Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover February 2019.qxp_Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover 21/01/2019 16:41 Page 1 ANITA DOBSON STARSTARS ASAS Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands MISS HANNIGAN INN ANNIEANNIE WOLVERHAMPTON & BLACK COUNTRY WHAT’S ON FEBRUARY 2019 2019 FEBRUARY ON WHAT’S COUNTRY BLACK & WOLVERHAMPTON Wolverhampton & Black Country ISSUE 398 FEBRUARY 2019019 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On wolverhamptonwhatson.co.ukon.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 THE BAND Take That musical on tour in the Midlands... TWITTER: @WHATSONWOLVES @WHATSONWOLVES TWITTER: RICHARD HERRING brings his award-winning podcast to Wolverhampton FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON BOSTIN’ FITTLE on offer at Dudley’s Black WOLVERHAMPTONWHATSON.CO.UK Country Living Museum (IFC) Wolverhampton.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2019 18:05 Page 1 Contents February Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2019 12:50 Page 2 February 2019 Contents It’s A Hard Knock Life - Annie The Musical returns to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre... page 24 Kevin Clifton Jasmin Vardimon Cooking up a storm the list rocking it at Stoke-on-Trent’s dance company explore the ‘bostin’ fittle’ aplenty at the Your 16-page Regent Theatre feminine symbol of Medusa Black Country Living Museum week-by-week listings guide feature page 8 page 33 page 49 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 15. Music 20. Comedy 24. Theatre 35. Film 38. Visual Arts 43. 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 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 Wolverhampton February.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2019 19:31 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Stoke arts programme receives £500,000 A programme that aims to get more people to experience the arts in Stoke-on-Trent has been awarded a £500,000 Arts Council England grant to continue its ambitious work for a further three years. The Appetite programme, led by New- castle-under-Lyme’s New Vic Theatre, has been awarded further funding as part of Arts Council England's Cre- ative People & Places Programme. For further information on programming, visit appetitestoke.co.uk Telford Balloon Fiesta Tickets for The Producers can be purchased from 22 June to 29 September, Black Sabbath: by calling 01902 42 92 12 or online at 50 Years will explain how the music of four flying high again grandtheatre.co.uk. working-class lads captured the hearts and The Telford Balloon Fiesta is returning for a minds of a global fanbase. second year. Commenting on the exhibition, a spokesper- Taking place across the weekend of 11 & 12 son at Birmingham Museums Trust said: May, the event will see a variety of hot-air “Black Sabbath are Midlands legends, and balloons floating above the town at intervals we’re thrilled to be hosting this exhibition. throughout the day. Other attractions include We will keep fans updated when tickets go on numerous arena spectacles and a selection of sale and look forward to welcoming them to activities designed to keep younger family BMAG this summer to trace Black Sabbath’s members entertained. journey from their beginnings in Aston, Birm- The event will also provide visitors with the ingham, to global success.” chance to float up into the skies themselves, via a flight on one of Virgin Balloon Flights’ biggest balloons. Feline coffee shop is just Wacky Racers heading to purr-fect for cat lovers Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park Now here’s a purr-fect place to grab a coffee. New to Shrewsbury’s café scene is Paws Café, Shrewsbury is this year hosting its first ever a coffee shop with a very definite feline feel. Wacky Races event. Owners James and Katie are sharing their Taking place in the town’s Quarry Park on 26 love of cats by making it home to 11 kittens, May, the knockout-style competition will see meaning that customers can combine enjoy- soapbox downhill racers tackling a 300- ing a relaxing cuppa with the chance to enjoy metre track and, hopefully, avoiding the icy some furry balls of fun. Although the café waters of the River Severn at the end! can facilitate walk-ins, it’s recommended that The event is free to attend and features pop- MUSCOM brings The you book a 30-minute session, priced £6, in up street food stalls & bars plus plenty of fun advance, via facebook.com/pawscafeuk/ Producers to the Grand activities for the whole family to enjoy. Wolverhampton Musical Comedy Company (MUSCOM) will perform Mel Brooks’ hit mu- sical The Producers at the city’s Grand The- atre next month (Thursday 7 & Saturday 9 50 years of Black Sabbath March). Established in 1938, the company on show in the Midlands features home-grown talent and has a long Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (BMAG) history of performing award-winning musi- will this summer host a major exhibition ex- cals at the Grand, including Grease, Foot- ploring the legacy of local heavy metal super- loose, High School Musical and Copacabana. stars Black Sabbath. Showing at the venue 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Wolverhampton February.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2019 19:31 Page 2 First Word Northern Ballet pirouette onto the big screen Northern Ballet’s short dance version of Elves And The Shoemaker will make its cin- ema debut this month. The show is one of six dance works created specifically for children by the award-win- ning company. It will be screened in collaboration with CinEvents at cinemas across the Midlands on Saturday 23 February. To search for your closest participating cinema and to book tickets, visit bite- sizedballets.com New Shrewsbury exhibition promises to be Bear-illiant Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is providing young visitors with the chance to come face-to-face with their favourite bears in a new exhibition created by Seven Stories, The National Centre for Chil- dren’s Books. Opening on Saturday 16 February, Bears! gives youngsters the opportunity to meet iconic characters including Winnie The Pooh and Paddington, hunt for bears in the bear forest and enjoy original manuscripts and illustrations by Phillip Pullman, Michael Rosen and Julia Donaldson. The exhibition is accompanied by a series of workshops and events. It runs until Sunday 28 April. Stunt magic at Staffordshire’s Library tours at Step into Narnia at Lichfield Garrick county show the cathedral Lichfield Garrick Theatre is this month holding auditions for its next community musical production - an adaptation of CS Lewis’s Stunt motorcyclists the Bold- timeless classic, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, to be per- dog Lings have been an- formed at the venue from 23 to 27 July. nounced as the main-ring Taking place on Saturday 9 February, the auditions are open to all attraction for this year's ages and abilities. Anybody wishing to attend needs to fill out an Staffordshire County Show. application form. For more information, visit lichfieldgarrick.com The talented troupe of riders are making a welcome return Lichfield Cathedral is hold- to the event after proving a ing a limited number of major hit with visitors two public tours of its Library Weekend of words in Wolverhampton this year. One of the cathe- years ago. Commenting on the Wolverhampton’s third literature festival takes place this month. dral’s best-loved treasures, news, Richard Williams, chief Featuring acclaimed authors, musicians, comedians and family- the Library houses a mag- executive of the Staffordshire friendly events, the three-day get-together this year includes contri- nificent collection of early & Birmingham Agricultural butions from, among other high-profile names, Ann Widdicombe, printed books and hand- Society, said: “The Bolddog Richard Herring, Stewart Lee, Alan Johnson, Kim Woodburn, copied manuscripts. High- Lings proved very popular in Doreen Tipton and, er, Jack The Ripper (!)... lights include a 15th century 2017, so they were an easy The festival takes place at venues across the city from Friday 1 to copy of Chaucer’s Canter- choice to invite back. They are Sunday 3 February. bury Tales, one of only three an incredible group of tal- For more information, visit wolvesliteraturefestival.co.uk ented motorcycle riders, and surviving hand-coloured their attempts at mid-air tricks 16th century printed copies leave the crowd on the edge of of Christopher Saxton’s map their seats.” book of Tudor England & This year’s event takes place Wales, and a manuscript set at the County Showground on of orders signed by Charles 29 & 30 May.