featuring images from a 1979 May, Stryx Gallery, Digbeth Birmingham ‘selfie’ photographic project, until NEW SUMMER EXHIBITION BY COVENTRY WET WET WET Sun 5 Sun 2 June WATERCOLOUR SOCIETY Summer exhi- May, Birmingham bition showcasing the work of mem- Town Hall bers of the society, Wed 22 May - RBSA Gallery GETS WORSE / FETUS Mon 3 June, The Core Theatre, Soli- NEW SOCIETY OF GRAPHIC FINE ART Ex- CHRIST / VILE SECT / AR- hull hibition concentrating on drawing CANE RITE Sun 5 May, skills and displaying a wide spectrum Scruffy Murphys, Birm- Anoushka Lucas - Pizza Express, Brindley Place of work celebrating each artist’s indi- ingham 52 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 1-5 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:44 Page 2

Wednesday 1 - Sunday 5 May Classical Music Theatre ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: PETER HAIR THE MUSICAL Fiftieth anniversary DONOHOE PLAYS MOZART Also featur- production of the legendary rock mu- ing Jason Lai (conductor). Pro- sical, starring Jake Quickenden, gramme includes works by Vaughan Daisy Wood-Davis & Marcus Collins, Williams & Mozart, Wed 1 May, The Mon 29 Apr - Sat 4 May, The Alexan- Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham dra Theatre, Birmingham Conservatoire CLUB TROPICANA - THE MUSICAL Joe CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY OR- McElderry, Neil McDermott, Kate CHESTRA: MIRGA CONDUCTS THE FIRE- Robbins, Emily Tierne & Amelle BIRD Featuring Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla Berrabah star in this ‘ultimate holiday (conductor) & Patricia Kopatchin-ė musical’ homage to the 1980s, Mon skaja (violin). Programme includes 29 Apr - Sat 4 May, Wolverhampton works by Weinberg, Tchaikovsky & Grand Theatre Stravinsky, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 May, Sym- THE WEDDING SINGER Amateur staging phony Hall, Birmingham presented by On Stage, Tues CBSO CENTRE STAGE Featuring Kate 30 Apr - Sat 4 May, The Core Theatre, Suthers & Bryony Morrison (violins), Solihull Amy Thomas (viola) & Helen Edgar LES MISÉRABLES Cameron Mackin- (cello). Programme includes works Hair The Musical - The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham tosh's acclaimed Broadway produc- by Sibelius & Britten, Fri 3 May, tion of the epic musical, until Sat 11 explores the concept of invisibility in cations including Birmingham Hippo- CBSO Centre, Birmingham May, Birmingham Hippodrome a world of disappearing identity and drome, The Arcadian, The Bullring BITE-SIZE BACH Fri 3 May, Organ Stu- vanishing privacy, Sat 4 May, Lich- and Digbeth THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Shake- dio, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire field Garrick speare's energetic comedy of gender and materialism is turned on its head I’M WOMAN Unbroken Angels present to offer a fresh perspective on its por- the hard-hitting true story of actress trayal of hierarchy and power, until Ana Daud... Sat 4 May, The Crescent Talks Sat 31 Aug, Royal Shakespeare The- Theatre, Birmingham WE ARE WHAT WE OVERCOME Matt Comedy atre, Stratford-upon-Avon TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT Amateur stag- McGuinness fuses storytelling and JUSTIN MOORHOUSE Thurs 2 May, AS YOU LIKE IT Riotous version of ing of Graham Greene’s popular conversation to shed light on mental Artrix, Bromsgrove Shakespeare's romantic comedy, novel, Sat 4 - Sat 11 May, Oldbury health, Sat 4 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove until Sat 31 Aug, Royal Shakespeare Rep CATHERINE BOHART, CHRISTOPHER Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon MACARTHUR-BOYD & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON Thurs FORECASTING Flatpack Festival and 2 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham Birmingham International Dance Fes- tival present a one-woman (and her ROGER MONKHOUSE, BEN HARRINGTON, Film laptop) show where dance meets RUTH COCKBURN & DAN SMITH Thurs 2 Kids Shows INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: theatre meets YouTube mashup, Wed May, Stourbridge Town Hall THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR SHOW HAPPY AS LAZZARO (15) Drama. Star- 1 May, The REP, Birmingham GLENN MOORE, MIKE GUNN, ADAM Critically acclaimed production ring Alba Rohrwacher, David Ben- WOYZECK Newman University pre- BEARDSMORE & MATT STELLINGWERF based on Eric Carle’s much-loved nent. Foreign language, subtitled. sents its version of Georg Büchner’s Thurs 2 May, The George Hotel, Lich- children’s book, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 May, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, tale of sexual jealousy and social ex- field Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham Fri 26 - Sat 27 Apr & Wed 1 May ploitation, Thurs 2 - Fri 3 May, The AT ETERNITY'S GATE (12a) ANDREW MAXWELL Fri 3 May, The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham Glee Club, Birmingham Biography/Drama. Starring Willem FAME Amateur staging presented by Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen. Midlands KEN CHENG Fri 3 May, Artrix, Broms- Youth On Stage, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 May, Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 26 - grove The Old Rep, Birmingham Dance Mon 29 Apr & Wed 1 - Thurs 2 May A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS Euro- B-SIDE HIP-HOP FESTIVAL Featuring ex- KING ROCKER (18) Documentary. Star- pean stage première of Khaled Hos- plosive dance battles on an outdoor ring Stewart Lee, Robert Lloyd. Elec- seini's spiritual sequel to The Kite stage, high-energy workshops, live tric Cinema, Birmingham, Wed 1 May Runner, Thurs 2 - Sat 18 May, The music and DJ sets from legendary RAY & LIZ (15) Drama. Starring REP, Birmingham names on the international hip-hop Richard Ashton, Michelle Bonnard. THE PROVOKED WIFE Outspoken scene, Fri 3 - Sun 12 May, various lo- Artrix, Bromsgrove, Wed 1 - Fri 3 May Restoration romp that shocked 17th century society, Thurs 2 May - Sat 7 Sept, The Swan Theatre, Stratford- upon-Avon A MOMENT OF MADNESS Gritty theatre fusing compelling drama with the ex- citement of real-time gameplay to create a visceral new live experience. The event forms part of Flatpack Fes- CATHERINE BOHART, CHRISTOPHER tival, Fri 3 - Mon 6 May, The REP, MACARTHUR-BOYD, KEVIN MCCARTHY & Birmingham COMIC TBC Fri 3 - Sat 4 May, The Glee THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP Camp clas- Club, Birmingham sic presented by Blue Orange Arts, STEPHEN BAILEY, NICK PAGE, DARIUS Fri 3 - Sat 11 May, The Blue Orange DAVIES & THOMAS GREEN Sat 4 May, Theatre, Birmingham The Comedy Loft, Birmingham KEVIN QUANTUM - VANISHING POINT Magic Circle member Kevin Quantum The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk 53 The List Birmingham 1-5 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:44 Page 3 The List Birmingham 1-5 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 11:44 Page 4

thelist Wednesday 1 - Sunday 5 May BLACK MOON (12a) Mystery/Sci-Fi. Starring Stewart Lee, Robert Lloyd. Festivals Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Thurs 2 May CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL Line-up features Gregory Porter, James Morri- WOMAN AT WAR (15) Drama/Thriller. son, Katie Melua and Level 42, Wed 1 Starring Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir, - Mon 6 May, various venues around Jóhann Sigurðarson. Foreign lan- Cheltenham guage, subtitled. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Thurs 2 May UPTON-UPON-SEVERN FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up features Melrose Quartet, DIAMANTINO (15) Drama/Fantasy. Star- Alice Jones, Cosmotheka and The Pi- ring Carloto Cotta, Cleo Tavares. For- geon Swing, Fri 3 - Mon 6 May, vari- eign language, subtitled. Electric ous venues around Cinema, Birmingham, Thurs 2 May Upton-Upon-Severn, Worcestershire SUMMER (15) Biography/Music. Star- LEAMINGTON MUSIC FESTIVAL WEEKEND ring Teo Yoo, Irina Starshenbaum. Line-up features Roderick Williams, Foreign language, subtitled. Electric Tasmin Little, Jonathan Cunliffe and Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 3 May Howard Skempton, Fri 3 - Fri 10 May, THE AFTERMATH (15) Drama/War. Star- Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa ring Keira Knightley, Alexander Skars- NO FUTURE FESTIVAL Line-up features BEAST FEaST - University of Birmingham & Birmingham Open Media gård. Midlands Arts Centre, Angelic Upstarts, Anti-Nowhere Birmingham, Fri 3 - Wed 8 May League, GBH and 999, Sat 4 May, green-screen madness, and plenty of mask or May crown and join the WILD ROSE (15) Drama/Music. Starring The Mill, Digbeth, Birmingham crafting, Sat 4 May, Midlands Arts horse-drawn procession, Sat 4 - Mon , Jessie Buckley. Mock- Centre, Birmingham 6 May, Black Country Living Museum, HANDMADE FESTIVAL Line-up features Dudley ingbird Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 26 Metronomy, The Futureheads, The BELLATOR MMA BIRMINGHAM Leading Apr - Thurs 2 May; Midlands Arts Sherlocks and Ibibio Sound Machine, mixed martial arts promoter Bellator LEGO SEA EXPLORERS Help the team Centre, Birmingham, Fri 3 - Thurs 9 Sun 5 May, O2 Academy, MMA's next event in the European unlock underwater secrets and get May Fight Series, Sat 4 May, Resorts creative as you draw and colour your SWINGAMAJIG Line-up feature Hack- World Arena, Birmingham new discoveries, Sat 4 May - Sun 2 MID90S (15) Comedy/Drama. Starring ney Colliery Band, A.Skillz, Electric Sunny Suljic, Katherine Waterston. MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKENDER June, National Sea Life Centre, Birm- Swing Circus, Cut Capers, Sun 5 ingham Mockingbird Cinema, Birmingham, May, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Featuring traditional May Day-themed Fri 3 - Thurs 9 May activities. Make your own Green Man EIGHTH GRADE (15) Comedy/Drama. Starring Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 4 May DUMBO (U) Family/Fantasy. Starring Events Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton. Artrix, THE ORIGINAL HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Bromsgrove, Sat 4 May The world famous basketball stars MOOMINVALLEY (U) Animation/Family. visit Birmingham as part of a world Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, tour, Thurs 2 May, Arena Birmingham Sat 4 May BEAST FEAST Annual festival of elec- BIRDS OF PASSAGE (15) Drama. Star- tronic music with BEAST (Birming- ring Carmiña Martínez, José Acosta. ham ElectroAcoustic Sound Theatre. Foreign language, subtitled. Electric Guest artists include Pete Stollery, Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 4 May Anothai Nitibhon, Jean-David Cail- IN FABRIC (15) Comedy/Horror. Star- louët, Anton Lukoszevieze and Apart- ring Carmiña Martínez, José Acosta. ment House, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 May, Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 4 University of Birmingham & Birming- May ham Open Media (BOM) OUT OF BLUE (15) Crime/Drama. Star- DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL Featur- ring Patricia Clarkson, . ing more than 400 classic racing cars Stoke Film Theatre, Fri 3 - Sat 4 May; spanning nine decades, Fri 3 - Sun 5 Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, May, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Sat 4, Tues 7 & Thurs 9 May Derby PRESENT.PERFECT. (15) Documentary. ZOO CLUB Activities themed around Directed by Zhu Shengze. Electric animals, wildlife, nature and zoos for Cinema, Birmingham, Sun 5 May children aged between eight and 14, Sat 4 May, Drayton Manor Theme HACKSAW RIDGE (15) Park, Tamworth Biography/Drama. Starring Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington. Highbury THE MURDER TRIAL LIVE Working with Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 5 May a team of leading criminal barristers, ‘watch as a completely accurate mur- MEETING GORBACHEV (15) Documen- der trial unravels right before your tary. Starring Mikhail Gorbachev, eyes’, Sat 4 May, Village Hotel, Soli- Werner Herzog. Foreign language, hull subtitled. Electric Cinema, B’ham, Sun 5 May FLATPACK 2019: COLOUR BOX EXPLORER DAY Make yourself a pair of binocu- TRAVELLING WITH CHAPLIN (U) Starring lars, grab a map and explore what’s Charlie Chaplin. Midlands Arts Cen- on offer, including a keyboard that tre, Birmingham, Sun 5 May projects images, oversized optical toys, an interactive audiovisual dome,

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thelist Monday 6 - Sunday 12 May ELIZA AND MARTIN Murphys, Birmingham STEEL & SOPHIE WILLAN Fri 10 - Sat Gigs CARTHY Thurs 9 May, SARAH JANE MORRIS Classical 11 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham Midlands Arts Centre, WITH TONY REMY AND JIMMY CARR Sat 11 May, Dudley Birmingham TIM CANSFIELD Fri 10 Town Hall NUBYA GARCIA Mon 6 Music STEWART MAC TRIO May, Pizza Express May, Hare & Hounds, CROFT & PEARCE Sat 11 May, Mid- TOUR Thurs 9 May, The Live, Birmingham PAVEL KOLENIKOV PIANO CONCERT Pro- Birmingham lands Art Centre, Birmingham Sunflower Lounge, OLLY MURS Fri 10 - Sat gramme includes works by Brahms, OLD SEA BRIGADE + KIRI PRITCHARD- MCLEAN, GAVIN WEB- Birmingham 11 May, Resorts World Beethoven, Tchaikovsky & Couperin, FERGUS CHANNELL + STER, ARCHIE MADDOCKS & PETE MARINA Thurs 9 May, Arena, Birmingham Wed 8 May, The Barber Institute, MIDGE Mon 6 May, The Birmingham OTWAY Sat 11 May, The Comedy O2 Academy, B’ham WHOLE LOTTA DC Sat 11 Loft, Birmingham Cuban Embassy, CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY OR- Birmingham May, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall CHESTRA: YUJA WANG PLAYS BAKAR Mon 6 May, PROKOFIEV Also featuring Mirga Mama Roux’s, B’ham THE COLOUR SIX Sat 11 Gražinyt -Tyla (conductor). Pro- May, Resorts World, LOWLY Mon 6 May, grammeė includes works by Ligeti, Birmingham Hare & Hounds, Birm- Prokofiev & Brahms, Thurs 9 May, Theatre ingham OCCOEUR WITH I, AS- Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE HOUSE ON COLD HILL Peter SASSIN, SEVERN & SID SORRY Mon 6 May, The BRAHMS PIANO QUINTET Featuring James' modern-day ghostly thriller, Sat 11 May, Route 44, Sunflower Lounge, Jane Wright (violin), Michael Jenkin- Mon 6 - Sat 11 May, The Alexandra Birmingham Birmingham son (viola), Helen Edgar (cello) & Theatre, Birmingham MUSICIANS AGAINST John Thwaites (piano). Programme DERMOT KENNEDY Tues OLIVER! Bournville Musical Theatre HOMELESSNESS Sat 11 comprises Brahms’ Piano Quartet 7 May, O2 Institute, Company present an amateur stag- May, The Station, No.2, Thurs 9 May, CBSO Centre, Birmingham ing of Dickens’ classic tale, Tues 7 - DRAHLA Thurs 9 May, Kings Heath, B’ham Birmingham Sat 11 May, The Crescent Theatre, TEN TONNES Tues 7 Hare & Hounds, Birm- SAMANTHA FISH Sat 11 THE OPERA BOYS Thurs 9 May, The Birmingham May, O2 Institute, ingham May, O2 Academy, Core, Solihull Birmingham THE SOUND OF MUSIC Amateur stag- MINI MANSIONS Thurs 9 Birmingham RODERICK WILLIAMS SINGS BEETHOVEN ing presented by Brownhills Theatre THE BETHS Tues 7 May, May, Hare & Hounds, MERCURY RISING - & SCHUBERT Thurs 9 May, Routh Hall, Company, Tues 7 - Sat 11 May, Lich- Hare & Hounds, Birm- Birmingham QUEEN TRIBUTE Sat 11 Bromsgrove School field Garrick ingham JOE WARNER & THE LE- May, Birmingham CALLINO QUARTET Featuring Sarah SHYLOCK Gareth Armstrong’s award- ANGEL HAZE Tues 7 MENTS Thurs 9 May, Botanical Gardens Sexton & Tom Hankey (violins), Re- winning solo play, offering a fascinat- May, The Mill, Digbeth, The Actress & Bishop, AN EVENING WITH ALAN becca Jones (viola) & Sarah McMa- ing insight into Shakespeare’s Birmingham Birmingham MCGEE +THE JADE AS- hon (cello). Programme includes infamous character, Wed 8 May, Mid- PREGOBLIN Tues 7 May, THE JAM DRC Fri 10 SEMBLY Sat 11 May, John Woolrich’s Scamander & lands Arts Centre, Birmingham Hare & Hounds, Birm- May, The Night Owl, The Night Owl, B’ham Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No.6 WHERE THE HELL IS BERNARD? Award- ingham Birmingham STRAIGHT FOR THE SUN in F minor, Op.80, Fri 10 May, The winning company Haste Theatre Barber Institute, Birmingham TEN TONNES Tues 7 Fri 10 May, Sat 11 May, O2 Insti- fuse visuals, movement, live song May, O2 Institute, Resorts World, B’ham tute, Birmingham BIRMINGHAM CHORAL UNION: DAY OF and clowning to create a darkly Birmingham SONG Featuring Darren Hogg & comic warning for the future, Wed 8 - SUSTO Fri 10 May, O2 BLANCMANGE Sat 11 Phillip Ypres-Smith (pianos) & Colin Thurs 9 May, Old Joint Stock The- A CELEBRATION OF THE Institute, Birmingham May, Hare & Hounds, SONGS AND MUSIC OF Birmingham Baines (conductor). Programme atre, Birmingham GEORGE MICHAEL SAM FENDER Fri 10 comprises Brahms’ Ein deutches Tues PERCOLATE W/ MELLA RADIO ACTIVE Angus Deayton, Helen 7 May, Symphony May, O2 Institute, Requiem, Sat 11 May, Selly Oak DEE, JOSEY REBELLE, Atkinson Wood, Michael Fenton Hall, Birmingham Birmingham Methodist Church, Birmingham RUG DUG & RAW SILK Stevens and reunite to MARTIN KEMP DJ SET JASON DONOVAN Wed 8 Fri Sat 11 May, The Mill, take classic scripts from the award- 10 May, The Mill, Birm- May, Artrix, Broms- Birmingham winning BBC Radio Four show out grove ingham on the road, Thurs 9 May, Artrix, JIVE TALKIN' Sat 11 LOWER THAN ATLANTIS Bromsgrove CHRIS YOUNG Wed 8 May, Artrix, Broms- Fri 10 May, O2 Comedy May, O2 Academy, grove LIGHT DELAY Following a request for Academy, Birmingham new plays, which went viral, Free Birmingham THE BRIT FUNK ASSOCI- SUZI RUFFELL Tues 7 - Wed 8 May, SUSTO Fri 10 May, O2 Spirit Theatre selected Light Delay JOOLS HOLLAND & HIS ATION Sat 11 May, The Glee Club, Birmingham Institute, Birmingham from over 300 entries, Thurs 9 - Sat RHYTHM ‘N’ BLUES OR- Pizza Express Live, 11 May, Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull CHESTRA Wed 8 May, GRACE PETRIE Fri 10 Birmingham May, Midlands Arts THE BENCH Keir McAllister drama, The Jam House, Birm- WOLF ORCHESTRA + Centre, Birmingham described as Waiting For Godot ingham GIANT & THE GEORGES meets Still Game, Fri 10 May, Lich- THE BONFIRE RADICALS HYDE, FUTURE FIRES, + SEAN DUGGAN Sat 11 field Garrick Wed 8 May, The Red THE CLINKS & THE RA May, The Sunflower Lion Folk Club, B’ham PROJECT Fri 10 May, Lounge, Birmingham MUCKERS Created by award-winning The Sunflower theatre maker Caroline Horton and RED RUM CLUB Wed 8 THE BLUEJAYS: ROCK Lounge, Birmingham an international ensemble, Muckers May, The Actress & AND ROLL REVOLUTION is described as a mischievous show Bishop, Birmingham THE DANIEL WAKEFORD Sun 12 May, The Old exploring what it takes to stand CAN'T SWIM Wed 8 EXPERIENCE Fri 10 May, Rep Theatre, B’ham O2 Institute, B’ham proud and be true to ourselves..., May, The Asylum, ONLY SHADOWS Sun 12 Fri 10 - Sat 11 May, The REP, B’ham Birmingham COURT AND SPARK - THE May, The Sunflower SUMMER STREET - THE AUSSIE SOAP JONI MITCHELL SONG- Lounge, Birmingham HUNTER & THE BEAR ZOE LYONS, DALISO CHAPONDA, ADAM MUSICAL BOOK Fri 10 May, Artrix, Take a trip down memory Wed 8 May, The Sun- MICHAEL BALL Sun 12 - ROWE & WAYNE BEESE Thurs 9 May, Bromsgrove lane to the 1990s and the heyday of flower Lounge, B’ham Tues 14 May, Sym- Brierley Hill Civic Hall, Dudley the Aussie soap opera, Fri 10 - Sun SPANISH LOVE SONGS & BURDEN OF THE NOOSE, phony Hall, B’ham IAN COPPINGER, ANDY ASKINS, COMEDY 12 May, Old Joint Stock Theatre, BUTCHER IN THE FOG, PKEW PKEW PKEW TAKE THAT Sun 12 - CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON Birmingham SEDULUS, VOIDLURKER Thurs 9 May, The Flap- Tues 14 May, Arena Thurs 9 May, The Glee Club, B’ham Fri 10 May, Scruffy DUMTEEDUM LIVE The Archers Fan per, Birmingham Birmingham IAN COPPINGER, ANDY ASKINS, ELLIOT Podcast featuring Emerald O’Hanra- whatsonlive.co.uk 57 The List Birmingham 6 - 12 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 16:11 Page 3

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thelist Monday 6 - Sunday 12 May han (Emma Grundy), Sat 11 May, Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 10 their wills, or purchased using a May, The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury Birmingham Town Hall May legacy, Sat 11 May, Birmingham Mu- THERE AND BACK AGAIN: JRR TOLKIEN SING-A-LONG THE GREATEST SHOWMAN THE SISTERS BROTHERS (15) Adven- seum And Art Gallery AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK A guided Sat 11 May, The Core Theatre, Soli- ture/Comedy. Starring Joaquin DR DASHING AND NURSE NICE WILL SEE introduction to Tolkien, the area of hull Phoenix, John C. Reilly. Midlands YOU NOW Doctor Dashing and Nurse Sarehole and its influence on The ANDREA MCLEAN: CONFESSIONS OF A Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 10 - Sat Nice assess your cuteness and help Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings, MENOPAUSAL WOMAN One-woman 11 May you understand your diagnosis, Sat Sun 12 May, Sarehole Mill, B’ham show featuring ‘stories of THE WHITE CROW (12a) 11 May, Birmingham Museum And menopausal meltdowns, salacious Biography/Drama. Starring Oleg Art Gallery secrets and take-away tit-bits that Ivenko, Ralph Fiennes. Artrix, Broms- ZOO CLUB Activities themed around every woman needs to hear’, Sat 11 grove, Fri 10 - Mon 13 May animals, wildlife, nature and zoos for May, The Old Rep, Birmingham RED JOAN (15) Biography/Drama. Star- children aged between eight and 14, For Foodies CONSTELLATIONS Thought-provoking ring Judie Dench, Sophie Cookson. Sat 11 May, Drayton Manor Theme comedy which questions the role of Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Park, Tamworth THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL A free will and chance, Sat 11 - Sat 18 Fri 10 - Sat 11 May, Mon 13 - Thurs THE ANTIQUES RAILSHOW Join special- foodie day out for the whole family in May, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham 16 May ist valuers and TV experts from Stour- the company of the finest local arti- bridge-based auctioneers Fieldings, san producers, Sat 11 - Sun 12 May, CATS Operatic Soci- LORO (18) Biography/Drama. Starring Chillington Hall, Near Wolverhampton ety present an amateur staging of the Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci. For- Sat 11 May, Severn Valley Railway, hit Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, eign language, subtitled. Midlands Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster LUDLOW FOOD SPRING FESTIVAL Featur- Tues 14 - Sat 18 May, Wolverhampton Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 10 & MAKERS CENTRAL Show bringing to- ing baking, sausage-making and ale- Grand Theatre Sun 12 May, Tues 14 & Thurs 16 May gether thousands of makers from brewing, Sat 11 - Sun 12 May, Ludlow Castle, South Shropshire MISSING LINK (PG) Animation/Adven- around the world, from crafters & in- ture. With the voices of Hugh Jack- ventors to hobbyists and artists, Sat man, Zach Galifianakis. Artrix, 11 - Sun 12 May, NEC, Birmingham Bromsgrove, Sat 11 May GAYDON LAND ROVER SHOW Display of Kids Shows OXIDE GHOSTS: THE BRASS EYE TAPES hundreds of Land Rovers and similar vehicles, from 1948 to the present MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL Matt Terry (18) Documentry/Comedy. Starring Chris Morris, . Followed by day, Sat 11 - Sun 12 May, British takes the lead in a musical adventure Motor Museum, Gaydon based on the smash-hit movie, Tues Q+A with director Michael Cumming. 7 - Sat 11 May, Wolverhampton Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, SHROPSHIRE KIDS FEST Hosted by Grand Theatre Sun 12 May Shropshire Festivals, Sat 11 - Sun 12

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Released from Fri 10 May, showing at selected cinemas DETECTIVE PIKACHU (tbc) THE HUSTLE (tbc)

Events MAY DAY FOLK DAY Featuring morris dancers, maypole dancing, trails, Dance crafts and traditional games, Mon 6 KNOT Acclaimed circus and dance May, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham work by Nikki Rummer and JD UNICORN PONY RIDES Featuring uni- Broussé that asks the question: How corn-themed pony rides through the can we be honest with ourselves enchanted woodland and unicorn without hurting those we love? Thurs treats at the Unicorn Bar, Mon 6 May, 9 May, The Patrick Studio, Birming- Arley Arboretum, Bewdley, Nr Kidder- ham Hippodrome minster BODYPOWER EXPERIENCE Whether you’re new to health & fitness, a reg- ular gym-goer or even an elite ath- lete, ‘this show will provide everything you need to help you achieve your Talks next goal’, Fri 10 - Sun 12 May, NEC, MONOLOGUESLAM 2019 Showcase of Birmingham local talent, from actors to musicians, THE ART OF DEATH TOUR As part of the Fri 10 May, The REP, Birmingham national Dying Matters week, this free tour takes in everything from Roman cremation chests to paintings of poi- sonings, Sat 11 May, Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery Film TALES OF ACQUISITION TOUR As part of INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: the national Dying Matters week, take the opportunity to explore objects LIFE OF BRIAN (15) Comedy. Starring and artworks left to Birmingham Mu- Graham Chapman, John Cleese. seum & Art Gallery by supporters in whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List Birmingham 13 - 19 May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 09:59 Page 1

thelist stitute, Birmingham CHURCH Fri 17 May, Glee Club, Birmingham Gigs THE MANFREDS Thurs The Castle & Falcon, Classical TOM BINNS, HAYLEY ELLIS & SIMON 16 May, Artrix, Broms- Birmingham WOZNIAK Sat 18 May, The Comedy WEAKENED FRIENDS grove PAPER BUOYS / THE Loft, Birmingham Mon 13 May, The Flap- Music PARTISANS Thurs 16 BONGO CLUB Fri 17 per, Birmingham May, Royal Birming- May, The Flapper, JOSEP-RAMON OLIVÉ - SCHUBERT, RINGS OF SATURN, ham Conservatoire Birmingham MAHLER & STRAUSS Featuring Josep- NEKROGOBLIKON, MEN- Ramon Olivé (baritone) & Ian Tindle SPINN Thurs 16 May, JON RONSON Fri 17 TAL CRUELTY + MORE (piano). Programme includes works The Castle & Falcon, May, O2 Academy, Theatre Mon 13 May, Mama by Schubert, Korngold, Raquel Gar- Birmingham Birmingham Roux’s, Birmingham cía-Tomás, Mahler & Strauss, Tues THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Hot from a KING PLEASURE & THE SWERVEDRIVER Fri 17 14 May, Birmingham Town Hall sell-out world tour and now having PLANET Mon 13 May, BISCUIT BOYS Thurs 16 May, O2 Institute, been experienced by more than 30 The Sunflower SHEKU KANNEH-MASON CELLO CON- May, O2 Academy, Birmingham million theatre-goers across the Lounge, Birmingham CERT Also featuring Isata Kanneh- Birmingham BROOKS WILLIAM Fri 17 Mason (piano). Programme includes globe, Richard O’Brien’s timeless CHAI Mon 13 May, ALEX AIONO Thurs 16 May, Artrix, Broms- works by Beethoven, Lutoslawski, musical masterpiece returns, Mon 13 Hare & Hounds, Birm- May, O2 Academy, grove Debussy, Fauré & Mendelssohn, - Sat 25 May, The Alexandra Theatre, ingham Birmingham CATAPULT CLUB FT. Thurs 16 May, Birmingham Town Birmingham SOAK Tues 14 May, ALASKALASKA Thurs 16 XILLA Fri 17 May, O2 Hall A MONTH OF SUNDAYS The Lichfield Hare & Hounds, Birm- May, Hare & Hounds, Institute, Birmingham FLORIAN KITT (CELLO) & CARLOS Players present Bob Larbey’s bitter- ingham Birmingham EMBERS OF EDEN Fri 17 RIVERA-AGUILAR (PIANO) Programme sweet comedy about growing old, WHEATUS Tues 14 May, Tues 14 - Sat 18 May, Lichfield Gar- FOREIGN BEGGARS May, The Asylum, includes works by Debussy, The Mill Digbeth, Birm- rick Thurs 16 May, Hare & Birmingham Friedrich Cerha & Prokofiev, Fri 17 ingham Hounds, Birmingham FRED ZEPPELIN Fri 17 May, The Barber Institute, B’ham JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Solihull STONEFIELD Tues 14 Theatre Company presents an ama- AIDAN O’ROURKE & KIT May, The Night Owl, NOX QUARTET Featuring Boglárka Gy- May, Hare & teur staging of Andrew Lloyd Web- DOWNES Thurs 16 May, Birmingham orgy & Tomohiko Kimura (violins), Hounds, Birmingham Nichols Fidler (viola) & Flora McNi- ber & Tim Rice’s iconic rock opera, Artrix, Bromgsrove LOVE DISTRACTION Fri Tues 14 - Sat 18 May, The Core The- SONS OF THE EAST Wed coll (cello). Programme includes SHAKE SHAKE GO Thurs 17 May, The Robin, atre, Solihull 15 May, O2 Academy, works by Haydn & Schubert, Fri 17 16 May, The Sunflower Bilston Birmingham May, The Round Room, Birmingham ROCKBETH South Staffordshire Col- Lounge, Birmingham MADE IN MOTOWN Sat Museum & Art Gallery lege present a retelling of Shake- BEN WALKER / THE TAKE THAT Thurs 16 - 18 May, Crescent The- speare's classic tragedy - with a DOVETAIL TRIO Wed 15 Sun 19 May, Arena atre, Birmingham musical twist, Wed 15 May, Lichfield May, The Red Lion Birmingham THE QUIK BEATS Sat 18 Garrick Folk Club, B’ham BLACK CELEBRATION - May, The Night Owl, FRED JEFFS: THE SWEETSHOP MURDER HIBUSHIBIRE Wed 15 DEPECHE MODE Fri 17 Birmingham On Good Friday 1957, Quinton May, The Sunflower Comedy May, The River TRANSMISSION THE sweetshop owner Fred Jeffs was Lounge, Birmingham Rooms, Stourbridge SOUND OF JOY Sat 18 MICHAEL MCINTYRE Tues 14 May, murdered. Over 60 years later, the JAMES WALSH Wed 15 Birmingham Hippodrome CREAM LIMOUSINE Fri May, The Actress & killing remains unsolved. Here, his May, The Actress & 17 May, Resorts Bishop, Birmingham great nephew, Graeme Rose, exam- Bishop, Birmingham World, Birmingham NIRVANA UK (TRIBUTE) ines the case, Wed 15 - Sat 18 May, ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE The REP, Birmingham THIS FEELING Fri 17 Sat 18 May, O2 Wed 15 May, Hare & May, The Actress & Academy, Birmingham SEE HOW THEY RUN Amateur staging Hounds, Birmingham Bishop, Birmingham STONE FOUNDATION Sat of Philip King’s farce, Wed 15 - Sat KRS-ONE Wed 15 May, 18 May, Holly Lane Theatre, Erding- ALUNAH Fri 17 May, O2 18 May, O2 Institute, O2 Institute, B’ham ton, Birmingham Academy, Birmingham Birmingham MARC ALMOND Wed 15 A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM The GLENN HUGHES PER- SMALL FAKERS Sat 18 May, Symphony Hall, National Production Company pre- FORMS CLASSIC DEEP May, Artrix, Broms- Birmingham sents its version of Shakespeare's PURPLE grove Fri 17 May, O2 popular comedy, Wed 15 - Sat 18 WALKING ON CARS Institute, Birmingham MATTHEW AND THE May, The Old Rep Theatre, B’ham Thurs 16 May, O2 In- LARRY DEAN Tues 14 May, The Glee OH MY GOD! IT’S THE ATLAS Sat 18 May, The Castle & Falcon, Birm- Club, Birmingham MUGENKYO TAIKO DRUMMERS: TRIBE ingham RUSSELL KANE Wed 15 May, Birming- 25 Brand new show featuring skill, stamina and red-hot rhythms, Sat 18 HARD GRAFT ham Hippodrome Sat 18 May, Dudley Town Hall May, Resorts World, MATT PRICE, MARK MAIER & COMEDY Birmingham CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON KAMASI WASHINGTON Thurs 16 May, The Glee Club, Birm- Sat 18 May, O2 Insti- ingham tute, Birmingham JIM TAVARÉ Fri 17 May, Midlands Art ALVIN DAVIS & HIS BAND Centre, Birmingham Sat 18 May, The REP, JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS Fri 17 May, The Birmingham Glee Club, Birmingham THE ONE LOVE BAND Sat MATT PRICE, MARK MAIER, MARK NEL- 18 May, The River SON & LENNY SHERMAN Fri 17 May, Rooms, Stourbridge The Glee Club, Birmingham LP: HEART TO MOUTH SCOTT BENNETT, NJAMBI MCGRATH, TOUR Sun 19 May, O2 JARLETH REGAN & DAMION LARKIN Fri COMIC POTENTIAL Luke Players pre- Institute, Birmingham 17 May, The Slade Rooms, Wolver- sent Alan Ayckbourn's sci-fi romcom, BEAK> Sun 19 May, hampton in which androids have replaced Hare & Hounds, Birm- MATT PRICE, MARK MAIER, MARK NEL- human actors, Thurs 16 - Sat 18 Marc Almond - Symphony Hall, Birmingham ingham SON & COMIC TBC Sat 18 May, The May, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham 60 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 13 - 19 May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 09:59 Page 2

Monday 13 - Sunday 19 May

THE PONDS (12a) Documentary. Mid- Kids Shows lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 18 May FANTASTIC MR FOX Amateur staging of QUEER AS FOLK (18) Drama. Starring Roald Dahl’s much-loved story, Fri 17 Aidan Gillen, Craig Kelly. Followed by - Sat 25 May, Hall Green Little The- Q+A with creator Russell T Davies. atre, Birmingham Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 18 May CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (15) Drama/Crime. Starring Melissa Mc- Carthy, Richard E. Grant. Midlands Dance Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 18, RITE OF SPRING Showcase of Indian Tues 21 & Thurs 23 May classical dance, Tues 14 May, The ALL MY LIFE'S BURIED HERE: THE STORY Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippo- OF GEORGE BUTTERWORTH (U) Docu- drome mentary. Midlands Arts Centre, Birm- STRICTLY COME DANCING THE PROFES- ingham, Sun 19 May SIONALS 2019 Featuring Dianne Birmingham Viva! Magical Buswell, , Giovanni NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Pernice, and AJ Vegan Festival Pritchard, Thurs 16 - Fri 17 May, Sym- Released from Fri 17 May, showing at phony Hall, Birmingham selected cinemas New Bingley Hall, Birmingham, Sat 18 May BBC YOUNG DANCER 2019 GRAND FINAL PAW PATROL: MIGHTY PUPS (tbc) The UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, Viva!, is this month Five outstanding young dancers bat- ALADDIN (tbc) returning to Birmingham with its ‘most spectacular’ vegan festival tle it out in front of a panel of interna- ROCKETMAN (tbc) tionally renowned judges. The to date. evening also includes a feature per- THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2 (tbc) Building on the success of last year’s get-together, Birmingham formance from 2017 winner Nafisah Viva! Magical Vegan Festival takes place at the city’s New Bingley Baba, Sat 18 May, Birmingham Hip- Hall on 18 May and will mark the charity’s 25th anniversary. podrome Show highlights include cookery demonstrations, 100 stalls sell- THE BALLROOM BOYS Strictly favourites Events ing food, gifts and clothing, and contributions from numerous Iain Waite & join celebrities, including Heather Mills, Harry Potter star Evanna forces in a brand new show, Sat 18 WWE LIVE WWE superstars live in ac- Lynch and vegan chef Matt Pritchard. May, Lichfield Garrick tion, all under one roof, Wed 15 May, Resorts World Arena, Birmingham All proceeds from the event go back to the charity to help Viva! conduct important undercover investigations, monitor the latest SPRING DIESEL FESTIVAL Featuring her- itage and mainline diesels, Thurs 16 - research on health & environmental issues, and host vegan out- Sat 18 May, Severn Valley Railway, reach events. Film Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: THIS MORNING LIVE Shopping festival Sat 18 May, Drayton Manor Theme seum And Art Gallery THE SISTERS BROTHERS (15) Adven- with hundreds of well-known brands, Park, Tamworth UK SLOT CAR FESTIVAL 2019 ‘Europe’s ture/Comedy. Starring Joaquin small boutiques and unique retailers, RED BY NIGHT Experience the indus- biggest and best slot car event’, Sat Phoenix, John C. Reilly. Midlands Thurs 16 - Sun 19 May, NEC, Birm- trial might of the Black Country as 18 - Sun 19 May, British Motor Mu- Arts Centre, Birmingham, Mon 13 & ingham skilled craftsmen and live demonstra- seum, Gaydon Wed 15 May WATT 2019: ILLUMINATING JAMES WATT tions bring the reality of ‘black by INDUSTRIAL MIGHT Discover the awe- KILL BILL VOL. 2 (18) Crime/Thriller. Find out more about the great Geor- day, red by night’ to life, Sat 18 May, inspiring industrial might of the Black Starring Uma Thurman, David Carra- gian inventor, industrialist and steam Black Country Living Museum, Dud- Country, with live demonstrations and dine. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, pioneer, Fri 17 May, Soho House, ley fun for visitors of all ages, Sat 18 - Thurs 16 May Birmingham DISCOVER RAG RUGGING Learn the art Sun 19 May, Black Country Living THE BABY SHOW The UK’s largest IRENE'S GHOST (PG) Animation/Biogra- of rag rugging with craft specialists, Museum, Dudley event for parents-to-be, new parents, phy. Followed by Q+A with director Sat 18 May, Birmingham Back to grandparents and babies, Fri 17 - Iain Cunningham. Midlands Arts Cen- Backs tre, Birmingham, Thurs 16 May Sun 19 May, NEC, Birmingham EDWARDIAN TEAROOMS LATE: MUSE- MIDLANDS AIR FESTIVAL Featuring THE WHITE CROW (12a) UMS AT NIGHT FESTIVAL WITH HIDDEN 100-plus hot air balloons, more than Biography/Drama. Starring Oleg SPACES An evening of dinner and live 30 aircraft, multiple exhibitors, rides For Foodies Ivenko, Ralph Fiennes. Midlands Arts music, plus the chance to enjoy the and plenty more, Fri 17 - Sun 19 May, Centre, Birmingham, Fri 17 May Secrets Of The Museum tour, Sat 18 MEDIEVAL BANQUET Experience an im- Arbury Hall, Warwickshire mersive evening of medieval enter- WILD ROSE (15) Drama/Music. Starring May, Birmingham Museum And Art tainment and hearty food & drink, Sat Julie Walters, Jessie Buckley. Artrix, BIG BANG CAMPER & BUS SHOW - VW Gallery FESTIVAL Featuring racing, music and 18 May, Warwick Castle Bromsgrove, Fri 17 - Sun 19 May ASTON ALIVE: GEORGIAN HOUSE PARTY entertainment, Fri 17 May - Sun 19 BIRMINGHAM VIVA! MAGICAL VEGAN ASH IS PUREST WHITE (15) Drama/Ro- Join in the fun of a Georgian house May, Santa Pod Raceway, Welling- FESTIVAL Featuring vegan delicacies, mance. Starring Tao Zhao, Fan Liao. party, witness sword-fighting duels borough ethical clothing, cruelty-free cosmet- Foreign language, subtitled. Mid- and meet some glorious and gaudy ics and much more, Sat 18 May, New lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 17 THE DOORSLAMMERS Doorslammers Georgians, Sat 18 May, Aston Hall, Bingley Hall, Birmingham - Sun 19 May, Wed 22 & Thurs 23 returns in a bigger and better format, Birmingham along with a huge prize fund, Fri 17 - May ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE GRAVEYARD TALK RUM & REGGAE FESTIVAL Sat 18 May, Sun 19 May, Santa Pod Raceway, An illustrated talk about the archaeol- The Mill Digbeth, Birmingham BEL CANTO (15) Drama/Music. Starring Wellingborough Julianne Moore, Ken Watanabe. Mid- ogy of Park Street burial ground, ALCESTER FOOD FESTIVAL Featuring a lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 17 ZOO CLUB Activities themed around which is being excavated as part of wide range of food & drink from local - Sat 18 May, Tues 21 - Thurs 23 May animals, wildlife, nature and zoos for the preparatory work for the HS2 rail producers, Sat 18 - Sun 19 May, Al- children aged between eight and 14, line, Sat 18 May, Birmingham Mu- cester, whatsonlive.co.uk 61 The List Birmingham 20 - 26 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 15:52 Page 1

thelist Folk Club, B’ham NEARLY FREE Fri 24 BARNSTORMERS COMEDY NIGHT Sat 25 Gigs THE JAMES TAYLOR May, Artrix, Broms- Classical May, Artrix, Bromsgrove STORY Thurs 23 May, grove THE COMEDY ROAST - SANDRA MARTIN FUZZY SUN Mon 20 Sutton Coldfield Town EDGELARKS Fri 24 May, FEATURING KANE BROWN, DIZZLE, ES- May, Hare & Hounds, Hall Artrix, Bromsgrove Music THERMANITO, AURIE STYLA & MR CEE Birmingham RUMOURS OF FLEET- SPACE COWBOY - A LUNCHTIME MUSIC Featuring Petrina Sun 26 May, The Glee Club, B’ham MICHAEL BUBLÉ Mon 20 WOOD MAC Thurs 23 TRIBUTE TO JAMIROQUAI Phua Wei Ching & Orestis Magou - Tues 21 May, Resorts May, Wolverhampton Fri 24 May, The Cres- (pianos) & Jeffrey Armstrong (violin). World Arena, B’ham Grand Theatre cent Theatre, B’ham Programme includes works by Schu- bert & Faure, Mon 20 May, The Lab, HELLOGOODBYE Tues 21 HOWARD JONES Thurs TAKE THE 5TH - AN AP- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire May, O2 Academy, 23 May, Symphony PRECIATION OF THE Theatre Birmingham Hall, Birmingham CLASH Fri 24 May, The RUSSIAN PHILHARMONIC OF NOVOSI- BIRSK: PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION ROTTERDAM Jon Brittain's bittersweet BRY Tues 21 May, Hare Night Owl, B’ham WILLIAM THE CON- Featuring Thomas Sanderling (con- comedy about gender, sexuality and & Hounds, B’ham QUEROR Thurs 23 May, STING & SHAGGY Fri 24 ductor) & Alexander Sitkovetsky (vio- being a long way from home, Mon THE JEEPS Tues 21 Hare & Hounds, Birm- May, O2 Academy, lin). Programme includes works by 20 - Wed 22 May, The REP, B’ham May, O2 Academy, ingham Birmingham Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rimsky-Kor- CHOICE GRENFELL Celebration of the Birmingham INDIGO VELVET Thurs MAKE THEM SUFFER Fri sakov & Mussorgsky arr. Ravel, Wed life of comedian Joyce Grenfell, Tues JAZ ELLINGTON: LEG- 23 May, Hare & 24 May, The Asylum, 22 May, Symphony Hall, B’ham 21 May, The Core Theatre, Solihull ENDS OF SOUL Tues 21 Hounds, Birmingham Birmingham NICOLA BENEDETTI WITH THE SCOTTISH ANIMAL FARM Grand Arena Youth May, Hare & Hounds, POKE Thurs 23 May, MALCOLM STENT & THE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Also featuring Theatre present an amateur staging Birmingham O2 Academy, B’ham TIMONEERS Fri 24 May, Benjamin Marquise Gilmore George Orwell’s classic tale, Tues 21 THEA GILMORE Wed 22 KSI & RANDOLPH Thurs The Core Theatre, (violin/director). Programme in- May, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre May, Artrix, Broms- 23 May, O2 Institute, Solihull cludes works by Mozart & Anna MOTOWN THE MUSICAL Hit West grove Birmingham THE BOMBPOPS Fri 24 - Clyne, Fri 24 May, Birmingham Town Ender telling the story of Berry Hall WHISKEY MYERS Wed MANIC STREET PREACH- Sat 25 May, Hare & Gourdy, the legend behind the Mo- 22 May, O2 Institute, ERS Thurs 23 May, O2 Hounds, Birmingham CERI OWEN & GARETH BRYNMOR JOHN town record label, Tues 21 May - Sat Birmingham Academy, Birmingham MR BEN Fri 24 - Sat 25 IN RECITAL Programme comprises 1 June, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on- Vaughan Williams’ Songs of Travel, Trent CHILDREN OF ZEUS Wed PATRICK CORNELIUS May, The Jam House, Fri 24 May, The Barber Institute, 22 May, O2 Institute, Thurs 23 May, Royal Birmingham DREAMBOYS ‘The UK’s most famous Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham Conser- THE WATERBOYS Sat 25 girls’ night out’, Wed 22 May, Wolver- THE MIDLAND CHAMBER PLAYERS Pro- hampton Grand Theatre HOMESHAKE Wed 22 vatoire May, Symphony Hall, gramme comprises Schubert’s ‘The May, Hare & Hounds, BRUJERIA Thurs 23 Birmingham EGLANTYNE Solo play about Eglan- Trout’ Quintet, Fri 24 May, Birming- Birmingham May, Mama Roux’s, RITA ORA Sat 25 May, tyne Jebb, the human rights pioneer ham Midland Institute and founder of Save the Children, CHRIS DIFFORD Wed 22 Birmingham Arena Birmingham THE MARIO LANZA OPERA PRIZE Sat 25 Wed 22 May, Midlands Arts Centre, May, The Glee Club, BEAT FACTORY Fri 24 SARAH MUNRO Sat 25 May, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham May, Resorts World, May, Pizza Express Conservatoire THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES Fol- FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS Birmingham Live, Birmingham MORRISTON ORPHEUS CHOIR Sat 25 low Sherlock Holmes and his incom- Wed 22 May, The Core DEFINATELY MIGHTBE + ABSOLUTE STONE ROSES May, Artrix, Bromsgrove parable sidekick, Dr Jane Watson, Theatre, Solihull ADORED Fri 24 May, Sat 25 May, The Night CORY BAND & ONLY MEN ALOUD; BRASS on their journey through the streets PETER CASE & SID GRIF- The River Rooms, Owl, Birmingham & VOICES FROM THE MOVIES Sun 26 of London to the Devonshire Moors FIN Wed 22 May, Hare Stourbridge THE BIG BIRMINGHAM May, Birmingham Town Hall as they attempt to solve the mystery & Hounds, B’ham TAKE THE 5TH - AN AP- SOUL NIGHT Sat 25 of the monstrous hound, Fri 24 May, LYNETTE WALTERS AND PRECIATION OF THE May, Birmingham Lichfield Garrick BAND Wed 22 May, O2 CLASH Fri 24 May, The Town Hall BIN AND GONE One-man show telling Academy, Birmingham Night Out, B’ham WHITNEY Sat 25 May, the story of 3-2-1 host Ted Rogers, KIM LOWINGS & THE ALICE IN CHAINS Fri 24 The Core, Solihull Comedy Fri 24 - Sun 26 May, Old Joint Stock GREENWOOD Wed 22 May, Arena B’ham THE SMYTHS Sat 25 Theatre, Birmingham May, The Red Lion OTWAY & BARRETT: May, O2 Academy, TOADALLY FREE COMEDY Mon 20 May, VENICE PRESERVED Fast-paced ver- Birmingham The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham sion of Thomas Otway's restoration PETER PERRETT Sat 25 BILL BAILEY Thurs 23 May, Arena tragedy, Fri 24 May - Sat 7 Sept, The May, The Actress & Birmingham Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon Bishop, Birmingham SCOTT CAPURRO & COMEDY CAROUSEL ROMEO AND JULIET Curious Pheasant SOUL JUNCTION Sat 25 WITH ANDY ROBINSON & COMIC TBC Theatre present an LGBTQ-plus all- May, Resorts World, Thurs 23 May, The Glee Club, B’ham male version of Shakespeare's clas- Birmingham SARAH KENDALL & MICHAEL LEGGE sic love story, Sat 25 May, Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham MERCY UNION Sat 25 Thurs 23 May, Midlands Art Centre, May, The Castle & Fal- Birmingham END THE SILENCE Agape Theatre con, Birmingham BARBARA NICE & LADS Fri 24 May, The Company examines the intoxicating effect of power, Sat 25 - Sun 26 May, THE ELVIS WORLD TOUR REP, Birmingham The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham STARRING SHAWN SCOTT CAPURRO (PIC- KLUSH & DEAN Z Sun TURED), JOJO SMITH, CRAIG 26 May, The Alexandra HILL & ALISTAIR WILLIAMS Theatre, Birmingham Fri 24 - Sat 25 May, The JULIANA HATFIELD Glee Club, Birmingham THREE Sun 26 May, O2 SUKH OJLA & BRYONY TWYDLE Sat 25 Kids Shows Institute, Birmingham May, The REP, Birmingham THE WORST WITCH Major new show ESTELLE Sun 26 May, SOL BERNSTEIN, JOEY PAGE, MIKE bringing Jill Murphy's much-loved O2 Institute, B’ham NEWALL & HAYLEY ELLIS Sat 25 May, story to life, Wed 22 - Sun 26 May, Birmingham Hippodrome Rita Ora - Arena Birmingham The Comedy Loft, Birmingham

62 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 20 - 26 May.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 15:52 Page 2

Monday 20 - Sunday 26 May

DOT TO DOT FESTIVAL Line-up features BLAKESLEY HALL Create your journey LEGO CITY Explore what a city of the Crystal Fighters, Jordan Rakei, Swim stick whilst on the trail and tuck the future would look like, Sat 25 May - Dance Deep and The Night Cafe, Fri 24 - physical reminders of the walk Sun 1 Sept, Legoland Discovery Cen- ROSIE KAY: 10 SOLDIERS Portrait of Sun 26 May, various locations around around Blakesley under the string, to tre, Birmingham army life told through dance-theatre, Nottingham create a story, Sat 25 May, Blakesley SHREWSBURY WACKY RACES Racers Tues 21 May, Birmingham Hippo- CHESTER FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up fea- Hall, Birmingham hurtle along a custom-made route in drome tures Blackbeard’s Tea Party, The WOMEN'S WORK IN THE JEWELLERY carefully crafted carts, Sun 26 May, BALLET BLACK The popular dance Askew Sisters, Crows, Belshazzar’s QUARTER A tour explaining the type of The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury troupe return with a showcase of Feast, Fri 24 - Mon 27 May, Kelsall, work undertaken by women from the THE MOTOR SHOW Featuring 600 vin- modern ballets, Thurs 23 - Fri 24 May, near Chester late 1800s until the 1980s, Sat 25 tage & classic cars, American, kit & The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hip- HOWTHELIGHTGETSIN Line-up features May, Museum of the Jewellery Quar- custom, motorcycles and commercial podrome Anna Calvi, Donovan, British Sea ter, Birmingham vehicles plus club stands, trade & au- PETER AND THE WOLF Birmingham Power and Zero 7, Fri 24 - Mon 27 INTERNATIONAL MARQUETRY EXHIBITION tojumble stands, Sun 26 May, Ragley Royal Ballet presents a brand new May, Hay-On-Wye Featuring 200 examples of contem- Hall, Alcester staging of Prokofiev’s classic tale. porary marquetry including the work Poet Hollie McNish narrates, Fri 24 - BIRMINGHAM PRIDE Line-up features Years & Years, Kate Nash, Marc Al- of top golfer, Tony Jacklin CBE, Sat Sat 25 May, Wolverhampton Grand 25 - Thurs 30 May, Middleton Hall, Nr Theatre mond, The Human League (pic- tured), Sat 25 - Sun 26 May, Tamworth Birmingham Gay Village FREDDO'S TREASURE TROVE Cadbury’s For Foodies Freddo dons his captain’s hat to teach little ones what it takes to be- MAC GIN & JAZZ CLUB Start your week- come a pirate on the seven seas, Sat end off the right way - with a gin Film 25 May - Sun 2 June, Cadbury World, cocktail in hand, listening to ‘the best INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Birmingham live jazz around’, Fri 24 May, Mid- lands Arts Centre, Birmingham DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED COMICS: EXPLORE AND CREATE COMIC ART Featuring an eclectic mix of origi- DINING CRUISE - FISH & CHIP SUPPER TO STOP WORRYING (PG) Comedy. Jump on board the newest narrow- Starring Peter Sellers, George C. nal, iconic comic art alongside work by current children’s comic creators, boat for a dining cruise around the Scott. Mockingbird Cinema, Birming- local area, Sat 25 May, Dudley Canal ham, Wed 22 - Thurs 23 May Sat 25 May - Sun 1 Sept, Coalbrook- dale Museum of Iron, Ironbridge, and Tunnel Trust RED JOAN (15) Biography/Drama. Star- ROCK AND BOWL Line-up features The Shropshire ring Judie Dench, Sophie Cookson. Stones, Mercury, Re-Take That and Artrix, Bromsgrove, Thurs 23 - Wed Guns 2 Roses, Sat 25 - Mon 27 May, 29 May Market Drayton, Shropshire THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT (18) Comedy/Music. Starring Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 24 May Events WONDER PARK (U) Animation/Adven- ture. With the voices of Sofia Mali, MINI MOTORISTS Activities for under Jennifer Garner. Artrix, Bromsgrove, fives. Come and discover the world's Sat 25 May largest collection of historic British cars with your toddler, Mon 20 May, British Motor Museum, Gaydon MAY TILE DECORATING Create your own superbug-themed designs at family drop-in tile-decorating work- Festivals shops on weekdays over the half- BEARDED THEORY Line-up features The term break, Fri 24 May, Jackfield Tile Cult, Suede, Doves and Stiff Little Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire Fingers, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 May, Cat- CASTLE CAPERS EVENING Family- ton Hall, Derbyshire themed evening where visitors can BREAKING BANDS Line-up features learn about the history of the castle, Falling Red, Witch Tripper, Trucker Di- take part in ghost & history walks, ablo and Hell’s Addiction, Thurs 23 - and try on arms & armour, Fri 24 May, Mon 27 May, Stoke Prior Country Dudley Zoological Gardens Club, Bromsgrove BENNETTS BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPI- GLASTONBUDGET Line-up features ONSHIP Featuring familiar faces, big- Abba Revival, Antarctic Monkeys, name superstars and young guns Bin And Gone battling it out for the title, Fri 24 - Sun Fleetwood Bac and Four Fighters, Fri The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 24 - Sun 26 May 24 - Sun 26 May, Wymeswold, Le- 26 May, Donington Park Racing Cir- icestershire cuit, Derby Television viewers of a certain vintage will undoubtedly recall Sat- STAFFS FEST Line-up features Pig Man FIA/FIM MAIN EVENT 2019 Televised ex- urday night gameshow 3-2-1, complete with its gimmicky Dusty Bin & The Rubber Band, Kioko, Juniper travaganza featuring 200-plus teams character and its penchant for setting bemused-looking contes- and 17 classes of cars and bikes, Fri Wolf and Cutch-I, Fri 24 - Sun 26 May, tants ridiculously complex riddles to solve. They will also no doubt Lower Drayton Farm, Shropshire 24 - Mon 27 May, Santa Pod Race- way, Wellingborough remember the show’s host, Ted Rogers, who did such a fine job of MELLO Line-up features Brand New drawing together the various strands of the programme that even Heavies, Craig Charles, Incognito THE NATIONAL Featuring a wide selec- and The Wonder Stuff, Fri 24 - Sun 26 tion of food & drink, non-stop shows in its final years it was pulling in a viewing figure of 12 million. May, Severn End Country Estate, and activities, Fri 24 - Tues 28 May, Bin & Gone is the story of Ted as told by his son, Danny, and of the Hanley Castle, Worcestershire Ragley Hall, Alcester era during which he was maybe most famous, the 1970s and ’80s. STORY STICKS CRAFT ACTIVITY AT whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List Birmingham 27 - 31 May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 11:39 Page 1

thelist June, Birmingham Hippodrome Classical THAT’LL BE THE DAY Ever-popular pro- duction fusing comedy and music Music from the ’50s to the ’70s, Wed 29 May, The Alexandra Theatre, Birm- CATHEDRAL CLASSICS: AFTERNOON ingham RECITAL Mon 27 May, Lichfield JEEVES AND WOOSTER IN PERFECT Cathedral NONSENSE Wed 29 May - Sat 1 June, CBSO: BRAHMS’ SYMPHONY NO.2 Fea- The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham turing Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla (conduc- CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN Based tor), Programme includes works by on the bestselling novel by Louis de Honegger, Ravel & Brahms, Fri 31 Berniéres that inspired the hit film of May, Symphony Hall, Birmingham the same name, Wed 29 May - Sat 15 June, The REP, Birmingham LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR Step back in time to a golden era of music in a performance direct from the West The Tiger Lillies: Devil’s Fairground - The Old Rep, Birmingham Comedy End, Fri 31 May, Artrix, Bromsgrove JONNY AWSUM & COMIC TBC Sun 26 THE WORST LITTLE WAREHOUSE IN KIP MOORE Wed 29 Birmingham May, The Glee Club, Birmingham LONDON A ‘mind-bogglingly funny May, Birmingham Gigs GIO SPANO Thurs 30 ANGELA BARNES Wed 29 May, The story of companionship, shared ac- Town Hall May, O2 Academy, Glee Club, Birmingham commodation, and how to grit your A LOSS FOR WORDS Birmingham teeth and bare it’, Fri 31 May - Sat 1 KYLA BROX BAND Wed CARL DONNELLY, THE RAYMOND AND Mon 27 May, The Flap- June, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, 29 May, O2 Academy, THE ALLERGIES FT. ANDY MR TIMPKINS REVUE & COMEDY per, Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham COOPER Thurs 30 May, CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON HUGH JACKMAN: THE ROSE ELINOR DOUGALL Hare & Hounds, Birm- Thurs 30 May, The Glee Club, B’ham MAN. THE MUSIC. THE Wed 29 May, The ingham DARREN HARRIOTT & ROB KEMP Thurs SHOW. Mon 27 - Tues Cuban Embassy, PUNCH THE SKY + 30 May, Midlands Art Centre, B’ham 28 May, BLACKBEARD'S TEA Arena, Birmingham CARL DONNELLY, THE RAYMOND AND THE MEAT LOAF STORY PARTY Thurs 30 May, Kids Shows MR TIMPKINS REVUE & COMEDY YOLA Tues 28 May, Thurs 30 May, The Hare & Hounds, Birm- THE JUNGLE BOOK A classic tale with CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON Hare & Hounds, Birm- Alexandra Theatre, ingham brand new songs, creative staging Thurs 30 May, The Glee Club, Birm- ingham B’ham and ‘bags full of fun’, Mon 27 May, THE MARIACHIS MEXI- ingham The Old Rep, Birmingham ALBERT LEE & BAND MARK KNOPFLER Thurs CAN FIESTA Fri 31 May, SOFIE HAGEN Fri 31 May, The Old Rep Tues 28 May, Artrix, 30 May, Resorts World The Mill Digbeth, Birm- SOURPUSS String & puppet shadows Theatre, Birmingham Bromsgrove Arena, Birmingham ingham combine in a theatrical adventure for younger audiences, Wed 29 May, Ar- BULLETS AND OCTANE MAREN MORRIS: GIRL HIPSWAY Fri 31 May, trix, Bromsgrove Tues 28 May, The THE WORLD TOUR 2019 O2 Academy, B’ham Flapper, Birmingham PIRATE PEARL & THE BIG BLUE MON- Thurs 30 May, O2 In- BBC INTRODUCING STER A ‘fun, happy, monster of a 20 GUILDERS Tues 28 stitute, Birmingham SHOWCASE FEAT IVORY show, especially for little pirates & May, Hare & Hounds, SOWETO KINCH Thurs WAVE + LA DHARMA + their grown-ups’, Wed 29 May, The Birmingham 30 May, Royal Birm- KARKOSA Fri 31 May, Core Theatre, Solihull STORY UNTOLD & BE- ingham Conservatoire The Castle & Falcon, DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE Interactive TWEEN YOU AND ME THE TIGER LILLIES: Birmingham show for all the family, Thurs 30 - Fri Tues 28 May, The Asy- DEVIL’S FAIRGROUND THE SONGS OF LEONARD 31 May, Lichfield Garrick lum, Birmingham Thurs 30 May, The Old COHEN Fri 31 May, Ar- EX-HEX Wed 29 May, Rep, Birmingham trix, Bromsgrove Hare & Hounds, Birm- ANDREW CHEETHAM, HEAVY RAPIDS Fri 31 ingham HANNAH MARSHALL, May, The Actress & CARL DONNELLY, DANNY MCLOUGHLIN, DAVE BIRCHALL & JULIE Bishop, Birmingham FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY THE RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS Cabaret Wed 29 May, Mama KJAER Thurs 30 May, HARRIET Fri 31 May, REVUE & DAISY EARL Fri 31 May, The - BORN TO MINCE Outra- Roux’s, Birmingham Midlands Arts Centre, Pizza Express Live, Glee Club, Birmingham geously camp new show in which Birmingham the prince of innuendo bares his AFRO-CUBAN JAZZ OR- soul in the interests of light entertain- CHESTRA Fri 31 May, ment, Fri 31 May, The Alexandra Royal Birmingham Theatre, Birmingham Conservatoire Theatre CEDRIC BURNSIDE + MRS KAPOOR’S DAUGHTER’S WEDDING TODD ALBRIGHT Fri 31 Bollywood comedy & dance produc- May, The Flapper, tion featuring YouTuber and BBC Birmingham sensation Parle Patel, Mon 27 May, THE SKA45’S Fri 31 The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham May, The River ROCK OF AGES Smash-hit musical fea- Rooms, Stourbridge turing 25-plus classic rock anthems. GOV’T MULE Fri 31 May, , Kevin Kennedy & Antony Birmingham Town Hall Costa star, Tues 28 May - Sat 1 June, EMMY THE GREAT + Wolverhampton Grand Theatre BISHI Fri 31 May, The CALENDAR GIRLS THE MUSICAL Tim Cuban Embassy, Firth & Gary Barlow’s award-winning Soweto Kinch - Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Birmingham production, Tues 28 May - Sat 8 64 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 27 - 31 May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 11:39 Page 2

Monday 27 - Friday 31 May

the Unicorn Bar, Mon 27 May, Arley Dance Arboretum, Bewdley, Nr Kiddermin- ster AUTIN DANCE THEATRE: DYSTOPIA Thought-provoking dance theatre WATT 2019: SOHO STEAM FAIR Watch a duet looking at the human need for working traction engine in full steam connection and belonging, Fri 31 and take a ride on a miniature steam May, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham locomotive, Mon 27 May, Soho House, Birmingham SWAN LAKE Presented by Ballet The- atre UK, Fri 31 May, The Core The- MAY TILE DECORATING Create your atre, Solihull own superbug-themed designs at family drop-in tile-decorating work- shops on weekdays over the half- term break, Mon 27 - Fri 31 May, Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Talks Shropshire ANIMAL MASKS CRAFT ACTIVITY AT LUCY WORSLEY - QUEEN VICTORIA - BLAKESLEY HALL Choose an animal DAUGHTER, WIFE, MOTHER, WIDOW Il- mask or create your own, then colour lustrated talk about the life, palaces, and decorate it with a heap of craft and rich, colourful age of the queen materials, Tues 28 May, Blakesley who ruled a quarter of the globe, Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding Hall, Birmingham Tues 28 May, The Core Theatre, Soli- The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 27 May hull GET HANDS-ON WITH HISTORY Trans- form yourself into a courtly lord or Described as a ‘fun, sizzling Bollywood comedy and dance produc- lady, with tips on everything from tion’, Mrs Kapoor’s Daughter’s Wedding finds the eponymous Mrs curtsies to combat, Tues 28 May - K inviting the audience to join her at the marriage ceremony of one Sun 2 June, Kenilworth Castle of her five daughters. An occasion for great celebration it may be, PETER RABBIT STORY TIME Film Special sto- but that doesn’t mean that everything is going to go according to INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: rytelling event with Beatrix Potter’s most famous character, Wed 29 May, plan... Expect romance, drama, comedy, colour, impressive musi- AT ETERNITY'S GATE (12a) Birmingham Botanical Gardens cianship and some spectacular Bollywood dance moves... Biography/Drama. Starring Willem ANIMAL MANIA Featuring around eight Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen. Artrix, to 12 small animals that children can Bromsgrove, Mon 27 - Thurs 30 May see and interact with in slots of 30 minutes, Wed 29 May, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham LITTLE SKIPPERS - BOSTIN BLACK COUN- TRY A morning of Black Country- Festivals themed activities, Wed 29 - Thurs 30 May, Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust WIRRAL FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up fea- FAMILY FUN DAY Featuring a guided tures Chris While & Julie Mathews, tour of the Smith & Pepper jewellery Jacqui McDonald, The Wilson and factory and a craft activity in the Edu- Tom McConville Band, Thurs 30 May cation Space, Thurs 30 May, Museum - Sun 2 June, The Whitby Club & of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Grounds, Ellesmere Port ANIMAL FINGER PUPPETS CRAFT ACTIV- LICHFIELD BLUES AND JAZZ FESTIVAL ITY Make your own finger-sized ani- Line-up features Alison Rayner Quin- mals, add some tails, horns or tet, The Climax Blues Band, Nick De- stripes, and make a theatre for a fin- whurst Band with special guest Derek ger-animal performance, Thurs 30 Nash and The Sleaze Brothers, Thurs May, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham 30 May - Sun 2 June, various loca- tions around Lichfield PIRATES AND NIGHT An THE ACOUSTIC FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN evening of ‘mer-mazing and swash- buckling fun, packed full of activities Line-up features Big Country, inspired by two of the most famous Eye Cherry, Ian Prowse and Amster- legends of the sea’, Fri 31 May, Dud- dam and 3 Daft Monkeys, Thurs 30 ley Canal and Tunnel Trust May - Sun 2 June, Uttoxeter Race- course, Staffordshire CRAFTY FRIDAY: BIRDS Chance to make paper birds and bird mobiles, Fri 31 May, Weoley Castle Ruins, Birmingham UK GAMES EXPO Open to anyone of Events any age wanting to play, learn to play, buy, experience or know more about KNIGHTS' TOURNAMENT Arrows will fly, table-top games, Fri 31 May - Sun 2 swords will clash and the winner will June, NEC, Birmingham be decided in the Grand Melee finale, Sun 26 - Mon 27 May, Kenilworth ESL ONE BIRMINGHAM Three days of Castle intense Dota 2 action, with partici- pants battling it out for a share of the UNICORN PONY RIDES Unicorn-themed $300,000 prize pool, Fri 31 May - Sun pony rides through the enchanted 2 June, Arena Birmingham woodland in the grounds of the beau- tiful Arboretum, plus unicorn treats at whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List Birmingham 27 - 31 May.qxp_Layout 1 18/04/2019 11:39 Page 3

66 whatsonlive.co.uk Belgrade Theatre Full May 2019.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 12:52 Page 1 BRB Full May 2019.qxp_Layout 1 17/04/2019 14:24 Page 1