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Staffordshire Cover Online.qxp_cover 26/02/2016 14:25 Page 1 Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands Staffordshire ’ Whatwww.whatsonlive.co.uk sOnISSUE 363 MARCH 2016 MARY POPPINS FLIES INTO THE MIDLANDS inside: Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide Tony Award-winning musical at the Regent Theatre, Slam Dunk (FP- Mar 16).qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2016 11:30 Page 1 Contents March Region Shropshire/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2016 18:53 Page 2 March 2016 Contents Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - truly scrumptious musical in Stoke page 8 Lulu Mary Poppins Katherine Ryan the list getting back out there and West End musical flies into Kathbum takes a wry look at all your 16-page doing it all again... the Midlands aspects of life week-by-week listings guide page 15 page 19 page 22 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 14. Music 22. Comedy 24. Theatre 32. Film 38. Visual Arts 40. Events @whatsonwolves @whatsonstaffs @whatsonshrops Wolverhampton What’s On Magazine Staffordshire What’s On Magazine Shropshire What’s On Magazine Editorial Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 WhatsOn Matt Rothwell [email protected] 01743 281719 MAGAZINE GROUP Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Ryan Humphreys [email protected] 01743 281722 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Heather Kincaid, Helen Stallard, Katherine Ewing 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 March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs Only.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2016 18:54 Page 1 First Word Indie band back in the Shire An indie pop group that once opened for The Smiths is next month playing a gig in Shropshire - the home county of two of its founder members. The June Brides’ Ade Carter and Simon Beasley both hailed from Shrewsbury and got together with Phil Wilson, Frank Sweeney, Jon Hunter and Brian Alexis in the summer of 1983. Championed by the legendary John Peel, the band quickly established a name for themselves via their intriguing sound, a melodic blend of guitar pop, viola and trumpet. Their debut studio album, There Are Eight Million Stories, reached number one in the independent charts in 1985. Within a year, they were visiting Belfast, Dundalk and Dublin with Morrissey and The Smiths. Sadly, although the Brides’ star shone bright, it also fizzled out pretty quickly. By the end of 1986, the band had gone their separate ways. It would be more than two decades before they reformed. They play The Lion in Shrewsbury on 6 April. The Christians to headline Contributors Local drama company Shrewsbury Flower Show sought by invited to perform English Staffordshire premiere arboretum A Shropshire theatre company has just received the invitation of a lifetime. Midlanders are being Love Lee Productions, who are next month invited to contribute to a presenting the English premiere of Canadian huge photo montage on playwright Vern Thiessen’s 2005 play, the theme of Shakespeare’s Will, have also accepted an Remembrance. offer to perform the work at Elsinore Castle The montage, to be dis- in Denmark, where Hamlet is famously set. played in a new remem- The Elsinore engagement will see the compa- brance centre at ny performing the play on the precise date of Staffordshire’s National Shakespeare’s death, as part of an Memorial Arboretum, will International Shakespeare Symposium. comprise between 5,000 “We’ll be playing to Shakespeare boffins to 15,000 digital photo- from all over the world in one of The Bard’s graphs. The images will most iconic settings,” says the play’s direc- explore what the theme tor, Chris Eldon Lee. “Just two plays have of remembrance means to been booked for the event, ours and the individuals, families and London Globe Theatre’s production of society. Hamlet. So I hope they can pull their socks The exhibition is being up!” created by British artist Shakespeare’s Will is set on the day of The Helen Marshall, whose Bard’s funeral and finds his wife, Anne The Christians will be the headline music act at this year’s work is rooted in photog- Hathaway, wondering whether she dare open Shrewsbury Flower Show. raphy and design. and read the most contentious thing her hus- The Liverpool band, who made a name for themselves in Anybody wishing to con- band ever wrote - his Last Will and the late 1980s, will play the Saturday night. The Red Hot tribute a photo to the Testament. Chilli Pipers will headline the Friday evening. montage can do so until Local actor Joanna Purslow stars in the The Flower Show also recently announced broadcaster and the end of March by show. journalist Sarah Raven as its 2016 celebrity gardener. uploading their pictures The English premiere of the play takes place Sarah’s television career includes presenting Gardeners’ onto at The Wightman Theatre in Shrewsbury World, The Great British Garden Revival and Bees, thepeoplespicture.com/n from 27 to 30 April. The performances Butterflies And Blooms for the BBC. She’s also made ma/ encompass the anniversary of the reading of numerous guest appearances at the Chelsea Flower Show. Shakespeare’s will - exactly 400 years ago. Now in its 129th year, the Shrewsbury Flower Show takes To book tickets, visit wegottickets.com place in the town’s Quarry Park on 12 & 13 August. 4 whatsonlive.co.uk FIRST WORD March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs Only.qxp_Layout 1 22/02/2016 16:07 Page 2 Entertainment news from around the region Award-winning show stops off at The Old Rep An award-winning show about Muslim-American women is visiting Birmingham as part of a UK tour. Dirty Pakistani Lingerie, which interweaves the stories of six Muslim-American females aged between six and 65, is being per- formed at the city’s Old Rep theatre by Aizzah Fatima, who also wrote the show. Commenting on the production, Aizzah said: “I felt as if I was sur- rounded by all these amazing women who had remarkable stories West Bromwich youngster to star in smash hit musical to tell, and who just happened to be A 12-year-old boy from West Bromwich has been selected to play the title role in Billy Elliott The Pakistani Americans. There’s a human side to the experience of Musical when it tours the UK and Ireland for the very first time. being a Muslim American woman Lewis Smallman is one of four youngsters who’ll alternate the role of Billy, a young boy from a that’s completely missing in the northern mining town who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer. media, completely missing in the The highly acclaimed musical, which is based on the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name, types of characters we see on televi- has so far been seen by nearly 11 million people across five continents. The show has won over 80 sion and in film and theatre.” awards internationally, including ten Tonys and five Oliviers. Dirty Pakistani Lingerie will be per- formed on 2 March at The Old Rep - The new touring production visits Birmingham Hippodrome from 7 March to 6 May. alongside works in development from West Midlands theatremakers - as part of the venue’s New Work Nights programme. Award-winning musical rocks into Brum The evening has been designed to Zoo-tastic showcase work by female writers panto fun A Tony Award-winning West End musical is set to leave Midlands audi- and theatremakers in the lead up to ences ‘all shook up’ when it visits Birmingham this autumn. International Women’s Day 2016. Dudley Zoological Gardens is to sponsor Inspired by real events, Million Dollar Quartet tells the story of how Johnny the Wolverhampton Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley were brought together Grand Theatre’s 2016/17 for an impromptu jam session in Memphis in 1956. pantomime version of The show includes more than 20 legendary rock’n’roll hits, including Blue Aladdin. Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, I Walk The Line and Great Balls Of Fire. Commenting on the The production runs at Birmingham Hippodrome from Monday 24 to news, the Grand’s chief Saturday 29 October. executive, Adrian Jackson, said: “I’m absolutely delighted Free entry marks 30th anniversary that Dudley Zoo has of World Heritage Site come on board for this year’s panto. As two of Telford and Shropshire residents can visit Ironbridge Gorge Museums the leading leisure free of charge on the 19th of March. attractions in the Black The offer has been made to mark the 30th anniversary of the Gorge Go Ape! Birthday Country, it’s important being designated a World Heritage Site.