GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I Eventss I FOOD on Staffordshirewhatson.Co.Uk

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RHOD GILBERT AT Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands THE REGENT THEATRE STAFFORDSHIREWHAT’S ONMARCH 2019 Staffordshire ISSUE 399 MARCH 2019 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On staffordshirewhatson.co.uk

PARTOF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP inside:

Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide

THE 39 STEPS John Buchan’s classic spy thriller at the New Vic Theatre WTE:@WHATSONSTAFFSTWITTER:

SETH LAKEMAN takes The Well Worn Path to the Midlands... FACEBOOK:@STAFFORDSHIREWHATSON

SPRINGTIME BABIES check out some new arrivals at The Potteries Museum... STAFFORDSHIREWHATSON.CO.UK Stafford Gatehouse Full (NEW) March 2019.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:48 Page 1

DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE THE CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERS TUES 19 MARCH @ 10.30AM & 4.30PM SAT 23 MARCH @ 7.30PM

THAT’LL BE THE DAY RUSSELL WATSON THE OPERA BOYS THURS 7 & FRI 8 MARCH @ 7.30PM WED 20 MARCH @ 7.30PM THURS 11 APRIL @ 7.30PM

ROY ORBISON & THE TRAVELLING THE MERSEY BEATLES WILBURYS EXPERIENCE STARS ARE COMING OUT TONIGHT SAT 8 MARCH @ 8.00PM FRI 22 MARCH @ 7.30PM SAT 27 APRIL @ 7.30PM

MARK STEEL THURS 14 MARCH @ 8.00PM

SWEET CAROLINE FRI 15 MARCH @ 8.00PM

CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR FULL LISTINGS

BOX OFFICE 01785 619080 BOOK ONLINE www.staffordgatehousetheatre.co.uk EASTGATE STREET, STAFFORD, ST16 2 LT Contents March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:28 Page 2

March 2019

Contents

War Horse - ‘the theatrical event of the decade’ returns to the Midlands... page 28

Samantha Womack The Coral Pit Stop the list

talks about The Girl On The bring Move Through The Dawn family-friendly racing fun at Your 16-page Train ahead of Midlands dates to The Sugarmill in Stoke Ironbridge’s Enginuity week-by-week listings guide feature page 8 page 18 page 47 page 51 inside:

4. First Word 11. Food 18. Music 22. Comedy 28. Theatre 39. Film 44. Visual Arts 47. Events

@whatsonwolves @whatsonstaffs @whatsonshrops Wolverhampton What’s On Magazine Staffordshire What’s On Magazine Shropshire What’s On Magazine

Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 What’sOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 MEDIA GROUP 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

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Entertainment news from around the region

Calendar Girls set to bare all again Hit musical Calendar Girls will stop off in the Midlands region later this year. The much-loved Gary Barlow/ Tim Firth show will feature a number of new cast members, including Sarah Jane Buckley (Kathy Barnes in Hollyoaks), Sue Devaney (Debbie Webster in Coronation Street), Julia Hills (Dr Kemp in Broadchurch), Judy Holt (Cold Feet, Scott & Bailey) and Loose Women favourite Lisa Maxwell. The production shows at Birm- ingham Hippodrome from 28 May to 8 June and then at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 24 to 28 September.

Shylock’s Stafford debut Suitable for school leaders, classroom teach- Himley Hall to host first ers and IT professionals, the event is de- Stafford Festival Shakespeare is this summer signed to immerse attendees in hands-on Black Country Musicom mounting its first ever production of The Mer- technology workshops and a range of net- Dudley’s Himley Hall is to host a huge out- chant Of Venice. working activities. For more information, door music & comedy festival this summer. Running from 27 June until 13 July, the show visit tablet-academy.com Black Country Musicom takes place on Sun- will be presented outdoors in the grounds of day 14 July and will include a lineup of high- Stafford Castle. quality tribute bands, demonstrations of Commenting on the announcement, Produc- traditional local crafts and a host of chil- tion Manager Richard Goodman said: “The dren’s activities. A dedicated teenage area Merchant Of Venice looks at issues that are featuring DJs, gaming tournaments, glitter just as relevant now as they were when the artists and a chill-out zone is also included in play was first performed. On top of that, it the festival’s list of attractions. features one of Shakespeare’s most iconic For more information, visit dudley.gov.uk characters in Shylock.” The image below is from the festival’s 2017 production of The Tempest. Mum’s the word... Mum’s most definitely the word at Ironbridge Gorge Museums this Mothering Sunday (31 Plans approved for March), when mothers can enjoy free admis- £21million transformation sion to the Shropshire visitor attraction as Plans have been approved for the £21million long as they’re accompanied by another full- transformation of the former bus-depot site paying adult. The free-entry offer includes in Wolverhampton’s Cleveland Road, to make Blists Hill Victorian Town, where a special it a key gateway to the city centre. Mother’s Day afternoon tea will be available, The site’s proposed new buildings have been complete with an optional glass of Prosecco carefully designed in ‘a clean, modern style, and a selection of cakes. Ed-Tech Convention lands to allow the elevations to stand the test of at RAF Museum Cosford time and continually enhance the period architecture of the nearby former Royal Hospi- Tablet Academy, one of the largest education tal building’. training companies in the UK, has teamed up The transformation of the bus-depot site with Royal Air Force Museum Cosford to pre- forms part of a £3.7billion regeneration pro- sent the first Ed-Tech Convention at the ject taking place in Wolverhampton. venue on Tuesday 5 March.

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First Word

Big Country head to Shropshire for 35th anniversary Scottish rock band Big Country will visit Shrewsbury’s Butter- market venue in the autumn (Thursday 7 November) as part of a 35th anniversary tour to celebrate the release of their chart- topping 1984 album, Steeltown. The talented five-piece will be performing songs from the album alongside a selection of classic hits and live favourites from their extensive back-cata- logue. For more information, visit thebuttermarket.co.uk

Festival provides Launchpad for young Mids musicians Shrewsbury Folk Festival has opened applications for its Midlands What’s On Magazine-sponsored Launchpad stage, which provides young musicians with a platform to showcase their talents. Banksy duo team The festival is inviting people aged 16 to 26 who live in Shropshire, Mid Wales or the West Midlands to pitch for a performance slot. up with Midlands To apply, send a short biography, links to performances (Soundcloud, YouTube etc) and your contact opera company details to [email protected] before 6 May. Only selected performers will be contacted. Banksy collaborators Block9, Above image is of The Trials of the Cato who appeared on The Launchpad in 2017.20 who created the dystopian fairytale castle at the centre of the artist’s Dismaland ‘bemusement park’ in 2015, are bringing their Headlining stars The Grinch set to steal Christmas! anarchic creativity to Birming- announced for Dr Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will stop ham this month for their first off at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre this winter (Tuesday 3 to opera collaboration. city’s Pride festival Saturday 7 December) as part of a UK tour. Featuring hit songs Stephen Gallagher and Gideon Berger are joining forces with You’re A Mean One Mr Grinch and Welcome Christmas, the pro- the award-winning Birmingham duction broke box-office records for two consecutive years on Opera Company to mount Broadway... For more information and to book tickets, visit Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth Of grinchmusical.co.uk Mtsensk at the city’s Tower Ball- room. The show runs from Sat- urday 9 to Sunday 17 March. For more information, visit birminghamopera.org.uk Soft Cell icon Marc Almond, ’80s favourites Human League (pictured) and electronic su- perstars Faithless are among the acts performing at this year’s Birmingham Pride festival in the city’s gay village. The two-day event, as usual being held across the May bank holiday weekend (Satur- day 25 & Sunday 26 May), is this year taking the theme of Love Out Loud. Tickets are available from birminghampride.com.

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First Word

Shrewsbury to host first ever Comics Salopia An international festival celebrating the medium of comic art in all its forms takes place in Shrewsbury across the first weekend in June. Comics Salopia features sessions with big- name comic-book artists, film screenings, Jedi fight training, face painting, a small press comics market, an interactive Judge Dredd event, live music, boat trips, a zom- bie walk, a Cosplay competition and live art events. Highlight of the festival is sure to be an exhibition by local artist Charlie Adlard of Walking Dead fame. For more information about the event, visit comicssalopia.com

RSC to work its Exploring Frontiers, Borders and It’s Curtains for magic on David Barriers at Lichfield Literature festival Jason Manford! Walliams classic The Lichfield Literature festival returns this month, taking the theme The Royal Shakespeare Com- of Frontiers, Borders And Barriers. pany’s (RSC) winter 2019 sea- Event highlights include a talk by Sunday Times bestselling author son includes the world Barbara Erskine, storytelling with Radio Four’s Lainy Malkani, and premiere of a new musical the chance to discover the History of Women via 100 objects (with adaptation of David Walliams’ Maggie Andrews & Janis Lomas). All sessions are interactive, featur- The Boy In The Dress. ing book readings and Q&A sessions. Helmed by the RSC’s Artistic Lichfield Literature runs at various venues from 7 to 10 March. Director, Gregory Doran, the For more information and to book tickets, visit lichfieldfestival.org show will feature songs by Rob- bie Williams and Guy Cham- bers. Charity dinner for children with cancer The production runs at the Shrewsbury Town Football Club is this month hosting a charity din- Comedian Jason Manford Royal Shakespeare Theatre ner-dance event to raise money for the Harry Johnson Trust, an organ- visits the Midlands later this from Friday 8 November to isation dedicated to supporting Shropshire-based children with year in a brand new produc- Sunday 8 March. cancer and their families. tion of Tony Award-winning For more information about The Saturday 30 March event includes a three-course meal, entertain- musical Curtains. this and other shows in the ment from rhythm & blues band Izzy & The Hotheads and an auction A story of murder most foul RSC’s winter 2019 season, visit hosted by Flog It and Bargain Hunt’s Christina Trevanion. in the theatre world - in rsc.org.uk For more information, visit theharryjohnsontrust.co.uk. which Manford stars as detective Frank Cioffi, a huge musical theatre fan - the show’s score has been com- Spring Into St George’s Day in Telford posed by John Kander and A popular family event celebrating St George’s Day makes a return to Fred Ebb, who also wrote Telford Town Park next month. Cabaret and Chicago. Spring Into St George’s Day, tak- Curtains visits Birmingham’s ing place on Saturday 27 April, Alexandra Theatre from features a special visit from Tuesday 5 to Saturday 9 much-loved Paw Patrol charac- November, the Regent The- ters Chase and Marshall. atre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Other attractions at the event Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 De- include a dog show, a circus cember, and the Wolver- skills tent, pony rides, kids’ go- hampton Grand Theatre karting and a magical musical from Tuesday 31 March to bike. Saturday 4 April 2020. 6 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Shrops_Staffs_Wolves March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 15:49 Page 4 Samantha Womack.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2019 10:51 Page 1

SamanthaSamantha WomackWomack

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by Lauren Cole

Eastenders’ star rolls into the Midlands with The Girl On The Train

First a bestselling book, then a hit film, The kind of lost her way. I was attracted to the didn’t really need to rehearse because I knew Girl On The Train took the world by storm. recklessness that makes her so interesting. I exactly how to play her. I feel like, with the- Now, a touring stage adaptation of Paula like the whole renegade vibe she has, where atre, you just get so much more time to re- Hawkins' 2015 novel is rolling into the Mid- she just disorientates everyone with her mad- hearse and build the character before going lands, with EastEnders star Samantha Wom- ness. I’ve never really been in a situation straight in. I’m also a bit of a control freak! ack in the lead role of Rachel Watson. where I’ve felt the way Rachel does and gone I like the way I have complete control over off the rails like she has, so I don’t have any “I think the stage version is a response to the creating the character. What you see is what direct obsessions of the public,” says Sam, who inspiration for how to play her charac- you get: the adaptation itself can’t be shot to stardom in 1991 when she represented ter, but sometimes these parts just come and changed in writing, or edited afterwards, so get you. They appear right in front of you and you completely know what you’re signing up the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. you know exactly how you’d like to play for. I really like that element of control, where “Thrillers, detective & police programmes them, so you just go and do it.” what I put out at that very moment is exactly and real-life crime drama are incredibly pop- what the audience will see. ular. I know that all the shows I like to watch Sam also thinks the book lends itself really on Netflix are things like Making Of A Mur- well to theatre: “There’s actually a lot more “I would say I prefer stage to screen, partly derer and the new Ted Bundy Tapes series. I licence with theatre to do the dream-like because I’m very impatient and like being think people are more interested in things flashback and memory scenes from the book, able to work the story from start to finish in that are, or could be, real life now. I think so you can access Rachel’s brain in these sce- one night. Television and movies take such a people are moving away from genres like fan- narios a lot more than I think you can with long time to film. Sometimes you’re doing the tasy and towards thrillers. The book was such film. I think theatrically the plot of the book same scene for a whole day! It’s hard to stay a strong brand and such a success that peo- works really well because you’re able to delve fresh in that kind of environment. With the- ple are excited to see the story presented how deep into what Rachel is thinking and feel- atre, as soon as you set off playing your char- it was in the book. A lot of people were disap- ing. Obviously with every new production acter on the night, it feels like you’re in a big pointed in the film, I think - some people and adaptation it will change. New actors race of emotions and acting - it’s very excit- loved it and others really didn’t. I mean, I will play the roles differently, and each adap- ing!” loved it because I just love Emily Blunt and tation adds things in and cuts things out, but Although she’s thoroughly enjoying starring everything she does. But really, people just the format is very much the s ame. I think in The Girl On The Train, Sam admits that love a good thriller - they really do!” what happens when audience members come she’s looking forward to taking a break after- to see it is that they almost forget the exact The Girl On The Train combines thriller with wards. details of what they’ve already read because voyeurism. Sam’s character Rachel watches they’re so involved in the piece - it’s very cap- “The production is proving very popular, so I two couples from the train and over time be- tivating.” know there’s incredible demand for it to con- comes obsessed with them. Sam thinks the tinue until after the already-scheduled dates immense popularity of the story is largely Rachel turns amateur detective when Megan, and until the end of the year. I think I need to down to Rachel. one of the women she’s been watching from decide what it’s going to take out of me. I’ve the train, goes missing. Sam explains why “I think it’s been so popular because Rachel only been playing Rachel for one month and her character becomes so engaged with the is an anti-hero. She says the wrong things, she’s such a hard part to play, as she’s just so disappearance. she’s inappropriate, broken and damaged, emotional. Sometimes it kind of gets under which the audience seems to really respond “Rachel sees Megan going missing as the way my skin a bit. But I’m definitely having a long to. I know for sure that the audiences I’ve ex- to get herself back on track. For the first time break over the summer. perienced in the theatre respond really well in months she feels needed by other people to Rachel’s bad behaviour and the racy things and has a purpose. At this point, she’s very she says. I think sometimes people enjoy much been consumed by her alcoholism and characters who kind of rally against the ap- her lies about going to work, so trying to fig- The Girl On The Train shows at propriate way to behave.” ure out the mystery brings her back from the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from abyss.” Monday 18 to Saturday 23 March. This is also the main reason that Sam was The show then visits Shrewsbury’s drawn to the role. Playing Rachel is certainly a departure from Theatre Severn from Mon 27 May to Sat the role for which Sam is best known - Ron- “While Rachel is broken - covering up all her 1 June; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry from nie Mitchell in EastEnders. damage with drinking - and has this devil- Mon 13 to Sat 18 May & The Alexandra may-care attitude, she also has this really in- “I played Ronnie on and off for nine years, so Theatre, Birmingham from Mon 26 August teresting arc to her character. She’s an I really got to know that character very well - to Sat 31 August incredibly bright, strong woman - she’s just to the point where, once I’d learnt the lines, I

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Food

chunks of tilapia coated in an sold at major airports across the ajwain and gram flour batter globe. Featuring spinach, green which had been delicately spiced mustard leaves, onion, garlic and and deep-fried. Served with a a whole host of other ingredi- tomato chutney, it was an abso- ents, it was truly exceptional; an- lutely stunning dish. The batter other dish that I'd be happy to was perfectly spiced, boasted a eat at any time of the day. rich, golden finish, and in no Now for the meat dishes. The way overpowered the flavour of Chatpata Gosht featured lamb the tilapia. The chutney was two ways - fillet and fine mince - sweet and spicy - the perfect ac- slow-cooked with five selected companiment to the perfectly spices. Well known for being a cooked fish. I could have eaten it Kashmiri speciality, it boasted an three times over! explosion of traditional flavours. My partner chose the Murgh Last up was the equally tasty REVIEW: Five Rivers À La Carte Assiette, which featured three chilli chicken. A native dish Bringing a taste of India to Walsall beautifully tender cuts of cooked with fresh garlic sauce, chicken breast pieces marinated coriander and crisp green chilli, ‘Five Rivers offers the best Indian welcoming atmosphere. in Five Rivers’ signature spices - the chicken was tender and the Malai, Hariyali and the classic flavour delicious, boasting a sub- food in the Midlands’ is the Culinary delights on offer in- Murgh Tikka - all slow-roasted in tle chilli kick. opening line on the Walsall-lo- clude Lasani Chilli Duck, Nihari the tandoor. The flavours from cated restaurant’s website - a Shank and Goan Fish Curry. Following an ever-so-tasty the Malai marinade, which fea- bold statement which I simply However, on the evening we vis- lemon, coconut & lime sorbet tured garlic, chilli, lemon, spices couldn’t ignore. I’ve eaten in ited, we dined from the four- palate cleanser came the gulab and cheese, were impressively many an impressive Indian course Mother’s Day menu, jamun crème brûlée. A dish I’ve subtle, whilst those from the eatery over the years, and after which started with an amuse become very familiar with over Hariyali - mint and coriander - reading that declaration, I abso- bouche of Paneer Hara Bara - the years, gulab jamun is a clas- and the Tikka were more appar- lutely knew I needed to check one of India’s most famous bar- sic Indian sweet or dessert made ent. Combined, they created a the place out. becue dishes. The dish com- up of milk powder balls which medley of tasty, authentic The award-winning restaurant prised Indian cottage cheese have been dunked in rose- flavours and made for another boasts a sumptuous fine dining marinated with mint and corian- flavoured sugar syrup. Gulab triumphant starter. menu created by head chef and der and the chef’s signature jamun are delicious enough on founder Rashpal Sunner, a man spices, finished in the tandoor. For the main course, we were their own, but encased in a beau- who has prepared banquets for Vibrant green in colour, it was an treated to a selection of Five tifully creamy crème brûlée, the likes of former President of elegant and tasty dish with Rivers’ most popular dishes to they’re absolute heaven! It was a the United States Bill Clinton and which to kick off proceedings. share - Daal Bukhara, Saag Pun- perfect twist on the much-loved jabi, Chatpata Gosht and Lasani French classic. ex-prime minister Tony Blair, to As I was eating, I caught a Chilli Chicken. They were served name but two. glimpse of our neighbouring I can’t recommend this gem of an alongside some jeera rice, a One of the first things my partner table’s cocktails - they looked in- eatery highly enough. From its freshly baked tandoori naan and and I noticed when we were wel- sanely good! Pity I was the desig- magnificent food and sophisti- a garlic & coriander naan - a ne- comed into the restaurant were nated driver for the evening! cated presentation to its friendly cessity when dining in an Indian the numerous awards displayed Naturally, I had a look through and attentive service, Five Rivers restaurant. in the main bar area. From Best the menu to see what I was miss- provided us with some of the Midlands Newcomer in the ing. A couple that particularly Featuring slow-cooked black best - if not the best - Indian cui- British Curry Awards to Best caught my eye were Solero - lentils and kidney beans infused sine we’ve ever experienced. Restaurant in the Business Eye Amaretto, passionfruit puree, in Indian spices and a rich Lauren Foster Asian Business Awards, Five apple juice, lime zest and cream - creamy sauce, the daal was mouthwateringly good and one Rivers certainly has an impres- and Millionaire’s Stiletto - vanilla Food: nnnnn of the highlights of the evening - sive amount of silverware to its pod-infused vodka, fraise liquer, Service: nnnnn comfort food at its absolute best. name. home-brewed vanilla syrup, Ambience: nnnnn Our wonderful waiter, Mehtab, Featuring exposed brickwork strawberry puree and cranberry Overall value nnnnn told us that in India, locals eat and timber frames, the restau- juice. OVERALL nnnnn this for breakfast, lunch and din- rant is stylish and boasts a con- Next up was a choice of four ner - and I can very much see temporary feel. Chilled-out starters - Aloo Tikki Chaat, 11 Vicarage Place why! house music was playing Manchurian, Murgh Assiette and Walsall Next up, the Saag Punjabi. This through the speakers, which Fish Amritsari. I opted for the lat- WS1 3NA dish was named number one in Tel: 01922 646164 helped to create a relaxing and ter, which comprised succulent the Hello Curry Awards and is

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Food

The Great British Gin Festival returns The 2019 edition of the Great British Gin Festival takes place at The Mill in Birmingham on 17 & 18 May. The event will feature over 100 international gins, from household names to exclusive small-batch varieties. Event attractions include gin games, tasting samples and demonstrations. Musical entertainment will be provided by a live swing band performing hits by icons including Amy Winehouse and Frank Sinatra. Tickets for the festival cost £13.50 and are available by visiting thegreatbritishginfest.co.uk

Shrewsbury vegan fair at The Buttermarket Award-winning street food event returns to Shrewsbury Shrewsbury’s biggest vegan fair will take place at popular town venue The Award-winning Birmingham street food event Digbeth Dining Club is visiting Shrewsbury this Buttermarket this summer. month. Taking place at Severn Social on Saturday 23 March, the event features DJs, live music, The free event, which is being held on cocktails, craft beer and (of course!) street food, including burgers, pizzas, Chinese cuisine with a Saturday 8 June, will feature over 50 twist, sweet treats and fried chicken... Shrewsbury Dining Club is both child and dog-friendly and stalls across three floors, an outside runs from 1pm to 10pm. Tickets are £1 in advance or £2 on the door. hot-food area, a range of kids’ activities and a basement-located chill-out zone. Weston Park to host new festival of music, food and fizz A brand new festival featuring ‘music, food Staffordshire gin and fizz’ is coming to Weston Park on the distillery set to go Shropshire-Staffordshire border on Bank Holiday Monday the 27th of May. international Presented by Fizz Festivals, who are also The Uttoxeter-based Nelson’s Gin hosting a Proms & Prosecco In The Park event Distillery has announced a partnership at the venue the previous evening, Fireflies with Blackburn food & drink exporter Festival is described as being ‘relaxed and laid- Sovereign Beverage Company. back’ with a ‘multi-generational vibe’. Sales Director at Nelson’s Gin, Greg Commenting on their event, Fizz Festivals said: Kimber, said of the partnership: “With “With amazingly talented local performers, as the distillery hitting its third year and well as tribute bands to get everybody on their seeing the huge growth we’ve had in feet, there truly is something to satisfy every sales, taking Nelson’s Gin to the musical taste. If you love the idea of a music international market was the natural festival, but hate the idea of huge crowds, next step. We’re really excited about parking miles away and stinky toilets, then working with Sovereign and know that this is the event for you.” they can see the enormous potential in For more information and to purchase tickets, our products.” visit fizzfestivals.com whatsonlive.co.uk 13 Classical March Wolves/Shrops NEW.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:32 Page 1 Classical March Wolves/Shrops NEW.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:32 Page 2

Classical

Sir Karl Jenkins: 75th Birthday Concert Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sun 10 March “Karl Jenkins,” says opera and concert star Bryn Terfel, “produces always impec- cable writing for a multitude of voices and instruments. I wish I had his talent to compose tunes but am proud to consider myself one who adores to sing them.” Terfel is far from alone in his admiration of his fellow Welshman. A recent exhaus- tive survey revealed that Sir Karl is the most-performed living composer in the world. Indeed, his best-known work, The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace (which he conducts in this birthday concert, along with 6000 Pipes Organ Concerto, Palladio and excerpts from Symphonic Adiemus) has been performed more than 1,500 times in 20 different countries.

BBC Philharmonic Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 29 March Residing at the Corporation's Manchester home of Media City in Salford Quays, the BBC Philharmonic is no stranger to Stoke-on-Trent, regularly presenting Victoria Hall music- lovers with works from its impressive repertoire. This latest concert sees the Phil raising the roof with a performance of Dvorak’s New World Symphony, while Viviane Hagner (pictured) brings to life Beethoven’s violin concerto - a piece of music that’s widely considered to be the most serene the composer ever wrote.

Blake English Touring Opera Carducci String Oakengates Theatre at The Place, Telford, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Quartet Thurs 14 March Mon 25 & Tues 26 March St Mary’s Church, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, Comprising Ollie Baines, Humphrey Berney Sun 10 March and Stephen Bowman, Blake are credited Performing approximately 100 interna- with bringing classical music to the masses tional concerts each year, Carducci are - an achievement that was emphatically ac- one of the most successful string quartets knowledged when their debut offering won in the business. the coveted ‘album of the year’ gong at the They here join forces with pianists Clare Classical Brit Awards in 2008. Hammond (pictured), Peter Caelen and The crossover trio stop off in the Midlands Simon Callaghan to explore the romantic this month to showcase a selection of songs piano quintet masterpieces of Schumann, from their seven chart-topping albums. Saint Saens and Brahms. English Touring Opera (ETO) travel to more regions and play more venues than any other English opera company, presenting more than 100 performances every year. The company’s stated aim is to make opera accessible to everybody - an ambition, it’s fair to say, that they achieve with each and every production. ETO visit Wolverhampton this month with two shows from their ‘kings & queens’ season, following up Verdi’s Macbeth on the 25th with a performance of Mozart’s Idome- neo the next evening.

whatsonlive.co.uk 15 Seth Lakeman.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 16:33 Page 1

It’s a rollercoaster. “People do end up on their feet often, and you try to take them along. I think that’s the point of music;

it’s escapism, it’s about

lifting people up and showing them something“ different. I think that’s important.

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by Stephen Taylor

Seth Lakeman marks the 400th anniversary of The Mayflower’s journey to the New World As a native of Devon, folk singer-songwriter Wampanoag tribe, the descendants of the The eventual winner of the award was Seth Lakeman is planning to mark an impor- original Native American Indians who met Antony And The Johnsons, but Seth acknowl- tant historical landmark for the county next the settlers, and they’re going to be part of edges his nomination as a real turning point year. the theatre show. So there’s a lot that’s going in his career: “The Mercury seemed more of into it to cross the sea, cross the divide and an event back then than it does now. I was “The most recent project I’ve been working make sense in Massachusetts, as well as over performing, and it was the biggest step in my on is the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower, here in Plymouth. It’s a big moment.” career. I’ve had some incredible hurdles, but the Pilgrim Fathers’ boat, and their journey that was the one that broke my career.” over to the New World,” explains Seth. “So Before he follows in the Pilgrims’ footsteps, I’m writing the music for a theatre show though, Seth will continue to promote his Seth has since shared the stage with the likes that’s going to happen in June next year.” most recent album, The Well Worn Path, of Billy Bragg, Jethro Tull, Mumford & Sons which was released on Cooking Vinyl late and the Levellers. More recently he’s added The Puritans who became known as the Pil- last year. the name of one of rock’s legendary frontmen grim Fathers set sail on the Mayflower from to his list of collaborators - Led Zeppelin’s Plymouth in September 1620. By the end of “It’s done incredibly well. The way people Robert Plant: “He’s a bit like a father figure that year, they had established the ‘Plimoth are receiving and responding to it is really now. Robert is someone who’s a massive in- Plantation’, one of the earliest English settle- positive. It’s gone down very well, so it’s cer- spiration and a very energetic, creative force ments in North America. tainly an exciting time, with a brand new who you can only look up to. I feel quite hon- line-up. It’s always good to keep the cogs Lakeman has ambitious plans to mark their oured to be part of his whole setup and to be turning, keep things evolving, and it feels momentous journey: “We’ll call it The Pil- able to call him a mate. He’ll definitely come like we’re doing that with this new band. grims’ Tale, and it will be music with visuals to some of the gigs that we do on this tour.” - there’ll be narration in between some of the “It’s a really strong band, so we’re quite ex- If Plant decides to rock up in Shrewsbury or songs - but the actual theatre show itself will cited by it all. There’s a guitarist, double bass Birmingham, what can he expect to see when be a big 80-person performance. It’s a bit player, drummer and myself. It’s very groovy, Seth walks on stage? more of an epic, and we’ll have a spin-off quite uplifting at moments, and it’s a very album alongside it.” good show, we hope.” “It’s a real journey around the west country, from shipwrecks to farmers, to train drivers Instead of following the usual pattern of Seth reveals that the recruitment of Kit and legends of the moors. Musically, it’s very presentation for a show - a West End debut Hawes on guitar helped to influence the colourful, it’s very rhythmic, it’s quite high followed by a tour of provincial theatres - overall sound of The Well Worn Path. energy, but there are also very stripped-back Seth is hoping to take the production on a “We were exploring the [Fender] Stratocaster moments that are quite emotional. very special and unique route: “We’ll pick guitar - that Richard Thompson sound and the 11 towns and cities that the Puritans “It’s a rollercoaster. People do end up on the way he writes within it - and it’s certainly came from. We’re going to be quite specific their feet often, and you try to take them the sound that will come out in Shrewsbury about it, so it’ll include Nottingham, Leiden, along. I think that’s the point of music; it’s and Birmingham. It’s probably the coolest in Holland - where they spent time - Dart- escapism, it’s about lifting people up and sound we’ve ever had.” mouth, Southampton, Boston, Darlington showing them something different. I think and Scrooby in Nottinghamshire. It’ll be The Well Worn Path is Seth’s ninth album that’s important.” quite an unusual tour; not the usual venues.” release. His second album, Kitty Jay, earned him a nomination for the prestigious And like the Pilgrim Fathers, Seth is hoping Mercury Prize in 2005, alongside some to head across the Atlantic: “Fingers crossed, notable company. it’ll have a run in Boston in Massachusetts. Seth plays Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn on Sunday 3 March and Birmingham’s That would be fantastic. “It was a big year. Coldplay, KT Tunstall, the Glee Club on Wednesday 27 March. launch of Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party’s first “When I was touring America, I met the record - I was up against some big acts.” whatsonlive.co.uk 17 Cov Music Museum.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:18 Page 1

somewhere special... credit: Coles Photo John Cov Music Museum.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:18 Page 2

by Stephen Taylor

Celebrating 40 years of 2-Tone at Coventry Music Museum...

In the summer of 1979, 2-Tone Records, an in- The 2-Tone Trail, and that’s where it started.” ‘kids go free’. We want to educate the kids dependent label from Coventry, released about 2-Tone, so throughout this year they The museum opened five years ago, and Gangsters by The Special A.K.A. (or The can visit the museum for free, as long as while its 2-Tone exhibits include items Specials, as they would become known). The they’re accompanied by an adult. We’ve also relating to Selecter, Madness and The Beat, single signalled the start of a musical revolu- got a little comic book that explains about all of whom released records on the label, it’s tion. Over the next few years, 2-Tone would 2-Tone in a child-friendly way.” The Specials who remain the chief reason become a voice of protest against the Mar- why people visit the venue. While Pete acknowledges that the museum is garet Thatcher-led Conservative government. inspired by 2-Tone, he’s also keen to cele- The band’s single, Ghost Town - a damning The 2-Tone movement boasted an exciting brate the work of other musicians, not only indictment of Thatcher-led policies - topped roster of bands and a distinctive black-and- from Coventry but also neighbouring towns the charts in July 1981. Its success coincided white chequered logo featuring a sharp- and cities. These include Frank Ifield, with an outbreak of inner-city rioting across dressed man in a pork-pie hat. And, in Jerry Lieutenant Pigeon, The Enemy and The Britain - a response to escalating racial ten- Dammers - who, as leader of The Specials, Primitives. But it’s the story of a Coventry- sion and social deprivation. would be responsible for some of the most born woman who pioneered British elec- memorable tunes of the 1980s - it had an The video for Ghost Town featured a scene tronic music which attracts a significant iconoclastic and gifted founder. where the band are singing the song’s refrain number of visitors to the museum... in a classic Vauxhall Cresta. A re-creation of Forty years on, 2-Tone’s contribution to As a member of the BBC Radiophonic Work- the car has become a popular new attraction British music is being celebrated at the shop, Delia Derbyshire took an original tune at the Music Museum. Coventry Music Museum. by Ron Grainer and helped to compose the “We believe that parts of our Ghost Town car Dr Who theme in 1963. Her innovative ap- Pete Chambers, the museum’s director and are from the original,” says Pete. “People proach to recording music created some of curator, remembers when Gangsters skanked love the car - everybody wants their photo the earliest electronic sounds, many of which its way from his home city to the top 10 in the taken in it.” were way ahead of their time. Derbyshire UK chart: “The Clash had been playing with died in 2001 at the age of 64. reggae and punk, but I think The Specials Just like the label that inspired a couple of fe- took it to another level, and it was incredible male fans from east Asia to make a 6,000- “After 2-Tone, she’s the next most popular for Coventry. We happened to go on holiday mile pilgrimage, the Coventry Music Museum pilgrimage people make. Delia’s definitely to Lloret De Mar in Spain, and we were all is an independent operation, with funding number two - we have a lot of people coming there, skanking. Gangsters was being played mainly provided by admission charges: for that. It’s a shame she never saw any of and we were so proud. Some cities have got “We’re part of the 2-Tone Village, made by the this. their own bands, but we ended up with a fans for the fans. We’ve got two shops, the 2- “We got a road named after her in Coventry. whole movement!” Tone café, the Coventry Music Wall of Fame The local authority wanted to call it ‘street’ or outside, and we’ve got the museum, so it’s a As Chambers recalls, Coventry was “the epi- ‘road’, but I said we should have the double lovely little enclave.” centre of the British music scene for a while”, meaning of ‘way’, because Delia liked to do but it was 2-Tone’s international popularity As 2-Tone nears its 40th anniversary, it seems things her own way. So it became Derbyshire that fired his passion to recognise the contri- appropriate that Encore, the first album of Way.” bution the label had made to the city. original material by The Specials in more than 20 years, went straight to number one in “A friend of mine was approached by two the UK album chart, less than a week after Japanese girls in Coventry city centre who Coventry Music Museum is located at the band announced they would play four were looking for the ‘2-Tone’. He reported this 80 Walsgrave Road, Coventry, CV2 4ED. nights in July in the ruins of Coventry Cathe- back to me, and I was disgusted that there For more information, visit covmm.co.uk dral. Also, one of the things we’re doing is was nothing. I decided to write a book called GIGS March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs new.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:31 Page 1

Gigs

The Coral The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 9 March After a five-year hiatus, The Coral released seventh studio album Distance Inbetween in 2016. Their return saw the band joined by guitarist Paul Molloy, formerly of The Zutons. Best known for singles Dreaming Of You, In The Morning, Pass It On and Don’t Think You’re The First, the influential five-piece are on tour following the release of latest album Move Through The Dawn.

Greg Russell & claim in 2012, since which time their touring schedule has seen them play at well-estab- Ciaran Algar lished annual get-togethers including Cam- Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, bridge Folk Festival and Fairport’s Cropredy Sun 10 March Convention. BBC Radio Two Young Folk Award winners They’re this month stopping off at Henry Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar released their Tudor House as part of a UK tour. debut album, The Queen’s Lover, to great ac- Hayseed Dixie The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, Sat 23 March Quill Ferocious Dog Although they’ve produced some pretty un- Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 7 March The Robin, Bilston, Sat 9 March forgettable and comically crude songs, including I'm Keeping Your Poop In A Jar and A popular act on the festival scene and well When bass guitarist Ben Brain died sud- She Was Skinny When I Met Her, Hayseed known for their high-octane live perform- denly in 2012, his wife and Quill’s lead Dixie are probably best known for their rol- ances, Ferocious Dog are a full-on six-piece singer, Joy Strachan-Brain, was of a mind to licking rockgrass covers. Co-founder, guitarist band that play folk music infused with rock, call time on the band’s 30-plus years of mu- and frontman John Wheeler names Motor- reggae and Celtic vibrations. sicmaking. Eventually, though, she decided head’s Ace Of Spades as his favourite, but it’s Each gig sees them liaising with local food it was more important to battle on, in so the music of AC/DC with which they’re most banks to organise a charity food drop for the doing ensuring that the songs Ben had writ- closely associated. Kiss, Led Zeppelin, The homeless. It’s an undertaking which their ten for a new album would eventually be Beatles and Queen are others to have received fans have very much bought into, taking heard... With support gigs for Van Morrison, the Hayseed Dixie treatment. along non-perishable food, blankets and toi- The Pretenders and Simply Red featuring on Having played thousands of gigs in 30-plus letries to their shows. their CV, the popular Tamworth band have countries, it’s fair to say they’re a much-loved garnered an enviable reputation for their act, so bag yourself a ticket asap. unique musical style, creating a sound that Jackie Oates incorporates numerous influences, including Celtic folk and rock. Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, Fri 8 March In the 16 years since appearing as a finalist in the BBC Radio Two Young Folk Awards, Staffordshire singer & fiddle player Jackie Oates has performed at festivals and venues across the country. A founder member of Rachel Unthank And The Winterset, Jackie is now a permanent member of folk supergroup The Imagined Village.

18 whatsonlive.co.uk HAM GAY V NG ILL BIRMI AGE

H & SUN 26T SAT 25T H MAY ʻ19

THE UK’S LARGEST 2-DAY LGBTQ+ FESTIVAL TICKETS/INFO: BIRMINGHAMPRIDE.COM Kiri.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:17 Page 1

20 whatsonlive.co.uk Kiri.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:17 Page 2

by Tom Silverton Kiri Pritchard-McLean hoping to become Wales’ favourite daughter...

Comedian and podcaster Kiri Pritchard-McLean is proving to be a major hit on the UK comedy circuit, not least as writer and director of highly rated sketch group Gein's Family Giftshop. What’s On chatted to her ahead of her upcoming Midlands dates...

Rising star Kiri Pritchard-McLean is making a thing if it’s excellent, and do I think I could Proving herself as a comedy force across so name for herself as a standup comedian, write an excellent musical? Probably not.” many different platforms, could a Netflix spe- podcaster, MC and sketch trouper. She’s also cial be on the horizon? “Everyone would love As though standup and a musical night aren’t flying the flag for Wales - although born in a Netflix special, surely? I’ve just done a spe- enough, Kiri also has a podcast with fellow Gloucester, she was raised on a farm in An- cial for Comedy Central that’ll be out soon. comedian Rachel Fairburn, in which they dis- glesey. “I absolutely identify as Welsh. I love That was really fun to do. It’s great because cuss, amongst other things, serial killers - a playing gigs in Wales because I think the au- whole new audiences are opening up for peo- macabre subject which seems peculiarly pop- diences have got a peculiar sensibility. Maybe ple. The comedy coming out of Britain onto ular with comedians. Does she have any some of that seeps into my standup. I think it Netflix is only going to get better and better.” thoughts about why that might be? “People definitely shows in my sketch group because who do comedy tend to be weird outsiders, Unless you’ve been under a rock or wearing a three out of four of us are Welsh.” which that genre is all about. Comedians blindfold, you might recognise Kiri not just The sketch group to which Kiri refers is Gein’s have a much darker sensibility with each for her standup but also her signature style - Family Giftshop, which she formed with Kath other. Everyone I knew growing up, we were dressed to the nines in sequins. “Where did it Hughes and Edward Easton. Adam Scott- all into horror and comedy, and when you come from, I hear you ask. I have a respect Rowley joined later. “Kath and Ed are the two start doing comedy, you’re like, ‘That’s quite for old-school showbiz and love all that stuff. funniest, most talented people I know, so enough of that!’” When I first started, I didn’t think there was spending time with them is amazing. When I anything that stood out about me as a comic, To top off her already-jampacked schedule, start directing, they take direction so bril- so I thought maybe if I always wore some- Kiri has been hosting BBC Radio 4extra’s top- liantly and they’re just a joy to watch. There’s thing interesting and different, then people ical comedy show, Newsjack. “It’s had some something about Geins that keeps us all com- would at least remember that about me. I al- great hosts, and you don’t want to be the one ing back to working together and pursuing it. ways like to dress up when I’m on stage be- who nobody talks about - or who everyone We love doing it so much and we love the lit- cause I spend my nights out gigging, so I’ve talks about! I just want to do a solid job and tle gang.” got all these great clothes I can’t wear be- keep my integrity. I really believe in it as a cause I’m working. It’s sort of a nod to work- When she’s not busy with standup, Kiri runs programme because it’s crowd-sourced and ing men’s clubs and musicals.” comedy musical night Amusical, where the is a genuine opportunity for people to hone audience enjoy (or are subjected to) standups their skills and get writing. It’s a dark art! Kiri definitely seems likes she’s on the path performing their favourite musical numbers. to stellar success, even if she’s being modest Surely with so demanding a professional life, “It’s a really fun, silly, joyous, underdog, about it. So what might she call her autobiog- something is going to have to give for Kiri. campy, naughty vibe, which is not like any- raphy - if she ever got round to writing it? Might she, for example, jettison the standup thing else that I do. I love it. And the band “Well, I’m trying to push the agenda at the comedy? “I would never want to do that. I ba- are incredible, so everyone sounds great moment of ‘Wales’ favourite daughter’, which sically feel like I’ve got several plates spin- whether they are or not! The audience are I’m determined to become, so I’m going to ning - some things I’m doing badly, some just brilliant; we’re very, very lucky. I think call it that. Riding on the back of a corgi, with things I’m doing well. Geins is doing a new Richard Herring is pencilled in to do it in a Welsh dragon draped round my shoulders!” show in Edinburgh this year, so I won’t do a June.” solo show there because I don’t have time to So has Kiri ever thought about creating a mu- do a good job of both of them. It’s so annoy- sical? “I’d need to have some time off to actu- ing because you just wish you could do all of ally write it, but I’d love to. But it’s also very them! Sometimes stuff has to give, and at the Kiri Pritchard-McLean brings her Victim, hard at the moment, as the landscape’s moment it’s going to be my standup, and Complex show to Midlands Arts Centre, changed because everyone watched Hamil- that’s fine, because it’s important to me that Birmingham on Thursday 14 March and ton and went, ‘Well, what’s the point… that’s Geins do a good show. I love everything I do, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, on the benchmark!’ You only want to do some- and I don’t want to give up anything!” Friday 26 April

whatsonlive.co.uk 21 Josie Lawrence DPS.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:16 Page 1 Josie Lawrence DPS.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:16 Page 2

by Patsy Moss

Josie Lawrence The Queen of Improv talks about starring in Edmond de Bergerac at The REP

Improv Queen and renowned actor Josie “It’s a very friendly theatre, very well run, a comedian. I didn’t mind that, as I like mak- Lawrence is no stranger to Birmingham and I love working with Roxana. The space it- ing people laugh. Equally, though, I like to be Repertory Theatre. Previously she’s graced its self is lovely because it’s huge. It has the feel challenged, and to do things that I can really stage with performances in Tom Stoppard’s of a studio to it because the seats go straight get my teeth into. This year is already turning Hapgood and his translation of Chekov’s The down onto the stage. It’s still my local the- out to be good. After playing Sarah here, I Cherry Orchard. She’s also appeared in Eu- atre, so I love it.” move straight into playing Aunt Ellie in Okla- gene Ionesco’s Amedee, Bill Alexander’s The homa!, which is a fantastic part.” Born into a working-class family in Cradley Alchemist and Bryony Lavery’s production of Heath - her father worked at British Leyland As she approaches her 60th birthday in June, Frozen. and her mother was ‘a lovely mum and and with her career still in full flow, is Josie Now she’s preparing to return to the venue housewife’, Josie’s early experiences of the- more selective about the roles she accepts? for a sixth time, taking on numerous roles in atre consisted of trips into Birmingham to see “I’m not a huge fan of touring anymore. I’m a Jeremy Sams’ translation of French theatre pantomimes. bit of a home bird. I love my home and where phenomenon Edmond de Bergerac. Directed She made it known that she wanted to act I live. I love coming up to the Midlands, but I by Roxana Silbert, the ensemble piece fea- from the age of five, and at 16 joined local don’t think I could spend a year or so touring; tures Freddie Fox in the title role as Edmond theatre group Oldbury Barlow Players, where its just not me. Some people love it, but I like Rostand, Henry Goodman as Constant Co- her first role was Honey in Who’s Afraid Of to get back home in the evening - I like my quelin and Chizzy Akudulo as Maria. Virgina Woolf. Three years at Devon’s Dart- own bed too much. When I was younger, I “I play the actress Sarah Bernhardt, who just ington College of Arts (1978 - 1981) resulted in loved the partying every night and all of that, whisks herself in and whisks back out her receiving a Bachelor of Arts honours de- but now I live the quieter life, so that impacts again,” says Josie. “She’s just one of the gree, since which time she’s enjoyed a boun- on the decisions I make.” many parts I perform in the play. As well as tiful career on stage and radio and in Regular performances with the Comedy Store Sarah, I play a prostitute, an old actress, a television and film. Players - a troupe of six who turn up at Lon- waitress and a can-can girl, so there’ll be lots So which does she enjoy most? don’s Comedy Store with ‘no script and not of different hats to wear...” “I love them all. My career trajectory hasn’t the faintest idea what will happen’ - are still a The winner of five Molière awards, Alexis followed any particular path. When I finished big part of Josie’s life. So what is it about im- Michalik’s critically acclaimed comedy con- Theatre College I did a lot of serious theatre. provisation - and her role with the Players - tinues to play to packed houses at the The- If I had to choose my first love, it would be that holds such appeal? atre du Palais-Royale in Paris. when I was playing someone who was mani- “It’s the best part-time job in the world and is cally depressed at the Donmar Warehouse ‘It’s a very funny ‘what if’ play,” Josie contin- so much fun to do. I’ve been part of the Com- with Peter Capaldi. It would’ve been in the ues. “It’s about how Edmond Rostand, the edy Store Players since 1985, on a Wednesday early to mid-’80s, and they were doing late- writer of Cyrano de Bergerac, got the idea to and a Sunday, and when I can’t do it - like night cabaret there. I stayed behind one night write his play. Everyone at the time thought it when I had to have two years off to perform because they were doing improv and needed wasn’t going to work because numerous with the Royal Shakespeare Company - they more girls, so I joined in. things kept going wrong, but when it was get guest performers in. Then, when I’ve fin- first performed at the Théâtre de la Porte “I then joined the Comedy Store Players, and ished the job, I come back again. It’s im- Saint-Martin in 1897, it received 40 curtain a producer came along who asked if I’d be in- mensely funny to do. I did the 30th birthday calls and the applause lasted for an hour. terested in doing this thing called Whose of Whose Line Is It Anyway at the Royal Al- Cyrano made Edmond a huge hero in France, Line Is It Anyway. I’m very thankful for that bert Hall. It sold out for three shows and we and here we have this slightly fictionalised because it made my name. It only used to played to about 17,000 people. It was like version of a young man - played by Freddie - take two weekends to film, and for the rest of being a rock star!” his journey, his woes and his success.” the year I would carry on doing my theatre work, but Whose Line Is It Anyway was what Midlands-born Josie is always happy to re- I became mostly known for. Edmond de Bergerac shows at The REP, turn to the region - and in particular to the Birmingham, from Friday 15 to Saturday Birmingham Repertory Theatre - to perform. “People immediately started to refer to me as 30 March. Comedy March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:18 Page 1

Comedy

Carl Hutchinson The REP, Birmingham, 9 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 23 March Observational comedian Carl Hutchinson makes a welcome return with a show that covers all manner of common-or-garden topics, from the challenges of buying a house to the experience of having kids. Prior to becoming a full-time standup, Carl spent some time as a maths teacher. ”There are certainly comparisons between the two professions,” says the popular Geordie comedian, “but the definite advantage with comedy is that if you have a bad gig, you can rest assured that you don't have to see the same audience the next day at 10am!”

Rhod Gilbert Ken Cheng Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sun 3 March; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 7 March; Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, Wed 6 Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 17 - Sat 18 May March; Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 3 May Welsh funnyman Rhod Gilbert has acquired a huge and still-growing following thanks to a There’s plenty more to Ken Cheng than a high-energy brand of grumpiness that marks him out as one of the top comedians of his standup comedy routine. The son of Chinese generation. With several sell-out UK tours to his name, the multi-award-winner is this immigrants in the UK, he not only earned a month returning to the Midlands with a brand new show. place at Cambridge to study mathematics, Rhod’s best-loved gags include: “In the Bible, God made it rain for 40 days and 40 nights. he also decided to drop out. He’s a profes- That’s a pretty good summer for Wales. That’s a hosepipe ban waiting to happen.” And “A sional poker player too, so even if the jokes spa hotel? It’s like a normal hotel, only in reception there’s a picture of a pebble.” dry up, his cash flow hopefully won’t. Ken won the Dave Funniest Joke of the Fringe award in 2017, beating the opposition with the gag: "I'm not a fan of the new pound Lucy Frederick Olga Koch coin, but then again, I hate all change.” Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 16 March Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 3 March Lucy Frederick is a comedian who tries not to set the bar too high for herself. Asked in The daughter of Mark Steel an interview what reaction she looks for in a former deputy Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Thurs 14 March; an audience, she replied: “Largely I look prime minister Evesham Arts Centre, Fri 29 March for laughter. But I will take smiling. Or not of Russia who “I started doing standup in 1982, around the grimacing. Beggars can’t be choosers.” went on to circuit of bizarre gigs,” recalls highly re- It’s in part this self-effacing attitude which become a game- garded writer and comedian Mark Steel. “I’d has seen Lucy make her way up the greasy show host and go on after jugglers and escapologists and comedy pole at an impressive rate of live in exile, people who banged nails into their ear. knots. She’s also got some very good gags Olga Koch re- Since then, I’ve spoken at lots of demonstra- and isn’t averse to bearing her soul - a fact counts the story tions, union meetings, protests and benefits which goes some way towards explaining of her father’s treatment at the hands of - and yet capitalism still seems to rule the why she’s called this latest show Even the country he once served with distinc- world. Maybe I’m a jinx!” More Naked. tion. In the process, she invites her audi- A well-established performer on the UK ence to join her on a journey through what comedy circuit, Mark’s CV includes the is essentially a family album by sharing a BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel Lectures for selection of home videos from her child- BBC Two, BBC One’s hood (as well as vintage clips of pro-Gor- Have I Got News For bachev TV adverts!). You and Radio An autobiographical show with a heavy Four’s News Quiz. dollop of espionage thrown in for good He visits the Mid- measure, this debut offering from Olga lands with his latest was nominated in the best newcomer cate- touring show, Every gory at last summer’s Edinburgh Comedy Little Thing’s Gonna Awards. Be Alright.

22 whatsonlive.co.uk Comedy March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:18 Page 2

Kieran Hodgson Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Wed 27 March; Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Thurs 28 March With the epic Brexit saga continuing to ex- cite and bore in equal measure, Kieran Hodgson here decides to take a stroll down memory lane and tell the tale of how Britain joined Europe in the first place. To do so, he returns to the decade that taste forgot and discovers that the 1970s were about way more than just ‘TISWAS, the colour brown and the words “Let’s go on strike again”’. A three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, character comedian Kieran has built an impressive reputation on the standup circuit and is well worth a look.

Podfest Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham, Sat 23 & Sun 24 March Birmingham Town Hall is this month host- podcast features YouTube and Instagram ing the city’s first ever Podfest. sensations Louise Pentland and Emma The brand new event will see an array of Conway - and Sofie Hagen with her Moh- podcasters bringing their expertise to the Pod (Made Of Human) podcast, in which stage in an exclusive set of live shows. the UK-based Danish comedian ‘sits down Contributors include Stuart Goldsmith, with a lovely person and talks about life’. whose Comedians Comedian shines a light Joe Lycett with panel game Do The Right on the joke-writing process, and Richard Thing, Sarah Millican and Beverley Knight Stephen Bailey Herring, who will be chatting with a sur- in the ‘by women for women’ Standard The Core Theatre, Solihull, Wed 20 March; prise guest from the city. Issue, and the ever-brilliant No Such Thing Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 23 Others taking part include Scummy Mum- As Fish complete the weekend line-up of March mies Helen Thorn and Ellie Gibson - whose shows. Potty-mouthed comedian Stephen Bailey may not be a household name but he’s certainly coming up fast on the tracks. Having supported Katherine Ryan and Jenny Éclair on sell-out UK tours, he’s now hitting the road with his own show, Our Kid. Describing himself as a ‘working-class, gin- ger, gay, northern comic’, Stephen has a black belt in tae kwon-do and freely admits to loving a conspiracy theory - preferably one involving a celebrity and a cucumber...

whatsonlive.co.uk 23 Killian Donnelly Les Mis.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:06 Page 1

24 whatsonlive.co.uk Killian Donnelly Les Mis.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:06 Page 2

Interview by Jenny Ell D Yo Hear

ThStorm the barricades! Peopl Les Misérables is returning Sin? to the Midlands... It’s been a whole decade since Les Misérables night and had a real swagger about him. He dents, plus five cameramen brought in about last visited the region, so to say that the pro- was a rock star! 20 minutes before the end of our call one day. duction’s springtime return to Birmingham We were stood on a purpose-built street in Hippodrome is eagerly anticipated would be Have you drawn inspiration from your Pinewood Studios and Tom asked us to tear something of an understatement. predecessors for your interpretation of the place apart and build a barricade. So in On the eve of the show opening in Manches- Jean Valjean? 20 minutes, we ripped doors and shutters off ter, Killian Donnelly, who stars as Jean Val- I think Michael Bublé said that when you their hinges, boosted each other up to get jean, chatted to us about all things Les take something from another performer, peo- into houses and pushed pianos out of win- Misérables ... ple call it stealing. But if you take something dows etc. We destroyed the place and from a bunch of other performers, it’s re- couldn’t believe we were running around and How does it feel to have made your way search! My Valjean is definitely a mixture of getting paid to do it! The production team through the Les Mis ranks, from starting Drew, a bit of Colm (Wilkinson) and John had built another barricade on a neighbour- as a swing to now playing Jean Valjean? Owen-Jones etc. ing sound stage, which was meant to come in I feel a lot of pressure but am loving every at the weekend, removing our makeshift one. You’ve performed in the stage show, the minute of it. Starting as a swing in 2008, I But ours was so good that they just put O2 anniversary concert and featured in looked up to the Valjeans of the day and screws and bolts into it to hold it together the film. Do you have a Les Mis highlight? asked them questions, but now I’m the one and used that for the film. As we built it with being asked questions! I just try to relay my With the O2 concert, I was excited to work our bare hands, I could say that I knew where experiences to them rather than saying, with James Powell, who’s our current tour di- that shutter came from, where that coffin “Well, when I played so-and-so…” It’s hard rector. I was able to see how he worked with came from or the elephant tusk that came not to do that, but it’s an incredible baton to a massive cast of 90, as opposed to a stan- from down the street there, on the right. Mo- be passed. I’m loving every minute of playing dard-size cast of thirtysomething. I played ments like that will never happen again, so it Jean Valjean - it’s just so surreal that I’m now Courfeyrac (one of the students) in the con- was very special. the older guy! cert, so it was a pleasure to watch James in Have you been able to watch the BBC TV action. Also, I managed to choose my mo- version of Les Misérables? Who was Jean Valjean when you started ment backstage to speak to Colm Wilkinson - with the production in 2008? the original London Valjean and a special I haven’t, but everyone’s saying how brilliant An American guy named Drew Sarich, who guest at the concert. He was so friendly, so it is. There was a moment the other day when brought rock to the role. Drew came to work encouraging, and asked me who I was play- I was flicking through channels and saw the smiling every day, and smashed it out of the ing in the show in town. I said Enjolras, and I part where Valjean was going to meet Thé- park at every performance. He didn’t go had long blonde hair down to my shoulders nardier and Thénardier attacks him. His round trying to inspire, he just naturally did. at the time. He said, “Well at least you’ve got whole gang pin Valjean down to a table, but Following him, there was Simon Bowman the hair for it!” It was nice Irish banter. with his strength, he pushes the gang off and and David Shannon, but I will never forget With the movie, my highlight was filming the puts a hot poker to his arm. I saw that and Drew. He gave the same performance on a barricade scenes. The director, Tom Hooper, thought it looked incredible. I’ve heard that Wednesday matinee as he did on a Saturday had 60 extras dressed as peasants and stu- Fantine’s story is stunning too and really whatsonlive.co.uk 25 Killian Donnelly Les Mis.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:06 Page 3

shows what I Dreamed A Dream is all about. Macintosh has said that he’s still blown away break between Leicester and Dublin, so I still Things you can’t do on stage, you can repli- by the passion which longstanding fans have had the Valjean look. When I put the boots cate on TV and in film, so I’m dying to see it. for the show. I don’t think people can under- back on, my lower back was the first thing to stand the power of Les Mis, especially in this go because I realised I didn’t have the body Do you have a favourite musical number version, until they see it. Also, I think people for it anymore! I had a bit of a Ned Kelly belly in the show, either to perform or listen to? want to experience the cinematic feel of this going on and my calves were in bits! How- Stars is the ultimate Les Mis moment for me. new production. ever, after about four or five hours walking Ever since I was 23 and standing at the side of around backstage, I got used to them again the stage watching Earl Carpenter sing it as Do you have an opinion about this new and muscle memory brought it back to me. Javert, it’s been a real pinch-me moment. I production of Les Mis replacing the origi- Other than looking in the mirror and seeing still have those moments today. One minute nal in the West End? It’s a decision that’s Valjean, I had to almost separate myself from I’m talking to Katie Hall (Fantine) backstage caused quite a stir... it and start being the English shoe salesman about our dogs, then she goes on stage to I didn’t realise what a ruckus it had created again. After finding a voice for Valjean, with sing I Dreamed A Dream and I think to my- until recently, when I heard about a petition my belly hanging out and needing to really self, “That’s Fantine in Les Mis!” Also, when I going round. When you compare the amount use my diaphragm, I had to go back to grab Fantine and Éponine’s hands towards of signatures on it to the fact that, in one singing Cyndi Lauper pop music as Charlie, the end of the show, I look at Tegan Bannister show, we perform the new version to 2,500 which is using my upper chest. The musical (Éponine) and think, “Wow, it’s Éponine!” audience members who’re on their feet at the director spent a long vocal session with me, These things will never escape me, and it in- end, I think people are generally commenting and by the end of it, Charlie was back. But spires me to love the show all over again. But on something that they don’t know the full after filming ended, I only had one day of rest the first moment for me was definitely Stars. facts about. You have to give new things a and then had to find Valjean’s voice again. Even now, when I hear our Javert, Nic Green- chance. Les Mis has always been a stunning It’s not like popping into one theatre and shields, belting it out over the tannoy, it’s production, but if you’re able to add to it with then another - it really strains you - but I just incredible. I’m a huge fan! new technology, why wouldn’t you? It’s got wouldn’t change it for the world. real colour, it’s fast-paced and is much You clearly still have an overwhelming darker. My mam is the first person to say she Are you looking forward to spending passion for the show... loves or hates something, but the one thing some time in Birmingham? That’s Drew Sarich again. Drew spoke so she said after watching this version was that I can’t wait! I went to Birmingham to see my highly of the show and loved every minute of the storytelling was a lot clearer. There have friend in Oliver! years ago, but I never got to it. I think even if you sound like a crazy fan, been standing ovations every night of the experience the city properly. When I got of- it’s important to love what you do. I don’t tour so far, so we’re really excited to visit fered the Les Mis tour, one of the main rea- work for a living because I get to perform Val- other UK venues and find out what the public sons I said an instant yes was so that I could jean in Les Mis every night. It’s the show that reaction is to the new version. see parts of the UK that I’d never seen before. keeps on giving, and once you get used to a When we get a proper sit-down for six weeks, moment, another one flashes up. Most recently you’ve been playing Charlie like we have in Birmingham, I’ll be able to in Kinky Boots, both in the West End and drive around with my dog and find different The last UK tour of Les Mis was 10 years on Broadway. Donning heels every night locations to take him for walks. Also, there ago, for the 25th anniversary. Why do you seems a far cry from the French Revolu- are so many people I know who’ve toured be- think it’s taken so long to get the show tion! Do you find it easy to switch from fore and who make suggestions about where back on the road? one character to another? to go, including bars to drink in and good I think it was about not sending it round No, not at all. It’s unlikely that I’ll perform in places to buy your coffee etc. I’m really look- again too quickly. It allowed things to settle, a concert or release an album because I like ing forward to it.” and when the producers decided to put an- to get lost in a character - as ‘actor-y’ as that other tour out, they knew that people would sounds. Whatever’s going on in my life, I can be hungry for it. The last time Les Mis was in filter it out in some way. Valjean is the biggest Les Misérables shows at Birmingham Dublin, for instance, was 23 years ago, with gift ever because he takes me through every Hippodrome from Tuesday 2 April to Colm Wilkinson, and it was the fastest-selling emotion. I had to go back and film the Saturday 11 May show at the venue this time around. Cameron screening for Kinky Boots in the Les Mis 26 whatsonlive.co.uk Killian Donnelly Les Mis.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:06 Page 4

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Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

War Horse Joey, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France at the beginning of the First World War. Joey’s subsequent adventures lead to him finding Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Wed 27 March - Sat 6 April himself alone in a no man's land. But Albert is in no mood to give up Described as ‘the theatrical event of the decade’ when it opened in the on his beloved companion, and sets out to find him and take him West End in 2009, War Horse has continued to garner great praise in home to Devon. the ensuing years. Based on Michael Morpurgo’s hugely popular 1982 The show returns to the Midlands having played to more than seven novel, it tells the story of a young man named Albert, whose horse, million people in 11 countries around the world.

Bound If My Father Only Knew ART Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thurs 14 March Tues 5 - Thurs 7 March Mon 18 - Sat 23 March Justice In Motion are the ensemble behind Charlie is a young man grieving the loss of Yasmina Reza's award-winning play revolves this thought-provoking work, a two-hour his mother, struggling in his relationship around a seemingly unremarkable painting production that ably fulfills the physical- with his father, and determined not to reveal and the major dispute it triggers between theatre company’s primary aim: to raise the secret with which he’s been living... three old friends - a dispute that uncovers awareness of social injustice through power- Birmingham writer Nathalie Bázan presents longstanding grievances and unspoken mis- ful and visually stunning theatre. her fifth show at the Old Joint Stock - and is understandings... Fusing dance, circus, music, poetry, parkour more than likely about to enjoy her fifth sell- Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson and Stephen and projection, the performers present three out success too. Tompkinson star. very different but equally shocking accounts Focusing on themes of identity, sex and of human trafficking. beauty in today's society, as well as the diffi- culties faced by young people wishing to ex- press their true self, the play was originally showcased as a devised performance at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 2017. Bázan established her theatre company, Lying Lips, five years ago, and has previously staged A Slave To Love, Billy Young: A Life On Death Row, The Virgin Marias and Kanada. So if you caught and enjoyed any or all of those previous productions, If My Fa- ther Only Knew is an absolute must-see.

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SamanthaSamantha WomackWomack Samantha Womack.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2019 10:51 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

Eastenders’ star rolls into the Midlands with The Girl On The Train

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Kunene And The King Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Thurs 21 March - Tues 23 April South African performer, activist and playwright John Kani has not only penned this brand new play, he’s also starring in it. The Black Panther actor is joined by Sir Antony Sher to tell the funny and moving story of two men from markedly different walks of life who are thrust together to reflect on a quarter- century of change in post-apartheid South Africa. “The play marks 25 years since the first democratic elections in South Africa,” explains Royal Shakespeare Company Artistic Director Gregory Doran. “John started to write the play when he was playing Caliban in 2009, opposite Antony as Prospero, in The Tempest, so we’re thrilled to be staging Kunene And The King’s world premiere.”

The Life I Lead Desert Island Flicks Crimes Under The Sun, this brand new show finds Belgian detective extraordinaire The REP, Birmingham, Mon 11 - Wed 13 March Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Sat 30 March Artemis Arinae embroiled in a challenging Quintessentially English gentleman actor Two women and some of cinema’s most murder-mystery while taking a cruise along David Tomlinson is best remembered for memorable scenes here combine to provide the Nile. Expect outrageous characters, playing Mr Banks in Mary Poppins - but away what’s being described as ‘a blockbuster ad- clever set pieces and a highly motivated cast from the screen, his own life featured more venture and rom-com rolled into one’. of four. than its fair share of difficulty and heart- The ladies in question reimagine, remake break... and spoof all manner of magic movie mo- “I was attracted to The Life I Lead firstly be- ments from timeless classics and modern- The 39 Steps cause of the character of Tomlinson himself,” day marvels. In the process, they present a New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, says standup comedian Miles Jupp, who’s production which they describe as existing Fri 8 - Sat 30 March starring in this touring version of James Ket- somewhere between a dance performance, a Anybody who remem- tle’s biographical stage comedy. “He was a sketch show, a night at the movies and an bers the various film man whose acting performances seemed ef- epic game of charades. versions of John fortless but which concealed a great skill be- Buchan's classic spy neath the surface. It’s a script that contains thriller will be hard- both comedy and moments of extraordinary Romeo & Juliet pressed to call any of sadness and pain, and I hope that I can do The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, them 'humorous'. So it's the play, and Tomlinson, justice.” Wed 13 - Sat 16 March a bit weird, to say the Widely regarded as Shakespeare’s fifth least, to think of Patrick tragedy, this story of a forbidden and secret Barlow’s stage version love tends to fair less well critically than the of the story having bagged the Olivier Award rest of the playwright’s high-profile works. Its for best new comedy. Nonetheless, that's ex- popularity is nonetheless ensured by its actly what it managed to do back in 2007, timeless themes and its regular appearance courtesy of some imaginative thinking on the as a study text on the National Curriculum. part of its creative team. The show is presented by the National Pro- So why not catch up with handsome hero duction Company. Richard Hannay as he battles to remain impressively stiff-upper-lipped in the face of Crimes On The Nile dastardly murders and life-threatening en- counters with double-crossing secret agents. Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 21 - Sat 23 March Oh, and there are some beautiful and myste- The ever-inventive New Old Friends make an- rious women involved too, so it's not all bad other welcome return to the Garrick stage news for our intrepid hero! with their latest splendidly inventive comedy Four fearless actors play no fewer than 120 thriller. The sister production to last year’s roles in this real gem of a show.

30 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre March new.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:53 Page 4 Kinky Boots.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2019 10:41 Page 1 LET’S GET

Kinky Boots struts ontoKinky! the Birmingham Hippodrome stage... Kinky Boots.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2019 10:42 Page 2

IN CONVERSATION WITH KAYI USHE

We caught up with West End star Kayi Ushe, who will be putting on the boots to play drag queen Lola when the show heads to Birmingham this month...

What’s the best thing about playing on. Be that men in dresses, women in Lola in Kinky Boots? miniskirts, people wearing their cul- Being able to sink my teeth into such a tural garb, people with tattoos…the multifaceted and exuberant character list goes on! every day is such an incredible experience. But I can honestly say the best How long does it take you to get thing about playing Lola is knowing into character - tell us about the how many people resonate with the process? character and feel empowered to be On an average day I get into work themselves after seeing the show. about 2 and a half hours before the show, usually to stretch and warm up. How easy is it for you personally to Then about 2 hours before the show relate to the character/ What’s your we start the makeup, which takes 45 personal experience of drag? minutes. Then there is company vocal I have no personal experience of drag. warm up and parish notices. After I've admired it from a distance as an that, it's back to the dressing room to art form and now having done it and add the costume, mics and the wig. I'll continuing to do it as this character, I usually sing a few bits from the show have a much deeper appreciation for and then head to the stage for my en- the holistically transformative art trance. form that it is. It’s really easy for me to personally relate to the character, and Did you have to have your boots I think that's what makes this part and made specially? this show so unique. We've all been All my heels were custom made by the oddball at some point in our lives Jodie Morrison, owner of “Steppin’ without realising that actually, odd- out”. I was fitted for them on my 30th ness and uniqueness is what makes us birthday in Chester as it was the only who we are. We shouldn't shy aware time that worked for all of us and I from it. was already there performing in rep at the Storyhouse. Give us 3 good reasons why people from the Midlands should bag One of the Kinky Boots sentiments themselves a ticket NOW!... is Be Someone’s Reason To Smile! - Everybody should come and see this what brings a smile to your face? show, it really is a show for all. Come Seeing audience members up on their and feel seen. Come and feel repre- feet and singing along at the end of sented. Come and let us raise you up! the show, it really is an incredible atmosphere that I feel so happy and Do you have a favourite one-liner grateful to be a part of. from the show? My favourite one liner in the show is “I'm not looking for you to say any- Kinky Boots shows at thing.” I think it's so poignant be- Birmingham Hippodrome from cause how I look, how I dress, how I Monday 11 to Saturday 23 March feel comfortable when I'm being me is not something I need your approval Theatre March new.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:54 Page 5

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

A Song At Twilight Malvern Theatres, Mon 25 - Sat 30 March Noel Coward’s A Song At Twilight was first performed in 1966 at London’s Queen's The- atre. The production not only marked the legendary actor/playwright’s farewell stage appearance - Coward played the semi-autobiographical role of Sir Hugo Latymer - but also a revival in his fortunes with the critics. "The most incredible thing has happened,” the playwright wrote in his diary. “Not only has A Song At Twilight opened triumphantly, but the press notices have on the whole been extremely good. Most particularly the Ex- press and the Evening Standard. Fortunately the Sun struck a sour note... which convinced me that I hadn't entirely slipped.” Simon Callow and Jane Asher star in this touring revival of the play, in which the old, rude and haughty Sir Hugo sees life take an unexpected turn with the arrival of an old flame...

Vulvarine: A New Musical Amy Ng’s Under The Umbrella is set in Rouse, Ye Women! Coventry and Guangzhou - the capital of Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 2 March; Old Guangdong province in southern China - and Artrix, Bromsgrove, Tues 5 March; Netherton Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 20 - Sat Arts Centre, Dudley, Thurs 7 March; Midlands 23 March is described by the playwright as ‘an explo- Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 8 March; Theatre ration of tradition, trauma and triumph in Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 31 March; Women intending to check out this brand the art of finding love’. Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, new musical comedy are advised to grab Tues 9 April; Cradley Heath Library, After its run at the Belgrade, the play will their tights, spanx and most supportive Thurs 18 April visit Poole, Liverpool and London. sports bra in preparation for an evening of fe- In 1910, the women chainmakers of the Black male superheroics. Country laid down their tools to strike for bet- The superhero in question is the astound- ter money. They were inspired to do so by ingly average Bryony Buckle, whose life charismatic union organiser Mary Reid seems to be heading nowhere fast. Until, that Macarthur, whose campaign struck a real is, a dose of hormone therapy gone wrong chord with the nation and led to the intro- and a well-timed bolt of lightning turn her duction of the minimum wage... into Vulvarine, the superhero saviour of all Townsend Theatre Productions are the com- womankind... pany behind this lively and informative show, revealing the horrors of sweated labour through a selection of rousing traditional songs and moving ballads. Truth Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wed 13 - Thurs 14 March In an era of fake news, what better time can there be to turn the spotlight on the (maybe) once-simple notion of ‘truth’? Singer-songwriter Helen Chadwick and Olivier Award-winning Steven Hoggett team Under The Umbrella up to present this thought-provoking evening Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, of song theatre, basing their production Sat 2 - Sat 16 March around a selection of real testimonies This Belgrade run marks the world premiere collected from across the world. “Some are of a play about a UK-based Chinese woman brutal, some hilarious,” says Helen, “but we whose grandmother fears she may be left ‘on intend that all are presented in a fresh and the shelf’. exhilarating style!”

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Theatre Theatre for younger audiences...

Dinosaur World Live Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Mon 18 & Tues 19 March; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 28 - Wed 29 May; Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 30 - Fri 31 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 13 - Sat 15 June Dinosaurs are once again roaming the earth this spring, thanks to this interactive family show. Youngsters get to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures - including, of course, every child's favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. A special meet-and-greet after the show offers brave explorers the chance to make a new dinosaur friend.

Animalcolm The Musical diel’s much-loved book. Malcolm’s family are wild about animals. Bridge House Theatre, Warwick, Malcolm himself, though, is less than im- Sun 31 March; Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 20 & Sun 21 April pressed. But when he goes on a school trip to a farm, he starts seeing his four-legged The award-winning Story Pocket Theatre ‘friends’ in an altogether different light... The Girl, The Bear present a stage adaptation of David Bad- And The Magic Shoes Birmingham Town Hall, Sat 16 March North Kirklees-based Creative Scene as part Tom Gates Live On Stage Not only a girl, a bear and some magic shoes of Arts Council England’s Creative People & but also mermaids, unicorns and a whole The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Places programme. The initiative funds pro- Wed 13 - Sat 16 March host of glittering characters are visiting Town jects in parts of the country where involve- Hall for this live draw-along session. Birmingham Stage Company makes a wel- ment in arts and culture is significantly Long-time Julia Donaldson collaborator and come return to present this brand new pro- below the national average. duction inspired by author and illustrator Liz award-winning illustrator Lydia Monks is in Pichon’s award-winning Tom Gates stories. attendance too, for a show that’s being pre- Liz’s series of books about the character have sented as part of Birmingham’s annual Book- been translated into 40-plus languages, sell- fest event. ing more than four million copies worldwide. “So far there are 15 books in the series, with the 16th due out this year,” says Liz. “But The Sooty Show there could be 17 books, or maybe more, if I Oakengates Theatre at The Place, Telford, have loads of other ideas!” Sat 9 March; Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, The new show, written especially for the Sat 20 April stage, finds young Tom doing his best to stay One of the 20th century’s best-loved chil- out of trouble and make sure he doesn’t miss dren’s characters makes a welcome return. the school trip. Bing Live! A simple glove puppet created by Harry Cor- bett almost 70 years ago, Sooty continues to Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 12 & Wed 13 March; The REP, Birmingham, Sat 6 - Sun go down a storm with generation after gener- Rabbit Girl & The 7 April ation of youngsters, impressively bucking the Search For Wonder Bing Live!’s promoters are confident that trend for far more sophistocated, high-tech their show is a perfect ‘first theatre trip’ for entertainment. Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, pre-schoolers and their families. And why Richard Cadell is the fella now operating Sun 31 March wouldn’t they be, given that it’s awash with Sooty and his longtime companions, Sweep Rabbit Girl and her dad pack their tent, head ‘fun, laughter, music and dressing-up’?... For and Soo, and is here joined by circus star out into the wilderness and share campfire those not in the know, the show is based on Michael Jordan and ultraviolet specialists tales of love, loss and wonder... an animated CBeebies television series. The Fantasie de la Nuit. Designed for children aged between four and stage production is visiting Shrewsbury for Expect magic, music, mayhem and plenty of eight, the production is presented by the the very first time. audience participation.

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Strip Advisor

The last chance to see them dance, Vicky Edwards gets the naked truth from the cast of The Full Monty as they embark upon the final tour of the show… The Full Monty.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2019 10:48 Page 2

It may be the last ever tour of this particular none of us know what the future holds.” clares James, while Andrew admits that he production, but it is the story that keeps on hates the rigmarole of searching for digs. Joe, Liz Carney who plays Jean is keen to chip in. giving. Originally an award-winning movie, nodding his head, chimes in: “It’s my first “It appeals to men and women of all ages and as a stage play The Full Monty has won both tour and finding accommodation is more from all classes. The girls in the play tell their awards and hearts. In fact, such is the show’s daunting than getting my kit off!” own story, so audiences connect with them popularity that as fast as one tour gets under- too.” “I’m not a veteran tourer like Andrew, and it way, producers David Pugh and Dafydd is difficult in the sense that I have three Rogers are compelled to map out the next. Playing Mandy, Amy Thompson voices her young children and I do like my own bed. Few shows can sustain that level of repeti- agreement, adding: “And the thing that I find That said, it’s great to absorb different towns tion. But then The Full Monty isn’t an ordi- really special is that it gets people coming to and cities,” says Louis, explaining that he nary show. the theatre who haven’t been before. “ and Andrew generally share digs, trying to “It is special,” insists Gary Lucy (famous for Well known for roles including Rhys in book places that will give them a daily walk playing Luke Morgan in Hollyoaks as well as Torchwood and Pete in Hollyoaks, Kai Owen into the theatre. for roles in EastEnders, The Bill, Footballers’ returns to the role of Dave and admits that he With most venues being return visits there Wives and as a Dancing on Ice winner) who loves the audience reaction. are some that the cast are especially looking plays Gaz. Having starred in almost every forward to revisiting. ‘Monty’ tour to date, he knows just how read- “They may start shouting at the start, but this isn’t Dream Boys or The Chippendales and as ily people fall for this funny, poignant and “Shrewsbury has a lovely theatre and is a soon as they realise that it is a story they set- bitter-sweet story. great little town,” Andrew tells me. The pub tle down. It is so well written that they get im- at the back of the theatre did such good busi- “People really love it. From proper theatrego- mersed and carried along until the end. Then ness last time we were there that the landlord ers in Cambridge to Blackpool hen parties, everyone goes crazy!” did the full Monty to celebrate!” everyone has an absolute ball. It is a gift of a A play that covers a huge range of modern is- role for me.” It sounds very much like the good publican sues – as well as unemployment themes in- should up the ante this time – rope in a few Louis Emerick, recently on our screens in clude financial insecurity, mental health, barmen to join him and then they can all Coronation Street, concurs. “This is the third divorce, sexuality and body image – the mix drop ‘em to raise money for a local charity, tour for me and it really is a special show. It is of comedy, pathos, warmth and sadness is perhaps? a great story that still resonates now. They perfectly balanced. are also a lovely company to work and travel “Good idea,” laughs Gary. with.” And then there are the bums and willies. There’s no way to pussy foot around the sub- The youngest member of company, sixteen- Telling the story of six out-of-work steelwork- ject of the boys getting naked, so I ask out- year-old Fraser Kelly is an old hand, having ers from Sheffield who put on a strip show to right: Is it absolutely terrifying? already been in the production previously. raise much-needed cash, the film went on to Telling me that they have been blessed with “I’m sure we’ll break Joe and James in gen- become one of the most successful British some excellent children playing the role of tly,” says Louis with a naughty grin, recount- movies of all time. Writer of both the screen- Nathan, the returning cast are unanimous ing the first day in 2014 when he first had the play and the stage script, Simon Beaufoy is that Fraser has something special. He in turn ‘undress’ rehearsal. also the talent behind The Hunger Games: can’t wait to embark on his first tour without Catching Fire and Slumdog Millionaire. Joe “We had only been rehearsing for three days needing to be formally chaperoned. Over the Gill (familiar to Emmerdale viewers as Finn and we hardly knew each other. But we did chorus of fond banter and mickey taking, he Barton) believes the play’s credibility is key it, although we all looked each other firmly in says: to its success. the eye! From then on it was pretty easy. It’s “I can’t wait to start. It is a privilege working much more of a man’s story in many ways “It is my first time on the show [he plays with such great people and great actors.” Lomper] but everyone knows how iconic it is and it is great when you see blokes in the au- and what a culture it has, so they come dience.” Ah, but are they great role models? knowing that they will enjoy it.” “It is done really well on stage, although you “No! He’s our role model” says Kai, as they Another ‘Monty’ virgin, James Redmond has do have to trust the lighting technicians, and all collapse into fits of giggles. some venues do have slow-closing curtains,” done lengthy stints in Hollyoaks and Casu- The last word goes to Gary: “There is no bet- chuckles Andrew, best known for playing alty but has never toured in a stage play be- ter show on the road. Come along and I’ll Tony in TV’s Dinnerladies. fore. However, that doesn’t stop him prove it to you.” recognising the show’s broad appeal. That sounds like a challenge, Mr Lucy. And “We can all relate to it and it is very moving. Talking of different venues, the tour schedule one that I am delighted to accept. The poverty these guys lived in; Maggie is so full that it gives me motion sickness just Thatcher encouraged them to buy their coun- reading it. cil houses and then closed the steelworks so The Full Monty will show at Theatre “I’ve been on stand-up circuit for nine years they were desperate. It’s a heart-warming Severn, Shrewsbury Monday 4 - Saturday and I do like to explore and learn about story that still feels relevant today. Because 9 March half of us voted remain and half voted leave where I am. I am looking forward to it,” de- Emma Rice.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:19 Page 1

WISE CHILDREN Emma Rice talks about her stage adaptation of Angela Carter’s final novel Emma Rice.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2019 15:19 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre next month presents a stage adaptation of Angela Carter’s novel, Wise Children - produced by a theatre company that’s also called Wise Children! What’s On caught up with Artistic Director Emma Rice to find out more...

Showbiz, sex, scandal and family drama lie what my lead characters say all the way ally looking forward to it!” at the heart of Wise Children, the late Angela through the play. Organising Wise Children as an ensemble Carter’s final novel. Emma Rice’s theatre “Nora and Dora are just fantastic birds! Top theatre company was an absolute no-brainer company of the same name is next month birds, as I like to call them! They work hard. for Emma: “Ensemble theatre is what I’ve presenting a stage adaptation of the book at They talk a lot about being illegitimate in done all my life. I trained quite classically as the Coventry Belgrade. Indeed, Wise Children every way throughout the play. They were an actor at the Guildhall, and then went on to will be Wise Children’s debut production! born on the poor side of the tracks and have do a lot of work in children’s theatre using “I’ve loved Angela Carter’s work for many, really grafted through showbusiness the hard storytelling forms where you work very many years,” says Artistic Director Emma. “I way. They’re not completely identical twins. tightly as a company. Then I spent some time previously did an adaptation of Nights At The Dora has got secrets in her past and is much in Poland and very much worked in an en- Circus, so have been thinking about doing more guarded and sharp than Nora, while semble, and spent some time doing chorus Wise Children for a long time. I was certainly Nora is very emotional. With the Chance work. I think ensemble is just the way I like thinking about putting it on at The Globe be- twins, we really go through their history in its to work. Everybody’s on stage all the time, fore I left the post of artistic director there. entirety - their loves, their losses and the everybody tells the story, everybody sings, After I’d had artistic differences with the abuses that they suffer. Yet throughout, everybody dances, and that’s just where my board at The Globe, I decided to start my own they’re such good fun and are never victims. whole career and practice has led to. I never theatre company so that I could work for my- They’re always joyful, irreverent and, actu- like choosing a famous play and just sticking self and have complete creative licence. So ally, very sexy. We initially meet them when a famous person in it. The focus for me is to when I woke up with a clean slate in front of they’re 75 and they’re still sexy and full of find a great story and a great ensemble to tell me, I already knew I was going to do this sauciness!” it.” piece. It’s really a love letter to theatre, so it Emma made the decision to be fluid in terms She has high hopes for the future of the com- felt perfect for me at this time. With this of age, gender and race when casting Wise pany: “I just hope we make fantastic, positive piece, I could celebrate theatre, the family of Children: “I just made the decision straight theatre that enhances the lives of the audi- choice that is theatre, and all the work, the away that to cast a type for a lot of the char- ence and those in the company creating it, highs and the lows that is theatre. I thought acters in this play would be so narrowing. and that we also train the next generation of Wise Children would be perfect for the com- Imagine how hard it would be to find two 75- brilliant artists at the same time.” pany name as well. I’m at a time in my life year-old women who look alike and could where I need to be really smart and clever Emma is very secretive about what she has in sing and dance! Honestly, when you’re telling with the direction I take myself in, but at the the pipeline for Wise Children: “I do have stories, the audience will go anywhere with same time I don’t want to lose that joy in the- specific plans, but they’re secret, so I’m not you. Anything is possible. It didn’t matter atre which is almost like childhood inno- going to tell you! I have the next four years what gender, what background, what race cence. I thought that me being a wise child planned out, but I’m not going to tell anyone anybody I cast was from. So I’ve gone for a and my company being Wise Children was just yet.” completely diverse company where each per- just perfect.” son is cast because of their spirit, and it just So why does she think people should visit the Wise Children closely follows the trials, tribu- works. The audience doesn’t for a minute Belgrade next month to see Wise Children? lations and triumphs of theatrical twins Nora start separating men and women. We tell “The show is a celebration of theatre. It’s and Dora Chance. Emma explains why she them what gender each character is, what funny, full of music, and is really a modern thinks their story makes for such good the- their relationship to each other is, and the Shakespeare full of twists and turns, knots, atre: “I think Wise Children really encapsu- audience just believe it because the actors are twins and cases of mistaken identity. But ulti- lates why people go to the theatre - the so brilliant.” mately, it’s a show about endurance, joy and glamour, the sawdust, the threat! It’s a crack- hope.” The Belgrade is one of only two venues where ing good story. We’ve really put time and care Emma herself will be taking to the stage as into our characters, and we go through an in- Nora - but it seems she didn’t have much tense history with them that’s very theatrical. choice in the matter: “The actor who’s play- It really sends the audience out into the ing Nora couldn’t do the last two dates, so the world afterwards feeling positive about their Wise Children shows at Coventry’s choice was either to get somebody else or for ability to endure hardship, and feeling aware Belgrade Theatre from Tuesday 2 to me to do it. So I thought I would, and I’m re- of what a joy it is to dance and sing, which is Saturday 6 April. Dance March 2019-2-2.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:16 Page 1

Dance

Juliet And Romeo The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 14 March Ben Duke and Lost Dog’s brilliant dance-theatre piece has been showered with praise by audiences and critics alike - and little wonder. Clever, sexy and utterly absorbing, it takes the story of Romeo & Juliet as told by William Shakespeare and steers it in an altogether different direction - one in which the star-crossed lovers survive into middle age, only to find that familiarity has started to breed a level of con- tempt. Their passion having subsided, the couple find themselves re-living and re-assessing the key moments in their shared history - an exercise that leads them to some stagger- ing and unexpected conclusions... “At the point that this piece is set, Romeo and Juliet are in something of a marital crisis,” explains choreographer Ben Duke. “Basically they love each other and sometimes they wish the other one were dead. The bloom of teenage romance has faded but it haunts them... “I was inspired to make this piece by a feeling that we aren’t all that honest about relationships in our culture, and that too many stories focus on how relationships start rather than how they continue. My hope is that audiences will take away a sense of realistic optimism about the state of their relationships - past, present or future.”

Here Come The Girls Fagin’s Twist Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 30 March; Wed 13 & Thurs 14 March Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sun 23 June; Lichfield Garrick, Sun 30 June “I’ve always been excited by the idea of Strictly stars Dianne Buswell and Amy Dow- retelling a popular tale,” says Tony Adigun, den are here joined by one-time Britain’s the artistic director of innovative hip-hop and Got Talent semi-finalist Chloe Hewitt for a contemporary dance company Avant Garde. “I show that blends individual performances wanted to add a mischievous twist that would and group numbers. play with and challenge the audience’s per- Featuring a mix of ballroom and Latin rou- spectives of a much-loved classic.” tines, the production has been choreo- The classic to which he refers is Charles Dick- graphed by another Strictly dancer, Patrick ens’ Oliver Twist, which Adigun and his com- Helm. pany are here reimagining. The piece delves deep into the back-stories of the novel’s most prominent characters: Oliver, Fagin, Bill, Nancy and the Artful Dodger. “We’ve exam- KOKO ined the relationships between the five of them,” explains Adigun. “The back-stories will Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Sat 16 March allow the dancers who’re playing these dy- ‘KOKO is a piece which revolves around se- namic people to be engrossed by the charac- quins and sadness,’ explain Fin Projects of ters and to really embody the roles.” their brand new production. ‘There’s an unrav- elling of muchness through a bizarre and gar- ish fantasy, where she becomes he and he becomes she. ‘Featuring eclectic music, a weird topia of dys- functional feelings embodies a party of self- understanding. Struggling to balance comfort into one person, the ghosts of the past visit, represented through a single ever-changing character, depicting and directing the revela- tions of inner-self until he is deconstructed, the real flesh and bones, an extravagant mess.’ whatsonlive.co.uk 35 Pepperland Online .qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:28 Page 1

Pepperland The internationally acclaimed Mark Morris Dance Group pay tribute to The Beatles' groundbreaking album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

36 whatsonlive.co.uk Pepperland Online .qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:28 Page 2

by Roz Laws

It’s probably the most iconic album ever rock and pop music by everyone from David Sgt Pepper has a wide range of musical styles made and is still a much-loved bestseller, 50 Bowie and Nirvana to Black Sabbath and - from psychedelic and Indian to music hall - years on. Pink Floyd. I know Mark liked our version of and Pepperland has a nod to them all. So it’s a brave man indeed who dares to med- Blondie’s Heart Of Glass. I had experience of Ethan’s six original pieces are based on the dle with Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club looking at material in a way that’s intriguing classical forms of Allegro, Scherzo, Adagio Band. As composer Ethan Iverson admits: and trying to do something new with it, and the blues, and take their cue from spe- “There’s nothing potentially more terrible which is what I’ve done with Sgt Pepper. cific parts of the album. than a Beatles’ covers project.” “It’s important to note that Pepperland isn’t For example, a single line of trombone from Thankfully he’s pulled it off, and his innova- like a Beatles’ concert and people shouldn’t Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is tive score is far from terrible. He provides the expect that. Their music is the fundamental turned into a fully-fledged sonata for the Al- music for Pepperland, a production from the backbone of the piece, but the album now is legro section, while a chord progression be- acclaimed Mark Morris Dance Group. essentially a piece of folk music. We take lib- comes a cat-and-mouse chase for erties with it like we would with Twinkle The New York-based contemporary company harpsichord and piano in the Scherzo sec- Twinkle Little Star, pieces we know so well was asked to create the piece by the City of tion. but can change. Liverpool to mark the 50th anniversary of Sgt “The first thing we hear on the album is a Pepper. “It’s a hit show and audiences love it, though guitar blues lick, which I expanded into a there are still one or two people who don’t Pepperland made its debut in May 2017, with blues piece for horns. I know Mark so well quite get it because they’re expecting a Beat- one critic describing it as a “truly joyous, cel- that while I was composing, I kept thinking les’ show. Instead The Beatles open a door to ebratory work of art”, and is now embarking of dance moves he could put to it. It was like thinking about other things, like dance and on a seven-week international tour, including giving him a softball and saying, ‘Go on, the Swinging ’60s. 11 UK dates presented by Dance Consortium. knock this one out of the park!’ Of course, the “The score is played by these remarkable jazz choreography didn’t really turn out like that.” Frequently at the top of lists of the greatest musicians, the best in the world. They need albums of all time, and described by Rolling Ethan is a self-confessed anglophile who is to be, as it’s an incredibly complicated Stone magazine as “the most important rock very much looking forward to the UK tour. album. Your average bar band couldn’t play & roll album ever made”, Sgt Pepper is “I grew up watching the BBC. I’m a huge fan covers from it. It’s almost symphonic in packed with Beatles’ hits. of Agatha Christie, and as a child I was ob- scope.” Ethan intersperses his own arrangements of sessed with Doctor Who. I really like the com- Ethan, 45, is a pianist in Pepperland’s half-a- With A Little Help From My Friends, A Day In position of the new theme tune. dozen-strong ensemble, which includes The Life, When I’m Sixty-Four, Within You “I’ve been to England a lot and love your voice, saxophone, percussion, trombone and Without You, Penny Lane and the title track music. I wouldn’t say The Beatles were the organ, plus the more unusual instruments of with six original Pepper-inspired pieces. best British band ever, but I do think the best harpsichord and theremin. Speaking from his New York home, the tal- rock has been made by British bands. “Part of the commission was a request to in- ented pianist said: “When Mark Morris called “I had to come on the tour. It’s a thrill-and-a- clude an electronic element. They probably me to say he’d been asked to create a piece on half to be part of Pepperland, and as long as wanted a DJ or hip-hop sampling, but trying Sgt Pepper and would I like to compose the they perform it, I want to do it. It’s a really to do the latest thing felt forced. So I went for music, I realised what a daunting project we fun show. There’s a certain amount of dark- the first electronic instrument, which is were taking on. It could be awful, but Mark’s ness, but it’s a very joyful piece. At the end nearly 100 years old. Invented by Leon such a genius that I thought I could do it with we feel good, and I hope the audience does Theremin in the 1920s, it’s incredibly difficult him. too. to play it well and it requires a particular type “The album is a favourite record of mine from of genius. “It’s a soul-destroying, dark time out there in high school. They made a masterpiece, really. some ways, but Pepperland has no political “I’d listened to this wonderful theremin It has that kind of weight, and each new gen- commentary whatsoever. It’s joy for joy’s player, Rob Schwimmer, playing Bach’s Air eration discovers it with awe. sake, an escape which takes you to another On A G String. It was one of the most beauti- place.” “I was Mark Morris’s musical director for five ful things I’d ever heard, and it made me cry. years around the turn of the century and I really wanted to work with him, and Pep- played hundreds of performances with him. I perland was the perfect opportunity. quit that wonderful job to become a jazz pi- “When Rob starts to play our version of A Day anist with my own band, The Bad Plus, but In The Life on the theremin, it stops the kept in touch with Mark. Pepperland shows at Birmingham show. It’s a heck of a moment which makes Hippodrome on Tuesday 26 “We became known for our reconstruction of the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.” & Wednesday 27 March.

whatsonlive.co.uk 37 Film March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 15:21 Page 1 Film March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 15:21 Page 2

Film

Captain Marvel CERT tbc (128 mins) Starring Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, Jude Law Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (USA) After Patty Jenkins steered Wonder Woman to box-office glory in the summer of 2017, it made sense to get a woman on board the next female superhero behemoth. Well, at least one-half of the directorial team of Boden and Fleck is female and, to be fair, they do tend to work together. This is the story of Carol Danvers, a bright spark and former US Air Force fighter pilot who, when her DNA is accidentally merged with that of an alien race, finds that she can fly and is much stronger than she used to be. Perfect, then, to help out when Earth is threatened by the repercussions of two extraterrestrial species battling each other to the death. Incidentally, Birds Of Prey, the Harley Quinn movie with Margot Robbie, is also being directed by a woman, Cathy Yan. Released Fri 8 March EDITOR’S CHOICE

Film highlights released in March...

The Aftermath CERT tbc (108 mins) Serenity CERT tbc (106 mins) What They Had Starring Keira Knightley, Alexander Skarsgård, Starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne CERT 15 (101 mins) Jason Clarke Hathaway, Jason Clarke, Diane Lane, Dji- Directed by James Kent (UK/USA/Germany) mon Hounsou, Jeremy Strong Starring Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Directed by Steven Knight (USA) Robert Forster, Blythe Danner, Taissa Farmiga, Josh Lucas Shades of Double Indemnity and Body Directed by Elizabeth Chomko (USA) Heat here as a woman approaches a man to help knock off her abusive husband. The twist is that the man she approaches is her former husband, the skipper of a fishing boat. From the co-creator of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Released Fri 1 March

Based on the 2013 novel by Rhidian Brook, this drama sees an English woman (Keira What they had was a life together, but when Knightley) move into a Hamburg house still Ruth Everhardt develops Alzheimer's, her occupied by its owner, a German widower husband must learn to say goodbye to the (Alexander Skarsgård) and his daughter. It is woman he has always known and loved. Keira’s husband, a British colonel (Jason Premiered at the Sundance festival last year, Clarke), who is tasked with helping to rebuild the film received glowing reviews from Amer- Hamburg after the Second World War. ican critics. Released Fri 1 March Released Fri 1 March whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Film March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 15:21 Page 3

Film

Miss Bala CERT 15 (104 mins) Rosie CERT 12a (84 mins) The Prodigy CERT 15 (92 mins) Starring Gina Rodriguez, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Starring Sarah Greene, Moe Dunford, Natalia Starring Taylor Schilling, Jackson Robert Scott, Anthony Mackie, Aislinn Derbez Kostrzewa Colm Feore, Paul Fauteux, Brittany Allen Directed by Catherine Hardwicke (USA/Mexico) Directed by Paddy Breathnach (Ireland) Directed by Nicholas McCarthy (USA) When her landlord sells her Dublin flat, Rosie Davies (Sarah Greene) must learn what it means to be homeless. From an original screenplay by Roddy Doyle. Released Fri 8 March

A remake of the Mexican film of the same name, this action-thriller stars Gina Ro- Young Miles may be a child prodigy but when driguez (Deepwater Horizon) as a make-up he starts to exhibit more disturbing be- artist from Los Angeles who visits her friend haviour, his mother (Schilling) suspects that Suzu in Tijuana. When the latter is kid- evil forces are at play. Expect some “disturb- napped by a Mexican drug cartel, our heroine ing and bloody images.” takes the law into her own hands… Released Fri 15 March Released Fri 1 March Fisherman’s Friends CERT 12a (112 mins) What Men Want Everybody Knows CERT 15 (117 mins) CERT 15 (113 mins) Starring Daniel Mays, James Purefoy, David Hayman, Dave Johns, Tuppence Middleton, Starring Taraji P Henson, Starring Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Ri- Noel Clarke Directed by Chris Foggin (UK) Aldis Hodge, Richard cardo Darín, Bárbara Lennie Roundtree, Wendi Directed by Asghar Farhadi Not a film about the menthol lozenges, but a McLendon-Covey, Tracy (Spain/France/Italy) true story in which a group of Cornish fisher- Morgan Directed by Adam Shankman (USA) Returning to Spain for her sister’s wedding, men regularly get together to sing sea Buenos Aires native Laura (Cruz) is con- shanties. What they didn’t expect was an ex- A vague remake of the Mel Gibson romcom fronted by bruising secrets from her past. ecutive from Universal Records to show a What Women Want (2000), this comic fantasy From the Iranian director of the Oscar-win- commercial interest in their music. sees a struggling sports agent (Henson) dis- ning A Separation (2011) and The Salesman Released Fri 15 March cover the ability to read men’s thoughts. (2016). Shiver her timbers. Released Fri 8 March Released Fri 15 March Girl CERT 15 (109 mins) Starring Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter, Ben Is Back CERT 15 (103 mins) The Kindergarten Teacher Katelijne Damen Directed by Lukas Dhont (Bel- CERT 12a (97 mins) gium/Netherlands) Starring Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Court- ney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton Starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Directed by Peter Hedges (USA) Anna Baryshnikov, Rosa Salazar, Michael Chernus, Gael García Bernal Not a million miles from the subject of Beau- Directed by Sara Colangelo (USA) tiful Boy, this drama focuses on a mother Films about child prodigies always make for (Julia Roberts) attempting to reconcile her interesting viewing, but this one takes an un- son’s drug addiction. Lucas Hedges, from Boy expected route. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the Erased, is Ben and is the son of the writer-di- eponymous teacher who discovers a prodi- rector Peter Hedges. gious literary bent in a boy in her charge. Released Fri 15 March Released Fri 8 March

Lara, 15, is undergoing hormone replacement therapy and dreams of being a ballerina... Inspired by the story of Nora Monsecour, a trans female dancer from Belgium, the film won the Caméra d'Or at Cannes last year. Released Fri 15 March

40 whatsonlive.co.uk Film March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 15:21 Page 4

Film highlights released in March...

Us CERT tbc Starring Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisa- beth Moss, Tim Heidecker Directed by Jordan Peele (USA) Well, there’s us and then there’s them. Here, the ‘them’ are doppelgängers and they are very threatening indeed. From the writer-director of modern horror classic Get Out. Released Fri 22 March

The White Crow CERT 12a (127 mins) Starring Oleg Ivanko, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Chulpan Khamatova, Ralph Fiennes Directed by Ralph Fiennes (UK/France) CRITIC’S CHOICE Inspired by Julie Kavanagh’s book Rudolf Nureyev: The Life, this biography of the leg- And, like Roald Dahl, he seems to have endary ballet dancer is scripted by Sir David Dumbo CERT tbc Hare. It marks Ralph Fiennes’ third directo- tapped into a different kind of ‘family- Starring Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, friendly’ audience. Here, he takes the clas- rial outing, following Coriolanus (2011) and Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Alan Arkin, The Invisible Woman (2013). Roshan Seth, Finley Hobbins, Nico Parker sic Disney cartoon of 1941 and gives it his Directed by Tim Burton (USA) own inimitable, live-action spin. Released Fri 22 March An elephant with outsize ears is able to fly And this is just the first of three live-action ("The ninth wonder of the universe! The remakes of animated Disney classics to be world's only flyin' elephant!") and is the released this year, preceding Aladdin and star attraction of a circus that subse- The Lion King. quently falls into the hands of a dastardly Thandie Newton's daughter, Nico Parker, entrepreneur (Michael Keaton). co-stars as Dumbo’s little friend, Milly. Tim Burton is still one of the most anar- Released Fri 29 March chic, top-dollar filmmakers working today.

Captive State CERT 12a (110 mins) At Eternity’s Gate Starring John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, CERT 12a (111 mins) Jonathan Majors, Colson Baker, Vera Farmiga Directed by Rupert Wyatt (USA) Starring Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen, Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle The state in question is our own planet in the Seigner, Oscar Isaac, Amira Casar future, when it has been occupied by an alien Directed by Julian Schnabel force seeking a (USA/UK/France) peaceful unifica- Willem Dafoe received an Oscar nomination. But even now, tion for his portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh in a Chicago neigh- in this biopic from the American painter bourhood, there and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. The film are collaborators focuses on the artist’s last years in the and dissenters. South of France. Oscar Isaac plays Paul Released Gauguin. Fri 29 March Released Fri 29 March

whatsonlive.co.uk 41 Kidtropolis feature 2.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 08:50 Page 1

42 whatsonlive.co.uk Kidtropolis feature 2.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 08:50 Page 2

by Lauren Foster Cid s Pa Kidtropolis returns to Birmingham’s NEC for a second year running

Not sure where to take the kids during the friend get dancing - and appearances by TV Easter holidays? Fear not, for popular royalty Sam and Mark, who’ll be hosting their children’s event Kidtropolis is returning to very own live show on the Saturday and Sun- Birmingham’s NEC for a second year. day. Packed full of live shows, activities, much- Also announced for this year is a 200ft-long loved brands, characters and entertainment, inflatable assault course that allows children this year’s event is taking place from to venture through a number of different and Saturday 13 to Monday 15 April. imaginative zones, including the Arctic and a jungle. Founder Gemma Gallagher launched Kidtropolis in London in 2016. She has since Kidtropolis events are aimed at children aged organised a further two events in the capital, 12 and under, as Gemma explains: “We say 12 as well as last year’s sell-out show in Brum. because we do get a lot of parents asking if older siblings can come along too. We do So what was the idea behind the event?... recommend that people look at the website to “We really wanted to produce a great experi- see what’s on before they purchase a ticket. ence full of lots of activities and shows which Ultimately, it’s up to the parents to decide was cost-effective to attend. Days out are whether it’s appropriate for their child. generally expensive and there aren't many “People have asked us why we don’t zone our family experiences which are affordable.” events as a three-year-old zone, a five-year- Tickets for Kidtropolis cost £12, and visitors old zone etc, and that is purely down to can currently take advantage of a limited visitor experience. If mum or dad is on her or ‘buy one get one half-price’ adult offer. his own with two children of completely different ages, it would be harder to manage. “Kidtropolis is an amalgamation of inflata- We like our content to be presented in a way bles, rides, different brand activities, live that means everyone can enjoy it at the same shows, character meet-and-greets and more. time. We try to bring in lots of different We like to give families the opportunity to content related to all age groups. meet celebrities too. It’s a bit different to a festival, as there’s no overnight camping, but “Kidtropolis isn’t just about putting inflata- it’s a very similar mechanic. Luckily for us, it bles into an event or putting live shows in the doesn’t matter what the weather’s like, as auditorium, it’s about putting exciting and we’re located indoors. We don’t need to worry fun content on the showfloor too, so that if it’s raining, and obviously the price is a lot when people are walking past, they can see different to what a festival ticket would cost. something that they might not have realised We saw a gap in the market to create some- was on - something that families can all thing that families could enjoy together, with enjoy together; an immersive experience. lots of different things going on for different It’s all about the atmosphere. We try and age groups, all under one roof. We then book lots of things that appeal to different decided to branch out into Birmingham be- people - things that are entertaining as well cause it’s pretty central. Travel-wise it’s great; as hands-on, so that the whole family can get the NEC is very accessible as a venue, so it involved together.” seemed completely sensible to host it there.” Kidtropolis takes place at Birmingham’s Attractions at the 2019 edition of Kidtropolis NEC from Saturday 13 to Monday 15 April. include a Baby Shark live mini show on the For further information, visit Saturday - in which Pinkfong and his best kidtropolis.co.uk/birmingham/tickets/

whatsonlive.co.uk 43 Visual Arts March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:15 Page 1

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Painting Childhood: From Holbein To Freud Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Sat 16 March - Sun 16 June This celebration of children, childhood and innocence brings together a selection of iconic paintings, sketches and sculptures. Painting Childhood: From Holbein To Freud explores the creative process and specific challenges posed by producing artwork featuring children as the subject matter. It also contemplates the place of family within an artist’s life, and the ongoing tension between biography and creativity. Addressing themes such as royal portraiture, play and learning, the exhibition features loans from, among other venues and sources, the Royal Collec- tion and the National Gallery. Hogarth, Gainsborough and Millais are among the artists whose work is featured.

Birmingham @WHATSONBRUM Wolverhampton @WHATSONWOLVES Shropshire @WHATSONSHROPS staffordshire @WHATSONSTAFFS Worcestershire @WHATSONWORCS warwickshire @WHATSONWARWICKS

44 whatsonlive.co.uk Visual Arts March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:15 Page 2

Visual Arts

Handsworth Self-Portrait: 40 Years On Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 23 March - Sun 2 June A groundbreaking ‘selfie’ project in 1979 saw Derek Bishton, Brian Homer and John Reardon create a pop-up photography studio in Birming- ham’s Handsworth area, inviting passers-by to take their own photograph by handing them the shutter release. More than 500 people participated in the project, which is here being celebrated 40 years on. Offering a snapshot of a vibrant, multicultural community at the moment it first became visi- ble, the exhibition features the original photo- graphic prints, many of which have never before been on public display.

Tess Jaray The Barber Institute, University of Birmingham, until Sun 12 May The celebrated Art Deco architecture of the Barber Institute of Fine Arts provides the inspiration for From Outside, the Tess Jaray exhibition currently showing at the venue. One of the UK’s most distinguished living artists, Tess uses the show to continue her career-long meditation on space, colour, form and pattern, presenting minimal, abstract compositions in subtle shades of green, blue, buff and pink. A selection of drawings made by Tess throughout her career accompanies the exhibition, not only shedding light on her method of work but also demonstrating her interest in experimentation and her meticulous eye for detail. A display of 1930s photographs and architectural blueprints of the Barber further complements the exhibition.

Make Art Not War sponse. The artwork on show in this exhibition has been produced by students Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Sat 23 - Sun 31 March at City of Wolverhampton College, the Midlands’ chosen representatives for the ‘What does peace mean to you?’ project. Make Art Not War is being pre- That was the question asked of young sented by 14-18 NOW, a major cultural people nationwide, who were invited to programme designed to mark the cente- present their answer via a creative re- nary of the First World War.

Leonardo da Vinci: extraordinary artist. Daniel Silver None of the 12 drawings on display at A Life In Drawing BMAG have ever before been seen in New Art Gallery, Walsall, until Sun 2 June Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham. The exhibition is Juxtaposing existing works and new pieces - in- until Mon 6 May accompanied by a series of talks and cluding a series of mannequins presenting links Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s tours, as well as a programme of events between the classical and contemporary depic- (BMAG) display of 12 drawings by aimed at ‘bringing to life’ Leonardo’s tion of the human body - Daniel Silver’s New Art Leonardo da Vinci forms part of a techniques, to enhance visitors’ Gallery exhibition is his most ambitious in the nationwide event to mark the 500th appreciation of the drawings on show. UK to date. anniversary of the artist’s death. The display not only celebrates the venue’s long- Featuring a total of 144 of the Renaissance standing commitment to sculpture but also master's greatest artworks, drawn from the marks the 60th anniversary of the death of Royal Collection and displayed in 12 sculptor Jacob Epstein. The gallery has a strong simultaneous exhibitions across the connection with Epstein via his widow, Lady country, A Life In Drawing provides the Kathleen, whose family hailed from the Black widest-ever UK audience with the Country and who gifted the Garman Ryan collec- opportunity to see the work of a truly tion to Walsall in 1973. whatsonlive.co.uk 45 Events March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:29 Page 1 Events March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:30 Page 2

Events previews from around the region Events

Robot Day Coventry Transport Museum, Sat 9 March A major science & technology event aimed at everyone from tod- dlers to academics, Robot Day explores ‘all things robotic’. Visitors to the free get-together have the chance to build their own robot, get hands-on with coding, hear from experts about how robots improve people’s lives and experience virtual reality. Bomb disposal, industrial robot and drone displays also feature, as does a specially created performance in which Imagineer Produc- tions’ six-metre-high Lady Godiva engages with the Urban Astronaut and the Hummingbird drone. Other attractions include craft and Yonex All England Open sport’s oldest and most prestigious competi- dance workshops, a range of static tion. This latest edition of the championship and moving exhibits, and inspira- Badminton Championships features 155 matches, more than 50 hours of live tional talks and lectures from Arena Birmingham, Wed 6 - Sun 10 March badminton and appearances by the world’s some of the world’s leading robotics experts. Now in its 109th year, Yonex is one of greatest players. In short, it’s a must-attend badminton’s five ‘majors’, as well as being the event for dedicated fans of the sport... Crufts NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 March Practical Classics Classic Pit Stop Car & Restoration Show Enginuity, Ironbridge, Sat 9 & Sun 10 March NEC, Birmingham, Fri 22 - Sun 24 March Ironbridge Gorge Museums have partnered with the University of Wolverhampton Race Team to stage this high-energy family event. Including four interactive sessions based around engineering, racing and science, the show’s highlights include a talk by Shane Kelly about his life as a Formula 3 race driver. There’s also a wealth of hands-on activities to enjoy, including the chance to change a racing- car tyre and the opportunity to try out Forensic, The world’s biggest dog show is Biology & Physics STEM (science, technology, en- back. With over 22,000 canine gineering & maths) experiments. companions competing for the coveted title of Best In Show, the event features a range of displays and competitions across its four days. Midlands classic car enthusiasts can really Away from the arena, there are immerse themselves in their passion at this more than 550 trade stands to ex- specialist event. Featuring in excess of 1,000 plore, a Good Citizen Dog Scheme magnificent motors, the show also boasts live training ring and plenty of activi- demos, expert tutorials, workshops, celebrity ties to keep the kids entertained. appearances and hundreds of exhibitors selling Youngsters under the age of eight a wide range of popular products. get free entry into the show. Other attractions include an autojumble, a ‘cars In short, if you’re a dog lover, for sale’ area, the Practical Classics Live Stage you’d have to be absolutely, er, and the UK’s biggest collection of barn find dis- ‘barking’ not to attend... plays. whatsonlive.co.uk 47 Kidtropolis Full March 2019.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 10:38 Page 1 Events March.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 16:30 Page 4

Events previews from around the region Events

Springtime Babies The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 16 March

Families can celebrate the arrival of spring by checking out this utterly delightful ‘farm on wheels’, which visits Stoke complete with baby chicks, ducklings, rabbits and young lambs. Children can pet and bottle-feed the new arrivals while at the same time find- MCM Comic Con Birmingham screenings and multiple opportunities to meet ing out about the life processes of the stars and creators of some of the world’s most the animals and their young. NEC, Birmingham, Sat 23 & Sun 24 March popular movies, video games, comics and TV Thirty-five thousand fans are expected to de- shows. Celebrities making live appearances at scend on the NEC for this action-packed celebra- the event include Game Of Thrones’ Ser Meryn & Elizabethan tion of pop culture. The two-day show features Syrio Forel, Supernatural’s Felicia Day and Osric Living History brand new interactive content, numerous talks Chau, and Merlin favourites Alexander Vlahos, and panel-based events, a selection of exclusive Tom Hopper and Rupert Young. Harvington Hall, Kidderminster, Sat 2 & Sun 3 March

Presenting a wide range of displays and activities across the weekend, this interactive event invites visitors to abandon modern You Are Here! its place - in the solar system, the universe and comforts, travel 400-plus years beyond!’ back in time and learn about the Thinktank Science Museum, Birmingham, In the process, the hosts are confident they’ll Sat 2 & Sun 3 March lives of the Elizabethans. provide audiences with a truly out-of-this- Attractions include archery and Join the hosts of Wow Tours for a family show world experience - as they’re happy to explain: musket-firing displays, cookery combining live theatre with an immersive 360- “With Jupiter as the ultimate ‘behind you’ mo- and craft presentations, and degree full-dome planetarium experience. ment, a zoom through Saturn’s rings and a voy- music recitals and dancing. A 30-minute presentation designed for children age down to the surface of Mars, this is a tour There’s even the possibility of and their families, You Are Here! sees the you’ll never forget!” stumbling across a secret chamber show’s hosts ‘attempting to put everything in or two...

whatsonlive.co.uk 49 The List Cover March Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:13 Page 1 The List Cover March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2019 15:29 Page 2

YourYour wweek-eek- bby-weeky-week llistingsistings gguideuide MarchMarch 20192019 thelist

The National Theatre’s Macbeth, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 12 - Sat 16 March

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

What’s On Fri 1 to Sun 10 March Mon 11 to Sun 17 March Mon 18 to Sun 24 March Mon 25 to Sun 31 March

Ken Cheng at Henry Tudor Pipeline Theatre’s Drip Drip Crimes On The Nile at The Government Inspector at House, Shrewsbury Drip at Theatre Severn Lichfield Garrick The Brewhouse Arts Centre Wed 6 March Tues 12 March Thurs 21 - Sat 23 March Wed 27 March

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thelist THROUGHOUT MARCH Visual Arts Thurs 14 Mar - Mon 29 Apr Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery New Art Gallery - Walsall BEARS! Meet loveable and cuddly MAHTAB HUSSAIN - MITTI KA GHAR Ex- bears including Winnie The Pooh and hibition extending from Mahtab Hus- Paddington, until Sun 28 Apr sain’s Floor Three exhibition, Going Back Home To Where I Came From, until Sun 31 Mar The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent RODIN - RETHINKING THE FRAGMENT Linked to the 2018 British Museum NEW #7 FRAGMENTS Exhibition of ce- exhibition, Rodin And The Art Of An- ramics, mixed-media, 3D, paint, textile cient Greece, this Spotlight loan from and lens-based media by seven the British Museum brings key na- artists, Sat 2 Mar - Sat 27 Apr tional works to three regional gal- NEW RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION BY LIZ Manran - Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury leries across the UK, until Sun 28 Apr STANCER Exhibition based around the armill, Stoke-on-Trent Birmingham SARAH TAYLOR SILVERWOOD - DAPHNE subjects of birth and death, youth and DAN SHAKE Fri 1 - Sat 2 GUS DAPPERTON Sat 2 Sarah uses drawing and language as age, love and hate, belief and disillu- Gigs Mar, Hare & Hounds, Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- material to produce publications, ani- sionment, Sat 2 Mar - Sat 27 Apr OASIS MAYBE AT COME Birmingham ingham mation and installation works. Her ex- TOGETHER Fri 1 Mar, hibition considers the relationship The Willow Art Gallery, BILLIE EILISH Sat 2 Mar, OUT OF TIME Sat 2 Mar, Night Owl, B’ham between women and language, tak- Oswestry O2 Institute, B’ham Newhampton Arts PURE WHITNEY HOUS- ing the ancient Greek myth of NEW PAINTING WITH WORDS Open ex- Centre, Wolverhamp- TON Fri 1 Mar, The Daphne & Apollo as a focus, until hibition celebrating the influence of ton River Rooms, Stour- Sun 12 May literature and language on the visual WOOD AND NAILS, bridge arts, Sat 16 Mar - Sat 11 May DEARIST, GEORGE GADD, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley U2 -UK Fri 1 Mar, LAST LIGHT Sat 2 Mar, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent PLACES, PEOPLE, FACES Display of art- Wolverhampton Art Gallery The Flapper, B’ham work by Keith Turley & Brian Fletcher, NEW LISA HENDERSON LANDSCAPES Ex- S-X & FRIENDS Fri 1 MAET LIVE Sat 2 Mar, featuring a variety of portraiture and hibition featuring paintings, drawings Mar, Newhampton Arts The River Rooms, landscapes, until Sun 19 May and collagraphs inspired by wild and Centre, W’hampton Stourbridge HIMLEY HALL & DUDLEY CASTLE EXHIBI- natural landscapes, Sat 9 Mar - Sun 9 SOMEONE LIKE YOU: THE HARRY JORDAN + RAI June ADELE SONGBOOK TION New exhibition about Dudley Fri 1 VAN HALEN UK VS SUR- KAH MERCURY Sat 2 Mar, Oakengates The- Castle & Himley Hall from 1066 to the NEW MAKING AN IMPRESSION: PRINTS REAL PANTHER Sat 2 Mar, The Night Owl, atre at The Place, present day, until Sun 6 Oct BY MANET, PISSARO AND THEIR CON- Mar, Eleven, Stoke-on- Birmingham Telford, Shropshire TEMPORARIES Showcasing the work of Trent DREADZONE Sat 2 Mar, THE SCRIBES FEAT DJ Newcastle Borough Museum masters of 19th century French Im- HEADSTICKS PLUS JESS The Mill, Digbeth, pressionism, including Manet, Pis- D-DOPE Fri 1 Mar, Al- & Art Gallery SILK Sat 2 Mar, Katie Birmingham saro, Cézanne and Renoir, Thurs 28 bert’s Shed, Shrews- NEW OPEN ART AND CRAFT EXHIBITION Fitzgeralds, Stour- JON BODEN & THE REM- Mar - Sun 9 June bury 2019 Annual exhibition featuring work bridge NANT STRINGS Sun 3 NEW RADICAL LANDSCAPES: PRE- GODSMACK Fri 1 Mar, by Staffordshire artists, Sat 16 Mar - ASHA BHOSLE Sat 2 Mar, Ludlow Assembly O2 Institute, B’ham Sun 12 May RAPHAELITES AND THEIR FRENCH CON- Mar, Resorts World Rooms, South Shrop- TEMPORARIES Featuring the THE ELO EXPERIENCE Fri Arena, Birmingham shire Potteries Museum & Art landscape paintings of Pre- 1 Mar, The Alexandra OCTAVIAN Sat 2 Mar, Gallery - Stoke-On-Trent Raphaelite painters including Ford Theatre, Birmingham Madox Brown, William Homan Hunt O2 Academy, B’ham NEW CROWN STAFFORDSHIRE Selection GREEN HAZE (GREEN and John Everett Millais, Thurs 28 SNAKEOIL Sat 2 Mar, of pieces from the Charles Green col- DAY) & ONE EIGHTY TWO Mar - Sun 9 June Foxlowe Arts Centre, lection of Crown Staffordshire bone (BLINK 182) Fri 1 Mar, Leek, Staffs china, famous for its tableware, ce- The Robin, Bilston Other VISUAL ARTS ANDY FAIRWEATHER ramic flowers and figures, Sat 2 Mar - GEMMA RAY/THOMAS NEW THREE COUNTIES OPEN PHOTOGRA- LOW & THE LOW RIDERS Sun 12 May TRUAX Fri 1 Mar, PHY 2019 FEATURING THE HI RID- NEW APOLLO 50: COMMEMORATING THE Display of for-sale pictures Foxlowe Arts Centre, ERS SOUL REVUE Sat 2 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST by photographers from Staffordshire, Leek, Staffordshire Mar, The Robin, Bil- MANNED LUNAR LANDING Multimedia Cheshire and Shropshire, Fri 1 - Sun MANRAN Fri 1 Mar, The- ston exhibition featuring models and 31 Mar, Spode Works Visitor Centre, PAUL CARRACK Sun 3 Stoke atre Severn, Shrews- Mar, Symphony Hall, memorabilia telling the epic story of bury the Apollo programme, Sat 23 Mar - NEW OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS - BIRDS Birmingham Sun 3 Nov IN WATERCOLOUR Artists Christina CATAPULT CLUB FT. THE VU - A HOMAGE TO VEL- BUTTERS ALIENS Fri 1 NEW ANIMALS IN LITERATURE Show- Hopkinson AGSA and John Horton VET UNDERGROUND Sun present an exhibition of paintings of Mar, O2 Academy, 3 Mar, Albert’s Shed, casing some of the wildlife which in- Birmingham spired the stories and illustrations of birds in watercolour, Sat 2 - Sun 31 Shrewsbury Beatrix Potter, Sat 30 Mar - Sun 2 Mar, Weston Park, Nr Shifnal AN ORCHESTRAL RENDI- SETH LAKEMAN Sun 3 June NEW GREENS Exhibition featuring work TION OF DR. DRE: 2001 Mar, Theatre Severn, by gallery artist Claire Scott along- Fri 1 Mar, The Mill, Dig- Shrewsbury beth, Birmingham Qube Gallery, Oswestry side pieces by Angharad Taris, BIG WOLF BAND + Rachel Rea, Dean Melbourne and JAH WOBBLE'S IN- NEW HOMEFRONT HEROINES Two-year SCOTT BRADLEE'S POST- CHRIS BEVINGTON OR- others, Fri 8 Mar - Sat 6 Apr, Twenty VADERS OF THE HEART project exploring the lives and roles MODERN JUKEBOX Sat 2 GANISATION Sun 3 Mar, Twenty Gallery, Ludlow Fri 1 Mar, The Sug- of the women of World War One, Mar, O2 Academy, The Robin, Bilston 52 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 1-3 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 09:22 Page 2

Friday 1 - Sunday 3 March

the challenges, joys and pitfalls of al- Classical Music lowing yourself to be vulnerable, until Dance Events Sat 2 Mar, Old Joint Stock Theatre, HALLE ORCHESTRA Featuring Jamie Birmingham BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Birmingham JAWSOME SHARKS Come face-to-fin Phillips (conductor) & Ning Feng Royal Ballet presents its version of with some of the venue’s most ‘jaw- METAMORPHOSIS Beyond The Horizon (soloist). Programme includes works the classic fairytale, until Sat 2 Mar, some’ species, until Sun 10 Mar, Na- bring Franz Kafka's acclaimed novella by Mozart, Mendelssohn & Birmingham Hippodrome tional Sea Life Centre, Birmingham to life using state-of-the-art makeup Beethoven, Fri 1 Mar, Victoria Hall, and prosthetic effects, until Sat 2 Mar, THE GOBLIN'S REVENGE The Goblin of Stoke-on-Trent The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham Eymore Wood is back to seek his re- NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE Featuring venge on the Little Folk of Arley who AS YOU LIKE IT Kimberley Sykes di- Daniele Rosina (director) & Sabrina live in the woods... until Fri 12 Apr, rects a riotous version of Shake- Ko & Olivia Tait (conductors), Fri 1 Arley Arboretum, Bewdley, Nr Kidder- speare's romantic comedy, until Sat Mar, The Barber Institute, B’ham minster 31 Aug, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon SLIP CASTING COURSE One-day session in which participants produce a CROONERS Brand new comedy music classic replica of a Craven Dunnill show paying homage to some of the piece, Fri 1 Mar, Jackfield Tile Mu- greatest crooners of all time, Fri 1 seum, Telford, Shropshire Comedy Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW Featur- MATT FORDE Fri 1 Mar, Stourbridge A SMALL FAMILY MURDER & THE BUN- GISELLE Presented by English Youth ing hundreds of wedding specialists, Town Hall DLE Two short plays performed by Ballet, Fri 1 - Sat 2 Mar, Regent The- from bridal boutiques and florists to Stourbridge Theatre Company, Fri 1 atre, Stoke-on-Trent jewellers and photographers, Fri 1 - Mar, Stourbridge Town Hall ASIAN SPRING Sampad hosts an Sun 3 Mar, NEC, Birmingham A BLACK COUNTRY NIGHT OUT Featur- evening of performances from some ing Black Country comedy act of the most exciting dance groups in Dandy, musicians The Empty Can & the country, Sun 3 Mar, Birmingham compère Wayne Beese, Fri 1 Mar, Town Hall Lichfield Garrick FLEXUS DANCE COLLECTIVE Showcase MEDEA ELECTRONICA Chilling tragedy of youth dance from across the Mid- originally told by Euripides in 431BC lands, Sun 3 Mar, Arena Theatre, and best known for a mother’s sav- Wolverhampton BILL BURR Fri 1 Mar, Resorts World age act of infanticide, in revenge for Arena, Birmingham her husband’s adultery, Fri 1 Mar, TONY LAW Fri 1 Mar, The Glee Club, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton Birmingham SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSI- NIGHT RUN - EXPERIENCE ATTINGHAM IN ALLYSON SMITH, JOHN FOTHERGILL, AN- CAL Brand new musical comedy cre- Film A NEW LIGHT Have fun at your own DREW RYAN & ED PATRICK Fri 1 - Sat 2 ated from scratch at each INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: pace, meet new people, explore At- Mar, The Glee Club, Birmingham performance, Sat 2 Mar, Lichfield tingham after dark and raise funds for THE SEAGULL (12a) Comedy/Drama. DANA ALEXANDER, CHRISTIAN REILLY, Garrick ongoing conservation work, Sat 2 Starring Annette Bening, Corey Stoll. Mar, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury PAUL PIRIE & FREDDY QUINNE Sat 2 THE SHY MANIFESTO Bittersweet com- Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Mar, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham edy drama about a boy who’s fed up Shropshire, Fri 1 Mar SUTTON COLDFIELD BOOKFEST A day of of being told to come out of his shell, workshops and storytelling for chil- RHOD GILBERT Sun 3 Mar, Regent The- STAN & OLLIE (15) Biography/Comedy. Sat 2 Mar, Arena Theatre, Wolver- dren up to the age of 12, Sat 2 Mar, atre, Stoke-on-Trent Starring John C. Reilly, Shirley Hen- hampton Sutton Coldfield Library JOHN-LUKE ROBERTS Sun 3 Mar, The derson. Festival Drayton Centre, Mar- Glee Club, Birmingham VULVARINE The astoundingly average ket Drayton, North Shropshire, Fri 1 WEDDING FAIR Featuring exhibits from Bryony Buckle finds herself trans- wedding specialists, including jew- SIMON WOZNIAK, GEORGE RIGDEN, Mar formed into a superhero... Sat 2 Mar, ellery, millinery, stationery and deco- CHARLIE BAKER & DAN NIGHTINGALE MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (15) Biogra- Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury rations, and related services such as Sun 3 Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrews- phy/Drama. Starring Saoirse Ronan, photography, florists, car services DANGEROUS OBSESSION Amateur stag- bury Margot Robbie. Wem Town Hall, and cake design, Sat 2 Mar, Bantock ing of NJ Crisp’s psychological AURIE STYLA, JASON PATTERSON, SPE- North Shropshire, Fri 1 Mar House & Park, Wolverhampton thriller, Sat 2 - Sat 9 Mar, Oldbury CIAL P, MR CEE & DIZZLE Sun 3 Mar, SHOPLIFTERS (15) Drama/Crime. Star- Rep, Birmingham THE GIN TRAIN A gin-tasting experi- The Glee Club, Birmingham ring Lily Franky, Sakura Andôl. For- ence with a twist, Sat 2 - Sun 3 Mar, YAMATO DRUMMERS: PASSION Theatri- eign language, subtitled. The Hive, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr cal performance of Japanese Taiko Shrewsbury, Fri 1 Mar Kidderminster drumming, Sun 3 Mar, The Alexandra GREEN BOOK (12a) Comedy/Biogra- Theatre, Birmingham YOU ARE HERE! Live theatre combines Theatre phy. Starring Viggo Mortensen, Ma- with an immersive 360-degree full- hershala Ali. Stoke Film Theatre, Fri 1 dome planetarium experience, Sat 2 - THE KING’S SPEECH The Nonentities - Sat 2 Mar Sun 3 Mar, Thinktank Science Mu- present an amateur staging based on BEAUTIFUL BOY (15) Drama. Starring seum, Birmingham the Oscar-winning screenplay, until Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet. Old Sat 2 Mar, The Rose Theatre, Kidder- OPEN ASTON Take a wander around Kids Shows Market Hall, Shrewsbury, Fri 1 - Thurs minster the grand old mansion, Sun 3 Mar, THE CAT IN THE HAT Riotous rhymes & 7 Mar Aston Hall, Birmingham THE BAND Tim Firth’s much-acclaimed infectious laughter in a new stage jukebox musical, featuring the songs show based on the much-loved book NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: of Take That, until Sat 2 Mar, Wolver- by Dr Seuss, until Sun 3 Mar, The hampton Grand Theatre REP, Birmingham Released from Fri 1 Mar, showing at selected cinemas CONCUBINE Urgent look at woman- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Interactive hood, sexuality and faith, written and show for children aged three-plus & THE AFTERMATH (tbc) performed by Amahra Spence, until performed by Birmingham Royal Bal- SERENITY (tbc) Sat 2 Mar, The REP, Birmingham let's dancers & orchestra, Fri 1 Mar, WHAT THEY HAD (12a) ME AND MY DOLL Birmingham-based Birmingham Hippodrome theatre company Paperback explore

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music family music

Wednesday 6 March, 7.30pm Saturday 9 March, Friday 22 March, 7.30pm Dusty & The Shades 11am & 2.30pm Gordon Hendricks is ELVIS of The 60s the sooty show

music music music

Tuesday 26 March, 7.30pm Friday 5 April, 7.30pm Thursday 11 April, 7.30pm Jimmy Buckley The Tina Turner ELO Again Ireland's favourite country singer Experience Show 'Return To The Blue' tour.

comedy music comedy

16+ 16+

Friday 12 April, 8.00pm Saturday 13 April, 7.30pm Sat 27 April, 8.00pm

TWC GP 01378 Stewart Francis: purple zeppelin Gary Delaney Into The Punset The Ultimate Rock Tribute Show Gagster's Paradise

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thelist Monday 4 - Sunday 10 March ingham 9 Mar, The River ROBINSON Thurs 7 Mar, The Glee Gigs THE ESKIES Thurs 7 Rooms, Stourbridge Classical Club, Birmingham Mar, The Robin, Bil- RODNEY BRANIGAN Sat KUM-N-AVALOFF Thurs 7 Mar, Stour- MIKE AND THE MECHAN- ston 9 Mar, Foxlowe Arts bridge Town Hall ICS Mon 4 Mar, Victoria Music HAYSEED DIXIE Thurs 7 Centre, Leek, Staffs MATT FORDE Fri 8 Mar, Stafford Gate- Hall, Stoke-on-Trent LUNCHTIME MUSIC: BEETHOVEN Fea- Mar, The Sugarmill, THE MERSEY BEATLES house Theatre SHAKIN' STEVENS turing Ruifan Xuan (piano), Olga Stoke-on-Trent Sat 9 Mar, Stafford PAUL MCCAFFREY Fri 8 Mar, The Glee GREATEST HITS - AND Eckert (violin) & Elizabeth Haughan MR EAZI Thurs 7 Mar, Gatehouse Theatre Club, Birmingham MORE! Tues 5 Mar, The (piano), Mon 4 Mar, Recital Hall, O2 Institute, B’ham HOUSE JAMMERZ Sat 9 Alexandra Theatre, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire DAN NIGHTINGALE, STEVE GRIBBIN, EM- Mar, Albert’s Shed, Birmingham BELIEVE: THE CHER PETER MOORE IN RECITAL Also featur- MANUEL SONUBI & COMIC TBC Fri 8 - SONGBOOK Fri 8 Mar, Shrewsbury Sat 9 Mar, The Glee Club, B’ham BAS Tues 5 Mar, O2 In- ing Jonathan Ware (piano). Pro- Regent Theatre, 10CC Sat 9 Mar, Sym- stitute, Birmingham gramme includes works by Christian JASON MANFORD Sat 9 Mar, Dudley Stoke-on-Trent phony Hall, B’ham Gouinguene, Jacques Casterede, Town Hall DUSTY & THE SHADES MAN OF MOON Fri 8 NEARLY DAN Sat 9 Mar, Roxanna Panufnik, Brahms & Gersh- OF THE 60S Wed 6 Mar, RICH HALL Sat 9 Mar, Lichfield Gar- Mar, The Sunflower Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent win, Tues 5 Mar, Birmingham Town Oakengates Theatre at rick Lounge, Birmingham Hall The Place, Telford STEVE AJAO AND THE CARL HUTCHINSON Sat 9 Mar, The SOME GUYS HAVE ALL BLUES GIANTS Sat 9 LUCY RUSSELL (VIOLIN) & SEZI SESKIR BRIT FLOYD - ANOTHER REP, Birmingham THE LUCK Fri 8 Mar, Mar, Katie Fitzgeralds, (FORTEPIANO) Programme includes BRICK IN THE WALL Forest Arts Centre, Stourbridge works by Beethoven, Mozart & CPE JESSIE CAVE Sat 9 Mar, Birmingham Wed 6 Mar, Symphony Walsall Bach, Thurs 7 Mar, Recital Hall, Hippodrome Hall, Birmingham FEROCIOUS DOG Sat 9 THE VERY BEST OF BURT Mar, The Robin, Bil- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire LAUREN PATTISON, DAVE LONGLEY, NICK VONDA SHEPARD & BACHARACH Fri 8 Mar, ston CHETHAM’S SCHOOL OF MUSIC Featur- DOODY Sat 9 Mar, The Comedy Loft, SHARON CORR Wed 6 Lichfield Garrick ing Rose McLachlan (piano), Joanne Birmingham Mar, Birmingham Town PETER ANDRE - CELE- Lee (flute) & Nick Oliver (piano). Pro- MAUREEN YOUNGER, JUDI LOVE, Hall STIFF LITTLE FINGERS BRATING 25 YEARS Sat Fri 8 Mar, O2 9 Mar, Regent Theatre, gramme includes works by GLENDA JAXSON & DANA ALEXANDER JOEL CULPEPPER Wed 6 Academy, Birmingham Stoke-on-Trent Beethoven, Sancan & Boehm, Fri 8 Sun 10 Mar, The Glee Club, B’ham Mar, Hare & Hounds, Mar, The Barber Institute, B’ham Birmingham CLIMAX BLUES BAND Fri JO HARMAN Sat 9 Mar, 8 Mar, The Robin, Bil- Theatre On The Steps, OSLO PHILHARMONIC: SIBELIUS' FIFTH ZOE RAHMAN Thurs 7 ston Bridgnorth, Shropshire Featuring Vasily Petrenko (conduc- Mar, Newhampton Arts tor) and Nikolai Lugansky (piano). Centre, W’hampton SOEUR Fri 8 Mar, The THE SENSATIONAL 60’S Programme includes works by Theatre Sugarmill, Stoke-on- EXPERIENCE Sat 9 Mar, Delius, Grieg and Sibelius, Fri 8 Mar, Trent The Alexandra The- Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE FULL MONTY Gary Lucy, Andrew atre, Birmingham Dunn, Louis Emerick, Joe Gill, Kai LIVEWIRE - TRIBUTE TO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY - EARLY AC/DC Fri 8 Mar, Oak- THE LANCASHIRE HOT- Owen & James Redmond star in MUSIC TREASURES Fri 8 Mar, Organ Simon Beaufoy's staging of the engates Theatre at POTS - HIGHWAY TO Studio, Royal Birmingham Conserva- The Place, Telford HULL TOUR Sat 9 Mar, Oscar-winning film, Mon 4 - Sat 9 toire Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury WEST COAST EAGLES Fri O2 Academy, B’ham SIR KARL JENKINGS: 75TH BIRTHDAY HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR The classic 8 Mar, Eleven, Stoke- FREYA RIDINGS Sat 9 CONCERT Featuring Sir Karl Jenkins CLIMAX BLUES BAND on-Trent Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- radio comedy, live on stage, Tues 5 (conductor), Manchester Concert Or- Mar, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent Thurs 7 Mar, Eleven, JACKIE OATES Fri 8 Mar, ingham chestra, Kathryn Rudge (mezzo so- Stoke-on-Trent Newhampton Arts CATS IN SPACE - ROCK prano) and Jonathan Scott (organ FLIGHT PATHS New work of live perfor- JAKE MARTIN Thurs 7 Centre, W’hampton GODDESS Sat 9 Mar, soloist), Sun 10 Mar, Symphony Hall, mance presented within a multime- Mar, Katie Fitzgeralds, O2 Institute, B’ham Birmingham dia landscape, Tues 5 Mar, Arena DURAN THE ULTIMATE Theatre, Wolverhampton Stourbridge TRIBUTE Fri 8 Mar, The LUTHER - LUTHER VAN- QUILL Thurs 7 Mar, River Rooms, Stour- DROSS CELEBRATION INTO THE LIGHT An international cast Lichfield Garrick bridge Sat 9 Mar, Victoria of performers with and without learn- Hall, Stoke-on-Trent ing disabilities present a show about JON BODEN & THE REM- BLAK TWANG, RODNEY P the right to be seen and heard... NANT STRINGS Thurs 7 & TY Fri 8 Mar, O2 THE CORAL Sat 9 Mar, Comedy , The Patrick Stu- Mar, Midlands Arts Academy, Birmingham The Sugarmill, Stoke- LOST VOICE GUY Mon 4 Mar, The Glee dio,Tues Birmingham 5 - Wed 6 Mar Hippodrome Centre, Birmingham on-Trent CATAPULT CLUB FT. Club, Birmingham BAD GIRLS THE MUSICAL ‘An exhilarat- P.O.D. | ALIEN ANT FARM SHALLOW GLOW Fri 8 IO EARTH Sun 10 Mar, KEN CHENG Wed 6 Mar, Henry Tudor ing mix of gritty reality, rebellious Thurs 7 Mar, O2 Insti- Mar, O2 Academy, The Robin, Bilston House, Shrewsbury spirit, emotional honesty and irrever- tute, Birmingham Birmingham TOMMY EMMANUEL: AC- ent humour, that touches hearts and NICK HARPER Thurs 7 JACK & JACK Fri 8 Mar, COMPLICE ONE TOUR kicks up a riot’, Tues 5 - Wed 6 Mar, Mar, Henry Tudor O2 Institute, B’ham Sun 10 Mar, Theatre Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury House, Shrewsbury CROOKED COLOURS Fri Severn, Shrewsbury IF MY FATHER ONLY KNEW Nathalie HIS WAY: THE FRANK 8 Mar, O2 Institute, ROAD TRIP - ROAD TRIP Bazán's devised exploration of iden- SINATRA STORY Thurs 7 Birmingham 2.0 TOUR Sun 10 Mar, tity, sex and beauty in today's soci- Mar, The Old Rep The- THE SWINGHOPPERS Fri O2 Academy, B’ham ety, Tues 5 - Thurs 7 Mar, Old Joint atre, Birmingham 8 Mar, Albert’s Shed, LOREENA MCKENNITT Stock Theatre, Birmingham PETER ANDRE Thurs 7 Shrewsbury Sun 10 Mar, Birming- HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR The classic Mar, The Alexandra ham Town Hall radio comedy, live on stage, Wed 6 CITIZEN Sat 9 Mar, The RHOD GILBERT Thurs 7 Mar, Sym- Theatre, Birmingham THE ORB Mar, The Alexandra Theatre, B’ham Hive, Shrewsbury Sun 10 Mar, phony Hall, Birmingham MIRANDA SYKES Thurs PEACH CLUB / KILLER Hare & Hounds, Birm- UN BALLO IN MASCHERA Welsh Na- 7 Mar, Birchmeadow ingham SCOTT BENNETT, ALAN HUDSON, JOBY tional Opera present Verdi's tale of BOB / DOLLCANOES: MAGEEAN & DAVE WILLIAMS Thurs 7 Centre, Broseley, GREG RUSSELL & CIA- love, power and politics, Wed 6 Mar, RIOT GRRRL NIGHT Sat Mar, The George Hotel, Lichfield Shropshire 9 Mar, Scruffy Mur- RAN ALGAR Sun 10 Birmingham Hippodrome ELIZA Thurs 7 Mar, phys, Birmingham Mar, Henry Tudor DAN NIGHTINGALE & STEVE GRIBBIN, TONY STOCKWELL Evening of medi- PLUS COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY Hare & Hounds, Birm- NAUGHTY NINETIES Sat House, Shrewsbury umship, Wed 6 Mar, Prince Of Wales whatsonlive.co.uk 55 The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 4 - 10 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:14 Page 3

NEW YEAR HIGHLIGHTS

THURS 7 MAR

2nd Mar - 27th Apr Exhibition #7 Fragments

Tickets: FREE Exhibition QUILL 16th Mar, 7pm FRI 8 MAR Floyd in the Flesh: Pink Floyd Tribute Show

Tickets: £15

20th Mar, 7.30pm Once Upon A Wednesday: Dave Tong, Tales of an Itinerant Teller THE VERY BEST OF BURT BACHARACH Tickets: £7 adv, £8.50 otd

FRI 8 MAR 27th Mar, 7pm Shifting Sands Theatre presents: The Government Inspector

Tickets: £10, £8 conc.

5th Apr, 8pm Angela Barnes: Rose-Tinted DORIAN Tickets: £14, £12 conc.

FRI 15 MAR 17th & 18th Mar, 10am - 3.30 pm Easter Holidays Have some fun with animation!

Tickets: £15 (or £12 each for 2 siblings)

18th Apr, 6.30pm OH! WHAT Kevin Quantum: A FEELING And For My Next Trick Tickets: £12, £10 conc. FRI 29 MAR 9th May 7pm Vienna Festival Ballet: Coppelia

Tickets: £18, £16 conc.

THE ROLLING 11th May, 8pm AT BURTON TOWN HALL: STONES STORY Seann Walsh: After This One, I’m Going Home

SAT 30 MAR Tickets: £15 Box ofﬁce: 01283 508100 BOOK ONLINE AT www.brewhouse.co.uk A BRAVE FACE Brewhouse Arts Centre BOX OFFICE: 01543 412 121 Union Street, Burton-upon-Trent Staffordshire DE14 1AA www.lichfieldgarrick.com LICHFIELD GARRICK, CASTLE DYKE, LICHFIELD, STAFFS, WS13 6HR

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Monday 4 - Sunday 10 March

theCentre, Cannock list formances’, Fri 8 Mar, Old Joint Stock NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Theatre, Birmingham HIS WAY: THE FRANK SINATRA STORY Film Released from Fri 8 Mar, showing at Wed 6 Mar, The Old Rep Theatre, THE 39 STEPS Fast-paced comedy INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: selected cinemas Birmingham caper based on John Buchan’s fa- THE LITTLE STRANGER (12a) CAPTAIN MARVEL (tbc) GOOD DOG Arinzé Kene's story of mous spy novel, Fri 8 - Sat 30 Mar, Drama/Horror. Starring Domhnall EVERYBODY KNOWS (15) growing up in a multicultural commu- New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under- Gleeson, Will Poulter. Stourbridge nity and the everyday injustices that Lyme THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER (12a) Town Hall, Mon 4 Mar drive people to take back control, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW Justin Au- ROSIE (12a) Wed 6 - Sat 9 Mar, The REP, B’ham dibert directs Shakespeare’s comedy THE CHILDREN ACT (12a) Drama. Star- ring Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci. I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GHOST Take a of gender and materialism, Fri 8 Mar - The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wen- nostalgic trip back to the ’80s for a Sat 31 Aug, Royal Shakespeare The- Events atre, Stratford-upon-Avon lock, South Shropshire, Mon 4 Mar comic exploration of a childhood CANDLELIGHT TOURS Experience the haunting, where nothing is quite as it VOICES OF 1919 Sat 9 Mar, Arena The- COLETTE (15) Biography/Drama. Star- atmospheric Back to Backs by can- seems, Thurs 7 Mar, Arena Theatre, atre, Wolverhampton ring Keira Knightley, Eleanor Tomlin- dlelight, Tues 5 Mar, Birmingham son. Festival Drayton Centre, Market Wolverhampton KNIGHTMARE LIVE Comedy stage Back to Backs Drayton, North Shropshire, Mon 4 SPARKPLUG Box Of Tricks explore adaption of the cult TV classic, Sat 9 YONEX ALL ENGLAND OPEN BADMINTON Mar family, race, identity and love, Thurs 7 Mar, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham CHAMPIONSHIPS Featuring the world’s BLACKKKLANSMAN (15) - Fri 8 Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrews- ORLANDO Dyad Productions explore best players, Wed 6 - Sun 10 Mar, Biography/Crime. Starring John bury ‘what it means to find our place in the Arena Birmingham David Washington, Adam Driver. world whilst remaining utterly true to CRUFTS 2019 Twenty-two thousand Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tues 5 who we are’, Sat 9 Mar, Theatre Sev- dogs compete for the title of Crufts Mar ern, Shrewsbury Best In Show, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 Mar, GREEN BOOK (12a) Comedy/Biography. OPEN MIC NIGHT Featuring local com- Resorts World Arena, Birmingham Starring Viggo Mortensen, Maher- panies and singers showcasing their LICHFIELD LITERATURE FESTIVAL This shala Ali. Stoke Film Theatre, Tues 5 talents, Sat 9 Mar, Old Joint Stock year’s festival theme is Frontiers, Bor- Mar; Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury, Fri Theatre, Birmingham ders And Barriers, Thurs 7 - Sun 10 8 - Thurs 14 Mar HOLDING BABY: THE REALITIES OF KIN- Mar, Various venues in Lichfield MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (15) Biogra- SHIP CARE Rag City Productions pre- THE MURDER OF LOUISA SMITH There's phy/Drama. Starring Saoirse Ronan, sent a poignant insight into the lives been a murder at the Back to Backs. Margot Robbie. Wem Town Hall, of carers and the cared for, Sat 9 - Can you get to the bottom of what North Shropshire, Tues 5 & Thurs 7 Sun 10 Mar, CircusMash, Kings happened to poor Louisa Smith? Fri THAT’LL BE THE DAY Rock’n’roll variety Mar; Festival Drayton Centre, Market Heath, Birmingham 8 Mar, Birmingham Back to Backs show featuring hits from the ’50s, Drayton, North Shropshire, Fri 8 Mar ’60s & ’70s, Thurs 7 - Fri 8 Mar, DANCING WITH THE STARS WEEKEND VICE (15) Biography/Comedy. Starring Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Featuring the stars of Strictly Come Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Dancing at the Alton Towers Resort THE PRODUCERS MUSCOM present an Stoke Film Theatre, Thurs 7 Mar amateur staging of Mel Brooks’ clas- Hotel, Fri 8 - Sun 10 Mar, Alton Tow- Kids Shows SHOPLIFTERS (15) Drama/Crime. Star- sic comedy, Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Mar, ers, Stoke-on-Trent THE SOOTY SHOW Brand new magic ring Lily Franky, Sakura Andôl. For- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre DISCOVER RAG RUGGING Sat 9 Mar, show featuring guest appearances by eign language, subtitled. Ludlow Birmingham Back to Backs, B’ham THE MAGIC FLUTE Welsh National circus star Michael Jordan and ultra- Assembly Rooms, Shropshire, Fri 8 Opera's production of Mozart's fa- violet specialists Fantasie de la Nuit, Mar BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR Discover the mous work, Thurs 7 - Sat 9 Mar, Birm- world behind the curtain, Sat 9 Mar, Sat 9 Mar, Oakengates Theatre at CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (15) Biog- ingham Hippodrome Birmingham Hippodrome The Place, Telford, Shropshire raphy/Comedy. Starring Melissa Mc- CHICAGO Amateur staging presented JACK AND THE Carthy, Richard E. Grant. Stoke Film PIT STOP Brand new interactive event by Cabaret Theatre Company, Thurs BEANSTALK CBee- Theatre, Fri 8 - Sat 9 Mar packed with hands-on activities 7 - Sat 9 Mar, The Brewhouse Arts based on science, technology, engi- bies’ Patrick Lynch BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (12a) Biogra- Centre, Burton-upon-Trent neering and maths, Sat 9 - Sun 10 presents the classic phy/Music. Starring Rami Malek, Mar, Enginuity Museum, Ironbridge, SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK: THE fairytale, Sun 10 Mar, Lucy Boynton. Stourbridge Town Shropshire ROD STEWART STORY Fri 8 Mar, Forest Mitchell Arts Centre, Hall, Thurs 7 Mar; Shropshire Hills Arts Centre, Walsall Stoke-on-Trent Discovery Centre, Craven Arms, WORLD BOOK DAY WEEKEND Weekend ROBERTO DEVEREUX Acclaimed pro- South Shropshire, Fri 8 - Sat 9 Mar of displays and workshops, Sat 9 - Sun 10 Mar, Severn Valley Railway, duction by Welsh National Opera. A DOG'S WAY HOME (PG) Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster Sung in Italian, with English surtitles, Adventure/Family. Starring Ashley Fri 8 Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome Judd, Jonah Hauer-King. Festival ULTIMATE DUBS 2019 Bringing together THE CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERS: MO- Dance Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, the Ultimate VW, Audi, Seat & Skoda Show Cars from all over Europe, Sun TOWN MISSION The Chicago Blues VERVE: MIXED BILL Northern School of North Shropshire, Sat 9 Mar 10 Mar, Telford International Centre, Brothers head for Detroit to take on Contemporary Dance presents a pro- Shropshire some of the biggest and best-loved gramme of new work by award-win- Motown anthems, Fri 8 Mar, The ning choreographers Joan Clevillé Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (Catalonia), Maxine Doyle (UK) and ROUSE, YE WOMEN! Folk opera based Ben Wright (UK), Wed 6 Mar, Arena on the story of Mary Macarthur and Theatre, Wolverhampton her universal campaign for equality in BRENDAN COLE: THE SHOW MAN Thurs the workplace, Fri 8 Mar, Midlands 7 Mar, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on- Arts Centre, Birmingham Trent DORIAN Contemporary retelling of U.DANCE WM 2019 A ‘vibrant and excit- Oscar Wilde's acclaimed novel, Do- ing’ mix of dance genres and themes, rian Gray, Fri 8 Mar, Lichfield Garrick celebrating some of the best young THE FOOTSIE CLUB An exclusive performers from the West Midlands, evening of ‘delectable femme fatales, Sun 10 Mar, The Patrick Studio, Birm- quirky comedy and extraordinary per- ingham Hippodrome Ultimate Dubs- Telford International Centre, Shropshire

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thelist THE MAGIC OF THE BEAT- Hounds, Birmingham 16 Mar, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on- Gigs LES Thurs 14 Mar, Re- ELLES BAILEY Fri 15 Classical Trent gent Theatre, Mar, Foxlowe Arts EDDIE BRIMSON, JESSICA FOSTEKEW, LARKIN POE Mon 11 Stoke-on-Trent Centre, Leek, Staffs JAMIE HUTCHINSON & FREDDY QUINNE Mar, The Glee Club, Music NICKI MINAJ AND FU- ALIVE AND BREL Fri 15 Sat 16 Mar, The Comedy Loft, B’ham Birmingham TURE Thurs 14 Mar, Mar, O2 Academy, LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH LOL COMEDY CLUB Sat 16 Mar, Regent SWMRS Mon 11 Mar, Arena Birmingham Birmingham THOMAS TROTTER Programme com- Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent O2 Institute, B’ham ELIO PACE PRESENTS prises Fauré’s Requiem, Mon 11 FAITH - THE GEORGE Mar, Symphony Hall, Birmingham AS IT IS Mon 11 Mar, ELVIS PRESLEY Thurs MICHAEL LEGACY Sat The Sugarmill, Stoke- 14 Mar, Theatre Sev- 16 Mar, Theatre Sev- DI XIAO FEMMES DE LÉGENDE on-Trent ern, Shrewsbury ern, Shrewsbury Featuring Di Xiao (piano). Pro- gramme includes Schumann, Mc- SELF ESTEEM Tues 12 UFO 50TH ANNIVERSARY Theatre PAUL WALKER & KAREN dowall, Chopin and Mélanie Hélène Mar, Hare & Hounds, TOUR Thurs 14 Mar, PFEIFFER Sat 16 Mar, Bonis, Tues 12 Mar, Birmingham THE LIFE I LEAD Miles Jupp brings to Birmingham Birmingham Town Hall Stafford Gatehouse Town Hall life the story of actor David Tomlin- YUNGBLUD Tues 12 DODIE Thurs 14 Mar, Theatre son, best remembered for playing BLAKE Thurs 14 Mar, Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- O2 Academy, B’ham Mr Banks in Mary Poppins, Mon 11 - ABSOLUTE BOWIE - 50 Oakengates Theatre at The Place, ingham Wed 13 Mar, The REP, Birmingham DESPERATE JOURNALIST YEARS OF BOWIE Sat 16 Telford, Shropshire ROY HARPER Tues 12 Thurs 14 Mar, Hare & Mar, Oakengates The- KINKY BOOTS Acclaimed musical FIDELIO TRIO Featuring Darragh Mor- Mar, Symphony Hall, Hounds, Birmingham atre at The Place, which takes audiences on a journey gan (violin), Adi Tal (cello) & Mary Birmingham Telford, Shropshire from the factory floor of Northamp- BECKY HILL Thurs 14 Dullea (piano). Programme includes ton to the glamorous catwalks of SMOKEPURPP Tues 12 Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- THE BRYAN ADAMS EX- works by Michael Zev Gordon & Milan. Songs come courtesy of pop Mar, The Mill, Digbeth, ingham PERIENCE Sat 16 Mar, Fauré, Fri 15 Mar, The Barber Insti- Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent icon Cyndi Lauper, Mon 11 - Sat 23 Birmingham RE-TAKE THAT GREATEST tute, Birmingham Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome THE DUBLIN LEGENDS HITS Fri 15 Mar, Re- LEGEND - THE MUSIC OF BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY SINGERS & BOB MARLEY DRIP DRIP DRIP Pipeline Theatre pre- Wed 13 Mar, Prince Of gent Theatre, Stoke- Sat 16 YALE GLEE CLUB Featuring Simon on-Trent Mar, Stafford Gate- sent a ‘break-neck, darkly comic and Wales Centre, Can- Carrington & Jeffrey Douma (con- house Theatre taboo-busting journey through an nock OH! WHAT A FEELING Fri ductor). Programme includes works NHS phantasmagoria’, Tues 12 Mar, WILKO JOHNSON 15 Mar, Lichfield Gar- FLOYD IN THE FLESH Sat by Byrd, Paul Crabtree, Schumann, Wed Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury 13 Mar, The Robin, Bil- rick 16 Mar, The Brew- Bob Chilcott & Bernstein, arr. Edger- ston CAPTAIN ACCIDENT AND house Arts Centre, ton, Fri 15 Mar, Elgar Concert Hall, A SELF-HELP GUIDE TO BEING IN LOVE Burton-upon-Trent The Bramall, University Birmingham WITH JEREMY CORBYN Performance NEON COLLECTIVE THE DISASTERS Fri 15 Wed poetry show about Labour, the Tories 13 Mar, Newhampton Mar, Albert’s Shed, LIVEWIRE - THE AC/DC CBSO: MIRGA CONDUCTS and the division of the left, Tues 12 Arts Centre, Wolver- Shrewsbury SHOW Sat 16 Mar, The SHOSTAKOVICH Featuring the City of Mar, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton hampton HIGHWAY + MOOSE JAW Robin, Bilston Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Mirga Gražinyte-Tyla (conductor), MACBETH The National Theatre THE NAT KING COLE Fri 15 Mar, The River THE STRANGLERS Sat Anna Vinnitskaya (piano) and brings Shakespeare’s bloodiest play STORY Wed 13 Mar, Rooms, Stourbridge 16 Mar, O2 Academy, Jonathan Holland (trumpet), Sat 16 into the 21st century, Tues 12 - Sat New Vic Theatre, New- 3 DAFT MONKEYS Fri 15 Birmingham Mar, Symphony Hall, Birmingham 16 Mar, Wolverhampton Grand The- castle-under-Lyme Mar, Katie Fitzgeralds, LABOUR OF LOVE - UB40 atre HALESOWEN ORCHESTRA: ELLES BAILEY Wed 13 Stourbridge Sat 16 Mar, The River BEETHOVEN’S SECOND Programme in- BETTY BLUE EYES Stoke Repertory Mar, O2 Academy, TYKETTO Fri 15 Mar, Rooms, Stourbridge cludes works by Brahms, Mozart & Theatre present an amateur staging Birmingham The Robin, Bilston THE AMY WINEHOUSE Beethoven, Sat 16 Mar, Cornbow of Alan Bennett’s screenplay, Tues EXPERIENCE - A.K.A LI- HOODIE ALLEN Wed 13 JACK LUKEMAN Fri 15 Hall, Halesowen 12 - Sat 16 Mar, Stoke Repertory Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Mar, The Glee Club, ONESS Sat 16 Mar, O2 Theatre ingham Academy, Birmingham Birmingham NARCISSIST IN THE MIRROR A dark NSG Wed 13 Mar, O2 SYKED Fri 15 Mar, JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR: comedy about life, ambition and mil- Institute, Birmingham Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent THE RECKLESS HEART lennial expectation, Wed 13 - Thurs TOUR Sat 16 Mar, O2 JOE LONGTHORNE Thurs 14 Mar, Old Joint Stock Theatre, THE WAILERS Fri 15 Institute, Birmingham Comedy 14 Mar, Prince Of Mar, O2 Academy, Birmingham JASON MANFORD Wed 13 Mar, The- Wales Centre, Can- Birmingham THE DUBLIN LEGENDS NANJING Jude Christian's monologue atre Severn, Shrewsbury nock Sat 16 Mar, Birming- JAMES about identity, flawed heroes and the Fri 15 Mar, Vic- ham Town Hall MARK STEEL Thurs 14 Mar, Stafford SHINDIGERY Thurs 14 toria Hall, Stoke-on- consequences of war, Wed 13 - Sat Gatehouse Theatre Mar, Forest Arts Cen- Trent PRETTY FEELS Sat 16 16 Mar, The REP, Birmingham tre, Walsall Mar, The Sugarmill, KIRI PRITCHARD MCLEAN Thurs 14 LENE LOVICH BAND - ROMEO & JULIET Presented by the Stoke-on-Trent Mar, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham BILLY OCEAN Thurs 14 STATELESS 40TH AN- National Production Company, Wed Mar, Victoria Hall, NIVERSARY TOUR Fri 15 BEE GEES FEVER Sat 16 COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY 13 - Sat 16 Mar, The Old Rep The- Stoke-on-Trent Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Mar, Prince Of Wales RICHARDSON FEATURING COMEDIAN atre, Birmingham ingham Centre, Cannock TBC Thurs 14 Mar, The Glee Club, LABURNUM GROVE JB Priestley's tale Birmingham SWEET CAROLINE - NEIL THE JONI MITCHELL of intrigue, set in sleepy suburbia, DIAMOND TRIBUTE Fri SONGBOOK Sat 16 Mar, JIM DAVIDSON Fri 15 Mar, Oaken- Wed 13 - Sat 16 Mar, The Blue Or- 15 Mar, Stafford Gate- Theatre On The Steps, gates Theatre at The Place, Telford ange Theatre, Birmingham Bridgnorth house Theatre NISH KUMAR Fri 15 Mar, Birmingham THE TERROR New physical theatre MIKE AND THE MECHAN- YES PLEASE Sun 17 Town Hall production fusing film, music and Mar, The Robin, Bilston ICS Fri 15 Mar, Sym- JACK DEE Fri 15 Mar, The Brewhouse live action as characters and events phony Hall, B’ham MILE TWELVE Sun 17 Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent from history crash into each other, Mar, The Hive, Shrews- Wed 13 - Sat 16 Mar, The Crescent NOTORIOUS JIG Fri 15 ROB ROUSE, VIKKI STONE, ALISTAIR bury Theatre, Birmingham Mar, Albert’s Shed, BARRIE & TOM LUCY Fri 15 - Sat 16 BOUND Justice In Motion fuse dance, STEVE GIBBONS BAND Shrewsbury GEORGE EZRA Sun 17 Mar, The Glee Club, Birmingham theatre & aerial acrobatics in a Thurs 14 Mar, The Mar, Resorts World, THE ATLANTIC PLAYERS DALISO CHAPONDA, DAISY EARL, thought-provoking tale of ‘dreams & Robin, Bilston Birmingham Fri 15 Mar, Hare & MICHAEL LEGGE & DAMION LARKIN Sat broken promises, hope, optimism 58 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 11 - 17 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:15 Page 2

Monday 11 - Sunday 17 March

Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippo- SMALLFOOT (U) Animation/Adventure. drome With the voices of Channing Tatum, KOKO Fin Projects present a chore- James Corden. Shropshire Hills Visi- ographed piece revolving around se- tor Centre, Craven Arms, South quins and sadness... Sat 16 Mar, Shropshire, Sat 16 Mar Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton GREEN BOOK (12a) Comedy/Biography. Starring Viggo Mortensen, Maher- shala Ali. Festival Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, North Shropshire, Talks Sat 16 Mar AN EVENING WITH AGGERS One of NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: cricket’s best-known commentators Released from Fri 15 Mar, showing at talks about his life in sport, Thurs 14 selected cinemas Mar, Lichfield Garrick FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS (12a) MISHA GLENNY: MCMAFIA Award-win- GIRL (15) ning author and journalist Misha talks about his international best-seller, MISS BALA (15) McMafia, Fri 15 Mar, Festival Drayton THE PRODIGY (tbc) Centre, Market Drayton, North Shrop- WHAT MEN WANT (15) National Theatre’s Macbeth - Wolverhampton Grand Theatre shire and resilience in harrowing circum- BLINDSIDE One-eyed storytelling stances’, Thurs 14 Mar, Midlands Arts champion and cancer survivor Centre, Birmingham Stephanie Morin-Robert recounts her THE THINKING DRINKERS PUB CRAWL life as a feisty seven-year-old who Events Enjoy five free drinks as the award- wields her glass eye as a super- Film winning experts take you from the power, Sat 16 Mar, Women’s Centre, INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: THE BIG BANG FAIR 2019 The UK’s symposiums of Ancient Greece to the Ludlow, South Shropshire largest celebration of science, tech- classic British boozer via Wild West THE WONDERFUL DISCOVERY OF BLACKKKLANSMAN (15) nology, engineering and maths saloons, Victorian gin palaces and WITCHES IN THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER Biography/Crime. Starring John (STEM) for young people, Wed 13 - the secret Speakeasy, Fri 15 Mar, Dawn State’s new play, inspired by David Washington, Adam Driver. Sat 16 Mar, NEC, Birmingham Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury the true story of Britain’s bloodiest Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Mon SEWING FOR PLEASURE/FASHION & EM- 11 Mar THE WONDERFUL DISCOVERY OF witch hunt, Sun 17 Mar, Newhampton BROIDERY Thurs 14 - Sun 17 Mar, WITCHES Dawn State’s new play, in- Arts Centre, Wolverhampton ALPHA (12a) Adventure/Drama. Star- NEC, Birmingham spired by the true story of Britain’s ring Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jóhannes THE CREATIVE CRAFT SHOW Featuring bloodiest witch hunt, Fri 15 Mar, The Haukur Jóhannesson. The Edge Arts knitting, cross stitch, paper crafting, Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shrop- jewellery, shire, Mon 11 Mar BEYOND THE BARRICADE 20TH ANNIVER- dressmak- SARY TOUR Featuring music from THE MULE (15) Crime/Drama. Starring ing, felting or iconic West End & Broadway musi- Kids Shows Bradley Cooper, Clint Eastwood. Fes- new craft cals, Fri 15 Mar, Prince Of Wales Cen- BING LIVE! Join Bing, Sula, Coco and tival Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, trends, Thurs tre, Cannock Pando as they find out how to tell sto- North Shropshire, Mon 11 Mar 14 - Sun 17 Mar, NEC, PARLOUR TRICKS Time-travelling magic ries by pretending, dressing-up and WAJIB (15) Drama. Starring Moham- Birmingham duo Morgan & West present ‘a spec- singing songs. Tues 12 - Wed 13 Mar, mad Bakri, Saleh Bakri. Foreign lan- tacular show chock full of jaw-drop- Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury guage, subtitled. Stafford Gatehouse CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK'S DAY WITH ping, brain-bursting, gasp-eliciting MADAGASCAR JR Performed by Theatre, Tues 12 Mar JAMESON A meet-the-distiller evening feats of magic’, Fri 15 Mar, Arena Stafford Gatehouse Youth Theatre, CAT BALLOU (PG) Comedy/Romance. celebrating St. Patrick's Day and fea- Theatre, Wolverhampton Wed 13 - Fri 15 Mar, Stafford Gate- Starring Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin. turing traditional foods paired with whiskey tastings, Fri 15 Mar, Black PAPER CINEMA'S MACBETH Shake- house Theatre Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Country Living Museum, Dudley speare's tragedy, vividly told via illus- TOM GATES LIVE ON STAGE! Birming- Shropshire, Tues 12 Mar tration, puppetry and a live score, Fri ham Stage Company bring Liz Pi- BEAUTY & THE BEAST (PG) Musical/Fan- BLUE PLANET II LIVE IN CONCERT Based 15 Mar, The REP, Birmingham chon's popular characters to life, Wed tasy. Starring Emma Watson, Dan on the Bafta-winning BBC One television series, Sat 16 Mar, Resorts EDMOND DE BERGERAC Josie Lawrence 13 - Sat 16 Mar, The Alexandra The- Stevens. This is a sing-a-long show- World Arena, Birmingham & Freddie Fox star in the award-win- atre, Birmingham ing. Lichfield Garrick, Tues 12 Mar ning play inspired by the story of LYDIA MONKS’ THE GIRL, THE BEAR & COLETTE (15) Biography/Drama. Star- THE PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW Offering ev- Cyrano de Bergerac, Fri 15 - Sat 30 THE MAGIC SHOES Mermaids, unicorns ring Keira Knightley, Eleanor Tomlin- erything an amateur or pro could Mar, The REP, Birmingham and a whole host of glittering charac- son. Wem Town Hall, North need to take their stills creations to the next level, Sat 16 - Tues 19 Mar, HANCOCK'S HALF HOUR The classic ters and sparkling stories come to life Shropshire, Tues 12 & Thurs 14 Mar before your very eyes... Sat 16 Mar, NEC, Birmingham radio comedy, live on stage, Sat 16 SOUND OF MUSIC (U) Musical. Starring Birmingham Town Hall Mar, Lichfield Garrick Julie Andrews. This is a sing-a-long STORE STORIES: A BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR A SELF-HELP GUIDE TO BEING IN LOVE showing. Dudley Town Hall, Fri 15 Check out Attingham’s hidden treasures and meet the team carrying WITH JEREMY CORBYN Performance Mar out conservation work at the prop- poetry show about Labour, the Tories EL SUR (PG) Drama. Starring Omero erty, Sun 17 Mar, Attingham Park, and the division of the left, Sat 16 Antonutti, Sonsoles Aranguren. For- Shrewsbury Mar, Old Joint Stock Theatre, B’ham Dance eign language, subtitled. The Hive, ST. PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL The annual CLOSER Oliver Mellor (Coronation JULIET & ROMEO Lost Dog Dance fuse Shrewsbury, Fri 15 Mar parade through the streets of Digbeth Street) & Darren John Langford (Hol- dance, theatre & comedy in a perfor- IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (15) followed by a day of music on St lyoaks) star in Patrick Marber’s iconic mance that imagines what life Crime/Drama. Starring KiKi Layne, Pat’s Rock Stage opp The Irish cen- play of seduction, lies and betrayal. would’ve been like for the world’s Stephan James. Old Market Hall, tre, Sun 17 Mar, Digbeth, Birmingham Contains adult themes, Sat 16 Mar, most famous lovers if they had lived Shrewsbury, Fri 15 - Thurs 21 Mar Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke-on-Trent into their 40s, Thurs 14 Mar, The whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 18 - 24 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:15 Page 1

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thelist Monday 18 - Sunday 24 March Mar, Oakengates The- ingham Fri 22 - Sat 23 Mar, The Glee Club, Gigs atre at The Place, INTERROBANG Sat 23 Classical Birmingham Telford Mar, Katie Fitzgeralds, CARL HUTCHINSON Sat 23 Mar, The- JUAN MARTIN Mon 18 JAMES Thurs 21 Mar, Stourbridge atre Severn, Shrewsbury Mar, New Vic Theatre, Music O2 Academy, B’ham THE PINEAPPLE THIEF ROB ROUSE, PIERRE HOLLINS, MARK Newcastle-under- CBSO: SCHUMANN'S RHENISH SYM- YUNGBLUD Thurs 21 Sat 23 Mar, O2 Insti- SIMMONS & HAYLEY ELLIS Sat 23 Mar, Lyme Mar, O2 Academy, tute, Birmingham PHONY Featuring Jac van Steen The Comedy Loft, Birmingham THE SLOW READERS (conductor) and Steven Osborne Birmingham SUGARTHIEF Sat 23 LIMMY Sun 24 Mar, The Glee Club, CLUB Mon 18 Mar, The (piano). Programme includes works PICTURE THIS Thurs 21 Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Birmingham Sugarmill, Stoke-on- by Smetana, Shostakovich and Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- ingham Trent Schumann, Wed 20 Mar, Symphony ROUGH WORKS Sun 24 Mar, The Glee ingham HAYSEED DIXIE Sat 23 Hall, Birmingham Club, Birmingham PETER KNIGHT & JOHN AJ TRACEY Thurs 21 Mar, The Slade SPIERS Tues 19 Mar, THE WORLD OF HANS ZIMMER Thurs Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Rooms, W’hampton Theatre Severn, 21 Mar, Arena Birmingham ingham Shrewsbury THE LOUNGE KITTENS CBSO: LET THERE BE LOVE, A CELEBRA- CORDUROY Thurs 21 Sat 23 Mar, The Sug- TELFORD SINGS Tues 19 TION OF NAT KING COLE Featuring Guy Mar, Hare & Hounds, armill, Stoke-on-Trent - Wed 20 Mar, Oaken- Barker (conductor) and Gary Theatre Birmingham gates Theatre at The Williams, Cherise Adams-Burnett ART Nigel Havers, Denis Lawson & Place, Telford SHERIDAN SMITH: A (vocalists) & the City of Birmingham Stephen Tompkinson star in Yasmina NORTHERN SOUL Thurs Symphony Orchestra, Fri 22 Mar, DAMO SUZUKI Tues 19 Reza’s theatrical phenomenon, Mon 21 Mar, Symphony Symphony Hall, Birmingham Mar, Hare & Hounds, 18 - Sat 23 Mar, Theatre Severn, Hall, Birmingham Birmingham PETER DONOHOE PIANO RECITAL Pro- Shrewsbury GORDON HENDRICKS IS gramme includes works by Schu- JACK LUKEMAN Tues 19 THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN Samantha ELVIS Fri 22 Mar, Oak- mann, Tchaikovsky & Mussorgsky, Mar, Henry Tudor Womack stars alongside Oliver engates Theatre at Fri 22 Mar, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal House, Shrewsbury Farnsworth in a stage adaptation of The Place, Telford Birmingham Conservatoire Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel, D BLOCK EUROPE Tues NIRVANA UK Fri 22 Mar, ORGAN PROM Sat 23 Mar, Victoria Mon 18 - Sat 23 Mar, Wolverhamp- 19 Mar, O2 Institute, KRISTIN HERSH Sat 23 The River Rooms, Hall, Stoke-on-Trent ton Grand Theatre Birmingham Mar, Hare & Hounds, Stourbridge Birmingham CBSO: MUSICAL MYSTERY ONCE UPON A WEDNESDAY: DAVE TONG, RUSSELL WATSON Wed JIZZY PEARL LOVE/HATE FAMILY SHOW Featuring Tianyi Lu TALES OF AN ITINERANT TELLER Comi- 20 Mar, Stafford Gate- FLEETWOOD BAC Sat 23 Fri 22 Mar, The Slade (conductor) and Tom Redmond (pre- cal evening celebrating the highs house Theatre Mar, The Robin, Bil- Rooms, W’hampton senter). Programme includes works and lows of Dave’s life as a story- ston THE SLOW READERS ROY ORBISON & TRAVEL- by Elgar, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, teller, Wed 20 Mar, The Brewhouse CLUB VOICE OF THE HEART: Wed 20 Mar, O2 ING WILBURYS EXPERI- Prokofiev, Quincy Jones and Britten, Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent Academy, Birmingham KAREN CARPENTER ENCE Fri 22 Mar, Sun 24 Mar, Symphony Hall, B’ham GUYS AND DOLLS JR Performed by TRIBUTE Sat 23 Mar, KT TUNSTALL Wed 20 Stafford Gatehouse BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHES- Stafford Gatehouse Youth Theatre, Prince Of Wales Cen- Mar, Birmingham Town Theatre TRA Featuring Michael Lloyd (con- Wed 20 - Fri 22 Mar, Stafford Gate- tre, Cannock Hall WHO'S WHO AND SMALL ductor). Programme includes works house Theatre I LOVE REGGAETON Sat MARTY WILSON-PIPER FAKERS Fri 22 Mar, The by Mendelssohn, Stravinsky & PRONOUN The Crescent Youth The- 23 Mar, O2 Institute, Wed 20 Mar, Foxlowe Robin, Bilston Brahms, Sun 24 Mar, St Mary’s atre presents its version of Evan Birmingham Arts Centre, Leek, Church, Cleobury Mortimer, Shrop- MARTIN TAYLOR & ULF Placey's love story about transition, Staffs FOREVER ELTON Sat 23 shire WAKENIUS Fri 22 Mar, testosterone and James Dean, Wed Mar, Theatre On The LOW ISLAND Wed 20 Theatre Severn, UNIVERSITY PHILHARMONIC ORCHES- 20 - Sat 23 Mar, Crescent Theatre, Steps, Bridgnorth, Mar, The Sunflower Shrewsbury TRA Featuring Daniele Rosina (con- Birmingham Shropshire Lounge, Birmingham ductor). Programme includes works BARS AND MELODY Fri VULVARINE The astoundingly average CHICAGO BLUES BROTH- by Ives, Respighi & Shostakovich, THE SEARCHERS Wed 22 Mar, O2 Academy, Bryony Buckle finds herself trans- ERS: BACK IN BLACK Sat Sun 24 Mar, Elgar Concert Hall, The 20 Mar, Prince Of Birmingham formed into a superhero... Wed 20 - 23 Mar, Stafford Gate- Bramall, University of Birmingham Wales Centre, Can- Sat 23 Mar, Old Joint Stock Theatre, KAMELOT - THE SHADOW house Theatre nock Birmingham TOUR PT. II Fri 22 Mar, RESPECT - THE ARETHA MAD DOG MCREA Thurs O2 Academy, B’ham PICNIC Staging of William Inge’s mid- FRANKLIN SONGBOOK 21 Mar, The Robin, Bil- 20th century play, Wed 20 - Sat 23 NAO Fri 22 Mar, O2 In- Sat 23 Mar, The ston Mar, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham stitute, Birmingham Alexandra Theatre, Comedy PIANO MAN - THE MUSIC JULIAN CLARY - BORN TO MINCE ‘Out- PURE PURPLE Fri 22 Birmingham OF BILLY JOEL Thurs 21 TOADALLY FREE COMEDY Mon 18 Mar, rageously camp’ new show in which Mar, Eleven, Stoke-on- 40 YEARS OF DISCO 2 Mar, Prince Of Wales The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham the prince of innuendo ‘bares his Trent Sun 24 Mar, Resorts Centre, Cannock BRUM CRAIC Wed 20 Mar, Symphony soul as never before in the interests SLEAFORD MODS Fri 22 World Arena, B’ham of light entertainment’, Thurs 21 Mar, STEVE HOWELL Thurs Hall, Birmingham Mar, The Sugarmill, KATHRYN ROBERTS & Stafford Gatehouse Theatre 21 Mar, Katie Fitzger- LEE NELSON Wed 20 Mar, The Glee Stoke-on-Trent SEAN LAKEMAN Sun 24 alds, Stourbridge Club, Birmingham BETH PRIOR COLLECTIVE Mar, Henry Tudor THE WORLD OF HANS Fri 22 Mar, Albert’s House, Shrewsbury JACK DEE Thurs 21 Mar, The Edge ZIMMER Thurs 21 Mar, Shed, Shrewsbury THE FISH BROTHERS Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Arena Birmingham Shropshire ARRIVAL - THE HITS OF Sun 24 Mar, Katie SHARON VAN ETTEN ABBA Sat 23 Mar, Oak- Fitzgeralds, Stour- NATHAN CATON, GARY LITTLE & HAYLEY Thurs 21 Mar, The Mill, engates Theatre at bridge ELLIS PLUS COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH Digbeth, Birmingham The Place, Telford A PALE HORSE NAMED ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 21 Mar, The SMOKESAC Thurs 21 Glee Club, Birmingham THE SLEAZE BROTHERS DEATH Sun 24 Mar, O2 Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Sat 23 Mar, Lichfield Academy, Birmingham ANDREW BIRD Fri 22 Mar, The Glee ingham Guildhall LOSKI - MAD MOVE TOUR Club, Birmingham MANILOW - A CELEBRA- SLEAFORD MODS Sat 23 Sun 24 Mar, O2 Insti- NATHAN CATON, GARY LITTLE, HAYLEY TION OF BARRY Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- tute, Birmingham ELLIS, JENNY COLLIER & MICK FERRY MANILOW Thurs 21 whatsonlive.co.uk 61 The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 18 - 24 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:15 Page 3 The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 18 - 24 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:15 Page 4

Monday 18 - Sunday 24 March

theSAVE EUROPE NOW: FRIENDSlist OF ENE- THOSE WERE THE DAYS Variety show MIES Work-in-progress event with featuring musical entertainers Andy strong echoes of current political ten- Eastwood, Pete Lindup & Maggie sions... Thurs 21 Mar, Midlands Arts O’Hara, Sat 23 Mar, Festival Drayton Centre, Birmingham Centre, Market Drayton, North Shrop- STARS OF LES MISERABLES Featuring shire The Barricade Boys, Thurs 21 Mar, Forest Arts Centre, Walsall CRIMES ON THE NILE Award-winning theatre company New Old Friends return with another inventive comedy Children thriller, Thurs 21 - Sat 23 Mar, Lich- DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE Roarsome in- field Garrick teractive show for all the family, Mon 18 - Tues 19 Mar, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre HORRIBLE HISTORIES - TERRIBLE TU- DORS From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear legends (and lies!) about the torturing Tudors, Tues 19 - Sat 23 Mar, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent HORRIBLE HISTORIES - AWFUL EGYP- TIANS From the fascinating pharaohs to the power of the pyramids, discover foul facts about death and Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians - Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent decay with the meanest mummies in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Amateur stag- Egypt, Tues 19 - Sat 23 Mar, Regent North Shropshire, Mon 18 Mar; Old ing presented by Birmingham Ormis- Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent Market Hall, Shrewsbury, Fri 22 - Events ton Academy's Year 13 musical Thurs 28 Mar FORBIDDEN NIGHTS theatre students, Thurs 21 - Sat 23 FIRST MAN (12) Biography/Drama. Full-production Mar, The Old Rep Theatre, B’ham Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy. male variety show combining circus Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Mon and acrobatic skills, Thurs 21 Mar, OTHELLO Scott Ellis directs Shake- Prince Of Wales Centre, Cannock speare's tale of jealousy, betrayal and Dance 18 Mar NATIONAL SHIRE HORSE SHOW The deceit, Thurs 21 - Sat 23 Mar, The REMEMBERING THE MOVIES CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (15) Biog- Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham Strictly’s raphy/Comedy. Starring Melissa Mc- world’s largest gathering of Shire very own Aljaz and Janette are back horses, Fri 22 - Sun 24 Mar, Stafford- KUNENE AND THE KING World premiere Carthy, Richard E. Grant. Wem Town on tour with a brand new show, Sat shire County Showground, Stafford of John Kani's 'moving and funny' Hall, North Shropshire, Tues 19 Mar; 23 Mar, Symphony Hall, Birmingham PRACTICAL CLASSICS CLASSIC CAR & play, which sees two men from con- Festival Drayton Centre, Market Dray- RESTORATION SHOW trasting walks of life thrust together to ton, North Shropshire, Sat 23 Mar Officially the UK’s reflect on a quarter-century of change THE FAVOURITE (15) Biography/Com- fastest-growing classic car show, Fri in South Africa. Sir Antony Sher stars edy. Starring Olivia Colman, Emma 22 - Sun 24 Mar, NEC, Birmingham alongside Kani himself, Thurs 21 Mar Stone. Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, GYMNASTICS WORLD CUP Featuring - Tues 23 Apr, The Swan Theatre, Talks Tues 19 Mar some of the world’s best gymnasts, Stratford-upon-Avon FRIENDS' TALK: PERCEPTIONS OF SUS- FUNNY COW (15) Comedy/Drama. Sat 23 Mar, Resorts World Arena, TAINABILITY IN A HERITAGE CONTEXT A INSTRUCTIONS FOR AMERICAN SERVICE- Starring Maxine Peake, Paddy Consi- Birmingham talk by Joanna Turska, the Industrial MEN IN BRITAIN Evening of laughter dine. The Hive, Shrewsbury, Wed 20 GHOST TOURS An evening ghost tour Heritage Support Officer for England, and silliness as a crack team of ex- Mar of one of Britain’s most haunted Wed 20 Mar, Coalbrookdale Museum perts attempt to explain the rules of buildings, Sat 23 Mar, Aston Hall, of Iron, Ironbridge, Shropshire HUMAN FLOW (12) Documentary. Star- British life, Fri 22 Mar, Silverstone ring Israa Abboud, Hiba Abed. The Birmingham Horne Institute, Church Stretton, A GROWN-UP EVENING WITH MICHAEL Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon- MURDER-MYSTERY DINNER A pilot has South Shropshire ROSEN Michael presents an evening Trent, Thurs 21 Mar been found dead. Was it an accident of stories and performance poetry, FORBIDDEN NIGHTS Evening of or did someone deliberately tamper Thurs 21 Mar, Birmingham Town Hall ALL IS TRUE (12a) Biography/Drama. ‘thrilling action and provocative Starring Kenneth Branagh, Lolita with his Spitfire? Sat 23 Mar, Think- choreography’, Fri 22 Mar, Prince Of BEN FOGLE: TALES FROM THE WILDER- Chakrabarti. Festival Drayton Centre, tank Science Museum, Birmingham Wales Centre, Cannock NESS ‘Thrilling tales’ from a modern- Market Drayton, North Shropshire, Fri THE GIN TRAIN Gin-tasting experience day journeyman, Sun 24 Mar, OUR DAY OUT Starcross Youth Theatre 22 Mar with a twist, Sat 23 - Sun 24 Mar, Sev- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre present Willy Russell’s much-per- A STAR IS BORN (15) Musical/Drama. ern Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kid- formed play about a school trip for Starring Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga. derminster remedial students, Sat 23 Mar, Arena Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South MCM BIRMINGHAM COMIC CON The ulti- Theatre, Wolverhampton Shropshire, Fri 22 - Sat 23 Mar mate show for comic-book fans, Sat SIGH OF THE MUSAAFIR This fusion of Film THE LADYKILLERS (U) Comedy/Crime. 23 - Sun 24 Mar, NEC, Birmingham text, spoken word, soundscapes, Starring Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers. dance, visual projections and live INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Festival Drayton Centre, Market Dray- music forms part of the Transforming BLACKKKLANSMAN (15) ton, South Shropshire, Sun 24 Mar Narratives Project - a three-year initia- Biography/Crime. Starring John tive which aims to establish Birming- David Washington, Adam Driver. ham as a leading international centre NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, for contemporary South Asian arts South Shropshire, Mon 18 Mar Released from Fri 22 Mar, showing at practice, for the mutual benefit of selected cinemas Birmingham and cities in Pakistan VICE (15) Biography/Comedy. Starring US (tbc) and Bangladesh, Sat 23 Mar, The Christian Bale and Amy Adams. Festi- REP, Birmingham val Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, THE WHITE CROW (12a)

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thelist Monday 25 - Sunday 31 March ingham WATSKY Fri 29 Mar, O2 ham Town Hall Gigs THE LUCK Wed 27 Mar, Institute, Birmingham Classical GARY POWNDLAND & FRIENDS Fri 29 The Robin, Bilston CRYBABY PLUS JIM Mar, Stourbridge Town Hall LIL ' JIMMY REED - SOUNDS OF THE FOR- KIRKPATRICK’S RORY Fri IVO GRAHAM Fri 29 Mar, Festival Dray- LOUISIANA BLUES WITH Music TUNES Wed 27 Mar, 29 Mar, Eleven, Stoke- ton Centre, Market Drayton, North BOB HALL & HILARY Theatre On The Steps, on-Trent LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT Pro- Shropshire BLYTHE Mon 25 Mar, Bridgnorth, Shropshire MERSEY BEATLES Fri 29 gramme Includes works by Bach, The Robin, Bilston Dove, Vaughan-Williams, Delius & G. DANA ALEXANDER, JOHN MOLONEY, THE RAVEN AGE Wed 27 Mar, Prince Of Wales JOHN LYNN & STUART MITCHELL Fri 29 THE MOUSE OUTFIT Litaize, Mon 25 Mar, Birmingham Mar, The Sugarmill, Centre, Cannock - Sat 30 Mar, The Glee Club, B’ham Mon 25 Mar, The Glee Town Hall Stoke-on-Trent DAVID GRAY Fri 29 Mar, Club, Birmingham ALBION QUARTET IN RECITAL HENNING WEHN Sat 30 Mar, William ELO EXPERIENCE Thurs Symphony Hall, Birm- Aston Hall, Wrexham ALY BAIN AND PHIL CUN- Featuring Tamsin Waley-Cohen & 28 Mar, Theatre Sev- ingham NINGHAM Mon 25 Mar, Emma Parker (violins), Rosalind Ven- JARLATH REGAN, ADAM STAUNTON, ern, Shrewsbury THE CINEMATIC ORCHES- New Vic Theatre, New- tris (viola) and Nathaniel Boyd ROGER MONKHOUSE & FREDDY QUINNE TRA Fri 29 Mar, O2 In- castle-under-Lyme BLAZE BAYLEY Thurs 28 (cello). Programme includes works Sat 30 Mar, The Comedy Loft, B’ham Mar, The Robin, Bil- stitute, Birmingham by Kate Whitley, Elizabeth Maconchy PIST.ON Mon 25 Mar, HENNING WEHN Sun 31 Mar, Theatre ston THE MAGIC OF THE BEAT- and Kate Soper, Tues 26 Mar, O2 Academy, B’ham Severn, Shrewsbury SMOKIN PILCHARDS LES Fri 29 Mar, The Birmingham Town Hall THE INTERNET Mon 25 BARBARA NICE Sun 31 Mar, The Glee Thurs 28 Mar, Katie Alexandra Theatre, CBSO FUNDRAISING CONCERT: RATTLE Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Club, Birmingham Fitzgeralds, Stour- Birmingham CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN Featuring The ingham bridge KICK UP THE 80'S Sat 30 City of Birmingham Symphony Or- NEON WALTZ Mon 25 WILLE AND THE BANDITS Mar, The Robin, Bil- chestra, Sir Simon Rattle (conduc- Mar, Hare & Hounds, Thurs 28 Mar, O2 ston tor), Iwona Sobotka (soprano), Birmingham Academy, Birmingham STILLMARILLION Sat 30 Chrystal E. Williams (mezzo so- PANIC! AT THE DISCO prano), Joshua Stewart (tenor) and Theatre DEAF HAVANA Thurs 28 Mar, Eleven, Stoke-on- Tues 26 Mar, Arena Eric Greene (bass). Programme in- Mar, O2 Academy, Trent ROMANY WOOD Musical for children Birmingham cludes works by Jonathan Dove, starring 250-plus young people from Birmingham THE DUALERS Sat 30 Imogen Holst and Beethoven, Thurs JIMMY BUCKLEY Tues across Shropshire, Mon 25 Mar, The- NONAME Thurs 28 Mar, Mar, The Slade rooms, 28 Mar, Symphony Hall, Birmingham 26 Mar, Oakengates atre Severn, Shrewsbury O2 Institute, B’ham Wolverhampton Theatre at The Place, MENDELSSOHN & ENESCU STRING NETHERHALL Sat 30 MACBETH English Touring Opera pre- Telford THE LOUNGE KITTENS OCTETS Featuring Jeffrey Armstrong, sent Verdi’s interpretation of Shake- Thurs 28 Mar, Hare & Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- Alicja Humeniuk, Olga Eckert & Mark THE GALLERYS LIVE speare’s famous tragedy, Mon 25 Hounds, Birmingham ingham Lee (violins); Mabon Llyr & Yue Yu Tues 26 Mar, Hare & Mar, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre UNDERCOVER HIPPY Sat (violas); Flora McNicoll & Bora Kim Hounds, Birmingham ERJA LYYTINEN Thurs JULIAN CLARY - BORN TO MINCE ‘Out- 28 Mar, Hare & 30 Mar, Katie Fitzger- (cellos), Thurs 28 Mar, Recital Hall, STEWART COPELAND rageously camp’ new show in which Hounds, Birmingham alds, Stourbridge Royal Birmingham Conservatoire LIGHTS UP THE ORCHES- the prince of innuendo ‘bares his JAMES MORRISON Sat BBC PHILHARMONIC Featuring Rory TRA Tues 26 Mar, Sym- GABRIELLE Thurs 28 soul as never before in the interests 30 Mar, O2 Institute, Macdonald (conductor) & Viviane phony Hall, B’ham Mar, Birmingham Town of light entertainment’, Tues 26 Mar, Hall Birmingham Hagner (soloist). Programme in- Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury THE ZUTONS Tues 26 MANOEUVRES Sun 31 cludes works by Debussy, Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- THE ROLLING STONES IDOMENEO English Touring Opera Mar, The Robin, Bil- Beethoven & Dvorak, Fri 29 Mar, Vic- inghamDRAKE Tues 26 STORY Fri 29 Mar, Lich- present Mozart’s story of high ideals ston toria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent - Thurs 28 Mar, Re- field Garrick and deep emotions, Tues 26 Mar, BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: MUSIC FOR sorts World Arena, ASHLEY HUTCHINGS Wolverhampton Grand Theatre ARETHA - RESPECT Fri PASSIONTIDE Sat 30 Mar, St Philip’s Birmingham 29 Mar, Wolverhamp- Sun 31 Mar, Lichfield IOLANTHE Birmingham Savoyards Guildhall Cathedral, Birmingham SETH LAKEMAN Wed 27 ton Grand Theatre present Gilbert & Sullivan's political CBSO: WEINBERG'S VIOLIN CONCERTO Mar, The Glee Club, STEELEYE SPAN Sun 31 satire, Tues 26 - Sat 30 Mar, The Old PINK - BEAUTIFUL Featuring the City of Birmingham Birmingham TRAUMA Mar, Prince Of Wales Rep Theatre, Birmingham Fri 29 Mar, Symphony Orchestra, Mirga The River Rooms, Centre, Cannock GRACE CARTER Wed 27 Gražinyte -Tyla (conductor) and 42ND STREET Stoke Youth Musical Stourbridge Mar, O2 Institute, Birm- GERRY CINNAMON Sun Gidon Kremer (violin). Programme Theatre Company present an ama- ingham THE SOUND AKA + BRI- 31 Mar, O2 Academy, includes works by Schubert and teur staging of the hit musical, Tues Birmingham 26 - Sat 30 Mar, Stoke Repertory SLOWTHAI Wed 27 Mar, TANNIA BEAT Fri 29 Mar, Weinberg, Sun 31 Mar, Symphony Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent O2 Institute, B’ham The Robin, Bilston RIZWAN MUAZZAM Hall, Birmingham QAWWALI Sun 31 Mar, THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR Shifting POPPY AJUDHA Wed 27 BUSTED Fri 29 Mar, Re- Birmingham Town Hall Sands presents Gogol’s political Mar, Hare & Hounds, sorts World Arena, satire, Wed 27 Mar, The Brewhouse Birmingham Birmingham THE JOHNNY CASH ROADSHOW Sun 31 Arts Centre, Burton-on-Trent FRANKIE STEW & HAR- UB40 FEAT ALI CAMP- Mar, The Alexandra Comedy VEY GUNN Wed 27 Mar, BELL & ASTRO Fri 29 Theatre, Birmingham Hare & Hounds, Birm- Mar, Arena B’ham JETHRO Thurs 28 Mar, Stafford Gate- house Theatre ED GAMBLE Thurs 28 Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury FOIL, ARMS AND HOG Thurs 28 Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome KIERAN HODGSON Thurs 28 Mar, Mid- lands Arts Centre, Birmingham DANA ALEXANDER, JOHN MOLONEY & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBIN- MACBETH All & Sundry presents its SON Thurs 28 Mar, The Glee Club, version of one of Shakespeare's Birmingham bloodiest plays, Wed 27 - Sat 30 HENNING WEHN Fri 29 Mar, Birming- Mar, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham The Raven Age - The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List Wolves/Shrops/Staffs 25 - 31 March.qxp_Layout 1 21/02/2019 11:16 Page 3

Monday 25 - Sunday 31 March

the9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL Midlandslist MHT Comedy drag show featuring AN EVENING WITH BRIAN BLESSED The Academy of Musical Theatre presents Paul Carroll as Mrs T & Lee Sander- actor and mountaineer shares anec- Film its version of the musical comedy, son as Peggy Lee, Sat 30 Mar, dotes from his illustrious career, Wed based on the cult film starring Dolly Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke-on-Trent 27 Mar, Wolverhampton Grand The- INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Parton, Wed 27 - Sat 30 Mar, The I TALK TOO MUCH: AN EVENING OF CHAT atre COLD WAR (12) Drama/Music. Starring Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham AND MUSIC WITH FRANCIS ROSSI Anec- AN AUDIENCE WITH SIMON REEVE Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot. Foreign GLORY DAZED Dark comedy examining dotes aplenty from the Status Quo Simon recounts tales from his trips to language, subtitled. Edge Arts Cen- the plight of ex-servicemen in modern star, Sat 30 Mar, Birmingham Town the remote and extreme corners of tre, Much Wenlock, South Shrop- Britain, Wed 27 - Sun 31 Mar, Old Hall the planet, Thurs 28 Mar, Wolver- shire, Mon 25 Mar Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS Brand new hampton Grand Theatre GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL WAR HORSE Acclaimed West End show featuring sword swallowers, HIT THE ODE Unique performance po- PIE SOCIETY (12) Drama/History. Star- show based on the novel by Michael demon dwarfs, knife throwers, con- etry night featuring Kamil Mahmood, ring Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Morpurgo, Wed 27 Mar - Sat 6 Apr, tortionists and more... Sat 30 Mar, Amani Saeed and Oshanti, Fri 29 Courtenay. Forest Arts Centre, Wal- Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Mar, The Patrick Studio, Birmingham sall, Tues 26 Mar DOREEN'S BIG TOP Doreen Tipton’s COLLABORATION Exploration of the re- Hippodrome THE GUILTY (15) Crime/Drama. Star- unique travelling Circus of Loffs lationship between composer AN EVENING WITH THE HAIRY BIKERS ring Jakob Cedergren, Jessica Din- comes to town, Fri 29 Mar, Forest Richard Strauss and his librettist, Sat 30 Mar, Symphony Hall, B’ham nage. Foreign language, subtitled. Arts Centre, Walsall Stephan Zweig, Sat 30 Mar - Sat 6 Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tues 26 THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR Shifting Apr, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham Mar Sands presents Gogol’s political AFTER THE FALL The Crescent Theatre ON THE BASIS OF SEX (12a) Biogra- satire, Fri 29 Mar, The Glasshouse Company presents Arthur Miller's phy/Drama. Starring Felicity Jones, Arts Centre, Stourbridge powerful and moving study of a man Armie Hammer. Wem Town Hall, A BRAVE FACE Worcestershire-based struggling to come to terms with him- North Shropshire, Tues 26 & Thurs 28 full mask theatre company Vamos ex- self and the world... Sat 30 Mar - Sat Mar plore the subject of post-traumatic 13 Apr, Crescent Theatre, B’ham PETERLOO (12a) Drama/History. Star- stress, Fri 29 Mar, Arena Theatre, ROUSE, YE WOMEN! Folk opera based ring Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake. Wolverhampton on the story of Mary Macarthur and Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South her universal campaign for equality in Shropshire, Fri 29 Mar A REGULAR LITTLE HOUDINI Award-win- AN EVENING WITH TYSON FURY Sat 30 the workplace, Sun 31 Mar, Theatre LOVELESS (15) ning tale of fantasy and escapism, Fri Mar, Second City Suite, Birmingham Drama. Starring 29 Mar, Alveley Parish Memorial Hall, Severn, Shrewsbury Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin. For- Bridgnorth, Shropshire eign language, subtitled. The Hive, I TALK TOO MUCH: AN EVENING OF CHAT Shrewsbury, Fri 29 Mar AND MUSIC WITH FRANCIS ROSSI Anec- FISHERMAN'S FRIENDS (12A) Com- dotes aplenty from the Status Quo edy/Drama. Starring James Purefoy, star, Fri 29 Mar, Theatre Severn, Children Dance Tuppence Middleton. Old Market Hall, Shrewsbury, Fri 29 - Sun 31 Mar Shrewsbury MINISTRY OF SCIENCE LIVE! Anarchic PEPPERLAND SUNSET BOULEVARD TADLOP presents stage show for younger audiences Mark Morris Dance pre- A PRIVATE WAR (15) Biography/Drama. Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award- which takes a look at the inventors sent a 50th-anniversary tribute to The Starring Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dor- winning masterpiece, Fri 29 - Sun 31 and engineers who’ve shaped the Beatles' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts nan. Festival Drayton Centre, Market Mar, The Place, Oakengates Theatre, modern world, Wed 27 Mar, Forest Club Band album, Tues 26 - Wed 27 Drayton, North Shropshire, Sat 30 Mar, Birmingham Hippodrome Telford Arts Centre, Walsall CONFESSIONS OF A COCKNEY TEMPLE Mar WILLNE AND STEPHEN TRIES LIVE An ARISTOCATS Amateur staging per- DANCER One-man show in which evening with two of YouTube’s ‘funni- formed by Stafford Gatehouse Youth Shane Shambhu combines Indian NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: est (looking) men’, Sat 30 Mar, The Theatre, Wed 27 - Fri 29 Mar, Stafford dance and standup comedy to lead Released from Fri 29 Mar, showing at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Gatehouse Theatre audiences on a journey through his selected cinemas DESERT ISLAND FLICKS Two leading RABBIT GIRL & THE SEARCH FOR WON- life, Thurs 28 Mar, The Patrick Studio, AT ETERNITY’S GATE (tbc) ladies reimagine, remake and spoof DER New show for younger audi- Birmingham Hippodrome the most memorable movie moments ences inspired by stories from SPIRIT OF BOLLYWOOD Dance journey CAPTIVE STATE (12a) of all time, Sat 30 Mar, Arena Theatre, families about coping with loss and of Indian Cinema, from its early tunes DUMBO (tbc) Wolverhampton finding wonder in the world again, to its current hits, Sat 30 Mar, Birm- A REGULAR LITTLE HOUDINI Award-win- Sun 31 Mar, Midlands Arts Centre, ingham Hippodrome ning tale of fantasy and escapism, Birmingham HERE COME THE GIRLS Sat 30 Mar, Chapel Lawn Village Hall, All-new show Bucknell, Shropshire featuring ballroom and Latin routines choreographed by Strictly’s Patrick Events SING-A-LONG-A THE GREATEST SHOW- Helm, Sat 30 Mar, Theatre Severn, THE NATIONAL HOMEBUILDING & RENO- MAN Sat 30 Mar, Wolverhampton Shrewsbury VATING SHOW Featuring interior de- Grand Theatre Talks GIOVANNI PERNICE - 'IL BALLO È VITA’ signing, exterior landscaping, A BRAVE FACE Worcestershire-based (DANCE IS LIFE) Strictly favourite Gio- roofing, floor- full mask theatre company Vamos ex- DR MICHAEL MOSLEY Michael talks vanni presents his smash-hit dance ing, restora- plore the subject of post-traumatic about an unconventional journey that show, Sun 31 Mar, Lichfield Garrick tion and stress, Sat 30 Mar, Lichfield Garrick he himself has travelled, from swal- new-builds, lowing tape worm to uncovering rev- Thurs 28 - olutionary new ways to lose weight, Sun 31 Mar, get fit and reduce stress, Wed 27 NEC, B’ham Mar, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury ASTON HALL LATE: JACOBEAN MUSIC AT TED X YOUTH@BRUM 2019 A day of THE MANSION Pay a nighttime visit to discussions, conversations and ideas the grand old mansion at night, Fri 29 dedicated to young people in Birm- Mar, Aston Hall, Birmingham ingham. This year’s theme is ‘an age MINIATURA of change’, Wed 27 Mar, The Patrick Featuring some of the Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome world's best miniature craftsmen, Sat 30 - Sun 31 Mar, NEC, B’ham

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