Coventry & Warwickshire Cover April 2018 .qxp_Coventry & Warwickshire Cover 23/03/2018 16:36 Page 1 THE GAME OF LOVE & CHAI Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands AT THE BELGRADE COVENTRY & WARWICKSHIRE WHAT’S ON APRIL 2018 2018 ON APRIL WHAT’S WARWICKSHIRE & COVENTRY Coventry & Warwickshire ISSUE 388 APRIL 2018 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On warwickshirewhatson.co.uk inside: PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP GROUP MEDIA ON WHAT’S OF PART Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide CABBAGE Neo-post-punk Manchester five-piece visit The Empire TWITTER: @WHATSONWARWICKS TWITTER: @WHATSONWARWICKS PROTEIN DANCE award-winning company at Warwick Arts Centre FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWARWICKSHIRE KIDTROPOLIS a youngster’s paradise at the NEC WARWICKSHIREWHATSON.CO.UK (IFC) Warwickshire.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2018 15:09 Page 1 Contents April Warwicks_Worcs.qxp_Layout 1 22/03/2018 14:33 Page 2 April 2018 Contents Bollywood farce - Nigel Planer’s The Game Of Love & Chai opens at the Belgrade - feature page 8 Martine McCutcheon Wicked Romeo And Juliet the list the Love Actually star Lost hit musical returns to cast its brand new RSC staging of the your 16-page And Found at The Core spell over Midlands audiences world’s most famous love story week-by-week listings guide page 17 feature page 22 page 24 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 17. Music 20. Comedy 24. Theatre 35. Film 40. Visual Arts 43. Events fb.com/whatsonwarwickshire fb.com/whatsonworcestershire @whatsonwarwicks @whatsonworcs Warwickshire What’s On Magazine Worcestershire What’s On Magazine Warwickshire What’s On Magazine Worcestershire 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 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 MEDIA GROUP Ellie Hutchings [email protected] 01743 281706 Ryan Humphreys [email protected] 01743 281722 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Heather Kincaid, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Lauren Cole, Steve Adams, Jack Rolfe, Elly Yates-Roberts, Daisy Sparkle, Carol Lovatt, Steve Taylor, Chris Eldon Lee Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry [email protected] 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine. We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it. All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers. First Word Warwickshire April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2018 11:40 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Ronan Keating to play Coventry’s Godiva Fest Former Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating will headline this year’s Godiva Festival on Sunday 2 September. And the Irish heartthrob, who’s forged a hugely successful solo career since the leg- endary boyband called it a day, is very much looking forward to performing in Coventry. “I haven’t spent that much time in the city, so I'm not an expert in any way, but it’s a cool town, cool people and they love their music, which is very important to me. I’m looking forward to playing there, seeing everybody and singing a few tunes.” At the time of going to print, talks are also underway to add Gabrielle to the Godiva Fes- tival line-up, with further acts expected to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit godivafestival.com A Countrytastic time at 100 million downloads, sees Jamie Morton One-woman Sex And The and his best pals, James Cooper and Radio Malvern’s showground One DJ Alice Levine, read a ‘lost chapter’ City visits the Midlands from Jamie’s dad’s ‘dirty book’. A one-woman show visiting the Midlands My Dad Wrote A Porno: Live visits the arts next month will pay tribute to the hit US TV centre on Saturday 19 May. series Sex And The City. Kerry Ipema takes on the role of all four of the series’ leading characters when she visits The Swan Theatre in Worcester, Solihull’s Core Theatre, Artrix in Bromsgrove and Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn on 1, 9, 10 and 11 May respectively. “I hope to create an environment that’s very similar to the girls’ brunches,” says Kerry. An event aimed at providing children with an “There’s a lot of drinking, there’s a lot of fun, enjoyable introduction to the countryside is there’s a lot of laughter, and I like to source a making a welcome return this month. lot of material from the audience, so every Countrytastic takes place at the Three Coun- show is different.” Check out each venue’s ties Showground in Malvern, Worcestershire, Were you a dirty stop-out? website for further details. on Thursday 5 April, and offers visitors ‘an action-packed day of discovery’. A publishing company is on the lookout for BBC Countryfile farmer Adam Henson head- someone to write its forthcoming book about lines a show that also features tractor and Birmingham’s nightlife, music and fashion trailer rides, a hands-on farm kitchen attrac- scene during the 1970s. tion for youngsters, a pottery workshop and Dirty Stop Outs Ltd has already published the chance to enjoy countryside activities in- guides to 1970s Coventry, Manchester and cluding bird-nest making, willow weaving Liverpool. and whistle making. The company’s Neil Anderson said: “We need to find someone who can truly capture the essence of what was happening in the city in Smash-hit podcast show the 1970s. We want to come up with a book set to visit Coventry that takes people straight back to that time The team behind My Dad Wrote A Porno are and celebrates the legacy of the era that next month bringing a live version of the spawned heavy metal and so much more.” smash-hit podcast to Warwick Arts Centre in For more information, contact Neil on Coventry. The cult show, which boasts nearly [email protected] 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Warwickshire April.qxp_Layout 1 23/03/2018 11:40 Page 2 First Word Military history on show at British Motor Museum The British Motor Museum will once again be hosting the Gay- don Military Show this autumn (Sunday 30 September). Now in its third year, the show encompasses all aspects of mili- tary history and features a range of activities to enjoy. “The event is a real step back in time,” says organiser Tom Caren. “There’ll be the chance for visitors to make a weekend of it and camp in the grounds. We would be delighted to hear from anyone interested in dis- playing their military vehicle or selling vintage fashion and mili- taria.” To find out more about the Gay- Jellyfish invasion at the National Sea Life Centre! don Military Show, visit british- A brand new permanent exhibition at Birmingham’s National Sea Life Centre has opened in time for motormuseum.co.uk or call Easter. 01926 641188. Jelly Invaders features five different jellyfish species from across the world - from the bizarre freshwa- ter upside-down jellyfish to the glittering ‘sea nettle’ variety from the Indo-Pacific. The Final Curtain Commenting on the new attraction, curator Jonny Rudd said: “Jellyfish are actually older than di- nosaurs, as it’s believed they first swam in our oceans some 500 million years ago. With more than for Robert and Lisa 350 different species, there’s a lot to uncover!” Two well-known television faces For further information or to pre-book tickets, visit sealife.co.uk/birmingham. team up in Malvern next month to star in a brand new play about England’s greatest fic- tional detective. B-SIDE is back! Read all about it! Tales from Coventry’s Robert Powell takes the title role in Sherlock Holmes: The Final diverse history in unique mini-festival Curtain, with Liza Goddard star- With Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre marking its 60th anniversary this ring as the wife of the Victorian year, celebrations will get into full swing this summer with an ambi- sleuth’s former associate, Dr tious performance takeover of the nearby Coventry Evening Tele- John Watson. A new thriller graph building. Running from 10 to 14 July, a unique mini-festival from award-winning dramatist Simon Reade, the production entitled Read All About It! will bring together professional perform- shows at Malvern Theatre from ers from Mercurial Dance with the Belgrade’s own community com- panies for two site-specific shows inspired by the city’s diverse 21 to 26 May. Birmingham Hippodrome’s history. For more information, visit belgrade.co.uk free annual festival cele- A New Year party, brating all things hip-hop Bangla style! returns next month. Now in its third year, B- Birmingham Town Hall is SIDE Hip-Hop Festival this month takes place from Wednes- hosting a spe- day 9 to Sunday 13 May cial celebration and features outdoor per- in recognition formances, pop-up dance of Pohela events, interactive talks, Boishakh, the live graffiti art and a pro- Bangla New Year.