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Birmingham Cover November 2018.qxp_Birmingham Cover 22/10/2018 12:07 Page 1 JORGIE PORTER TALKS FAME - Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands INTERVIEW INSIDE... BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON NOVEMBER 2018 NOVEMBER ON WHAT’S BIRMINGHAM Birmingham ISSUE 395 NOVEMBER 2018 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD Onbirminghamwhatson.co.uk PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP GROUP MEDIA ON WHAT’S OF PART TWITTER: @WHATSONBRUM TWITTER: @WHATSONBRUM FACEBOOK: @WHATSONBIRMINGHAM FACEBOOK: 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 Old Rep 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 Arena Birmingham 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 Birmingham Town Hall 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 Birmingham City Council 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.