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JORGIE PORTER TALKS FAME - Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands INTERVIEW INSIDE... BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2018 Birmingham ISSUE 395 NOVEMBER 2018 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD Onbirminghamwhatson.co.uk

PARTOF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP WTE:@WHATSONBRUMTWITTER: FACEBOOK:@WHATSONBIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAMWHATSON.CO.UK BMAG Women Power F/P Nov 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 10:02 Page 1 Contents November Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:30 Page 2

November 2018

Contents

Rock Of Ages - small-town girl meets big-city rocker at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre... page 22

First Aid Kit Jen Brister Jorgie Porter the list

Swedish sisters embark on their acclaimed comedian tours to talks Fame ahead of the hit Your 16-page biggest tour to date... the Glee Club musical’s visit to the Midlands week-by-week listings guide page 15 page 21 page 30 page 51 inside:

4. First Word 11. Food 15. Music 20. Comedy 22. Theatre 39. Film 45. Visual Arts 47. Events

@whatsonbrum fb.com/whatsonbirmingham @whatsonmediagroup Birmingham What’s On Magazine Birmingham What’s On Magazine What’s On Media Group

Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 WhatsOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 MEDIA GROUP Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Lauren Cole [email protected] 01743 281706 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Steve Adams, Jack Rolfe, Elly Yates-Roberts, Daisy Sparkle, Steve Taylor, Chris Eldon Lee Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry [email protected] 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine. We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it. All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers. First Word Birmingham November copy.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:31 Page 1

Entertainment news from around the region

Operatic treatment for Tolstoy’s classic Welsh National Opera (WNO) make a welcome return to Birmingham Hip- podrome this month to present their autumn season. Highlight of the company’s line-up of shows is David Pountney’s War And Peace (pictured), a new production which WNO promise will be as ambi- tious and epic in scale as Tolstoy’s famous novel itself. Also featuring on the autumn pro- gramme are two timeless classics - Verdi’s La traviata and Rossini’s retelling of Cinderella, La Ceneren- tola... WNO perform at the Hippo- drome from Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 November. For more in- formation, visit wno.org.uk

Birmingham music group Brian Blessed becomes stage in an exclusive set of live shows. Contributors include Stuart Goldsmith, in tribute to late composer patron at The whose Comedians Comedian shines a light Birmingham Contemporary Music Group Actor, adventurer on the joke-writing process, and Richard Her- (BCMG) is this month paying tribute to late and raconteur par ring, who will be chatting with a surprise composer Oliver Knussen with a performance excellence Brian guest from the city. of his work, O Hototogisu! - Fragment Of A Blessed OBE has Tickets for Podfest Birmingham can be pur- Japonisme. become patron of chased via the THSH website, by calling 0121 A BCMG artist-in-association, Oliver died un- The Old Rep the- 780 3333 or at Symphony Hall box office. expectedly in July at the age of 66. The con- atre in Birming- cert is being performed at the CBSO Centre in ham. Birmingham on the afternoon of Sunday 18 Blessed recently paid a visit to the Station Action sports icon November. For more info, visit bcmg.org.uk Street venue, 60 years after he first arrived in headlines Nitro Circus the city to join the Birmingham Repertory Company. The best athletes in FMX, BMX, Scooter and Robert De Niro’s waiting Continuing The Old Rep’s celebrations of Inline - including multiple X Games medal- ists and several Nitro World Games champi- Fancy spending an evening in the company their 105th anniversary, the actor was pre- sented with a dedicated seat plaque honour- ons - will be taking part in this month’s Nitro of one of the world’s most legendary actors? Circus touring show at If so, you’ll be interested to know that Holly- ing both his career and his connection with the venue. (Tuesday 20 November). wood movie star Robert De Niro is visiting the Action sports icon Travis Pastrana will lead Midlands this month. Robert will be appear- “I can’t tell you what it means to me to be here,” said Brian. “I think it’s wonderful. It the international line-up as they attempt a ing at a black-tie dinner event which will also range of never-before-seen tricks and danger- include an on-stage interview with the man has a strange quality, because this is the the- atre of miracles and the whole profession. ous stunts. The all-new production comes himself and an auction of De Niro memora- complete with huge new ramps and ‘outra- bilia. This was the crème-de-la-crème, and every- one prayed just to get a tiny part here.” geous contraptions’. For more info, visit aren- An Experience abham.co.uk With Robert De Niro takes place at Birmingham’s THSH to host first ever International Podfest Birmingham Convention Cen- tre on Tuesday 27 will next spring host November. the city’s first ever Podfest. For more informa- Taking place across the weekend of 23 & 24 tion, visit March, the brand new event will see an array eventbrite.co.uk of podcasters bring their expertise to the 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham November copy.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:31 Page 2

First Word

Santas needed for fundraising dash Hundreds of Santas are needed for this year’s Acorns Santa Run. The ‘most festive fundraising event of the year’ returns on Saturday 8 Decem- ber and takes place around the grounds of Aston Univer- sity. Registration for the event is now open, and Acorns is hoping for a record number of entrants to mark the charity’s 30th anniversary. For further information on registration and sponsorship, visit acorns.org.uk/santa, call 01564 82 5000 or email Birmingham LGBT festival offers plenty to SHOUT about! [email protected] An event celebrating the best in queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans arts and entertainment is returning for a ninth year. New book tells of Taking place at various venues across Birmingham from Thursday 8 to Sunday 18 November, Shout Festival features theatre, visual arts, comedy, music, film and live presentations. Highlights include a Birmingham’s performance by a lycra-loving cabaret sensation, a new documentary film exploring the history of female achievers lesbian activism in the UK, an immersive show inspired by the Harlem Renaissance Rent Parties of has the 1920s, and a chance to rediscover the forgotten history of Birmingham’s 1980s LGBT magazine, In published a new book cele- The Pink. For more information, visit shoutfestival.co.uk brating 30 inspirational Birm- ingham women as part of its campaign to mark the cente- Disney skates into Birmingham nary of women’s right to vote. A magical medley of classic and modern tales, including The Once Upon A Time In Birming- Lion King, Frozen and, for the first time in the UK, Finding ham: Women Who Dared To Dory, awaits Midlands audiences when The Wonderful Dream recounts the com- World Of Disney On Ice skates into Birmingham next spring pelling stories of female pio- (Genting Arena, 3 - 7 April). neers from all walks of life. Commenting on the new show, producer Nicole Feld said: The story of each woman is ac- “In this production, our amazing creative team chose action- companied by a specially packed stories that really resonate with not only kids today, commissioned portrait, cre- but with their parents as well. The Wonderful World Of Dis- ated by a team of seven female ney On Ice has everything from an underwater adventure in artists with strong links to Finding Dory to the comedic duo Timon and Pumbaa in The Birmingham. The book has Lion King.” For more information, head to disneyonice.co.uk been produced in conjunction 2018 show from Image with female-run city publisher The Emma Press and is avail- able to buy in Birmingham Festivities get under way in bookstores and online. Brum’s Jewellery Quarter The creator of the world's smallest handmade sculptures, Willard Wigan MBE, will officially switch on the Christmas lights in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter on Friday 16 November. The switch-on of the jewellery-themed street lights will kickstart an evening of entertainment, including performances by The Bombshell Belles and LED Ballerinas. Street food vendors, an indoor bar selling mulled wine and a ‘spec- tacular’ fireworks display from the top of The Big Peg building also feature.

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Birmingham’s ‘bold, progressive spirit’ inspires city theatre’s new line-up of shows The city of Birmingham’s ‘bold, progressive spirit’ has provided the inspiration for Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s spring & summer 2019 line-up of shows. Speaking about the venue’s forthcoming programme of productions, the Rep’s Artistic Director, Roxana Silbert, said: “Revolution is something Birmingham was founded upon, and over the years it has become more diverse, adaptable and ro- bust as a result. The city is currently experiencing a significant and exciting re- naissance, and has a gritty determination to improve the living and working environment for future generations. I wanted this season to reflect that bold, pro- gressive spirit. “Across our three stages, we present stories from far-flung cultures, such as The Half God Of Rainfall and From Shore To Shore, and those borne out of the hope- lessness of war, such as the powerful A Thousand Splendid Sons and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, plus bold theatrical responses to injustice with Good Dog, Nan- jing and Concubine (pictured). We also explore our instinct to fight passionately for what we believe in, through our productions of Edmond De Bergerac and Rot- terdam.” To check out the Rep’s full line-up of shows, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk

Matthew Bourne Thinktank hosts tribute to the Doctor New autism- brings Romeo & Birmingham’s Thinktank Science Museum is this month hosting a friendly cafe in Juliet to Brum brand new show to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the first episode Birmingham Matthew Bourne’s new produc- of Dr Who. A new autism-friendly cafe has tion of Romeo And Juliet is Presented in association with Immersive Experiences, Arrows Of Time opened at the Birmingham coming to Birmingham Hippo- sees not one but 10 Doctors battle it Open Media centre. drome next autumn (Tuesday out with ‘their darkest enemy ever’ The launch follows a seven- 10 to Saturday 14 September). in a 35-minute fulldome planetarium month transformation of the The touring show will see the presentation. The show features ani- venue, which hosts art, tech- title roles being played by six mated biometric talking avatars, nology and science workshops. rising stars of Bourne’s dance ‘stunning’ visuals, and the voice of The café features a quiet lever- company, New Adventures, and Colin Baker, the sixth Doctor, as The pull espresso machine, in- two new dancers making their Narrator. For more information, visit vented by Birmingham-based professional debuts. birminghammuseums.org.uk. company Fracino, and subtle design choices which aim to improve sound and lighting. HS2 design vision for two new stations HS2 has released images for two of its Midlands stations. Rebrand for the Curzon Street station in central Birmingham will be the first brand Genting Arena new intercity station built in Britain since the 19th century. Opening Leading live-events business with seven high-speed platforms in 2026, the station will also provide NEC Group has announced that a new public space in the city centre. its Genting Arena venue will Interchange station, meanwhile, will be a major gateway station for next month be rebranded to Re- the region - part of a new public transport interchange serving Soli- Star jump jockey sorts World Arena, as part of its hull, the , Birmingham Airport and the NEC. continued partnership with at The Belfry The station will help deliver longer-term development and growth pro- Genting UK. The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield posals for the immediate surrounding area, including new homes, Genting UK has held the title is this month holding a special business spaces and jobs. fundraising event for Midlands sponsorship of the venue since Air Ambulance Charity. January 2015. It will continue to Taking place on Friday 23 do so, using the new brand November, the event provides name as a means of aligning guests with a chance to spend the Arena with the nearby Re- an evening in the company of sorts World Birmingham leisure renowned jump jockey AP & entertainment destination, McCoy. A three-course meal is which opened three years ago. also included. 6 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham November copy.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:32 Page 4 Pinocchio Old Rep.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:34 Page 1

08 whatsonlive.co.uk Pinocchio Old Rep.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:34 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

Festive fun with no strings attached! The highlight of The Old Rep Theatre’s festive season is family favourite Pinocchio - the much-loved story of a puppet who’s brought to life... What’s On recently spoke to director Alec Fellows-Bennett about the show and his ongoing love affair with The Old Rep...

Pinocchio is the walking, talking puppet who character learning what it means to be a went. In my early 20s I returned for a few countless generations have come to know human being. Pinocchio takes every new sit- roles, and I was always keen to get back. The and love - along with his chirruping side-kick uation at face value because it doesn’t under- Old Rep is probably my favourite theatre be- and his mischievous nose that grows and stand basic human concepts. For example, cause of its great history and all the people grows whenever he tells even the smallest of Pinocchio doesn’t realise the fox and the cat and companies who’ve worked and per- porky pies. are robbers, so when told one coin is worth formed there. So when they started produc- more than three, Pinocchio just assumes ing their own Christmas shows, I was keen to Director Alec Fellows-Bennett, who helms they’re telling the truth. Holly has such an in- get involved.” The Old Rep’s stage adaptation of Carlo Col- nocence about her - just like Pinocchio. She lodi’s classic story, thinks the tale perfectly This time around, however, Alec wanted to was just brilliant at portraying the charac- captures the spirit of Christmas: “I think that direct: “I very much go between being an ter’s growth.” it’s good for the festive season because it’s a actor and being a director. I want to direct very recognisable title. Actually, the story Alec is very keen to promote theatre as an in- things in which I’m very invested in the story isn’t going to be exactly what people expect clusive, social, family environment: “I don’t as a whole, and I like to act in things where a because everyone's so used to the Disney think anybody anywhere should ever think particular character really sparks my interest. film, and the original story differs from that a that they can’t take their child to the theatre. This is a brand spanking new adaptation little bit. For our signed and relaxed performances, written for The Old Rep, and I’ve worked with “Pinocchio is fundamentally not so much a hardly anything changes. It’s so lovely to the writer, Toby Hulse, before. It’s a play per- story about a puppet as a story about human- watch those in the audience who don’t need fect for the venue, and it has the perfect origi- ity, and about how our behaviour, traits and the signing just accepting the presence of nal music accompaniment too, written by conduct give us this quality. It’s about that feature as part of the performance. Steve Allan Jones to match the script.” whether it really matters that you’re made of Equally, the only changes made to the show Alec discovered his passion for directing wood when you exhibit the humanity and in- for the relaxed performance is that we may completely by chance - with a little help from nocence that Pinocchio does. I see this as re- remove certain loud noises or strobe lighting British stereotyping: “I ended up acting in ally fitting with the festive season, a time and similar things that could cause distress. America and, because I had an English ac- that’s so giving and celebratory, with 'good In the actual content of the performance, cent, I guess they assumed I knew what I was will to all men’. Plus, of course, it’s about nothing changes other than that we might talking about! I was asked by a company over puppets and bright, colourful theatre, with take some sections slightly slower to make there if I would direct their next production, toys that come to life. So for the little ones, sure everything is audible. which happened to be a Shakespeare - I it’s their Christmas presents coming to life in “It’s incredibly important to develop theatre guess that fact was very much on my side front of their eyes.” for families as a social thing. It’s not like the too! From there, I realised I liked the direct- cinema, where you sit in the dark so ab- Many of us think of Pinocchio as a puppet ing side of the theatre world. From that time sorbed in the film that it’s like there’s nobody dreaming of becoming a real boy. The Old onwards I’ve taken each project as it comes, else with you. Theatre is one of the few Rep’s version sees the part played by young getting a lot of satisfaction from either acting things that forces you to be a collective, actress Holly Sayer... or directing - providing the project has been forces you to be an audience and become a suitable, of course.” “When we put the casting call out, we didn’t collective group all interacting with and re- make it specific to a gender, and it was Holly sponding to the same piece of work. I want who best fitted with our vision for the charac- this to be open to absolutely everybody.” ter. I wouldn’t say it’s an androgynous Pinoc- Alec is a very familiar face at The Old Rep chio either because Holly won’t be able to Pinocchio shows at The Old Rep Theatre, and has a long-standing relationship with the help bringing who she is to the role. We’re fo- Birmingham, from Sat 17 November to theatre: “The Old Rep was the home of Birm- cusing on Pinocchio being a non-human Sunday 30 December. ingham’s stage school, and that’s where I

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Food

My partner’s selection of confit chat with us and really make us duck terrine served with English feel at home. This deserves a big radishes, orange textures and tick in my book. seasonal leaves was again a fan- Choosing from a warm treacle tastic choice. The terrine itself tart, a steamed orange fruit was of a decent size and show- sponge and a vanilla creme cased a strong and meaty duck brûlée, amongst other options, flavour. Orange and duck is a we concluded our first Opus ex- tried-and-tested flavour combi- perience by selecting a baked nation - and boy, does it work cinnamon cheesecake and a well. lemon panna cotta for dessert. Both presented beautifully, these The cheesecake, served with were two exceptionally good poached Evesham pear, Chan- starters which set the bar high tilly and brandy snaps, was for the remaining two courses. smooth and creamy and sat on a Reading through the main course tasty, caramel-like sauce. I’m not options, there wasn’t a single a massive lover of cinnamon but thing that I wouldn’t have been the subtle flavour was spot on happy to devour. After much de- and not too overpowering. The liberation, I opted for the seared sweet flavours from the pear and Brixham scallops and confit pork Chantilly were the perfect ac- belly. The scallops were divine companiment. and of a reasonable size - I often The lemon panna cotta, served find restaurants skimp on this. with almond cake, lemon syrup, REVIEW: Opus They were cooked perfectly - tuille and honeycomb, was an- sealed nicely on the outside yet other fresh and attractive plate of Well-established restaurant offers soft on the inside and showcas- food, providing a fantastic end to contemporary fine dining in Birmingham ing just the right amount of sea- a thoroughly enjoyable evening. soning. The pork belly, tender Opus may serve fine-dining food Having firmly cemented its repu- has undoubtedly been a wel- and full of flavour, sat on a bed but they certainly don’t serve it tation as one of Birmingham’s come one. of salt baked celeriac, softly in typically teeny fine-dining finest restaurants, Opus - located Opus is well known for selling cooked green apple pieces, raw portion sizes. Thirty-five pounds on the desirable Cornwall Street - more oysters than any other green apple shavings and the for three courses of high-quality is soon to enter its 14th year of restaurant in the city, so natu- most delicious little morsels of cuisine is great value for money trading. rally we ordered a dozen as an black pudding and crackling given the status of the restau- The restaurant boasts two AA appetiser. Showcasing a mix of pieces. The dish was seriously rant. The flavours were exquisite, rosettes for culinary excellence sweet, rich and nutty flavours, good - a work of art both in and every course showcased a and is mentioned in both the the Carlingford rock oysters, flavour and presentation. combination of culinary preci- Michelin Guide 2017 and this served with horseradish, shallot My partner chose the equally-as- sion and excellent technical abil- year’s Waitrose Good Food vinegar and lemon, were the per- flavoursome duo of highland ity. Guide. With that in mind, it’s no fect delicacy with which to whet venison, comprising one part Without a shadow of a doubt, I wonder this chic and contempo- our appetite for the stunning roasted loin, one part a hearty will be returning to Opus in the rary fine-dining establishment food that was to follow. hot pot. The perfectly cooked near future to sample more has become one of the city’s To start, I ordered the boneless loin was served with creamed dishes from their exceptional most popular restaurants. Cotswold white chicken wings, kale, toasted oats & seeds, crispy menu. Lauren Foster Back in June 2017, the eatery de- served with a caramelised onions, butternut squash and a cided to scrap individual prices cauliflower puree, roasted flo- rich sauce. The hot pot, which Food: nnnnn on its à la carte menu and intro- rets, crispy skin and a split was also deliciously rich, was Service: nnnnn duce a fixed price for two-course sauce. The chicken was soft and served in a separate pot and Ambience: nnnnn and three-course dining. At a delicate, the perfect contrast to topped with thinly sliced potato - Overall value nnnnn cost of £30 for two courses and the salty, crispy and downright the ultimate comfort food! OVERALL nnnnn £35 for three, the change has en- delicious skin. The creamy and Alongside the exceptional cui- abled Opus’ customers to enjoy strong-flavoured puree acted as a sine, the service at Opus is sec- Opus quality food at more affordable winning accompaniment to the ond to none; the staff are 54 Cornwall Street prices. Given the UK’s current florets and leaves, giving addi- friendly, knowledgable and in- Birmingham economic state, where the cost of tional textures and bursts of con- formative. Each member of the B3 2DE just about everything is on the trasting colour to the dish. team, including the manager, Tel: 0121 200 2323 rise, the switch to fixed prices took time out of their evening to whatsonlive.co.uk 11 Food November Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 16:17 Page 3

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Food

Moseley eatery launch new festive burgers Moseley’s One Trick Pony Club have launched three new burgers in time for Christmas. The most festive of the three is Fat Santa, a burger comprising beef patty and pulled pork, cranberry sauce, a cumberland pig-in-blanket, monterey jack and a dipping gravy. The Good Elf, meanwhile, features mushroom and halloumi with walnut and stilton and a cranberry topping. The last of the trio is French Hen, bringing together chicken breast, camembert ‘goo’, bacon, spinach and an apple & fig chutney. For more info, visit onetrickponyclub.co.uk

Marco Pierre White venue launches new Gin & Tea menu Birmingham's Marco Pierre White Kinkou brings wow factor to Brum venue’s new menu Steakhouse Bar & Grill and Beefeater Popular Birmingham cocktail bar & eatery Aluna has launched a new menu with the help of Pink Gin have teamed up to provide a consultancy Kinkou. brand new gin afternoon tea, complete Commenting on the collaboration, Aluna owner Nishil Nathwani said: “Kinkou have a reputation with a gin-inspired selection of cakes for creating dishes that are light yet luxurious, something that perfectly complements our and scones. expansive and inventive cocktail menu.” The new menu, which comes in Signature dishes featuring on the new Aluna menu include pan-roasted scallops with wasabi aioli, traditional, vegetarian and gluten-free crushed pea and purple shiso, tempura fish & sweet potato chips, and soft shell crab burger & forms, is available every day from noon fries. till 5pm. It includes gin & lime cupcakes, pink gin & raspberry cheesecake, gin jam on orange & Brazilian restaurant announces Birmingham launch date juniper scones, gin, chocolate & The latest addition to Birmingham’s food scene cranberry ganache, and pink gin & will open its doors on Friday 16 November. tonic cocktails... To book a table, visit Located at 55 Colmore Row and bringing mpwrestaurants.co.uk authentic Brazilian dining to the city, premium rodizio restaurant Fazenda prides itself on providing ‘a dining experience unlike any other’. Guests control the service with a small double- sided card. The green side signals the chefs to bring out skewers of sizzling meats one by one, the red side indicates a resting point. Fazenda co-founder Tomas Maunier said: “Fazenda Birmingham is inspired by the type of restaurants you would find in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. “The whole team are incredibly passionate about the brand and ensuring each visit is a memorable one. Growing up, this is how I would eat with my family and friends, and I can't wait for the people of Birmingham to have a true Fazenda experience - just like how it is back home.” whatsonlive.co.uk 13 GIGS November Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:33 Page 1

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Gigs

First Aid Kit O2 Academy, Birmingham, Wed 7 November Swedish sisters First Aid Kit have gone from strength to strength since their inception in 2007. Having been born into a musical family - their father was a member of rock-pop band Lolita Pop - they sent a demo of their song, Tangerine, to Swedish radio. The track was subsequently listed as one of the best songs of that summer. The duo have since released four albums - The Big Black And The Blue, The Lion’s Roar, Stay Gold and Ruins - played Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage and received a BRIT Award nomination for Best International Group. Embarking on their biggest tour to date, the pair are joined by long-term friends The Staves.

Florence + The Machine Blue How Beautiful - all of which reached the top spot. Genting Arena, Birmingham, Fri 16 November Best known for hit singles You’ve Got The Fronted by music sensation Florence Welch, Love, Shake It Out and Rabbit Heart (Raise It Florence + The Machine’s hugely anticipated Up), Florence and her band bring their new fourth album, High As Hope, peaked in the UK tour to Birmingham this month, follow- UK album charts at number two, one place ing a triumphant comeback show in London behind the indie rock band’s previous offer- earlier this year in which they supported ings - Lungs, Ceremonials and How Big How The Rolling Stones.

Gentleman’s Dub Club Arrested Development The Little Unsaid The Mill, Birmingham, Thurs 8 November Birmingham Town Hall, Fri 9 November MAC Birmingham, Fri 16 November Originating in and having built up a As well as championing colourful sounds reputation for delivering high-energy live while spreading a unique mixture of con- The Little Unsaid’s music embraces elements shows, dub nine-piece Gentleman’s Dub sciousness and musicality around the globe, of rock, folk, electronica, jazz and alt-pop. Club have supported the likes of The Wail- hip-hop group Arrested Development have Combining string and brass orchestration ers, Roots Manuva and The Streets, as well also blazed a few trails in their time, per- with beats, electronics, found sounds and as scoring big hits playing to crowds at Glas- haps most notably by featuring both male songwriter John Elliott's haunting, androgy- tonbury, Bestival, Outlook, Boomtown and and female band members. nous vocals, the on-the-rise four-piece are numerous other festivals across the globe. The group visit Birmingham this month as one of the UK’s must-see live acts. part of a tour that also sees them performing They’ve spent the last year touring Europe, in Europe, America and Japan. presenting a live show that’s been hailed for Ms. Lauryn Hill boasting ‘a thumping depth of passion’. Arena Birmingham, Tues 27 November Multi-platinum Grammy Award-winning artist Ms. Lauryn Hill rose to prominence with American hip-hop group The Fugees in the early ’90s. She then took the world by storm as a solo artist with the release of debut album The Miseducation Of Ms. Lau- ryn Hill, and is now celebrating the 20th an- niversary of its release with a world tour. Featuring singles Doo Wop (That Thing) and Everything Is Everything, the much-loved album will be performed in its entirety.

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Classical

The City of Birmingham Choir Birmingham Town Hall, Sun 25 November The ever-impressive City of Birmingham Choir make a welcome return to Town Hall to perform Elgar’s Dream Of Geron- tius, a piece with which they’re extremely familiar. Widely regarded as the Worces- tershire-born composer’s finest choral masterpiece, the work was premiered at the Town Hall in 1900. The choir is joined by Birmingham Phil- harmonic Orchestra, the 2018 winners of What’s On’s ‘best Midlands orchestra’ award. Adrian Lucas conducts, with con- tributions coming from Kathryn Rudge (mezzo-soprano), David Butt Philip (tenor) and Morgan Pearse (baritone).

Spectacular Classics Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 10 November The city’s foremost orchestra and number one choir team up to present more classics than you can shake a conductor’s baton at. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the City of Birmingham Choir bring their musical talents to bear on a host of much-loved compositions, including Prokofiev’s Dance Of The Knights and Jenkins’ Benedictus from The Armed Man. But wait, there’s more... Nessun Dorma, Rule Britannia!, Land Of Hope And Glory and all the explosive magic of the 1812 Overture are certain to have the audience flag-waving in the aisles. And with fireworks and lasers also contributing to the spectacle, expect to be re- minded of those balmy Summer Proms nights, when the Champagne flowed freely and City of Birmingham Christmas was but a distant expense on a faraway horizon... Anthony Inglis conducts; the Symphony Orchestra tenor is David Butt Philip. Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 14 November The CBSO here get their collective teeth Atea Wind Quintet Orchestra of the Swan into Tchaikovsky’s Fifth, a piece which Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 9 November The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham has become one of the composer’s most Conservatoire, Wed 7 November The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s as- popular works, despite the man himself sociate ensemble-in-residence make the Julian Lloyd Webber is being less than enamoured with his own short trip to Bromsgrove to present a pro- the conductor for this creation. Also featured in the evening’s gramme that includes works by Neilsen, performance by the programme is Janá ek’s Taras Bulba and Bridge and Bach. Atea are widely consid- Orchestra of the Swan, Prokofiev’s fairytaleč First Violin Concerto, ered to be the foremost British wind quintet the Conservatoire’s or- for which the orchestra is joined by of their generation, so expect an evening of chestra-in-residence. renowned Russian-Italian violinist Sergej musicmaking that should live long in the The concert is topped Krylov. Rising star Stanislav Kochanovsky memory. and tailed with pieces by Mozart, opening (pictured) is the man with the baton. with his Overture to The Marriage Of Figaro and closing with Symphony no25, the first movement of which is probably best known from Miloš Forman’s Oscar-winning movie, Amadeus. Between the two Mozart works, the orches- tra perform a brace of Mendelssohn compo- sitions - one of his eight Sinfonias for Strings and his Violin Concerto in E minor. The latter sees the orchestra joined by American violinist Tai Murray (pictured).

whatsonlive.co.uk 17 Evelyn Glennie DPS.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:53 Page 1

Evelyn

GlennieByBy DDameame EvelynEvelyn GGlennie’slennie’s ownown admission,admission, composingcomposing thethe musicmusic forfor thethe RoyalRoyal ShakespeareShakespeare Company’sCompany’s productionproduction ofof TroilusTroilus AndAnd CressidaCressida hashas meantmeant steppingstepping outsideoutside herher comfortcomfort zone. Prior to the play opening in Stratford last month, What’s On chatted to the virtuoso percussionist to find out more... Evelyn Glennie DPS.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:53 Page 2

by Reggie White

How did your collaboration with the RSC decide what the sound of the character may It has taken me a while to get into this play, come about? be. That can really only happen once you see but now I absolutely love it. The play is hard I was simply asked out of the blue by the the actors in action during rehearsals and be to define, just like a lot of the music I play, so show’s director, Greg Doran, if I would con- part of the dialogue between the director and I see it as very contemporary - something that sider writing the music for Troilus And Cres- the whole team. There’s no way that music for is relevant to us all. It’s more about the indi- sida. this scenario can be written in isolation. vidual characters as opposed to the actual plot or location. No matter where a war is tak- What did you initially find attractive about More specifically, what was the most ing place, the same human emotions arise. the project, and has it fulfilled your challenging aspect of providing a sound- No matter where two people fall in love, the expectations? track for Troilus And Cressida? same human emotions arise, and so on. It’s a It took me a long time to accept the invitation I’m writing with just under a week before we play that taps into every emotion possible, to write the music because this was com- go into technical rehearsals, so a lot will still from funny to the horrible, quirky, mundane pletely out of my comfort zone. I had never have to be adjusted with the score as we ad- and serious. For me, as a composer, this is written for theatre before and have worked just to the theatre and set. But so far the most heaven! The casting is brilliant and inspira- very little in that kind of setting. However, I challenging aspect is to get cohesiveness be- tional. was immediately made welcome by the whole tween the characters from the Greek camp What do you hope that your soundtrack RSC team and was struck by the fact that they and those from the Trojan side. Percussion will add to the experience of watching wanted something different sound wise, and has a huge dynamic range and therefore we Shakespeare from an audience’s point of that Greg really wanted to make the music an have to achieve high energy in places but still view? integral and influential part of the play. I have allow the spoken word to come through; found the whole experience to be such a privi- working out the frequencies/soundscape that I hope that the audience will embrace the lege and a massive learning curve. It has to- can work with the spoken voice so as not to sound as an integral part of how a play has tally fulfilled my expectations. cancel the voice out. Many of the percussion been designed and interpreted; appreciating sounds I recorded with Dave Price in my stu- that all elements of a play are essential and Generally speaking, do you enjoy dio, and so we’re bringing them together with equal. Theatres are meant for each discipline Shakespeare plays? What are their pros the live percussion. A challenge is knowing to be displayed, and so it’s fantastic that Greg and cons from your point of view? how long musical passages will be, based on has given such a platform and emphasis to At school I found Shakespeare hard work, how an actor may recite something or how music. and I have never really embraced the plays long it takes them to move. They need to be What have you learned from the since, which was another reason why it took free to interpret what they do, and so the experience? me some time to accept being involved in this music score needs to be prepared to elongate project. I felt I could only write for something or shorten right on the spot. I have always been aware of the importance of that I enjoyed or could latch onto. However, teamwork, but this experience really has Your soundtrack has been described as since being involved and witnessing the heightened that. There are so many creative, satirical and futuristic. Did you produce whole rehearsal process from the beginning, I talented and extremely hard-working people the music to fit Greg Doran’s interpreta- have been totally converted! I even went to a who put a project like this together. The re- tion of the play, or did your ambitions for very local production near where I live and spect and value towards what each person the music define the path he decided to was hooked. I now see Shakespeare and his does is crucial, and I have very much felt in- take with the production? work in a totally new light and would eagerly cluded in the process. The ebb and flow of attend more productions in the future…and Both, really. Greg has been open right from embracing ideas means that you know knows, perhaps even compose for more! the start and has given me free range as to score will always be fluid, right up to the final I think the pros come from the vision of the what to do. He was clear that he wanted the performance. director, and in this case Greg is so embracing score to be percussive, dynamic and surpris- Would you contemplate future work with of the creativity of all involved, which makes ing. He wants the audience to physically feel the RSC, and if so, which other everything such an organic and ‘living’ pro- the music and soundscape, and for the stage Shakespeare play would you like to get cess. The challenges are more logistical, in to almost become an instrument. This has your teeth into musically? that there are so many elements to come to- opened up possibilities of having musicians gether. This means that the music score will come on stage to play, and for certain props, Absolutely, I would not wish for this to be a be constantly tweaked and balanced accord- such as the crates where the Greeks enter one-off. I would certainly be a lot more aware ing to the movements and projection of the from, to become things that can be struck. as to the working process and what is re- actors, how the set feels, lighting, sound ef- Even the motorbike sounds become part of quired. I would never have imagined embrac- fects and so on. It’s an exciting process. the soundscape. It’s still evolving, as we are ing Troilus And Cressida, but (thanks to still in the rehearsal process, so until the Greg’s incredible direction) here I am loving On a general level, what are the main music and musicians are on set with the ac- the actual play. Based on that, I would be challenges of producing music for theatre tors, so much more may change in the next completely open to any play! work as opposed to a concert performance two weeks. The main thing is that there is or an album? constant dialogue between all parties, both Embracing all elements of the set, costumes, on a creative level and of course while making sure that the aims are realistic and practical. voice projection, speed and feel of the actors’ Troilus And Cressida shows in the Royal movements, timings, balancing live playing What are your thoughts about Troilus And Shakespeare Theatre until Saturday 17 with recorded sounds and so on. Also, the Cressida, Shakespeare’s ‘most November. The play will also be music cues are more fragmented than writing testosterone-fuelled play’, being the RSC’s broadcast live into cinemas on for the concert platform or for an album. One first gender-balanced production? Wednesday 14 November. has to know each character in the play and Dance November 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 10:51 Page 1 Dance November 2018 .qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 10:51 Page 2

Dance previews from around the region Dance

Emerald Storm Lichfield Garrick, Fri 2 November Performers from Lord Of The Dance, Riverdance and Ireland’s Call pres- ent this new Irish dance sensation - a show that features everything from ‘traditional soft-shoe choreog- raphy and explosive Irish tap rou- tines to the sensual fire of salsa, the smooth coolness of jazz and the prim precision of ballroom’. Classic songs including Danny Boy also feature, as does contemporary acoustic music ‘in the style of Ed Sheeran’. For those who like a strong storyline to accompany their fix of dance, the show should prove to be a real winner, telling the tale of how mortals battle to save the mythological heaven of the Celtic Otherworld from utter destruction.

Ankusha And Other Mysteries MAC, Birmingham, Sun 4 Nov; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Mon 26 November The highly rated Kamala Devam Company are very much in the business of seeking an- swers to unanswerable questions in this lat- est work: Does fate or free will have a greater hand in shaping the course of our lives? How do we define ourselves without limiting our potential? In a battle against ourselves, who will come out as victor? Run- ning for 100 minutes, the show features three classical and contemporary South Tom Dale Company: Asian dance solos, an explosive trio and a I INFINITE multi-award-winning dance film. It visits the Midlands as part of the com- MAC, Birmingham, Thurs 1 & Fri 2 November pany’s first ever UK tour. Part dance and part video installation, I Infinite explores the boundaries between artificial and real, digital and organic Hansel & Gretel worlds. A solo dance piece, the work is Patrick Studio, , presented in a white, digitally animated Fri 30 November & Sat 1 December environment around which the audience New York club styles of house, waacking and is free to move throughout the perform- vogue, presented alongside African and con- ance. temporary dance, ensure that this version of “The synergy between dance and the dig- Hansel & Gretel is like no other. A contempo- ital arts is the major artery pumping rary retelling by Uchenna Dance choreogra- through our practice,” explains choreog- pher and founder Vicki Igbokwe, the show rapher Tom Dale. “It’s woven into all our finds the famous fairytale siblings lost and programmes of work. The company’s vi- overwhelmed in the city (rather than in the sion, through its collaborations with the traditional setting of the forest). But can they digital arts, is to reimagine dance and in- outwit the adults and find their way back to spire the next generation of dance mak- their family?... ers.”

whatsonlive.co.uk 19 Comedy November 2018 -2.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 15:14 Page 1

Comedy

Ross Noble Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 11 November Geordie comic Ross Noble may not have hit the heights once expected of him, but he’s undoubtedly one of the UK’s most talented funnymen. He also has a nice line in surreal comedy, never gives an audience the same show twice, and boasts an impressive num- ber of followers on Twitter. Ross heads for the Midlands this month with his new show El Hablador. Zoe Lyons Glee Club, Birmingham, Sun 18 November High on confidence and blessed with a razor-sharp wit (always useful when you’re a come- dian), Zoe Lyons creates funny routines based on astute observation of life’s absurdities. Her latest show takes a look at the impact of technology on people’s ability to stay human, and also at our increasingly evident desire to detach from community as we get older.

Dave Gorman Stephen K Amos Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 17 & Old Rep, Birmingham, Sun 4 November; Sun 18 November; Symphony Hall, B’ham, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 22 November; Aldersley Leisure Sat 26 January Village, , Sun 25 November "I used to do a joke where I said I'd have to Dave Gorman's idea of stand-up comedy wait for Lenny Henry to die before I could seems to be that as long as there's room for get on television," says Stephen K Amos, him to stand up, he'll do some comedy! referring to his belief that big breaks for Ahir Shah Why else would this intrepid funnyman black comedians are few and far between. The REP, Birmingham, Fri 16 November; have made the decision a few years back to Whatever the truth, there's little question Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 25 play not only 2,000-seater theatres when that Stephen's very much basking in the November; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 9 February he headed out on tour but also 30-seat televisual lime- village halls, a barn and even a railway light these days. Ahir Shah is happy to describe his act as a dining car! Dave is His success is no blend of ‘philosophical inquiry, political still touring, but is surprise, mind, vigour and sweet gags’, and realises that the now being a bit given the quality path to comedy stardom can be a long and choosier about of his material arduous one. “Over the course of the last the venues! and his effortless decade,” he says, “my status on the circuit ability to strike all has skyrocketed from ‘curiosity’ to the right chords ‘interloper’!” Ahir’s latest touring show, with his ever-ap- Duffer, contemplates three subjects - ‘life preciative audi- and what comes after, death and what ence. comes before, and Bohemian Rhapsody’.

20 whatsonlive.co.uk Comedy November 2018 -2.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 15:14 Page 2

Phil Nichol MAC, Birmingham, Sat 10 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 11 November High-energy comedy blended with humor- ous storytelling is the name of the game when Phil Nicol comes to town. Canadian Phil's a real bare-all kind of comedian, who's happy to expose the peculiarities of his personality to anybody who fancies taking a peek - and all in the name of great comedy... What a guy!

Geoff Norcott The Core, , Fri 16 November Geoff Norcott is one of the sharpest tools in the comedy shed, presenting shows which blend observational humour with satire - and even the odd impression or several! Being a former teacher, plenty of Geoff’s gags relate to school experiences and the Jen Brister education system. He’s also made some- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Fri 2 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 4 November; thing of a name for himself in the field of Glee Club, Birmingham, Tues 20 November sports-related humour, a niche that’s yielded him plenty of work both on Jen Brister is a busy woman. As well as mak- cause these days I have to make time even to television and radio. ing time and space to further develop her go to the toilet. stand-up career, she’s nowadays also busy “It’s Mama’s special time in the toilet… Sorry, being a mum. why are you in the toilet with me? No, put Hal Cruttenden “I remember having the time to watch a box the toilet paper down… Don’t put that in your set, or go for a long walk in the park, or even mouth… I don’t need you to hold my hand, Artrix, Bromsgrove, Wed 7 November; meet a friend for coffee,” recalls Jen of her that’s just for your number twos not mine… Oakengates Theatre @The Place, Telford, Wed 14 November bygone days of freedom. “I look back at that Seriously, get that out of your mouth!” time like it was a golden era - and it was, be- Hal Cruttenden places great emphasis on cleverly constructed punchlines, and is al- ways happy to ridicule himself if he thinks there’s a laugh to be gained by doing so. Chris Ramsey Phill Jupitus Alongside his stand-up, he’s also a success- Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, ful actor, appearing in numerous TV shows - William , Wrexham, Thurs 8 Fri 16 November November; Forest Arts Centre, Walsall, including EastEnders - and on film in The Thurs 22 November Well known for the unusual spelling of his Madness Of King George. Christian name, his memorable surname (an As well as being a highly rated stand-up His new touring show is called Chubster, a anglicised version of the original surname on the UK comedy circuit, Geordie boy title chosen by his daughters. Hal wants it Šeputis) and his well-padded Chris has also developed an impressive known that he is now on a diet... physique, Phill Jupitus is telly career, appearing on shows includ- an actor, performance ing 8 Out Of 10 , Celebrity Juice and poet, cartoonist and South Shields-set sitcom Hebburn. Gags podcaster as well as a include: "My venue for the Edinburgh stand-up comedian. Festival is a He describes his latest portacabin; it's touring show, literally a porta- Juplicity, as ‘contain- cabin! I'm a ing adult themes and Geordie, in a situations, but portacabin. I delivered was going to childishly’. call the show Auf Wiederse- hen Pet Live".

whatsonlive.co.uk 21 Zoe Lyons for online.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:55 Page 1

ZOE LYONS brings her Entry Level Human tour to the Midlands

Award-winning comedian Zoe Lyons returns to the Midlands this month with her new stand- up show, Entry Level Human. Zoe took time out from her busy schedule to talk to Midlands Zone about motivation, inspiration and her recent stint on television’s Celebrity MasterChef... Zoe Lyons for online.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:55 Page 2

What’s your earliest memory of being Apart from being funny, what would festival, and the atmosphere was electric. funny, Zoe? you say makes a good comic? What do you like to do when you’re not Oh, crikey! I think probably at primary In your bag of human skills, you need to being funny? school. I wasn’t a class clown in any shape be good at being on your own; you need to or form, but I did used to entertain the par- be able to entertain yourself. If you don’t I like to cook and to eat. I like to plan trips ents at the school gate. I would act out lit- have that skill, you’ll go nuts. You need to away, and I like scuba diving. The wife and tle stories in front of them. In class, I was learn to be grounded. It’s a competitive I are either planning trips, going on a trip as dull as ditchwater, so definitely wasn’t business and one based on showing off. or buying ridiculous stuff made out of the joker of the class. I suppose I just felt You need to be able to manage your ego neon print to go on trips. We also read up more comfortable in the company of the and keep it in check, otherwise it could fly about fish... parents. I always longed for a life of dinner off like a buzzard on amphetamines, so parties, even at the age of eight! you need to tether it like a robin in clogs. Talking of cooking, has your recent ex- You do need to have an ego, but it needs to perience on Celebrity MasterChef Who would you say has inspired you be proportionate in size. I guess you also changed you in any way? the most? need an inquisitive mind, be able to drive I’m definitely more adventurous in the It’s a mixture of people. I suppose when I and be good at using Google maps. That’s kitchen. I’ll give stuff a go that I wouldn’t was growing up it was the likes of Billy essential! have done before. I was typically one of Connolly and Victoria Wood. I still enjoy those people who would read a recipe, get watching Victoria’s stuff. She was such a Is there any subject matter that should halfway though and go, God, I don’t know warm writer and brought out some lovely be off-limits in comedy? how to do that. Now I’ll give it a go. characters. No, I don’t think anything is off-limits as long as it has a point and it’s done well. How do you put your new-found skills Can you tell us a bit about Entry Level But there are people who should be off- to use? Do you plan massive dinner par- Human? limits from doing comedy - for example, if ties for friends and family? It’s a new tour show that’s loosely based their skill level isn’t adequate enough to No, that’s the sad bit. Because I work on the idea of human nature and stupidity portray what they’re trying to say funnily. I nights, I’m normally sat eating a pot noo- - a rich scene these days for comedians, don’t talk about certain subjects because I dle with a teaspoon in a hotel room. So and I include myself in that. It’s a poke at just don’t have the skills to articulate them when I have a bit of time and I’m home human stupidness. My shows combine and deliver them properly. and it’s just me and my wife, I’ll try and being slightly topical with my own take on cook something different or new. I like to things, which veers towards stupidness Is there anything you’ve ever said on mix things up and not stick to recipes like and silliness. My shows aren’t aimed at stage that you’ve later regretted? most people do. changing the world; I just want to alter Probably ‘it’s lovely to be here’. You say and iron out people’s lives. that many times, but in your head you’re What would you have done as a job if thinking, I can’t wait to get in the car and you hadn’t become a comedian? What motivates you to get up on stage? leave this dump! No, not really! Joking Absolutely nothing that involved being in- Do you have a regular pre-show rou- apart, I don’t think I have, although I’ve side and wearing a suit. I think I’d have tine, and how do you wind down post- told some awful jokes, especially during liked to be a ski instructor, a landscape show? the first two years of my career. gardener, a forest ranger or a fisherman. Like a lot of performers, I like to have a lit- tle bit of space before I go on stage. I know What’s the best heckle you’ve ever re- You’ve been on the circuit for 14 years we’re not performing at the London Phil- ceived? now. How have attitudes changed to- harmonic or on a bazooka, but comedy The weirdest one I ever got was when wards female comedians during that does require a bit of head space. I don’t someone shouted at me, ‘What made you time? have any weird rituals. I used to have some choose those shoes?’ That stuck with me I’ve had audiences walk out and shout at little lucky ‘donks’ and things, but I lost so for years because it was just such an odd me, fold their arms saying that they’re not many of them that I decided they weren’t thing to say in what I thought was a really going to listen to a woman. D’you know all that lucky after all and I’m not supersti- good gig. what, though - it being harder initially has tious, so I got rid. probably made it better for us now. Female Have you ever walked off stage during a “Coming down’ post-show is the hard bit. I comedians had to work harder; we had to set? find it really difficult to go to sleep when come up with more diverse material be- I’ve been on stage. My adrenaline is up Oh yeah, I’ve cut the set short on occasion cause we were always judged so harshly. and seems to hang around for ages, so I and have endured an awful death - a terri- It wouldn’t matter if there were four blokes tend to watch a movie and have a cup of ble death that felt like it lasted four weeks who’d all done material about Star Wars - cocoa. I try not to have alcohol, as that’s when in reality it probably lasted 12 min- they wouldn’t be judged on that, but if you the worst thing. Post-show is very dull, to utes - when the audience have just stared were to get up on stage and say something be honest - not very rock’n’roll. at you like you’ve done something un- that was typically female, you were imme- speakable to their dinner, in a space where diately picked up on it. That’s now You’ve performed in Birmingham nu- the sound is quieter than silence. changed because of television - it’s a much merous times. Is there anything that more balanced environment nowadays. sets the city’s audiences apart from oth- Where’s the best place you’ve ever per- ers? formed? Zoe performs her new show, Entry I like playing in Birmingham. It’s very di- Crikey, they all vary, but I suppose it has to Level Human, at Nottingham Glee Club verse and you get a great mix, which is re- be Kilkenny. I played the festival there for on Thursday 8 November and then at ally lovely. the first time a few years ago. It was magi- Birmingham Glee Club on Sunday 18 cal, and they were such an energetic audi- November. ence. The whole town was there for the Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 1

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Rock Of Ages between a smalltown girl and a big-city rocker, and is packed to its proverbial rafters with classic 1980s numbers. So if you’re someone Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 13 - Sat 17 November; Regent for whom the decade of Glasnost, yuppies, Miami Vice and mullet Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 12 - Sat 16 February; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Mon 11 - Sat 16 March; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, hair-dos took place against a soundtrack of pounding rock anthems, Tues 28 May - Sat 1 June. this is a show well worth catching. Former Coronation Street favourite Cinema-goers who caught the 2012 movie version of Rock Of Ages, Kevin ‘Curly Watts’ Kennedy stars, and is joined in the cast by one- starring Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Catherine Zeta- time Pop Idol contestant and Big Brother housemate Zoe Birkett when Jones, will know exactly what to expect from this feelgood musical. the show rocks into Birmingham this month. Casting will differ for For those who didn’t and therefore don’t, it focuses on the romance other Midlands dates.

Orange Polar Bear Beauty And The Beast: periences of the conscripts who lived and died in the trenches, and of the civilians The REP, Birmingham, A Musical Parody whose loved ones never returned home from Thurs 1 - Sat 10 November The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, the Front. Powerful visuals and inventive staging are Sat 24 November - Sun 2 December cleverly combined in this brand new produc- Fat Rascal Theatre show that there’s plenty Romeo And Juliet tion, co-written by award-winning play- more to the fairytale story of Beauty And The wrights Evan Placey and Sun-Duck Ko. Beast than meets the eye. Gender swapping The , Birmingham, Sat 3 - Sat 10 November Performed in English and Korean, the play the lead roles, the company present a high- tells the story of William and Jiyoung, two 15- energy musical parody that finds a castle- Widely regarded as Shakespeare’s fifth year-olds living on opposite sides of the dwelling she-beast hoping against hope that tragedy, this story of a forbidden and secret globe who are both trying to make their way a handsome young bookworm will fall for love tends to fair less well critically than the in an increasingly challenging and fast- her feminine charms - in spite of all her fur... rest of the playwright’s high-profile works. Its changing world. popularity is nonetheless ensured by its timeless themes and its regular appearance A Journey Through War as a study text on the National Curriculum. Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 5 - Sat 10 November On The Floor Theatre Company are the en- semble behind this thought-provoking new work, presented during the week leading up to the centenary anniversary of the First World War armistice. Combining literature from the time of the 1914-18 conflict with brand new writing, the show explores the ex-

22 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 2 Calendar Girls.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:54 Page 1

CalendarTim Firth and ’s award-winningGirls musical comedy heads to the Midlands Calendar Girls.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:54 Page 2

Over a cuppa with three of the cast of Calendar Girls The Musical, Vicky Edwards discovers that Ruth Madoc is ‘perky,’ Fern Britton’s intuition sometimes malfunctions, Denise Welch can’t be doing with temper tantrums, and Gary Barlow and Tim Firth are to musical comedy what Mary Berry is to baking…

If Calendar Girls The Musical were a cake, the “And then I realised that my agent had been the genre. “The music expands the subject recipe would read something like this: Take working on it for the past six months, so I far bigger than the play ever was. It’s fabu- an inspirational true story, add one super-tal- thought I’d jolly well better go and do the au- lous, and audiences are in for a real treat. ented writer and one world famous pop star, dition! I expected them to want me to play The music makes it a wonderful, emotional and mix their expertise thoroughly. Once you Marie again, but they said they wanted me to journey, but it’s seamless; it slides into the have a perfect blend of warmth, humour, play the older woman this time, which is dialogue. It never feels like ‘here comes a poignancy and music, line a 12-inch diameter wonderful; Jessie has got some fantastic song’, and that makes it a very powerful cake tin with an accomplished production lines.” piece of theatre. I’m really on the boil about team and a cast featuring a clutch of our Based on a true story, Tim Firth’s film and his it!” finest actors and singers. Lace with a sublime subsequent award-winning play, Calendar But the show has even more to offer. Having supporting cast and rehearse well. Garnish Girls is a reworking of the award-winning and already raised huge amounts of money with a stunning set and gorgeous lights and critically acclaimed The Girls, which played through merchandise and bucket collections serve to rapturous applause up and down the to packed houses in the West End last year at each performance, the production will country. and is now returning home to Yorkshire to continue to benefit the charity Bloodwise - a Thrilled to be one of the girls (but keeping kick off a new UK & Ireland tour. fact of which the ladies are extremely proud. her kit firmly on - “I’m playing Marie, so no Loose Women’s Denise Welch stirs her tea Discussing the tour, which takes them all nips or noo for me!”), presenter and best- and reflects on why the story, in various in- over the UK, Ruth says she’s looking forward selling novelist Fern Britton cheerfully ad- carnations, has endured: “It’s about friend- to seeing new places and revisiting old mits that she almost missed out, initially ship and community, and I think we all relate friends: “I prefer touring to being in the West telling her agent that on instinct it wasn’t for to that. Celia, my character, has been off as End. I like the feel of companies; the family her. an air hostess and has always been looking orientation, which harks back to how it was “And then came the call saying that Gary Bar- for something more. When she comes back, when I started out 60 years ago. The kids and low would like to have a cup of coffee and a she realises that it was already there. As we the grandchildren will come in dribs and chat with me!” she exclaims, eyes bright and get older, we all realise that.” drabs. I’m a National Trust fan, so we’ll be ex- smile wide. “Suddenly I found myself in a The first question Denise asked when she ploring and will see lots of friends along the room reading the script, with Gary, Tim Firth was approached about appearing in Calendar way.” [writer], the producers and the casting direc- Girls was who else was in the show: “I’m too So is Ruth worried about disrobing on stage - tor. And boy, am I glad that they persisted! old and long in the tooth to be dealing with does ‘the Great British Take Off’ hold any “Never was I happier to be wrong about egos and temper tantrums. Thankfully we all fears? She waves any concerns aside: “We’ll something. Some people don’t like musicals get on, but second to the script, that was the have great big pineapples or whatever in because of all the bursting into song, but most important thing to me.” front of us, so the audience won’t see much. with this you hardly know that a song has The show attracts a hugely diverse audience - And besides,” she adds, with a naughty glint started until it’s halfway through. You’re to- so why do the ladies think that is? in her eye, “at 75, you really don’t care!” tally pulled along by your earholes, and the “It’s an incredibly human story,” says Fern songs really advance the story. Tim Firth is a Britton. “Life is all about loss, love, making a god! He wrote the play, the movie and the mess, making mistakes, clearing it up and musical - he’s like a Yorkshire Stephen Sond- Calendar Girls The Musical visits the atoning. It’s a terribly hackneyed phrase, but heim with the lyrics. As for Gary, he’s written Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from our show is life-affirming.” some incredible songs.” Tues 13 to Sat 17 November. “And it is a different proposition when you The show returns to the Midlands region Having previously starred in the stage play have music to the extent that we have,” says next year, stopping off at Birmingham version, Ruth Madoc is the old hand of the Ruth Madoc, who, as an experienced musical Hippodrome from 28 May to 8 June. assembled cast, but she wasn’t convinced theatre actress, knows a thing or two about about returning to the subject. Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 3

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Bram Stoker’s Dracula Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 20 - Sat 24 November Dracula is best known from its many and varied cinematic incarnations - but as stage productions like The Woman In Black have ably illustrated, a well-presented work of theatre can be every bit as spinetingling as anything the big screen has to offer. This brand new version of Bram Stoker’s fa- mous gothic horror story features ‘breath- taking illusions’, ‘spine chilling effects’ and a cast that includes veteran actress Cheryl Campbell, a familiar face from television se- ries such as Call The Midwife and Peep Show. Better make sure you pack some bulbs of garlic and a wooden stake, just to be on the safe side...

Sherlock Holmes: talia than the average red-blooded male. Jinkx Monsoon & Who’d have thought, for example, that a The Sign Of Four fella’s meat and two veg could be trans- Major Scales Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 8 - Sat 10 November; formed into the Loch Ness Monster or the Eif- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wed 7 November; Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, fel Tower? Hefty heroes in the groin Birmingham Hippodrome, Sat 17 November Thurs 29 November - Sat 1 December; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 23 - Fri 25 January department though the show’s stars may be, Following last year’s sell-out show, RuPaul’s they’re sensible enough to know that back- Drag Race favourite Jinkx Monsoon returns to Sir ’s famous creation row admirers might have problems seeing the Midlands alongside ‘lyrical genius’ Major makes a welcome return in one of the novel- the more subtle nuances of their genital acro- Scales, to showcase music from their upcom- ist’s most frequently adapted stories. batics. To address the situation, they tend to ing album. The new show sees music and The Sign Of Four finds Sherlock Holmes em- employ a video camera and a large screen, to mental health collide in what’s being de- broiled in a murky world of deception and ensure everyone can enjoy a piece of the ac- scribed as ‘a witty and biting look at the dark trickery, as he and his faithful companion, Dr tion. side of drag fame’. John Watson, attempt to locate their latest client’s missing father. The production is presented by the highly re- garded Blackeyed Theatre and comes com- They Don’t Pay? plete with ‘original live music, stylish We Won’t Pay! theatricality and magical storytelling’. New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tues 6 - Sat 10 November After Accidental Death Of An Anarchist, this 1974 political satire is probably Italian play- wright Dario Fo’s best-known work. This new adaptation by Deborah McAndrew sees the action transposed to Brexit Britain, where the unemployed and Wicked Wizard Of Fizzog debt-ridden Maggie re- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, alises that a riot at the Sat 17 November local supermarket offers This chuckleworthy parody of Wicked and her the perfect opportu- The Wizard Of Oz is presented by Black Puppetry Of The Penis nity to stock her empty Country favourites Fizzog. The company are cupboards... Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 9 November; suitably proud of their Midlands roots and The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sat 17 Nov; Presented by urge anybody who enjoys a good laugh to get Prince Of Wales Centre, Sat 1 December Northern Broad- along to this latest production. “Our shows Puppetry Of The Penis entails its performers sides in collabo- are riotous, poignant and nostalgic,” say Fiz- finding far more ways to utilise their geni- ration with York Theatre zog, “but most of all, hysterically funny.” Royal.

24 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 4 The Lovely Bones for online.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 10:14 Page 1

The Lovely Bones ’s world-famous novel premieres on the Birmingham REP’s stage... The Lovely Bones for online.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 10:14 Page 2

“Your characters never really go away - of challenges. “I love it. I get to be the junior Still, in revisiting The Lovely Bones Sebold course you feel a fondness towards them.” writer to great writers. But the main thrill is must also revisit a very real trauma of her Novelist Alice Sebold has recently had reason to make it a theatrical-shaped piece of work own. In 1981, when she was a student, she to revisit the characters of The Lovely Bones, rather than a novel, and each one has was raped and beaten while walking home her 2002 globally best-selling novel about a different problems and different joys.” one evening. young girl, Susie Salmon, who watches her Lavery’s initial idea for staging this story was The novel is certainly not about her, but the family from heaven after she’s raped and to have very defined heaven and earth spaces attack was a spur. murdered by a serial killer. on different physical levels. But after “When people say ‘it’s autobiographical’ the For those who’ve never encountered the workshops with actors and the show’s first thing I say is ‘but I’m not dead’,” she novel, it might sound like grim reading. In director, Melly Still, they discovered that comments dryly. And while she fact, The Lovely Bones found a huge heaven could be everywhere - because “that’s acknowledges that, without that experience, audience due to its tenderly drawn portrait of the magic of theatre.” she might not have written The Lovely Bones, a family coming to terms with grief. Millions “The most wonderful thing about it is our she says that her true inspiration was “all of of readers felt a fondness of their own for Susie wanders through her family [on earth], those girls who never had a voice because Susie and the Salmon family. but of course they can’t see her,” explains they died, unlike myself.” Now, they’re coming to life onstage. . “So one feels incredible empathy She recalls how, in the Seventies - when the Lavery has adapted the novel, for the first with her, because she’s this child that’s being story is set - there seemed to be “so many theatrical version of The Lovely Bones ignored.” serial killers”, and so many young female anywhere in the world. This adds a degree of poignancy - but also, a victims. “And we were fascinated by serial What was her initial reaction to being asked degree of humour. This Susie has a very killers like Ted Bundy, but we didn’t really to turn this smash hit book into a stage play? familiar teenage stroppy exasperation with know anything about the women he killed. I her situation in the afterlife, and at her was very aware of this voiceless mass of “I think it was ‘yikes!’” laughs Lavery. “It’s family not listening to her. women – that was pretty much the not a straight narrative - it’s like loads of inspiration for me,” she says. paths through a rather beautiful and “That yields a lot of comedy and texture, disturbing forest. Which doesn’t make it easy because she’s so furious about it; she’s a Sexual violence is certainly not something to adapt at all…” wonderful pouty teenager at times,” Lavery we’ve done away in the intervening decades. says. And she adds that laughter is really But The Lovely Bones has also proved a Still, the playwright is no stranger to crafting necessary in this often dark story. timeless story, and one worth revisiting for stage versions of classic novels, from altogether more hopeful reasons. Brighton Rock to A Christmas Carol to 101 “You can’t hold your breath for two hours; Dalmatians – and she’d add The Lovely you need to open a steam valve and let There is something comforting in the Bones to their rank. “It is a classic. It always something out.” balanced structure of the story: not only do brings us comfort, because of its strength and the family on earth slowly come to some Working on dark material can be harrowing – its honesty and its toughness, actually.” acceptance of their grief - a process anyone but the process here has, in fact, proved to be who’s lost anyone will recognise - but in But what did the American writer think of her really rather good fun. Because of this, heaven, too, Susie must go on the same novel being turned into a play? Sebold has ended up being rather more journey of letting go. involved in the production than she had “I liked the idea - I think there are things you expected. “It’s not about murder; it’s about can do onstage that you can’t do in any other redemption,” agrees Lavery. “’The lovely medium,” says Sebold. She’s been reading Speaking warmly of pinging emails back and bones’ refers to the lovely new bones that drafts and offering feedback, but she’s happy forth across the Atlantic with Lavery, she grow around this reconfigured family. It’s a to cede control of the material. “I just trust says; “One of my favourite words is ‘moxie’, tough book – it doesn’t do ‘oh the murderer’s the people who are performing it and and she seems to have quite a bit of it…” going to get caught and everybody’s going to directing it – they know what happens to For Lavery, it’s not so common to be adapting be happy’ - but it's about reconstruction after words when you put them on stage, and I material where the original writer is still with terrible disasters. don’t.” us. But working with Sebold has been “And it’s about family - even if one of them is Plus, part of the appeal was that Sebold wonderful, she says. “I was quite daunted at in heaven.” couldn’t imagine quite how the story, which first, because Dickens and Graham Green moves seamlessly between heaven and earth, and people don’t send notes… but a writer’s Sebold still often hears from readers that the could actually be realised on stage. notes to another writer are always thrilling book provided solace when trying to come to and challenging.” terms with a death in the family, even if in “For me, it’s going to be amazing to see: how very different circumstances. do they have different levels, heaven and Is she looking forward to Sebold seeing it? earth, and the various places that are in the “Of course - because she sounds fun. But I’ll “That was a wonderfully unexpected result of novel? How do they make it real, but not too be as nervous as anything.” writing the book,” she says. “It’s like a play real? That’s one of the reasons why I think being written: you just can't predict where How does it feel for Sebold, handing over her theatre can be fascinating: there are lots of your work is going to go.” much-loved characters to someone else? imaginative recesses for the audience to fill.” “There are some authors who like a sense of The process of adaptation is something control where those things are concerned, The Lovely Bones shows at The REP, Lavery gets great satisfaction from - partly but I really enjoy seeing what other people Birmingham from Tuesday 30 October because of the need to solve these do with my stuff,” she says sanguinely. until Sat 10 November Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 5 Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 6

Theatre previews from around the region Theatre

The Full Monty Birmingham Hippodrome, Mon 5 - Sat 10 November; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 19 - Sat 24 November; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Mon 4 - Sat 9 March When six men find themselves unemployed, dignity, hope and self-belief are suddenly in short supply. Until, that is, they take the plunge and become male strippers... This brand new stage version of the hit 1996 movie stars ’ Gary Lucy in the lead role of Gaz. He’s joined by, among others, Joe Gill, best known as Finn Barton in Em- merdale. “You meet all the characters in their sense of desperation,” says Joe. “That’s one of the best things about the play - they’re all doing this full monty strip for a reason. They’re not just thinking about having a laugh and getting their kit off; they’re all try- ing to get out of a tricky situation.”

life, Hamnet died three years before Shake- Tartuffe The Habit Of Art speare wrote Hamlet. With his life moving to- Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, wards its end, the boy Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Selected dates until Sat 23 February Tues 6 - Sat 10 November; Malvern Theatres, pieces together a por- Tues 27 November - Sat 1 December trait of his famous fa- A comedy about faith, family and faking it, With his new opera, Death In Venice, Ben- ther, a man by whom this brand new version of Moliere’s 17th cen- jamin Britten knows he’s sailing pretty close he has been aban- tury masterpiece brings events bang up to to the wind. No wonder he turns for advice to doned as Shakespeare date. The story centres around the wealthy his former collaborator and friend, WH pursues a career in Pervaiz family. Living in modern-day Birm- Auden. But 25 years after they last met, can London’s theatre ingham, they have in their midst the charis- these two difficult men finally find a way to world... matic and devout Muslim cleric Tartuffe. But satisfy their unsettling creative impulses?... is their guest all that he seems - and will fam- A play about creativity, biography, sex and ily life ever be the same again?... death, Alan Bennett’s The Habit Of Art Still Alice scored a huge hit for the National Theatre Malvern Theatres, Tues 20 - Sat 24 November back in 2010. This new touring version stars Finding Joy Neuroscientist Lisa Genova’s bestselling Matthew Kelly and David Yelland. novel is here adapted for the stage, four years Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Thurs 8 November; Studio Theatre @The Other Place, after the release of the critically acclaimed Stratford-upon-Avon, Fri 9 & Sat 10 November; movie version, for which Julianne Moore won Coach House Theatre, Malvern, Tues 20 a best-actress Oscar. Telling the story of Har- November vard professor Alice Howland’s battle with A work of full mask early-onset Alzheimer’s, it stars Scottish ac- theatre based on tress Sharon Small - best known from BBC true stories, Vamos’ television’s Inspector Lynley Mysteries. Finding Joy has The show has garnered plenty of acclaim on been described as a its travels across the UK over the last couple funny and fearless of months. piece that’s posi- tively brimming Hamnet with visual inven- tiveness. When Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tues 20 - Thurs 22 November Danny decides to become his grandmother Joy’s carer, their new-found bond is some- With award-winning productions already what unexpected. Joy is creative, funny and gracing their CV, -based theatre com- losing her memory; Danny is rebellious and pany Dead Centre stop off in Shakespeare always getting into trouble. Yet bond the pair country with a well-reviewed show about the most certainly do. The question is, where will Stratford bard’s one and only son. Eleven their newly developed connection lead years of age when illness claimed his young them?... whatsonlive.co.uk 27 Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 7

28 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre November-2.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 11:57 Page 8

theatre for younger audiences... Theatre

Awful Auntie Sleepyhead How To Hide A Lion Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 9 & Sat 10 Albany Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 8 November Tues 27 November - Sat 1 December Nov; Smethwick Library, Birmingham, Sun 18 Nov; MAC Birmingham, Tues 20 November - Based on Helen Stephens’ magical book of Frights, fights and friendships are the order Sun 2 December the same name, this new stage production of the day in this lively adaptation of David promises young audiences a roaringly enjoy- Walliams’ much-loved story. At the centre of able 45 minutes. ‘Music, song, playful hu- the tale is a young girl named Stella. The sole mour, dazzling puppets and some rip-roaring heir to Saxby Hall, she finds herself in dan- jazz’ all feature, as a little girl named Iris ger of losing both her inheritance and her life helps to hide a lion from the townsfolk when she comes up against her thoroughly who’re hunting him. unpleasant Aunt Alberta... Produced by the team behind the hugely successful stage adaptation of Walliams’ Gangsta Granny, the Guess How Much show comes complete with a very old car, a very large owl, a very small ghost and plenty I Love You of opportunity to enjoy a jolly good chuckle. Birmingham Town Hall, Sat 3 November Little Angel Theatre make a welcome return to MAC with a show that features ‘a pinch of With highly praised productions of James circus and a large dollop of silliness’. Telling And The Giant Peach, Seussical and The the tale of a tired dad’s efforts to get his baby Quite Remarkable Adventures Of The Owl to go to sleep, and the tiny tot’s desire to stay And The Pussycat behind them, Selladoor awake and play with his friend Rabbit, the Family here present a theatre work inspired show has been created for youngsters aged by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram’s best- between two and five. Its running time is 45 selling 1994 picture book. Combining pup- minutes. pets, live music and interactive play for children aged three and older, the show finds Little & Big Nutbrown Hare waking up to dis- cover the delights and colours of each sea- Stick Man son. Lichfield Garrick, Sun 11 & Mon 12 November; Egg And Spoon Evesham Arts Centre, Worcestershire, Sat 24 & Sun 25 November The REP, Birmingham, Sat 17 November “Scamp Theatre send shivers down my Presented as part of First Stages, a Birming- spine,” reveals Julia Donaldson, the co-cre- ham Rep programme of shows designed to ator (along with Alex Scheffler) of the hugely introduce young children to theatre, Egg And popular children’s book on which this show Spoon is performed by the Aberdeen-based is based. “They’re so lively and innovative. I Lyngo Theatre. “The show is an interactive love their production of Stick Man, and so do romp through the seasons,” Lyngo explain, the audiences.” Featuring a trio of talented “where you come in and out of our magic cir- performers, the show brings together pup- cle and get to open all the gifts of nature. petry, songs, live music and ‘funky moves’ to We'll run through the rain and the falling tell the story of Stick Man’s desperate at- leaves and sleep under the snow till spring tempts to get back to the family tree. Suitable wakes us up for the butterfly party.” for children aged three and older.

CBeebies Thumbelina Oskar’s Amazing Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 3 & Sun 4 November Adventure Justin Fletcher, Ben Faulks and Andy Day are Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, among the CBeebies stars taking part in a Thurs 22 - Sat 24 November brand new show that blends dance, action- Theatre Fideri Fidera are the talented com- packed comedy and 1960s-influenced music. pany behind this original play for young chil- Born inside a flower, the ever-so-tiny Thum- dren. Recounting the story of a puppy’s belina finds herself living in an oversized search for friendship in the wilderness of the world of woodland creatures and giant Alps, the show brings together music, song, plants, but without having a clue who she is storytelling, physical theatre, clowning and or where she’s come from. Maybe the bugs, puppetry. Each performance will be followed spiders, toads and mice at a nearby animal by a 10-minute playtime, where youngsters party can help shed some light on the subject in the audience can meet the performer and for her... play with the production’s animal puppets. whatsonlive.co.uk 29 Jorgie Porter Fame DPS.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 11:02 Page 1

Remember My Name 30 whatsonlive.co.uk Jorgie Porter Fame DPS.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 11:02 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

The new UK tour of smash-hit West Ender Fame The Musical dances into the Midlands this month. What’s On caught up with Jorgie Porter, who’s starring as ballet dancer Iris in the new production, to find out more...

One of the world’s best-loved musicals, Fame will be evident to the general public that it will encourage more people to consider explores the tumultuous teenage years of Jorgie herself has little in common with the going to ballet shows.” students at New York’s High School for the character she’s playing: “I want to change Jorgie is a firm believer in the universal Performing Arts. Many of us already know roles and be taken out of my comfort zone. qualities of Fame The Musical. Because the how the youngsters fair with the ups and Doing reality shows has been a really good plot deals with many issues close to the downs of life, thanks to the sensational 1980s thing for me in revealing to people who I hearts of young people, such as prejudice, pop-culture movie that inspired both the truly am. I think I’m very lucky in that way identity, sexuality and first love, she feels musical and a television series. But if you’re because it’s not an opportunity many people that the show is able to touch everyone - as yet unaware of the joys of Fame The get. It also shows all the different roles I can musical fans and sceptics alike. Musical - or maybe you just wish to play, and that I’m not typecast in any way. I experience them again - then this particular like the fact that I can go into any role and “These days adolescents are more involved in tour is not to be missed, as it marks the step out of myself, but also that the public tackling these issues head-on, and it’s production’s 30th anniversary. know me for me. Fame shows all different definitely interesting to see how a musical aspects of performance, and Iris is not the that originally came from a film made in the It would be understandable if the musical’s musical-theatre type; obviously I still sing in 1980s can still be so relevant now. It’s good past successes weighed heavily on the the production, because it’s a musical, but that the production shows these mature shoulders of the current cast, but for former she’s more calm and lady-like. I, on the other themes in relation to teenagers because I Hollyoaks star Jorgie Porter, who’s set to hand, will be singing my heart out in the car, think it’s easy for adults to overlook the make her stage debut with this tour, the pretending I’m in a music video!” ability of young people to really have overriding feeling is one of sheer excitement: important things to say about them. So “I literally can’t wait for this to happen - this Jorgie loves the fact that she relates so closely although the musical is so much fun, it’s also will be my stage debut and I want it to start to the show as a whole: “I can definitely got a message behind it that can be relevant right now! I love Fame. I think it’s incredible, relate to Fame, from growing up in a dance to everyone.” and when I listen to every song I get college. You might think that the singing. goosebumps because it’s just such good dancing, constant performing and rehearsing It’s the rollercoaster ride of uncertainty that music. I’m super-excited - I really can’t that the Fame characters do in their day-to- Jorgie enjoys so much about being an actress. contain myself, to be honest!” day lives is quite far-fetched, but it really With that in mind, does she have any plans isn’t. If anything, people were swinging from for the future? Taking on the role of Iris in the musical the ceilings in college! The fact that I get to means that Jorgie will be returning to her play a role that’s in a production so close to “I love being on telly and on stage. I’m very ballet roots: “I was dancing from the age of me is so nice because I can put a bit of myself lucky that I’m about to get the opportunity to three and have trained in classical ballet for and my own memories in there.” do both. Future-wise, I don’t think you can almost all of my life. While I was in ever tell, and that’s why I love this job so Hollyoaks, the dancing element became more She also hopes that productions such as much. One minute I’m jumping out of an of a passion than a job, so I’m even more Fame, featuring elements of classical dance airplane in a jungle, the next I’m on a TV quiz excited to do a U-turn and get back to ballet or other dance genres, will help widen the show or hopping onto the stage to do ballet! in this role. It was my dream from when I was demographic at dance shows and put paid to I’m just happy to see what comes along, a kid, and not many people get to actually the misconception that straight ballet really.” fulfil that, so when the opportunity came productions are too high-brow. along I grabbed it. My career took me on a “Fame is a really good opportunity to show little journey somewhere else, but the fact off all sorts of dancing and performance I’ve been able to come back to this is Jorgie Porter stars in Fame The Musical through each of the character’s journeys and amazing. I’m just so excited!” at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, their different performance passions. There from Mon 19 to Sat 24 November; Theatre On the surface, Jorgie’s character in Fame really is something for everyone, and it’s an Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 28 January - Sat seems like the stereotypical ‘rich girl’ you see opportunity for audiences to sample different 2 February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on- in films and musicals; spoilt and stuck-up. bits and pieces of the performing arts in a fun Trent, Mon 15 - Sat 20 April; Malvern Thanks to recent reality TV appearances, it and relaxed atmosphere. So I definitely hope Theatres, Mon 9 - Sat 13 July

whatsonlive.co.uk 31 Christmas pages November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 10:41 Page 1 Christmas pages November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 10:41 Page 2

Festive shows and attractions opening in November Christmas

There’s plenty of opportunity for Midlanders to get into the festive spirit over the next few weeks. The region is hosting some of the best pantos and Christmas shows in the land, not to mention a wide range of other activities to enjoy - from checking out a magic lantern trail and searching for Santa to wrapping up your Christmas shopping at Birmingham’s splendidly festive German market. You name it, the marvellous Midlands has got it covered...

The Wizard Of Oz The REP, Birmingham, Sat 24 November - Sun 13 January This classic story from the pen of L Frank Baum has been delighting chil- dren for over a century. A marvellous mix of magic, mayhem and munchkins, it tells the story of Dorothy Gale and her unexpected trip over the rainbow to the wonderful land of Oz. There, she meets the scarecrow, the tin man and a cowardly lion, heads off on a journey along the yellow brick road to find the Emerald City, and has more than one unpleasant encounter with the Wicked Witch of the West. If ever a ruby-slippered girl was in need of a wizard...

Sleeping Beauty Dick Whittington Mother Goose Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Lichfield Garrick, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 21 November - Sat 5 January Thurs 29 November - Sat 5 January Wed 28 November - Sun 6 January The story of a young man who heads for It may not be one of the most frequently London in search of fame and fortune is performed pantos, but Mother Goose one of the most popular of all pan- nonetheless has plenty going for it, includ- tomimes, not least because of the top ad- ing the opportunity to make all manner of ventures in which the happy-go-lucky eggstravagantly funny and Dick finds himself involved. With Sarah eggcruciatingly unfunny the Cook and King Rat both putting in an egg-related jokes. The appearance, and heady romance with the show stars delightful Alice also on the cards for Theatre young Dick, this is a show that promises Severn’s The tragic tale of a young princess who’s to be packed to its festive rafters with ac- favourite panto tricked by an evil fairy and pricks her finger tion, comedy and fun. Dame, Brad Fitt, on a spinning-wheel, causing her to fall CBeebies star Katrina Bryan joins return- in the role of asleep for 100 years, offers a great story ing panto favourites Sam Rabone and Ben Mother around which to build a pantomime produc- Thornton. Goose. tion of real quality. BBC Radio And Sleeping Beauty 2018 is likely to be just Shropshire’s that, given the Belgrade’s exemplary record Eric Smith when it comes to presenting top-notch panto also fea- magic. tures in the Indeed, we’re so confident you’ll be wide- cast. eyed with excitement that we’ll even bet our best antique spinning-wheel that the only per- son in the auditorium who won’t be wide awake will be the ever-so-sleepy title charac- ter herself! As is usual for the Belgrade panto, the show is written and directed by Iain Lauchlan (pic- tured). whatsonlive.co.uk 33 Christmas pages November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 10:41 Page 3 Christmas pages November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 10:41 Page 4

Festive shows and attractions opening in November Christmas

Pinocchio Wilde Creatures The Old Rep Theatre, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Birmingham, Sat 17 November - Wed 28 November - Sun 30 December Sun 30 December “Wilde Creatures has four acting-musicians who’re The legendary tale of the extremely talented and manage to bring Oscar wooden child with a disap- Wilde’s stories to life in a very imaginative and pointing propensity for telling modern way.” porky pies - to the detriment of So says Toby Mitchell, the co-founder of Tall Sto- his fast-growing proboscis - is ries, the theatre company bringing this high-en- here presented as the Old Rep’s ergy celebration of Wilde’s classic fairytales to Christmas treat for families. Coventry this Christmas. Carved by lonely toymaker “There’s a seamlessness to the productions. Al- Geppetto, Pinocchio - accom- though the stories are complex and there are lots of panied by a trusty Cricket com- scene changes and props, we make it flow so that it panion - heads out on an doesn’t seem clunky. But that doesn’t mean it’s exciting journey, eager to dis- simple to achieve... We may look like swans from cover what it will require of the front, but you don’t realise how much furious him to become a real boy. But paddling is going on behind the scenes!” there’s plenty of danger lurking in wait for the adventurous friends, not least in the shape of the less-than-entirely-pleas- The Nutcracker ant puppet master, Mangia- Birmingham Hippodrome, fuoco... Fri 23 November - Thurs 13 December Sir Peter Wright’s enchanting version of this firm festive favourite returns to the Hippodrome this The Wind In month, courtesy of Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Willows Created in 1990, Wright’s production is seen by many as the finest interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s New Vic Theatre, Newcastle- magnificent and mesmerising score. under-Lyme, Sat 17 November - Sat 26 January In true Christmas spirit, the story follows a young girl named Clara as she’s swept up in a fantasy of Artistic Director Theresa Hes- soldiers, giant rats, snow fairies, magic and mys- kins’ stage adaptation of Ken- tery, before finally being transformed into a beau- neth Grahame’s much-loved tiful ballerina. riverside tale ably demon- A magical must-see show for little princesses strates the way in which one everywhere… life can command the full at- tention of three others! Mole, Badger and Ratty simply don’t have time for any of their own interests - they’re far too busy Rudolf having to look after their reck- MAC, Birmingham, less and irrepressible friend, Sat 17 November - Mon 31 December Toad... Puppetry, songs, laughter and fun are among the “The wit and charm of Kenneth family-friendly ingredients being promised by Pins Grahame’s novel is such a de- And Needles as they return to MAC to offer up an- light,” says Theresa Heskins. other festive feast of theatrical magic. Having previ- “No matter how many times I ously scored yuletide hits with their productions of read it, it makes me chuckle. Raymond Brigg's Father Christmas and The Bear, the And Toad’s zest for adventure talented company this year turn their attention to I’ve found utterly irresistible. Santa’s most famous reindeer. Bringing these characters to Rudolf has landed in a zoo, and her big red nose and New Vic audiences will be a joy flashy antlers are making her less than popular with and a privilege.” the other reindeer. The production features a large And as if that’s not bad enough, she also can’t quite cast, live music and ‘plenty of shake the feeling that she really should be some- cunning, courage and friend- where else, on some kind of big snowy adventure... ship’. Expect your children to be suitably enchanted.

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Festive attractions opening in November Christmas

Frankfurt Christmas Market , Thurs 15 November - Sun 23 December This is the largest outdoor Christ- mas market in the country and sits at the centre of Birmingham’s fes- tive celebrations. Drawing crowds from across the city and further afield, the Frank- furt Markets feature a wide range of traditional handmade toys, art- work and items from across the world. There’s plenty of food and drink to sample too, including mulled Ice Skate Birmingham wine, grilled sausages, vegetarian options, pretzels and German Eastside Green, Birmingham, Thurs 15 November - Sun 27 January beer. Carol singers, live music and Ice Skate Birmingham makes a welcome return 300 people per session. Younger or inexperi- a carousel further enhance the fes- to the city centre this month. Year on year voted enced skating enthusiasts can keep upright by tive atmosphere. one of the best outdoor ice skating rinks in the using special penguin skating aids, which can UK, the popular visitor attraction can hold up to be booked online in advance. Cathedral Christmas Market Santa’s Winter Wonderland Santa Hunts Cathedral Square, Birmingham, SnowDome, Tamworth, Staffs, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley, Thurs 15 November - Sun 22 Fri 16 November - Mon 31 December Sat 24 November - Mon 24 December December The rumour that’s flying like a magic reindeer Brand new for this year and com- around the region is that Santa has been spotted ing complete with a Santa’s at the Black Country Living Museum. He seems Grotto, this outdoor market also to be a little limelight-shy, mind - which is why boasts one of the city’s biggest young visitors to the venue are being invited to Christmas trees. join festive costumed guides in a ‘fun-filled’ Commenting on the new attrac- search to find him. Along the way, kids can solve tion, Birmingham Cathedral Chief magical clues, sprinkle Executive Anna Pitt said: “Those dust on reindeer shoes who visit the cathedral this year, and even send letters up whether for worship, the market, the chimney to Santa’s carols or events, will find a very workshop. A surprise gift warm welcome.” awaits anybody who suc- ceeds in finding the jolly- This year’s all-new Santa Show sees Santa want- faced bearded one... Switching on the ing to recount his favourite story - but finding Christmas lights... that his efforts are compromised by the unex- Magical Lantern Festival Here are just a few of the festive light pected arrival of some very famous faces... switch-ons taking place across the Suitable for all age groups, the show is just one Birmingham Botanical Gardens, region. For more, visit element of the festive fun on offer at Tamworth’s Fri 23 November - Tues 1 January whatsonlive.co.uk snowy indoor attraction. Visitors can also ex- As Christmas experiences go, this one is particu- BIRMINGHAM Thurs 15 Nov, City Centre plore Santa’s Christmas snow trail, take a walk larly ‘illuminating’. COVENTRY Wed 21 Nov, Broadgate through the enchanted forest, enjoy a game of The grandeur of the Botanical Gardens, with its snowballs and hitch a ride on a sledge. dense woodlands and winding pathways, pro- SHREWSBURY Wed 14 Nov, The Square The less adventurous will be able to observe all vides the perfect backdrop against which to STAFFORD Sat 17 Nov, Market Square the action as they amble along the promenade enjoy a trail of giant lanterns, including ones STOKE-ON-TRENT (HANLEY) Thurs 15 walkway. representing Santa and his reindeers. Nov, Hanley Town Hall There’s even an animal village to visit, where A food & drink area and an opportunity to buy WARWICK Thurs 29 Nov, Market Place you can meet Santa’s reindeer and say hi to festival merchandise as a memento of the experi- WORCESTER Thurs 22 Nov, Worcester some of the big fella’s furry friends. ence also features. High Street whatsonlive.co.uk 37 Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:56 Page 1 Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:56 Page 2

Film

Widows CERT 15 (128 mins) Starring Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson Directed by Steve McQueen (UK/USA) With just three films to his name, Steve McQueen has established himself as one of the leading lights of British cinema - and the recipient of a host of international honours. Here, the London-born former video artist has adapted Lynda La Plante's London-set TV series (1983-1985) to the big screen and has attracted an extraordinary cast. Following in the wake of the recent Racer And The Jailbird, Ocean's Eight, American Animals and King Of Thieves, Widows is a heist thriller, but with a difference. A botched robbery in Chicago leads to the death of its four perpetrators - and a huge hole in the lives of the men’s widows. And a terrible debt - something the women decide to settle in their own unique way. The reviews have been ecstatic. Released Tues 6 Nov EDITOR’S CHOICE

Film highlights released in November...

Juliet, Naked CERT 15 (98 mins) The Nutcracker And Peterloo CERT 12a (153 mins) Starring Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke, Chris O’ The Four Realms Starring Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Dowd, Megan Dodds, Denise Gough, Phil Quigley, David Moorst, Alastair Mackenzie Davis Directed by Jesse Peretz (UK/USA) CERT PG (99 mins) Directed by Mike Leigh (UK) Starring Keira Knightley, Mackenzie Foy, Juliet’s not naked, of course, she’s a track on Misty Copeland, Helen Mirren, Morgan The Peterloo Massacre, in 1819, was one of the new album of American singer-song- Freeman, Matthew Macfadyen, Richard E the most shameful episodes in British his- writer Tucker Crowe (Hawke), beloved by Grant Directed by Lasse Hallström and Joe tory, when a gathering of over 60,000 peace- Johnston (USA) music fan Duncan Thomson (O’Dowd). She is ful demonstrators in was acoustic, though. But what’s really annoying dispersed by government troops, leading to is that Duncan’s girlfriend Annie (Byrne) gets several deaths and the serious injury of many to listen to it first… Based on the hilarious hundreds. novel by Nick Hornby. Released Fri 2 Nov Released Fri 2 Nov

Based on ETA Hoffmann's The Nutcracker And The Mouse King and also inspired by Tchaikovsky's ballet, this has Disney writ- ten all over it. Mackenzie Foy (Interstellar) plays the girl who has to deal with ginger- bread soldiers and an army of mice. Helen Mirren plays Mother Ginger. In 3D. Released Fri 2 Nov Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:56 Page 3 Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:56 Page 4

Film highlights released in November... Film

Overlord CERT 18 (109 mins) The Girl In The Robin Hood CERT 12a (116 mins) Starring Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Jacob Spider’s Web CERT tbc Starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Anderson, Dominic Applewhite, Pilou Asbæk, Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson, Tim Minchin, Jamie Bokeem Woodbine Starring Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason, LaKeith Dornan Directed by Otto Bathurst (USA) Directed by Julius Avery (USA) Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks, Stephen Merchant, Claes Bang An outlaw and veteran of the Crusades teams Of course, Overlord is Directed by Fede Álvarez (USA/Sweden) up with a Moorish soldier to fight the corrup- the codename for the You just can’t keep Scandi noir away. Follow- tion of the English monarchy. Tim Minchin, invasion of Nor- ing the American remake of The Girl With of all people, plays Friar Tuck. Filmed in mandy during the The Dragon Tattoo with Daniel Craig, here Croatia. Second World War, comes the sequel to the remake. This time Released Wed 21 Nov but here there’s even the maverick hacker Lisbeth Salander is worse. When two played by Claire Foy, while the consummate American paratroop- Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Locke) fine- ers are caught behind tuned the adaptation. Expect plenty of cyber- enemy lines, they discover something far crime and corrupt politicians. more terrifying than German soldiers. Expect excessive violence. Released Wed 21 Nov Released Wed 7 Nov

The Grinch CERT PG (60 mins) Assassination Nation With the voices of Benedict Cumberbatch, CERT 18 (108 mins) Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Starring Odessa Young, Suki Waterhouse, Hari Seely, Angela Lansbury, Pharrell Williams Nef, Abra, Anika Noni Rose Directed by Sam Directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney Levinson (USA) (USA) There’s a data breach in the quintessentially The Grinch is back. Again. Following the fes- American town of Salem, Massachusetts, tive curmudgeon’s previous incarnations on and four high school students find them- TV and in the form of Jim Carrey, we now selves fighting for their lives. The black com- have the full-length animated version. For edy is the second directorial work from Sam those who don’t know, it’s based on the chil- Levinson, son of the Oscar-winning film- dren’s book by Dr Seuss (Theodor Geisel) and maker Barry Levinson. Expect extreme vio- is about a misanthropic green thing that sets lence. out to ruin Christmas for the Whos. In 3D. Released Fri 23 Nov Released Fri 9 Nov

Fantastic Beasts: The custody, forcing Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Newt Scamander (Eddie Red- Crimes Of Grindewald mayne) to join forces to stop the dark wiz- Starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Water- ard’s dastardly plans. The film is the 10th ston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Jude Law, chapter in the so-called ‘Wizarding World Johnny Depp Directed by David Yates (UK/USA) franchise’ and is scripted by JK Rowling. In 3D. The thoroughly reprehensible Gellert Grindewald (Johnny Depp) has escaped Released Fri 16 Nov Suspiria CERT 18 (152 mins) Starring Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Chloë Grace Moretz Directed by Luca Guadagnino (Italy/USA) A young American Mennonite joins a dance academy in Berlin and is plagued by un- speakable phenomena. The original Suspiria (1977) was one of the scariest horror films of all time, helped no end by its demonic soundtrack. Here, the director of the Oscar- winning Call Me By Your Name plunges headfirst into the fear and loathing. Note the 18 certificate. Released Fri 16 Nov Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:57 Page 5 Online Film November-2.qxp_Layout 1 30/10/2018 09:57 Page 6

Film highlights released in November... Film

Nativity Rocks!CERT tbc Starring Simon Lipkin, Celia Imrie, Anna Chan- cellor, Helen George, Ruth Jones, Meera Syal, Hugh Dennis Directed by Debbie Isitt (UK) What we do know is that this is the fourth family comedy in the Nativity franchise cre- ated by Debbie Isitt. However, at the time of going to press no plot details were available, but there will be schoolchildren, rock’n’roll and a return to St Bernadette’s Catholic school in Coventry. Happy Christmas. Released Fri 23 Nov

CRITIC’S CHOICE

their 14-year-old son, Joe (Oxenbould) - starts Wildlife CERT 12a (104 mins) to come apart at the seams, echoed in the Starring Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ed raging wildfires in the nearby mountains. Oxenbould, Bill Camp Directed by Paul Dano (USA) Unlike many an actor cutting his directorial teeth, Dano resists the temptation to show Richard Ford is a quintessentially American off, instead laying out his tale in a punctil- writer and, in its way, this adaptation of his Nobody’s FoolCERT tbc iously straightforward manner. Thus we are 1990 novel is a quintessentially American Starring Tiffany Haddish, Tika Sumpter, Omari drawn into the interior lives of these ostensi- film. First-time director Paul Dano - the actor Hardwick, Amber Riley, Whoopi Goldberg bly ordinary souls, so that when they start Directed by Tyler Perry (USA) - captures the milieu perfectly and aestheti- lying to each other, the transgressions gen- cally, aided by first-class performances from Danica (Tika Sumpter) is on course to be- uinely rankle. It’s a compelling, deeply dis- his two leads as a couple who, in 1960, have come the first black woman to be promoted turbing piece. to vice-president of her company. Then her just moved to Great Falls in Montana (a Released Fri 9 Nov sister (Tiffany Haddish) is released from favourite Richard Ford location). There, their prison… Directed by the comedian and film- marriage - as witnessed through the eyes of maker Tyler Perry, who, in 2011, was the highest paid man in showbusiness (accord- ing to Forbes magazine). Disobedience CERT 15 (114 mins) Ralph Breaks The Internet Released Fri 23 Nov Starring Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, CERT PG Alessandro Nivola, Anton Lesser, Bernice Ste- gers, Allan Corduner Directed by Sebastián With the voices of John C Reilly, Sarah Silver- Lelio (UK/Ireland/USA) man, Jane Lynch, Taraji P Henson, Gal Gadot, Creed II CERT tbc Kristen Bell, Kelly Macdonald Directed by Rich Starring Michael B Jordan, Sylvester Stallone, Moore and Phil Johnston (USA) Tessa Thompson, Florian Munteanu, Dolph Following on from his exploits in Disney’s Lundgren, Brigitte Nielsen Directed by Steven ingenious Wreck-It-Ralph (2012), the arcade Caple Jr (USA) game villain embarks on a new adventure You just can’t beat nostalgia. Now that Ado- thanks to the discovery of a wi-fi router. It’s a nis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, is whole new world. Available in 3D and IMAX. crowned light heavyweight champion - Released Fri 30 Nov thanks to the guidance of Rocky Balboa - he finds himself defending his title against Vik- tor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph The daughter of a rabbi in a North London Lundgren), who killed his father. This is the Orthodox Jewish community, Ronit Krushka eighth instalment in the Rocky franchise. (Rachel Weisz) now works as a photographer Released Fri 30 Nov in New York, having been shunned by her family. However, she returns to London to at- tend her father’s funeral, where ghosts from her past catch up with her. Based on the award-winning novel by Naomi Alderman, who grew up in an Orthodox Jewish environ- ment herself. Released Fri 30 Nov

BMAG.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 10:18 Page 1 ©Kelly-Angela-Womens Identity Series Series Identity ©Kelly-Angela-Womens WOMEN. POWER. PROTEST. What’s On chats to Emalee Beddoes-Davis, Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art at Birmingham Museums Trust, about Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s new exhibition...

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How did Women Power Protest come continue to demand equal terms across the the sitters incredibly powerful. about, Emalee? intersections of gender, sexuality, race and Give an example of how local history - We proposed the concept of the exhibition as class. Looking to modern and contemporary Birmingham’s role in the suffrage part of the Arts Council Collection National artworks allows the exhibition to explore movement - is represented within the Partnership Programme, which Birmingham how women’s experiences have changed exhibition... Museums Trust is part of. The programme since 1918, and frame questions about the aims to make incredible artworks from the issues that still need to be addressed. As part of a weekend of celebratory women’s national Arts Council Collection accessible to events for the Women Power Protest The exhibition doesn’t shy away from more people across the country and increase exhibition, taking place from Friday 16 to difficult issues. What’s the most extreme engagement with contemporary art. The Sunday 18 November, a will be example of this? exhibition follows other successful revealed in Birmingham Museum & Art partnership shows, including Coming Out There are a number of pieces which deal with Gallery on the Friday, commemorating and The Everyday And Extraordinary. difficult issues, but for me the most suffragette Bertha Ryland. In 1914, Bertha In 1918, the Representation of the People Act challenging is Apocalypse by Susan Coe. The entered the museum and attacked a painting made the first women in the UK eligible to piece is from a body of work by the artist as part of the militant campaign for women’s vote. Women Power Protest is part of a about a news story of a woman who was rights. programme of events and displays gang-raped in a bar in New York while a Women Power Protest is in homage to the commemorating this important date, and crowd of people watched and no one stopped suffrage movement, rather than a historical takes a more contemporary look at women’s or reported it. It speaks of the culture of exploration of the journey to suffrage. It rights. silence around sexual assault, which is only focuses on artworks exploring the activism As curator, I selected the artworks from a now beginning to be challenged in and experiences of modern and shortlist and have been working with mainstream culture. These issues are contemporary artists. A zine we are creating colleagues in our learning and outreach extremely important to explore, but we’re to accompany the exhibition draws more on teams to develop the exhibition. aware that for many this can be too troubling. Birmingham’s role in historic and We have arranged the exhibition so that contemporary activism, including an essay Can you give a brief overview of the Apocalypse and other graphically violent written by Dr Nicola Gauld about Bertha exhibition? pieces are placed in a way that can be Ryland, as well as artwork by Sarah Taylor- Women Power Protest will explore the avoided by visitors who feel the need to do Silverwood about campaigning group genius, activism, experiences and creativity so. Feminist Work For Change, among other acts of selected female artists in the Arts Council of creative activism. How are women from black and minority Collection and Birmingham’s collection. The The weekend will continue with an afternoon ethnic backgrounds represented? exhibition traces the suffragettes’ legacy of of performances in the exhibition space on activism, hope and dignity through a number A number of pieces explore the experiences Saturday 17 November, including spoken-

of poignant and powerful contemporary art of people of colour, including cotton.com by word poetry and music performed by exciting y pieces by artists including Susan Hiller, Turner Prize-winning artist Lubaina Himid Birmingham artists Amerah Saleh, Jasmine Lubaina Himid and Mary Kelly. and Maud Sulter’s As A Black Woman. Gardosi and Affie Jam. We strive to make our exhibitions as We’ll also be hosting a Women In Parliament The exhibition includes works by 55 representative as possible. Over a quarter of discussion event on this day. To female artists. What was the selection the artworks in the exhibition were created commemorate 100 years since women were criteria and who was involved in this? by women from BAME backgrounds, but we able to stand for parliament, there will be a y g The selection was made by myself, my recognise the historic bias in collections and panel discussion with four female MPs from predecessor Lisa Beauchamp, and Ann Jones, how this puts limits on the selections for Birmingham and Solihull, chaired by leading Curator of the Arts Council Collection. Our exhibitions like this. We have to continue to feminist campaigner Caroline Criado Perez. criteria were women artists who are known to strive to ensure female artists, and in There are more details on the website, be invested in issues related to women’s particular those from black and minority birminghammuseums.org.uk. rights. We worked with local people, ethnic backgrounds, are given the platform Finally, what lasting impression do you including the Precious Trust, Shelter and they deserve, so that exhibitions can hope visitors will take away from the Birmingham LGBTQ, to interpret these works continue to become more representative. Women Power Protest experience? and the themes of hope, dignity and activism We are actively increasing the representation which were inspired by the suffragettes. of BAME artists, designers and makers in The exhibition is an emotional rollercoaster Birmingham’s collection, and many of the of hope, beauty, tenderness, insecurity, fear, As a curator, what has the exhibition learning events and activities for Women anger, discomfort and pain. It shows not only taught you personally about women’s Power Protest aim to address the topic of the multiplicity of experiences of being a suffrage? representation as part of modern-day woman, but also the important artists who The 1918 Representation of the People Act women’s rights. are able to capture these experiences. I hope gave suffrage to all men over 21 and women the exhibition offers insight into the Do you have a favourite in the collection? over 30 who met property-based incredible resilience, talent and bravery of qualifications. Under these terms, I wouldn’t I love Claudette Jonson’s Trilogy series from women over the past century. have been given the right to vote. This year is the Arts Council Collection. Portraiture is one the anniversary of a momentous occasion for of the most interesting traditions in the women, but the limitations of the act are an history of British art, and Johnson’s work re- Women Power Protest shows at important reminder that while we should appropriates this with such knowing beauty Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery from celebrate successes, it is essential that we and strength. I find the firm, serious Saturday 10 November until Sunday 31 expressions and relaxed body language of March

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Visual Arts

The First Casualty Of War Is Truth Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Shropshire, until Sun 2 December Forming part of Shropshire’s programme of commemorative events to honour and remember the lives of those who served in and were af- fected by the Great War, this thought-provoking exhibition examines how the 1914-18 conflict has been represented in the media. The show has been curated by a group of Shrop- shire artists and aims to expose truths obscured by time, loss and misinformation. Some of the included pieces have previously been exhibited at Shrewsbury’s St Chad’s Church and Theatre Severn.

Face Of Suffrage New Street Station, Birmingham, Thurs 15 November - Fri 14 December A unique art installation celebrating the show such a huge artwork in such an excit- Suffragette movement, Face Of Suffrage is ing public space,” says Helen. "The idea a giant mosaic comprising 3,500 photos of came from my personal experience as a fe- women from the West Midlands and be- male achieving my dream to be an artist, yond, including images of individuals in- and from my wish for women to become volved in the movement during the early more visible, as they have been so invisible 1900s. throughout art history, both in representa- In My Shoes: Art & The Self The 200 metre-square floor-based mosaic tion in portraiture and as artists in their Since The 1990s has been installed in New Street Station’s own right.” large concourse and is the work of artist This exhibition is complimented by a se- Helen Marshall, who’s previously created ries of photographs on show at the city’s similar projects across Britain to mark Birmingham Hippodrome. other historic occasions. Image: Maud Arncliffe-Sennett c 1908 “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to

Elizabeth Magill: Headland New Art Gallery, Walsall, until Sun 20 January

“Although my work refers to landscape,” of her most recent works and seems cer- explains Elizabeth Magill, “it’s more like tain to secure her a whole new fan base. an exterior view, an attempt to create a set- PACCAR Room, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, ting or space to place things; a kind of de- Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sun 6 January posit of thoughts and observations within This Arts Council Collection national touring ex- the framework of a personal and painting hibition - featuring works by Hayley Newman, practice.” Sarah Lucas, Grayson Perry and Tracey Emin - Born in Canada and brought up in North- explores the ways in which UK-based artists ern Ireland, Elizabeth is one of her genera- have included them selves in their work since the tion's leading painters, first coming to the 1990s. Reflecting society’s ever-increasing inter- attention of the art world in the early est in self-expression, the show presents a wide 1990s. range of contemporary approaches across a This latest exhibition presents a selection number of different art forms. whatsonlive.co.uk 45 Events November.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 14:27 Page 1

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Events Events previews from around the region

Remember, remember the 5th of November...

WOLVERHAMPTON BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS NIGHT Fri 2 Nov, from 5pm, Wolverhampton Racecourse TAMWORTH'S BONFIRE NIGHT Sat 3 Nov, from 6pm, Tamworth Castle SIXWAYS BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS DISPLAY Sat 3 Nov, from 5pm, Sixways Stadium, Worcester BLISTS HILL FIREWORKS NIGHT Sat 3 Nov, from 6pm, Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge FIREWORKS Sat 3 Nov, from 5.30pm, Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham BONFIRE NIGHT WITH A TUDOR Russia, with more than 1,000 performers taking TWIST Sat 3 Nov, Anne Birmingham International part in the show. Hathaway's Cottage & Tattoo 2018 The event would not be complete without the Gardens, Stratford-upon-Avon ever-popular closing ceremony, which features SOLIHULL FIREWORKS Sat 3 Nov, Arena Birmingham, Sat 24 & Sun 25 November from 4.30pm, Tudor Grange, the Royal Air Force Cosford Queen’s Colour and Celebrating its 30th year in style, Britain’s biggest Solihull Escort, the traditional Land Of Hope And Glory, indoor international tattoo showcases bands from HIMLEY BONFIRE & FIREWORKS the Evening Hymn and The Lone Piper. across the , Poland, Austria and Sat 3 Nov, from 4.30pm, Himley Hall, Dudley SHREWSBURY’S CHARITY FIREWORKS AND BONFIRE SPECTACULAR Sat 3 Nov, from Ludlow Medieval Gorgeous Christmas Craft 4pm, West Mid Showground, Christmas Fayre And Food Fair Shrewsbury Ludlow Castle, Shropshire, Enginuity, Ironbridge, Shropshire, CONKERS FIREWORKS AND LASER Sat 24 & Sun 25 November Sat 24 & Sun 25 November SHOW Sat 3 - Sun 4 Nov, from 5.30pm, Conkers, Rawdon This year marks the 20th anniversary of Ludlow’s Road, Moira hugely popular Medieval Christmas Fayre. ALTON TOWERS RESORT ULTIMATE The event sees more than 100 stalls fill the castle FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR Sat 3 grounds, selling seasonal wares and historical & Sun 4 Nov, Alton Towers goods & crafts throughout the weekend. Visitors Theme Park, Staffordshire can also enjoy a wide range of medieval games and WARWICK TOWN BONFIRE & entertainment, including jesters, interactive the- FIREWORKS Sat 4 Nov, from atre and the epic Tournament of Knights. 4.30pm, Warwickshire Racecourse WESTON PARK BONFIRE AND FIREWORKS Sun 4 Nov, from 3pm, Weston Park, Shifnal Designer-makers from across the West Midlands head to Ironbridge this month for the 2018 Gor- BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS FIREWORKS Mon 5 geous Christmas Craft Fair. From one-off designer Nov, from 5pm, Birmingham pieces to affordable goods, the show features a Botanical Gardens wide variety of hand-made designs and individual artworks, all of which are available to purchase. Not only will visitors be able to stock up on Christ- mas gifts, they can also watch exhibitors demon- strating their craft and providing an insight into their work. Some of the region’s best food & drink providers are on hand too, offering tons of tasty treats for browsers who fancy taking a break from shopping and watching. whatsonlive.co.uk 47 Events November.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 14:27 Page 3

Events

Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Festival NEC, Birmingham, Fri 2 - Sun 4 November The Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Festival makes a welcome return to Birmingham this month. The three-day event offers ‘spiritual seekers’ a safe place in which to commune and share their ideas, beliefs and philosophies. Attractions at this month’s show include a workshop programme presenting new ideas on relationships, awakening, inspired living, NLP, yoga, meditation, science and angels. New for this year is Nourish - providing top tips to enhance your nutritional wellbeing - and Oasis Of Sound, a meditational therapy experience created with a sound bath.

MCM Birmingham Comic Con NEC, Birmingham, Sat 24 & Sun 25 November Fans of comics, movies, TV shows, cosplay and gaming can rejoice - ‘the ultimate pop- culture experience’ is back at the NEC! Check out interactive features, stroll around the Comic Village and catch up with your favourite stars when they participate in the Theatre Panels - events in which they’ll be taking questions from the audience and shar- ing plenty of behind-the-scenes gossip. Baby To Toddler Celebrity guests at this year’s exhibition in- NEC, Birmingham, clude Twin Peaks’ Sherilyn Fenn and The Sat 24 & Sun 25 November Walking Dead’s David Morrissey. From the organisers of The Baby Show comes this brand new one- stop-shop for parents and parents- Lancaster Insurance to-be. Classic Motor Show From buggies and car seats to toys and feeding accessories, the show NEC, Birmingham, Fri 9 - Sun 11 November provides everything you need for Covering over one million square feet and show- your little ones, and all under one casing more than 3,000 classic and vintage cars roof. And as the event is taking and motorbikes, the Classic Motor Show is the place in late November, visitors biggest event of its kind in the country. will also be able to take advantage Popular elements of the show include the auto- of numerous Black Friday deals. jumble area - where car fanatics can get their If you’ve got your youngsters in hands on a ton of parts and spares for their vehi- tow, fear not - the event has been cles - and the exhibition zone, bringing together created with the whole family in 500 specialist automotive exhibitors and traders mind. From the purpose-built offering a mix of products and services. changing area to the ‘non-stop fun’ Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer and Ant Anstead of KidsZone, everything has been will also be putting in an appearance, along designed to make your day out as with a number of other celebrity guests. hassle-free as possible.

48 whatsonlive.co.uk Events November.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 14:27 Page 4

A jam-packed November at the NEC

BBC Good Food Show NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 29 November - Sun 2 December A long-time favourite on the UK’s culinary events calendar, the BBC Good Food Show heads back to Birmingham with its win- ter edition, once again offering samples to try and items to buy. This year sees TV favourites Mary Berry, Michel Roux Jr and Paul Hollywood (amongst others) cooking up a storm live on stage across the weekend. Other attractions include book signings with star chefs and the chance to stock up on festive food & drink from the show’s 450-plus independent and arti- san exhibitors.

Arts & Antiques BRICK Live For Everyone NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 1 - Sun 4 November NEC, Birmingham, Hailed as the UK’s largest Lego exhibition, Thurs 15 - Sun 18 November BRICK Live features numerous popular displays Bringing together more than from previous years - including Star Wars, Duplo 200 specialist art and antique and Minecraft - alongside a new-for-2018 interac- dealers, Arts & Antiques For Ev- tive experience entitled Mythical Beasts. eryone is the largest and best- Enthusiasts can also access exclusive Lego established vetted art, interiors pieces for their collection at the show’s BRICK and antiques fair outside of Lane, whilst over in the race ramps and brick London. The show offers the pits, visitors can get hands-on by building their perfect opportunity for enthusi- very own creations. asts and collectors to browse, purchase and obtain informa- tion on a vast array of furniture Festive Gift Fair and collectables. A diversity of periods and styles NEC, Birmingham, Thurs 15 - Sun 18 November crossing a variety of disciplines Now in its 23rd year, the Festive Gift Fair features features at this latest show, in- more than 320 stalls and boasts thousands of glo- cluding ceramics, glass, paint- rious gift ideas and colourful Christmas decora- ings, jewellery and both British tions. and continental furniture. Live bands, stilt walkers and pantomime charac- ters are also on hand to entertain the crowds and further enhance the festive mood. And you’ll be able to stock up on an array of tasty Christmas treats in the foodie section, where award-winning and artisan companies will be ex- hibiting across the weekend. Oh, and a delightfully jocular fellow with a big white beard and a fat sack of prezzies is in atten- dance too - probably on the lookout for a nice glass of sherry and a delicious mince pie, we’d imagine...

whatsonlive.co.uk 49 The List Cover November Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:35 Page 1 The List Cover November Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 09:35 Page 2

YourYour wweek-eek- bby-weeky-week llistingsistings gguideuide Novemberovember 22018018 thelist

Jess Glynne at Genting Arena, Birmingham - Sunday 18 November

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

What’s On Thurs 1 to Sun 4 November Mon 5 to Sun 11 November Mon 12 to Sun 18 November Mon 19 to Fri 30 November

Sigrid at O2 Academy, Dirty Dancing at Birmingham’s Ventoux at The Core Theatre, Katie Melua at Birmingham Alexandra Theatre Solihull Symphony Hall, Birmingham Sun 4 November Mon 5 - Sat 10 November Wed 14 November Fri 30 November

whatsonlive.co.uk 51 The List Birmingham 1-4 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:11 Page 1

thelist THROUGHOUT NOVEMBER Gigs

members and associates, Wed 7 Nov THE LOU WARREN BAND - Mon 24 Dec Thurs 1 Nov, The Jam Visual Arts House, Birmingham BLACK MAGIC - LITTLE Birmingham Museum & The Barber Institute MIX SHOW Thurs 1 Nov, Art Gallery WAR AND PEACE Display of prints ex- Sutton Coldfield Town WITHIN AND WITHOUT: BODY IMAGE AND ploring conflicts from four periods in Hall THE SELF Exhibition examining how history. Featuring prints by artists in- BRUNO MARS: 24K social, historical and cultural factors cluding Édouard Manet, Honoré-Vic- MAGIC Thurs 1 Nov, affect body image, and how this is ex- torin Daumier and CRW Nevinson, Wolverhampton Grand pressed through objects and art- until Sun 13 Jan Theatre works, until Fri 1 Feb MAMAN Exhibition focusing on the RAYE Thurs 1 Nov, O2 Sigrid - O2 Academy, Birmingham COLLECTING BIRMINGHAM: WHO IS first decade of Édouard Vuillard’s ca- Academy, Birmingham BIRMINGHAM? Discover new collec- reer, featuring paintings, pastels, Academy, Birmingham PRISE Sat 3 Nov, O2 In- ELDER ISLAND Thurs 1 tions that reflect the experiences of prints and photographs lent by col- stitute, Birmingham Nov, Hare & Hounds, CROWD COMPANY Fri 2 diverse Birmingham people - from lections in Britain and Europe, until Birmingham Nov, Pizza Express BOOTLEG ABBA Sat 3 working lives to community activists Sun 20 Jan Live, Birmingham Nov, Sutton Coldfield and protest movements, until Sun 27 HEADIE ONE Thurs 1 Town Hall Oct 2019 Nov, O2 Institute, Birm- FAT FREDDY’S DROP Fri ingham 2 Nov, O2 Academy, REBECCA DOWNES Sat 3 Birmingham Nov, Pizza Express THE LEGENDS OF AMERI- BOM (B’ham Open Media) Live, Birmingham CAN COUNTRY TRIBUTE AIDAN MOFFAT & RM THE KITTY AI : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SHOW Thurs 1 Nov, HUBBERT Fri 2 Nov, O2 PRESS TO MECO Sat 3 FOR GOVERNANCE Exhibition by Pinar The Core Theatre, Institute, Birmingham Nov, The Asylum, Yoldas contemplating both AI and hu- Solihull NEURONSPOILER Fri 2 Birmingham manity’s relationship to this emerging MUTUAL BENEFIT Thurs Nov, Scruffy Murphys, SIGRID Sun 4 Nov, O2 technology, until Sat 8 Dec 1 Nov, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Academy, Birmingham BEHOLDER Virtual reality experience Birmingham THE SHEEPDOGS & THE JASON ALLAN Sun 4 by United Visual Artists (UVA) explor- TOVE STYRKE Thurs 1 GOOD WATER Fri 2 Nov, Nov, The Castle & Fal- ing beauty from autistic perspectives, LOOKING AT ANIMALS Exhibition explor- The Actress & Bishop, con, Birmingham ing a wide range of representations Nov, O2 Institute, Birm- until Sat 8 Dec Birmingham of animals, drawing on drawings and ingham TIDE LINES Sun 4 Nov, prints dating from the 16th to the 20th THE BON JOVI EXPERI- IVORY WAVE Fri 2 Nov, O2 Academy, B’ham Grand Union century by artists including Rubens, ENCE Thurs 1 Nov, O2 Institute, B’ham CALIGULA'S HORSE Sun JOANNE MASDING: BRUNTWOOD COR- Gericault, Delacroix and Franz Marc, Lichfield Garrick WILL HAVEN Fri 2 Nov, 4 Nov, Mama Roux’s, NERBLOCK COMMISSION Permanent in- until Sun 10 Feb 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER The Asylum, B’ham Birmingham stallation made by artist and Grand THE LAST ROMAN Emperor Justinian I Thurs 1 Nov, O2 TINY MAGNETIC PETS HERE LIES MAN Sun 4 Union studio holder Joanne Masding, (527 - 565 AD), the so-called ‘last Academy, Birmingham Sat 3 Nov, The Flap- Nov, Hare & Hounds, until Fri 5 July 2019 Roman emperor’, rose from peasant OYE SANTANA Thurs 1 per, Birmingham Birmingham beginnings in Serbia to become the Nov, Pizza Express LEWIS CAPALDI Sat 3 GODSMACK Sun 4 Nov, most powerful man on earth, until Ikon Gallery Live, Birmingham Nov, O2 Institute, Birm- O2 Institute, B’ham Sun 14 Apr 2019 NEW HAROON MIRZA Reality Is Some- GERRY COLVIN BAND Fri ingham THE WATCH PLAYS GEN- 2 Nov, Lichfield Guild- how What We Expect It To Be - mov- Other VISUAL ARTS ANNIVERSARY TOUR FT. ESIS Sun 4 Nov, The ing imagery, sculptural installation hall DJ NATE Sat 3 Nov, O2 Robin, Bilston NEW INGO EXHIBITION Ingo never and electronic sound, Fri 30 Nov - COME TOGETHER WITH Institute, Birmingham BOY JUMPS SHIP touches the canvas directly with any Sun 4 Sun 24 Feb BLANK GENERATION Fri 2 HEART OF SOUL Sat 3 tool. He pours the paint freehand Nov, The Sunflower Nov, The Night Owl, Nov, The Night Owl, onto a horizontal canvas, creating Lounge, Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham MAC, Birmingham denser and denser lines until finally NATTY 'MAN LIKE I' 10TH KARINE POLWART OUT OF THE SHADOWS: THE UNTOLD the details emerge, Sat 3 - Sun 11 Fri 2 FISHERMAN'S FRIENDS ANNIVERSARY Sun 4 STORY OF PEOPLE WITH AUTISM... Nov, Whitewall Birmingham Nov, Birmingham Town Sat 3 Nov, Birmingham Nov, O2 Institute, Birm- Hall Town Hall Exhibition by photographer Polly NEW HERE BE MONSTERS An evening ingham Braden and journalist Sally Williams, of geological sci-art, contemporary CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. SLAWOMIR Sat 3 Nov, THE ESKIES Sun 4 Nov, with images and stories of the every- research and intrigue! Wed 7 Nov, WAKENING THE HOLLOW O2 Academy, B’ham Hare & Hounds, Birm- COPY Fri 2 Nov, O2 day lives of people with learning dis- Birmingham City University RAINBOW KITTEN SUR- ingham abilities and autism in educational NEW MASQUERADE IN THE CROSS RIVER and care settings, until Sun 11 Nov REGION Research & Cultural Collec- CREATING THE SPECTACLE! IMMERSED tions presents a photography exhibi- IN 360 In repurposing her wheelchair tion which vividly illustrates to create fantastical art, Sue Austin masquerade, mask art forms and reshapes how we think about disabil- artistic production, Sun 11 Nov - Fri ity, until Sun 25 Nov 18 Jan, Birmingham City University MADE AT MAC: MAC KIDS Group exhibi- NEW FACE OF SUFFRAGE This giant mo- tion by MAC students, until Sun 25 saic comprises 3,500 photos of Nov women from the West Midlands and beyond, including images of individu- RBSA Gallery als involved in the suffrage move- ment during the early 1900s, Thurs NEW RBSA MEMBERS & ASSOCIATES 15 Nov - Fri 14 Dec, New Street Sta- 2018 Annual exhibition of work by tion, Birmingham Karine Polwart - Birmingham Town Hall 52 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 1-4 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:11 Page 2

Thursday 1 - Sunday 4 November

CHRIS WASHINGTON, STEVE SHANYASKI, ORANGE POLAR BEAR New play giving MARK THOMPSON’S SPECTACULAR SCI- Classical Music TUDUR OWEN & MANDY KNIGHT Sat 3 voice to a young generation trying to ENCE SHOW Explore the strange and Nov, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham find their place in a fast-changing magical properties of matter, with fire- CBSO: DVORÁK'S CELLO CONCERTO Fea- JOHN SIMMIT, DREW FRASER, FELICITY world, Thurs 1 - Sat 10 Nov, The REP, balls, fire tornadoes and explosive turing Alexander Vedernikov (conduc- ETHNIC & SIDEMAN Sat 3 Nov, MAC, Birmingham chemical reactions, Thurs 1 Nov, Ar- tor) and Paul Watkins (cello). Birmingham AUSTENTATIOUS - THE IMPROVISED JANE trix, Bromsgrove Programme includes works by AUSTEN NOVEL Featuring a cast of THE SHOWSTOPPERS' KIDS SHOW Im- Beethoven, Dvo ák and HAM & CLIVES BANG YOU OUT! Sun 4 quirky comedy performers, this im- provised musical show which takes Shostakovich, Thursř 1 Nov, Sym- Nov, Cherry Reds Cafe-Bar, B’ham provised play is based on nothing kids' ideas and turns them into musi- phony Hall, Birmingham more than a title suggested by the cal adventures from scratch, Sat 3 ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE audience, Fri 2 Nov, The REP, B’ham Nov, The REP, Birmingham SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring WINTER TALES Three spine-tingling GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU Pre- Michael Seal (conductor). Pro- Theatre tales for a winter's evening, including sented by Selladoor Family, Sat 3 gramme comprises Stravinsky’s The Henry James' classic ghost story, Nov, Birmingham Town Hall Rite Of Spring, Thurs 1 Nov, Sym- THE COMEDY OF ERRORS: FIRST ENCOUN- The Turn Of The Screw, Fri 2 Nov, phony Hall, Birmingham TERS Shakespeare’s tale of comic CRAFTY’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR confusion and mistaken identity The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham Brand new show from the team be- VIENNA TONKÜNSTLER: BEETHOVEN'S aimed at 7 to 13 year olds, until Fri 2 JANE EYRE: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY One- hind Marty MacDonald’s Farm, Sat 3 FIFTH Featuring Yutaka Sado (con- Nov, The Swan Theatre, Stratford- woman show in which Rebecca Nov, Artrix, Bromsgrove ductor), and Angela Hewitt (piano). upon-Avon Vaughan embodies Jane - and sev- Programme includes works by Bern- eral other characters - in an intimate stein and Beethoven, Fri 2 Nov, Sym- MOTOWN THE MUSICAL Hit West End study of love’s realities, Fri 2 Nov, phony Hall, Birmingham musical telling the story of the man who broke barriers and fought Lichfield Garrick JAMES NEWBY (BARITONE) & JOSEPH Dance against the odds to create something THERE’S BEEN A MURDER... OR TWO! MIDDLETON (PIANO) Programme in- more than a record label, until Sat 3 Foghorn Unscripted present a double SILK ROAD Flamenco roots are cludes works by Debussy, Ravel & Nov, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham bill of murderous fun, Fri 2 & Sat 3 blended with a unique, contemporary Duparc, Fri 2 Nov, The Barber Insti- Nov, AE Harris Building, Birmingham style in this story of East meets West, tute, TROILUS AND CRESSIDA Virtuoso per- Thurs 1 - Fri 2 Nov, The Patrick Stu- cussionist Evelyn Glennie collabo- THE AGONY AND THE ECSTASY OF STEVE DUNEV QUARTET Featuring Hristo dio, Birmingham Hippodrome rates with Artistic Director Gregory JOBS Leave your iPhone at home, if Bunev & Mae Edwards (violins), Doran to create a satirical, futuristic you dare, and check out this 'funny, TOM DALE COMPANY: I INFINITE Explo- Eleanor Chapman (viola) & Alice vision of a world resounding with the thought-provoking and insightful ration of the boundaries between the Cheer (cello). Programme includes rhythm of battle, until Sat 17 Nov, story, full of inconvenient truths.', Fri 2 artificial, real, digital and organic works by Haydn & Shostakovich, Fri Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Strat- - Sat 3 Nov, Old Joint Stock Theatre, worlds, Thurs 1 - Fri 2 Nov, MAC, 2 Nov, Alexandra Theatre, B’ham ford-upon-Avon Birmingham Birmingham BEASTDOME: MUSIC-BODIES-MACHINES SHOWSTOPPER! THE IMPROVISED MUSI- EMERALD STORM Fresh take on origi- Scottish composer Louise Rossiter CAL Brand new musical comedy cre- nal Irish dance, featuring live music, presents a world premiere based on ated from scratch at each Fri 2 Nov, Lichfield Garrick the work of infographic pioneer Fritz performance with audience sugges- ANKUSHA & OTHER MYSTERIES Via Kahn, Fri 2 Nov, The Bramall, Univer- tions transformed on the spot into all- three distinctive classical & contem- sity of Birmingham singing, all-dancing productions, Sat porary South Asian dance solos, Ka- BIRMINGHAM CANOLDIR MALE CHOIR: 3 Nov, The REP, Birmingham mala Devam Company seek answers REMEMBRANCE Featuring Birmingham DAD'S ARMY RADIO HOUR Two actors to unanswerable questions... Sun 4 Canoldir Male Choir with the English play 25 characters in a new staging Nov, MAC, Birmingham Association of Male Voice Choirs, of three classic radio episodes based Sun 4 Nov, Birmingham Town Hall on favourite scripts from the original CBSO YOUTH ORCHESTRA: LENINGRAD TV series, Sat 3 Nov, The Old Rep, SYMPHONY Featuring Michael Seal Birmingham (conductor). Programme includes KATHY LETTE'S GIRL'S NIGHT OUT Join Talks works by Britten and Shostakovich, Kathy as she shares tales of love, Sun 4 Nov, Symphony Hall, B’ham TAMBURLAINE Michael Boyd directs a IN CONVERSATION WITH ALICE SEBOLD new staging of Christopher Mar- lust, men, marriage, pregnancy, The award-winning author of The lowe’s famous play, until Sat 1 Dec, childbirth, mastitus, sexist bosses Lovely Bones discusses her wide- The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon- and more... Sat 3 Nov, The Core The- ranging career in a special event to Avon atre, Solihull tie in with the stage adaptation of her Comedy TARTUFFE New updated version of THAT’LL BE THE DAY Rock’n’roll variety novel, Thurs 1 Nov, The REP, B’ham Moliere’s provocative French classic, show, Sat 3 Nov, Lichfield Garrick JOANNA LUMLEY: IT'S ALL ABOUT ME! THE NOISE NEXT DOORN & KEITH FAR- until Sat 23 Feb, The Swan Theatre, ROMEO & JULIET The Crescent Theatre Joanna recounts some never-before- NAN PLUS COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH Stratford-upon-Avon Company present a fast-paced con- heard stories from her career in ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 1 Nov, The THE UNRETURNING Compelling new temporary take on Shakespeare's fa- showbusiness, Thurs 1 Nov, Warwick Glee Club, Birmingham play by Anna Jordan which explores mous love story, Sat 3 - Sat 10 Nov, Arts Centre, Coventry TOM WRIGGLESWORTH, JEFF INNOCENT, the profound effect that war has on Crescent Theatre, Birmingham JAKE BAKER & CARL JONES Thurs 1 young lives, and asks - what does Nov, The George Hotel, Lichfield coming home really mean? Tues 30 LIAM PICKFORD, SULLY O'SULLIVAN, Oct - Fri 2 Nov, The Old Rep, B’ham KAREN BAILEY & TWO COMICS TBC Fri 2 THE LOVELY BONES Stage premiere of Events Nov, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham Alice Sebold's coming-of-age tale, Kids Shows HUBBLE BUBBLE TRICK OR TREAT Do THE NOISE NEXT DOOR, KEITH FARNAN, Tues 30 Oct - Sat 10 Nov, The REP, LITTLE HOWARD'S BIG SHOW FOR KIDS you dare to explore the spooky cel- JOSH PUGH & SHANE MAUSS Fri 2 - Sat Birmingham Following the success of their TV lars at House? until Thurs 1 3 Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham TEA LADY'S STEAMY show, real human Big Howard and Nov, , Birmingham ALFIE MOORE Sat 3 Nov, Lichfield Gar- BINGO Laugh, dance and play to win animated six-year-old Little Howard SCAREFEST Enjoy your favourite rides rick as Tina spins her cage of balls to a fuse interactive stand-up and anima- in the dark, plus loads of extra enter- high-energy 80s soundtrack, Thurs 1 FELICITY WARD Sat 3 Nov, Artrix, tion in a show for all the family, Thurs tainment, until Fri 2 Nov, Alton Tow- Nov, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birm- Bromsgrove 1 Nov, MAC, Birmingham ers, Stoke-on-Trent ingham whatsonlive.co.uk 53 The List Birmingham 1-4 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:11 Page 3

thelist Thursday 1 - Sunday 4 November HALLOWEEN HALF TERM & CRAFT DAYS folklore from fact, until Sun 4 Nov, BACKS Hear stories about the people CAKE INTERNATIONAL The UK's leading See the hall dressed for Halloween, Black Country Living Museum, Dud- who called Court 15 home for over cake decorating, sugarcraft & baking take part in Halloween-themed craft ley 160 years, Fri 2 Nov, Birmingham show, Fri 2 - Sun 4 Nov, NEC, B’ham days and try the haunted house and LITTLE HORRORS HIDE AND SHRIEK Join Back to Backs THE NATIONAL PET SHOW Find out gruesome garden trails, until Fri 2 the Victorian Investigators for a para- BACKSTAGE TOUR Journey behind the more about your favourite pet and Nov, , Birmingham normal quest around Kenilworth’s scenes at one of Britain's premier how to take care of them, Sat 3 - Sun HAUNTED CASTLE A week of ghostly creepy castle, until Sun 4 Nov, Kenil- producing theatres, Fri 2 - Sat 3 Nov, 4 Nov, NEC, Birmingham goings on at Tamworth Castle’s worth Castle The REP, Birmingham ULTIMATE FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR A haunted spooktacular, until Fri 2 Nov, FAMILY FUN DAY Take a family-friendly GRADJOBS LIVE! The UK’s leading last chance to experience the Tamworth Castle guided tour of the Smith & Pepper graduate job fair, Fri 2 - Sat 3 Nov, venue’s rides and attractions before MORE TREAT THAN TRICK Family Hal- jewellery factory, Thurs 1 Nov, Mu- NEC, Birmingham the 2018 season comes to an end, loween activities and eerie entertain- seum of The Jewellery Quarter, Birm- MIND BODY SPIRIT Featuring inspira- Sat 3 - Sun 4 Nov, Alton Towers, ment, until Fri 2 Nov, Drayton Manor ingham tional speakers, musicians, artists Stoke-on-Trent Theme Park, Tamworth THE CREATIVE CRAFT SHOW A haven for and performers, Fri 2 - Sun 4 Nov, MAKING 'SNUGBOROUGH' Chance for HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR Join Der- knitting, cross stitch, paper crafting, NEC, Birmingham children to help create habitat piles mot O'Scary for this spooktacular jewellery, dressmaking and stitching and find out about the estate’s showing, as Frankie Frankenstein, enthusiasts, Thurs 1 - Sun 4 Nov, wildlife, Sat 3 - Sun 4 Nov, Shugbor- Witchy Woo Woo and Wolfy the Wolf- NEC, Birmingham ough Historic Working Estate, man compete for this year's 'mystery INTERNATIONAL DIRT BIKE SHOW Eu- Stafford prize', until Sun 4 Nov, Cadbury rope’s leading indoor off-road event, ARTS MARKETS 2018 Monthly market World, Birmingham Thurs 1 - Sun 4 Nov, Stoneleigh Park, showcasing the work of local de- SPOOKY SCIENCE WEEK Featuring a Warwickshire signer makers, Sun 4 Nov, MAC, host of family activities, until Sun 4 SIMPLY CHRISTMAS - THE CRAFTY Birmingham Nov, Thinktank Science Museum, CHRISTMAS SHOW Retail show featur- WWI COMMEMORATION DAY Marking Birmingham ing bespoke and unusual gifts, Thurs the centenary of the armistice that OCTOBER HALF TERM Family-friendly 1 - Sun 4 Nov, NEC, Birmingham ended World War One, Sun 4 Nov, half-term activities, until Sun 4 Nov, BRICKLIVE The ultimate weekend for Birmingham Botanical Gardens , Hall Green, B’ham Lego lovers, Thurs 1 - Sun 4 Nov, BEST OF BRITISH FIREWORKS SPECTAC- GUY FAWKES DAY Learn all about the TERRIFYING TALES Discover spooky NEC, Birmingham ULAR Fri 2 - Sun 4 Nov, Drayton Gunpowder Plot, Sun 4 Nov, Black Country legends and separate CANDLELIT TOURS OF THE BACK TO Manor Theme Park, Tamworth Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

54 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 1-4 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:11 Page 4

Monday 5 - Sunday 11 November

Birmingham Nov, O2 Academy, Gigs THE SUNSET BEACH HUT, Birmingham Classical Comedy THE NAVETTES, BRYONY SURIE 'SCRAPBOOK' Sat SHINEDOWN Mon 5 WILLIAMS & ECHO 10 Nov, Pizza Express HAL CRUTTENDEN Wed 7 Nov, Artrix, Nov, O2 Academy, BEACH Thurs 8 Nov, Live, Birmingham Music Bromsgrove Birmingham The Sunflower GROOVERIDER, SHADES MARTIN JAMES BARTLETT (PIANO) Pro- FIN TAYLOR Wed 7 Nov, The Glee GOSPEL GOES CHARITY Lounge, Birmingham OF RHYTHM, FULL IN- gramme includes works by Mac- Club, Birmingham 2018 Mon 5 Nov, Birm- KING PLEASURE AND TENTION, JAMES OF Dowell, Gershwin, Godowsky, ingham Town Hall THE BISCUIT BOYS CHRIS & JAMES Sat 10 Barber & Wild, Tues 6 Nov, The JOHNNY MARR: CALL Thurs 8 Nov, The Jam Nov, Hare & Hounds, Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham THE COMET TOUR Mon House, Birmingham Birmingham Conservatoire 5 Nov, O2 Institute, KLUB KIDS PRESENTS FRACTALS AND FAIRY- ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: TAI MURRAY Birmingham THE ROAST BATTLES TALES Sat 10 Nov, PLAYS MENDELSSOHN Featuring Ju- DEVILSKIN Mon 5 Nov, Thurs 8 Nov, O2 Mama Roux's, B’ham lian Lloyd Webber (conductor) & Tai O2 Academy, B’ham Academy, Birmingham Murray (violin). Programme includes BEZ & : ON THE works by Mendelssohn & Mozart, JUST JACK Tues 6 Nov, GENTLEMAN’S DUB CLUB 6TH DAY GOD CREATED Wed 7 Nov, The Bradshaw Hall, MARLON DAVIS, ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN Hare & Hounds, Birm- Thurs 8 Nov, The Mill, MANCHESTER Sat 10 Royal Birmingham Conservatoire & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ingham Digbeth, Birmingham Nov, The Night Owl, ROBINSON Thurs 8 Nov, The Glee CBSO: SYMPHONIC DANCES Featuring AN EVENING WITH KING Birmingham Club, Birmingham JUDIE TZUKE, BEVERLEY Elim Chan (conductor-pictured) and CRIMSON Tues 6 Nov, CRAVEN & JULIE FORD- THE HIGH KINGS Sat 10 Jeremy Denk (piano). Programme FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Thurs 8 Nov, Symphony Hall, Birm- HAM Thurs 8 Nov, Nov, Birmingham includes works by Dukas, Mozart The Patrick Kavanagh, Moseley, ingham Birmingham Town Hall Town Hall and Rachmaninov, Thurs 8 Nov, Birmingham BIG WOLF BAND Tues 6 THE NEWGRASS CUT- SLEEPER Sat 10 Nov, Symphony Hall, Birmingham MARLON DAVIS, ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN, Nov, The Jam House, TERS Thurs 8 Nov, The O2 Institute, B’ham CHRIS MACARTHUR-BOYD & JOE BOR Birmingham Core Theatre, Solihull GIANT & THE GEORGES Fri 9 Nov, The Glee Club, B’ham MICHAEL SCHENKER OLD DOMINION Thurs 8 Sat 10 Nov, O2 Insti- SIMON EVANS Fri 9 Nov, The Slade FEST Tues 6 Nov, O2 Nov, O2 Institute, tute, Birmingham Rooms, Wolverhampton Institute, Birmingham Birmingham RICKY COOL & THE IN FREDDIE FARRELL, BRENDON BURNS & THE FUREYS: 40TH AN- MARTIN STEPHENSON & CROWD Sat 10 Nov, Ar- JACK CAMPBELL Fri 9 Nov, The Com- NIVERSARY CONCERT THE DAINTEES Thurs 8 trix, Bromsgrove edy Loft, B’ham Tues 6 Nov, Artrix, Nov, Hare & Hounds, BLACKBERRY SMOKE MARK DOLAN, DANNY WARD & MICKY P Bromsgrove Birmingham Sat 10 Nov, O2 COMMUTER CONCERT: FU-MIN TSENG KERR Fri 9 Nov, Molineux Stadium, HAYLEY Tues 6 Nov, THREATIN Thurs 8 Nov, Academy, Birmingham (PIANO) Programme includes works Wolverhampton The Glee Club, B’ham The Asylum, B’ham by Scriabin, Medtner & Prokofiev, THE TIN PIGEONS Sat 10 PHIL NICHOL Sat 10 Nov, MAC, B’ham FRIGS Wed 7 Nov, S-X Fri 9 Nov, O2 Nov, The Sunflower Thurs 8 Nov, Recital Hall, Royal JULIETTE BURTON Sat 10 Nov, Artrix, Hare & Hounds, Birm- Academy, Birmingham Lounge, Birmingham Birmingham Conservatoire ingham Bromsgrove THE SLOW DEATH, MIKEY THE PRODIGY & PUBLIC KENNETH HAMILTON LECTURE RECITAL JUSTIN MOORHOUSE, JOE BOR, ABIGO- TOM BAXTER Wed 7 ERG, EPIC PROBLEM, ENEMY Sat 10 Nov, Programme includes works by LIAH SCHAMAUN & CHRIS MACARTHUR- Nov, The Glee Club, MONKEY DU Fri 9 Nov, Arena Birmingham Mendelssohn, Chopin & Liszt, Fri 9 Birmingham Nov, The Barber Institute, University BOYD Sat 10 Nov, The Glee Club, Scruffy Murphys, Birm- HOLY MOLY AND THE of Birmingham Birmingham ingham CRACKERS Sun 11 Nov, ROB ROUSE, ROBERT WHITE, ROGER ARRESTED DEVELOP- Hare & Hounds, Birm- ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE MONKHOUSE & COMIC TBC Sat 10 Nov, MENT Fri 9 Nov, Birm- ingham CHAMBER CHOIR Featuring Jeffrey Skidmore (conductor). Programme The Comedy Loft, Birmingham ingham Town Hall LESS THAN JAKE & REEL includes works by JS Bach & Alec BOX OF FROGS Sun 11 Nov, The Glee DOWN FOR THE COUNT BIG FISH Sun 11 Nov, Roth, Fri 9 Nov, The Bradshaw Hall, Club, Birmingham SWING ORCHESTRA Fri O2 Academy, B’ham Royal Birmingham Conservatoire MICKEY SHARMA, JAY SODAGAR, 9 Nov, Pizza Express BEN MCKELVEY Sun 11 ATEA WIND QUINTET Programme in- SINDHU VEE & CHUCKLE SINGHS Sun Live, Birmingham Nov, Hare & Hounds, cludes works by Bach, Bozza, Mike 11 Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham GIGSPANNER Fri 9 Nov, Birmingham Mower, Frank Bridge & Nielsen, Fri 9 Artrix, Bromsgrove DASHBOARD CONFES- Nov, Artrix, Bromsgrove KILLING JOKE Fri 9 Nov, SIONAL Sun 11 Nov, SPECTACULAR CLASSICS Featuring the FOUR OF DIAMONDS O2 Institute, B’ham The Mill, Digbeth, City of Birmingham Symphony Or- Wed 7 Nov, O2 Insti- Birmingham WITHIN TEMPTATION Fri chestra, City of Birmingham Choir & tute, Birmingham 9 Nov, O2 Academy, THE UKULELE ORCHES- Anthony Inglis (conductor). Pro- ROWAN GODEL, BENJI Birmingham TRA OF GREAT BRITAIN gramme includes works by KIRKPATRICK & TIM COT- BOB WAYNE Fri 9 Nov, Sun 11 Nov, Birming- Prokofiev, Orff, Grieg, Bizet, Verdi, TERELL Wed 7 Nov, The Asylum, B’ham ham Town Hall Strauss, Ravel, Rossini, Jenkins, The Red Lion Folk Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Handel & Wood, ROCKET Fri 9 - Sat 10 LEON BRIDGES Sun 11 Club, Birmingham Sat 10 Nov, Symphony Hall, B’ham Nov, The Jam House, Nov, O2 Institute, FIRST AID KIT Wed 7 Birmingham Birmingham REQUIEM FOR HUMANKIND Featuring Nov, O2 Academy, Lichfield Cathedral Choral Founda- TEENAGE FANCLUB Fri 9 Birmingham tion & Chamber Choir with Darwin - Sun 11 Nov, O2 Insti- MIC LOWRY Wed 7 Nov, Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, Sat tute, Birmingham O2 Institute, B’ham 10 Nov, Lichfield Cathedral SAM FENDER Sat 10 SLAYER Wed 7 Nov, REMEMBRANCE CONCERT Celebration Nov, The Castle & Fal- Arena Birmingham of music, art, readings & poetry, cul- con, Birmingham minating in Mozart’s Requiem con- IMPERICON NEVER SAY ABSOLUTE BOWIE - 50 ducted by the CBSO’s Michael Seal, DIE! TOUR 2018 Wed 7 YEARS OF BOWIE Sat 10 Sun 11 Nov, Symphony Hall, B’ham Nov, The Asylum, Juliette Burton - Artrix, Bromsgrove whatsonlive.co.uk 55 The List Birmingham 1-4 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:11 Page 5

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thelist Monday 5 - Sunday 11 November their version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous tale, Thurs 8 - Sat 10 Nov, Theatre Lichfield Garrick A JOURNEY THROUGH WAR On The HEROES Amateur staging of Gerald Floor Theatre Company fuse famous Sibleyras' play, adapted by Tom Stop- World War One literature with original pard, Fri 9 - Sat 17 Nov, Hall Green new writing to take audiences on a Little Theatre, Birmingham journey from 1914 to 1918, Mon 5 - Sat 10 Nov, Blue Orange Theatre, NO KIDS Gender-bending musical Birmingham cabaret questioning society’s attitude to the idea of two dads, Sat 10 Nov, THE FULL MONTY Simon Beaufoy’s The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hip- award-winning stage play, starring podrome Gary Lucy, Andrew Dunn, Louis Em- erick, Joe Gill, Kai Owen & James HOMECOMINGS Large-scale prome- Redmond, Mon 5 - Sat 10 Nov, Birm- nade performance piece from Birm- ingham Hippodrome ingham Hippodrome's Musical Theatre Youth Company and their DIRTY DANCING The hit musical makes families, exploring the after-effects of a welcome return! Mon 5 - Sat 10 Armistice Day, Sun 11 Nov, New Nov, The Alexandra Theatre, B’ham Street Station, Birmingham The Knot - The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome POPPY FIELDS Poignant interior son et Film lumiere includes bespoke perfor- Kids Shows mances by the Oscar-winning actor INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Eddie Redmayne, Thurs 8 - Sun 11 STICK MAN Scamp Theatre’s adapta- Nov, Lichfield Cathedral tion of Julia Donaldson’s popular FAHRENHEIT 11/9 (12a) Documentary. book, Sun 11 - Mon 12 Nov, Lichfield Starring Michael Moore. Artrix, LANCASTER INSURANCE CLASSIC Garrick Bromsgrove, Mon 5 Nov MOTOR SHOW The biggest event of its A STAR IS BORN (15) Drama/Music. kind, the show this year boasts more Starring Lady Gaga and Bradley than 2,500 vehicles covering an area Cooper. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 9 Nov of over one million square feet, Fri 9 - Sun 11 Nov, NEC, Birmingham BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE (15) Mys- Talks tery/Thriller. Starring Chris EVENING CONVERSATIONS: WORK IN Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson. MAC, PROGRESS Presented by Sampad in Birmingham, Fri 9 - Tues 13 Nov collaboration with Bhuchar Boule- THE GODFATHER (15) Crime/Drama. vard, Tues 6 Nov, MAC, Birmingham Starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino. DR JORDAN B PETERSON The University MAC, Birmingham, Sat 10 Nov of Toronto professor discusses over- TEHRAN TABOO (15) Animation/Drama. coming life’s biggest obstacles, Wed With the voices of Farhad Abadine- SONS OF PITCHES Fast-paced medleys 7 Nov, Symphony Hall, B’ham and mind-bending mashups from the jad, Jasmina Ali. Foreign language, AN EVENING WITH NIGELLA LAWSON award-winning British vocal group, subtitled. MAC, Birmingham, Sat 10 Thurs 8 Nov, Symphony Hall, B’ham Tues 6 Nov, Birmingham Town Hall Nov HIT THE ODE Poetry night, Fri 9 Nov, THE FULL MONTY: THE MUSICAL Pre- WHEN THE WIND BLOWS (PG) Anima- The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hip- INTERNATIONAL MODEL BOAT SHOW sented by Bilston Operatic Company, tion/Comedy. With the voices of podrome Featuring more than 600 models, Fri Tues 6 - Sat 10 Nov, Wolverhampton Peggy Ashcroft, John Mills. MAC, Birmingham, Sun 11 Nov 9 - Sun 11 Nov, Warwickshire Event Grand Theatre Centre, Leamington Spa THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Presented THE CLASSIC MOTORBIKE SHOW A by Erdington Operatic Society, Tues 6 Dance chance for enthusiasts to share their - Sat 10 Nov, Sutton Coldfield Town NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: passion for classic motorbikes, Fri 9 - Hall THE KNOT Didy Veldman's latest Released from Tues 6 Nov, showing Sun 11 Nov, NEC, Birmingham A CHRISTMAS CAROL - THE MUSICAL dance creation centres on ritual, at selected cinemas BACKSTAGE TOUR Journey behind the ‘Sparkling’ Christmas musical by doubt, nerves and the sheer magic of weddings - a production where the WIDOWS (15) scenes at one of Britain's premier STAMPS, Tues 6 - Sat 10 Nov, The producing theatres, Sat 10 Nov, The Core Theatre, Solihull bride, groom, best man and brides- OVERLORD (18) maids are all world-class dancers REP, Birmingham THE GIRL BEHIND THE GLASS Explo- THE GRINCH (tbc) and audience members are the wed- FAMILY MAGIC WEEKENDS Enjoy live ration of sexual violence, Thurs 8 ding guests, Thurs 8 Nov, The Patrick WILDLIFE (12a) shows by magicians and ventrilo- Nov, MAC, Birmingham Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome quists, Sat 10 - Sun 11 Nov, Cadbury MUGENKYO TAIKO DRUMMERS: TRIBE ALL STARS EXPERIENCE Presented by World, Birmingham Brand new show blending skill, Birmingham Stage School, Sun 11 FIREWORK FESTIVAL WEEKEND Featur- stamina and red-hot rhythms, Thurs 8 Nov, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham ing late-night rides and music to Nov, Artrix, Bromsgrove Events DEEPAVALI, THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT bring the party alive, Sat 10 - Sun 11 THE STARS THAT REMAIN Drama explor- BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS Evening of South Nov, West Midland Safari and Leisure ing the endurance and erosion of FIREWORKS Mon 5 Nov, Birmingham Asian dance in Park, Bewdley love, the fragility of life and the emo- Botanical Gardens celebration of ARMISTICE DAY SERVICE Special ser- tional fallout triggered by addiction, Deepavali, more CANDLELIT TOURS OF THE BACK TO vice of commemoration marking the Thurs 8 - Sat 10 Nov, Old Joint Stock commonly BACKS Hear stories about the people 100th anniversary of the end of the Theatre, Birmingham known as Diwali, who called Court 15 home for over Great War, Sun 11 Nov, Black Coun- SHERLOCK HOLMES: SIGN OF FOUR Sun 11 Nov, 160 years, Thurs 8 Nov, Birmingham try Living Museum, Dudley Blackeyed Theatre world-premiere MAC, B’ham Back to Backs

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thelist Monday 12 - Sunday 18 November THE STYLISTICS Wed 14 Birmingham Town Hall WOMEN’S CHOIR Featuring Simon Gigs Nov, The Jam House, ALISTAIR GRIFFIN Fri 16 Classical Carrington & Patrick Barrett (con- Birmingham Nov, Pizza Express ductors). Programme includes works EZRA COLLECTIVE Mon THE ALGORITHM Wed Live, Birmingham by Roxanna Panufnik, Purcell, Biebl 12 Nov, Hare & 14 Nov, The Asylum, Music & more... Sun 18 Nov, The Bramall, Hounds, Birmingham FLORENCE + THE MA- University of Birmingham Birmingham CHINE Fri 16 Nov, LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT Featuring BARNS COURTNEY W/ TONIGHT ALIVE - 10 Genting Arena, B’ham László Fassang (Organist). Pro- STEPHANIE CHEAPE YEAR ANNIVERSARY gramme includes works by Liszt, Mon 12 Nov, Mama SKAM Fri 16 Nov, The ACOUSTIC PERFOR- Dezs d’Antalffy, Bartók and L. Fas- Roux’s, Birmingham Asylum, Birmingham MANCE Thurs 15 Nov, sang,ő Mon 12 Nov, Symphony Hall, JEALOUS OF THE BIRDS O2 Institute, Birming- THE DOORS ALIVE Sat Birmingham Comedy Mon 12 Nov, The Sun- 17 Nov, O2 Academy, ham LUNCHTIME MUSIC: BRITTEN, BRIDGE, JOE LYCETT Mon 12 Nov, Symphony flower Lounge, B’ham Birmingham KOJEY RADICAL Thurs GLASS Mon 12 Nov, The Lab, Royal Hall, Birmingham HOTHOUSE FLOWERS REWS + SPECIAL Birmingham Conservatoire 15 Nov, O2 Academy, BOX OF FROGS Thurs 15 Nov, The Mon 12 Nov, Birming- GUESTS Sat 17 Nov, Birmingham ANNA VIENNA HO (PIANO) Programme Core Theatre, Solihull ham Town Hall The Flapper, B’ham includes works by Beethoven & EASY LIFE Thurs 15 JOHN FOTHERGILL & TOM WARD PLUS LA DHARMA / ECHO Chopin, Tues 13 Nov, Recital Hall, ALEX CLARE - ACOUSTIC Nov, Hare & Hounds, COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBIN- TOUR GECCO / CAMENS / THE Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Mon 12 Nov, O2 Birmingham SON Thurs 15 Nov, The Glee Club, Institute, Birmingham BORGIAS Sat 17 Nov, XIAOFEN SONG (PIANO) Programme in- THE GONZALO BERGARA The Castle & Falcon, Birmingham TONIGHT ALIVE - FULLY cludes works by Beethoven & Schu- QUINTET Thurs 15 Nov, Birmingham FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Thurs 15 Nov, PLUGGED PERFOR- bert, Tues 13 Nov, Recital Hall, Royal Pizza Express Live, The Patrick Kavanagh, Moseley, WINTER’S EDGE, FAIRY- Birmingham Conservatoire MANCE Mon 12 Nov, Birmingham Birmingham O2 Institute, B’ham TALE & SYMMETRY OF CBSO: TCHAIKOVSKY'S FIFTH Featuring MATTIEL Thurs 15 Nov, SOULS Sat 17 Nov, AHIR SHAH Fri 16 Nov, The REP, Birm- TOM MISCH Mon 12 Stanislav Kochanovsky (conductor) O2 Institute, B’ham Scruffy Murphys, Birm- ingham Nov, O2 Academy, and Sergej Krylov (violin). Pro- THE AUSTRALIAN PINK ingham Birmingham gramme includes works by Janá ek, GEOFF NORCOTT Fri 16 Nov, The Core FLOYD SHOW Thurs 15 BILLY OCEAN Sat 17 Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky, Wed 14 Theatre, Solihull SEAMUS FOGARTY Tues č Nov, Arena B’ham Nov, Symphony Hall, Nov, Symphony Hall, Birmingham 13 Nov, Hare & TEZ ILYAS, NEIL MCFARLANE, WILL DUG- RICK ASTLEY Thurs 15 Birmingham Hounds, Birmingham MAKEDONISSIMO: MUSIC FROM MACE- GAN & TWO COMICS TBC Fri 16 Nov, Nov, Genting Arena, POLLY GIBBONS Sat 17 DONIA Featuring Simon Trp eski The Comedy Loft, Birmingham YAZMIN LACEY Tues 13 Birmingham Nov, Pizza Express (piano), Hidan Mamudov (clarinet, Nov, The Sunflower č JOHN FOTHERGILL, TOM WARD, BARRY THE SPITFIRES Thurs 15 Live, Birmingham saxophone & kaval), Aleksandar Lounge, Birmingham DODDS & JACK GLEADOW Fri 16 - Sat Nov, Hare & Hounds, KENT DUCHAINE Fri 17 Krapovski (violin), Alexander Somov 17 Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham GARY NUMAN WITH THE Birmingham Nov, Lichfield Guildhall (cello) & Vltako Nushev (percus- SKAPARIS ORCHESTRA THE NOISE NEXT DOOR, JOE SUTHER- T.REXTASY Thurs 15 sion), Wed 14 Nov, The Barber Insti- Tues 13 Nov, Sym- THE ELO EXPERIENCE: LAND, PAUL PIRIE & JESSICA FOSTEKEW Nov, The Core The- tute, University of Birmingham phony Hall, B’ham GREATEST HITS AND Sat 17 Nov, The Comedy Loft, Birm- atre, Solihull MORE TOUR 2018 Sat JEAN-SÉLIM ABDELMOULA (PIANO) Pro- ingham HAZEL O'CONNOR & KICK UP THE 80S Thurs 17 Nov, Artrix, Broms- gramme includes works by Jean- BREAKING GLASS Tues TOM BINNS Sun 18 Nov, Station Pub, 15 Nov, The Bramall, grove Sélim Abdelmoula, Berg, Kurtág & 13 Nov, The Core The- Sutton Coldfield Birmingham Schubert, Thurs 15 Nov, The Brad- atre, Solihull METRIC Sat 17 Nov, O2 shaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Con- ESTRONS Thurs 15 Institute, Birmingham BERNHOFT AND THE servatoire Nov, The Castle & Fal- FASHION BRUISES Tues THE HEELS Sat 17 Nov, con, Birmingham CBSO: CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME Fea- 13 Nov, O2 Institute, The Night Owl, B’ham turing Michael Seal (conductor), Birmingham THE LITTLE UNSAID Fri THE CLONE ROSES VS. John Suchet (presenter) and Julian Theatre 16 Nov, MAC, B’ham GRUFF RHYS Tues 13 KAZABIAN Sat 17 Nov, Wilkins (organ). Programme in- SEX EDUCATION A show for anyone Nov, The Glee Club, NECROW PRESENTS O2 Academy, B’ham cludes works by Orff, Smetana, who's wondered why they want what Birmingham WODE, BAST, DAEMONA WITCHSORROW Sat 17 Fauré, Elgar, Williams, Holst, they want, Mon 12 Nov, Old Joint AND HEX MORBIDITY Fri Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, Mozart AND YOU KNOW US Tues Nov, The Asylum, Stock Theatre, Birmingham 16 Nov, Scruffy Mur- and Prokofiev, Fri 16 Nov, Symphony 13 Nov, The Jam Birmingham phys, Birmingham Hall, Birmingham House, Birmingham SPEAK, BROTHER Sun GIMME!, GIMME!, THALLEIN ENSEMBLE Featuring YXNG BANE Wed 14 18 Nov, The Sunflower GIMME! Fri 16 Nov, Daniele Rosina (conductor). Pro- Nov, O2 Institute, Lounge, Birmingham Mama Roux’s, B’ham gramme includes works by Dobrinka Birmingham SIMPLY SINATRA Sun 18 PEARL JAM UK Fri 16 Tabakova, Joe Cutler, Emily Abdy & FINDLAY + SOPHIE AND Nov, Symphony Hall, Nov, O2 Academy, Maarten Benschop, Fri 16 Nov, The THE GIANTS Wed 14 Birmingham Birmingham Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Nov, The Castle & Fal- RAYMOND FROGGATT Conservatoire KISSISSIPPI & TANCRED con, Birmingham Sun 18 Nov, Artrix, ROCK OF AGES Smash-hit musical fea- Fri 16 Nov, The Sun- THE BACH BOYS Featuring University GRETA VAN FLEET Wed Bromsgrove turing classic rock anthems, big hair, flower Lounge, B’ham Chamber Orchestra & Andrew Kirk- 14 Nov, O2 Academy, JESS GLYNNE Sun 18 man (director). Programme includes big dreams and some serious rock- Birmingham CULTURE CLUB Fri 16 Nov, Genting Arena, works by JC Bach & CPE Bach, Sat ’n’roll debauchery. Danielle Hope, Nov, Arena B’ham THE ACES Wed 14 Nov, Birmingham 17 Nov, The Barber Institute, Univer- Sam Ferriday & Kevin Kennedy star, Hare & Hounds, Birm- MAXWELL Fri sity of Birmingham Tues 13 - Sat 17 Nov, The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham ingham 16 Nov, O2 Institute, BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCI- Birmingham MALFUNCTION Wed 14 ETY: GRANT US PEACE Reflective CALENDER GIRLS - THE MUSICAL Gary Nov, The Red Lion HAFDIS HULD Fri 16 music to commemorate the ending Barlow & Tim Firth’s hit musical stars Folk Club, B’ham Nov, Artrix, Broms- of the First World War 100 years ago. Fern Britton, Anna-Jane Casey, Sara grove Sat 17 Nov, St George's Church, Crowe, Karen Dunbar, Ruth Madoc, WAND Wed 14 Nov, Rebecca Storm & Denise Welch, DR JOHN COOPER Edgbaston, Birmingham Hare & Hounds, Birm- Tues 13 - Sat 17 Nov, Regent The- CLARKE Fri 16 Nov, BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY SINGERS & ingham atre, Stoke-on-Trent whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List Birmingham 12-18 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:23 Page 3

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thelist Monday 12 - Sunday 18 November AN EVENING OF ERIC AND ERN Homage Major Scales take a witty look at the to Morecambe & Wise featuring ren- dark side of Drag fame, Sat 17 Nov, ditions of the duo’s best-loved com- The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hip- edy sketches, Wed 14 Nov, podrome Wolverhampton Grand Theatre POST New theatre show by Xavier de VENTOUX 2Magpies present a restag- Sousa, inviting audiences to ‘join the ing of the dramatic battle between table, eat yummy Portuguese food, Lance Armstrong & Marco Pantani in drink potent Cachaça, get merry, the 2000 Tour de France, Wed 14 make new friends and challenge ex- Nov, The Core Theatre, Solihull actly what makes a nation’, Sun 18 WNO: LA TRAVIATA Welsh National Nov, MAC, Birmingham Opera presents its version of Verdi's tragic love story, Wed 14 - Fri 16 Nov, Birmingham Hippodrome WNO: LA CENERENTOLA Welsh National Kids Shows Opera presents Rossini's delightful retelling of Cinderella - with a few FIRST STAGES: EGG AND SPOON An in- twists along the way, Thurs 15 Nov, teractive romp through the seasons, Birmingham Hippodrome where young audiences can go in and out of a magic circle and open the gifts of nature, Sat 17 Nov, The Ventoux - The Core Theatre, Solihull REP, Birmingham CLIMAX (18) Drama/Horror. Starring ART & ANTIQUES FOR EVERYONE The PINOCCHIO Brand new staging of Sofia Boutella, Romain Guillermic. largest and best-established vetted Carlo Callodi's classic tale about an Foreign language, subtitled. MAC, art, interiors and antiques fair outside inquisitive wooden puppet, Sat 17 Birmingham, Thurs 15 Nov of London, Thurs 15 - Sun 18 Nov, Nov - Sun 30 Dec, The Old Rep The- POSSUM (15) Drama/Horror. Starring NEC, Birmingham atre, Birmingham Sean Harris, Alun Armstrong. Q&A SANTA'S WINTER WONDERLAND Santa RUDOLPH Festive treat for younger au- with writer-director Matthew Holness. returns with a brand new show for diences, fusing puppetry, laughter, MAC, Birmingham, Thurs 15 Nov 2018, Fri 16 Nov - Mon 31 Dec, The song and mischief, Sat 17 Nov - Mon A STAR IS BORN (15) Drama/Music. Snowdome, Tamworth 31 Dec, MAC, Birmingham Starring Lady Gaga and Bradley THE GLIDER PILOT REGIMENT AND THE Cooper. Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury, RAF Lecture featuring a number of Thurs 15 - Sat 17 Nov; Artrix, Broms- speakers, Sat 17 Nov, RAF Cosford, grove, Fri 16 - Sat 17 Nov Shifnal Talks BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (12a) Biogra- CREATE A CHRISTMAS RAG WREATH Sat THAT’LL BE THE DAY - THE CHRISTMAS phy/Drama. Starring Rami Malek, 17 Nov, Birmingham Back to Backs DR JOHN COOPER CLARKE: LUCKIEST SHOW Rock’n’roll variety show featur- Joseph Mazzello. MAC, Birmingham, MAN ALIVE TOUR Showcase of spoken CANDLELIT TOURS OF THE BACK TO ing all your favourite Christmas clas- Fri 16 - Thurs 27 Nov word, Fri 16 Nov, Birmingham Town BACKS Hear stories about the people sics from the ’50s, ’60s & ’70s, Thurs Hall JOURNEYS END (12a) Drama/War. Star- who called Court 15 home for over 15 Nov, Wolverhampton Grand The- ring Paul Bettany, Sam Claflin. High- 160 years, Sat 17 Nov, Birmingham atre AN AUDIENCE WITH SIMON REEVE The bury Theatre, Birmingham, Sat 17 Back to Backs broadcaster and New York Times IN PRAISE OF FOLLY Foppish Theatre Nov bestselling author shares tales from VICTORIAN PRINTING EXPERIENCE DAY perform a farce of all ages - present- more than 15 years of travels to the THE CAPTAIN (15) Drama/History. Star- Find out more about traditional print- ing 21st century views through an most remote and extreme corners of ring Max Hubacher, Milan Peschel. ing techniques and produce your 18th century lens, Fri 16 Nov, The the planet, Sat 17 Nov, Lichfield Gar- Foreign language, subtitled. MAC, own print materials, Sat 17 Nov, Blists Crescent Theatre, Birmingham rick Birmingham, Sun 18 Nov Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge, THE TROTH (USNE KAHA THA) A grip- Shropshire JIM CRACE: WORDS Part of Broms- ping story of love and loss set during grove Words, Sun 18 Nov, Artrix, CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS Festive day World War I, blending contemporary NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Bromsgrove out with a chocolatey twist and the dance, original music and archive Released from Fri 16 Nov, showing at chance to see Father Christmas in his film, Fri 16 Nov, The Bramall, Univer- selected cinemas very own stage show, Sat 17 - Sun 18 sity of Birmingham FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF Nov, Cadbury World, Birmingham FRINGE WIVES CLUB: GLITTERY CLIT- GRINDELWALD (tbc) MOTORCYCLE LIVE 2018 One of the TERY ‘Sequin-covered, Champagne- Dance SUSPIRIA (18) UK’s top shows for biking enthusi- fuelled, cosmic feminist FREEFALL - CHAIRS TOO Freefall Dance asts, Sat 17 - Sun 25 Nov, NEC, Birm- extravaganza’ that’s ‘guaranteed to Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s ingham blow your mind and your pants!’, Fri own company of highly gifted DRAYTON'S MAGICAL CHRISTMAS Fea- 16 - Sat 17 Nov, Old Joint Stock The- dancers with learning disabilities, re- turing live shows, carols, presents, atre, Birmingham Events turns to the Patrick Studio for its an- light shows, festive food, Father THE WICKED WIZARD OF FIZZOG A Black nual performance showcase, Thurs BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR Guided tour Christmas and a ‘magnificent’ fire- Country fairytale, presented as a play 15 Nov, The Patrick Studio, Birming- of Aston Hall, Wed 14 - Thurs 15 Nov, works display, plus so much more, within a play, Sat 17 Nov, Wolver- ham Hippodrome Aston Hall, Birmingham Sat 17 Nov - Mon 31 Dec, Drayton hampton Grand Theatre WORLDSKILLS UK LIVE The UK’s Manor Theme Park, Tamworth WNO: WAR & PEACE Welsh National largest experiential skills, training and Opera present David Poutney's ambi- careers event, Thurs 15 - Sat 17 Nov, tious staging of Leo Tolstoy's epic NEC, Birmingham novel, Sat 17 Nov, Birmingham Hip- Film FESTIVE GIFT FAIR One of the most podrome INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: popular Christmas shopping events JINKX MONSOON & MAJOR SCALES - THE in the UK, Thurs 15 - Sun 18 Nov, GINGER SNAPPED Ru Paul’s Drag Race GUN NO. 6 (15) MAC, Birmingham, NEC, Birmingham star Jinkx Monsoon and lyrical genius Tues 13 Nov whatsonlive.co.uk 61 The List Birmingham 19-25 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:39 Page 1

thelist FUNKEL STORY Thurs THERAPY? Fri 23 Nov, tor), Simon Ponsford (countertenor), Gigs 22 Nov, Artrix, Broms- The Asylum, B’ham Classical Daniel Auchincloss (tenor), Julian grove FREE RADIO LIVE 2018 Debreuil (bass), The Musical & Ami- SHEAFS Mon 19 Nov, YOU ME AT SIX Thurs 22 Feat. Demi Lovato, cable Society Orchestra & Martyn Hare & Hounds, Birm- Nov, O2 Academy, The Script, Liam Music Rawles (organ), Sat 24 Nov, St ingham Birmingham Payne, Craig David, BIRMINGHAM CATHEDRAL MONDAY Philips Cathedral, Birmingham ROGER TAYLOR'S QUEEN JAYKAE Thurs 22 Nov, George Ezra, The LUNCHTIME SERIES Featuring Kate INSTRUMENTAL GALA CONCERT Featur- EXTRAVAGANZA Mon 19 O2 Institute, B’ham Vamps, , Fawcett (director & baroque) & Mar- ing Alex Tighe (flute choir conduc- Nov, Symphony Hall, Anne-Marie, Louisa tin Perkins (director & harpsichord). tor), Bedwyn Phillips (clarinet choir Birmingham THE RAMONAS, HACK- Johnson and Jax Programme includes works by JS conductor), Sabrino Ko, Benedict SAW, THE WILD STRAYS, VENNART Mon 19 Nov, Jones, Sat 24 Nov, Bach, Couperin & Jeramiah Clark, Goodall (string orchestra conduc- TINFISH & QUEEN MAN- The Castle & Falcon, Genting Arena, B’ham Mon 19 Nov, St Philip’s Cathedral, tors). Programme includes works by TIS Fri 23 Nov, The Birmingham PAGAN & PHOXJAW Sat Birmingham Elgar, Warlock & Holst, Sat 24 Nov, Sunflower Lounge, Elgar Concert Hall, The Bramall, Uni- WSTRN Mon 19 Nov, 24 Nov, The Actress & LUNCHTIME CONCERT: MAUREEN Birmingham versity of Birmingham O2 Institute, B’ham Bishop, Birmingham BRATHWAITE (SOPRANO) Also featur- STEWART MAC + SPE- ing Alec Hone (piano). Programme CITY OF BIRMINGHAM CHOIR: DREAM UNKNOWN MORTAL OR- DIVERTED SOUND Sat CIAL GUESTS Fri 23 includes works by Mozart, Rach- OF GERONTIUS Also featuring Birm- CHESTRA Mon 19 Nov, 24 Nov, The Blue Or- Nov, The Castle & Fal- maninov, Strauss, Hold & Montsal- ingham Philharmonic Orchestra, O2 Institute, B’ham ange Theatre, B’ham con, Birmingham vatge, Tues 20 Nov, The Bradshaw Adrian Lucas (conductor) & Kathryn COURTNEY BARNETT VICKERS BOVEY GUITAR THE BIG BIRMINGHAM Hall, Royal Birmingham Conserva- Rudge, David Butt Philip & Morgan Mon 19 Nov, O2 DUO: THE BEST PARKS SOUL NIGHT Sat 24 toire Pearse (soloists), Sun 25 Nov, Birm- Academy, Birmingham IN BIRMINGHAM Fri 23 Nov, Birmingham ingham Town Hall Town Hall BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL PIANO Tues 20 Nov, Nov, MAC, B’ham CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL Tues 20 - BRASS BAND & CHAMBER CHOIRS Fea- O2 Academy, B’ham THE MEN THEY COULD- ROBINSON - STONE: THE Fri 23 Nov, Royal Birmingham Con- turing Stuart Birnie (brass band di- MUSIC OF CLIFFORD T. DANNY GOFFREY (SU- N'T HANG Fri 23 Nov, servatoire rector) & Elliot Mercer & Benedict WARD Sat 24 Nov, Ar- PERGRASS) Tues 20 O2 Academy, B’ham Goodall (choral conductors). Pro- trix, Bromsgrove CBSO: FAITHFUL JOURNEY Featuring Nov, The Sunflower BRING ME THE HORIZON Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla (conductor) & gramme includes works by Britten, EYES OF THE RAVEN Holst, Rheinberger, Edward Greg- Lounge, Birmingham Fri 23 Nov, Arena Sat Mary Bevan (soprano).ė Programme 24 Nov, O2 Academy, son, Elgar. arr. Ball, Stravinsky arr. BASEMENT Tues 20 Birmingham includes works by Panufnik & Birmingham Farr & Butterworth, Sun 25 Nov, The Nov, O2 Institute, Tchaikovsky, Wed 21 Nov, Sym- MOGWAI + THE TWI- Bramall, University of Birmingham Birmingham LIGHT SAD Fri 23 Nov, NOTHING BUT THIEVES phony Hall, B’ham Sat 24 Nov, O2 PHIL CAMPBELL & THE The Mill, Digbeth, GUY JOHNSTON (CELLO) & SAM HAY- Academy, Birmingham BASTARD SONS Tues 20 Birmingham WOOD (PIANO) Programme includes Nov, The Asylum, AMY WINEHOUSE TRIB- THE JAPANESE HOUSE works by Beethoven, Schubert, Birmingham UTE WITH MARINA Sat 24 Nov, O2 Insti- James MacMillan & Grieg, Wed 21 tute, Birmingham Nov, The Barber Institute, University Comedy CAVETOWN Wed 21 COOMBES Fri 23 Nov, of Birmingham Nov, O2 Academy, The Night Owl, B’ham PEACE Sat 24 Nov, O2 JEN BRISTER Tues 20 Nov, The Glee Birmingham RALPH MCTELL Fri 23 Institute, Birmingham RECITAL DOUBLE BILL Featuring Gen Club, Birmingham Li & Ryan Drucker (pianos). Pro- ALFA MIST Wed 21 Nov, Nov, Birmingham JADE BIRD Sat 24 Nov, CHRIS RAMSEY Thurs 22 Nov, Forest gramme includes works by Hare & Hounds, Birm- Town Hall O2 Institute, B’ham Arts Centre, Walsall Beethoven, Debussy, Prokofiev & ingham PAUL MCCAFFREY PLUS COMEDY DAN FORSHAW QUINTET LONDON CALLING Sat Franck, Thurs 22 Nov, Birmingham CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON PLACES + FACES Wed Fri 23 Nov, Pizza Ex- 24 Nov, The Asylum, Town Hall 21 Nov, The Mill, Dig- press Live, B’ham Birmingham Thurs 22 Nov, The Glee Club, B’ham COUPERIN AT 350: AN ANNIVERSARY beth, Birmingham FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Thurs 22 Nov, ABBA FOREVER Fri 23 FAITH - THE GEORGE CONCERT Curated by Graham Sadler, The Patrick Kavanagh, Moseley, MAXIMUM R&B WITH Nov, Artrix, Broms- MICHAEL LEGACY Sat Thurs 22 Nov, Organ Studio, Royal Birmingham THE MANFREDS SUP- grove 24 Nov, Sutton Cold- Birmingham Conservatoire PORTED BY GEORGIE field Town Hall DAVE GORMAN Thurs 22 - Fri 23 Nov, SLAVES Fri 23 Nov, O2 GIDON KREMER PLAYS WEINBERG Pro- FAME Wed 21 Nov, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Academy, Birmingham DIRTY OLD FOLKERS gramme comprises Weinberg Birmingham Town Hall MORGAN JAMES - FROM Sun 25 Nov, The Ac- (arr.Kremer) 24 Preludes, Op. ADAM ROWE Fri 23 Nov, The Glee RAY COOPER Wed 21 WHITE TO BLUE TOUR Fri tress & Bishop, B’ham 100,50’, Fri 23 Nov, CBSO Centre, Club, Birmingham Nov, The Red Lion 23 Nov, O2 Institute, ONE NIGHT OF ELVIS: Birmingham Folk Club, B’ham Birmingham LEE 'MEMPHIS' KING THE MIDLAND CHAMBER PLAYERS Pro- THE DEAD DAISIES Wed SKEGSS Fri 23 Nov, Sun 25 Nov, The gramme includes works by Mozart & 21 Nov, O2 Institute, The Actress & Bishop, Alexandra Theatre, Haydn, Fri 23 Nov, The Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham & Midland Institute CISSY STONE AND HER THE ENRAG’D MUSICIAN: A PORTRAIT OF BAND Wed 21 Nov, The HANDEL’S VIOLINIST PIETRO ANTONIO Jam House, B’ham CASTRUCCI Featuring Iva Fleis- OH MY GOD! IT’S THE chhansová (baroque violin), Nikolay CHURCH Thurs 22 Nov, Ginov (baroque cello), Luke Green The Castle & Falcon, (harpsichord), Fri 23 Nov, The Bar- Birmingham ber Institute, University of B’ham ANGELO STARR Thurs CBSO: KREMERATA BALTICA Featuring 22 Nov, The Jam Gidon Kremer (Violin / Director). Pro- TOM WARD, SUSAN MURRAY, CATHER- House, Birmingham gramme includes works by Desyat- INE BOHART & TWO COMICS TBC Fri 23 THE FOUR TOPS AND nikov, Bach-Busoni, Weinberg & Nov, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham Schubert, Sat 24 Nov, Birmingham THE TEMPTATIONS TOM STADE, PAUL MCCAFFERY, JOHN Town Hall Thurs 22 Nov, Arena SCOTT & DAVE LONGLEY Fri 23 - Sat 24 Birmingham BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: BRILLIANT Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham BACH Featuring Paul Spicer (conduc- THE SIMON AND GAR- Peace - O2 Academy, Birmingham GAVIN WEBSTER, JULIAN DEANE & 62 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 19-25 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 14:39 Page 2

Monday 19 - Sunday 25 November

BARRY DODDS Sat 24 Nov, The Com- BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A MUSICAL edy Loft, Birmingham PARODY Fat Rascal Theatre explore BARNSTORMERS COMEDY NIGHT Sat 24 whether fairytales really can come Nov, Artrix, Bromsgrove true - even when the princess doesn’t quite fit the slipper, Wed 28 Nov - Sun GUZ KHAN, DANE BAPTISTE, BABATUNDE, 2 Dec, Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birm- DARREN HARRIOTT, QUINCY & AURIE ingham STYLA Sun 25 Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham Kids Shows Theatre SLEEPYHEAD Little Angel Theatre fuse ‘magic, circus, a dollop of silliness FAME THE MUSICAL The 30th anniver- and plenty of laughs’ in a show for sary tour, starring Keith Jack, Mica young audiences, Tues 20 Nov - Sun Paris and Jorgie Porter, Mon 19 - Sat 2 Dec, MAC, Birmingham 24 Nov, The Alexandra Theatre, Birm- ingham DRACULA European premiere of a brand new stage adaptation of Bram Dance Stoker’s gothic horror story, Tues 20 - Sat 24 Nov, Wolverhampton Grand THE NUTCRACKER BRB presents its an- Theatre nual staging of Sir Peter Wright’s world famous festive production, Fri Meet Santa - National Sea Life Centre, Birmingham HEART OF DARKNESS Joseph Conrad's 23 Nov - Thurs 13 Dec, Birmingham classic story of lies and brutal greed, Hippodrome transported to a forsaken Europe and out with a chocolatey twist and the presented as a tale for our time. A DECADE OF DANCE Annual show from Events the Aimee Louise School of Dance, chance to see Father Christmas in his Think Apocalypse Now meets The NITRO CIRCUS YOU GOT THIS TOUR Fea- Sat 24 - Sun 25 Nov, Crescent The- very own stage show, Sat 24 - Sun 25 Road meets Double Indemnity, Tues turing Travis Pastrana and the best atre, Birmingham Nov, Cadbury World, Birmingham 20 - Sat 24 Nov, The REP, B’ham athletes in FMX, BMX, Scooter and Inline, including multiple X Games BABY TO TODDLER From the organisers medalists and several Nitro World of The Baby Show, Baby To Toddler Games champions, Tues 20 Nov, is for parents and parents-to-be, Sat Arena Birmingham 24 - Sun 25 Nov, NEC, Birmingham Film CREATE CHRISTMAS Series of special WARLEY NATIONAL MODEL RAILWAY EX- INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: courses to learn a new skill and also HIBITION The 51st annual Warley show and the 26th national event at A STAR IS BORN (15) to tick off a few gifts on your shop- ping list, Tues 20 - Thurs 29 Nov, the NEC, Sat 24 - Sun 25 Nov, NEC, Drama/Music. Birmingham Starring Lady Jackfield Tile Museum, Ironbridge, Gaga and Bradley Shropshire MCM BIRMINGHAM COMIC CON The ulti- Cooper. Artrix, REEL ROCK WORLD TOUR Collection of mate pop-culture experience returns Bromsgrove, Mon climbing and adventure movies from for a weekend of geeky goodness! 19 Nov some of the world’s best adventure Sat 24 - Sun 25 Nov, NEC, B’ham FIRST MAN (12a) Biography/Drama. filmmakers, Fri 23 Nov, Crescent The- CHRISTMAS IN THE HOME A celebration Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy. atre, Birmingham of festive domestic bliss, complete Stoke Film Theatre, Tues 20 Nov; Ar- CANDLELIT TOURS OF THE BACK TO with a selection of seasonal activities trix, Bromsgrove, Wed 21 & Fri 23 BACKS Hear stories about the people to enjoy, Sat 24 - Sun 25 Nov, Black Nov who called Court 15 home for over Country Living Museum, Dudley HAIRSPRAY Presented by The Broad- FEMALE HUMAN ANIMAL (15) 160 years, Fri 23 Nov, Birmingham SANTA HUNTS A surprise gift awaits way Musical St Augustine's MTC, Mystery/Romance. Starring Chloe Back to Backs anybody who succeeds in finding the Tues 20 - Sun 25 Nov, The Core The- Aridjis, Marc Hosemann. MAC, Birm- FROST FAIR Returning for a second Father Christmas, Sat 24 - Sun 25 atre, Solihull ingham, Thurs 22 Nov year and providing plenty of ideas for Nov, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley THE BELIEVERS ARE BUT BROTHERS A PETERLOO (12a) Drama/History. Star- Christmas gifts and festive treats, Fri bold show exploring the smoke-and- ring Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake. 23 Nov, Ragley Hall, Alcester THE 2018 BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL mirrors world of online extremism, MAC, Birmingham, Fri 23 - Thurs 29 ARROWS OF TIME Celebration of the TATTOO Britain’s biggest event of its anonymity and hate speech, Thurs 22 Nov 55th anniversary of the first broadcast kind, featuring more than 1,000 per- - Fri 23 Nov, The Patrick Studio, Birm- formers and culminating in a ‘spec- WINNIE THE POOH (U) Animation/Ad- of Dr Who, Fri 23 Nov, Thinktank Sci- ingham Hippodrome ence Museum, Birmingham tacular grand finale’, Sat 24 - Sun 25 venture. With the voices of Jim Cum- Nov, Arena Birmingham mings, Craig Ferguson. MAC, FESTIVE ANTIQUE AND GIFT FAIR Featur- Birmingham, Sat 24 Nov ing items for your Christmas table, MEET SANTA Visit the North Pole of the Hanukkah gifts and quirky presents city in the Antarctic Ice Cave, meet for the person who has everything, the man himself and check out the NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Sat 24 - Sun 25 Nov, British Motor cheeky Gentoo penguins in the Ice Released from Wed 21 Nov, showing Museum, Gaydon Adventure area, Sat 24 Nov - Sun 23 Dec, National Sea Life Centre, B’ham at selected cinemas GORGEOUS CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR ROBIN HOOD (12a) Featuring designer-makers from ENCHANTED CHRISTMAS KINGDOM A magical festive experience for the THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB (tbc) across the West Midlands, plus local fine food producers and retailers, Sat whole family including puppet show, THE WIZARD OF OZ Follow the yellow ASSASSINATION NATION (tbc) 24 - Sun 25 Nov, Enginuity Museum, magician, gingerbread decorating brick road to the Emerald City this NATIVITY ROCKS! (tbc) Ironbridge, Shropshire with Mrs Claus & Reindeer Quest, Sat Christmas, Sat 24 Nov - Sun 13 Jan, 24 Nov - Mon 24 Dec, Hatton Adven- The REP, Birmingham NOBODY'S FOOL (tbc) CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS Festive day ture World, Warwick whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List Birmingham 26-30 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:08 Page 1

64 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Birmingham 26-30 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:08 Page 2

thelist Monday 26 - Friday 30 November Gigs Classical Comedy CLEAN CUT KID Mon 26 JOE LYCETT Tues 27 Nov, Symphony Nov, Hare & Hounds, Music Hall, Birmingham Birmingham LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT: THOMAS CHRISTINE AND THE TROTTER Programme includes works QUEENS Mon 26 Nov, by Elgar, J. Dowland, N. de Grigny, O2 Academy, B’ham L. Anderson, Sibelius (arr. W. H. Hu- JAMIE ISAAC Mon 26 miston) & R. Laurin, Mon 26 Nov, Nov, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham LUNCHTIME MUSIC Featuring Ella de RALEIGH RITCHIE Mon Villiers (flute), Joanna Sealey (piano) 26 Nov, O2 Institute, & Dobromir Tsenov (piano). Pro- Birmingham gramme includes works by Prokofiev, Beethoven & Alexander TEN FÉ Tues 27 Nov, Vladigeroff, Mon 26 Nov, Recital Hall, Hare & Hounds, Birm- Royal Birmingham Conservatoire ingham QUATOUR AROD Featuring Jordan Vic- GLENN TILBROOK Tues MIKE WILMOT & JIMMY MCGHIE PLUS toria & Alexandre Vu (violins), Tan- 27 Nov, Artrix, Broms- COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBIN- guy Parisot (viola) & Samy Rachid grove Jamie Isaac - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham SON Thurs 29 Nov, The Glee Club, (cello). Programme includes works Birmingham CHILDREN OF ZEUS by Haydn, Webern, Benjamin Attahir Wed 28 Nov, Arena Hounds, Birmingham CHRISTIAN REILY & KEITH CARTER Tues 27 Nov, Hare & & Schumann, Mon 26 Nov, Birming- Birmingham Thurs 29 Nov, Station Hotel, Dudley Hounds, Birmingham KINDRED THE FAMILY ham Town Hall DAN PATALANSKY Wed SOUL & CONYA DOSS FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Thurs 29 Nov, YOUTH CLUB Tues 27 CBSO: BUCHBINDER PLAYS BRAHMS 28 Nov, Artrix, Broms- Thurs 29 Nov, Hare & The Patrick Kavanagh, Moseley, Nov, The Sunflower Featuring Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla (con- grove Hounds, Birmingham Birmingham Lounge, Birmingham ductor) & Rudolf Buchbinderė MILES KANE Tues 27 SHAME Wed 28 Nov, AS IT IS Thurs 29 Nov, (piano). Programme includes works JOSH JONES, CRAIG MURRAY, SARAH Nov, O2 Institute, O2 Institute, B’ham O2 Institute, B’ham by Brahms & Tchaikovsky, Tues 27 CALLAGHAN & MIKE WILMOT Fri 30 Birmingham KIOKO Wed 28 Nov, O2 YEARS & YEARS Fri 30 Nov, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Nov, The Glee Club, Birmingham Tues 27 Institute, Birmingham Nov, Arena B’ham BLAKE Wed 28 Nov, The Core The- CHARLIE BAKER, ROGER MONKHOUSE & Nov, Mama Roux’s, SHALAMAR Wed 28 RÜFÜS DU SOL + atre, Solihull EMANUEL SONUBI Fri 30 Nov, The Birmingham Nov, The Jam House, ICARUS + ZOLA BLOOD Comedy Loft, Birmingham HUDSON TAYLOR Tues Birmingham Fri 30 Nov, The Mill 27 Nov, O2 Institute, RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS Digbeth, Birmingham Birmingham Thurs 29 Nov, Birming- KATIE MELUA & GORI MS. LAURYN HILL Tues ham Town Hall WOMEN’S CHOIR Fri 30 Theatre 27 Nov, Arena B’ham THEA GILMORE: ACOUS- Nov, Symphony Hall, Birmingham PAUL WALKER & KAREN TIC CHRISTMAS PARTY WEST SIDE STORY A West Bromwich PFEIFFER Wed 28 Nov, Thurs 29 Nov, MAC, GOULD PIANO TRIO Fri Operatic Society production, pre- The Red Lion Folk Birmingham 30 Nov, Artrix, Broms- sented to celebrate their 80th an- niversary and Leonard Bernstein's Club, Birmingham THE BURNING HELL, grove centenary, Tues 27 Nov - Sat 1 Dec, GROTBAGS & NINE DART TESSERACT Fri 30 Nov, CASTALIAN QUARTET Featuring Sini Si- ARKELLS Wed 28 Nov, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Hare & Hounds, Birm- FINISH Thurs 29 Nov, O2 Institute, B’ham monen & Daniel Roberts (violin), A CHRISTMAS CAROL ingham The Sunflower SCRUFFYFEST 2018! Fri Charlotte Bonneton (viola) & Christo- Patrick Barlow’s Lounge, Birmingham pher Graves (cello), Wed 28 Nov, adaptation of Dickens’ festive ghost PETE TONG & THE HER- 30 Nov, Scruffy Mur- The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birming- story, Tues 27 Nov - Sat 1 Dec, The ITAGE ORCHESTRA PER- KIRAN LEONARD Thurs phys, Birmingham ham Conservatoire Crescent Theatre, Birmingham FORM IBIZA CLASSICS 29 Nov, Hare & ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE THE MOUNTAINTOP Award-winning WIND & BRASS ENSEMBLES Pro- play taking an intimate look at the gramme includes works by Stravin- quieter moments in Dr Martin Luther sky, Ruth Gipps, Anna Meredith & King's life, Tues 27 Nov - Sat 1 Dec, Michael Daugherty, Thurs 29 Nov, The REP, Birmingham The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birming- THE HABIT OF ART Matthew Kelly and ham Conservatoire David Yelland star in a new staging ROYAL BIRMINGHAM CONSERVATOIRE of Alan Bennett’s play about a meet- SYMPHONIC BRASS & BRASS BAND ing between poet WH Auden and Featuring Amos Miller & Ian Port- composer Benjamin Britten, Tues 27 house (conductors). Programme in- Nov - Sat 1 Dec, Malvern Theatres cludes works by Rautavaara, DICK WHITTINGTON Garrick panto Janacek & Tchaikovsky, Fri 30 Nov, favourites Sam Rabone and Ben The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birming- Thornton are joined by CBeebies ham Conservatoire star Katrina Bryan, Thurs 29 Nov - GOULD PIANO TRIO Featuring Ben- Sat 5 Jan, Lichfield Garrick jamin Frith (piano), Robert Plane LET'S TWIST AGAIN Touring show fus- (clarinet), Lucy Gould (violin) & ing music, fun and laughter with the Richard Lester (cello). Programme greatest hits of Elvis, Dusty, Lulu, includes works by Ravel, Huw The Beatles, Sandie Shaw, The Watkins & Rimsky-Korsakov, Fri 30 Drifters, Frankie Valli & Cilla, Fri 30 Katie Melua - Symphony Hall, Birmingham Nov, Artrix, Bromsgrove Nov, The Core Theatre, Solihull whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List Birmingham 26-30 November.qxp_Layout 1 22/10/2018 15:08 Page 3

thelist Monday 26 - Friday 30 November Kids Shows Dance Film Events AWFUL AUNTIE David Walliams’ tale of THE NUTCRACKER BRB presents its an- INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: MEET SANTA Visit the North Pole of the frights, fights and friendship, Tues 27 nual staging of Sir Peter Wright’s UTOYA: JULY 22 (15) Drama/Thriller. city in the Antarctic Ice Cave, meet Nov - Sat 1 Dec, The Alexandra The- world famous festive production, until Starring Andrea Berntzen, Aleksander the man himself and check out the atre, Birmingham Thurs 13 Dec, Birmingham Hippo- Holmen. Foreign language, subtitled. cheeky Gentoo penguins in the Ice drome MAC, Birmingham, Mon 26 & Wed 28 Adventure area, until Sun 23 Dec, Na- HANSEL & GRETEL Uchenna Dance Nov tional Sea Life Centre, Birmingham present a contemporary retelling of CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE Festive fun Talks the classic fairytale, combining New at the castle, Mon 26 Nov - Mon 31 BENEDICT ALLEN The adventurer/ex- York club styles of house, waacking Dec, Warwick Castle plorer tells of his recent adventure - a and vogue with African and contem- AN EXPERIENCE WITH ROBERT DI NIRO A solo expedition to Papua New porary dance, Fri 30 Nov - Sat 1 Dec, black tie gala dinner offering a ‘once- Guinea, Tues 27 Nov, Birmingham The Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hip- in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to get up Town Hall podrome close with the Hollywood star, Tues 27 Nov, International Convention MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL (12a) Centre, Birmingham Comedy/Fantasy. Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese. MAC, Birm- BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW WINTER Sam- ingham, Tues 27 Nov ples to try and products to buy as the BBC Good Food Show makes a wel- WIDOWS (15) Drama/Thriller. Starring come return, Thurs 29 Nov - Sun 2 Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez. Dec, NEC, Birmingham MAC, Birmingham, Fri 30 Nov

NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Released from Fri 30 Nov, showing at selected cinemas CREED 2 (tbc) Benedict Allen - Birmingham Town Hall DISOBEDIENCE (15)

66 whatsonlive.co.uk Belgrade Theatre (FP- Nov 18).qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 10:03 Page 1 Mac F/P NOV 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 09:58 Page 1