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Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands Worcestershire ’ Whatwww.whatsonlive.co.uk sOnISSUE 362 FEBRUARY 2016 ADAM HILLS THE SOUND OUT ON TOUR OF MUSIC inside: Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide

Echoes through the Malvern hills... grand_whatson FP FEB:Layout 1 19/01/2016 16:49 Page 1

Great Theatre at the Grand!

THU 25 - SAT 27 FEB TUE 8 - SAT 12 MARCH TUE 15 - SAT 19 MARCH

Music by STEVEN MARGOSHES Lyrics by JAQUES LEVY Book by JOSE FERNADEZ Based on a concept by David DeSilva (Title song “Fame” written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore) This amateur production is presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LTD. ON BEHALF OF MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL OF NEW YORK

SUN 20 - TUE 22 MARCH SAT 26 MARCH THU 31 MARCH THE RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA THE SNOW MAIDEN Sleeping Beauty Swan Lake

HHHHH “Mesmerising” The Guardian

FRI 1 APRIL SAT 2 APRIL MON 4 - SAT 9 APRIL

“What a great night... Just like it used to be”

A BLACK COUNTRY NIGHT OUT JONNY COLE DANDY THE FIZZOGS and DON’T MISS ANNIE THE RONALDOS! YOU CAN BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR THAT YOU’LL LOVE IT!

Follow us on @WolvesGrand Like us on Facebook: Wolverhampton Grand

Box Office 01902 42 92 12 Book online at www.grandtheatre.co.uk Contents February Region 1 .qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:22 Page 2

February 2016

Contents

Destination Space - topical half-term show at Thinktank page 40

Belinda Lang Joe Caulfield Sleeping Beauty the list

talks about her dual role in sharp-witted comedian Matthew Bourne’s gothic your 16-page Single Spies at The REP returns to the Glee reworking of classic tale week-by-week listings guide page 20 page 22 page 30 page 51

inside:

4. First Word 11. Food 14. Music 22. Comedy 24. Theatre 32. Film 38. Visual Arts 40. Events

@whatsonbrum 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 Birmingham Only.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:20 Page 1

First Word

Holy moley! Alexandra Burke to play Deloris in Sister Act Alexandra Burke is to star in a national tour of Leicester Curve theatre’s all-new production of hit musical Sister Act. The one-time X Factor winner will play Deloris Van Cartier in a show directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood. Commenting on the news, Alexandra said: “I’m over the moon to be given the opportunity to play the wonderful Deloris in Sister Act. It’s such an iconic role and a part I’ve always wanted to play. I love touring the UK and I’m thrilled to be working with Craig and his amazing creative team. I can’t wait to get started!” Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig added: “I’m truly thrilled that Alexandra is going to be our leading lady in this all-new production of Sister Act at Curve. Alexandra is such a fantas- tic singer and actress, and I know she’s going to be amazing. I couldn’t think of anyone better to play the role of the smart and funny Deloris.” Sister Act opens at Curve on Saturday 30 July. The show vis- its Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre from 12 to 17 September and Malvern Theatre, Worcestershire from 5 to 10 December.

Full virtual reality ride to open at Birthday movie Staffordshire theme park for music legend Scratch Charismatic Jamaican music legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry is celebrat- ing his 80th birthday with the release of a new film. Lee Scratch Perry’s Vision Of Paradise is described as ‘the ultimate portrait of a true musical icon’ and shows at mac Birmingham on 24 & 25 Local entertainer shares February. The Secret Of Happiness The first rollercoaster in the world to be entirely dedicated One of Rolling Stone to virtual reality is set to open at Alton Towers in April. A local musician, writer, comedian, storyteller Magazine’s top 100 artists Galactica has been customised for the full virtual reality and actor is this month making his debut as a of all time, Lee has experience. solo performer. worked with, among oth- Each rider wears a specialist VR headset. Through this, an Rich Stokes’ new show, The Secret Of ers, Bob Marley And The on board artificial intelligence guides them from the launch Happiness, brings together stand-up comedy, Wailers, Junior Murvin, pad up into space, flying and looping beyond the stars, poetry and songs, in the process contemplating the Congos and Max banking through wormholes and speeding across undis- such wide-ranging topics as love, stalking and Romeo. “I find the inspi- covered galaxies. earwax. ration for my music in Commenting on the new attraction, Alton Towers’ “I used to sing in the indie rock band Aquila,” love,” says Lee, “love and Marketing Director, Gill Riley, said: “Galactica uses explains Rich, “but when the drummer left and comics. In comic books, ground-breaking technology to give riders a breathtaking I started playing acoustic gigs on my own, I good triumphs over evil, and completely unique rollercoaster experience. “There’s found the crowd would often talk during my just like in my music.” nowhere else in the world that people can experience the set. So I started talking back to them and writ- feeling of a flying rollercoaster combined with soaring ing sillier songs to keep their attention. Slowly I through the universe. For two minutes, our guests will be drifted from ‘serious artiste’ to ‘musical comedi- transported into space. We believe Galactica showcases the an’. future for theme parks around the world - it’s a complete Rich presents The Secret Of Happiness at game changer.” Birmingham’s mac on 27 February.

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Entertainment news from around the region

Motor museum re-opens for school holidays

The British Motor Museum, former- ly known as the Heritage Motor Centre, reopens this month (Saturday 13 February) following a £1.1million refurbishment. The new museum will feature an immersive display of British motor- ing history and a new Collections Centre. The centre will allow the public access to an extra 250 cars from the reserve collections of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. The museum reopens in time for announce will be the first time we’ve played in a forest. If school half term and will be host- Forest Live shows you go down to the woods this summer, you’re ing a number of workshops during sure of a big surprise!” the holiday week. Kaiser Chiefs have announced that they’ll per- As with all Forest Live gigs, income generated Commenting on the reopening, the form at this summer’s Forest Live event in museum’s Managing Director, Julie from ticket sales for the 10 July event will be Tew, said: “We’re delighted to Cannock Chase Forest, Staffordshire. And spent on protecting, improving and expanding reopen the museum to visitors for according to lead singer Ricky Wilson, the ’s forests and woodlands. half term. We have a packed pro- open-air setting will suit them down to the Tickets cost £38.50 (plus £4.35 booking fee) and gramme of family events and tours, ground: “As a band we’ve always loved to play are available from the Forestry Commission box and visitors will be impressed with outdoors. We’ve done fields, parks, farms, office on 03000 680400 or online at the changes we’ve made to the rooftops, beaches and back gardens, but this museum.” forestry.gov.uk/music

Children £4million community hub opens in Brum invited to take A £4million project has seen a once-derelict Birmingham swimming First Steps pool transformed into a community hub. with BRB The restored Grade ll listed building has now reopened for business as Stirchley Baths. CS Lewis classic a Birmingham Royal The result of a three-year collaboration between Birmingham City REP box office hit Ballet is this half term Council, Acivico, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Balfour Beatty and presenting a special people from the local community, the new centre features a communi- Birmingham Rep has revealed that performance for chil- ty hall, cinema space, meeting rooms and café. its Christmas production of The dren between the ages Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe For further information about Stirchley Baths or to make a booking, was the biggest-selling show in the of three and seven. visit stirchleybaths.org or call 0121 464 9072. theatre’s history. First Steps: A Child’s Over 62,000 people visited The The Dream is an hour- REP to watch the production, long presentation which was presented a total of 82 designed to introduce ATG founders top Stage 100 list - again! times between 26 November and youngsters to the world The co-founders of Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), which owns 16 January. Commenting on the record, The of ballet and live per- Birmingham’s New Alexandra Theatre and Stoke’s Regent Theatre, REP’s Executive Director, Stuart formance. have topped The Stage 100 list for a record-breaking seventh consecu- Rogers, said: “The Lion, The Witch Featuring a full cast of tive year. And The Wardrobe demonstrates dancers and an orches- The announcement makes husband-and-wife team Sir Howard Panter that there’s a real desire from both tra, the show is based and Rosemary Squire OBE the most successful entrants ever on the schools and families in on a one-act ballet by exclusive annual list, which features the 100 most influential people Birmingham for high-quality, home- produced theatre.” Sir Frederick Ashton working in theatre and the performing arts. inspired by Commenting on their success, Sir Howard and Rosemary said: “Last Shakespeare’s A year was an extremely important one in ATG’s history. Alongside con- Midsummer Night’s tinuing to produce diverse, high-quality work, we also continued our Dream. global expansion. Tickets for the 19 “We are enormously excited about what this means for ATG over the February event (1pm) next twelve months. It’s a great honour to yet again top The Stage 100, cost £10. To find out and we’re delighted to be part of such a vibrant and exciting industry.” more, visit brb.org.uk

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First Word

Explore your genealogy at the NEC NEW SHOWS The world’s largest family history show is returning to Birmingham in AND GIGS April to celebrate its 10th anniversary. ANNOUNCED! Who Do You Think You Are? Live brings together some of the most renowned experts in family history, all of whom will be on hand to THE JOY FORMIDABLE Wed help visitors with ongoing research or offer advice about how to start 24 February - The Rainbow Venues, Birmingham an investigation into a family tree. YOUTH CLUB Tues 1 March - The show also features Antiques Roadshow favourite Eric Knowles, The Sunflower Lounge, who’ll be helping to identify and date family treasures. Birmingham Other attractions include a packed programme of workshops, treasure CROOKS - Wed 2 March - The hunts for children, a replica Spitfire plane from World War Two and a Asylum, Birmingham specialist military area to commemorate ancestors involved in conflict. LAPSLEY Wed 9 March - O2 Who Do You Think You Are? Live runs at the NEC Birmingham from 7 Institute, Birmingham to 9 April. NATTY Wed 16 March - , Birmingham GWYNETH HERBERT Fri 18 March - The Glee Club, Birmingham KANO Thurs 24 March - O2 A Reflection Of Sealife Centre welcomes new addition Institute, Birmingham ALESSIA CARA Fri 25 March - Silence at mac A species of jellyfish named after a Star Wars character has been O2 Institute, Birmingham A collaboration between added to The National Sea Life Centre Birmingham’s ever-growing SOX Sat 26 March - O2 four highly gifted musicians family of weird and wonderful sea creatures. Institute, Birmingham whose speciality is inter- The Sarlacc is named after a Star Wars: Episode VI - Return Of The BRAIN STORM Thurs 7 April - O2 Academy, Birmingham preting Iranian and Kurdish Jedi character, a multi-talented alien beast with an insatiable PATENT PENDING Thurs 14 music is being presented at appetite. Seven of the jellyfish now reside at the popular Birmingham April - O2 Academy, mac Birmingham next venue. Birmingham month. Commenting on the new arrivals - which can grow to huge propor- NERINA PALLOT Fri 15 April - Reflection Of Silence begins tions, their tentacles reaching a staggering five or six metres - the Sea O2 Institute, Birmingham with Mehdi Rostami (setar) Life Centre’s curator, James Robson, said: “It’s always a massive perk WOLFMOTHER Sat 16 April - and Adib Rostami (tombak) of the job when we welcome new arrivals, and this swarm is no differ- O2 Acadmey, Birmingham ent. I’m sure this rare stinging species will prove to be a fantastic THE LOVELY EGGS Sun 24 performing a selection of April - Hare and Hounds, Iranian music. They will addition.” Birmigham then be joined by Tara Jaff KIP MOORE Mon 25 April - O2 (harp, vocal) and Pouya Institute, Birmingham Mahmoudi (guitar) in a TINASHE Wed 4 May - O2 presentation of ancient Institute, Birmingham Kurdish pieces given a con- RAT BOY Thurs 5 May - O2 Institute, Birmingham temporary twist. FRANCES Sun 15 May - The A Sampad (South Asian Glee Club, Birmingham arts) event, Reflection Of GRAHAM NASH Sun 22 May - Silence is performed at mac Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 9 March. ZZ TOP Thurs 23 June - O2 Academy - Birmingham KASIER CHIEFS Sun 3 July - Delamere Forest - Cheshire and Having a Ball Sun 10 July - Cannock Chase at The Drum Forest, Staffordshire JAMIE LAWSON Sat 15 Intercultural Birmingham Contributors needed for radio takeover October - O2 Academy, arts centre The Drum is this Birmingham month hosting a Spring BBC Radio WM 95.6 is calling on local listeners to take over its air- BRING ME THE HORIZON Fri Masquerade Ball. waves for one week in March. 4 November - Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham The 27 February event fea- Contributors will be selected by the WM team and invited for training tures DJs from Birmingham, in February. Commenting on the initiative, BBC WM’s Editor, Sarah and London. Dress Harness, said: “This is a really exciting project. We’re inviting listen- code is smart, with prizes ers of BBC WM to come in and work with our presenters and journal- awarded to the best-dressed ists to really influence what goes into our programmes and news bul- man and woman. The event letins. It’s a fascinating chance for us to see what people really want is suitable for over-18s to hear on the radio, whilst at the same time giving the audience a only. unique opportunity to really shape our programmes and work with some of their favourite presenters.” Anyone over the age of 18 who lives in Birmingham or the Black Country can apply to take part. For information on how to get

involved, visit www..co.uk/wmtakeover or call 03453 009956. Jamie Lawson

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FEATURE

Tom Chambers

talks about starring in a major revival of Noel Coward’s Private Lives

world - these are characters who sure it lives up to expectations. don't really have to worry about “I'm very mindful of the fact that all money like the rest of us, and he these great actors have done it be- just has this very flamboyant na- fore, and it's easy to be scared by ture. He also gets a thrill out of that, but you have to trust the mate- being around people he can spar rial and the people around you. The with. He and his ex-wife have a very casting is perfect - I think Laura turbulent, acidic relationship and Rogers' interpretation of Amanda is completely drive each other up the one of the best I've ever seen, and wall, but that's obviously what they we've also got Richard Teverson love about each other.” from Downton Abbey and Charlotte Ritchie, who's in Call The Midwife. A long-term fan of the play, Cham- It's a really great group of people bers is thrilled to have been offered and Tom Attenborough is like a se- a leading part, and has been thor- cret weapon. He's come from that oughly enjoying sinking his teeth amazing bloodline with David and into Coward's acerbically witty dia- Richard, and he's made us do it logue. What's a newlywed to do when with a lot more realism and mean- his ex-wife and her new husband “The play is absolutely amazing!” ing, so we're not just saying the show up on his honeymoon? he gushes. “I saw the late Alan lines in that light, flippant Coward In Noel Coward's Private Lives, Rickman do it about ten years ago. manner.” former spouses Elyot and It was so good, I saw it three times! Chambers' previous acting credits Amanda each take off separately It feels like it could’ve been written include a leading role in the first for a romantic French break with yesterday. The way the dialogue stage production of the classic Irv- their new partners, Sybil and Vic- moves from one line to the next, it's ing Berlin musical Top Hat, for tor, only to run into each other at like being on a moving train that which he was nominated for both the same Deauville hotel and doesn't stop at any of the stations. Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards. rekindle their explosive relation- And then it just suddenly leaps Like Private Lives, the original Top ship. onto another track and goes off in Hat was released in the 1930s, as Strictly Come Dancing and Holby another direction. It's like a box of was A Damsel In Distress - a film City star Tom Chambers spoke to fireworks! The great thing about partly responsible for kickstarting What's On about playing the good writing is that as long as you his career. After six years of strug- ‘flamboyant’ Elyot and about his commit to it, it does all the work for gling to get a professional acting career so far. you.” break, he took matters into his own “Elyot absolutely lives in the mo- Rickman's isn't the only star per- hands by recreating the complex ment and just wants to enjoy life formance of the part he's seen. Such dance sequence performed with a and everything he does,” Chambers familiarity with the play's history drum kit by Fred Astaire in the film. explains. “He goes against the so- could easily be daunting, but he's He then sent it out to casting direc- cial ‘type’ in as much as he is kind confident that the brilliant team tors in the hope of grabbing their at- of anti-moralist and anti-religion. which director Tom Attenborough tention. It's quite a glamorous, decadent has assembled for the show will en-

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by Heather Kincaid

“When you go to drama school, you musical, White Christmas. parts. That audition for Holby City have one compulsory ballet, tap and completely changed my life “I often used to think I was born in jazz lesson a week, but I always really overnight. Suddenly, I had a pro- the wrong generation because I loved tap. We finished college at six, fessional job that I was actually find it quite hard to be cool or but I'd usually stay on till nine on my able to pay bills from.” trendy or modern. I used to watch own, tapping in front of a mirror in those matinee idol films when I one of the studios, going over and This year, fans of Holby City will be was younger and just really relate over the same steps to make them as able to see him reprise his role as to them. For me, people like Jimmy fluid as possible. People couldn't un- Sam Strachan in the show's sister Stewart, Cary Grant, Fred Astaire derstand why I kept doing it, and I series, Casualty - though how long and Gene Kelly were all the greats. don't think I really knew myself, es- his storyline will be, you'll just

I saw the They have such class and style. Of pecially when I'd been unemployed have to wait to find out. course, it's a bit romantic because I for such a long time.” late Alan

Rickman do know that if you actually did live in Asked what lessons experience has “It was only when my agent fired me ‘‘ the 1930s it would have been dire taught him that might benefit as- for not doing Bob The Builder: The it about ten because of the Great Depression piring actors now struggling to Arena Tour that I decided to try this years ago. and everything else. Probably a lot break through, he suggests that one last thing before I jacked it all in. It was so ‘‘ of that glamour is trying to make young performers should get cre- So I left London and went back to live good, I saw people feel good because things ative and start developing projects with my parents. I spent seven were so bad.” of their own. “There are so many months watching this old VHS, paus- it three amazing, talented actors and per- But while he may be comfortable in ing it and trying to recreate it frame times! formers out in the world, but be- a top hat, white tie and tails and by frame. I created a floor, put up cause there's so much competition, happy to be performing to live au- some mirrors, filmed it and then I it's not really about talent so much diences again, he remains grateful sent out a thousand copies, and from as persistence,” he says. “I should of the opportunities that shows like all of those I got two replies. I'd actu- have had the courage to find some- Strictly, Holby City and Waterloo ally gone into a fire station and got thing I felt passionately enough Road have offered him. my papers to sign up to be a fireman about to record sooner, but it took when the phone rang to say I'd got an “At one time I was doing nothing me a long time to get to that be- audition for Holby City. The funny but plays, but that was back before cause I always just thought that I thing was that they were actually I got a professional acting job. I've was at the mercy of the industry, looking for an American actor, and done musicals and TV, but it's now rather than taking things into my they'd obviously decided that be- been over ten years since I've done own hands. Working on your own cause Fred Astaire was American, I a play, so it feels like new territory material is good for your soul, and must be too.” all of a sudden, which is exciting it's so easy to put things out there but also a bit nerve-wracking. After now - you can just upload them Chambers has continued to build up spending six years as a lorry driver, onto YouTube and get discovered a portfolio of period roles, more re- pizza delivery man, window that way.” cently finding himself transported to cleaner, caretaker and barman, I’m 1950s settings as Inspector Sullivan in intensely aware that it's thanks to the BBC detective show Father Private Lives shows at the New things like Strictly and Holby that Brown, and as Phil Davis in a stage Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham I'm now able to do these theatre adaptation of another Irving Berlin from Mon 8 to Sat 13 February

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Food

Nouveau bistrot... Bite is back... New ventures for The Bite street food Birmingham brewer French chain Le Bistrot Pierre is working closely with our archi- collective will be serv- to open its 15th restaurant next tects to make best use of the Birmingham brewery Davenports has ing up more culinary month, its third in the West stunning building. It will have announced two new ventures as part favourites at Midlands. original features throughout and of a £10million investment. Birmingham’s iconic Based in a Grade II listed build- will give diners a real sense of its The Smethwick-based company will on 26 ing on Birmingham's Gas Street, heritage, which is all part of the develop new venues while further February. near The Mailbox, the restaurant experience we want to create.” investing in existing establishments Promising eats, beats will offer food with a decidedly Le Bistrot Pierre will open seven such as the City Tavern. and booze, Bite takes French flavour. All dishes will be days a week and offer a two- Dares Cafe, will be located in the Old place on the last freshly prepared using a mix of course prix-fixe lunch for £10.95 Police Station at the heart of the Friday of every month, artisan provincial ingredients and a two-course pre-theatre vibrant Jewellery Quarter. The venue from midday till 2pm. and carefully selected, locally menu for £14.95. There will also will be one of the first in If you missed sourced ingredients. be an à la carte menu, a gluten- Birmingham to offer brewery-fresh January’s event, be Rob Beacham, co-owner of free menu and children’s menu tank beer dispensed from five hun- sure to get along this Bistrot Pierre, said: “We’ve been available. dred litre tanks hung from the ceil- time round... ing. The second venue, also to be named Dares and located in the vacant HSBC bank in Moseley, could well be transformed into a craft beer/cocktail bar, restaurant and ten-bedroom hotel. Davenports’ owners are cross- ing their fingers the city council grants the necessary application.

REVIEW: Chung Ying - Wrottesley Street cater for both English and n’t come our way. Our bill came Chinese customers. to £37, which is great value for Hot from the wok... Starters of deep-fried prawns, money given the standard of crispy wonton wrappers and cooking and portion size. I’d breaded squid with a sweet and love to go back and work my sour sauce were fine, if a little way through the lengthy dim- dull. My wonton soup never sum menu - and if that duck is arrived, but then the waiter had anything to go by, the slow- taken our order without actually cooked meat dishes on the a la writing anything down, so I was- carte are begging to be worked n’t surprised. through too. The mains were brilliant. Duck The service at Chung Ying is with plum sauce was generously quick, albeit a little, erm, sized - crispy, falling-apart ten- abrupt, but the quality of the der and partnered with a sweet cooking makes up for it. plum sauce that actually tasted Altogether a great place for an of plum. We matched it with entertaining evening out. Chinese broccoli with garlic and Helen Stallard Chung Ying proudly advertises There’s no concept menu here, ginger - expertly prepared, itself as ‘Birmingham’s favourite no clever branding, just good, though not what I ordered; I Food: n n n n n Chinese restaurant’ - and if the solid, old-school Chinese dining. think the waiter had overruled Service: n n n n n crowds eating there on a chilly When I say ‘old-school’, I’m my choice of broccoli with crab - Ambience: n n n n n Tuesday night in January are actually talking about two differ- and a gorgeous chow mein Overall value n n n n n anything to go by, they’re not ent things. There are all the clas- packed with fresh vegetables OVERALL n n n n n exaggerating. sics that English diners expect - and king prawns. It was all Established in 1981, Chung Ying things like spare ribs, sweet and fresh, flavoursome and piping is a veteran of Birmingham’s sour pork and fried rice. But the hot from the wok, with none of Chinese quarter, its neon sign lengthy menu is also chock-full that sickly greasiness you can Chung Ying, unmissable to passers-by. Inside of traditional dishes: steamed sometimes find in Chinese it feels like nothing much has eel with black bean, slow- 16-18 Wrottesley St, restaurant food. Birmingham, changed in the intervening 35 cooked pork and vegetable dish- The large table next to us was B5 4AT years - there’s an awful lot of es, chicken’s feet and tripe. It’s offered a platter of fruit for Tel: 0121 622 5669 black lacquered wood - but I an enticing mix, indicative of a dessert, but sadly that offer did- find this quite refreshing. restaurant that knows it has to whatsonlive.co.uk 11 FOOD Feb - Region Brum - Brian.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 13:12 Page 3

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Food

A taste of love... Deliciously daring Simpsons Restaurant in Birmingham A new immersive event combining gastronomy, per- is offering romantic lovers and lovers formance and visual art is set to provide an alterna- of food alike the chance to indulge tive Valentine’s experience for the more daring diner. their passion this Valentine’s Day. Diabolical Roses explores themes of romance, sex and The Michelin-starred eatery is pre- unity via a marriage of food and performance. senting a special tasting menu to cel- The production uses the dining table as a stage and ebrate the day of love - so why not suggests unexpected ways in which food might be treat your beloved to what promises consumed. to be an evening of exquisite dining Tickets for the event cost £40 and include a six-course accompanied by a glass of bubbly? meal and performance. The venue has yet to be But hurry, as spaces are limited. announced. Call the reservations team on For further information about the menu and to buy 0121 454 3434. tickets, visit billetto.co.uk/diabolical-roses

Foodies Festival, Cannon Hill Park Something to sink your teeth into... With so many new foodie events springing up across the region, it can sometimes be hard to decide where best to indulge your tastebuds... Here are just some of the Midlands food and drink festivals you can check out this year...

LUDLOW FOOD SPRING FESTIVAL ELLESMERE FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL music, Fri 8 - Sat 9 July, Victoria September, Ludlow Castle, Shropshire Boasting over 180 small independent Coinciding with Father’s Day, Square, Birmingham food and drink producers from the Ellesmere’s food and drink festival TAMWORTH FOOD GUSTO FESTIVAL Marches, with plenty of food-related encourages families to come together THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL Taking place in the grounds of activities taking place in the town cen- and enjoy the entertainment on offer, This touring food festival arrives in Tamworth Castle, this ever-popular tre, Sat 14 - Sun 15 May, Ludlow Castle Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, Various venues in Staffordshire. With free chef demos, event is packed with stands from local and Castle Square, Ludlow Ellesmere, Shropshire kids cookery and a cake-off, there’s and regional producers, making it a plenty to see and do, Shugborough great day out for the family, Sat 10th - ALCESTER & FOREST OF ARDEN SPRING DROITWICH SPA FOOD & DRINK Estate, Staffordshire, Sat 9 - Sun 10 Sun 11th September FOOD FESTIVAL A chance to get your FESTIVAL Local food and drink come July Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire hands on the seasonal produce on together in this historic salt town, offer, including artisan cheeses and which welcomes both local residents BIRMINGHAM COCKTAIL WEEKEND LEAMINGTON FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL breads, beers, wines, fresh produce and visitors from further afield, Sat 18 A chance to sample the very best of Expect a packed programme, includ- and a wide variety of mainly local food - Sun 19 June, High Street, Droitwich Birmingham’s cocktail scene, with sev- ing the Taste Trail - featuring and drink, Sat 21 May, Alcester High Spa, Worcestershire eral exclusive events and masterclass- Leamington’s varied and diverse food Street, Warwickshire es, Fri 15 - Sun 17 July, Various venues and drink, Sat 10 - Sun 11 September, FOODIES FESTIVAL BIRMINGHAM The across the City Centre Pump Room Gardens, Royal ASPARAFEST This music and food festi- all-new Tasting Theatre is an exciting Leamington Spa val not only offers great local produce addition to this national food festival, BIRMINGHAM BEER WEEK Nine days of and real ale and cider, but also a vari- featuring masterclasses designed by beer-related events, activities and pro- STRATFORD TOWN CENTRE FOOD ety of crafts stalls featuring artisan food bloggers and experts, Fri 24 - Sun motions across the city, Mon 15 - Sun FESTIVAL Last year saw celebrity chefs crafts including leather work, willow 26 June, Cannon Hill Park, B’ham 23 July, Various venues across James Martin and Simon Rimmer in weaving and much more... Sat 4 - Sun Birmingham the Cookery Theatre. Keep an eye open 5 June, Ashdown Farm, Evesham, SHREWSBURY FOOD FESTIVAL for who will be headlining this year, Worcestershire Shropshire’s finest craftspeople are BIRMINGHAM BEER BASH A wide range Sun 25 September, Town Centre, invited to exhibit their wares at this of beers, stunning street food, fringe Stratford-upon-Avon THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL summertime festival, Sat 25 - Sun 26 events and entertainment, Fri 21 - Sun Taking place at historic venues across June, Quarry Park and around 23 July, Bond Co, Digbeth, Birmingham ALCESTER & FOREST OF ARDEN AUTUMN the Midlands and the North, GBFF Shrewsbury Town Centre FOOD FESTIVAL Forage through the offers lots of things to see and do, LUDLOW FOOD FESTIVAL AUTUMN food festival stalls, plan meals at local including a BBQ stage and Man V COLMORE FOOD FESTIVAL Twenty-five Expect products you won’t find in your pubs, cafes and restaurants, Sat 15 Food competitions, Ragley Hall, of the district’s top venues offer a wide local supermarkets, from rare breeds October, Alcester High Street, Warwickshire, Sat 11 - Sun 12 June variety of tasters alongside cookery of meat to real ale from passionate Warwickshire and cocktail demonstrations and live producers and sellers, Fri 9 - Sun 11

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Gigs

Foals Barclaycard Arena, Birmingham, Fri 19 February Indie rock band Foals formed over a decade ago and comprise lead vocalist and lead gui- tarist Yannis Philippakis, drummer and per- cussionist Jack Bevan, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Smith, bassist Walter Gervers and key- boardist Edwin Congreave. The band have released four studio albums to date and certainly show no sign of slowing down. Debut album Antidotes (2008) went straight into the UK Album Charts at number three, with Total Life Forever (2010) and Holy Fire (2013) also making the top ten. Having reached number three in the charts with critically acclaimed new album What Went Down, the band have now embarked on a UK and European tour. Everything Everything support.

Vula Viel Jarrod Dickenson Hare And Hounds, Birmingham, The Glee Club, Birmingham, Thurs 25 February Thurs 11 February Texas-born Jarrod Dickenson’s critically acclaimed album, The Lonesome Traveler, saw him tour with Laura Marling, David Bromberg, John Fullbright, Duke Special and David Ford. Meanwhile, his EP, Songs From Willow St, enjoyed plenty of BBC airplay from radio hosts including Cerys Matthews and Dermot O’Leary. Dickenson gave breakout performances at Glastonbury and Larmer Tree, and recently embarked on a 21-date tour sup- porting The Waterboys. Vula Viel means ‘good is good’ in Dagaare, the language of a tribe in Upper West Ghana where lead singer Bex Burch used to live. A five-piece electronic, jazz and world music Hozier collective from London, the talented outfit O2 Academy, Birmingham, Tues 2 February bring the powerful, ancient Dagaare music Global star Hozier burst onto the music scene following the release of his single, Take Me into the 21st century and promise to ‘engage, To Church, which made it to number one in Belgium and peaked at number two in the entrance and excite your soul’. UK, the US and Ireland. Performances at Debut album Good Is Good has received rave prestigious events such as Victoria Secret Fashion Show, Billboard Music Awards and reviews from its critics and is described as Glastonbury have since seen the 25-year-old ‘an engaging mix of African, electronica and singer-songwriter’s career go from strength to strength. Hozier is touring the UK prior to minimalist influences’. taking time out to work on a new album.

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Gig previews from around the region

John Grant Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Mon 1 February

John Grant visits Coventry this month to celebrate the launch of third album Grey Tickles, Black Pressure. “I do think the album’s great, and I’m really proud of it,” he says. “I wanted to get moodier and angrier on this record, but I probably had a lot more Nathaniel Rateliff And albums - Desire And Dissolving Men (2007) fun making it.” and Falling Faster Than You Can Run (2013) Despite ongoing health issues - includ- The Night Sweats - he launched soulful rhythm & blues combo ing his HIV-positive status - the O2 Institute, Birmingham, Mon 15 February Nathaniel Rateliff And The Night Sweats. American singer-songwriter has Nathaniel Rateliff is a folk and blues singer- The seven-piece collective released their refused to slow down. “I want to con- songwriter from America. He learned to play self-titled debut offering last summer, secur- tinue to challenge myself,” says John, the drums at the age of seven, not long ing top spot in the US folk album charts. “to keep collaborating, to get the afterwards teaching himself guitar and start- sound or the direction that will take ing to write songs. After releasing two solo me where I need to go. To keep taking the bull by the horns.” Fenster Leona Lewis The Tin Music and Arts, Coventry, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wille And The Bandits Tues 16 February Sun 28 February Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 13 February; The Robin, Bilston, Thurs 18 February Fenster are a four-piece experimental psych- London-born Leona Lewis rose to fame back pop band based in Berlin. They’ve released in 2006 when she won the third series of Counting blues, rock, Latin and folk three full-length albums to date - Bones The X Factor. Best known for 2008 top-sell- among the styles of music they play, (2012), The Pink Caves (2014) and Emocean ing single Bleeding Love - which reached the Cornwall-based Wille And The (2015). The latter is the soundtrack to a sci-fi number one in over 30 countries - she’s back Bandits have toured their huge and adventure film created by and starring the on the road after a three-year break from eclectic sound with the likes of Deep band. touring to promote the release of her fifth Purple, Joe Bonamassa, The John The movie starts out as a documentary album, I Am. Butler Trio and Status Quo. They’ve about the band struggling to finish their also reached number two in the UK third record. While attempting to do so, blues charts, performed at the London they’re accidentally transported into an Olympics and played countless sets at alternate dimension where nothing is as it major music festivals, including seems... Glastonbury and BoomTown Fair. Fenster are here performing their cine-con- “Describing our music is always cert/film screening with a live score. hard,” says frontman Wille Edwards. “We get compared to all sorts of artists, so it’s maybe best if people Wet Wet Wet make up their own minds.” Genting Arena, Birmingham, Fri 26 February Wet Wet Wet are best remembered for hav- ing topped the charts for a record-busting 15 weeks back in the mid-1990s with Love Is All Around. But their success story stretches way beyond a single number-one hit, with the group having amassed well in excess of 20 top-40 hits and sold more than 15 million records. Support on the evening comes from Westlife’s Markus Feehily.

For the complete gig guide visit whatsonlive.co.uk 15 Classical Jan - Region 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2016 16:03 Page 1

16 whatsonlive.co.uk Classical Jan - Region 1.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:14 Page 2

Classical Music

CBSO Benevolent Ex Cathedra: I Was Glad Fund Concert Town Hall, Birmingham, Sun 7 February Symphony Hall, Birmingham, British choir and early music ensemble Ex Sun 14 February Cathedra has based its reputation on the Previous years have seen the performance of choral music from the likes of Andris Nelsons and Sir 15th century onwards. This latest presen- Simon Rattle giving their serv- tation features works from the 20th centu- ices for free to this annual con- ry, including Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice In cert, which is dedicated to the The Lamb. The piece was written by the CBSO’s ‘friends in need’ within composer during a particularly prolific Birmingham's musical commu- period in the mid-1940s and is widely nity. considered to be one of his finest choral John Wilson (pictured) picks works. up the baton on this occasion, The evening’s programme also features: with Valeriy Sokolov on violin. Janácek’s Otce nás (The Lord’s Prayer), The programme features Leighton’s Crucifixus pro nobis, Parry’s I Nicolai’s The Merry Wives Of Was Glad and Walton’s The Twelve. Windsor - Overture 8‘ , Bruch’s ′ Violin Concerto No. 1 25‘ and ′ Elgar’s Enigma Variations, 31‘ . ′

BCMG: Parallel Colour Unlimited Voices CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Sat 6 February , Sun 21 February

The 200-strong Unlimited Voices choir describes itself as “unlocking unlimit- ed potential, covering unlimited types of music in an unlimited number of places”. “We cover all different musical Chamber Orchestra styles,” explains a choir spokesper- with EMVE son, “including rock, pop, musicals, Elgar Concert Hall, Birmingham, movies, classical, big band, swing, Sun 7 February gospel, spiritual and folk music. “We run our concerts on a themed basis for a particular genre of music - and our specialist workshops, singing days and night classes cover all musi- cal genres. Choral singing is our focus, but there are also fabulous solo Richard Baker here conducts the world pre- opportunities for those wishing to par- miere of Edmund Finnis’ commission for take in them.” Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s This Birmingham concert sees the Sound Investment scheme, a hugely success- choir performing some of the best- ful initiative which aims to raise money to known musical theatre hits, from support living composers through the com- shows such as Matilda and We Will missioning of new music. Rock You. The Chamber Orchestra and Early Modern As well as Finnis’ Parallel Colour, the pro- Vocal Ensemble (EMVE) here present an gramme also features Claude Vivier’s Trois imaginative programme of music. Airs pour un opéra imaginaire, Tansy Davies’ Symphony in G minor by Pierre van Dark Ground, the UK premiere of Rozalie Maldere - the man often referred to as 'the Hirs’ Platonic ID, Jonathan Harvey’s Cirrus Flemish Mozart' - is accompanied by ele- Light and Franco Donatoni’s Still. gant works for orchestra and vocal ensemble. There’s also orchestral music by Charles-Joseph van Helmont and Petrus Hercules Brehy, two composers who look set to enjoy a bright future in the world of classical music.

whatsonlive.co.uk 17 Lisa Maxwell DPS MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 14:33 Page 1

FEATURE Lisa Maxwell Loose Women regular talks about starring as the iconic Judy Garland in Peter Quilter’s End Of The Rainbow

In early 1969, after a string of unsuccessful shows generates a bout of bad press, a damaged and deteriorating Judy Garland attempts to get her life and career back on track with the help of her newest husband, Mickey Deans, and her devoted friend and accompanist, Anthony. But will a five-week run at London's Talk Of The Town be enough to rekin- dle a star that's rapidly burning out, and can she rely on the good in- tentions of the men around her? Before the end of June that year, Garland's drug dependence would get the better of her, resulting in her tragic early death. So goes the story of Peter Quilter's End Of The Rainbow, a poignant window onto the final days of one of Hollywood’s greatest icons. In a new production of the show directed by Mercury Theatre's Daniel Buckroyd and touring to Coventry's Belgrade Theatre this month, Lisa Maxwell (The Bill, Loose Women) stars as Judy Garland, alongside Gary Wilmot and Sam Attwater as Anthony and Mickey. What's On spoke to the leading lady to learn more. End of The Rainbow shows at “I'm absolutely in love with Judy, and I feel lationships with other people. very protective of her at the moment,” says “I know at times she behaved appallingly Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Maxwell. “When I was little, I was such a towards other people, but she had no idea Tues 23 to Sat 27 February fan of the family that I wrote a letter to of how to love or be loved because she was Jim'll Fix It asking if I could do a duet with never shown,” Maxwell explains. “Her re- Malvern Theatres Liza Minnelli.” Tues 5 to Sat 9 April lationship with Anthony is one that she's Maxwell is far from alone in her admira- comfortable with because he's just there to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre tion. In portraying such an enormously serve her. Even though he's a gay man, Mon 18 to Wed 20 April popular figure, she's mindful of the expec- there's a lot of chemistry between them, tations that many audience members will and he's partly there to represent her love Lichfield Garrick be bringing with them to the show. for her audience. With Mickey Deans, on Mon 16 to Wed 18 May the other hand, she has quite a volatile re- “The thing I think I'm most worried about lationship, although she’s very much in is really giving people what they expect, New Alexandra Theatre love with him. I think he loves her too, but Tues 21 to Sat 25 June because there'll be a lot of Judy Garland as a frustrated musician, he's nonetheless fans in the audience. Also, as a fan of her aware of the opportunities that being mar- myself, I want to do her justice. Die-hard ried to her can bring him. He's actually her Judy fans know everything about her, so I fifth husband, although she keeps calling hope that with this play we're giving them him husband number four because she what they know and love. For those who can't remember.” aren't fans, we're telling a sometimes funny, sometimes touching story of a Despite having watched all her films grow- woman with a serious alcohol and pill ad- ing up, Maxwell has spent time research- diction problem.” ing the woman behind the stardom, reading biographies and watching clips of The two characters who share the stage her performances on YouTube. with Judy in this show are almost symbolic of the double pull of her public and per- “I want to give the character as much sonal life. Though mostly confident of her depth as possible. It's important to say that audience's adoration, off-stage she strug- this is a play with songs rather than a mu- gled to build trust and maintain stable re- sical, so we're trying to tell a very truthful 18 whatsonlive.co.uk Lisa Maxwell DPS MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 14:33 Page 2

by Heather Kincaid

I hope that “people see her vulnerability, as well as how absolutely hilarious she was.

story that’s wonderfully punctuated” with all these moments where we see her in concert. I hope that people see her vulnerability, as well as how absolutely hilarious she was.” One difficulty, of course, is that during her final months, Garland had not been per- forming as well as at the peak of her career, presenting anyone portraying this period of her life with a choice of whether to empha- sise that decline, or to focus on the talent that made her famous. Maxwell knows where she stands. “I want to be able to sing all the songs well, and I've been seeing a vocal coach for a few months. Yes, she wasn't at the top of her game towards the end, but the one thing that she was always able to do was to turn it on and make magic happen on stage. I'm not allowing myself to say, 'Oh, it doesn't matter if you can't sing it, because she was at the end of her life'. I'm not taking that easy way out.” After five years presenting ITV's Loose Women, Maxwell is relishing the challenge of getting stuck into a tough acting role again. With her teenage daughter now old enough not to need her mum around so much, it's the perfect time to get back on stage and start touring again, though family life remains important to her. Outside work, she's also vice-patron of the Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home and has been helping to raise money for a new, top-quality facility in Gloucestershire. “It's going really well. We're there now and we're going to be opening in May. Hopefully it's going to be the best rescue centre ever! The facilities for the animals are wonderful and there are great working conditions for the staff so that when they come, they'll stay. I'm amazed that in an area where na- ture and animal life play such a big role there are still so many animals being mis- treated. It's a real passion of mine to see this facility flourish. That said, I can't take any of the credit for everything the people who’ve been with the charity for years have done - they've raised every penny them- selves.”

whatsonlive.co.uk 19 Belinda Lang DPS.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:18 Page 1

FEATURE Belinda Lang West End favourite stars in a snapshot of Soviet espionage on stage at The REP

At the height of the Cold War, while tour- ing with the Shakespeare Memorial The- atre in Moscow, the flamboyant stage and screen star Coral Browne is thrown into an unexpected encounter with the notori- ous Cambridge spy, Guy Burgess. Years later, while supervising the restora- tion of a Titian painting, Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures Anthony Blunt dis- cusses art and forgery with the monarch, around the time of his exposure as a member of the same spy ring. In a new production of Alan Bennett's Single Spies by the Birmingham REP in collaboration with Chichester Festival Theatre, these two snapshots of Soviet es- pionage are brought to life on stage by Nicholas Farrell (The Iron Lady, The Lady In The Van, Legend), David Robb (Down- ton Abbey, Wolf Hall, The Young Victoria) and Belinda Lang (2point4 Children, Sec- ond Thoughts, Dear John), directed by Olivier Award nominee Rachel Ka- vanaugh. What's On recently caught up with Belinda about her two very different roles in the play. “Coral Browne is very theatrical,” says Lang, “she's an 'actressy actress', whereas the Queen is almost the opposite. She's not in- terested in gossip, and she even mentions how actors just talk about themselves all the time.” A singular, colourful presence, famed for her wicked sense of humour, Coral Browne left an indelible mark on the acting world. Lang recalls growing up with an even keener awareness of her “legendary personality” than of her performances. “My mother was slightly younger than Coral, but they were acting at a similar time, and she's very much someone I remember being spoken of. She was just outrageous and terri- bly funny, speaking with this foul language and always telling it like it is. I think being Australian gave her a different take on the manners of the day. Of course, she was also married to Vincent Price, who was one of my great TV heroes, so that made her all the more interesting to me.” Anyone taking on this role has the unique advantage - or challenge, depending on how you look at it - of being able to refer to the 820 www.whatsonlive.co.uk whatsonlive.co.uk Belinda Lang DPS.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:18 Page 2

by Heather Kincaid

real Coral Browne's own take on the story: in the film version of the play's first act, An Eng- lishman Abroad, Browne actually plays her- self. “I think she was a bit too old to play her younger self by the time she came to do it. I’ve watched the film just to see, but I've de- cided to play her more the way that Alan's written her than the way she is in the film.” Meanwhile, the Queen's character is a trickier thing to get a handle on: as well as being The Queen is hard. You think you know how to play her, but when rather less flamboyant than Browne, she has ‘‘ you come to actually do it, you realise how difficult it is. something of an obligation to keep strong opinions under wraps, and to maintain a qui- ” etly dignified demeanour, at least in public. for years, so he was very much a part of her does with his characters: he presents them “The Queen is hard. You think you know how world.” with all their foibles, but he doesn't ask you to judge them, and he makes them kind of to play her, but when you come to actually do As the story has it, Burgess barged into loveable and funny.” it, you realise how difficult it is. It's very easy Browne's dressing room during the interval to go into a caricature and do a ludicrously of a production of in which she was Lang has previously described Bennett as posh voice, but actually, she's not like that at playing the Danish Queen, Gertrude. Later, “one of those rocks that makes our country all. I've been watching lots of footage of her she was invited to his Moscow flat, where she sit together artistically”, possessing talents from over the years, but in the end, I'm not measured him for a suit he wanted ordered that extend beyond his compelling character an impressionist, I'm an actor, so I'm not from his London tailor. The specifics of the development. going to try to do an impersonation of her.” conversation between Blunt and the Queen “His use of language is beautiful, and he just Fortunately, Lang will have the interval to are drawn more from Alan Bennett's imagi- captures things in a way that seems so effort- make the transition: enough time to slip into nation, whereby a discussion of faked paint- less, though I'm sure it must take him hours a new character, as well as a new costume. ings once believed to be real serves as a and hours to create such sensitive work. Browne herself famously took issue with the clever metaphor for Blunt's betrayal. Their in- When you're learning one of his scripts, you costumes in the original National Theatre teraction nevertheless offers some profound feel like he's put every word in the right production, describing Prunella Scales' outfit insights into the impact of espionage on the place. He also has this very English humour. as a “defamation”, comprised of “fake fur lives of those involved. It's hard to put your finger on something like and hats that wouldn't have come out of a “People like Burgess were huge figures at the that, but you can almost imagine him laugh- grab bag at the Sally Army on Boxing Day”. time, and the papers were just full of stories ing as he writes.” about this spy ring, and endless speculation “When they first did the play at the National The quiet introspection and gentle pacing about who the fourth man was, and then the Theatre, it was at a time when people were that tend to characterise Bennett's work are a fifth man. Even today, people still talk about very anxious about using real fur, so they got far cry from Lang's previous performances at it and say there must have been others in- a fake one,” Lang explains. “Browne was ab- Birmingham theatres, which included Aunt volved, but of course none of that will ever be solutely appalled by this because she loved Eller in the classic Rogers & Hammerstein known now: it's all kept under firm wraps for furs, and had famously managed to get a fur musical Oklahoma! at the Hippodrome, and reasons of security, as well as out of embar- coat in every show she was in, or at least Ella Khan in a 2009 REP production of East Is rassment. Still, the play isn't so much about that's what's said of her. She was apparently East which met with an exuberant reception. spying as it is about the aftermath of it, and so horrified that she donated a real fur to the “I had a brilliant time,” she says of working having to live a lonely life because of it.” theatre, which they got rid of shortly after- on East Is East. “It was extraordinary - more wards. I'm afraid as a homage to Coral I'm True to form, Bennett blends comedy with like an event than a typical theatre piece be- going to be wearing real fur - I don't want her tragedy to bring a touching humanity to fig- cause it was jam-packed with all these people ghost coming and haunting us!” ures once held up as dangerous traitors. who just shouted wonderful things out. I It's not only the characters' looks and person- “He's a very affectionate writer, and it's loved every second of it! It will be interesting alities that are distinct: the nature of their re- something that you notice particularly when to come back and do a slightly less riotous lationships with the two spies could also you're doing this play, because he's very sym- play - let's hope this gets a warm reception hardly be further apart. pathetic towards these people who were vili- too!” “Coral Browne only met Guy Burgess once, fied in their day. Anthony Blunt was although they had a little correspondence supposed to have been rather unpleasant, after that, so this is just the true story of the but Alan's made him as hilarious and tolera- Single Spies shows at The REP, one meeting they had. On the other hand, for ble as he possibly could. Not because he ap- Birmingham from Wednesday 17 - the Queen, Anthony Blunt was on her staff proved of spying, but because that's what he Saturday 27 February.

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Comedy

Jo Caulfield Glee Club, Birmingham, Fri 19 & Sat 20 February

Enjoy an evening of urban comedy in the company of the sharp-witted Jo Caulfield, one of the most successful and instantly recognisable female comedians in the coun- try. Midlands-born Jo has appeared on plenty of well-known telly shows during her career, including Mock The Week, Have I Got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks. “Information just leaves my brain continu- ally,” says Jo in talking about her latest show, Uninformed Opinions. “I think I realised that a couple of years ago, watch- ing quizzes on TV. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, I like a quiz. I’m quite intelligent, I’m well read...’ Then I realised I didn’t remem- ber anything. “Now I find quizzes quite annoying. I just watch them to see if there are actually peo- ple more stupid than me.

Check out page 53 for EXCLUSIVE Friday night deals at The Glee Club

Six of the best...

Richard Tony Law Mark Steel Herring The Slade Rooms, The Courtyard, Wolverhampton, Hereford, Sat 6 Station Pub, Thurs 11 February; February, Warwick Birmingham, Royal Spa Centre, Arts Centre, Wed 3 February Leamington Spa, Coventry, Thurs 11 Sat 13 February; February Richard Herring The Glee Club, has developed a Birmingham, Wed 17 “I started doing reputation as one February stand-up in 1982, of the UK’s most Zany alternative around the circuit of inventive and origi- comedy is Canadian bizarre gigs,” recalls nal comedians, cleverly using his real-life funnyman Tony Law's stock-in-trade, a fact highly regarded writer and comedian Mark trials and tribulations to inform his high- which means his audience is guaranteed an Steel. “I’d go on after jugglers and escapolo- quality line in comic patter. evening of truly off-the-wall, boundary-defy- gists and people that banged nails into their And he’s certainly not a man to shirk big or ing stand-up. ear. controversial subjects when it comes to his So if you like your comedians to be touched “Since then, I’ve spoken at lots of demon- comedy shows. Previous tours have seen him with genius while at the same time prone to strations, union meetings, protests and ben- ponder religion (Christ On A Bike), politics meander off-topic with gag-laden dialogues, efits - and yet capitalism still seems to rule (Hitler Moustache) and penises (Talking Tony is definitely the laughter merchant for the world. Maybe I’m a jinx!” Cock). you. A well-established performer on the UK com- This latest offering finds him contemplating Jokes include: “My kid was looking at me edy circuit, Mark’s CV includes the BAFTA- the subject of happiness. Questions for con- with doey eyes - we'd been baking that nominated Mark Steel Lectures for BBC Two, sideration include whether true belly laughs morning”. BBC One’s Have I Got News For You and only come from depression, and just how Tony visits the Midlands this month with his Radio Four’s News Quiz. much pressure Happy the dwarf was under brand new touring show, Frillemorphesis. His latest touring show, Who Do I Think I to live up to his name... Am?, takes a look at the subjects of identity and adoption.

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Adam Hills Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 13 February , Sun 28 February One of Australia's most talented comedians, Adam Hills is a Perrier Award nominee and best-selling act at the Edinburgh Festival. His thoughtful comedy, inter- spersed with moments of real spontaneity, have earned him rave reviews across the globe, in the process win- ning him an ever-growing legion of fans. Jokes include: “Deaf people are c***s. I’m not afraid to say that out loud,” and “The Pope is resigning. He’ll soon be known as Ex Benedict”.

Tommy Steve Hall Russell Tiernan Mockingbird Theatre, Birmingham, Kane Sat 20 February Theatre Severn, The Rose Theatre, Shrewsbury, Steve Hall is not only related (via a convolut- Tewkesbury, Wed 10 February; Sat 27 February The Glee Club, ed web of Irish cousins) to Steve Coogan, Birmingham, he’s also often likened in both look and This man's official Sun 6 March sound to the Alan Partridge star. That said, publicity blurb With sold-out Hall is very much his own man, and has has previously shows across the been making a splash on the UK comedy cir- included the fol- world, it’s fair to cuit for many a year now. lowing: “Love. say Tommy Tiernan is a hugely successful Best known as one third of the We Are Klang Race. Politics. Class. Strap in for some super- Irish export - albeit an often controversial sketch group, Steve has also provided sup- speed sunderings and inconvenient sociolo- one. Most notably he once found himself in port for Russell Howard on three sell-out gy in an hour of self-soiling merriment that hot water for comments he made about the tours. will leave you with rickets.” Holocaust, Jews and the death of Christ. Russell Kane is a very funny man - and it’s And he’s not always been the comedian of not just his publicist who thinks so. Kane’s choice with parents of Down Syndrome chil- been drawing a crowd since bursting onto dren either... the scene way back in 2004, serving up liber- With his bag of gags also including jokes al doses of high-quality humour in an which take as their subject matter a act which also features some considerably methadone user, eastern European immi- weighty and thought-provoking material. grant accents and a film idea about gay trav- His latest touring show, Right Man, Wrong eller spacemen seeking a cure for homosexu- Age, is described as ‘a performance about ality, an evening in his company certainly growing up, growing down, and why farts has the potential to be a bit challenging. will always be funny’. That said, Tiernan’s not one of Ireland’s top comedians without very good reason...

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Theatre

WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk Impossible New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 16 - Sat 20 February This West End show has been hailed as ‘the UK’s biggest magic spectacular’. Fusing ‘death-defying’ stunts, technological trickery and close-up magic, Impossible rein- vents some of the biggest illusions in history. The touring version of the show features three original West End cast members - daredevil escapologist Jonathan Goodwin, mind-reading specialist Chris Cox and illusionist Ben Hart. The trio are joined by Britain’s Got Talent star James More, Cirque du Soleil and Hollywood trickster Lee Thompson and hip-hop and break-dancing magician Magical Bones. Expect to have your breath well and truly taken...

Miss Nightingale Doctor Faustus The Best Thing Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon- Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, Tues 2 February; Tues 9 - Sat 13 February Avon; Thurs 4 February - Thurs 4 August Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 6 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thurs 11 - Fri 12 First published in 1604, 11 years after its February; Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South author Christopher Marlowe's death, the Shropshire, Sat 13 February; mac, Elizabethan-age story of Dr Faustus is a Birmingham, Thurs 17 - Fri 18 March familiar one. A disillusioned but knowledge- Leading full-mask theatre company Vamos hungry academic enters into a pact with the have collaborated with London International devil - one which will see him relinquishing Mime Festival to present this Swinging ’60s his soul in the afterlife in exchange for the story of unconditional love. enjoyment of unlimited power during his Described as ‘a bitter-sweet tale of mistaken time on earth... morals and broken hearts, 45s and beehives’, Maria Aberg returns to the RSC to direct this it focuses on the character of Susan, a young notorious tale of vanity, greed and damna- woman who finds her life unexpectedly tion. turned upside down at the tender age of 17... Read our interview with Maria online at whatsonlive.co.uk

Round And Round The Garden Described as ‘a heartwarming and hilarious cabaret-style story of love, loss and hope’, Lichfield Garrick, Mon 8 - Wed 10 February; Malvern Theatre, Tues 16 - Sat 20 February Miss Nightingale is set during the Second World War and tells the story of feisty singer Round And Round The Garden is one of Alan Maggie and her songwriter pal, George. Ayckbourn’s 1973 Norman Conquests trilo- As London crumbles around her, Maggie gy, three plays following the same cast of six yearns for the bright lights. George, mean- characters as they spend a weekend together while, keeps hidden a deep, dark secret. But in a Sussex country house. when wealthy club owner Sir Frank sidles The Norman of the title is a beguiling, fatally into their lives, everything suddenly flawed assistant librarian - a man intent on changes, and Maggie is miraculously trans- making women happy. But when he formed into satirical music hall star Miss attempts to seduce his sister-in-law and Nightingale... charm his brother-in-law’s wife - while at the same time attempting to keep on the right side of his own spouse - it soon becomes apparent that he’s bitten off more than he can chew...

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Theatre previews from around the region

WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk The Unknown Soldier Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 26 - Sat 27 February The need to keep a promise and repay a debt keeps Jack on the World War One battlefields, even though the guns have fall- en silent... Described as a story of comrade- ship and betrayal, and of prom- ises both broken and kept fol- lowing the carnage of the Great War, The Unknown Soldier debuted at Edinburgh last year and was highly praised by the critics. Its author, award-nominated playwright Ross Ericson, enjoyed a 2013 success with Lord Of The Flies Park Theatre and has enjoyed rave reviews. Casualties, a fraught drama “Unfortunately, I don't think this story goes about the Afghanistan War and Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, out of date,” says the show’s director, Tues 23 - Sat 27 February its repercussions. Timothy Sheader. “We're even more exposed Written by William Golding in 1954, Lord Of to these kind of events today than people The Flies tells the story of a group of British were in the 1950s. Then, it was more of a I Know All The boys who find themselves stranded on an ‘what if?’. Now, we've all seen terribly tragic Secrets In My uninhabited island. In an effort to bring examples of violence from and against chil- World some order to their peculiar existence, they dren and young people in the news - whether attempt to govern themselves - but things it's child soldiers in Africa, teenage girls run- The Drum, Birmingham, soon get seriously out of hand... ning away to Syria, or horrible youth gangs Fri 25 - Sat 26 February This new version of Golding’s classic is pre- and murder cases in disenfranchised pockets One of the UK’s first British sented by London’s award-winning Regent’s of our own country.” African theatre companies, Tiata Fahodzi, are the talented ensem- ble behind this thought-provok- ing two-hander. Presented by the actors using mime and Land Of Our Fathers Of Mice And Men movement, the show follows the mac, Birmingham; Tues 2 - Wed 3 February The REP, Birmingham, Thurs 4 - Sat 13 experiences of a father and son February; Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, as they grieve the loss of the Tues 8 - Sat 12 March woman they both loved... George and Lennie are drifters who only have A resident company at Watford each other and their shared search for the Palace Theatre, Tiata Fahodzi American Dream. George is the sharp little has built a reputation for pre- guy who looks out for Lennie. Lennie, mean- senting accessible productions while, is his big-hearted companion who, with wide appeal, in so doing unaware of his own strength, seems unable crossing boundaries of race, to keep out of trouble. gender, age and wealth. Finding work on a ranch in California, they “We seek to challenge presump- plan to stay long enough to buy a little place tions,” explains the company, of their own - but their arrival triggers a tragic “and to reveal the African expe- chain of events that rience to British audiences in Chris Urch’s play made a significant splash when it debuted in 2013, picking up the Time threatens to destroy ways that are unusual and unex- the very dream that pected. We want to be formally Out Critic’s Choice and Fringe Show Of The Year awards. Hailed as an engrossing and unites them... adventurous as well as rigorous This brand new ver- in our storytelling.” powerful theatrical experience, the play is set in South Wales on the day that Margaret sion of the John Thatcher came to power. Steinbeck classic Trapped down a coal mine, six Welsh miners stars Dudley Sutton await rescue, in the meantime engaging in in the role of Candy. heated conversations that will change their world forever...

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Theatre previews from around the region

Merry Wives The Jersey Boys New Vic Theatre, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tues 9 - Sat 20 February Fri 5 - Sat 27 February Rockin’ and rollin’ New Jersey boys Frankie Valli Mistresses Page and Ford and The Four Seasons scored some truly massive believe it’s high time that the fat knight Sir John Falstaff was hits during the 1960s. Best-known numbers taught a lesson. After all, the big included Walk Like A Man, Bye Bye Baby, Big fella’s been courting them both - Girls Don't Cry, Sherry and December 1963 (Oh, and caring not one jot about the What A Night). fact that both of them are mar- This massive Tony, Olivier and Grammy award- ried! winning jukebox musical tells their story. This Shakespearian tale of buck- Taking a documentary-style format, the show is baskets, frolicsome fairies and structured as four ‘seasons’, each being narrated mistaken identity here receives by a different member of the band. the Northern Broadsides treat- ment.

Stags And Hens Avenue Q Jeeves And Wooster Prince of Wales Centre, Cannock, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 16 - Sat 20 Lichfield Garrick, Tues 23 - Sat 27 February Thurs 11 - Fri 12 February February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 21 - Sat 26 March The delightful world of PG Wodehouse is here A typical Willy Russell comedy, This Tony Award-winning musical focuses on brought to the stage by amateur ensemble Stags And Hens manages to be subjects such as dating, racism, being gay and Different Animal. both funny and thought-provok- finding your purpose in life. Featuring an engaging cast of quirky characters, ing. And as with the majority of At the centre of the story is Princeton, a bright- Perfect Nonsense finds Bertie Wooster being the playwright’s work, it also unwittingly called on to play matchmaker when has plenty to say about British eyed college graduate with a tiny bank balance a country house weekend takes a turn for the working class society. First pub- who, as he sets out on a voyage of self-discov- worse. lished thirty years ago in a col- ery, is easily distracted by a busty blonde and a lection with Educating Rita and plethora of weird and wonderful friends. To add to his problems, Bertie needs to steal a Blood Brothers, it focuses on the silver cow creamer from Totleigh Towers. stag and hen parties taking Needless to say, the ever-dependable Jeeves is place the night before Dave and on hand to save his employer’s blushes... Linda’s wedding. Problem is, both events are being held in the same venue. And to make matters worse, Linda’s ex has Wilde Without The Boy unexpectedly turned up, leaving Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent, the bride-to-be with a life- Staffs, Fri 12 February changing decision to make... This dramatic interpretation of De Profundis - the letter Oscar Wilde sent to his lover, Lord Life And Times Alfred Douglas, from Reading gaol, where he’d been imprisoned for acts of gross indecency Of The Tat Man Who’s Afraid Of with other males - is directed and dramatised by Old Joint Stock Theatre, Virginia Woolf? the award-winning Gareth Armstrong and per- Birmingham, Wed 3 February; Arena Theatre, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, formed by Gerard Logan. Wolverhampton, Tues 9 - Sat 13 February It’s accompanied by a companion piece from the Sat 13 February same two men, Wilde’s The Ballad Of Reading Edward Albee’s 1962 play is best remembered David Calcutt’s much-admired Gaol - a poem narrating the execution of Charles from its film version, which starred Richard Thomas Wooldridge, who’d been convicted of play is a one-man show that’s Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The play focuses been variously described as murdering his wife. on a middle-aged couple named Martha and ‘powerful’, ‘stirring’, ‘intimate’ and ‘enthralling’. George, and examines the spectacular decline of The Tat Man is a restless soul, their marriage. As the couple wage war against and from the scrapyard tells one another, in the process drawing their young tales of travelling folk, bloody house-party guests into a series of all-or-nothing births, blacksmiths, devils and ‘games’, it becomes increasingly hard for them talking horses. to distinguish the line between fact and fiction... His stories lead to the landscape of World War One, where, as dreams are shattered, he’s left to gather together the pieces in an effort to make sense of things... For full theatre listings, visit whatsonlive.co.uk

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Spring 2016 A new look for a new year

Wed 17 - Sat 20 Feb Ashton Double Bill Wed 24 - Sat 27 Feb Romeo &

Tue 9 - Wed 17 - The Barber of Seville Tue 1 & Sat 13 Feb Sat 27 Feb Rossini Fri 4 Mar From £18.50 From £10 NEW PRODUCTION From £16.50

Wed 9 Mar - Mon 25 - Mon 30 May Sat 23 Apr Sat 30 Apr - Sat 4 Jun From £25 From £13.50 From £20

Nederlands Carlos Acosta Cloud Gate Dance Dance: Sampled Ballet BC Dans Theater 2 Theatre of Taiwan

Tue 3 & Fri 6 & Tue 10 & Tue 17 & Fri 20 & Wed 4 May Sat 7 May Wed11May Wed18May Sat 21 May From £15 From £15 From £15 £15 From £15

Produced by DanceXchange in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome, funded by Arts Council England and .

0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com Calls cost 4.5p per min. plus access charge. 5% transaction charge applies excluding cash sales in person. Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:29 Page 5

Kids shows this month...

Rapunzel The Return Of Neverland

Gangsta Granny

Annie The Owl Who Was Afraid The Return Of Neverland Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 1 - Of The Dark The Place, Oakengates Theatre, Shropshire, Sat 6 February; Wolverhampton Grand Fri 12 - Sat 13 February Old Rep, Birmingham, Mon 15 February Theatre, Mon 4 - Sat 9 April Jill Tomlinson’s bestselling children’s classic Even timeless classics can benefit from a Birds Of A Feather actress Lesley Joseph stars is here brought to the stage by the talented fresh perspective - and that’s exactly what as the far-from-pleasant Miss Hannigan in Blunderbus. The ensemble utilise music, this show is giving JM Barrie’s much-loved this latest version of the oft-touring puppetry and storytelling to present the story of Peter Pan. Broadway hit. delightful tale of a baby barn owl who’s not As Neverland’s magic decreases, Peter and The heart-warming rags-to-riches tale of a lit- as comfortable with the darkness of night as the Lost Boys find themselves grounded. tle girl who finds herself transported from a maybe he should be... Then, unexpectedly, a secret is revealed that New York orphanage to the luxurious world may not only save the island but make it of millionaire Oliver Warbucks, the show fea- more powerful than ever before.... tures plenty of memorable songs, including It's A Hard Knock Life and the legendary Gangsta Granny Tomorrow. Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 16 - Sat 20 February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, The Gruffalo’s Child Wed 8 - Sat 11 June; New Alexandra Theatre, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 28 June - Sat 2 July; Thurs 4 - Fri 5 February Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 12 - Sun 16 The Lost Things October This Tall Stories Theatre Company’s musical Lichfield Garrick, Mon 15 - Tues 16 February; The ever-popular Birmingham Stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel mac, Birmingham, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 February Company make a welcome return with their Scheffler’s much-loved book is sure to be a hit with kids, and finds the Gruffalo and his Award-winning theatre company Tortoise In adaptation of David Walliams’ best-selling youngster embarking on yet another adven- A Nutshell have here teamed up with writer book. ture in the deep, dark wood. Oliver Emanuel to present a show that’s Ben’s no lover of Friday nights - and why Despite her dad's warning to stay away from described as ‘a dark fairytale where nothing would he be? After all, Friday nights mean the wood, the Gruffalo's child decides it's is quite as it seems’. having to stay at Granny’s house, where he’s time to go and explore, unworried by the leg- When a boy falls, he finds himself in a terri- not only bored senseless but also has to eat end of the Big Bad Mouse... All adults must fying new world of lost things - including a an unholy trinity of cabbage dishes - cabbage be accompanied by a responsible child! mysterious girl who’s busying herself build- soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake. But ing an amazing machine... experiences can sometimes be deceptive, and Ben soon finds out that there’s way more to his boring old Granny than ever he’d imag- Cinder-Ella ined... Rapunzel Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Thurs 11 February; The REP, Birmingham, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 13 February Sat 13 February Immersion Theatre have earned themselves Here Be Monsters The ever-imaginative Krazy Kat Theatre make an enviable reputation for their witty, Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, Wed 17 February; a welcome return with a show that features tongue-in-cheek retellings of much-loved Old Rep, Birmingham, Sat 5 March puppetry and sign language. tales. Their last visit to Shrewsbury saw them When a grandfather is left holding a rather The villainous Captain Cut-Throat may be presenting a sparky and sold-out version of leaky baby, he decides to create a world of adamant that monsters simply don’t exist, The Wind In The Willows - and there’s every fantasy, using dolls, magic tricks and even but his usually fearsome crew are far from reason to imagine this latest offering will be an old pram to bring alive his favourite fairy- convinced by their skipper... a similar bums-on-seats success story. tale. Based on the book by Jonathan Emmett, this The book and lyrics come courtesy of the cre- sea-faring adventure features a veritable ators of hit US television series Friends... treasure chest of songs and interactive fun. As starting points for an entertaining experi- ence go, that certainly isn’t a bad one. For full theatre listings, visit whatsonlive.co.uk

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Dance

WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 9 - Sat 13 February Described as a fairytale for all ages, Matthew Bourne’s gothic reworking of Perrault’s classic fairytale has received rave reviews since mak- ing its debut at London’s Sadlers Wells. The decade of the 1890s - a period synony- mous with fairies, vampires and decadent opulence - is the starting point for this haunt- ing tale of good versus evil, which begins with the birth of Princess Aurora. The action then shifts to the 1920s, as the princess makes the transition into adoles- cence, and then jumps forward once again - this time to the modern day, and her awaken- ing from 100 years of slumber...

Birmingham Royal Ballet: 2Faced Dance: Into The Hoods: Remixed Ashton Double Bill Dreaming In Code Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 25 - Sat 27 February Birmingham Hippodrome, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 9 February Wed 17 - Sat 20 February This double bill of works from award-win- ning choreographer Tamsin Fitzgerald and Eddie Ray for Frantic Assembly is performed by one of the UK’s most innovative male dance ensembles. The Herefordshire-based 2Faced Dance Company was formed by Fitzgerald in 1999, its stated mission being to inspire and increase dance provision to young people and the wider community. The company here performs a work that’s been described as ‘exhilarating, heartbreak- ing, devastating and joyful’. Dreaming In Code comprises two presentations - Lucid Grounds and Milk Night. Both use a combi- This Birmingham Royal Ballet tribute to Sir nation of theatre, dance, film and music by Sadler’s Wells associate artist Kate Prince Frederick Ashton, one of England’s most Angus MacRae and Tony-nominated com- here presents the story of two lost school admired and influential choreographers, poser Alex Baranowski to contemplate what features two of his best-loved one-act bal- the future could look like. children who’re tasked with finding a num lets. ber of items, including trainers as pure as Created by Sir Frederick in 1964, The Dream has been described as an ‘elegant and witty gold and a hoodie as red as blood. Their distillation’ of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. efforts to do so bring them into contact with BRB’s performance of the work kick-starts some truly colourful characters, among the company’s year-long celebration of them wannabe singer Lil Red and vivacious Shakespeare, four hundred years after the playwright’s death. rapper Rap On Zel. A Month In The Country, meanwhile, is a The youngsters soon find themselves inextri poignant, romantic tale inspired by Ivan cably involved in ‘a storybook adventure Turgenev’s play of the same title. It tells the story of a bored housewife, her young foster into the heart of a pulsating community’. daughter, and the rivalry that develops This is a newly revamped version of the between them when a handsome young stu- award-winning 2008 West End production. dent enters their lives...

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Dance previews from around the region

WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk Salaam Old Rep, Birmingham, Thurs 4 February A double bill celebrating ‘har- mony, inner-stillness and the simple bliss of being alive’, Salaam (meaning ‘peace’) is the latest work from British-born dancer-choreographer Sonia Sabri and her dynamic ensem- ble. Sonia describes Salaam as “a response to unrest around the world that aims to refocus on and reminisce about all that is good”... Over the years, her highly rated company has established an international reputation for its presentation of Kathak dance in a contemporary context. DeNada Dance Theatre: Ham And Passion mac, Birmingham, Thurs 25 February

The history of homosexuality in 20th century Spain is the subject of this brand new show Richard Alston from choreographer Carlos Pons Guerra and his DeNada Dance Theatre company. Dance Company The dance triple bill is being promoted as an evening of ‘seductive, provocative and emphati- Malvern Theatre, Worcestershire, cally Spanish contemporary dance theatre that will subvert the senses’. Tues 16 - Wed 17 February DeNada has a fast-growing reputation for the vigorously physical style of its shows, blending dance vocabularies to present work that’s been described as accessible, humorous and Richard Alston is recognised as poignant... one of British dance’s most inspiring and influential chore- ographers, his work being described by The New York Times as 'the finest by any cho- Motionhouse Dance Brendan Cole: reographer alive’. Alston is also Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, A Night To Remember renowned for his instinctive Thurs 4 - Fri 5 February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sun 21 musicality - an attribute which mac, Birmingham, Tues 9 - Wed 10 February; February; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, is sure to be much in evidence in Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 26 February Sun 20 March this celebration of the compa- Although Motionhouse’s work is essentially Brendan Cole is once again out on tour with ny’s 20th anniversary. A triple rooted in dance, the Leamington-based this hit production, presenting a show that bill, the performance features: ensemble also draw on theatre, circus, acro- features, among other dance styles, waltzes, Nomadic (connecting Romanian batics and film to create visually stunning quicksteps, tangos and salsas. Described by gypsy music and electronic performances. Cole as ‘an evening with style, with some- sound), Martin Lawrance’s The company is out and about in the thing for everyone’, the production provides Burning (inspired by the Dante Midlands with not one but two presentations the Strictly Come Dancing stalwart with Sonata of Franz Liszt) and this month... plenty of opportunity to demonstrate his Overdrive (in which Alston takes Broken fuses athletic dance with digital slick dance moves and impressive vocal up the pulsating rhythms of imagery and original music to examine prowess. Californian composer Terry man’s precarious relationship with the Riley’s music). earth... Captive and Underground, meanwhile, are performed as a double bill. The former - blending dance, acrobatics and aerial work - is performed by four dancers in a rocking tubular structure. The latter uses ‘physical dance, poignant imagery and surprising aer- ial encounters’ to explore the new reality of train travel.

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Film

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Deadpool CERT 15 tbc Starring Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, TJ Miller, Gina Carano, Brianna Hildebrand, Leslie Uggams Directed by Tim Miller (USA) Special Forces operative Wade Wilson is sub- jected to an experimental treatment to cure his cancer. However, things do not go accord- ing to plan and he is left severely disfigured. But it’s not all bad: although he seems to have acquired a twisted sense of humour and an unstable mind, he is endowed with new healing powers. So he hangs up his khakis and takes on the superhero moniker of Deadpool, setting off to exact his revenge. In the hands of Ryan Reynolds - who does a “twisted sense of humour” proud - this could be enormous fun. Having helmed the title sequence to the American remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Tim Miller now steps into his full-length directorial debut. We wish him luck. In IMAX. Released Wed 10 February

Film highlights released in February...

Dad’s Army CERT 15 tbc Rams CERT 15 (93 mins) Starring Bill Nighy, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Starring Sigurður Sigurjónsson, Toby Jones, Tom Courtenay, , Theódór Júlíusson Blake Harrison, Daniel Mays Directed by Grímur Hákonarson Directed by Oliver Parker (UK) (Iceland/Denmark) In a remote, windswept corner of Iceland reside two prize rams, Garpur and Sproti. Coincidentally, they belong to Gummi and Kiddi, who happen to be neighbours - and brothers - who haven’t spoken to each other in forty years… Anybody who ‘gets’ Icelandic humour Goosebumps should relish the doleful, under-stated and straight-faced portrait of rivalry, competi- CERT PG (103 mins) tion, loneliness and sheep as delineated Starring Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, here. Odeya Rush, Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee The fact that it is so entirely plausible and Directed by Rob Letterman (USA) Don’t panic! This may be another big-screen bleakly beautiful just adds to the distinctive translation of a beloved British treasure, but RL Stine is dubbed ‘the Stephen King measure of this haunting and original work. the cast is truly impressive. No doubt younger of children’s literature’ and here is And if you think you know where the story viewers couldn’t tell John Le Mesurier from played by Jack Black in a comic-horror is going, you may be surprised. It’s grim up John Laurie, so this lot should do very nicely fantasy adapted from his own series. north - but, here, it’s also quite droll and as the inept conscripts of the Home Guard. When Stine’s imaginary demons are surprisingly moving. The scripter Hamish McColl is perhaps best unleashed on the town of Madison in Released Fri 5 February known for co-writing the theatrical hit The Delaware, his daughter Hannah (Rush) Play What I Wrote and contributing to the teams up with a new teenager on the ‘story’ of Paddington. block to try and save the day. In 3D. Released Fri 5 February Released Fri 5 February

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Film releases in February

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Trumbo CERT 15 (124 mins) Starring Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis CK, Elle Fanning, John Goodman Directed by Jay Roach (USA) Understandably, Hollywood has proved to be rather obsessed with the McCarthy witch hunts of the 1950s. Here, the Oscar-winning screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Roman Holiday, Spartacus) is the focus of our sympathies, an anarchic talent with a keen eye for a good line. In the hands of Bryan Cranston, he is a com- pelling figure, brandishing a cigarette-holder in his teeth while knocking out screenplays in the bath. He’s well supported by Diane Lane in an unshowy performance as his long-suffering wife Cleo and by a barnstorming turn from Helen Mirren as the waspish gossip colum- Concussion However, he soon discovers that Webster nist Hedda Hopper. As an engrossing drama was suffering from chronic traumatic CERT 12a (123 mins) recalling such a preposterous passage of encephalopathy, a disorder resulting Hollywood shame, the film is good value. Starring Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Albert Brooks, Arliss from concussion sustained during his Released Fri 5 February Howard, Luke Wilson career as an offensive lineman. But with Directed by Peter Landesman (USA) his department’s finances stretched If you think FIFA is corrupt, you should beyond breaking point and with the try this true-life drama. Will Smith plays National Football League making his life Bennet Omalu, an eccentric Nigerian as awkward as hell, Bennet funds his pathologist whose life changes forever own continuing investigation. It may be when he cuts open the brain of former costing him his life savings, but he has to football legend Mike Webster. At first do the right thing... Bennet is confused by what he finds. Released Fri 12 February

Alvin And The Chipmunks: A Bigger Splash The Road Chip CERT U (92 mins) CERT 15 (124 mins) Starring Jason Lee, Tony Hale, Kimberly Starring Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson, Williams-Paisley, with the voices of Justin Matthias Schoenaerts, Tilda Swinton Long, Anna Faris, Christina Applegate Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Italy/France) Directed by Walt Becker (USA) Recuperating from an operation on her Believe it or not, this is the fourth cinematic vocal chords, the androgynous rock star outing for the mischievous ground squirrels Marianne Lane (Swinton) holidays on the (created by a hit single in 1958). remote island of Pantelleria with her consid- Here, they suspect that their human inti- erably younger boyfriend (Schoenaerts). But mate Dave (Lee) is going to dump them in their idyll is rudely interrupted by the favour of his new girlfriend, so they set off arrival of Marianne’s former partner on a road chip [sic] to Miami to stop him. (Fiennes), along with his sultry 22-year-old Expect irritatingly high voices. companion (Johnson)… Reuniting Ms Released Fri 12 February Swinton with Luca Guadagnino, the director of I Am Love (2009), A Bigger Splash is a Oddball and the Penguins loose adaptation of Jacques Deray's crime CERT U (96 mins) drama La Piscine (1969). And it’s an odd Starring Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Alan one, to say the least. There is much to Tudyk, Deborah Mailman, Coco Jack Gillies, admire, but then also little to engage. The Terry Camilleri main problem, though, is that the charac- Directed by Stuart McDonald (USA) ters are more colourful than believable and Oddball is the canine protagonist of this we are given little reason to care for them. decidedly odd true-life story. When a popu- Above all, though, the film suffers from a lation of penguins on an Australian island haemorrhaging unevenness of tone. Is it a are decimated by foxes, a farmer (Jacobson) family melodrama, erotic thriller or madcap decides to train his dog to look after the farce? In spite of the best efforts of all, it seabirds. The result was astonishing. doesn’t succeed on any count. Released Fri 12 February Released Fri 12 February whatsonlive.co.uk 33 Film Feb - Region 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2016 16:17 Page 3

Film

Zoolander 2 CERT tbc Triple 9 CERT 15 (116 mins) Gods Of Egypt CERT tbc Starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Starring Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig, Benedict Anthony Mackie, Aaron Paul, Woody Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman, Rufus Sewell, Cumberbatch Harrelson, Kate Winslet Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush Directed by Ben Stiller (USA) Directed by John Hillcoat (USA) Directed by David Gordon Green (USA) When Set, the god of darkness, plunges It’s been a long time coming, but the sequel If done properly, heist films are pretty Egypt into chaos, a young thief determines to Ben Stiller’s cult comedy of 2001 finally irresistible. This one is directed by to dethrone him for taking the love of his arrives with a very starry ensemble (includ- John Hillcoat, the uncompromising life captive. Not to be mistaken for a sequel ing cameos from Justin Bieber, Kim filmmaker with such credits as The to Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods And Kings. Kardashian, Lewis Hamilton, et al). Proposition, The Road and Lawless When Zoolander’s mesmerising and iconic under his belt. Here, a gang of crimi- Released Fri 26 February ‘blue steel’ look ends up on the faces of a nals in cahoots with a cabal of corrupt string of celebrity corpses, he’s recruited by cops get together to pull off a seem- Interpol to help solve the crimes. ingly impossible robbery. But first Released Fri 12 February they must eliminate a certain police officer… Released Fri 19 February The Finest Hours CERT 12a (117 mins) How To Be Single Starring Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Eric Bana, Holliday Grainger CERT 15 (110 mins) Directed by Craig Gillespie (USA) Starring Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann, Jason It’s been quite a year for blizzards (cf. The Mantzoukas, Damon Wayans Jr Hateful Eight, The Revenant) and now we Directed by Christian Ditter (USA) have a nor’easter that splits asunder two oil The title says it all: in a world of ever tankers off the New England coast. The year complicated definitions of a meaning- is 1952 and this big-budget disaster movie is Secret In Their Eyes ful relationship, four single New York based on the very true event now known as CERT tbc women strive to live life to the full - on the Pendleton rescue mission. In 3D. their own terms. Based on the novel of Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, Released Fri 19 February Julia Roberts, Dean Norris, Michael Kelly, the same name by Liz Tuccillo. Alfred Molina Released Fri 19 February Directed by Patricia Riggen (Chile/Colombia) Freeheld A team of investigative agents is thrown into CERT 12a (101 mins) disarray when a murder victim turns out to be the daughter of DA employee Jess Cobb Starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carell, Luke Grimes, Josh (Julia Roberts). A remake of the Oscar-win- Charles ning Argentine film of the same name, this Directed by Peter Sollett (USA) crime thriller should surely, finally cement Last year Julianne Moore won an Oscar for Chiwetel Ejiofor's standing in Hollywood. playing a woman suffering from Released Fri 29 January Alzheimer’s. She’s now playing a victim of a very different stripe. She is New Jersey detective Laurel Hester and the proud same- sex partner of Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Peter Sollett's Freeheld is a more credible drama than Still Alice (for which Moore won Grimsby CERT tbc her Oscar), and a good deal more moving. It Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark helps, of course, that Laurel Hester is a true Strong, Rebel Wilson, Penélope Cruz, character and that Ellen Page is so damned Isla Fisher, Gabourey Sidibe good as the younger lesbian. Directed by Louis Leterrier (UK) Michael Shannon contributes male ballast Sebastian Grimsby (Strong) is success- as Laurel’s professional partner, while Steve ful, efficient and deadly - and one of Carell adds light relief as a gay legal activist. MI6’s most prized assassins. However, It’s an emotive, eloquent and even funny when the fate of the world is in the drama and a testament to the skills of its balance, he is forced to team up with superior cast. his estranged brother Nobby, a foot- Released Fri 19 February ball hooligan and an idiot. Released Wed 24 February

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FEATURE

Ikon - a flagship venue... Ikon’s Director Jonathan Watkins talks about an exciting new season of thought-provoking work

Arriving as a student at Birmingham Uni- bedroom window and standing alone in the versity's Centre for Contemporary Cul- streets, there are some beautifully tender tural Studies in the late 1960s, Harvard images of Kathleen with her infant children, graduate Janet Mendelsohn embarked on and an insightful collection of interviews a project to document life in the impov- with both her and members of her family. erished inner-city district of Balsall One of the first academic bodies to give seri- Heath. Then notorious for its slum hous- ous attention to popular culture, the Centre ing, prostitution and growing immigrant for Contemporary Cultural Studies that population, the area became a source of Mendelsohn attended was a vital part of the moral panic, inspiring the young development of a new discipline that would Mendelsohn to produce a striking photo- go on to gain international recognition. Nev- essay exploring the medium as “a tool for ertheless, the centre was eventually closed social analysis”. in 2002. Decades later, thanks to historian Kieran Varna Road is just one part of Ikon's 2016-17 Connell and a new exhibition at Ikon, programme with a local connection. Over Mendelsohn's work is finally getting the which became a seat of international ten- the summer, the gallery will display the local recognition it deserves. Publicly dis- sion during the 19th century as foreign pow- striking monochrome landscapes of Jesse playing many pieces for the first time in the ers fought over their natural resources. The Bruton, one of its founding artists. Towards UK, Varna Road opens a fascinating window word guano refers to bird excrement that the end of the year, it will host a comprehen- onto the troubled history of Birmingham has built up over centuries, valued for its sive survey of the work of Birmingham-born and the titular street, once described as “the powerful fertilising properties. Roger Hiorns, known for his innovative use wickedest road in Britain”. of objects and materials. Hiorns will also be “It was like a kind of gold that travelled all “Balsall Heath is a very historic and textural engaging in off-site activities, including the around the world, and resource wars actu- part of the city, and what you see in the pho- burial of a 737 aeroplane on a nearby ally broke out over it,” Watkins explains. tographs is almost unrecognisable now,” brownfields site, and an intervention into “It's only mined occasionally now, but in the says Jonathan Watkins, Director of Ikon church services at Birmingham Cathedral 19th century, everybody pounced on it be- Gallery. “They were taken just before the which will see the choir arranged in random cause it would give you maybe three, four, wrecking machines started to move in for patterns, lying on their backs for evensong. even five times the agricultural yield of what the slum clearance.” had been used previously.” “Ikon is a flagship venue for visual arts in The exhibition follows a glimpse into her this city and this region,” says Watkins, The project marks something of a departure work that was displayed at Balsall Heath's “and it would be negligent of us not to ac- for Lê, who is best known for his work Ort Café as part of last year's Flatpack Festi- knowledge that context and not to be cham- around the Vietnam War, often juxtaposing val. Ghost Streets Of Balsall Heath sought to pioning what happens here, with respect to pictures of Vietnam with images from west- engage residents of the area, offering a both contemporary art practice and to our ern culture. range of activities, talks and screenings to heritage. At the same time, there’s a wider “What the artist wants to do is to relate what help contextualise the images. context of an increasingly globalised art happened then to what's gone on more re- world. You don't just think of yourself in “That selection was made very much with cently in his part of the world. We're still in your local area - you're part of a wider the local community in mind,” Watkins the process of working some things out, but world, and to a large extent the demo- says. “But the selection is going to be much there will be footage from the South China graphic of Birmingham reflects that. Birm- greater here. As well as more of the Balsall Sea and a kind of montage of news reports ingham is a manifestation of a huge global Heath photographs, we have a set focusing on what's happening in that part of the movement of people, so it's locally relevant on the daily life of a prostitute called Kath- world. It's a great privilege to introduce an to have an internationalist programme.” leen. You see her at home, you see her on artist like Dinh Q Lê to an audience which is the streets with friends, you see her work- This “internationalist programme” will in- more or less completely unfamiliar with ing, and you see her with her husband and clude a major exhibition of Dan Flavin's flu- him.” children.” orescent light works in spring, as well as The Colony, a new video installation by Viet- Sensitive yet unsentimental, Mendelsohn's namese-American artist Dinh Q Lê that work gives an unflinchingly honest depic- opens alongside Varna Road. Commissioned Janet Mendelsohn's Varna Road and Dinh Q tion of her subject's world. As well as pic- in collaboration with Artangel, The Colony Lê's The Colony show at Ikon Gallery, tures of her soliciting passers-by from her takes as its subject Peru's Guano Islands, Birmingham, until Sunday 3 April

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Visual Arts

Maureen Cooper: Laura Lancaster Chance, Order, Change: What Remains The New Art Gallery, Walsall, Abstract Paintings Newman Brothers Coffin Works, Birmingham, until Sun 8 May 1939 - 1989 Wed 3 February - Thurs 28 April Drawing inspiration from forgotten The Barber Institute, Birmingham, Incorporating photographs, prints and and discarded photographs and home Tues 11 February - Sunday 8 May mixed-media sculptures, this fascinating movies, Laura Lancaster's expressive Spanning 50 key years in the evolution of exhibition sees Leicester-based artist paintings prompt reflections on mem- modern art, the dozen works in this exhibi- Maureen Cooper reflect on the grieving ory, loss and the passage of time. tion come from an important private collec- process. Divorced from their original contexts, tion, and are being publicly displayed She does so in the resonant setting of the once personal treasures she col- together for the first time at the Barber Birmingham's recently restored Coffin Works. lects from flea markets, charity shops Institute. Following a visit to the former coffin fittings and eBay are revitalised through her In a setting more commonly associated with factory in 2011, before restoration work work, taking on new meanings in the representational and impressionist paint- began, Cooper was inspired to create work space between figuration and abstrac- ings, this is a rare chance to encounter exploring themes of loss and memory. These tion. abstract art at its purest, showcasing impor- took on a personal dimension after the death This free exhibition brings together a tant work by some of the most influential of her mother in 2014. variety of Lancaster's works, includ- artists of the late 20th century. These include The exhibition’s title refers both to the physi- ing a new series of diptychs drawn Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Victor Pasmore, cal remains of the building and those its from the first and last frames of found Ad Reinhardt and Sean Scully. coffins were produced for, and to the memo- super 8mm films, prompting reflec- Sean Scully, Red Painting, 1989 © Sean Scully ries left in people's minds of their loved ones tions on a lost medium as well as on and of the factory. Metal offcuts and other its subjects. artefacts from the production process are combined with wax, a material whose shape- shifting properties emphasise the idea of mutability and change.

New Art West Midlands Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Fri 12 February - Sun 15 May; mac, Birmingham, Sat 13 February - Sun 10 April; The Herbert Gallery & Museum, Coventry, Fri 26 February - Sun 24 April & Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Sat 12 March - Sat 15 May

After attracting around 80,000 visitors last year, New Art West Midlands returns in 2016 to showcase more work by recent graduates from five West Midlands art schools. For the first time this year, mac Birmingham joins Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Wolverhampton Art Gallery and the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum to exhibit and celebrate the region's achievements in contemporary art. Selected by a panel of leading art world figures - including artists Sonia Boyce and John Stezaker and Head of Programme at ICA London Katharine Stout - the work on display offers insights into current trends and concerns in visual art, as well as providing a plat- form for the region's most promising new artists. Forty-three emerging talents exhibit their work, with a cash prize of £1000 available to five winners. Exhibition highlights include Laura Haycock's reclin- ing self-portraits - inspired by Velasquez's 17th-century oil paintings - Jack Marder's video installation on glut- tony in the modern age, and Matt Parker's The Imitation Archive. Developed in residency at the National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park, this audio-visual installation traces the history of digital technology from Colossus to the Cloud.

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Wildlife Photographer Of The Year The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, Fri 5 February - Sunday 10 April As part of an international tour spanning six continents, this globally renowned exhibition arrives in Coventry on loan from the National History Museum. Launched in 1965, Wildlife Photographer Of The Year is the most prestigious photography event of its kind, with this year's competition attracting over 42,000 entries from 96 differ- ent countries. The 100 award-winning photographs take vis- itors on a journey across seas, skies and sand dunes, the shots of breathtaking landscapes, fascinating animal behaviour and other awe- inspiring scenes from nature celebrating the huge diversity of life on planet earth. The Herbert invites visitors to get involved and explore Coventry's own wild side by tag- ging their nature photographs #WildCov on Twitter and Instagram.

For more visual arts listings visit whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Events 1.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:24 Page 1

Events

Destination Space Family Show Thinktank, Birmingham, Mon 15 - Fri 19 February With British astronaut Tim Peake currently doing the nation proud on the International Space Station, this is a timely and topical show for youngsters to enjoy. A range of demonstrations and science experiments present children not only with the opportuni- ty to learn about how rockets are built and launched, but also to find out what life is like for Tim and his fellow space travellers on the ISS. Not surprisingly, Thinktank is billing the show as a real out-of-this world experience.

History unveiled at Dinosaur Zoo Chinese New Year The Arcadian, Birmingham, Tamworth Castle Town Hall, Birmingham, Sun 7 February Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire, Sat 13 - Sun 14 February Sun 13 - Fri 19 February Small children and enormous dinosaurs are brought together in this hit show, here making a welcome return to the Midlands following its T- Rex-size success in previous years. And speaking of the T-Rex, this presen- tation is all about them. Youngsters can either marvel at them from a distance (well, at lifelike models of them anyway!) or get right up close to the ravenous reptiles by sitting in the ‘Danger Zone’ seats. If your child takes a while to build up enough courage to approach, not to Birmingham’s Southside district once again worry - there’s a meet-and-greet ses- plays host to the region’s biggest Chinese sion at the end of the 50-minute show. New Year celebrations (2016 is the year of the Red Monkey). Attractions include dragon dances, acrobatic displays, martial art demonstrations, street Education and entertainment is the package food, traditional market stalls and a fair- being offered to families visiting Tamworth ground. Castle this half-term holiday. “Each year, the Chinese New Year festivities The educational element is provided by bring thousands of new and returning visi- enjoying a walk around the castle, which fea- tors to Southside’s Chinatown,” says Julia tures displays that take visitors on a journey Chance, Southside BID manager. “Despite its from Saxon to Victorian times. Items from the continued and growing success, this year world famous Staffordshire Hoard are also the festival lost its funding from Birmingham available to view. City Council as part of the ongoing budget As for the entertainment, there are lots of cuts happening across the city. Despite this dragon-related activities to keep youngsters hit, spirits haven’t been dampened and the happily engaged - and hopefully to coax resi- entire Southside community has come dent dragon Ruby out of her hiding place... together to raise the much-needed funds to plug this gap.”

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whatsonlive.co.uk 41 Events 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2016 16:15 Page 3

more events from around the region

Events

Classic Dirt Bike Show Telford International Centre, Shropshire, Sat 20 - Sun 21 February Appearances by off-road sports legends Nick Jefferies, Jim Aird, Wayne le Marquand and Barry Briggs are among the highlights at this attraction-packed show. The event also features traders and jumble sellers offering parts, pieces, spares, riding gear, clothing and accessories. Club stands and private entrants will be displaying a variety of classic bikes from numerous disci- plines, including road racing. New show sponsor Hagon Half-Term Holiday At Blists Hill Victorian Town Shocks plans to bring together rare Hagon bikes from across the Blists Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire, wall with mini-bricks and colour in pictures decades, so anybody who owns Sat 13 - Sun 21 February of Victorian scenes. The venue’s drop-in ses- one is encouraged to get in The chance to print a hand-made Valentine’s sions take place from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to touch. card, have a go at candle dipping and make a 3.30pm, with activities varying from day to miniature roof tile are among the half-term day. Candles and roof tiles carry a small extra attractions at Blists Hill Victorian Town this charge in addition to the museum entrance month. There’s also the opportunity to find fee. out more about the history of sweets, build a

The Alternative & Princess And Pirate Week Burlesque Fair Alton Towers Theme Park, Staffordshire, Fri 12 - Sun 21 February Ancient Oceans O2 Institute, Birmingham, Sat 13 February There’s plenty of swashbuckling action to Sealife Centre, Birmingham, The Edwardian splendour of the 02 Institute enjoy at Alton Towers this half-term holiday. Sat 6 - Sun 21 February concert venue provides the backdrop for The popular Staffordshire visitor attraction is The Midlands has gone dinosaur Birmingham’s latest Alternative & Burlesque hosting an interactive live show featuring crazy this half-term holiday. Not Fair. Up to 60 exhibitors will be presenting Cook and Line from CBeebies’ Swashbuckle. only is there hit West End show their wares at the hugely popular event. The It’s also offering families the chance to visit Dinosaur Zoo to enjoy, there’s also show also features burlesque, twisted Sharkbait Reef, a pirate-themed aquarium. this National Sea Life Centre offer- cabaret, aerial acts, DJs, vintage dining, neo- Evening entertainment comes in the form of ing, providing youngsters with the Victorian clothing, accessories, jewellery and live shows, pirate and princess parties and chance to become dinosaur detec- artwork. character meet-and-greets. tives. Children are invited to com- plete a selection of challenges to February Half Term At earn a special certificate. In the process they’ll learn all about the Wedgwood fearsome creatures that lurked in World of Wedgwood, Stoke-on-Trent, the ancient oceans. The challenges Staffordshire, Sat 13 - Sun 21 February are accompanied by a host of The Wedgwood Museum’s First World War activities and talks to enjoy, with Peace Medallion provides the inspiration for visitors also able to explore the this popular venue’s special half-term activi- centre’s many fascinating displays. ty. Visitors are invited to make their very own Wedgwood Plaque, using the traditional method of applied ornamentation. Participants will be shown how to roll out the clay, cut it to shape and apply decoration, after which they can either take it straight home or leave it behind to have it fired.

42 whatsonlive.co.uk Events 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2016 16:15 Page 4 Events 1.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2016 16:15 Page 5

more events from around the region

Events

MCM Midlands Heritage Comic Con Weekend Telford Internaitonal Centre, Shropshire, Cadbury World, Birmingham, Sat 13 February Sat 27 - Sun 28 February The seventh Doctor Who, Sylvestor McCoy, is Cadbury World’s 14 chocolate- one of numerous celebrities making guest themed zones - including an appearances at this well-established show, 1824 full-scale replica of Bull which last year attracted in excess of 9,000 Street, location of the first ever visitors. The event features eSports competi- Cadbury shop - offer plenty of tions, a Comic Village packed with artists and reason to get yourself along to writers, and a wide range of popular-culture this latest Heritage Weekend. memorabilia, including games, anime, gadg- There’s also the chance to ets and toys. make a purchase or two in the World’s Biggest Cadbury Shop, as well as the opportunity to visit various other places of interest in the scenic Bournville Village.

Caravan, Camping & driver Terry Grant, drivers competing to jump Motorhome Show over a bed of cars (one’s going to attempt the feat with a caravan attached to the back of NEC, Birmingham, Tues 23 - Sun 28 February his vehicle!), and the guaranteed mayhem of Attracting huge crowds and promising to be the ever-popular car football. A funfair and ‘bigger and better than ever’, the Caravan, range of children’s entertainment ensures Camping & Motorhome Show features over there’s plenty to keep youngsters amused 350 exhibitors. As well as exploring all the and engaged if they fancy a break from latest products, the show also presents a watching the death-defying stunt action. Down Under Live packed programme of events, complete with National Motorcycle Museum, buying tips, cookery demonstrations, holiday Solihull, Sat 13 - Sun 14 advice and - back by popular demand, we’re Half Term at Coventry February told - live dog displays and expert advice on taking pets on holiday. New for 2016 is the Transport Museum If the thought of starting a new Glamping Village, presented at the show in Coventry Transport Museum, life in Australia or New Zealand conjunction with Visit Pembrokeshire. Sat 13 - Sun 21 February floats your boat, be sure to make There’s also the chance to marvel at the A journey through Coventry Transport the somewhat shorter journey to Guinness World Record-breaking Lego brick Museum begins with a look at the transport this hugely informative show. The caravan. industry's history. The story starts in the 19th two-day event features numerous century and ends with a Coventry-made specialist exhibitors, experts on black taxi (which you can hop inside to enjoy every aspect of the emigration a video tour of the city as it is today). Passing process, and a dedicated recruit- by work & leisure vehicles - including unique ment team who’ll help visitors items like a Sky Blues tour bus and a restored find their ideal job down under. 1916 Maudslay lorry - you'll discover the Innovation & Future area. Highlights include glimpses of modern car construction, a state- of-the-art driverless model and projects by local university students. There's also a glit- tering Jaguar room, the bright lights and sparkling floors of which complement the gleaming surfaces of the new F-Type and C- X75. Finally, there's the Supersonic section, Stunt Fest where you can choose from three simulations to enjoy. Half-term attractions at the museum Santa Pod Raceway, Northampton, Sat 20 February include Bristle Bugs - a chance for youngsters to create motorised creatures - and an A to Z This high-octane half-term event offers an trail of Coventry Transport’s impressive col- action-packed day of daredevil activity and See for all your lection. thelist monster truck magic. Attractions include a events listings presentation by world record-breaking stunt

44 whatsonlive.co.uk Events 1.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 18:01 Page 6

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

whatsonlive.co.uk 45 Competitions February.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 16:09 Page 1

Win! To enter all competitions go to whatsonlive.co.uk

Tickets to The Classic Dirt Bike Tickets to Horrible Histories Tickets to Into the Hoods Show Groovy Greeks (Remixed)

Closes Monday 8 February Closes Friday 11 March Closes Thursday 18 February Tickets to Hannah Wants Tickets Thriller Live Tickets to Impossible

Closes Friday 11 March Closes Friday 26 February Closes Friday 5 February Tickets to Miss Nightingale Tickets to Gangsta Granny Tickets to End Of The Rainbow

Closes Monday 1 February Closes Monday 8 February Closes Tuesday 16 February Tickets to The Diesel & Electric Tickets to Bring on the Tickets to Matthew Bourne's Show Bollywood Sleeping Beauty

Closes Monday 8 February Closes Friday 15 April Closes Monday 1 February Tickets to Avenue Q Tickets to Goodnight Mister Tom Tickets to Hamlet

Closes Tuesday 9 February Closes Monday 7 March Closes Thursday 24 March

To enter all competitions go to whatsonlive.co.uk also follow us on Twitter for more great competitions

46 whatsonlive.co.uk Whats On Readers Awards Shortlist.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 16:58 Page 2

#culturematters Readers’ Awards #artsmatters

Award FINALISTS in each category announced! VOTE for your WINNER! Readers’ What’sOn Awards Yes, you VOTED in your thousands in the first round of nominations in the What’s On Readers’ Awards - over 8,500 votes to be precise! Now it’s time for you to VOTE once more to choose your ultimate WINNER in each category! Here are the award shortlist finalists:

THEATRE: Best Touring Play THEATRE: Best Pantomime In The l Motionhouse - Tigress Midlands 2015/16 l Rambert Dance Company - l Beautiful Thing Red Rooster l Curious Incident of the Dog l Aladdin - Birmingham Hippodrome l Rosie Kay Dance - 5 Soldiers: in the Night-Time l Beauty & The Beast - Belgrade Theatre The Body Is The Frontline l East is East l Cinderella - Barclaycard Arena l Scottish Dance Theatre - YAMA l Lord of the Flies l Dick Whittington - Theatre Severn l Vincent Dance Theatre: l One Man Two Guvnors l Jack & the Beanstalk -Lichfield Garrick 21 Years / 21 Works l The History Boys l Peter Pan - Grand Theatre W’hampton l Twelve Angry Men l Peter Pan - Regent Theatre, Hanley CLASSICAL (inc Opera): Best Production THEATRE: Best Touring Musical THEATRE: Best Amateur Dramatic/Operatic Group (West l BCMG: The Miracle Of the Rose l Annie Midlands) l Birmingham Opera - The Ice Break l Blood Brothers l CBSO at Symphony Hall l The Bodyguard l Bilston Operatic Company l Ex Cathedra - Christmas Music l Dirty Rotten Scoundrels l Bournville Musical Theatre Company By Candlelight l Guys and Dolls l Grange Players - Walsall l WNO - Sweeney Todd l Hairspray l Solihull Theatre Company l Shrek l Telford and District Light Operatic Best Midlands Arts/Cultural Players (TADLOP) Festivals THEATRE: Best Home-Produced l West Bromwich Operatic Society Show In The Midlands (WBOS) l Birmingham Weekender l Wolverhampton Musical Comedy l Birmingham Comedy Festival l Anita & Me - The REP Company (MUSCOM) l Birmingham Literature Festival l Beautiful Thing - The Curve l Fierce Festival l The Borrowers - New Vic Theatre DANCE: Best Production l Flatpack Festival l Crush - The Belgrade l Godiva Festival l The Lion, The Witch l Birmingham Royal Ballet - l Super Sonic Festival & The Wardrobe - The REP The Nutcracker l Wendy & Peter Pan - RSC l Matthew Bourne’s Edward Top Finalists Award - continued... l Treasure Island - Old Rep Scissorhands VOTE today at whatsonlive.co.uk

whatsonlive.co.uk 47 Whats On Readers Awards Shortlist.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 16:58 Page 3

What’sOn Readers’ Awards - TOP

Best Midlands Theatre/Arts Venue l Chris Purchase l Goodnight Lenin (Large: 1000+ capacity) l Masai Graham l Rainbreakers l Barbara Nice l The Rooz l Alexandra Theatre - Birmingham l Andy White l The Twang l Belgrade Theatre - Coventry l Birmingham Hippodrome Best Midlands Music Venue Best Midlands Exhibition l Birmingham Rep (Large: 1000+ capacity) l Grand Theatre - Wolverhampton l The Story of Childrens Television - l The Regent - Hanley l Barclaycard Arena - Birmingham Herbert Art Gallery & Museum l RSC - Stratford-upon-Avon l Birmingham Town Hall l Enchanted Dreams - BMAG l Civic Hall - Wolverhampton l Love is Enough: William Morris and Best Midlands Theatre/Arts Venue l Genting Arena - Birmingham Andy Warhol - BMAG (Medium: 500-1000 capacity) l O2 Academy - Birmingham l New Art West Midlands Exhibition - Best Midlands Theatre/Arts Venue l O2 Institute - Birmingham mac, Herbert, BMAG & Wolves Art (Medium: 500 - 1000 capacity): l Symphony Hall - Birmingham Gallery l Pop Art - Wolverhampton Art Gallery l Arena Theatre - Wolverhampton Best Midlands Music Venue l Secret Egypt - Shrewsbury Museum l Artrix - Bromsgrove (Medium: 500 - 1000 capacity) & Art Gallery l Lichfield Garrick l Staffordshire Hoard - BMAG l mac - Birmingham l The Copper Rooms - Coventry l Malvern Theatre l Lichfield Garrick Best Birmingham Art Gallery/ l Theatre Severn - Shrewsbury l The Robin - Bilston Exhibition Venue l Warwick Arts Centre - Coventry l The Slade Rooms - Wolverhampton l Barber Institute Best Independent Cinema l mac - Birmingham l Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery l Warwick Arts Centre - Coventry l Centrala in Digbeth l Electric Cinema - Birmingham l Grand Union in Digbeth l Light House Media Centre - Best Midlands Music Festival l IKON Gallery Wolverhampton l mac - Birmingham l mac - Birmingham l Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival l Parkside Gallery, Birmingham City l Old Market Hall - Shrewsbury l Download Festival University l Warwick Arts Centre - Coventry l Fusion Festival l Stoke Film Theatre l Moseley Folk Festival Best Midlands Art Gallery/ l Regal - Evesham l Shrewsbury Folk Festival Exhibition Venue (outside l Slam Dunk Festival Birmingham) Best Midlands Comedian l V Festival l Compton Verney Gallery l Scott Bennett Best Midlands Live Band l Herbert Art Gallery - Coventry l Tom Binns l The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery - l James Cook l Bonfire Radicals

Best Regional Theatre/Arts Venue (Small - under 500 capacity)

Birmingham Black Country Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire l Blue Orange Theatre l Stourbridge Town Hall l Theatre on the Steps, l Prince of Wales l l l l Albany Theatre, C’try l Swan Theatre, l l l l The l Arena Theatre, W’ton l Bridgnorth l Centre, Cannock l Bear Pitt Theatre, l l l Worcester l The Drum l Newhampton Arts l l Wightman Theatre, l l Brewhouse Arts, l l l Stratford-upon-Avon l Palace Theatre, l l l l Old Joint Stock l Centre, W’ton l Shrewsbury l Burton-upon-Trent l Dream Factory, l l l l Redditch l Theatre l Forest Arts Centre, l l The Hive, Shrewsbury l Stafford Gatehouse l Warwick l Artrix, Bromsgrove l Old Rep l Walsall l Theatre Drayton, l l l Foxlowe Arts Centre, l Criterion Theatre, l l l Evesham Arts Centre l Mockingbird Theatre l Netherton Arts Centre, l Market Drayton l Leek l Coventry l No 8 Community Arts, l Dudley l Ludlow Assembly l l l Mitchell Arts Centre, l l Priory Theatre, l l l l Pershore l Rooms, Ludlow l Hanley, Stoke l Kenilworth Best Regional Live Music Venue (Small - under 500 capacity)

Birmingham Black Country Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire l The Oobleck, The l l l Katie Fitzgeralds, l Henry Tudor House l The Sugarmill, Stoke l Copper Rooms, l l l l Marr Barr, Worcester l l The Slade Rooms l Birchmeadow, l l l l Tamworth Assembly l l Coventry l Artrix, Bromsgrove l Hare & Hounds l The River Rooms, l Broseley l Rooms l Kasbah, Coventry l Huntingdon Hall, l l l Ort Cafe l Newhampton Arts l l l The Edge Arts Centre, l The Madhouse, l l l l The Tin Angel, l l l l Worcester l The Sunflower l l l l Centre l Much Wenlock l Burton-upon-Trent l Coventry l Swan Theatre, l l l l Lounge l Dudley Concert Hall l Walker Theatre l Brewhouse Arts, l l l The Arches, Coventry l Worcester l The Flapper l Stourbridge Town Hall l Havana Republic, l Burton-upon-Trent l Leamington Lamp, l l Palace Theatre, l l l l The Glee Club l The Brewery, Ludlow l Stafford Gatehouse l Leamington Spa l Redditch l Prince of Wales l l l l No 8 Community Arts, l Centre, Cannock l Pershore VOTE today at whatsonlive.co.uk 48 whatsonlive.co.uk Whats On Readers Awards Shortlist.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 16:58 Page 4

FINALISTS in each category

l Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery l Ludlow Food Festival l Telford Shopping Centre l New Art Gallery - Walsall l Moseley Folk Festival l Wolverhampton Art Gallery l Shrewsbury Folk Festival Best Sporting Event l Worcester Art Gallery & Museum l Aegon Classic Tennis Best Midlands' Food Festival l British Basketball League Best Midlands' Visitor Attraction l Birmingham Ind Food Festival Championships l Alton Towers l Foodies Festival - Birmingham l British Show Jumping National l Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery l Great British Food Festival Championship l Black Country Living Museum l Leamington Spa Food & Drink Festival l Horse of The Year Show l Cadbury World l Ludlow Food Festival l Rugby World Cup l Coventry Transport Museum l Shrewsbury Food Festival l Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix l Drayton Manor Park l Warwick Food Festival l Yonex All England Open Badmington l Ironbridge Gorge Museums Championships l Severn Valley Railway Best Midlands Street Food Event Best Midlands Nightclub l Brum Yum Yum - Kings Heath/ JQ Best Midlands Outdoor Event l Digbeth Dining Club - Birmingham l The Buttermarket - Shrewsbury l Blists Hill Victorian Christmas l Kings Heath Street Closure l Couture - Stafford l RAF Cosford Air Show l Flying Teapot Events at l Faces - Wolverhampton l Shrewsbury Flower Show l mac Food Market - Birmingham l The Nightingale - Birmingham l The Big Hoot - Birmingham l Taste & Liquor - Birmingham l Rainbow Venues in Digbeth l Frankfurt Christmas Market - B’ham Best Midlands Street Food Vendor Midlands Entertainment Best Midlands Indoor Event Personality of the Year Award l Andy's Low n Slow l Antiques For Everyone - NEC l Baked In Brick l Barbara Nice (Janice Connolly) l BBC Good Food Show l Bournville Waffle Company l Beverley Knight l Comic Con - Birmingham l Brum Yum Yum l Citizen Khan (Adil Ray) l Crufts - Birmingham l Buddha Belly l Alison Hammond l Grand Designs - Birmingham l Street Chef Peter l Joe Lycett l International Craft & Hobby Fair l The Vegan Grindhouse l Style Birmingham VOTE Best Midlands Retail Shopping Best Family-friendly/Community Centre NOW at Festival l Bullring - Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk l Birmingham Weekender l Grand Central - Birmingham l Fun Palaces Festival l Mailbox - Birmingham VOTING ENDS l Imagineer Festival l Merry Hill - Westfields - Brierley Hill 10 MARCH

Best Regional Visitor Attraction

Birmingham Black Country Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire l Birmingham l Dudley Zoo l Ironbridge Gorge l l l Trentham Estate l Herbert Art Gallery l Croome Park l Botancial Gardens l Black Country Living l Museums l National Memorial l l l Warwick Castle l Avoncroft Museum l l Museum l Attingham Park l Arboretum l Kenilworth Castle l The Elgar Birthplace l Cadbury World l Wightwick Manor & l l Stokesay Castle l The Potteries Museum l Compton Verney l Museum l Thinktank l Gardens l Hawkstone Park & l l & Art Gallery l Umberslade Farm l Croft Castle l Birmingham Library l RAF Cosford l Follies l Go Ape, Cannock l l l Coventry Transport l l Severn Valley Railway l Winterbourne House l Bantock House l Shrewsbury Museum l Chase Forest l Museum l Forge Mill Needle l l l Birmingham Museum l Dudley Canal & l l l & Art Gallery l Alton Towers l British Motor Museum l Museum l & Art Gallery l Tunnel Trust l Drayton Manor Best Independent Regional Restaurant

Birmingham Black Country Shropshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Worcestershire

l Sabai Sabai l Indigo Restaurant l Csons l The Orange Tree l Greyhound Inn l The Royal Oak, l l l Purnells l The Summerhouse, l l The King and Thai l The Swan with l l l l The Scullery l Evesham l Adams l Dudley l The Peach Tree l Two Necks l The Opposition Bistro l Pundits Fusion l Marco Pierre White at l Ann’s Thai l The Townhouse, l l l David’s Brasserie l Anthony’s, Nuneaton l Casa Med, l l l l l The Cube l Cafe Maxsim l Oswestry l Eastern Eye l Taylors, Warwick l Bromsgrove l Pushkar l Penn Cottage l Hundred House, l Baby Russets l The Black Star, l l l Turners l Miller & Carter l Shifnal l Southport-on-Severn l Maekong Thai, l l l Bromsgrove and choose your WINNER! whatsonlive.co.uk 49 NEC 2016 Spring A4:Layout 1 14/01/2016 11:52 Page 1

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Your week to week listings guide February 2016 thelist JessGlynne at O2 Academy, Birmingham -Friday 26 February

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

What’s On Mon 1 to Sun 7 Feb Mon 8 to Sun 14 Feb Mon 15 to Sun 21 Feb Mon 22 to Mon 29 Feb

Chinese New Year Festival Private Lives at Ashton Double Bill at Leona Lewis at at The Arcadian New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham Hippodrome Symphony Hall Sun 7 February Mon 8 to Sat 13 February Wed 17 to Sat 20 February Sun 28 February

whatsonlive.co.uk 51 The List 1-7 Feb - BIRMINGHAM MASTER VERSION MM.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 15:45 Page 1

thelist Monday 1 - Sunday 7 February THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY tive graphic artworks on architecture Visual Arts and his inventive and playful sculp- ture, painting and woodblock printed furniture, until Sat 9 Apr, Eastside ASSEMBLED DREAMS: A HISTORY OF Projects, Birmingham BUILDING TOYS until Sat 5 Mar, A WORLD TO WIN: POSTERS OF Wolverhampton Art Gallery PROTEST AND REVOLUTION From the DAVID TEDHAM ARBSA Series of V&A’s collection, showcasing the abstract paintings by artist David work of diverse artists, graphic Tedham, until Sat 12 Mar, RBSA designers and print collectives, until Gallery, Birmingham Sun 10 April, W’hampton Art Gallery FITTING IN AND GETTING ALONG INHERITING ROME Exhibition which Through personal stories, film and a uses money to explore and question selection of objects, this exhibition our deep-seated familiarity with the explores the life stories of members Roman Empire’s imagery, until Sun of the Birmingham Polish community, 24 Apr, The Barber Institute, B’ham until Wed 23 Mar, Birmingham ECO-CRAFT EXHIBITION An exhibition Museum & Art Gallery showcasing designer makers with an JIND ICH ŠTREIT: SOVINEC ethical approach to craft-making, Photographyř exhibition documenting until Sat 7 May, RBSA Gallery, B’ham Alexander Armstrong, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Fri 5 February rural Czech life, until Wed 30 Mar, PRESTIGE & POWER Artists, writers, Centrala Gallery & Cafe, Birmingham politicians and royalty are the sub- BIRMINGHAM PEOPLE AND CHANGE IN jects in this display of works by The Jam House, TOGETHER PANGEA Sat 6 THE INNER-CITY Birmingham People Rubens, Van Dyck and Charles Le Gigs Birmingham Feb, The Sunflower explores the ways in which ordinary Brun - as well as miniaturists PEACE AND LOVE Lounge, Birmingham Brummie folk have been represented Nicholas Hilliard, Isaac Oliver and NEKROGOBLIKON Mon 1 BARBERSHOP SONS OF ICARUS Sat 6 in art during the 20th and 21st cen- Richard Gibson, until Sun 15 May, Feb, The Slade Rooms, MUHAMMAD ALI Thurs 4 Feb, The Asylum, turies... Change In The Inner City The Barber Institute, Birmingham Wolverhampton Feb, The Sunflower Birmingham focuses on the inner-city wards of WENDY RAMSHAW’S ROOM OF DREAMS NECK DEEP, STATE Lounge, Birmingham Ladywood, including Nechells, Soho AUGUSTANA Sat 6 Feb, An installation made up of many CHAMPS, CREEPER & and Aston, until Thurs 31 Mar, JACK JONES Fri 5 Feb, O2 Academy, B’ham parts, from small jewels in frames to LIGHT YEARS Mon 1 Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery Birmingham Town Hall large, freestanding furniture, until Feb, O2 Institute, THE MOD CONNECTION CRAIG OGDEN Fri 5 Feb, JANET MENDELSOHN - VARNA ROAD Sun 22 May, Birmingham Museum & Birmingham Sat 6 Feb, The Actress This exhibition, in collaboration with Art Gallery Artrix, Bromsgrove & Bishop, Birmingham HOZIER Tues 2 Feb, O2 the , fea- THE WINERY DOGS Fri 5 MADE AT MAC AT HEART OF ENGLAND Academy, Birmingham HOSPITALITY Sat 6 Feb, tures original prints from TRUST HOSPITALS Touring exhibition Feb, O2 Institute, The Rainbow Venues, Mendelsohn’s archive of over 3,000 BLACK STONE CHERRY, Birmingham Birmingham by various mac students, until Fri 29 SHINEDOWN AND photographs taken predominately in July, Heartlands Hospital, Good CAPTAIN HORIZON Fri 5 HALESTORM Tues 2 Feb, EVOLVE PRESENTS the Balsall Heath area of Hope and Solihull Hospitals Feb, The Asylum, Barclaycard Arena, NICOLAS LUTZ & Birmingham, until Sun 3 Apr, Ikon Birmingham FRANCESCO DEL GARDA Gallery, Birmingham A BIG BANG: THE ORIGINS OF THE POP Birmingham ART COLLECTION, PART 2 Andy THE CROOKES Fri 5 Feb, Sat 6 Feb, The ROD PICOTT Tues 2 Feb, DINH Q LÊ Video installation, organ- Warhol’s legendary 1968 Campbells The Rainbow Venues, Rainbow Venues, Kitchen Garden Cafe, ised in collaboration with Artangel, Soup Can and the iconic maquette of Birmingham Birmingham until Sun 3 Apr, Ikon Gallery, B’ham Birmingham a statue of King Kong - originally MALA THE STYLE COUNCILLORS THE WEDDING CRASHERS Fri 5 Feb, Hare & KELLY MARK: 108 LYTON AVE Opposite commissioned in 1972 for display in Hounds, Birmingham Sat 6 Feb, The but asymmetrical roles performed by Birmingham’s Bull Ring - take pride Tues 2 Feb, The Jam Roadhouse, the artist for a split-screen projection, of place in this exhibition of Pop Art, House, Birmingham HIGHGRADE - WE BLAZE Birmingham until Sun 3 Apr, Ikon Gallery, B’ham until Sat 13 Aug, Wolverhampton Art LEE BUTCHER SANDERS Fri 5 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham SPECIAL KINDA RICHARD WOODS: DUCK WEAVE A Gallery Wed 3 Feb, mac, MADNESS Sat 6 Feb, development of a 1000-year-old BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM & ART GALLERY Birmingham TRANSMISSION Fri 5 The Robin, Bilston building technology recently redis- IN 130 YEARS The story of the THE ELO EXPERIENCE Feb, The Roadhouse, Birmingham ROXY MAGIC Sat 6 Feb, covered by the internationally Museum & Art Gallery, told via a spe- Wed 3 Feb, Solihull Route 44, Birmingham renowned artist. Woods is widely cial anniversary exhibition, until Thurs Arts Complex U2-2 Fri 5 Feb, The known for his large-scale transforma- 1 Sept, B’ham Museum & Art Gallery Robin, Bilston VILLAGERS Sun 7 Feb, POLLY BARRETT Wed 3 The Glee Club, Feb, Kitchen Garden ARMANTUS + FREE SUN Birmingham Cafe, Birmingham RISING + GUNNER'S LAW Fri 5 Feb, Route 44, MILLIE JACKSON Sun 7 LOUISE WARREN Wed 3 Birmingham Feb, The Drum, Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham Birmingham ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG: A YEAR OF STIPE Sun 7 Feb, The NGOD Wed 3 Feb, The SONGS LIVE Fri 5 Feb, Robin, Bilston Sunflower Lounge, Symphony Hall, B’ham Birmingham SOULFLY Sun 7 Feb, GROUPER Fri 5 - Sat 6 The Slade Rooms, SUNFLOWER BEAN Wed Feb, The Jam House, Wolverhampton 3 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Birmingham SUNDAY CLASSICS Sun BOWLING FOR SOUP 7 Feb, The Spotted AN EVENING WITH IAN Sat 6 Feb, O2 Academy, Dog, Birmingham MCCULLOCH Wed 3 Feb, Birmingham The Robin, Bilston MARTHA TILSTON Sun 7 SAY WE CAN FLY Sat 6 Feb, Kitchen Garden TESSERACT Thurs 4 Feb, O2 Institute, Cafe, Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute,B’ham Birmingham LIVE & UNSIGNED FEA- THE CADILLAC THREE FRENCH CHANSON AND TURING DEVIL'S DICE, Thurs 4 Feb, O2 GYPSY JAZZ WITH RKBAND, SUNDAY44, Institute, Birmingham MONTPARNASSE Sat 6 BLUE SEASON, BUZZARD RICKY COOL & THE IN Feb, mac, Birmingham Sun 7 Feb, The Robin, Richard Woods: Duck Weave, Eastside Projects, Birmingham until Sat 9 April CROWD Thurs 4 Feb, Bilston

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Monday 1 - Sunday 7 February

dance, Sat 6 Feb, Symphony Hall, ROBINSON Thurs 4 Feb, The Glee Thorne's critically acclaimed play, Classical Music Birmingham Club, Birmingham which offers a candid, intimate and BCMG - PARALLEL COLOUR Featuring NICK PAGE, JON PEARSON, HANNAH tender portrait of loss, hurt and Richard Baker (conductor), Allison SILVESTER, & MICHAEL CRAMP Thurs 4 recovery, Tues 2 - Sat 6 Feb, The GLIÈRE, SAINT-SAËNS, BRAHMS, LISZT Bell (soprano), Julian Warburton Feb, The Victoria, Birmingham REP, Birmingham Featuring Catherine Thomas (French (percussion) & Timothy Lines (clar- THE MOSELEY COMEDY FESTIVAL - NEW THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TAT MAN A horn), Joanne Sealey & Gyorgy inet), Sat 6 Feb, CBSO Centre, powerful one-man play that tells the Hodozsó (pianos); Edward Francis- ACT AWARD Fri 5 Feb, The Dark Birmingham Horse, Moseley, Birmingham rag-and-tat tales gathered during the Smith (double bass) & Jonathan tat man’s years on the road, Wed 3 French (piano), Mon 1 Feb, CHAMBER ORCHESTRA AND EMVE KANE BROWN, LES BLAIR, MAUREEN Featuring Andrew Kirkmam Feb, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham Conservatoire YOUNGER & AURIE STYLA Fri 5 Feb, Birmingham (Chamber Orchestra conductor), Sun The Drum, Birmingham JAMAL ALIYEV Featuring Jamal Aliyev 7 Feb, Elgar Concert Hall, SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK: THE (cello) and Joanne Sealey (piano). Birmingham JO ENRIGHT, ADAM BLOOM, ANDY ROD STEWART STORY Brand new the- Programme includes works by ROBINSON & KEVIN MCGAHERN Fri 5 - atrical production celebrating the Schubert, Wieniawski, Schumann CBSO FAMILY FILM FAVOURITES Sat 6 Feb, The Glee Club, Featuring Alasdair Malloy (presenter) career of one of rock’s great icons, and Chopin, Tues 2 Feb, Birmingham Birmingham Wed 3 Feb, Belgrade Theatre, Conservatoire and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Programme includes JARLETH REGAN, DOUGIE DUNLOP, Coventry IAN BOSTRIDGE AND JOSEPH soundtracks from Star Wars, Toy DOMINIC WOODWARD & SALLY-ANNE POCKET DREAM Propeller present a MIDDLETON Programme comprises Story, Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, HAYWARD Fri 5 - Sat 6 Feb, Jongleurs 60-minute adaptation of Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise( Shrek, Despicable Me, Frozen, The Comedy Club, Birmingham Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's ‘Winter’s Journey’), a set of 24 songs Lego Movie and more, Sun 7 Feb, GARY DELANEY Sun 7 Feb, The Glee Dream, Thurs 4 - Sat 6 Feb, Belgrade based on the poetry of Wilhelm Symphony Hall, Birmingham Club, Birmingham Theatre, Coventry Müller, Wed 3 Feb, The Barber Institute, University of Birmingham EX CATHEDRA, I WAS GLAD A concert of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK Charitable magnificent 20th century music for pantomime production presented by CBSO BAIBA SKRIDE: SZYMANOWSKI choir and organ, including master- PwC as part of its Community Affairs Featuring Olari Elts (Conductor) and pieces by Leighton, Walton, Janácek Theatre programme, Thurs 4 - Sat 6 Feb, Baiba Skride (Violin). Programme and Parry, whose glorious anthem New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham includes work by Mendelssohn, was written for the coronation of King Szymanowski and Shostakovich, THE SISTERHOOD Ranjit Bolt’s brilliant- OF MICE AND MEN Roxana Silbert Edward VII, Sun 7 Feb, Birmingham ly funny adaptation of Molière’s clas- directs John Steinbeck's classic Thurs 4 Feb, Symphony Hall, Town Hall Birmingham sic satire, Les Femmes Savantes, story, Thurs 4 - Sat 13 Feb, The REP, until Sat 20 Feb, Belgrade Theatre, Birmingham PINES OF ROME Featuring Michael Coventry Seal (conductor) & Birmingham Blue Orange Arts Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, Comedy Gigs A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM Merely present Shakespeare's classic Thurs 4 Feb, B’ham Conservatoire Theatre present an energetic ninety- romantic tragedy, Thurs 4 - Sat 13 minute production of Shakespeare's Feb, The Blue Orange Theatre, THE WONDERS OF WALT Performed by DIANE SPENCER, AARON TWITCHEN Mon most popular comedy, Mon 1 Feb, Birmingham percussionist Phil James, his 16- 1 Feb, Old Joint Stock Pub, B’ham Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham piece band and 12 vocalists. SHIRLEY VALENTINE Willy Russell's Featuring music from Snow White, JO ENRIGHT, MAUREEN YOUNGER Tues 2 OUR KYLIE'S GETTING' WED Stripped heart-warming play of self-discovery, The Lion King, Beauty And The Feb, The Dark Horse, Moseley, Down Theatre present a funny yet Fri 5 - Sat 13 Feb, Hall Green Little Beast, Up, Frozen and many more... Birmingham touching play about the trials and Theatre, Birmingham Fri 5 Feb, Birmingham Conservatoire RICHARD HERRING Wed 3 Feb, Station tribulations of every family wedding THE UNBEARABLE PLEASURE OF BEING A Pub, Sutton Coldfield that you have ever been to, Mon 1 WOMAN Comedy cabaret where CRAIG OGDEN Programme includes Feb, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham works by D Scarlatti, Tippett, Bach, LEE NELSON Wed 3 Feb, The Old Rep Joana Eden & Leigh McDonald David Knotts, Ginastera, Fri 5 Feb, Theatre, Birmingham HENRY V Merely Theatre presents an laugh, cry and sing about the serious Artrix, Bromsgrove 'exciting and humorous' version of business of being female, Sat 6 Feb, NICK REVELL, DIANE SPENCER Wed 3 Shakespeare's most patriotic History Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham RACHEL LEE PRIDAY AND MICHAEL Feb, The Dark Horse, Birmingham play, Tues 2 Feb, Old Joint Stock THE BEST THING Vamos Theatre pres- DUSSEK Featuring Rachel Lee Priday MOCK THE FLOCK - COMEDIANS TBC Theatre,. Birmingham (violin) and Michael Dussek (piano). ent a fully masked performance of a Wed 3 Feb, The Mockingbird LAND OF OUR FATHERS Chris Urch's Swinging 60s story of unconditional Programme includes works by Theatre, Birmingham Schubert, Ravel & Sarasate, Fri 5 award-winning debut play, which love, Sat 6 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove Feb, The Barber Institute, University DAVE'S LEICESTER COMEDY FESTIVAL echoes a generation of lost voices, DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE The Crescent of Birmingham Promising to be the festival’s most Tues 2 - Wed 3 Feb, mac, Theatre Company presents a staging diverse and inventive yet, Wed 3 - Birmingham of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND DANCE Sun 21 Feb, Leicester City Centre WITH BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET AN INSPECTOR CALLS National Theatre classic, Sat 6 - Sat 13 Feb, Crescent Birmingham Royal Ballet and its DAVID TSONOS, TOM TOAL Thurs 4 Feb, production of JB Priestley’s classic Theatre, Birmingham acclaimed orchestra, the Royal Ballet The Dark Horse, Moseley, B’ham thriller, Tues 2 - Sat 6 Feb, Sinfonia, return to Symphony Hall for ADAM BLOOM, KEVIN MCGAHERN & Wolverhampton Grand Theatre an evening of spectacular music and COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY THE SOLID LIFE OF SUGAR WATER Jack

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thelist Monday 1 - Sunday 7 February resort. Stars Brad Pitt & Angelina Dance Jolie. Fri 5 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove; Visual Arts Fri 5 Feb, mac, Birmingham Events BOLSHOI BABYLON (PG) In 2013 the SALAAM Sonia Sabri Company pres- Ballet was in the headlines for all the WINTER HERITAGE TOURS OF SOUND MATTERS; EXPLORING CRAFT ent a double-bill of works which clev- wrong reasons when its Artistic Experience one of AND SOUND A Craft Council touring erly weaves a dialogue between live Director, Sergei Filin, was the victim Birmingham’s finest timber-framed exhibition featuring seven contempo- music and Kathak dance to celebrate of a shocking acid attack. In this doc- buildings and get a unique insight rary works from a range of creative harmony, inner-stillness and the sim- umentary, filmmakers Nick Read and into the people who lived and disciplines, until Sat 6 Feb, ple bliss of being alive, Thurs 4 Feb, Mark Franchetti record as Filin recu- worked there, Mon 1 - Thurs 11 Feb, Wolverhampton Art Gallery The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham perates and theatre manager Blakesley Hall, Birmingham START EXHIBITION Featuring works by Vladimir Urin takes over. Fri 5 - Thu WINTER HERITAGE TOURS OF SAREHOLE RBSA Members and Associates, until 11 Feb, mac, Birmingham MILL Taking place on a Wednesday Sat 6 Feb, RBSA Gallery, THE HATEFUL EIGHT (18) Tarantino’s and Thursday, explore the idyllic Birmingham long-awaited re-imagining of The childhood haunt of JRR Tolkien, Mon ANDREW KINMONT ARBSA Andrew's Magnificent Seven, with less clean- 1 - Thurs 11 Feb, Sarehole Mill, experiences of working in the land- cut protagonists. Set in post-Civil Birmingham scape are reflected in this body of War Wyoming, the film features eight FACETS - ANNA FRANCIS Thurs 4 Feb, work, until Sun 7 Feb, RBSA Gallery, disparate bounty hunters who take Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Birmingham refuge at a stagecoach stopover dur- Coventry ing a blizzard. Stars Samuel L EARLY YEARS PLAY DAYS Inspiring and Jackson & Kurt Russell. Fri 5 - Thurs sensory materials allow children to 11 Feb, mac, Birmingham; Fri 5 - explore and helps their development Thurs 11 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, through play, Thurs 4 - Fri 5 Feb, Coventry Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, SCREEN JUNIORS: SLEEPING BEAUTY (U) Coventry After being snubbed by the royal BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: COME AND AN EVENING OF MUSIC & DANCE WITH family, a malevolent fairy places a SING! Join the renowned chamber BRB Compered by David Bintley, Sat curse on a princess which only a choir and conductor Paul Spicer for 6 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham prince can break, along with the help an afternoon rehearsing of three good fairies. Animated film Mendelssohn's Elijah, Sat 6 Feb, OLD WIVES’ TALES: MIGRATION first released 1959. Sat 6 Feb, mac, Selly Oak Methodist Church, JOURNEYS OF BANGLADESHI WOMEN TO Birmingham Birmingham THE UK Photographic exhibition which Spoken Word THE 39 STEPS (U) This heart-racing gives a unique insight into the lives PANTOMIME WEEKENDS Classic panto of young Bangladeshi women who spy story by Alfred Hitchcock follows fun with Princess Aurora and friends Richard Hannay as he stumbles came to Birmingham between the CAFÉ SCIENTIFIQUE: SNAKES AND EYES in Sleeping Beauty And The Chuckle upon a conspiracy that thrusts him 1960s and 1980s, until Sun 7 Feb, FOR VITREORETINAL SURGERY Dr Bean Fairy, a magical performance into a hectic chase across the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Christos Bergeles talks about minia- full of giggles and songs, Sat 6 - Sun Scottish moors - a chase in which he HOPES + DREAMS: STATEMENTS OF turised robots running around in your 7 Feb, Cadbury World, Birmingham is both the pursuer and the pursued. INTENT EXPLORED An exhibition featur- eyes to deliver drugs and conduct The film will be preceded by a 20- EXCALIBUR PAPER CRAFTING FAIR ing lettered work, in all types of surgery, Tues 2 Feb, Thinktank at minute introduction from B-Film aca- Featuring crafting supplies from lead- media, by members of Letter Millennium Point, Birmingham demic Roger Shannon. Sat 6 Feb, ing craft companies from around the Exchange, until Fri 12 Feb, Parkside AN EVENING WITH MELINDA SALISBURY The Electric, Birmingham UK, Sat 6 Feb, National Motorcycle Gallery, Birmingham Celebrating the launch of her new Museum, Solihull JOAN SHARMA ARBSA A celebration of book, The Sleeping Prince, Fri 5 Feb, X-RUNNER WINTER WARRIOR 2016 mothers, babies and mothers-to-be Waterstones - High St, Birmingham Winter Warrior mud run, including a via sculptures in stone and wood, variety of challenging obstacles in until Sat 20 Feb, RBSA Gallery, either 5k or 10k format, Sat 6 Feb, Birmingham Donington Park Racing Circuit, Castle Donington ENCHANTED DREAMS The first ever Film exhibition to be dedicated to Pre- ANCIENT OCEANS Brush up on your Raphaelite artist Edward Robert discovery skills this half term and Hughes, until Sun 21 Feb, INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: become a dinosaur detective, Sat 6 - Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Sun 21 Feb, National Sea Life MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (U) The Centre, Birmingham best-known work of experimental documentary pioneer Dziga Vertov, CHINESE NEW YEAR FESTIVAL Man With A Movie Camera is one of Birmingham’s Southside once again the most influential films in cinema plays host to the city’s Chinese New history. A poetic vision of urban life in Year celebrations, as thousands of 1920s Russia, Vertov’s extraordinary festival-goers descend on the area montage presents a bustling city at and welcome in the Year of the work and at play. Tues 2 Feb, The Monkey, Sun 7 Feb, Arcadian Centre, Electric, Birmingham NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Birmingham LE MÉPRIS (15) Screenwriter Paul Released Fri 5 Feb, showing at Javal's marriage to his wife disinte- selected cinemas. WOLVERHAMPTON SOCIETY OF ARTISTS grates during a movie production as DAD’S ARMY (tbc) Biennial exhibition with a diverse she spends time with the producer. range of styles, mediums and sub- GOOSEBUMPS (PG) Stars Brigitte Bardot & Michel Piccoli. ject matter, until Sat 27 Feb, Mon 1 - Tues 2 Feb, Warwick Arts RAMS (15) Wolverhampton Art Gallery Centre, Coventry; Tues 2 - Wed 3 TRUMBO (15) WHAT REMAINS Mixed media exhibi- Feb, mac, Birmingham POINT BREAK (12a) tion by Maureen Cooper, Wed 3 Feb CHEMSEX (18) Documentary about the - Thurs 28 Apr, Newman Brothers LEE SCRATCH PERRY'S VISION OF practice of mixing sex and drug use, Coffin Works, Birmingham PARADISE (tbc) set in London's gay scene. Thurs 4 WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Feb, mac, Birmingham TAKING STOCK (tbc) 2015 Featuring 100 amazing images, BY THE SEA (15) Drama set in France MISS HOKUSAI (12a) from fascinating animal behaviour to in the 1970s about a married couple THE AMERICAN DREAMER (tbc) breathtaking wild landscapes, Fri 5 going through a difficult period who Feb - Sun 10 Apr, Herbert Art Gallery See Film section for previews on p40 stay at a hotel in a small seaside & Museum, Coventry

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thelist Monday 8 - Sunday 14 February works of Schubert & Beethoven, Fri Classical Music 12 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS 1 AND 5 In this second instalment of his LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH Birmingham Beethoven cycle, con- THOMAS TROTTER Mon 8 Feb, ductor/pianist Rudolf Buchbinder Birmingham Town Hall tackles the mighty “Emperor” concer- SCHMITT, JS BACH, BEETHOVEN to itself: music without limits, per- Lunchtime concert performed by formed with supreme understanding Conservatoire students, Mon 8 Feb, by a living legend amongst pianists, Birmingham Conservatoire Sat 13 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham THE ATÉA WIND QUARTET Double prize CBSO BENEVOLENT FUND CONCERT winners at the 2015 Karl Nielsen Featuring City of Birmingham International Chamber Music Symphony Orchestra, John Wilson Competition in Denmark. Programme (conductor) and Valeriy Sokolov (vio- features work by Francaix, Bridge lin). Programme includes works by Little Simz, O2 Academy, Birmingham, Mon 8 February and Nielsen, Tues 9 Feb, Nicolai, Bruch and Elgar, Sun 14 Birmingham Conservatoire Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham NIK TURNER’S NEW Slade Rooms, Wolves BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS 2,3 AND 4 Featuring Rudolf Buchbinder (con- Gigs SPACE RITUAL Thurs 11 WILLE & THE BANDITS Feb, The Robin, Bilston ductor/piano), Wed 10 Feb, Sat 13 Feb, Artrix, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Comedy Gigs SO CALLED STUDIOS Bromsgrove LITTLE SIMZ Mon 8 Feb, PRESENTS BATTLE OF DAN TEPFER: GOLDBERG O2 Academy, B’ham THE DARKER MY VARIATIONS/VARIATIONS Talented LOUDEEMY SOUP COMEDY NIGHT Mon 8 THE BANDS.Thurs 11 HORIZON & EUPHORIA PHILLIP HENRY AND young pianist Dan Tepfer performs Feb, The Blue Orange Theatre, Feb, Route 44, B’ham AUDIO Sat 13 Feb, HANNAH MARTIN Mon 8 his interpretation of Bach’s master- Birmingham ROY ORBISON AND Scruffy Murphys, Feb, Kitchen Garden piece, Wed 10 Feb, Symphony Hall, FRIENDS Fri 12 Feb, Birmingham MERCEDES BENSON, CLAIRE NELSON, Cafe, Birmingham Birmingham LINDSEY HULSE & MAUREEN YOUNGER Solihull Arts Complex REIGNING DAYS Sat 13 THE FRONT BOTTOMS AN EVENING WITH NEY ROSAURO Wed 10 Feb, Kitchen Garden Cafe, MARIA JOÃO PIRES & Feb, The Sunflower Mon 8 Feb, O2 Featuring Ney Rosauro, Shih-Han Birmingham MILO POPOVIC Fri 12 Lounge, Birmingham Institute, Birmingham Lee, Matthew Firkins, Stephen MOCK THE FLOCK - ACTS TBC Wed 10 Feb, Birmingham Town BEAST AND Plummer, Luke Taylor, Daniel THE GAME Mon 8 Feb, Feb, The Mockingbird Theatre, Hall SOUNDKITCHEN PRES- Martinez Martin, Birmingham O2 Academy, B’ham Birmingham SLIPKNOT Fri 12 Feb, ENT: BEASTDOME PANTRY Conservatoire Percussion THE COMPOZERS Mon 8 Genting Arena, B’ham SESSIONS Sat 13 - Sun Department. Programme includes TONY LAW Thurs 11 Feb, The Slade Feb, O2 Institute, Rooms, Wolverhampton NME AWARDS TOUR 2016 14 Feb, Bramall Music works from Rosauro, Wed 10 Feb, Birmingham Fri 12 Feb, O2 Building, Birmingham Birmingham Conservatoire DAVE FULTON, STEVE WILLIAMS & RICHIE RAMONE Mon 8 Academy, Birmingham FAITH CHILD Sat 13 Feb, COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY Feb, The Robin, Bilston The Drum, Birmingham ROBINSON Thurs 11 Feb, The Glee LISBON Fri 12 Feb, The Club, Birmingham ALEXANDRA JAYNE Tues Oobleck, Birmingham LUNA KISS / INCLOSURE / 9 Feb, The Jam House, WHITE YARDIE - BATTLE OF THE SEXES GRAHAM BONNET BAND AIRWAYS Sat 13 Feb, Birmingham Fri 12 Feb, The Drum, Birmingham Fri 12 Feb, The Slade The Flapper, B’ham ULRIKA SPACEK Tues 9 Rooms, W’hampton MY NU LENG & M8S Sat CRAIG HILL, DAVE FULTON, STEVE Feb, Hare & Hounds, WILLIAMS & COMIC TBC Fri 12 - Sat 13 THE GODFATHERS Fri 12 13 Feb, The Rainbow Birmingham Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham Feb, Hare & Hounds, Venues, Birmingham GOSPEL CENTRAL Wed Birmingham SOUL JUNCTION Sat 13 CHARLIE BAKER, MATT REED, CARL 10 Feb, The Jam HUTCHINSON & JEFF INNOCENT Fri 12 - THE WORLD IS A Feb, The Roadhouse, House, Birmingham Birmingham Sat 13 Feb, Jongleurs Comedy Club, BEAUTIFUL PLACE & I AM Birmingham MARTIN SIMPSON Wed NO LONGER AFRAID TO THE COUNTERFEIT 10 Feb, The Red Lion DIE Fri 12 Feb, O2 STONES Sat 13 Feb, BARNSTORMERS COMEDY NIGHT - ACTS Folk Club, Birmingham Institute, Birmingham The Robin, Bilston TBC Sat 13 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove DANNY BRYANT Wed 10 THE KERRANG! TOUR Fri IVOR & LYNN'S CLASSIC PATRICK MONAHAN, SOL BERNSTEIN, RIA Feb, The Robin, Bilston ROCK NIGHT WITH DJ LINA & THE RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS 12 Feb, O2 Institute, TASMIN WALEY-COHEN AND HUW DAVE Sat 13 Feb, Route REVUE Sun 14 Feb, The Glee Club, MARIA JOÃO PIRES Birmingham WATKINS Programme includes works 44, Birmingham Birmingham Thurs 11 Feb, SYMPHONIC FLOYD FEA- of Bach, Beethoven, Hahn, Birmingham Town Hall TURING THE EN SUITE GABRIELLE APLIN Sun Szymanowski, Thurs 11 Feb, FAY HIELD Thurs 11 ELECTRIC BAND Fri 12 14 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham Conservatoire Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham MARIA JOAO PIRES IN RECITAL Birmingham JOE JACKSON Thurs 11 PAUL EDWARDS Sun 14 Programme features the works of Feb, O2 Institute, INFERNO! Fri 12 Feb, Feb, Artrix, Debussy, Mozart & Schubert, Thurs Birmingham Adrian Boult Hall, Bromsgrove 11 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham TELEGRAM Thurs 11 MCGOLDRICK, HERMES ENSEMBLE Featuring Karin de Feb, Hare & Hounds, CHAPTER 100 AND A MCCUSKER & DOYLE Sun Fleyt (flute), Peter Merckx (clarinet) Birmingham DREAM Fri 12 Feb, The 14 Feb, mac, B’ham and Jacob Fichert (piano). Glee Club, Birmingham RICK WAKEMAN Thurs SANCHEZ & ROMAIN Programme includes works by 11 Feb, Solihull Arts DIO TRIOLOGY + PURE VIRGO - THE 2016 Henderickx, Gehlhaar, Boulez, Complex PURPLE Fri 12 Feb, The REGGAE VALENTINE Fardon and Pärt, Fri 12 Feb, The Roadhouse, B’ham AFFAIR Sun 14 Feb, O2 Barber Institute, University of B’ham JARROD DICKENSON Academy, Birmingham NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE Thurs 11 Feb, The Glee SYMPHONY X Fri 12 Daniele Rosina Club, Birmingham Feb, The Robin, Bilston GAVIN JAMES Sun 14 (director), Percy Pursglove (trumpet/flugel horn), Lydia Haynes, UP4 THE DOWNSTROKE Feb, The Rainbow THE SUBS Thurs 11 Feb, Holly Singlehurst, Amy Farnell (vocal- Fri 12 - Sat 13 Feb, The Venues, Birmingham The Jam House, ists). Programme includes works by Jam House, B’ham SINNERBOY Sun 14 Feb, Birmingham Berio, Kwiatkowska and Evans, Fri The Roadhouse, B’ham CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. ALL TIME LOW Sat 13 12 Feb, Bramall Music Building, SONATA FALL Thurs 11 Feb, Barclaycard RAYMOND FROGGATT & University of Birmingham HIS BAND Sun 14 Feb, Feb, O2 Academy, Arena, Birmingham MARIA JOAO PIRES & MILOS POPOVIC IN The Robin, Bilston Birmingham SNUFF Sat 13 Feb, The RECITAL Programme features the

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Monday 8 - Sunday 14 February

THE CROWS PLUCKED YOUR SINEWS and madness, bringing more than 30 Theatre Based on real events and featuring characters to the stage in a high- Dance the epic lyrical tradition of Somalia, octane 80-minute production, Thurs Hassan Mahamdallie's play presents 11 - Sat 13 Feb, mac, Birmingham SLEEPING BEAUTY Matthew Bourne’s THE SISTERHOOD Ranjit Bolt’s brilliant- a unique exploration of the violence ALI BABA & THE FOUR TEA THIEVES ‘gothic tale for all ages’, Tues 9 - Sat ly funny adaptation of Molière’s clas- of empire and the poetry of resist- Harlequinade present a pantomime 13 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome sic satire, Les Femmes Savantes, ance. This one-man show is per- with a difference, Fri 12 - Sat 13 Feb, until Sat 20 Feb, Belgrade Theatre, formed by Yusra Warsama, Tues 9 - Solihull Arts Complex Coventry Thurs 11 Feb, The REP, Birmingham THE BEAUTY OF THE HEART - MORE DOCTOR FAUSTUS Maria Aberg returns MISS NIGHTINGALE THE MUSICAL THAN A VALENTINE, MUCH MORE A new to the RSC to direct Marlowe's notori- Matthew Bugg's critically acclaimed play from Somesuch Theatre as their ous tale of vanity, greed and damna- musical brings the on-stage glamour contribution to the year of tion, Thurs 4 Feb - Thurs 4 Aug, The and off-stage affairs of war-torn Shakespeare celebrations, Fri 12 - Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon London to life, Tues 9 - Sat 13 Feb, Sun 14 Feb, mac, Birmingham Belgrade Theatre, Coventry DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE The Crescent FIRST STAGES: CINDER-ELLA Krazy Kat Theatre Company presents a staging JERSEY BOYS This Tony, Olivier and fuse imaginative storytelling, sign lan- of Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless Grammy Award-winning musical guage and visual storytelling in a classic, Sat 6 - Sat 13 Feb, Crescent charts the rise to stardom of one of production for younger audiences. Theatre, Birmingham the most successful bands in pop Recommended for children aged PRIVATE LIVES Tom Chambers and music history, Tues 9 - Sat 20 Feb, three-plus, Sat 13 Feb, The REP, Charlotte Ritchie star in a major Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Birmingham revival of Noël Coward's hilarious AMERICAN IDIOT Amateur version of THIS ENCHANTED EVENING An evening masterpiece, Mon 8 - Sat 13 Feb, Green Day's award-winning of Broadway and West End Classics New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Broadway musical, Tues 9 - Sun 21 raising money for St James's Place Feb, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Foundation, and supported by major BROKEN An adrenaline-filled spectacle Birmingham companies from across the from Leamington-based dance FLASHLIGHT: HEARTS & CROSSES An Midlands, Sat 13 - Sun 14 Feb, troupe, Motionhouse, Tues 9 - Wed evening of eight short stories told by Solihull Arts Complex 10 Feb, mac, Birmingham eight storytellers, full of real life and DINOSAUR ZOO Unique stage show COAL Gary Clarke Company present loss (just in time for Valentine's Day), which brings a plethora of prehistoric an emotional, moving and ever-rele- Thurs 11 Feb, The Old Rep Theatre, creatures to the stage, Sat 13 - Sun vant exploration of community, soli- Birmingham 14 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall darity and survival, Thurs 11 - Sat 13 Award-winning Out Of Feb, DanceXchange, Birmingham Chaos present a two-man production Hippodrome of Shakespeare's drama of intrigue

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thelist Monday 8 - Sunday 14 February NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: during the half-term holidays, Sat 13 - Sun 21 Feb, Cadbury World, B’ham Film Released Fri 12 Feb, showing at Visual Arts selected cinemas. FAMILY FUN DAYS - FEBRUARY HALF TERM An outdoor adventure for all BEING GOOD (tbc) Tasuku, a new pri- ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD the family featuring a natural play trail HOPES + DREAMS: STATEMENTS OF mary school teacher, discovers that CHIP (U) with stepping stones, rope swings INTENT EXPLORED An exhibition featur- one of his pupils is being abused by A BIGGER SPLASH (15) and a winding labyrinth, Sat 13 - Sun ing lettered work, in all types of their parents and decides that he media, by members of Letter DEADPOOL (tbc) 21 Feb, Baddesley Clinton, Solihull must help. Meanwhile in the same Exchange, until Fri 12 Feb, Parkside city, Masami, a woman who appears CONCUSSION (15) ANVILS & PETTICOATS: WOMEN IN Gallery, Birmingham to be a good mother, can’t help lash- INDUSTRY Find out about the incredi- ODDBALL AND THE PENGUINS (tbc) JOAN SHARMA ARBSA A celebration of ing out at her own child. Foreign lan- ble history of women workers in this ZOOLANDER 2 (tbc) mothers, babies and mothers-to-be. guage, subtitled. Mon 8 - Tues 9 Feb, one-off half-term event and discover Sculptures in stone and wood, until mac, Birmingham THE GREEN INFERNO (18) how women in industry changed the course of history, Sat 13 - Sun 21 Sat 20 Feb, RBSA Gallery, B’ham LABYRINTH (PG) A selfish 16-year-old JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS (tbc) Feb, Black Country Living Museum, ENCHANTED DREAMS The first ever girl is given 13 hours to solve a NOBEL (tbc) Dudley exhibition to be dedicated to Pre- labyrinth and rescue her baby broth- THE SURVIVALIST (tbc) Raphaelite artist Edward Robert er when her wish for him to be taken Hughes, until Sun 21 Feb, away is granted by the Goblin King. WELCOME TO LEITH (tbc) Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Stars David Bowie & Jennifer See Film section for previews on p38 Connelly. Wed 10 Feb, mac, WOLVERHAMPTON SOCIETY OF ARTISTS Birmingham Biennial exhibition featuring a diverse range of styles, mediums and sub- DEAR WHITE PEOPLE (15) Winner of the ject matter, until Sat 27 Feb, 2014 Sundance Film Festival's Events Wolverhampton Art Gallery Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent, Dear White People is a sly, WHAT REMAINS Mixed media exhibi- CHINESE NEW YEAR Chinese New Year provocative satire of race relations in tion by Maureen Cooper, Wed 3 Feb celebrations, Mon 8 Feb, the age of Obama. Thurs 11 Feb, - Thurs 28 Apr, Newman Brothers Birmingham Botanical Gardens The Drum, Birmingham Coffin Works, Birmingham PIRATE AND PRINCESS WEEK Head for JOY (12a) That’s ‘Joy’ as in ‘Joy WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Alton Towers Resort this half term as FEBRUARY HALF-TERM FAMILY Mangano’, the remarkable woman 2015 Featuring 100 amazing images, they welcome Cook & Line from ACTIVITIES Sat 13 - Sun 21 Feb, Blists who founded a business empire after from fascinating animal behaviour to CBeebies’ Swashbuckle, Fri 12 - Sun Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire inventing the Miracle Mop. Stars breathtaking wild landscapes, Fri 5 21 Feb, Alton Towers, Staffordshire FAMILY FUN DAYS - FEBRUARY HALF- Jennifer Lawrence & Robert De Niro. Feb - Sun 10 Apr, Herbert Art Gallery TERM Head off on a journey through Fri 12 - Thurs 18 Feb, mac, B’ham FEBRUARY HALF-TERM TILE DECORATING & Museum, Coventry WORKSHOPS Circus-themed drop-in the woods for a welly walk, Sat 13 - THE REVENANT (15) Inspired by true LOVE ART, BUY ART, MAKE ART tile decorating workshops, Sat 13 Sun 21 Feb, Packwood House, events and filmed in the frozen wilds EXHIBITION Works by the tutors who Feb, Jackfield Tile Museum, Solihull of Alberta and British Columbia. will deliver the Winter and Summer Ironbridge, Shropshire FLIGHT WORKSHOPS Take part in inter- Leonardo DiCaprio plays Hugh workshops, Mon 8 - Sat 20 Feb, active activities and make your own Glass, an 1820s’ frontiersman who RBSA Gallery, Birmingham rocket from the available craft materi- was left for dead after being mauled als, Sat 13 - Sun 21 Feb, Enginuity MARGARET FAIRHEAD RBSA Margaret by a bear. Incensed by his abandon- Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire has drawn inspiration from the ment, Glass dreams of revenge - but canals near the gallery to produce a first must find the will to survive in series of machine-stitched urban unhospitable terrain. Fri 12 - Thurs landscapes, Mon 8 Feb - Sat 19 Mar, 18 Feb, mac, Birmingham RBSA Gallery, Birmingham SAFETY LAST! + ONE WEEK (U) The CHANCE, ORDER, CHANGE: ABSTRACT comic genius of silent-movie star PAINTINGS 1939 - 1989 A great oppor- Harold Lloyd is eternal. With perfectly tunity to enjoy abstract art at its executed gags and astonishing purest, Thurs 11 Feb - Sun 8 May, stunts, Safety Last! is the perfect The Barber Institute, Birmingham introduction to him, featuring live INTO THE WOODS Featuring stylistically organ accompaniment from David SKETCH COVENTRY Join local urban diverse works by distinguished artists Ivory. Preceded by the 1920 Buster sketchers in the Herbert Café for a DESTINATION SPACE HALF TERM Sat 13 including Jacob van Ruisdael, Keaton short, One Week. Sat 13 Feb, day of sketching around Coventry - Sun 21 Feb, National Space Centre, Theodore Rousseau & Samuel Birmingham Cathedral city centre, Sat 13 Feb, Herbert Art Leicester Palmer, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 12 June, DIRTY DANCING (12) The now-classic Gallery & Museum, Coventry ASTON EXPERIENCE TOURS A chance The Barber Institute, Birmingham love story of Baby and Johnny. Stars VALENTINE’S HOOKING AND PROGGING to see the site’s 17th century rooms NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS 2016 Jennifer Grey & Patrick Swayze. Meal CRAFT WORKSHOP Chance to gain and get ‘hands on’ with objects from Exhibition of works by graduates & movie deal available. Sat 13 - Sun knowledge and learn the skills of the past, Sun 14 Feb, Aston Hall, from various West Midlands art 14 Feb, mac, Birmingham hooking and progging to make a Birmingham schools, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 15 May, GONE WITH THE WIND (PG) David O’ piece of traditional work that will last MONTHLY TOUR OF BLAKESLEY HALL Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Selznick's production of Margaret a lifetime, Sat 13 Feb, Birmingham Experience one of Birmingham’s and Sat 13 Feb - Sun 10 Apr, mac, Mitchell's bestseller remains the pin- Back to Backs finest timber-framed buildings and Birmingham nacle of polished Hollywood story- VALENTINE’S WEEKEND Enjoy the get a unique insight into the aspira- telling and craftsmanship. Stars Clark sweetest Valentine's Day with tions of the Tudor classes who lived Gable & Vivien Leigh. Sun 14 Feb, Cadbury World as hearts and choco- and worked there, Sun 14 Feb, The Electric, Birmingham late will be melting for their real-life Blakesley Hall, Birmingham Cupid statue, Sat 13 - Sun 14 Feb, COIN & BANKNOTE FAIR Featuring coin, Cadbury World, Bournville banknote, medal and antiquity deal- DOWN UNDER LIVE Do you want to ers from the and emigrate to Australia or New Ireland, Sun 14 Feb, National Zealand? Find out how at Down Motorcycle Museum, Solihull Under Live - the UK’s number one PIZZA MAKING AT SAREHOLE MILL Join emigration event, Sat 13 - Sun 14 the Millers at Sarehole Mill for a fun Feb, National Motorcycle Museum, and informal baking class. Learn to Solihull make dough, see the mill in action HALF TERM FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT A and create and bake your own deli- host of children's entertainers will be cious pizza, Sun 14 Feb, Sarehole spreading joy throughout the day Mill, Birmingham

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David O’Doherty The Rat Pack & Judy Friday 12th February, 8:00pm Thursday 25th February, 7:30pm

Gary Delaney The Dreamers Saturday 12th March, 8:00pm Thursday 24th March, 7:30pm

whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List 15-21 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:17 Page 1

thelist Monday 15 - Sunday 21 February Following last year's highly successful project, Thallein Ensemble are here Classical Music joined by a number of the UK's lead- ing contemporary music performers PETER DONOHOE CELEBRITY PIANO in a concert of world premieres from RECITAL Featuring Peter Donohoe Birmingham Conservatoire com- (piano). Programme includes posers, Fri 19 Feb, Birmingham Scriabin, Schubert, Beethoven and Conservatoire Brahms, Tues 16 Feb, Birmingham FINAL PROJECTS ORCHESTRA Featuring Conservatoire Lucinda Scott (soprano) and Connor AISHA ORAZBAYEVA AND JOSEPH Wilcox (piano). Programme features HOUSTON Featuring Aisha Orazbayeva the works of Ravel and Beethoven, Fri (violin) and Joseph Houston (piano). 19 Feb, Birmingham Conservatoire Programme includes Feldman For BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY MUSIC John Cage, Tues 16 Feb, Bramall GROUP Featuring Richard Baker (con- Music Building, University of ductor), Lucy Schaufer (mezzo sopra- Birmingham no) and Christopher Yates (viola). Paul Carrack, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 20 February JOEL SACHS Programme comprises Programme includes the works of Cage Sonatas and Interludes for pre- Berio, Tansy Davies, Judith Weir, Birmingham Bilston pared piano, Tues 16 Feb, Bramall Feldman, Richard Baker, Michael Sev Gigs !!! (CHK CHK CHK) Thurs RHINO'S REVENGE Sat 20 Music Building, University of Gorden, and various other com- 18 Feb, The Oobleck, Feb, The Slade Rooms, Birmingham posers, Sat 20 Feb, Bramall Music Birmingham Wolverhampton Building, Birmingham PARKWAY DRIVE Mon 15 Feb, O2 Academy, JESSE MALIN Thurs 18 HALSEY Sat 20 Feb, O2 CBSO YOUTH ORCHESTRA: Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute, Academy, Birmingham RACHMANINOV'S SECOND Featuring Jac van Steen (conductor). Programme Birmingham ALLISON WEISS Sat 20 NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND includes works by Prokofiev and JAZZ COLLECTIVE Thurs Feb, O2 Institute,B’ham THE NIGHT SWEATS Mon Rachmaninov, Sun 21 Feb, 18 - Fri 19 Feb, Bramall 15 Feb, O2 Institute, PAUL CARRACK Sat 20 Symphony Hall, Birmingham Birmingham Music Building, B’ham Feb, Symphony Hall, UNLIMITED VOICES PRESENT THE GREAT DEVILSKIN Thurs 18 Birmingham MIKEY BROMLEY Mon 15 SONGS OF MUSICAL THEATRE Sun 21 Feb, The Roadhouse, Feb, O2 Institute,B’ham ATOMIC BLONDIE & THE Feb, Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham FATHERSON Mon 15 BOWIE EXPERIENCE Sat Feb, The Rainbow WILLE & THE BANDITS 20 Feb, Artrix, Venues, Birmingham Thurs 18 Feb, The Bromsgrove Robin, Bilston THE LEGENDS OF CASH (PAYIN' RESPECT Comedy Gigs AMERICAN COUNTRY GRETCHEN PETERS Fri 19 TO THE MAN IN BLACK) Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove Sat 20 Feb, O2 Mon 15 Feb, The TCHAIKOVSKY’S SIXTH Featuring City of TOADALLY FREE COMEDY! Mon 15 Feb, Academy, Birmingham Robin, Bilston FOALS Fri 19 Feb, Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, The Blue Orange Theatre, EZRA FURMAN Tues 16 Barclaycard Arena, FAT WHITE FAMILY Sat Rafael Payare (conductor) and Alisa Birmingham Birmingham 20 Feb, O2 Institute, Feb, The Glee Club, Weilerstein (cello). Programme JIMEOIN Wed 17 Feb, Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham LET'S HANG ON Fri 19 includes works by Berlioz, Prokofiev, Town Hall Feb, Solihull Arts BLACK PEAKS Sat 20 Sinfonia and Tchaikovsky, Wed 17 THE TIM AMANN X-TET TONY LAW Wed 17 Feb, The Glee Complex Feb, The Asylum, Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Tues 16 Feb, The Jam Club, Birmingham House, Birmingham LUCY SPRAGGAN Fri 19 Birmingham FLANDERS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MOCK THE FLOCK - ACTS TBC Wed 17 Feb, O2 Academy, FLOWERS Sat 20 Feb, Featuring Jan Latham Koenig (con- MAZ O'CONNOR Tues 16 Feb, The Mockingbird Theatre, Feb, Kitchen Garden Birmingham The Rainbow Venues, ductor), Nikolai Demidenko (piano), Wed 17 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Birmingham Cafe, Birmingham TRU GROOVE Fri 19 - Sat Birmingham Coventry RORY MCGRATH Thurs 18 Feb, Artrix, 20 Feb, The Jam SEMANTICS Sat 20 Feb, HUE AND CRY Tues 16 Bromsgrove Feb, The Robin, Bilston House, Birmingham The Sunflower Lounge, EMMA JOHNSON & MOZART'S CLARINET CONCERTO ZOE LYONS, BOBBY MAIR & BETHANY CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. THE Birmingham Featuring David Curtis BARS AND MELODY Wed (conductor). Programme includes BLACK Thurs 18 Feb, Bramall Music YOUNG Fri 19 Feb, O2 PORTAL 2ND BIRTHDAY - 17 Feb, O2 Academy, works by Gluck, Fauré, Haydn and Building, Birmingham Birmingham Academy, Birmingham AMNESIA IBIZA TOUR Sat Mozart, Wed 17 Feb, Birmingham JUST THE TONIC COMEDY CLUB FEAT. DIRTY OLD FOLKERS Fri 20 Feb, The Rainbow HEATHER SMALL Wed 17 Town Hall JOHNNY VEGAS Thurs 18 Feb, 6 on 19 Feb, The Actress & Venues, Birmingham Feb, The Jam House, FIDELIO TRIO Featuring Darragh Broad Street, Birmingham Birmingham Bishop, Birmingham THE PHONICS Sat 20 Morgan (violin), Adi Tal (cello) and ROGER MONKHOUSE, JOHN HASTINGS & RYLEY WALKER & DANNY Feb, The Roadhouse, MIRANDA SYKES & REX Mary Dullea (piano). Programme COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY THOMPSON Fri 19 Feb, Birmingham PRESTON Wed 17 Feb, includes Alasdair Nicolson Half Told ROBINSON Thurs 18 Feb, The Glee The Rainbow Venues, THE BILLY FURY YEARS The Red Lion Folk Tales, Judith Weir Piano Trio Two, Club, Birmingham Club, Birmingham Birmingham Sun 21 Feb, Luke Bedford Chiaroscuro, Scott Wolverhampton Grand PETE KENT Wed 17 Feb, GUY JONES Fri 19 Feb, Wilson New work (premiere), Michael Theatre The Robin, Bilston The Flapper, B’ham Zev Gordon In the Middle of Things, A PROMISE TO FORGET Wed 17 Feb, The Barber Institute, RUNRIG Thurs 18 Feb, DAVID RODIGAN'S Sun 21 Feb, The University of Birmingham Symphony Hall, RAMJAM Fri 19 Feb, Flapper, Birmingham Birmingham The Rainbow Venues, PIANO SHOWCASE Featuring György Birmingham VICTORIA Sun 21 Feb, Hodozsó and Csabay Domonkos. DIGBY FAIRWEATHER'S The Rainbow Venues, Programme includes Liszt’s Variations HALF DOZEN Thurs 18 CIRQUE DU SOUL PRESENT TODDLA T Fri Birmingham of Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zager, as Feb, Solihull Arts well as works by Schubert, Wed 17 Complex 19 Feb, The Rainbow E OF E Sun 21 Feb, The Venues, Birmingham Slade Rooms, Feb, Birmingham Conservatoire ED BYRNE Fri 19 Feb, Birmingham MONEY Thurs 18 Feb, Town Hall DAYLIGHT ROBBERY + Wolverhampton CBSO RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN Hare & Hounds, Featuring Martin Yates (conductor) Birmingham WEAPON UK + THE JOHNNY WINTER CHRIS MARTIN Fri 19 Feb, mac, AVENFORD + EXPERIENCE FEATURING and University of Birmingham Voices. Birmingham JOHNNY 2 BAD Thurs 18 Programme includes songs from BULLETRIDE Fri 19 Feb, DEL BROMHAM Sun 21 JO CAULFIELD, ROGER MONKHOUSE, Feb, The Jam House, Oklahoma!, The King and I, The The Roadhouse, B’ham Feb, The Robin, Bilston MICKEY SHARMA & JOHN HASTINGS Birmingham Sound Of Music and more, Fri 19 Fri THE BOSS + BRYAN 19 - Sat 20 Feb, The Glee Club, MYSTERY JETS Thurs 18 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham ADAMS EXPERIENCE Fri Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute, 19 Feb, The Robin, THALLEIN PLUS - 8 WORLDS PREMIERES 60 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 15-21 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:17 Page 2

Monday 15 - Sunday 21 February

PHIL NICHOL, BARRY CASTAGNOLA, THE BROKE N BEAT COLLECTIVE 20 comedy masterpiece, Wed 17 - Sat Bromsgrove KEVIN GILDEA & MICHAEL FABBRI Fri 19 Stories High and Theatre-Rites join 27 Feb, The REP, Birmingham MORGAN & WEST'S UTTERLY SPIFFING - Sat 20 Feb, Jongleurs Comedy forces to create a unique mash up of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: A PLAY SPECTACULAR MAGIC SHOW FOR KIDS Club, Birmingham hip-hop, theatre and puppetry, Tues FOR THE NATION A co-production AND CHILDISH GROWN UPS Fun for all STEVE HALL Sat 20 Feb, The 16 - Wed 17 Feb, mac, Birmingham between the Royal Shakespeare as Morgan & West mix brainbusting Mockingbird Theatre, Birmingham KITE The Wrong Crowd theatre com- Company and amateur theatre com- illusion and good old-fashioned tom- pany present a new play without panies across the UK, Wed 17 Feb - foolery, where magic and silliness are words featuring originally composed Sat 5 Mar, Royal Shakespeare the order of the day, Sun 21 Feb, music, dance, puppetry and, of Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon mac, Birmingham Theatre course, kites. Inspired by the world THE LOST THINGS Tortoise In A THE BOY WHO BIT PICASSO Featuring of indoor kite flying and stories such Nutshell & Oliver Emanuel present a storytelling, music and lots of as The Snowman and The Red THE SISTERHOOD Ranjit Bolt’s brilliant- dark fairytale set in a fantastical chances to make your own art, this Balloon, Tues 16 - Wed 17 Feb, The world where nothing is quite as it hands-on family show introduces ly funny adaptation of Molière’s clas- REP, Birmingham sic satire, Les Femmes Savantes, seems, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 Feb, mac, one of the 20th century’s most influ- until Sat 20 Feb, Belgrade Theatre, GANGSTA GRANNY Birmingham Stage Birmingham ential artists through the eyes of a Coventry Company bring a production of THE LADYKILLERS Comedy by young boy. Be sure to wear some David Walliams' best-selling book to play-clothes because it’s going to get DOCTOR FAUSTUS Maria Aberg returns Graham Linehan, presented by the the stage, Tues 16 - Sat 20 Feb, Carrs Lane Players, Thurs 18 - Sat 20 messy!, Sun 21 Feb, Bramall Music to the RSC to direct Marlowe's notori- Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Building, Birmingham University ous tale of vanity, greed and damna- Feb, Carrs Church Lane Centre, tion, Thurs 4 Feb - Thurs 4 Aug, The IMPOSSIBLE The world's greatest illu- Birmingham Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon sionists live on stage in a magic COUNT DUCKULA & THE JEWELS OF spectacular, Tues 16 - Sat 20 Feb, DUCKULA Join Duckula, Nanny and THE OWL WHO WAS AFRAID OF THE New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham DARK Theatre production for children Igor in a race to find the treasure in a aged three to seven, based on Jill HANDSWORTH GANG SHOW 2016 A fast- show packed with songs, games and Tomlinson’s classic, Mon 15 Feb, moving family show performed by tons of fun - perfect entertainment for The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham cubs, scouts and guides from the all the family to enjoy, Sat 20 Feb, Tame Valley districts of Birmingham Solihull Arts Complex (Handsworth, Perry Barr, Great Barr 40 DAYS IN 40 MINUTES 40 one-minute THE REMARKABLE TALE OF OLIVER and Erdington), Tues 16 - Sat 20 spoken word pieces, written and pre- Feb, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham TWIST Red Earth Theatre present sented by Nick Holloway, Sat 20 Feb, Charles Dickens' mesmerising tale in SINGLE SPIES Nicholas Farrell (The mac, Birmingham Victorian music hall style, with spe- Lady In The Van), Belinda Lang FIFTY SHADES OF BEIGE A poignant ciality acts and variety entertain- (2point4 Children) and David Robb but uplifting comedy from All & ments, Sun 21 Feb, Artrix, (Downton Abbey) star in Rachel Sundry, Sat 20 - Sun 21 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove Kavanagh's staging of Alan Bennett's

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thelist Monday 15 - Sunday 21 February BANG - FAMILY POP SHOW & Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Dance Events WORKSHOP A brand new touring pop WHAT REMAINS Mixed media exhibi- show featuring a talented cast of pro- tion by Maureen Cooper, Wed 3 Feb fessional singers and dancers per- - Thurs 28 Apr, Newman Brothers ASHTON DOUBLE BILL Birmingham SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMME Offering forming the chart and pop music of Coffin Works, Birmingham Royal Ballet present a programme of a variety of activities for young peo- today, Wed 17 Feb, Solihull Arts one-act ballets celebrating one of ple to try, from skiing to archery and Complex WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR England's most influential choreogra- climbing to orienteering, Mon 15 2015 Featuring 100 amazing images, THE NATIONAL FRANCHISE EXHIBITION from fascinating animal behaviour to phers, Wed 17 - Sat 20 Feb, Feb, Wed 17 Feb, Fri 19 Feb The Showcasing a huge range of national Birmingham Hippodrome Ackers, Birmingham breathtaking wild landscapes, Fri 5 franchise opportunities - an ideal Feb - Sun 10 Apr, Herbert Art Gallery DESTINATION SPACE: FAMILY SHOW platform for anyone looking to run & Museum, Coventry Explore what life is like for the entire their own business, Fri 19 - Sat 20 space crew in a family show cele- Feb, NEC, Birmingham LOVE ART, BUY ART, MAKE ART brating astronaut Tim Peake’s mis- EXHIBITION Works by the tutors who DSLR PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BEGINNERS A will deliver the Winter and Summer sion to the International Space concise four-week beginner’s intro- Station, Mon 15 - Fri 19 Feb, workshops, Mon 8 - Sat 20 Feb, duction to you DSLR camera, Sat 20 RBSA Gallery, Birmingham Thinktank at Millennium Point, Feb, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Birmingham MARGARET FAIRHEAD RBSA Margaret A CHILD'S DREAM Birmingham Royal DISCOVER YOUR IRISH FAMILY HISTORY has drawn inspiration from the Ballet present an adaptation of Lectures from genealogy expert canals near the gallery to produce a Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Maggie Loughran on how to discover series of machine-stitched urban Dream, specially created for children your Irish family history, Sat 20 Feb, landscapes, Mon 8 Feb - Sat 19 Mar, aged between three and seven, Fri Birmingham Back to Backs RBSA Gallery, Birmingham 19 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome THE CLASSIC DIRT BIKE SHOW Traders CHANCE, ORDER, CHANGE: ABSTRACT and jumble sellers come together to PAINTINGS 1939 - 1989 A great oppor- offer parts, pieces and spares for tunity to enjoy abstract art at its nearly every project, alongside riding purest, Thurs 11 Feb - Sun 8 May, Film gear, clothing and accessories, Sat The Barber Institute, Birmingham 20 - Sun 21 Feb, Telford International Centre, Shropshire INTO THE WOODS Featuring stylistically INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: diverse works by distinguished artists BIRMINGHAM ARMS FAIR The UK’s including Jacob van Ruisdael, TED '16: DREAM - OPENING NIGHT (12a) biggest and best antique and vintage Theodore Rousseau and Samuel Live broadcast - TED’s curator Chris arms fair, Sun 21 Feb, National Palmer, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 12 June, Anderson will host the opening night, SPACE BUGGIES Join the space crew Motorcycle Museum, Solihull The Barber Institute, Birmingham which will feature some of the world’s engineering team to design and NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS 2016 leading thinkers and doers who’ve build a space buggy to send to the won every international prize of Moon, Mon 15 - Fri 19 Feb, Exhibition of works by graduates excellence, from Nobel Laureates to Thinktank at Millennium Point, Visual Arts from various West Midlands art Pulitzer Prize authors to Oscar win- Birmingham schools, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 15 May, ners. Tues 16 Feb, Warwick Arts Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery HALF-TERM FUN Craft activities, nature JOAN SHARMA ARBSA Centre, Coventry; The Electric, A celebration of and Sat 13 Feb - Sun 10 Apr, mac, trails and plenty of fun and games... mothers, babies and mothers-to-be. Birmingham Birmingham Mon 15 - Fri 19 Feb, Birmingham Sculptures in stone and wood, until BIG CERAMICS: DISCOVER CLAY ON A THE ABOMINABLE CRIME A documen- Botanical Gardens Sat 20 Feb, RBSA Gallery, B’ham MONUMENTAL SCALE tary that explores the culture of Bringing together ENCHANTED DREAMS homophobia in Jamaica through the The first ever eight ceramicists who use clay to eyes of gay Jamaicans who are exhibition to be dedicated to Pre- create ambitious objects on a monu- forced to choose between their Raphaelite artist Edward Robert mental scale, Sat 20 Feb - Sat 28 homeland and their lives after their Hughes, until Sun 21 Feb, May, Wolverhampton Art Gallery sexual orientations are exposed. Q&A to follow screening. Thurs 18 Feb, The Drum, Birmingham PARTISAN (15) Vincent Cassel stars as the cold and calculating leader of a secluded commune whose idyllic world is turned upside down with the arrival of a newcomer. An unnerving, HALF-TERM CERAMIC CRAFTS Fun apocalyptic, psychological thriller. Fri ceramic drop-in workshops where 19 - Tues 23 Feb, mac, Birmingham visitors can have a go at clay model- DRACULA (PG) A late-night screening ling and painting on ceramics, Mon of Tod Browning's 1931 Gothic chiller 15 - Fri 19 Feb, Coalport China on 35mm, starring Bela Lugosi as the Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire Count. Sat 20 Feb, The Electric, Birmingham

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Released Fri 19 Feb, showing at selected cinemas. THE FINEST HOURS (tbc) FREEHELD (12a) HOW TO BE SINGLE (tbc) TRIPLE NINE (tbc)

BONE TOMAHAWK (18) FEBRUARY HALF-TERM: TILE THE BOY (tbc) DECORATING WORKSHOPS Circus- CHRONIC (15) themed drop-in tile decorating work- shops, Mon 15 - Sat 20 Feb, MAVIS! (tbc) Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, ORTHODOX (tbc) Shropshire Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2015, Herbert Art Gallery, See Film section for previews on p40 Fri 5 February - Sun 10 April

62 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 15-21 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:18 Page 4

whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List 22-28 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:19 Page 1

thelist Monday 22 - Sunday 28 February Of Voices, to celebrate the cathe- Classical Music dral's tercentenary. The festival will complete its series with a 20th centu- ry concert at the cathedral, Sat 27 QUATUOR ZAIDE Programme includes Feb, Birmingham Cathedral the works of Haydn, Shostakovich, TOSCA Ellen Kent Opera present Francesca Verunelli and Puccini's tale of love and treachery. Mendelssohn, Mon 22 Feb, Sung in Italian with English surtitles, Birmingham Town Hall Sun 28 Feb, New Alexandra Theatre, LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT - THOMAS Birmingham TROTTER Mon 22 Feb, Birmingham SHREWSBURY SCHOOL PRESENTS Town Hall VERDI'S REQUIEM Featuring guest HARMONIEBAND Featuring Benjamin soloists Claire Morris, Rebecca Farrar (conductor). Programme com- Afonwy-Jones, Gareth Dafydd Morris Wet Wet Wet at Genting Arena, Birmingham on 26 February prises Mozart Serenade in B flat, & Jonathan May, Sun 28 Feb, ‘Gran Partita’, Mon 22 Feb, Bramall Birmingham Town Hall SHUGGIE OTIS Thurs 25 Roadhouse, B’ham Music Building, Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute,B’ham HELLS BELLS Fri 26 Feb, SCHUBERT FESTIVAL With five concerts Gigs DEL CAMINO Thurs 25 The Robin, Bilston each day, students and staff explore Feb, The Jam House, the diverse richness of Schubert’s GIRL BAND, JET SETTER SCREAMIN' ABDABZ & Dance Birmingham music, Mon 22 - Fri 26 Feb, & THEM WOLVES Mon 22 BEDROCK BULLETS Fri 26 Birmingham Conservatoire Feb, Hare & Hounds, DAMIEN DEMPSEY AND Feb, Route 44, B’ham ROMEO AND JULIET Birmingham Royal Birmingham HIS BAND Thurs 25 Feb, ASHLEY HUTCHINGS Sat CBSO BENJAMIN GROSVENOR: GRIEG Ballet present Kenneth MacMillan’s O2 Academy, B’ham Featuring Jac van Steen (conductor) GIRLS NAMES Mon 22 27 Feb, mac, B’ham best-loved adaptation of this famous and Benjamin Grosvenor (piano). play to continue their 2016 Feb, The Sunflower ALISTAIR GRIFFIN Thurs THE X FACTOR LIVE TOUR Programme includes the works of Shakespeare celebration, Wed 24 - Lounge, Birmingham 25 Feb, The Actress & 2016 Sat 27 Feb, Elgar, Grieg and Brahms, Wed 24 Sat 27 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome Bishop, Birmingham Genting Arena, B’ham SECTION BOYZ Mon 22 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham HAM & PASSION DeNada Dance Feb, O2 Institute, BOOMIN / HIDDEN SKIES / HOSTILE Sat 27 Feb, O2 TRIO SEVERN Featuring Zoë Beyers Theatre present a gender-bending Birmingham APHERIUM / CAVALIER Academy, Birmingham Thurs 25 Feb, The (violin), David Powell (cello) & Robert evening of seductive and provocative MORGANISATION Mon 22 Flapper, Birmingham TALON - THE BEST OF Markham (piano). Programme dance choreographed by Carlos Feb, Kitchen Garden EAGLES Sat 27 Feb, includes works by Beethoven, Thurs Pons Guerra, Thurs 25 Feb, mac, ESTRONS, SHRINKING Cafe, Birmingham Solihull Arts Complex 25 Feb, CBSO Centre, Birmingham Birmingham VIOLETS & GUESTS HINDS Tues 23 Feb, Thurs 25 Feb, The TORI KELLY Sat 27 Feb, STAR WARS & BEYOND - A SPACE INTO THE HOODS (REMIXED) Zoonation Hare & Hounds, B’ham Sunflower Lounge, O2 Institute, B’ham SPECTACULAR Featuring Anthony present a newly revamped version of TWENTY ONE PILOTS Birmingham WOLVERHAMPTON Inglis (conductor) and London the award-winning production that Tues 23 Feb, O2 Concert Orchestra. Programme stormed the West End in 2008, Thurs WET WET WET Fri 26 BLUES, RHYTHM & ROCK Academy, Birmingham FESTIVAL Sat 27 Feb, includes works by John Williams, 25 - Sat 27 Feb, Wolverhampton Feb, Genting Arena, Holst, Strauss, and more... Fri 26 GOGO PENGUIN Tues 23 The Slade Rooms, Grand Theatre Birmingham Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Feb, The Glee Club, Wolverhampton NEW WORK NIGHTS: DANCE Debut JESS GLYNNE Fri 26 Birmingham GOODNIGHT BERLIN / HARRY BICKET AND THE ENGLISH event celebrating the diversity of Feb, O2 Academy, CONCERT PERFORM HANDEL'S ORLANDO WALK THE MOON Tues DARREN HAMES Sat 27 dance forms in Birmingham, with Birmingham Featuring Carolyn Sampson and 23 Feb, O2 Institute, Feb, The Flapper, contributions from Lauren van Hulle Lestyn Davies in the title role, Fri 26 Birmingham Birmingham (Motionhouse, van Hulle Dance Feb, Birmingham Town Hall Theatre), Jigsaw Collective, ELEMENTS PRESENTS WILSON Tues 23 Feb, Outspoken Dance and Break Mission TRUNCATE, REBEKAH & THE ALMA GUITAR QUARTET Hannah The Slade Rooms, lead artists David ‘Footloose’ Russell MORE Sat 27 Feb, The Woollacott, Brexwedan Kockaya, Wolverhampton and Michael ‘Silence’ Glasgow, Thurs Rainbow Venues, Jonnie Cumming and Rowan THE BULLETPROOF BOMB 25 Feb The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham McConkey perform a broad reper- Tues 23 Feb, The toire ranging from early baroque Birmingham REACH OUT TO MOTOWN Sunflower Lounge, arrangements to early 20th century BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET - CLASS ON - A CELEBRATION OF 50 Birmingham works and popular music from South STAGE A chance to look behind the YEARS OF MOTOWN Sat THE JOY FORMIDABLE America and Cuba, Fri 26 Feb, scenes and watch BRB’s talented 27 Feb, The Robin, Wed 24 Feb, The Birmingham Conservatoire dancers in their final preparations for LADY BE GOOD Fri 26 Bilston Rainbow Venues, CHRISTOPHER ORTON AND TOMOKO a performance of world-class danc- Feb, Dovehouse SAX IN THE CITY: THE Birmingham MATSUOKA Featuring Christopher ing, Sat 27 Feb, Birmingham Theatre, Solihull NOTEBENDERS Sat 27 EWAN MCLENNAN Wed Orton (recorders) and Tomoko Hippodrome ULRICH SCHNAUSS Fri Feb, Symphony Hall, 24 Feb, The Red Lion Matsuoka (harpsichord). Programme 26 Feb, The Rainbow Birmingham Folk Club, Birmingham includes works of JS Bach, Telemann Venues, Birmingham BRITISH SEA POWER Sat INGLORIOUS Wed 24 and Froberger, Fri 26 Feb, The ALEX OHM Fri 26 Feb, 27 Feb, Birmingham Feb, The Robin, Bilston Barber Institute, University of O2 Institute, B’ham Town Hall Birmingham THE BLUES BAND Thurs TONIGHT ALIVE Fri 26 SABATON & ALESTORM 25 Feb, The Robin, SYMPHONIC ROCK The Royal Feb, O2 Institute, Sun 28 Feb, O2 Bilston Philharmonic Orchestra presents the Birmingham Academy, Birmingham most rocking show in town, featuring FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS MR BEN Fri 26 - Sat 27 LEONA LEWIS Sun 28 all your favourite rock and pop hits, Thurs 25 Feb, O2 Feb, The Jam House, Feb, Symphony Hall, including music by: U2, The Verve, Institute Birmingham Birmingham Eric Clapton, Coldplay, Adele and EXODUS Thurs 25 Feb, more, Sat 27 Feb, Symphony Hall, AN EVENING WITHOUT The Asylum, B’ham Birmingham JAKE THACKRAY Fri 26 WILL VARLEY Thurs 25 Feb, Solihull Arts CHAMBER MUSIC NIGHT Featuring the Feb, Hare & Hounds, Complex Flute Choir and Clarinet Choir, Sat 27 Birmingham Feb, The Barber Institute, University CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. of Birmingham BOY AND BEAR Thurs 25 BLUE NATION - ‘STEADY Feb, O2 Academy, YOUR SOUL’ ALBUM BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL Birmingham LAUNCH Fri 26 Feb, O2 TERCENTENARY FESTIVAL OF VOICES VULA VIEL Thurs 25 Academy, Birmingham (THE 20TH CENTURY) Discover the STRAY Sun 28 Feb, The musical richness and heritage of Feb, Hare & Hounds, SOULED OUT 2 FUNK Fri Robin, Bilston Birmingham Cathedral in The Festival Birmingham 26 Feb, The 64 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 22-28 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:19 Page 2

Mon 22 - Sun 28 February

and a cast of unique characters Comedy Gigs singing and dancing all night long, Thurs 25 Feb, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham MOCK THE FLOCK - ACTS TBC Wed 24 DON QUIXOTE Rufus Hound stars in Feb, The Mockingbird Theatre, James Fenton's staging of Birmingham Cervantes' comic novel - a work CARL HUTCHINSON, IAIN STIRLING regarded as one of the foundation Thurs 25 Feb, The Glee Club, stones of modern fiction, Thurs 25 Birmingham Feb - Sat 21 May, The Swan JOHN FOTHERGILL, SIMON KING & Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY I KNOW ALL THE SECRETS IN MY ROBINSON Thurs 25 Feb, The Glee WORLD Tiata Fahodzi presents a Club, Birmingham heart-breaking play about a father JO ENRIGHT & COMIC TBC Thurs 25 and son whose lives comes tum- Feb, Station Pub, Birmingham bling down following the loss of their wife and mother, Thurs 25 - Fri 26 ADAM HESS & STEVE BUGEJA Fri 26 Feb, The Drum, Birmingham Feb, The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham FOOTLOOSE SoSage Factory present an amateur version of the 1984 film. JOHN FOTHERGILL, DAN NIGHTINGALE, Featuring iconic hits Holding Out SIMON KING & COMIC TBC Fri 26 - Sat For A Hero, Lets Here It For The 27 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham Boy, Mama Says and, of course, the MARLON DAVIS, STEFANO PAOLINI & title song itself, Thurs 25 - Sat 27 ALEX BOARDMAN & JOHNNY CANDON Feb, Solihull Arts Complex Fri 26 - Sat 27 Feb, Jongleurs FLYING SOLO Manjeet Mann's exhila- Comedy Club, Birmingham rating semi-autobiographical story RICH STOKES Sat 27 Feb, mac, about family, survival, guilt and self- B’ham delusion, Thurs 25 - Sat 27 Feb, The ADAM HILLS Sun 28 Feb, REP, Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER Humorous and thought-provoking story of com- radeship, betrayal and promises both broken and kept following the carnage of World War One, Fri 26 - Sat 27 Feb, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham TOSCA Ellen Kent Opera present Puccini's tale of love and treachery. Sung in Italian with English surtitles, Sun 28 Feb, New Alexandra Theatre. Birmingham ROUGH WORKS Sun 28 Feb, The Glee THE 39 STEPS Fiery Angel present Club, Birmingham Alfred Hitchcock's classic spy thriller, THE LAUGHING SOLE - COMEDY CLUB Mon 29 Feb - Sat 5 Mar, The REP, FOR KIDS WITH MRS BARBARA NICE Birmingham AND GUESTS Sun 28 Feb, mac, B’ham. Theatre

DOCTOR FAUSTUS Maria Aberg returns to the RSC to direct Marlowe's notorious tale of vanity, greed and damnation, Thurs 4 Feb - Thurs 4 Aug, The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon THE ODYSSEY In a brand new cre- Film ative theatrical adaptation, Splendid Productions retell the story of Odysseus and his famously incon- INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: venient journey home from the Trojan War, Mon 22 Feb, mac, ANTHEM OF THE HEART (tbc) A young Birmingham girl who believes that her words END OF THE RAINBOW Lisa Maxwell have caused unmeasurable trouble stars as Judy Garland as the Wizard is one day visited by a mysterious Of Oz star makes her explosive ‘Egg Fairy’ who casts a spell on her, Swinging 60s London comeback in preventing her from speaking... the, Tues 23 - Sat 27 Feb, Belgrade Foreign language, subtitled. Mon 22 Theatre, Coventry - Tues 23 Feb, mac, Birmingham MIDDAY VARIETY Featuring the stars LEE SCRATCH PERRY'S VISION OF of Blackpool - Billy Pearce & John PARADISE (tbc) For the past 15 years, Bowdler, Thurs 25 Feb, Belgrade director Volker Schaner has followed Theatre, Coventry Perry. Over this period, Volker has MUSIC HALL TAVERN Cabaret-style earned Perry’s trust, resulting in a performance packed with ‘dazzling’ never-before-granted level of access costumes, ‘side-splitting’ laughter and insight into the legendary musi-

whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List 22-28 Feb - BIRMINGHAM ONLY MASTER VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 17:19 Page 3

thelist Monday 22 - Sunday 28 Feb cian’s fantastical, spiritual world. Birmingham workshops, Mon 8 - Sat 20 Feb, Wed 24 - Thurs 25 Feb, mac, WHAT UNIVERSITY LIVE? A new event RBSA Gallery, Birmingham Birmingham for 15-to-19-year-olds, to help them MARGARET FAIRHEAD RBSA Margaret THE LADY IN THE VAN (12a) Inspired decide what to do after leaving has drawn inspiration from the by the true story of a homeless school, be it an apprenticeship, canals near the gallery to produce a woman who moved into a Bedford training programme or university series of machine-stitched urban van in the drive of Alan Bennett’s after A Levels, Fri 26 - Sat 27 Feb, landscapes, Mon 8 Feb - Sat 19 Mar, Camden home. Stars Maggie Smith NEC, Birmingham RBSA Gallery, Birmingham & Alex Jennings. Fri 26 - Sun 28 DSLR PHOTOGRAPHY FOR BEGINNERS A CHANCE, ORDER, CHANGE: ABSTRACT Feb, mac, Birmingham concise four-week beginner’s intro- PAINTINGS 1939 - 1989 A great oppor- duction to your DSLR camera, Sat tunity to enjoy abstract art at its 27 Feb, Birmingham Botanical purest, Thurs 11 Feb - Sun 8 May, Gardens The Barber Institute, Birmingham HERITAGE WEEKEND Join the guided INTO THE WOODS Featuring stylistical- walks on offer around the village ly diverse works by distinguished which showcase places of interest artists including Jacob van Ruisdael, and the rich history of the area, Sat Theodore Rousseau & Samuel 27 - Sun 28 Feb, Cadbury World, Palmer, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 12 June, Bournville, Birmingham The Barber Institute, Birmingham NOBUKO IMAI A unique learning expe- NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS 2016 rience, as world-renowned Exhibition of works by graduates Japanese-born violinist Nobuko Imai from various West Midlands art gives viola master classes, work- schools, Fri 12 Feb - Sun 15 May, shops and ensemble sessions. A Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery day for all musicians, not just violin- and Sat 13 Feb - Sun 10 Apr, mac, ists, Sun 28 Feb, Birmingham Birmingham Conservatoire BIG CERAMICS: DISCOVER CLAY ON A GONE WITH THE WIND (PG) David O’ DIVA WEDDING FAYRE See the hall set MONUMENTAL SCALE Bringing togeth- Selznick's production of Margaret up for a ceremony and chat to 25 er eight ceramicists who use clay to Mitchell's bestseller remains the pin- exhibitors showcasing the very best create ambitious objects, Sat 20 Feb nacle of polished Hollywood story- services and products to make sure - Sat 28 May, Wolverhampton Art telling and craftsmanship. Stars your special day is truly perfect, Sun Gallery Clark Gable & Vivien Leigh. Sat 27 28 Feb, Aston Hall, Birmingham BIRMINGHAM ART CIRCLE EXHIBITION Feb, The Electric, Birmingham Featuring a group of professional artists who exhibit at the RBSA each NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Visual Arts year, Mon 22 Feb - Sat 5 Mar, RBSA Gallery, Birmingham Released Fri 26 Feb, showing at selected cinemas. WOLVERHAMPTON SOCIETY OF ARTISTS ROB HAND RBSA On the Edge - A col- lection of pit-fired and raku pieces GRIMSBY (tbc) Biennial exhibition with a diverse range of styles, mediums and sub- including a range of jewellery, Mon GODS OF EGYPT (tbc) ject matter, until Sat 27 Feb, 22 Feb - Sat 2 Apr, RBSA Gallery, SECRET IN THEIR EYES (tbc) Wolverhampton Art Gallery Birmingham EXPOSED (tbc) WHAT REMAINS Mixed media exhibi- FLOCKOMANIA 2 A solo exhibition and installation by Zoe Robertson featur- THE FOREST (tbc) tion by Maureen Cooper, Wed 3 Feb - Thurs 28 Apr, Newman Brothers ing a display of wearable sculpture, KING JACK (tbc) Coffin Works, Birmingham Mon 22 Feb - Fri 1 Apr, Parkside THE PROPAGANDA GAME (tbc) Gallery, Birmingham WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR See Film section for previews on p38 2015 Featuring 100 amazing images, HOTEL DIARIES Made over six years in from fascinating animal behaviour to hotels in six different countries, Hotel breathtaking wild landscapes, Fri 5 Diaries charts the ‘war on terror’ era Feb - Sun 10 Apr, Herbert Art Gallery of Bush and Blair through a series of Events & Museum, Coventry video recordings that relate personal experiences to the ongoing conflicts LOVE ART, BUY ART, MAKE ART in Afghanistan, Iraq and CARAVAN, CAMPING AND MOTORHOME EXHIBITION Works by the tutors who Israel/Palestine, Sat 27 Feb - Sat 7 SHOW The UK’s biggest start-of-sea- will deliver the Winter and Summer May, Wolverhampton Art Gallery son showcase of caravans, motorhomes, campervans, trailer tents and folding caravans, plus tents of all sizes and caravan holiday homes & lodges, Tues 23 - Sun 28 Feb, NEC, B’ham THE DINNER CLUB (EST 86) SINGLE? WINTER HERITAGE TOURS OF ASTON FOR THE MORE DISCERNING UNATTACHED PERSON HALL Hear all about the fascinating history of Aston Hall, one of the last Jacobean houses to be built in Britain, Tues 23 Feb - Thurs 24 Mar, Aston Hall, Birmingham BLACK TIE WINTER HERITAGE TOURS OF BLAKESLEY HALL Get a unique insight into the aspirations of the Tudor classes who lived and worked at the FRIDAY 5 FEBRUARY hall, Wed 24 Feb - Thurs 24 Mar, at Mollington Banastre Hotel & Spa, Parkgate Road Blakesley Hall, Birmingham Mollington, Chester CH1 6NN £55.00 7.30 for 8pm - Booked for 80 WINTER HERITAGE TOURS OF SAREHOLE Pre-dinner drink, 3 course meal with accomodation also available MILL Taking place on a Wednesday wine, coffee and dancing till late (disco) (01244) 677030 weekdays or 548816 eve/weekends and Thursday, explore the idyllic childhood haunt of JRR Tolkien, Wed 24 Feb - Thurs 24 Mar, Sarehole Mill, www.thedinnerclubuk.com 66 whatsonlive.co.uk Whats On Twitter Ad (FP- Feb 16).qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 14:28 Page 1

Birmingham @WHATSONBRUM Wolverhampton @WHATSONWOLVES Shropshire @WHATSONSHROPS staffordshire @WHATSONSTAFFS Worcestershire @WHATSONWORCS warwickshire @WHATSONWARWICKS Belgrade Red Snapper (FP- FEB 16).qxp_Layout 1 25/01/2016 10:58 Page 1