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Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands ISSUE 366 JUNE 2016

Birmingham ’ MAMMA MIA COMES TO THE MIDLANDS WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On birminghamwhatson.co.uk

inside:

Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide

On The Edge The World Festival of Theatre for Young Audiences comes to Birmingham The Overtones (FP- May 16).qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2016 17:35 Page 1 Contents June Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 15:11 Page 1

June 2016

Contents

Mamma Mia! - smash hit musical arrives in the Midlands page 32

On The Edge Cyndi Lauper Marcus Brigstocke the list

The World Festival Of Theatre ‘80s icon takes a Detour to comedian does his bit for Your 16-page For Young People in Brum Symphony Hall charity at The Glee Club week-by-week listings guide page 8 page 14 page 25 page 51

inside:

4. First Word 11. Food 14. Music 24. Comedy 32. Theatre 38. Film 42. Visual Arts 45. Events

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Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 Whats On Matt Rothwell [email protected] 01743 281719 MAGAZINE GROUP Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Ryan Humphreys [email protected] 01743 281722 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Heather Kincaid, Adam Jaremko, Kathryn Ewing, David Vincent 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 June Birmingham Only.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:48 Page 1

First Word

Digbeth’s outdoor art gallery returns

A festival which transforms the Digbeth area of Birmingham into a colourful outdoor art gallery is making a welcome return this month. City Of Colours first took place in 2014, attracting more than 8,500 people. The 2016 version of the event is adding music stages, b boys, spoken word performances, and dance, music and photography workshops into its mix. Commenting on the event, City Of Colours’ managing director, Becci Wright, said: “The festival provides an incredible opportunity for the city’s artists and performers to showcase their work, while giving younger people a chance to participate and learn new skills. “City Of Colours is about bringing different cultures from across the city together, in one big weekend celebration of urban culture and the arts. The event is also important for Digbeth, as it supports regeneration, with increased foot- fall to the area and lots of beautiful artwork on display to the public all year round.” City Of Colours takes place in Birmingham’s Digbeth area on Saturday 18 June.

Moseley Folk on the BBC BBC WM will provide coverage of Birmingham’s Moseley Folk Festival this summer. The popular local radio station is champi- oning the event under the umbrella of BBC Music, as part of what’s being termed ‘a one- stop shop for the festival experience’. BBC Music will also be covering a further 41 UK festivals. “Local Radio has a history of covering and championing local events that are important to communities across the country,” says David Holdsworth, Controller of BBC English Regions. “Partnering with BBC Music on this project is incredibly exciting and means that BCMG duo swap musical paths for rugged terrain audiences all over the country can enjoy the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s amazed at the inventiveness of composers, best bits of a diverse range of festivals.” 2015/16 season is brought to a close this and we’ve been privileged to have been able The Moseley Folk Festival takes place from 2 month with a concert featuring four new to walk previously untrodden musical paths to 4 September. chamber works. The pieces, all of which are with them.” receiving their world premiere, have been Jackie and Stephen are treading some written by composers with strong BCMG rugged non-musical terrain this month (19 & connections - John Woolrich, Zoë Martlew, 20 June) when they undertake the UK’s most Luke Bedford and Richard Baker. extreme mountain challenge, the Welsh The Sunday 12 June concert, taking place at 3000ers - a non-stop, 24-hour climb of all 15 Birmingham’s CBSO Centre, will be the last Snowdonian mountains over 3000 feet. to be commissioned and produced by They aim to raise over £6,000 for BCMG’s BCMG’s longstanding Artistic Director and Momentum Fund, supporting landmark new Executive Producer, Stephen and Jackie musical works and special learning and par- Newbould. ticipation projects. “Our time at BCMG has been one long Donations to Stephen and Jackie’s mountain adventure,” say Stephen and Jackie, whose challenge can be made at: association with the organisation stretches mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/stephennew- back 30 years. “We never cease to be bould1

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Entertainment news from around the region

Who is Capability Three world premieres to Brown? be staged at The REP A new film is set to help people A play contemplating the human impact of Enoch learn about legendary 18th century Powell’s famous Rivers of Blood speech, given in English landscape architect Birmingham in 1968, is one of three world pre- Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. The five-minute animation has mieres to feature in Birmingham Repertory been commissioned by the Theatre’s forthcoming autumn/winter season of Capability Brown Festival to cele- shows. brate this year’s 300th anniversary Entitled What Shadows, the play is joined by two of the Royal Gardener’s birth. other productions being presented for the first Commenting on the film, which has time: Looking For John - the story of Olympic Gold been made by production compa- ny Cosmic Carrot, Capability ice-skater John Curry - and Cold Calling: The Arctic Brown Festival Director Ceryl Project, a collaboration between The REP and the Evans said: “This new animation is City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra which a fantastic way to introduce new reflects on the subjects of loss and loneliness. audiences to the life and work of Also featuring in a dynamic programme of shows Lancelot Capability Brown, show- are stage adaptations of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, ing why he’s still so important today. We hope this film will specif- 946: The Amazing Story Of Adolphus Tips, and for ically appeal to younger audiences Christmas, Robert Louis Stephenson’s Treasure who might not be too familiar with Island. A collaboration with Leicester Curve sees 18th century landscape architec- Oscar Wilde’s The Importance Of Being Earnest ture. And you never know - we receiving a contemporary spin, and there’s also an might just inspire the next adaptation of classic 1973 horror movie The Capability Brown!” The film is available to view on Exorcist (pictured). YouTube. For further details of the For more information about The REP’s Capability Brown Festival 2016, autumn/winter season, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk visit capabilitybrown.org

New networking event for creatives A first ever National Writers’ Be inspired Enjoy Greenspace at Cannon Hill Park Conference will take place in in Brum The facilities at Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park have been given Birmingham next month. an upgrade. Writing West Midlands’ intensive day of talks, discussions and pre- From 12 June, the popular park, which is situated in the sentations is designed to help cre- Edgbaston area of the city, will boast an environmentally friendly, ative writers in a range of genres. carbon-neutral land train. The train will transport visitors around Commenting on the event, the park, stopping at key facilities including mac (Midlands Arts Jonathan Davidson, Chief Centre), the Nature Centre, the mini golf course, the cafe and the Executive of Writing West relocated fun park. Midlands, said: “One of the many events, activities and projects run Other new attractions will include swings, inflatable slides, mini by Writing West Midlands, the dodgem cars and jumping jacks trampolines. National Writers’ Conference is an There will also be 10 new swan boats available to visitors, allow- invaluable opportunity for writers to The wealth of creative tal- ing them to enjoy ‘safe and comfortable carriage’ across the park’s make new contacts, share ideas, ent being nurtured and boating lake. and celebrate the world of writing. The upgrade is the result of a collaboration between Birmingham The event brings them into contact developed at Birmingham City Council and Greenspace Leisure, a family-owned company with industry professionals, includ- City University is being ing agents, editors and publishers, celebrated this month, dedicated to the provision of facilities that bring families together. and also provides a rare opportuni- courtesy of the Inspired Commenting on the improvements, Director of Greenspace Leisure ty for peer networking and sup- Festival. Jay Wheatley said: port.” Inspired shines a spot- “The boating lake will The conference takes place in now be a focus of Bramall Music Building at the light on the work of attention for people, University of Birmingham on artists, actors, designers, Saturday 16 July. engineers, writers and not only because of For further information, visit, writ- musicians who are gradu- the boats but also as a ingwestmidlands.org/event/the- ating from the university visual attraction national-writers-conference and launching their across the park. The 10 careers. new swan boats are The festival takes place popular with families from 11 to 26 June. For and pedal operated more information, visit, with a simple steering bcu.ac.uk/inspired mechanism.”

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First Word

Broad Street venue promises to bring David Bintley a new dimension to Brum clubbing receives Birmingham’s biggest nightclub is opening its doors this month. Lifetime The 2,500-capacity PRYZM will feature a main arena showcasing Achievement the latest light and sound technology and frequently hosting guest DJs and celebrities. The club will also have a more intimate room in Award which DJs will play the latest R&B chart tracks, and a disco room BRB’s Artistic Director has featuring a flashing dancefloor. received the very first What’s “Birmingham is a fantastic city with a vibrant scene,” says Peter On Lifetime Achievement Cro, who’s fronting PRYZM. “Our club will bring a new dimension, Award. giving people in the city and beyond a world class club experience. The award recognises David We have great plans for the launch weekend, which we’re keeping Bintley’s outstanding contri- under wraps at present, but it promises to be a real crowd pleaser.” bution to the arts, with BRB PRYZM opens on Birmingham’s Broad Street on 17 June. continuing to be one of the UK’s leading ballet compa- nies. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the most presti- Arcadian sways CBSO announces gious of What’s On to the sounds of new season Magazine Group’s inaugural Readers’ Awards, which saw Latin America An exploration of different per- thousands of votes cast spectives of Englishness is one of Birmingham’s Arcadian across numerous regional the highlights of the City of Centre is promising visitors categories. Birmingham Symphony a sizzling hot welcome next Receiving his award, David month when the Latin Orchestra’s (CBSO) 2016/17 season. said: “I’m absolutely delight- American Festival makes a The Spirit Of England, taking ed to receive the inaugural welcome return. place throughout the season, will Lifetime Achievement Award The free one-day event on 3 see the CBSO and guest artists Mirga Gražinyt -Tyla for the What’s On Readers’ July promises a real feast for explore different forms of English ė Awards 2016. It’s a huge the senses, courtesy of an identity, performing music which is reflective of the English psyche. honour, particularly as the imaginative programme of The season also includes British pianist Steven Osborne performing a award was nominated and music and dance. number of concerts as artist-in-residence. voted for by the public. This Cuisine, crafts and culture Commenting on the season, the orchestra’s new Music Director, Mirga award signals the important from numerous Latin Gražinyt -Tyla, said: “I couldn’t dream of a more perfect musical part- contribution that American nations also fea- ner thanė the CBSO. I’ve already met and worked with the players: Birmingham Royal Ballet they’re inspired and inspiring, proud of their city and excellent musi- tures. makes to the arts scene in cians, and I’m really look Commenting on the festival, ing forward to sharing our first season with the Midlands. I’m very gham audiences.” founder and organiser Birmin pleased to have my work, Annie Bazan-De-Fisher Full season details can be found at www.cbso.co.uk and that of Birmingham said: “Our event embraces Royal Ballet, recognised in all cultures of the world and this way and am thrilled to is a unique opportunity not BBC proposes to build on £125million accept the award, not just only to learn about the Birmingham investment for myself but also for my Latin American culture but colleagues at BRB”. also to share a great day in The BBC is proposing to build on its existing £125million investment a friendly and happy atmos- in Birmingham by creating a new dual base for BBC Three in the city. phere. Everyone is most Under the proposals, the commissioning, publishing and some of the welcome to join in the festi- production of BBC Three’s short form content - and the social media val, which promises to be team that supports it - would move to Birmingham in a phased transi- an unforgettable event, with tion by 2018. lovely music for the public Birmingham will also be the home of a new youth team within BBC to dance to. It’s a wonderful News who will be the main suppliers of the key news content for BBC event for all the family.” Three’s Daily Drop. Commenting on the proposals, BBC Director General Tony Hall said: “I’ve seen in Birmingham how much of a difference our extra invest- ment in the past couple of years has made - but I’ve also said there was more to do. Now we're putting Birmingham at the heart of our innovation with BBC Three and making it home to a new youth team for BBC News. The city's incredible diversity also means it’s the per- fect place to lead our work to ensure we reflect the changing face of Britain. This package is good news for Birmingham and good news for the BBC.”

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whatsonlive.co.uk 6 On The Edge DPS.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 13:59 Page 1

INTERVIEW

On The Edge

Coming to the UK for the first time ever this year, Josephine Bean, to Pim & Theo, a politically-con- On The Edge is the 2016 World Festival of Theatre scious show for teens which sees four European for Young Audiences, an annual gathering of the companies unite to create an immersive piece international theatre-makers who together form about culture, identity, extremism and the limits the ASSITEJ network. Co-organised by TYA-UK of tolerance in our society. and TYA-Ireland, the week-long festival is both a “Boing is a piece of physical theatre for very chance for industry insiders to test and share young children from a company in Bristol called ideas, and an exciting opportunity for members Travelling Light. I've seen it before and it's fantas- of the public to experience some of the finest the- tic - it's about two brothers on Christmas Eve and atre for children and teenagers from across the their inability to sleep because they're so excited. globe. I think The Hamilton Complex is going to be re- Executive Producer Steve Ball spoke to us about ally interesting and challenging: that features 13 the festival's history and the exciting shows on teenage girls and a bodybuilder, and it's explor- this year's programme. ing self-image and body identity.” “I was chair of TYA-UK for many years, and back Dealing with hard-hitting themes is perhaps not in 2008, I went out to the World Festival in Ade- necessarily what people might expect from the- laide to lead a bid to bring it to London in 2011,” atre for younger viewers, but it's something that Steve recalls. “Rather embarrassingly, we only se- On The Edge is proud to represent. cured 13% of the vote. But then two years ago “I think there's very much a notion that theatre when we went to Warsaw, we pitched to bring the for young people will be purely about light- festival to Birmingham and got 81% of the vote, hearted entertainment, maybe stereotypically so there's massive enthusiasm around the world characterised by bringing fairytales to life, but for coming to Birmingham and engaging with the the best theatre, whether it's for children or arts here.” adults, explores ideas and challenges attitudes. Spanning nine different venues, located mainly Lots of the festival will be fun and entertaining, in the city centre, the festival will showcase 16 but it also tackles important issues that are rele- different shows, each carefully chosen out of vant to the lives of children and young people hundreds of applications. today.” “What we wanted first and foremost was high- One issue that's vital to many kids worldwide is quality, innovative work across a variety of differ- the experience of living with disabilities, and ent theatre genres - so we've got spoken word, with 2016 designated ‘Inclusivity Year’ by AS- conventional plays, dance theatre and multisen- SITEJ, improving access for those with mobility, sory work. We also wanted to make sure we repre- sensory or learning difficulties has been a central sented every continent as well as the four nations concern. of the UK and Ireland.” “We want to set the best possible standard for An easy task, then! But the hard-working team of ways in which theatre can be inclusive, not just in festival directors have risen to this monumental terms of things like wheelchair access to the challenge, putting together a packed and fantasti- buildings and having signing and captioning - cally diverse festival programme, with shows which are of course important - but also in pro- ranging from Shona Reppe's award-winning in- ducing work that's accessible. One of the pieces vestigative adventure, The Curious Scrapbook Of at the festival called Bliss has been designed for

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by Heather Kincaid

children with moderate and profound learning Members of the public will be able to choose from difficulties by a company called Replay Theatre, a selection of small characters to place around and they'll be performing the show at Mayfield the railway, which they can then create their own Special School.” stories and plays around. Over the course of the It's not only Replay who'll be working directly week, people will continue to add to it, and per- with local schools: a learning programme has formers will enact some of the plays that people been developed alongside the festival to ensure have created.” that children in Birmingham and the wider West On top of all this, there'll be over 40 events for Midlands get the most out of it throughout the delegates, including workshops and networking week. opportunities, as well as special evening gather- “We wanted to make sure that this isn't just for ings themed around each nation of the UK and the delegates - it's for children as well. We've Ireland. But just what is it about Birmingham that worked with 12 different schools across the region makes leading creatives from around the world so and we've twinned them with the international keen to come here? companies. We've had people from Shenley Acad- “Many of our international delegates are excited emy and Small Heath School going out to Dublin about the proximity to Stratford-upon-Avon, so to do some work with an Irish company, and we some of them will be going on an excursion to do sent a dozen teachers to Paris for a workshop. workshops at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Many of the companies will be visiting schools for to see a production of A Midsummer Night's workshops and residencies as well as performing Dream. Also, last year's festival was in Berlin, and here.” you could spend an hour travelling on the sub- Outside of these school group projects, a handful way from one end of the city to the other. Al- of lucky youngsters from across the UK and Ire- though Birmingham is a fairly large city, it's still land will also have the chance to get hands-on quite compact, so virtually everything is within a and learn new skills as part of a young critics' 15-minute walk. It's got a great geographic loca- programme. tion, being right in the middle of the UK with good transport links. It's got good quality and “Twelve young people will be doing a four-day very affordable hotels and restaurants. It's also placement with us, where they'll learn how to be culturally diverse, which is a real attraction to a theatre critic. During the festival, they'll be pro- people who are travelling from around the world, ducing a daily newsletter with their reviews in it, and I think it's the youngest city in Europe demo- and at the end they'll present a Young Critics' graphically. All of that adds up to making it a Award to one of the shows.” great venue.” Certain shows like Bliss and Katie's Birthday Party have limited availability. On the other hand, one production that's completely free and open for everyone to take part in is Terrapin Puppet On The Edge takes place from Saturday 2 until Theatre's I Think I Can, taking place in the Li- Saturday 9 July, at venues including Birming- brary of Birmingham amphitheatre. ham REP, mac Birmingham, Blue Orange The- atre, The Old Rep, The Patrick Centre at “It's by a company from Australia who are work- Birmingham Hippodrome, ACE Dance and ing with local actors and a model railway enthu- Music, Birmingham City University, Mayfield siasts' club to create the world of a model railway. School and the Library of Birmingham.

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Food

New urban cocktail bar has much to offer...

A new bar specialising in urban cocktails is open- favourite aspects of other bars and coffee houses, ing in Birmingham. and there you have it. The owners of Peaky’s, who say their ‘unpreten- “We started off with a little mobile horse trailer bar tious and affordable’ new venue is only vaguely at different festivals and a weekly residency at influenced by popular BBC TV series Peaky Digbeth Dining Club. What we created in this small Blinders, were originally intending to locate the timeframe made us think that we needed to repli- business near Digbeth’s Custard Factory but will cate what we’d achieved in a bigger space, some- instead open on John Bright Street in the city cen- where we could call our own.” tre. Peaky’s will feature live art every weekend and will “Peaky’s is a relatively simple concept,” says man- also host pop-up independent record stores and ager Benjy Hill. “Combine good people and good vintage clothing outlets. vibes in an alternative venue that’s been curated from months of travelling the UK to combine our

REVIEW: Rofuto, Broad Street dish was absolutely delicious. martini with two milk chocolate The mango soft shell crab maki and marshmallow pieces on the High-quality Japanese world dishes... was a perfect and inventive com- side. At first, I thought it was a bination of flavours. The sashimi mistake, but the waitress was beautifully fresh and served informed me that the idea was to on ice, while the 14-piece mixed take a bit of the chocolate and a platter provided by far the nicest sip of the martini at the same selection of sushi I’ve ever tasted time. The mixture of the two ele- - and I’ve tasted a lot. ments created a delicious white Next up, we tried the soft shell chocolate taste - another unusu- crab tempura (£12.50) and, from al and inventive concept which the robata grill section, the baby worked fantastically. A perfect back ribs three ways (£11). Like end to a perfect evening. the sushi, the crab tempura was Rofuto is something truly spe- the nicest I’ve ever tasted. The cial. The service is outstanding, batter was soft and light and in the staff being both knowledge- no way compromised the taste of able and welcoming. The food is the crab. The meat on the ribs faultless and the building was tender and fell off the bone. impressive. There wasn’t a sin- For our mains - and again on our gle thing on the menu that I Located on the top floor of Park our menus. The friendly greet- waitress’s recommendation - we wouldn’t be happy to order. Not Regis, Birmingham’s newest ing, allied to the modern and chose the saffron miso black cod surprisingly I can’t wait to four-star hotel, Des McDonald’s stylish décor, helped create a with razor clams and pancetta return, to sample more of the Rofuto is an Izakaya-style perfect atmosphere. (£24) and the black angus fillet exquisite cuisine that this restaurant serving a range of With a Bloody Mary in one hand with gobo crisps, garlic ponzu sparkling new gem of a restau- high-quality Japanese world and some spicy edamame beans and truffle (£22). Both dishes rant has to offer. dishes. in the other, we excitedly were absolutely divine. Both the Lauren Foster This latest addition to perused the menu. The food cod and the beef melted in the Birmingham’s ever-expanding menu was split up into a variety mouth, and were beautifully Food: n n n n n list of eateries boasts extensive of sections - sushi, starters, tem- complemented by the accompa- Service: n n n n n food and drinks menus - not to pura, robata grill, mains, sides niments. Ambience: n n n n n mention a 360-degree view of and desserts. We decided to opt Sticking to our word, we man- Overall value n n n n n the city from a height of 141 feet. for something from every sec- aged to squeeze in dessert, OVERALL n n n n n Both myself and my partner are tion, in order to obtain an accu- despite being suitably full. We huge fans of Japanese cuisine, rate insight into the quality of decided to opt for the green tea so to say we were excited to visit cuisine provided by this intrigu- tiramisu, a really unique idea Rofuto Park Regis Hotel Rofuto was an understatement. ing new eatery. which worked perfectly. The 160 Broad Street To start, we opted for the mixed Upon arrival, we were greeted dish was inventive, velvety and Birmingham with broad, welcoming smiles sushi platter (£25), the scallop creamy without feeling too B15 1DT from all the staff we passed on sashimi (£12) and, on our wait- heavy. Tel: 0121 369 5555 our way to our table. Once there, ress’s recommendation, the To finish off the evening, I we were introduced to our wait- mango soft shell crab maki (£8) ordered the white chocolate ress for the evening and given and the eel hosomaki (£8). Every martini. It arrived as a glass of

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Food

Spamtastic or what? Since it was originally launched back in the 1930s, more than seven billion (yep, that’s right, seven billion!) cans of Spam have been sold. The product is available in over 40 countries across six continents. It was also the subject of a particularly famous Monty Python sketch, and even played its part in winning the Second World War. Not only was it an impor- tant element of many a meat- deprived soldier’s diet, it also con- tributed to the war effort in other ways, providing grease for guns and cans for scrap metal. So hats off to Spam, this year cele- brating the 75th anniversary of its arrival in Britain. And you can join in the party at this month’s Birmingham Foodies Festival, where the Spam Can Tour is stopping off to champion the product’s ‘great taste and versatility’. Rob Kennedy, the executive chef at Sandhurst Military Academy and a Foodies delight in Cannon Hill Park man who regularly feeds the royal family, is one of three chefs (along Award-winning celebrity chef and restauran- cider tent and, for with Clover Hutson and Richard Fox) teur Aldo Zilli (pictured) is set to be a star those with an who’ll be demonstrating Spam’s attraction at the Birmingham Foodies Festival. adventurous nature aforementioned versatility, present- Aldo, who specialises in Italian, vegetarian and and cast-iron stom- ing recipes for such dishes as (wait seafood cuisine, will take his place at the ach, a jungle bug for it...) Spambled eggs and Spam Cannon Hill Park event this month, heading a eating challenge. fajitas. What’s more, all festival visi- line-up of celebrity chefs that also features Foodies Festival tors can sample the increasingly pop- Great British Bake Off 2015 winner Nadiya takes place at ular Spam fries free of charge. Hussain. Cannon Hill Park, Spamtastic or what?... Other attractions at the three-day festival Birmingham from Friday 3 to Sun 5 June. For Further information on the SPAM® include an artisan producers market, craft beer further information, visit Can Tour can be found at www.spam- masterclasses, a kids cookery theatre, a vintage foodfestival.com/birmingham-food-festival uk.com and on Facebook/Twitter using hashtag #SPAMCanTour.

Viva Brazil opens Ben Tesh launches Cadbury Monster Truck in Brum new summer pop-ups takes to the road The recent opening of a Birmingham Pop in to Ben Tesh’s pop-up restaurant this Combine a taxi, a monster truck and a new restaurant means there’s no need for summer and you’ll find yourself sampling the range of chocolate bars and what do you get? Midlanders to wait until the August menu of a man who’s trained at some of the The Cadbury monster truck taxi, that’s what! Olympics before sampling a taste of UK’s best Michelin-starred restaurants. After At 9ft in height and weighing 1.5 tonnes, the Rio de Janeiro. learning the tricks of the trade from a talented purple-coloured vehicle has headed out on the The new kid on the city’s culinary team of top chefs, Ben brought his culinary road to promote the Bournville-based compa- block is Viva Brazil, a £1.2million skills to Birmingham’s Turner’s restaurant and ny’s latest selection of chocolate confectionary restaurant that promises to be a is now hosting a summer of restaurant pop- - Cadbury Dairy Milk Big Taste Toffee Whole meat-eater’s paradise. Located in the ups. Nut, Big Taste Oreo Crunch and Triple Choc Colmore Business District, the city’s “Pop-ups give me the ability to be more cre- Sensation. traditional banking area, Viva Brazil ative, flexible and experimental with my food,” The truck’s promotional tour takes it to is a rodizio restaurant, meaning that says Ben. “I love how they break down that London, Liverpool experienced meat carvers pass from barrier that separates the chef and customer in and Manchester. It table to table slicing different cuts of most restaurants, allowing me to be really returns to meat. interactive with my customers, which is some- Birmingham for a Sounds like the perfect place to dine thing I love.” visit to the Bullring out if you happen to be a mad-for-it For more information, call Ben on 07936 on 2 June. meat-eater with an Olympian 031365 or email [email protected]. appetite.

whatsonlive.co.uk 13 Music - June - Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 13:57 Page 1

Gigs

Adam Green Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, Wed 1 June Hailed as one of music’s most unique and prolific songwriting talents, New York native Adam Green has released seven solo albums in eight years. At just 17 he enjoyed main- stream success when his then band, The Moldy Peaches (made up of himself and Kimya Dawson), released the Grammy-win- ning soundtrack to 2007 Academy Award- winning movie Juno. Also renowned for his filmmaking, his latest tour is in celebration of Adam Green's Aladdin - a hyper-sensory, poetic and humor- ously subversive take on the classic Arabian Nights tale - in which Green takes the lead role alongside Macaulay Culkin, who plays Ralph the Rebel Leader. “With Aladdin, I wanted to create a single and unified experience to showcase my music, art and writing,” says Green. “When creating it, I approached the script like it was a song. It’s been the creative project of a life- time, and I'm so excited to be putting it out.”

Cyndi Lauper Tcha Limberger and the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 22 June Kalotaszeg Trio mac, Birmingham, Thurs 30 June One of the most renowned Gypsy violin players of his generation, Tcha Limberger is recognised as the most important figure in the folk music of the Carpathian Basin. He opened WOMEX this year, has won Radio France’s France Musique award and was the recent recipient of a Songlines Music Award for his work with the Budapest Gypsy Orchestra. Ahead of his upcoming tour, Tcha states: “This music is little known and I will play it as it is meant to be played. It fol- Cyndi Lauper burst onto the music scene lows the lives of many, from baptism to back in the early ’80s with the release of her the grave. It celebrates their communal first solo album, She’s So Unusual, which existence and brings people together in featured hit singles Girls Just Wanna Have the community of Kalotaszeg.” Fun, Time After Time and She Bop. Since that time, global record sales in excess Laura Stevenson of 50 million have more than cemented her The Rainbow Venues, Birmingham, place in the music industry’s history books. Thurs 2 June Five years after her last UK appearances and Last year saw the release of American singer- following the phenomenal success of the songwriter Laura Stevenson’s fourth album, award-winning Broadway musical Kinky Cocksure. Boots, for which she wrote the music and This latest offering sees Stevenson con- lyrics, she returns to these shores with a new fronting her usual tendency towards self- tour. Her shows come in support of latest stu- deprecation head-on. “It’s freeing to stop dio album Detour, which finds the Grammy, being so hard on yourself and to quiet down Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer-song- all of the outside noise,” she says. “Once writer putting her signature spin on a dozen you’re able to do that, you can actually write classic country songs. what you should be writing.”

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Gig previews from around the region

Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow Genting Arena, Birmingham, Sat 25 June

Kamasi Washington included - and also featured on Kendrick Lamar’s third studio album, To Pimp A Ritchie Blackmore here takes to the O2 Institute, Birmingham, Wed 29 June Butterfly. stage to celebrate the era-defining Kamasi Washington is an American jazz sax- Kamasi’s own band, The Next Step, is a music of Rainbow and Deep Purple ophonist, composer, production editor and modern spin on a big band. It includes two in a one-off UK tour show. band leader. He’s played alongside a diverse drummers, two upright bass players, key- With a background in classical and group of musicians - Lauryn Hill, Wayne board players, three horn players, a pianist R’n’B, Blackmore was a founding Shorter, Snoop Dogg and Flying Lotus and a vocalist. member and driving force of Deep Purple. In 1973 he formed Rainbow, who went on to sell in excess of 28 million albums. English rock group Mostly Autumn Clare Maguire The Offspring support. The Glee Club, Birmingham, Thurs 2 June O2 Academy, Birmingham, Sun 19 June American punk rock band The Offspring are no strangers to UK soil. Mercury Rev Their 1994 release, Smash, remains the Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, highest-selling independent album of all Thurs 23 June time. The four-piece have sold in excess of US alt-rock legends Mercury Rev are 40 million albums worldwide. touring their new album on the Bella Among the band's best known hits are the Union label, The Light In You, which anthems Self Esteem, Come Out And Play was released in September 2015. (Keep ’Em Separated), The Kids Aren't The pair play Warwick Arts Centre Alright and You're Gonna Go Far, Kid. just weeks after their headline slot at Lunar Festival, held at Warwickshire’s Umberslade Estate.

Barry Manilow Genting Arena, Birmingham, Sat 18 June Singer-songwriter Clare Maguire released Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning her debut album, Light After Dark, back in musician Barry Manilow is performing con- 2011. It peaked at number seven in the certs across the world one last time. Official UK Top 40 and received the BPI Referring to his band of 13 musicians and Silver Sales Award in the UK. singers, Manilow says, “We had a great time Following her sold-out, three-date residency putting the show together. We hope to take at The Glee Club last year, she returns to everyone on an emotional rollercoaster. I Birmingham in support of new album can’t wait to see everybody dancing in the Stranger Things Have Happened. aisles.”

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Classical Music

Katherine Jenkins Royal Philharmonic Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 15 June Orchestra: The Planets Katherine Jenkins long ago displaced Lesley Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 25 June Garrett as Britain’s best-loved soprano. And as As multimedia, multi-sensory events go, you’d expect from a classical crossover artist, this one is positively out of this world. she boasts an ability to connect with a whole The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s per- raft of music lovers, whether they’re classical formance of Holst’s awe-inspiring suite, music aficionados or just fans of ‘greatest hits’. The Planets, is accompanied by high-defi- This Symphony Hall concert to celebrate the nition photographs and moving images Queen’s 90th birthday provides the Welsh-born from NASA, using material sent back by singer with the perfect opportunity to display the Voyager, Mars Rover and other space her range, as she joins the London Concert missions. Orchestra to perform a programme of suitably The images and films, projected onto a 24- patriotic music. foot screen, will form part of what prom- Katherine’s got plenty of form when it comes to ises to be a spectacular finale to a concert honouring the Queen - only last month she per- inspired by the subject of outer space. formed at Windsor Castle in front of Her The programme also includes Strauss II’s Majesty, draping herself in a Union Flag and all Blue Danube Waltz (as featured in 2001: A but stealing the show from the likes of Kylie Space Odyssey) and John Williams’ iconic Minogue and Beverley Knight. Star Wars theme.

Ex Cathedra: Summer Music By Candlelight Birmingham Bach Choir: Requiem For Birmingham Cathedral, Tues 21 June A Shakespearean Concert A Concert Hall Jeffrey Skidmore once again takes the CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Sat 18 June; Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham, baton to conduct Birmingham’s highly Stratford ArtsHouse, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sun 26 June Sat 2 July rated early music ensemble, this time in a midsummer night’s concert that promises The Birmingham Bach Choir is joined by to transport the audience to ‘an enchant- Truly Madly Deeply actress Juliet Stevenson ed world’. (in Birmingham) and Game Of Thrones and The programme, presented by candlelight Wolf Hall actor Anton Lesser (in Stratford- as dusk falls, moves seamlessly from sea- upon-Avon) for this celebration of sonal favourites to ‘rare, rediscovered, Shakespeare’s legacy. contemporary and lighter repertoire, The concert combines varied musical works sprinkled with carefully chosen readings inspired by the playwright with passages Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony from across the ages’. from his plays and sonnets. Orchestra (pictured above) here brings “We’re performing a wonderfully varied pro- down the curtain on Adrian Boult gramme,” explains Birmingham Bach Choir’s Hall’s 30 years of service to the city BCMG: Remembering Chair, Sarah Platt. “It moves from Vaughan with a performance of Verdi’s dramat- Williams’ eerie part-songs to George The Future ic and lyrical Requiem. The concert Shearing’s jazz-inspired Music To Hear, CBSO Centre, Birmingham, Sun 12 June will be conducted by Sir Richard where a double bass player will add that Armstrong and broadcast live on BBC Birmingham Contemporary Music Group pungent pizzicato to the mix! We're thrilled, Radio Three. (BCMG) premiere four works by com- too, that Anton and Juliet will be joining us, “The Adrian Boult Hall has been at posers with strong connections to the to add another layer of drama and enjoyment the forefront of Birmingham’s cultural Group in this chamber-scale concert. to this memorable programme.” mix,” says Birmingham The works are composed by BCMG Artist- Conservatoire’s Principal Professor, in-Association John Woolrich, the Group’s Julian Lloyd Webber, “and although occasional cello player Zoë Martlew, Luke we’re saying goodbye to the venue, Bedford - a composer noted for his strik- the new Birmingham Conservatoire ingly poetic sensibility - and Richard will be the first of its kind. It will be Baker, whose output includes a string of purpose-built for the digital age and, finely crafted miniature works. along with our new auditorium, audi- The programme is completed by Weir’s ences will be able to enjoy Blue-Green Hill - an elaboration of a folk- Birmingham’s only dedicated jazz inspired miniature that was written for venue.” BCMG’s tour of India in 2002 - and a Birmingham Conservatoire’s new revival of Howard Skempton’s Field £56million home will be located in the Notes, performed to great acclaim in the Eastside region of the city and ready Group’s 2014/15 season. for use in 2017.

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Festivals

Lunar Festival Badly Drawn Boy Umberslade Estate, Tanworth-in-Arden, Fri 3 - Sun 5 June Set in the grounds of the stunning Umberslade Estate in Tanworth-in-Arden, the birthplace of Nick Drake, this fledgeling festival takes the legendary songwriter as its muse, blending dreamy escapism with experiment and discovery, all with a psychedelic sound and colour palette. Billed as ‘one of the UK's most enchanting odysseys’, the festival is reached through a tunnel-like tree-lined avenue, carrying visitors away from reality and into a wondrous world of guerilla archaeology and Kokedama gardening, of blacksmithing workshops and culture on wheels, of mask-making, herbal havens, think tanks and a ‘Digital Funfair’ - not to mention music, fan- tastic food and drinks and the chance to feast your ears on Nick Drake's very own record player. From traditional folk to electro-pop and atmospheric DJ sets, the Lunar Festival line-up is certainly eclectic, but its many acts are united by a shared spirit of eccentricity. Go along and be inspired! Line-up includes: Super Furry Animals, Mercury Rev, Television, Badly Drawn Boy, The Zombies, Os Mutantes, Matt Berry & the Maypoles, Bentley Rhythm Ace, Young Pilgrims and Martin Carthy

Acoustic Midge Ure Lichfield Blues & Jazz Download Festival Festival Of Festival Donington Park, Leicestershire, Lichfield City Centre, Fri 10 - Sun 12 June Britain Fri 24 - Sun 26 June Uttoxeter Racecourse, With top billing consistently taken by some Staffordshire, Following a successful launch last of the biggest names in rock and metal, it's Fri 3 - Sun 5 June year, this recent addition to the not hard to see why Download Festival made Lichfield Arts calendar makes a wel- Stripped back, it into our Readers' Awards finals. come return in 2016. Celebrating the unplugged and inti- Conceived as a follow-up to Donington Park's best in local jazz and blues talent as mate performances previous Monsters Of Rock Festival, well as showcasing fine musicianship are the focus of this Download makes its 14th outing this year, from further afield, the festival takes relaxed, family-friendly event. Assembling a owing its name partly to its pioneering use of place across multiple city centre ven- diverse array of acts from Dodgy to the technology to connect with audiences and ues, including Wade Street Church, Demon Barbers XL, The Acoustic Festival of build a community around the event. But Lichfield Guildhall, the 18th century Great Britain is a varied and genre-crossing while it's cutting edge on one hand, its genre George Hotel and various pubs and affair: the only stipulation for performers is of choice is also steeped in local history. cafés. Concerts can be booked individ- that they play acoustic sets. Comfortable and Emerging against a backdrop of thumping, ually, and in addition to the main conveniently located, the festival boasts five grinding machinery in the country's industri- acts, there'll also be an assortment of star-rated camping infrastructure, with al heart, early heavy metal acts have left an hands-on workshops and lively street glamping options, seated food tents and kids unmistakable legacy in the Midlands, and as bands to enjoy. play areas. long as Download continues, they'll always Line-up also includes: The Matt have a home here. 2016 line-up includes: Midge Ure, Judy Schofield Band, Tim Amann Xtet, Tzuke, The Blockheads, King King, Birmingham Jazz Orchestra, Callum 2016 line-up includes: Black Sabbath, Iron Terrorvision's Tony Wright, Dodgy, The Roxburgh Swing Orchestra, Steve Ajao Maiden, Rammstein, Korn, Megadeth, Demon Barbers XL, Blair Dunlop and T- Blues Giants, Rebecca Downes Band, Deftones, Nightwish, Alien Ant Farm, Rextasy Unplugged. Steve Waterman Quartet, Fred Killswitch Engage, Atreyu, Billy Talent, Thelonius Baker and Zappatistas. Jane's Addiction and Disturbed.

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From Mufti Games' Giant Battleships to design-your-own ‘Karma Currency’ notes, this is also a festival with a healthy sense of fun.

2016 line-up includes: Leviathan – An Wei Lu Li (Spain): Inspired by Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, this large- scale visual art installation raises vital ques- tions about individual and collective respon- sibility, calling attention to our disengage- ment with the world around us. Quintetto/Piccole Donne – TiDA (Italy): After wowing audiences with their arts and auster- ity-themed Quintetto at BE 2015, TiDA return with a new full-length show about marriage and female identity. Piccole Donne opens the festival on Tuesday, with Quintetto serving as the Saturday finale. Collective Loss of Memory – DOT504 (Czech Republic): Pulsing with energy that explodes into bouts of violence, this powerful Czech piece makes its UK premiere at BE, launch- ing the festival alongside Piccole Donne. BE Festival and music events are interspersed with feed- Recommended for viewers aged 18-plus, the back cafés, networking lunches and deli- show questions notions of masculinity, iden- Birmingham REP, Tues 21 - Sat 25 June cious dinners, wrapped up with DJ sets right tity and individuality. Uniting actors, artists, acrobats, dancers, through until the morning. Coinciding with Hamlet - ColletivO CinecticO (Italy): directors, makers, musicians, friends and the EU referendum, this year's festival is An irreverent, interactive take on one of fabulous food from across the continent, politically charged, with potent pieces such Shakespeare's most iconic plays, this off-the- Birmingham's BE Festival is a five-day cele- as An Wei Lu Li's Leviathan and Art Activism wall production invites audiences to choose bration of international culture and creative with Adam Scarborough. Visitors are encour- the actor who'll play the title role each time. collaboration, reaffirming Britain's place as aged to get engaged and tweet their thoughts A truly original way to mark the Bard's 400th part of a dynamic and constantly evolving using the hashtags #BEdemocratic and anniversary. European arts scene. All-day theatre, dance #BEfest16, but it won't all be heavy-going.

Alcester Folk Festival together well-established jazz and swing Wychwood Festival musicians with the brightest young talent, The Holly Bush, Alcester, and open jam sessions with dynamic dance Cheltenham Racecourse, Fri 3 - Sun 5 June Fri 17 - Sun 19 June classes, all guaranteed to get toes tapping. With a well-earned reputation as the coun- This small-scale, friendly folk festival takes This year's Upton Jazz Fest is set to feature try's best and friendliest family festival, the place in and around The Holly Bush, an over 60 concerts across nine central venues, award-winning Wychwood celebrates its 12th Everards pub and beautiful Grade II listed with three marquees in the Sports Club year in 2016, with a line-up of over 100 Tudor building in the heart of historic grounds alone. The Conway Castle will be in bands across four stages. This is more than Alcester in Warwickshire. A nearby field operation for jazz river trips - there'll also be just a music festival, however - what makes serves as a convenient festival campsite, a Jazz Bus, Jazz under the Bridge and a spe- Wychwood so unique is the quality and with visitors invited to stay all weekend until cial service in the local church. diversity of entertainment on offer for kids Monday. Expect intimate concerts, story- and grown-ups alike, including comedy, telling and sing-alongs and freshly-pulled 2016 line-up includes: London Swing workshops, spoken word poetry, arts & crafts pints of quality Midlands-brewed beer. Orchestra, Keith Nichols' Jazz Masters of and a fantastic children's literature festival. New Orleans, Sinead McCabe & New Orleans This year, the hugely popular CBeebies star 2016 line-up includes: John Connolly, Update, Remi Harris Trio with John Hallam, Justin Fletcher (Something Special, Scolds Bridle, Paul Downes, Steve Turner, Perdido Street Jazz Band, Dave Martin's Tikkabilla, Justin's House, The Tweenies) Bram Taylor, Mike Nicholson, Hector Jabbo Five, Donnie Joe's American Swing, will also be putting in an appearance. Gilchrist, Tony Barrett, Quartz, Tom Perry & Hot Antic Jazz Band, Malcolm Hogarth & Clive Brooks, Will Morgan, Jamie McCoan, Isabel Toner and Chico Chica. Flaky Tarts, Sound Tradition, Sally 2016 line-up includes: The Waterboys, 10cc, Stereo MCs, Peter Hook & the Light, Whytehead & her dulcimers, Dave & Julia Remi Harris Taylor, Chris King, Hils Ward, Moses and the Idlewild, Kate Rusby, The Selecter, Ms Ref, Malc Gurnham & Gill Gilsenen, and Dynamite, Matt Berry & the Maypoles and Sharp as Razors. The Correspondents. Comedy line-up includes: Bill Bailey, Justin Fletcher, Gary Delaney, Tiernan Douieb, Upton-upon-Severn Patrick Monahan and Howard Read. Kids' literature line-up includes: Abi Jazz Festival Elphinstone, Ali Sparks, Chris Edge, Jo Upton Sports Club, Alcester, Cotterill, John Dougherty, Lyn Gardner, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 June Philip Ardagh, Tamsyn Murray, Steve Antony With a long history stretching back over and Sophia Bennett. more than 30 years, this lively festival brings

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FEATURE

BIRMINGHAM

For a long time in terms of the comedy in- dustry, Britain's second city has played second fiddle to London’s, er, bigger fid- dle?... But things are changing! People passionate about comedy are standing up on stages across the Midlands every week, and doing so with one shared aim - to make their audience laugh. But it all had to start somewhere... Ladywood-born Sid Field made waves in the 1940s with an act that was considered strange for its time, as he jumped between a number of impressions and characters within the same performance. Thanks to Sid, this type of act soon became the norm, slowly transforming the variety scene of the day. Another old-school hero, and a stand-out performer of the ’50s and ’60s, was one- time Hall Green resident Tony Hancock. You may know Tony via his incredible TV and radio legacy, or you may just know him as ‘that sculpture thing’ at the top of Birmingham city centre’s Corporation Street. Either way, he was a true comedy great, and his television series, Hancock’s Half Hour, made for compulsive viewing for the nation’s telly watchers. It was performers like Hancock and Sid Field who provided the inspiration for subsequent generations of Birmingham comedians. With the arrival of the ’80s came a plethora of peeved performers eager to ex- press their views, whether it be as support for local punk bands or standing on a beer

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by Adam Jaremko

crate in the back of a pub. The transition mecca meant audiences for the first time Shazia Mirza, Natalie Haynes, James Cook, from variety to alternative comedy spawned were getting a guaranteed bill of quality Jo Enright, Andy White and Karen Bayley. a handful of Birmingham-based perform- performers every week - and in an environ- Most recently, Joe Lycett has been flying the ers, one of whom was anti-comedian Ted ment that was absolutely fit for the pur- flag for Birmingham’s up-and-coming gen- Chippington. Ted’s main claim to fame was pose. Established comics such as Jack Dee eration of comedians. Joe started out play- a hit single called We’ve Got A Fuzzbox. and Lee Evans, who were regularly touring ing pub nights in Birmingham and Later, he would go on to inspire another theatres across the UK, suddenly had a performing at the Glee, where he presented Midlands-based performer, Stewart Lee. Birmingham base at which they could try his first ever 10 minutes of comedy in 2010. out material and hone their sets. The comedy scene was beginning to flour- Birmingham-based acts continue to make ish. Week in and week out, those aforemen- The Glee’s success provided plenty of inspi- their mark on the UK comedy scene. Hon- tioned beer crates became soapboxes in ration and Birmingham’s comedy scene ourable mentions must go to Jack Kirwan, pubs such as the Ivy Bush on Hagley Road, continued to grow. Jongleurs brought in Craig Deeley, Freddie Farrell, Mickey XXXX (4X) Cabaret - where Frank Skinner more mainstream stand-up and the better Sharma, Lindsey Santoro, Jay Handley and cut his teeth - and the Bear Tavern in Bear- pub comedy nights enjoyed a real renais- Josh Pugh. And come October, Birmingham wood. Whether it was ‘working men’s club’- sance. Out of all of this came the comedi- will once again host its long-running com- style comedy or more in-the-moment ans you still watch in arenas and on TV edy festival, an event which annually at- mayhem that appealed, it was clear that the today. tracts some of the world’s best comedians. people of Birmingham enjoyed seeing As the Glee Club grew in popularity, the UK It can sometimes feel like comedy is pack- something that was markedly different to comedy circuit grew in numbers, becoming aged and sold everywhere these days, the comedy they watched on television. a fully formed union of comedians and ven- whether it be in adverts or on social media, And that still applies to this day. ues. Each week, hundreds of comedians set but let’s not forget its origins - and in par- The 1990s saw pub comedy culture on the out on the road to earn an honest crust, or ticular the journey that Birmingham’s very decline. One of the few Midlands venues to just to get a look in at some of the UK’s own brand of live comedy has undertaken. flourish during this era was the GAG club, most talked-about clubs. It’s time to step out of the shadows and where the organiser’s desire to see a By the 2000s, comedy was very much on show why England’s second city is very mother-like character take to the stage led the up, with small pub nights such as GAG, much its first city when it comes to comedy. to Janice Connolly creating the brilliant Mrs Comedy Kav (Moseley) and Comedy Junc- Barbara Nice. tion (Sutton Coldfield) all providing quality Meanwhile, with London’s Comedy Store line-ups. With the help of TV, local lads It was performers like and infamous Tunnel Club having been Jasper Carrott, Frank Skinner and Lenny ‘‘ Hancock and Sid Field open for almost a decade, and after making Henry had become staples of the comedy who provided the numerous visits to both, Mark Tughan de- world, but there were plenty of lesser- inspiration for subsequent cided to open Birmingham’s Glee Club, the known but nonetheless well-established first purpose-built comedy venue outside Midlands acts who were also making a generations of Birmingham the capital. splash at venues across the UK. Among comedians. The arrival in Brum of a designated comedy them were Andy Robinson, John Simmit, ” whatsonlive.co.uk 23 Comedy June.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 14:18 Page 1

Comedy

Glenn Wool The Comedy Loft, Birmingham, Fri 17 - Sat 18 June Glenn Wool manages to be smart, sophisticated and silly all in the space of a single evening. And it’s perhaps this chameleon-like quality more than any other which has so endeared him to the great British public. Canadian Glenn is a shaggy beast of a man whose act sees him cleverly putting his own unique spin on the big stories of the day. He touches base with a wide variety of political, religious and social subjects, intelligently pro- cessing the material to create nuggets of pure comedy gold, quite often delivered in a style that’s engagingly surreal.

Six of the best...

Paul Alistair Barrie: No More Hilarity McCaffrey Stage Three Charity Henry Tudor Foxlowe Arts Centre, Staffs, Thurs 2 June; Gala House, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 19 June Wolverhampton Shrewsbury, Grand Theatre, Mon Wed 8 June Alistair Barrie’s talent is much in evidence in this touring show, not least because he man- 6 June “I’d always valued ages to make it accessible, enjoyable and This returning getting a laugh,” funny despite the fact that it includes plenty Central Youth says Paul of material about his wife’s grade three Theatre (CYT) McCaffrey, “so it breast cancer. fundraiser is once was a real revelation when I discovered that Describing himself as a post-alternative again compered by Daniel Kitson. it was possible to make a living out of it. I comedian, the delightfully self-deprecating The show brings together Wolverhampton's think my parents thought it was just a pass- Alistair is bringing the show to the Midlands very own Pappy’s with 8 Out Of 10 Cats star ing phase!” having toured it to great acclaim across the Joe Lycett and Have I Got News For You con- Paul made a significant splash when he world. Indeed, it was voted one of the 10 best tributor Nish Kumar. Aishling Bea also stars. landed on the UK comedy circuit a few years shows at the Edinburgh Fringe last summer. Other comedians will be added to the line-up back, winning both The London Paper and in the days leading up to the show. Latitude Festival new act competitions. It’s the third event of its kind to be organised He’s since become a regular contributor to by CYT, Wolverhampton’s leading youth the- all manner of television comedy shows, and atre since 1983. a well-known face at the Edinburgh Festival. Jokes include: “My friend got a personal trainer a year before his wedding. I thought: ‘Bloody hell, how long's the aisle going to be?'”

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Enrych In Stitches The Glee Club, Birmingham, Thurs 9 June Former Goodies star Graeme Garden is the man behind this fundraising show, the financial beneficiary of which is Enrych, a 30-year-old organisation that sup- ports disabled people to enjoy leisure and learning opportunities and lead full and active lives. Marcus Brigstocke, Francesca Martinez, Angela Barnes and Phill Jupitus are the comedians offering their services free of charge. Peddling a line in dark, intelligent comedy, the award-winning Brigstoke boasts a style all his own and is one of the most inventive talents on the comedy circuit. Jupitus is equally high profile. His memorable surname helps, of course (it’s an anglicised version of original surname Šeputis), as does his capacity to branch out beyond the confines of the stand-up world - he’s also a performance poet, cartoonist, podcaster and actor. Francesca Martinez, meanwhile, is perhaps best known for her appearance alongside Ricky Gervais and Kate Winslet in a first-series episode of Gervais's popular comedy, Extras. In the show, she played a character with cerebral palsy, which Francesca herself has - although she prefers to refer to herself as 'wobbly'. When Angela Barnes’s inspirational dad died in 2008, it proved to be the catalyst for her to finally follow his advice and hurl herself into the challenging world of stand-up. And if her early-career success is anything to go by, she’s certainly made the right decision. A BBC New Comedy Awards winner, Angela is a self- confessed Radio Four nerd who looks to have a bright future in the UK comedy arena.

Comedy Matt Forde Will At Ludlow Stratford Artshouse, Franken Festival Stratford-upon- mac, Birmingham, Avon, Fri 10 June Thurs 30 June Various venues around Ludlow, Nottingham-born When a comedian South Shropshire, Matt Forde is this is described as ‘the Sat 18 June - Sun 3 month returning to best alternative to July the Midlands to try psychedelic drugs’, “Growing up, I did- out his material for it’s reasonable to n’t actually know the Edinburgh assume he’s quirky, anyone who performed comedy for a living,” Festival. A one-time advisor to New Labour, oddball and emphatically off the wall. says Birmingham-born Jo Enright, one of the it will come as no surprise to find that he’s Such is the case with American purveyor of comedians appearing at this month’s Ludlow focusing on politics in his new show, mirth Will Franken, a character comedian Fringe Festival, “although I knew plenty of explaining why it’s ‘great/awful that we're with a highly developed sense of the absurd. really funny people. When I started playing in/out of the EU/UK/NATO/whatever the hell Will’s calling in at mac this month en route the circuit, there were only a handful of happens next’. to the Edinburgh Festival, using his women working at it full-time. That said, the The satire will be interspersed with imper- Birmingham stop-off to hone his latest show. handful did include Hattie Hayridge, Jo sonations of the political great and good. Focusing on a man who's trying to write a Brand and Linda Smith - so the bar was set He’s been working on mimicking Corbyn but children's book about a character named very high!” admits to finding the Labour leader’s mix- Little Joe, it should contain plenty by way of Jo is joined at this year’s Fringe by fellow ture of ‘English middle class with a sort of clever, creative comedy. laughter merchants Alex Kealy, Eleanor cockney affectation’ difficult to master. Conway, Tom Binna, Addy Van Der Borgh, Away from the spotlight of live stand-up, Ellie Taylor and Brennan Reece. Matt has written gags for shows like Russell There’s also a Tommy Cooper tribute show, Howard’s Good News, 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Just Like That!, starring John Hewer as the Stand-Up For The Week. He also co-hosts fez-wearing funnyman. For further informa- talkSPORT radio show The Warm Up with tion, visit ludlowfringe.co.uk fellow funnyman Jon Richardson.

For more comedy listings visit whatsonlive.co.uk 25 Competitions June 2016.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 18:47 Page 1

To enter all competitions go to whatsonlive.co.uk

Win!

Tickets to BBC Gardeners' Tickets to The Chris and Pui Tickets to The Pet Show + World Live Show Midlands Food & Drink Festival

Closes Friday 10 June Closes Friday 8 July Closes Friday 15 July

Tickets to Footloose The Musical Tickets to Calamity Jane Tickets to BBC Good Food Show

Closes Monday 27 June Closes Monday 6 June Closes Friday 10 June

A Weekend Family Ticket to Tickets to Blists Hill Victorian Tickets to Tom Jones Live in Dubtoberfest Town Lichfield’s Beacon Park

Closes Monday 18 July Closes Monday 6 June Closes Monday 6 June

VIP Weekend Tickets to MADE Tickets to Northern Ballet’s Tickets to BRB’s The Taming Of Birmingham Jane Eyre The Shrew

Closes Thursday 21 July Closes Tuesday 7 June Closes Fri 10 June

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Dance Dance previews from around the region

WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 16 - Sat 18 June & Wed 22 - Sat 25 June Birmingham Royal Ballet’s season of Shakespeare-inspired works to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright’s death is this month providing audiences with the opportuni- ty to enjoy four captivating dance works. First out of the traps is choreographer John Cranko’s magnif- icent two-act ballet version of The Taming Of The Shrew, set to memorable keyboard works by Domenico Scarlatti and first performed in 1969. It’s followed by three for the price of one, courtesy of a triple bill that brings together tragedy, comedy and poetry. Shakespeare’s Othello is the driving force behind the open- ing piece, José Limón’s The Moor’s Pavane. David Bintley’s Shakespeare Suite, meanwhile, pays tribute to the star-crossed, bewitched, squabbling and romantic couples who are so much a part of the bard’s masterworks. The piece is set to a swinging score by Duke Ellington. The triple bill ends with a world premiere, as Jessica Lang captures the poetry of Shakespeare’s sonnets via a power- house solo performance. David Bintley’s Shakespeare Suite

Motionhouse: Broken Jazz Dance Company Ballet Cymru: Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 17 June Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 21 June Little Red Riding Hood... London Studio Centre (LSC) students here New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Mon 20 June; The Courtyard, Hereford, explore a selection of fairytales and folk sto- Wed 29 June; Lichfield Garrick, Sun 3 July ries via the genres of jazz dance and music theatre. The students perform as the UK-tour- ing Jazz Dance Company. Established by LSC over two decades ago, the company’s pur- pose is to provide talented young dancers with the experience of working as part of a creative team in a collaborative environment.

Given their widely recognised commitment to innovation, it’s fitting indeed that the award-winning Ballet Cymru have taken inspiration for their latest work from one of Britain’s most innovative writers, the Broken is one of two specially devised pieces Cardiff-born Roald Dahl. produced in celebration of Motionhouse dance company’s 25th anniversary. In 1982, Dahl published Revolting Rhymes, a The piece fuses athletic dance with digital collection of poems reinterpreting six well- imagery and original music to examine known fairytales. Two of these, Little Red man’s precarious relationship with the earth. Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs, are here In what’s described as ‘an adrenaline-fuelled used by Ballet Cymru as the foundation spectacle’, the Leamington-based ensemble use two contrasting worlds - the caves of our stone for their critically acclaimed produc- ancient ancestors and modern apartments of tion. Both dance works are based on musical glass and steel - to question our ambivalence scores commissioned by The Dahl to the world. Foundation.

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FEATURE by Heather Kincaid

DANCING QUEENS Mamma Mia! comes to Birmingham Hippodrome

In 1999, Judy Craymer's new musical featur- ple coming dressed up in their own versions of ing the songs of Abba opened at London's the Lycra jumpsuits, and they've got a great Prince Edward Theatre. It then transferred to sense of humour. Friday and Saturday nights the Prince of Wales, where it became the the- here in Manchester have been roof-raising!” atre's longest ever running show. If you're in the mood for a dance, here's where Mamma Mia! would go on to smash records you'll get the chance: vital to the continued ap- worldwide, raking up eye-watering audience peal of the stage show is the huge extent to figures and earning billions in box office tak- which the audience feel involved and a part of ings. the action. Right from the opening number, More than 17 years on, enthusiasm for the show you'll be able to hear the first few tentative voices has barely flagged - if anything, the 2008 movie singing along. By the end of the show, there's adaptation has increased interest and lent the barely a bum left on a seat. musical a whole new lease of life. Today, over “Watching it on a TV in your front room just isn't 10% of the UK population has seen the show on the same as singing along with everyone at a live stage, and a whopping one in four households show,” says Coventry's Louis Stockil, who plays owns the film - Amazon's best-selling DVD in his- the puppyish Pepper, Best Man to Sky and best tory. Just what is it about the all-singing stage pal to Eddie. “I think people definitely get more sensation that makes it so impossible to resist? of a buzz from watching it on stage, and it's great “I think you can't really not enjoy it,” says Sam for us to see everyone singing and having a good Robinson, the Black Country boy joining the cur- time. That's when we know we're doing a good rent UK tour as Eddie. “It's such a happy, feel- job.” good show that no one can go out of it feeling “It's got a bit of a concert feel to it at times, which miserable.” is definitely something you don't get from the “There's a strange sense of ownership about the film,” Robinson agrees. “The songs are so iconic show in the UK which we didn't find in foreign that everyone knows them and will sing along, countries,” adds Sara Poyzer, who's been leading and it never gets boring seeing that. It's kind of the production as the fiercely independent overwhelming, really.” Donna Sheridan for four years now. “We get peo- Continued overleaf...

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But there's more to Mamma Mia! than and sends messages, masquerading as in someone else's story. Nor is Donna just a place to go where they play the her mother, to invite them out to her the only self-sufficient fortysomething right music. Beneath all the musical own wedding. Hijinks, chaos and con- female character: her former band- mayhem, there's a touching tale of fusion inevitably ensue, but of course, mates Tanya and Rosie have both cho- love, loss and learning to accept your- everything works out for the best in sen freewheeling lifestyles, with Tanya self the way you are. the end. now travelling the world following “I think people imagine they know “Although it's perhaps not at the fore- multiple marriages, and Rosie having what they're going to get and that it'll front, there’s undeniably a feminist steered well clear of kids and marriage just be lots of laughs and a good night streak running through the story, and I altogether. There's a wonderfully out,” explains Poyzer, “but there's a think that was important to the origi- warm and genuine friendship between kind of dark night of the soul in Act nal creators,” says Poyzer. “I know the three - another area in which Two when Donna realises and faces that Catherine [Johnson], the writer, women still remain woefully under- the mistakes she's made in her life. was reading quite a lot of bad stuff in represented. According to Poyzer, the There's a beautiful, relatively un- the right wing press badmouthing sin- camaraderie among the cast members known Abba song she sings called gle mothers, so one of her ideas was to is just as strong off-stage as it is on. Slipping Through My Fingers about make a single mother the hero of a “There's a scene we call Bedroom One, losing a child as she grows up and pre- story.” which is when the audience first hears pares to get married, and when I sing Dancing Queen, and is when you see that, I hear people crying in the audi- the Dynamos helping Donna solve the ence. Then you've got The Winner dilemma she's facing after these guys Takes It All, and right after that there's have arrived on the island and left her a fantastic comedy number, so there's feeling scared and confused. It's a a lovely swing between humour and great moment of bonding between the sentiment all the way through which three women, and every night we makes it quite moving.” come off-stage in stitches. It's a real joy Set on a Greek island paradise, to perform.” Mamma Mia! tells the story of single Friendship is central to the plot of mum Donna and her 20-year-old Mamma Mia! and not just between daughter Sophie, who's getting mar- women. As well as the Dynamos, ried to her boyfriend, Sky. Formerly there's also Sophie and her two bois- the lead singer of a three-piece girl terous bridesmaids, Ali and Lisa. Then group called The Dynamos, Donna led there's Sky and his two main men, something of a crazy, carefree lifestyle Pepper and Eddie, the latter two to- back in the days of flares, Lycra and For all the growing push to see women gether forming a kind of West Mid- Abba in the charts. As a result, So- better represented on stage and lands double act, which Birmingham phie's never known who her dad is, screen, it's still pretty rare to find a audiences will be pleased to know and the truth is, Donna's not entirely plot centred on a woman old enough they make a feature of on stage. By the sure either. After stealing a sly glimpse to have a grown-up daughter of her end of the story, even Sophie's poten- at her mum's old diary, sneaky Sophie own: once you're a mum, you're more tial dads - Sam, Bill and Harry - are identifies three possible candidates typically relegated to a supporting role getting along pretty well, agreeing to

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The songs are so iconic that everyone knows them and ‘‘ will sing along, and it never gets boring seeing that. It's kind of overwhelming, really

each take on a third of dad duties: it seems Yet at the same time, I'm always quite thrilled Those who” move on aren't forgotten either, all good things come in threes. when I hear that 95% of the cast are leaving - and every person who’s joined the team over Not just about women, then, and not just for not because they aren't great, but because the years has left their own indelible mark on women either. While it might have a reputa- new people bring new energy and new the show. tion as a girls' night out kind of show, in real- choices. Sometimes they bring things that are “There's a kind of saying that once you join ity, audience members vary from very young trickier or better, and I have to adapt and the island you never really leave,” says children to men with grandkids of their own. change my performance, so it's really chal- Poyzer. “I've watched countless actors and lenging and really joyous. Even though I've “I think it was partly the film that changed dancers come and go from the show, and I been doing it for four years, this year still that,” says Poyzer. “We get some very young see that. I think whilst I love it I'll continue to feels new.” children in the matinees now, and I've seen do it, but I know that even if I stopped and I four generations of women and girls in the wasn't here in body any more, I'd still be here audience before. Men come too - reluctantly in spirit.” or not - and always enjoy it. I got tweeted After a long, international tour during which today by a guy who said, 'I'm an all-male, she was lucky enough to visit more than 20 rugby-loving, meat-eating man, and you had different countries, Poyzer is glad to be bring- me singing at the top of my voice last night!'” ing the show back home to Britain: “There’s While Donna and Sophie might officially take nothing like a UK audience. They are ab- centre stage, the show is far more of an en- solutely, undeniably the best. They've got semble piece than a neat summary of the plot just the right balance of coming for a good might lead you to imagine, and it's great to night out and appreciating the sentimental see the full cast given chance to explore the side of the story. Also, there are some jokes various relationships between supporting like, 'You wait 20 years for a dad and three characters. come along at once,' which only work in cer- tain places!” “It's good that everyone gets their moment to shine,” says Robinson. “Even though the sto- The local lads of the cast are also looking for- ryline is very much about Donna and Sophie ward to bringing the show a little closer to and finding the right dad, if you think about home on the Birmingham leg of the tour. a scene like Does Your Mother Know?, none “I'm really looking forward to Birmingham - of those characters are in it.” it's my favourite city,” says Robinson. “I'm “It's nice to be in a show where the ensemble probably biased, but I do love Birmingham are used a lot, because that's not always the anyway, and so to be there and to have all my case,” Stockil agrees. “Having lots of people friends and family coming will be lovely.” on stage can be overwhelming, but it works After 50 productions in 16 different lan- really well here, and I think it adds some- guages worldwide, Mamma Mia! shows no thing for the audience as well.” signs of stopping yet, but for those who still “I think the show itself is the star,” says need persuading to be a part of the phenom- Poyzer. “No single actor is the star of the enon, take some advice from one who hasn't show, and the expectations people come in tired of it in years. with are more about the show as a whole “After over a thousand performances,” says than about any individual performance.” Poyzer, “when I'm in my dressing room and I Stockil makes an important point about new hear the drums of the overture strike up, angles that supporting characters can add. there's always a bit of me that gets excited, Though to date, Mamma Mia! has been per- and I think that's what propels me forward. I This continued enthusiasm and willingness would say to anyone who's seen the film, formed in over 440 major cities to more than to help the show grow and evolve has not 60 million people, each new person who don't think that you know Mamma Mia!, cer- gone unnoticed by the younger, more recent tainly not in this form. Whether or not you've joins the cast or crew brings a little of them- additions to the cast. selves to the production. seen the film, you should absolutely come “I've found that, particularly with Sara, and experience the stage version!” “Bringing in new people is like adding new they've invested in the fact that there are new ingredients to a cake,” says Stockil. “The performers who are going to bring different basic structure stays the same, you're just ideas, and aren't so set in their ways that spicing it up a bit.” they expect everyone to work around them,” Mamma Mia! shows at Birmingham Poyzer, who’s been part of the show for four says Robinson. “Everyone's been willing to Hippodrome from Tuesday 28 June to years now, recognises the importance of workshop and find new things, and I think Saturday 3 September these additions: “I always mourn the loss of a that's what keeps the show fresh and keeps great team, and last year was really special. them getting quality people in to do it for such long periods of time.”

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INTERVIEW

In the freezing depths of the vast Russ- ian tundra, a disgraced medical student fleeing prosecution for his crimes hap- pens upon an isolated surgery whose small staff are awaiting the arrival of a Stitch-Up new head doctor. What follows is a bru- tal, blackly comic farce that looks set to be side-splitting, gut-wrenching, heart- Connor Nolan masquerades as a medical professional stopping and promises to leave people in stitches - just perhaps not in the way in Noctium Theatre's The Country Doctor you might imagine. Noctium Theatre's Co-Artistic Director Connor Nolan spoke to What's On about the company's first production, The Country Doctor, which runs at the Bel- grade this summer. “It's based on the writings of Mikhail Bulgakov,” explains Nolan. “Timing- wise, it was sort of strange for us be- cause I read this collection of short stories and as soon as we'd decided to make a show out of it, we found out that Sky Arts was adapting it into A Young Doctor's Notebook with Daniel Radcliffe. But we ploughed ahead with it anyway. Ours is a sort of expressionist adaptation which is completely inspired by the book - we're not lifting anything really.” Not for the faint-hearted, Bulgakov's vis- ceral stories are in turn partly inspired by his real-life experiences as a doctor and feature some toe-curlingly grue- some scenarios. Like the author, Nolan seems to delight in the macabre. “There was one story which we just loved instantly - I think it was called The Steel Windpipe in the original. This girl comes in and she can't breathe, so they have to perform an operation on her tra- chea to put a little pipe in. There's a pas- sage that describes in very vivid detail them holding back the flesh of her neck, and then this trainee doctor gets com- pletely freaked out and faints while he's holding her open with this hook.” Nevertheless, those without the stomach for blood and guts can rest assured that what’s actually seen on stage is kept to a minimum. “It's entirely stylised. The set comprises one table and five chairs, and then there are a few props around. We really liked the idea of keeping it as simple and min- imal as possible, and then trying to cre- ate something fantastic and evoke the

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by Heather Kincaid

descriptive nature of the book from with as we can to fill the other roles. to introduce opera to new audiences - that. It's been fun finding ways to sug- We've got a couple of graduates from as well as the diverse Strictly Arts gest gore and horror without actually the university, and we're quite Theatre, which will present two showing it, while making sure it still pleased to be able to support them shows - Green Leaves Fall and has the same impact.” and give them something to put on William Freeman - as part of the Bel- Although the version showing at the their CVs as soon as they've finished grade's autumn programme. Belgrade will differ slightly from pre- their degrees.” Good company to be in, then. So with vious incarnations, the play actually Though Coventry is perhaps not well all this support to get them up and began its life almost three years ago. known for theatre, being partly in the running at the start of their careers, Since then, it's been continually cut shadow of nearby Birmingham and what does the future hold for the open, hacked away at and stitched Stratford, for a small, emerging com- bright young things at Noctium? back up again to make it better, ready pany, it's been an ideal place to start, “Well, we received some Arts Council for performances in various small- with a strong, close-knit local net- funding about a month ago. Some of scale spaces in Coventry and Birming- work offering a wealth of advice and that's for The Country Doctor, but ham. support. some of it's also for research and de- “We keep going through drafts of it. It “I think it can sometimes feel like it's velopment on a new show called Ani- was at the Shop Front Theatre first in been overshadowed, but there's all mate, which we started working on 2014, and then it went to the Ellen this really great work bubbling away last May. It's an object manipulation Terry Theatre. Then last year we re- beneath that, and there are lots of piece, bringing to life very mundane, mounted it at Birmingham Fest - we small places like Ego and Shop Front everyday items. So far, it's the story of had to shorten it down to an hour for and Artspace doing fantastic ground- a banana who falls in love with some that. Now we've tried all these differ- work at grassroots level. It's been re- flowers. Yesterday we had our first ent versions of it, I think we've found ally good for us. The year we workshop with Beka Haigh from Frol- the one we're happy with, but then in graduated, we were able to make this icked, which is a puppetry company, six months time, I'll probably have a professional working company, and we've got others lined up to help changed my mind.” largely because of a programme the us too. We're hoping to have the piece It's not only the show that has a his- university was running with the Euro- ready by early next year.” tory in the city - its makers are all pean Regional Development Fund, New projects but perhaps not big new based locally as well. Originally from which helps get businesses off the ventures far from home - at least not Shropshire, Nolan met the rest of the ground. Then we were also able to tap just yet. into the Belgrade as Springboard company at Coventry University, “I think we like the intimacy of being artists, and they've been really sup- where they created the first draft of a smaller company here and knowing portive, giving us a platform and a The Country Doctor for their final-year everyone who you're going to be work- base to build from.” project. The three core members of ing with. We don't have any ambitions the group enjoyed working together Designed to nurture new talent, with to go massive and be the next Knee- so much that they decided to make a an emphasis on artists and companies high or anything like that, but we do go of things professionally. from backgrounds under-represented hope to carry on ploughing away and “There's myself and Jessie Coller, who in the industry, the Belgrade's Spring- doing good things in Coventry.” board scheme provides training op- are both artistic directors and com- A performance in the real Russian portunities, office space and other pany managers, and then there's also wilderness will just have to wait. Charles Craggs, who’s our music di- forms of assistance in developing pro- rector. We all perform as well - I play ductions for the stage. Alongside Noc- the doctor and Jessie plays a nurse. tium, current Springboard companies The Country Doctor shows on the Then we try to use as many of our include the innovative opera group B2 stage at the Belgrade Theatre, friends and people that we've worked High Time - which aims to strip the Coventry, from Wednesday 20 medium of elitist preconceptions and until Friday 22 July.

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Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Chicago WIN! TICKETS To enter, visit whatsonlive.co.uk Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Mon 20 - Sat 25 June Ex-EastEnder John Partridge stars in this new touring production of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s legendary musical. He’s joined by Emmerdale's Hayley Tamaddon and X Factor winner Sam Bailey, who plays Mama Morton. The recipient of numerous awards - most notably six Tonys, two Oliviers, one Grammy and, for its movie version, two Baftas and six Oscars - Chicago is based on real-life events in the Roaring ’20s. It centres on the character of Roxie Hart, a nightclub singer who shoots her lover. Together with her cell- block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, Roxie fights to stay off Death Row with the help of smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn...

Sid Director of Unfinished Business. from. Except that he doesn’t want to go... The production skilfully uses Israel senior’s The ensuing psychological torture, a birth- Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, extraordinary archive of writing, recordings, day party and a tart called Lulu all play their Fri 17 June interviews and performance footage to pres- part in encouraging events towards a discon- ent a show that brings together spoken word, certing but hilarious climax. video and live music by Yako 440.

Black Is The Colour Of My Voice Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 9 June Following the untimely death of her father, Mena Bordeaux goes into self-imposed isola- Leon Fleming’s new 50-minute, one-man tion for three days. Alone with her thoughts, play provides a thought-provoking insight she reflects on a journey that’s seen her into the subject of hero worship, along the become a renowned jazz vocalist at the fore- Ladies In Lavender way questioning what it means to be punk. front of the Civil Rights Movement... The story revolves around the character of Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Based on the life of Nina Simone, Apphia Fri 17 - Sat 25 June loose cannon Craig, a man who’s having a Campbell's one-woman show has enjoyed The Bear Pit Theatre Company is the ensem- bad day and whose girlfriend thinks he’s lost sell-out success in both Edinburgh and New ble behind this new stage version of Charles the plot. And why wouldn’t she, given the York. fact that his ‘best pal’ is the Sex Pistols’ Sid Dance’s 2004 film starring Judi Dench and Vicious, a punk rocker who’s been dead Maggie Smith. since the 1970s... The action unfolds in a close-knit fishing vil- The Birthday Party lage in 1930s Cornwall, as the Widdington Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, sisters, Ursula and Janet, nurse back to The Spinning Wheel Tues 14 - Sat 18 June health a handsome young Polish violinist mac, Birmingham, Thurs 9 June Aside from being his best-known play, who’s been washed ashore on a nearby beach. This exploration of pacifist activism, loss Harold Pinter’s The Birthday Party is a come- The sisters soon find themselves forming an and legacy is presented by New York hip-hop dy with a real edge. Stanley is a third-rate emotional attachment to their unexpected theatre artist Baba Israel and celebrates the musician with a mysterious past who lodges guest, but the village community is far less life of his late father - the jazz musician, with deckchair attendant Petey and his wife convinced about the stranger’s merits - par- stand-up comic and countercultural activist Meg in a tatty boarding house. Into this ticularly when he befriends a Russian Steve Ben Israel. Baba has created the work world descend Goldberg and McCann, who woman named Olga... in association with Leo Kay, the Artistic want to take Stanley back to where he came

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Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Tom: The Story Of Tom Jones New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 1 - Sat 4 June Tom Jones maybe doesn't get quite as many pairs of ladies' knickers tossed in his general direction as he used to, but one thing that definitely hasn't changed is the depth, quali- ty and resonance of his truly incredible vocal. This new musical tells the story of the boy from the valleys who went on to conquer America and provide the inspiration for a jumpsuit-wearing Elvis Presley’s Vegas cho- reography. Expect all the hits, including Swinging ’60s crackers like It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat? and Delilah.

Macbeth Gone Mental April 1968. Towards its conclusion, King reviewer has heralded her performance wor- spoke of having been allowed by God ‘to go thy of an Academy Award (assuming they Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 17 June up to the mountain’ and see the Promised were handed out for theatrical endeavours, Macbeth is one of Land. of course). Shakespeare’s dark- “I may not get there with you,” he said, “but The production is directed by the Olivier est and most tragic I want you to know tonight, that we, as a Award-winning Guy Masterson and well tales - but that cer- people, will get to the promised land.” worth a look. tainly hasn’t stopped Within 24 hours, Dr King had been assassi- the highly innovative nated. Tap The Table This huge Broadway hit reimagines events in Gangsta Granny Productions from the hours leading up to his death. Along the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Wed 8 - Sat presenting the play way, it adds into the mix a very real and 11 June; New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 28 June - Sat 2 July; Theatre Severn, as a ‘rip-roaring hugely necessary dose of humour, ensuring Shrewsbury, Wed 12 - Sun 16 Oct comedy’. the production is always a pleasure to watch Having struck pay dirt with each of their pre- despite its challenging subject matter. The ever-popular Birmingham Stage vious three productions, the talented ensem- Company make a welcome return with their ble once again use their ‘unapologetic and highly acclaimed adaptation of David ridiculous performance style’ to present an I, Elizabeth Walliams’ best-selling book. evening that blends physical and black com- Ben’s no lover of Friday nights - and why edy with moments of ‘tear-jerking poignan- Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 9 - Fri 10 June; would he be? After all, Friday nights mean Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 15 June cy’. The company is performing the show in having to stay at Granny’s house, where he’s recognition of the 400th anniversary of not only bored senseless but also has to eat Shakespeare’s death. an unholy trinity of cabbage dishes - cab- bage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake. But experiences can sometimes be deceptive, The Mountaintop and Ben soon finds out that there’s way more to his boring old Granny than meets the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Fri 10 - Thurs 25 June eye... The title of Katori Hall’s Olivier Award- winning two-hander recalls the leg- The struggle to reconcile the desires of wom- endary speech given anhood with the duties of sovereignty lies at by civil rights leader the heart of Rebecca Vaughan’s critically Martin Luther King acclaimed study of Elizabeth I. Vaughan’s at Mason Temple in previous work includes the well-received Memphis, Dalloway, Austen's Women and Female Tennessee, on 3 Gothic. She’s here on such fine form that one

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Do something different, see something new

Thu 9 & Sat 11 Jun Cavalleria rusticana Thu 16 - Sat 18 Jun The Taming of & Pagliacci Mascagni & Leoncavallo the Shrew

Wed 22 - Sat 25 Jun Mon30 May Fri 10 Jun Thu 9 - Thu 16 - -Sat 4 Jun In Parenthesis Sat 11 Jun Shakespeare Sat 25 Jun From £20 Iain Bell From £16.50 Triple Bill From £10

Tue 28 Jun - Wed 7 - Tue 20 & Sat 3 Sep Sun 18 Sep Wed 21 Sep From £28 From £23.50 From £17

Dance Consortium presents

Fri 23 & Mon 10 - Mon 24 - Sat 24 Sep Sat 22 Oct Sat 29 Oct From £10 From £18 From £14

0844 338 5000 birminghamhippodrome.com Calls cost 4.5p per min plus access charge. 5% transaction charge applies excluding cash sales in person. Theatre June.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 15:17 Page 5

Theatre Theatre previews from around the region

Tongue Tied Othello And Twisted Stafford Castle, Thurs 23 June - Sat 9 July Arena Theatre, Shakespeare’s tragic tale of lost handkerchiefs, Wolverhampton, ruined reputations and mistreated wives is one Thurs 2 June of theatre’s most powerful stories. Traditional Indian folk tales When the malevolent Iago believes himself to from 50 Black Country-based have been overlooked for promotion by Othello, South Asian elders are brought his Machiavellian mind turns to thoughts of together in this collaborative vengeance. Othello’s willingness to be led by the presentation from Black nose is all grist to Iago’s mill, and fatal conse- Country Touring and Creative quences ensue... Black Country. This production marks the first time the Stafford The show celebrates the art of Shakespeare Festival has staged Othello at live storytelling, in the process Stafford Castle. fusing a unique blend of urban hip-hop and classical South Asian sounds. The on-stage storyteller is Peter Chand. “Storytelling is an 7 Promises Blackadder: The Tudor Years immediate and exciting way to Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 18 June Artrix, Bromsgrove, Tues 7 - Sat 11 June engage instantly with audi- ences,” says Peter. “What I love Random Scream theatre company was created South Birmingham-based semi-professional the- about Tongue Tied And by Brussels-based American performing artist atrical group All & Sundry is the company Twisted is that it’s steeped in Davis Freeman. Its aim is to focus on personal behind this stage version of the hit Rowan the past, but very much interactions and explore the way in which peo- Atkinson television comedy. The production grounded in the present.” ple’s choices directly affect the communities in reworks three popular episodes from Blackadder “The tradition of passing folk which they live. II, the Richard Curtis and Ben Elton-penned 1985 tales down through the genera- Davis’s latest offering turns the spotlight on ‘the series set in Elizabethan England. tions is dying out,” adds the impending ecological disaster’ facing the world, All & Sundry have previously enjoyed success show’s producer, Dawinder and asks why more isn’t being done to avoid it. with a show featuring episodes from 1989’s Bansal, “so we knew it was Davis and his collaborator, Jerry Killick, appear Blackadder Goes Forth, the action of which was important to capture this wis- as two ecological preachers who call on their located in the World War One trenches. dom before it was too late. As audience to turn their words into action. the elders recalled the stories “We propose seven promises for the audience to they were told as children, take, to create a more sustainable world,” Chaplin their eyes twinkled, knowing explains Davis, “and in turn we give them a free Malvern Theatre, their voices will live on for shot of vodka. It’s highly successful, and good Worcestershire, Fri 10 June; decades to come in an online late at night to create a party.” Theatre Severn, archive.” Shrewsbury, Tues 21 - Wed 22 June; Artrix, Bromsgrove, Wed 13 July; Hamlet New Alexandra Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham, Thurs 14 July until Sat 13 August Silent-era movie star Charlie Chaplin died Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, is struggling to almost 40 years ago at the age of 88. Since that come to terms with his life. Faced with the ghost time and not surprisingly, his star has faded of his murdered father, he must also grapple considerably. His most famous films, meanwhile with the indecently hasty remarriage of his wid- - made in Hollywood during his halcyon days of owed mother to his conniving uncle... the 1920s and ’30s - have all but disappeared A masterpiece of world theatre, Shakespeare’s from television screens. So this new musical famous play is a challenging piece to perform. play offers a useful reminder of just how talent- The lead role is one of the largest ever written, ed, feted and remarkable Chaplin actually was. and it's a brave actor indeed who undertakes the The show follows the London-born actor from necessary plunge into his own psyche. So good the dark streets of Victorian England to the glitz luck on this particular occasion to Paapa and glamour of Tinseltown in the Roaring ’20s. Essiedu... Steven Arnold, who played Ashley Peacock in The cast also includes Cucumber’s Cyril Nri as Coronation Street, dons the bowler hat and Polonius and James Cooney as Rosencrantz. toothbrush moustache to play the first true British icon of cinema.

For full theatre listings, visit whatsonlive.co.uk

36 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre June.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 15:17 Page 6

BRIAN YEATES ASSOCIATES PROUDLY PRESENTS...

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Check out www.yeatesentertainment.co.uk for complete UK tour dates Film June - GROUP.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 14:20 Page 1

Film

Gods Of Egypt CERT 12a (127 mins) Starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman, Élodie Yung, Rufus Sewell, Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush, Bryan Brown Directed by Alex Proyas (USA/Australia) Gods and mortals do battle in this big-budget action-fantasy in which a lowly thief called Bek (Thwaites) teams up with the divine Horus (Coster-Waldau). They have a beef with Set (Butler), the god of the desert, who has seized the throne of Egypt and has decided to charge the dead for a passage to the afterlife, a sort of necro-visa. Don’t expect too accurate a portrait of ancient Egypt and do expect a lot of CGI. The director Alex Proyas previously brought us The Crow And I, Robot. Appropriately, he was born in Alexandria, Egypt. Released Fri 17 June

CRITIC’S CHOICE

Film highlights released in June...

The Nice Guys CERT 15 (116 mins) Learning To Drive Starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, CERT 15 (90 mins) Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Keith David, Kim Basinger Directed by Shane Black (USA) Starring Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, Jake Weber, Grace Gummer, Sarita Choudhury There’s little nice in this look at the seamier Directed by Isabel Coixet (USA) side of 1970s’ Los Angeles, but Russell Crowe When her husband leaves her, Manhattan and Ryan Gosling play the good guys who writer Wendy Shields (Clarkson) decides to investigate the apparent suicide of a porn capitalise on her independence by learning star. The director Shane Black previously to drive. Her instructor, an Indian Sikh brought us Iron Man 3 and the inventive, vio- (Kingsley), is facing a very different nuptial lent and hilarious Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (he prospect: an arranged marriage. They’re as also scripted the first two Lethal Weapon different as chalk and paneer, but they form films). a very special bond over the wheel. Released Fri 3 June Released Fri 10 June

Race CERT PG (103 mins) Starring Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt, Carice van Houten Directed by Stephen Hopkins (USA/Canada/Germany) In 1936 Jesse Owens won a record-break- ing four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics. But being a black man from Alabama, his athletic superiority was somewhat at odds with Hitler’s view of Aryan supremacy. Released Fri 3 June

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Film releases in June

CRITIC’S CHOICE Me Before You CERT 12a (110 mins) Starring Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer, Charles Dance, Brendan Coyle, Matthew Lewis Directed by Thea Sharrock (USA) Adapted by Jojo Moyes from her own 2012 novel, this romantic drama explores the rela- tionship of two very different people: Lou Clark, an unambitious waitress who ends up caring for Will Traynor, and Will himself, a high-achieving young man who’s lost the use of his legs in a car crash. Ms Clarke, who por- trays Miss Clark, is best known for playing Daenerys Targaryen in Game Of Thrones. Released Fri 3 June Independence Day: 1996. He plays an American pilot signed up with the Earth Space Defense [sic], a Resurgence CERT tbc unit established by the United Nations to Starring Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, battle any future extraterrestrial threats. Bill Pullman, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A Fox, Well, before the last lot of aliens were Brent Spiner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe, Angelababy, Sela beaten by Will Smith, they managed to Ward, William Fichtner send out a distress signal to their allies in Directed by Roland Emmerich (USA) deep space, who return with even more With his brother Chris saving the world technologically-advanced weaponry. in the guise of Thor, Liam Hemsworth is The budget is reported to be at least now on hand to battle those pesky aliens $200million. In 3D. from the original Independence Day of Released Fri 24 June

Mother’s Day CERT 12a (118 mins) Elvis & Nixon CERT 15 (86 mins) Starring Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Starring Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville, Colin Hanks, Tate Timothy Olyphant, Jack Whitehall, Jennifer Donovan Directed by Liza Johnson (USA) Garner Directed by Garry Marshall (USA) The most requested photo from the US Different narrative strands come together on National Archives is of Richard M Nixon this most important of Sundays as various shaking the hand of Elvis A Presley. The characters cope with their moms and the occasion was on 21 December 1970, in the demands of motherhood. The director Garry Oval Office, and the official notes of the Marshall is rather into these all-star holiday meeting reveal the King’s interest in specials, having previously brought us Communist brainwashing and a distaste for Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve, without The Beatles. a single decent review between them. Michael Shannon plays Elvis and Kevin Released Fri 10 June Spacey is Nixon. Released Fri 24 June

The Conjuring 2 CERT 15 (134 mins) Starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O'Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon McBurney, Franka Potente Directed by James Wan (USA) Paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren are called to London to investigate the haunt- ing of a council house in Enfield. It is of course a sequel to The Conjuring (2013), one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time. Released Fri 17 June

whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Visual Arts June Davina.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:49 Page 1

Visual Arts

All The World’s Stage The Barber Institute, Birmingham, Fri 10 June - Sun 25 September Continuing this year's Shakespeare 400 celebra- tions, the Barber hosts its first ever exhibition of Elizabethan and Jacobean art, devised in collab- oration with the National Portrait Gallery and co-curated by Masters' students from the University of Birmingham. This major project features paintings, sculp- tures, miniatures and prints dating from 1590 to 1620, including portraits of Anne of Denmark, the Earls of Essex and Derby, Ben Jonson, John Fletcher and Shakespeare himself, as well as a rare first Folio and other beautiful books from the time. Focusing on the Bard's chief patrons at court, his fellow writers, friends and rivals, it aims to show how artists construct character through portraiture, as well as illuminating the world of the Court during this lively period in Britain's cultural history.

Laura Oldfield Ford: Staffordshire Open 2016 Grayson Perry: Solo Exhibition Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford, until Sun 3 July The Vanity Of Differences Grand Union, Birmingham, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, Fri 17 June - Fri 5 August until Sun 3 July Known for her politically motivated work Turner Prize-winning artist Grayson Perry focusing on British urban areas, psychogeo- here takes his inspiration not only from his graphic artist and writer Laura Oldfield Ford own 2012 television documentary series, All spent six weeks in residence at Grand Union In The Best Possible Taste, but also from in 2015, researching Digbeth through a series William Hogarth’s A Rake’s Progress - a of walks or dérives. Shifting away from an series of canvases depicting eighteenth cen- emphasis on her own subjective engagement tury society which the artist produced in the with spaces, this exhibition sees the artist early 1730s. move towards a ‘sociogeographic’ style, Charting the story of class mobility and drawing on multiple voices and narratives. examining the influence of social class on Using a mixture of sound, photography, aesthetic taste, the exhibition comprises drawing and painting, Oldfield Ford has cre- many of the characters, incidents and ated a ‘cognitive map’ of the area, encourag- objects that Perry encountered while making ing the activation of memories and the dis- Returning for 2016, this annual exhibition his BAFTA award-winning documentary semination of stories through the process of aims to promote new talent and celebrate the series. Using these characters to weave a nar- walking. work of local artists, often exhibiting for the rative, the artist has produced a social com- first time. Any visual artist who lives, works, mentary which focuses on the minutiae of studies or was born in Staffordshire is invit- contemporary taste, in so doing paying due ed to submit their work for consideration, homage to Hogarth’s collection of 18th centu- with opportunities available for art lovers of ry paintings. all tastes and budgets to buy and sell pieces. This year's exhibition features a diverse range of paintings, drawings, prints, photog- raphy, sculpture, film and animation.

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Black Art In Focus Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until 9 July Celebrating the varied and vital work by contemporary black British artists, this exhibition brings together a diverse array of paintings and prints from the gallery's existing collection with items newly acquired through the Heritage Lottery Fund Collecting Cultures programme. Highlights include iconic works by Turner Prize winner Chris Ofili, as well as pieces by Tam Joseph, Keith Piper, Claudette Johnson, Donald Rodney and other leading fig- ures in the Blk Art Group which emerged from Wolverhampton in the 1980s, going on to exhibit and influence artists of colour across the UK. Eugene Palmer's enigmatic painting, Duppy Shadow, is also displayed in the Georgian Gallery. Curator Carol Thompson said: “Wolverhampton Art Gallery championed the start of the Black Art Movement in Britain, which has seen many of its local founder mem- bers go on to be incredibly influential artists on British culture. It’s great that 35 years later the gallery is putting black art back in focus.”

For more visual arts listings visit whatsonlive.co.uk 41 Tamworth Castle Single Page.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 14:24 Page 1 Tamworth Castle Single Page.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 14:24 Page 2

FEATURE

Hands-On with History at Tamworth Castle

From Norman fort to stately home to 21st- set of wooden stocks, dress up a knight in Tamworth in the 19th and 20th centuries, century museum, Tamworth Castle stands shining armour or try on costume from the including the work of Robert Peel and as a physical record of almost a millen- medieval dressing up box. Watch out for the William McGregor, the North Warwickshire nium's worth of history. Built as a wooden ghost of St Editha, said to haunt the castle coalfield, the Glascote and Gibbs & Canning keep around 1080 by conquering Normans since 1139 after Lord Robert Marmion potteries, health and sanitation crises and on the site of an established Saxon “burh”, evicted the nuns from nearby Polesworth the Tamworth or 'Sandyback' pig breed. the castle gained its stone shell some 100 Abbey. Outside, meanwhile, there's a chance to years later, and is today a treasure trove of Attention to detail in period-furnished relax in the castle's extensive grounds, fea- fascinating facts, interesting objects and rooms creates a sense of travelling through turing a kids' play area, crazy golf course, things to do for all the family. time. In the 15th century, just before the bowling green, tennis courts, skate park, Visitors to the castle are invited to journey Tudor age, the castle passed into the hands free outdoor gym, cycle hire, canoeing and a through Tamworth's rich history, beginning of the Ferrers family, responsible for exten- “planet walk”, an outdoor scale model of long before the Norman settlement. Far from sive alterations to the castle over the course the solar system for budding astronauts to the unassuming place it is today, Tamworth of almost 300 years. See how and where explore. was once a thriving market town, complete they would have slept, dined and stored Planning a holiday visit? Keep an eye out for with its own mint, treasury and water mill, their food until the castle's eventual capture special events taking place throughout the as well as a key stronghold for the kingdom by Cromwell's forces during the English Civil summer, including a Living History series of Mercia, which covered much of the mod- War. Discover how, in the 18th century, examining historical weapons, housekeep- ern-day Midlands. George Townshend II began a process of fur- ing and toys, as well as Castle Quest, a video Part of the Mercian Trail partnership, Tam- ther remodelling, including landscaping the game-inspired, “search and collect”, prob- worth Castle is currently home to unique castle's beautiful pleasure grounds and re- lem-solving adventure for older kids and artefacts from the Staffordshire Hoard, and placing its outdated Tudor windows. Tools, teens, and the magical, character-driven En- offers some fascinating insights into the trinkets and pistols from his time are dis- chanted Castle, ideal for any fans of fairies, Anglo-Saxon era from which they date. In- played in the castle's South side, where you knights and dragons. Tamworth Castle may teractive exhibits allow kids to make their can also enjoy a Georgian makeover, com- be known for its colourful St. George's Day own runic messages, assemble a sword, see plete with hats and wigs. Elsewhere, you'll jousts and re-enactments, but there's lots a model water mill in action, and get up find out more about the Victorian tenants more here throughout the year to entertain close and personal with replica armour. who leased the house from the Townshends kids and grown-ups of all ages. Meanwhile, information boards tell stories before its sale to the Tamworth Corporation Tamworth Castle is open Tuesday to Satur- of the 8th-century King Offa (of Offa's Dyke (later Tamworth Borough Council), includ- day (11.30am - 4pm) until September, then fame), and of Æthelflæd, daughter of King ing Thomas Cooke, whose textile business Saturday and Sunday (11.30am - 3pm) until Alfred the Great and Lady of the Mercians, created practical, affordable clothing for the March 2017. The castle also opens extra the only known female ruler of an Anglo- working class and provided hundreds of days for schools and bank holidays. Saxon realm. jobs for the community. In honour of her For a full programme of events taking place home's history, Cooke's daughter was called Laws set down in 1283 Tamworth Court throughout 2016, visit Aethelflaeda, a fitting name for the castle's Rolls provide a window onto crime and pun- tamworthcastle.co.uk ishment in the medieval period. Discover final resident. the penalties for washing tripe in the river or Of course, the story doesn't end there: for inviting a Vicar to your table, try out a there's plenty more to learn about life in

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Events

BBC Good Food Show Summer NEC, Birmingham, Tues 16 - Sun 19 June Brimming with inspiration, handy tips and sure-to-be-welcome advice on how to create the perfect summer menu, the BBC Good Food Show returns to the NEC to provide a food experience ‘like no other’. In addition to the host of celebrities who’re on hand to share their knowledge, including Mary Berry, The Hairy Bikers, James Martin and Paul Hollywood, the four-day event offers visitors an abundance of demonstra- tions, tastings, book signings and shopping experiences to enjoy. The BBC Good Food Kitchen and the Supertheatre also feature. Tickets to the show also provide access to the BBC Gardeners’ World Live event.

Birmingham Diamond Cholmondeley Power Nitro Circus Live League & Speed Festival Worcester Sixways Stadium, Fri 3 June Alexandra Stadium, Birmingham, Sun 5 June Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, Fri 10 - Sun 12 June Described as the UK’s ‘most dynamic’ motorsport get-together, the Cholmondeley Power & Speed Festival this year takes the theme of Supercars: Past, Present And Future. Star cars to look out for as they make their way around the 3.2-mile track include the McLaren675LT, the Ferrari FXX, the 1913 Chalmers Speedster and the 2016 Aston Martin N430. With over 150 entries in both the car and bike categories, the track action will be constant throughout all three days of the event. Other attractions at the family-friendly show include air displays and pleasure There’s a truly ‘diamond’ line-up of athletes flights, the UK’s only professional taking part in this pre-Rio get-together, with wakeboard tour, a wide selection of Double Olympic, world and European cham- activities for kids to enjoy, displays by The organisers of Nitro Circus are eager to pion Mo Farah leading the pack. over 50 car clubs, a craft beer festival ensure they leave extreme sports fans in no Farah is joined at the event by the US’s with live comedy and the ever-popular doubt whatsoever about the high quality of Trayvon Bromell and Canada’s Andre De military display. entertainment they can expect at this Grasse, two of the world’s best young sprint- action-packed touring show. ing talents. The pair will be competing Record-breaking feats, ‘unbelievable’ tricks against one another in the men’s 200 metres. and ‘insane’ stunts are all part and parcel of “I’m really looking forward to testing myself ‘a theatrical spectacular quite unlike any- over this longer distance,” says world indoor thing you've seen before’. 60-metre champion Trayvon. “I’ve had some The show also features some of the world's close competitions with Andre at collegiate best extreme athletes, not to mention the level and especially in Beijing last summer, sight of a host of ‘ridiculous’ contraptions and it’ll be good to compete against him in a being launched into the air off a 40-foot- 200-metre race.” high Giganta Ramp.

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more events from around the region

Events

Cosford Air Show RAF Cosford, Staffordshire, Sun 19 June Regarded as one of the country’s top aviation events, this annual air show attracts thousands of visitors and features spectacular flying displays, military exhibitions and static aircraft displays. Highlights of this year’s event include a 25th anniversary com- memoration of the 1991 Gulf War conflict, the Great War Display Team performing in the skies over RAF Cosford, and celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the Blitz Hill: 1940s Evening On The Home Front Air Training Corps.

Blists Hill, Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire, rousing songs of the Land Army Girls and Sat 18 June Shawbury Military Wives choirs. There’s also Head back in time at Blists Hill to the start of a nostalgic variety show in the style of the the 20th century - and from there, head four hugely popular BBC Workers Playtime, which decades into the future to enjoy this special toured factories and workplaces to boost the 1940s-set event! Blitz Hill presents a pro- nation’s wartime spirits. New for 2016 is the gramme of World War Two-style entertain- Taking Shelter experience. Visitors can take a ment, music and activities, with visitors invit- pre-booked ride on the clay mine railway into ed to attend the event dressed in Shropshire Blists Hill’s air raid shelter, complete with Home Front period costume. flickering lights and atmospheric wartime Highlights include the chance to enjoy the sounds. Lord Mayor’s Park Life! Big Weekend Hot Air Literary Festival Show Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Emma Bridgewater Factory, Hanley, Sun 12 June Sat 25 - Sun 26 June Thurs 9 - Sat 11 June This prestigious civic event this Given that it’s sited in 120 acres of Capability Stoke-on-Trent’s Hot Air Literary Festival year celebrates the Queen’s 90th Brown-designed Grade II-listed parkland, makes a welcome return this month, once birthday. Compton Verney is the ideal place in which again presenting a diverse programme of Three organisations for which Her to host this celebratory event marking the events that features contributions from Majesty is patron - the Lawn 300th anniversary of the landscape archi- authors, writers, playwrights and performers. Tennis Association, The RFU and tect’s birth. Big names gracing the three-day festival the PGA - will be making contribu- Park Life! uses Georgian reenactors to pro- include bestselling novelist Nick Hornby, tel- tions to the show, offering a host vide visitors with the chance to learn more evision presenter Kirstie Allsopp, leading of hands-on activities for visitors about the life and times of the inhabitants of international ceramicist Edmund de Waal, to enjoy. the house, and of those who worked the land acclaimed classic historian Mary Beard and Other attractions at the event after Brown had finished his landscape proj- How To Train Your Dragon author Cressida include falconry and sheepdog ect. Cowell. displays, zumba, Tai Chi, soft The focus on the Saturday is Georgian There’s also a creative workshop based on archery, badminton and hula Heritage And Elegance, while the Sunday David Walliams’s book, Gangsta Granny, for hooping taster sessions, live presentation examines 18th century children aged between 7 and 11, as well as a music, street food stalls, free craft Practicality And Rural Life. discussion about the challenges of adapting workshops, storytelling events and written work for the stage and a showcase for the brand new Greenspaces chil- young writing talent. dren’s play area. The event’s finale is hosted by ceramics man- The Royal Navy, Army and RAF are ufacturer Emma Bridgewater. Along with also in attendance, co-ordinating renowned potter and judge Keith Brymer- various activities and manning Jones and the finalists from the BBC2 series recruitment stalls. Great British Pottery Throw Down, Emma will be discussing the opportunities that the TV programme has brought to the region.

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more events from around the region

Events

Artsfest Brindleyplace Various locations across Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dragon Boat Lichfield and Stafford until Fri 24 June Race Returning for a second year, the University of Wolverhampton’s Artsfest event is already well Brindleyplace, Birmingham, Sat 18 June under way and continues until late this month. A celebration of the creative and cultural arts, the This well-established annual festival features workshops, masterclasses, live fundraiser sees members of the music, theatre and dance productions, along with a city’s business community com- whole host of other attractions. Highlights during peting for first place on the final weeks of the festival include Birmingham’s Fazeley Canal. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre performances of The This year, the organisers have Rocky Horror Show and Northern Ballet’s version of set themselves the challenge of Jane Eyre, an evening of poetry and conversation raising in excess of £65,000 (the with Jo Bell and Luke Kennard, a Light House Media 2015 total) for Birmingham- Centre screening of Thelma And Louise, and a based blood cancer charity Cure Graduate Fashion Show, presenting creations by the Leukaemia. University’s Fashion & Textile students. The one-day event features teams of 11 taking to the water, in fancy dress, in traditional Chinese longboats. The festival also boasts plenty of ing dead’ can play their part in raising Three Counties Show entertainment away from the £10,000 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. canal, with Brindleyplace’s pub- Malvern Showground, Fri 17 - Sun 19 June That said, there is a competition for best- lic squares being brought to life dressed zombie that needs to be won, so Britain's finest breeds of cattle, sheep and by traditional Chinese street maybe participants should go that extra mile pigs are all present and correct at this always- entertainment and numerous with their outfits after all. Latex ‘wounds’ and popular show - as indeed are the King's Troop family-friendly activities. Royal Horse Artillery. ketchup-covered clothing at the ready... A ceremonial unit of the British Army, the King’s Troop’s contribution to the event marks its only appearance outside London. Viking Weekend The Troop performs in the main arena on Arley Arboretum & Gardens, each day of the show, with teams of six hors- Nr Kidderminster, es each pulling First World War-era field guns Sat 18 - Sun 19 June which are then used to fire an earth-shatter- ing salute, most often seen at state occasions. Telford’s Raudr Vagr Vikings Other main arena attractions include dog group are setting up camp on agility displays, a grand parade of livestock, the front lawn of the Arboretum and the British army’s official parachute dis- to present a weekend-long play team, The Red Devils, dropping in from Living History experience. altitudes of up to 10,000 feet. Over the course of the two days, The event also features numerous ‘villages’ the reenactors will be demon- catering for visitors interested in farming, strating a variety of Viking Age equine pursuits, and hands-on sporting activ- Grand Medieval Joust crafts, skills, games and pas- ities - including Quidditch matches and les- times. Kenilworth Castle, Sat 25 - Sun 26 June sons! They’ll also be engaging in Thundering battles involving heroic knights numerous combat displays and on horseback are the order of the day at this chatting to visitors about all celebration of life and combat in medieval things Viking. Zombie Walk England. Victoria Square, Birmingham City Centre, There’s also the chance for youngsters to test Sat 18 June their strength in the field, and for visitors to sample the medieval way of life by checking It’s time to have a rummage through the out the colourful encampments. dressing-up box, go crazy with the makeup A ‘naughty’ court jester ensures there’s more and get walking in an undead way for chari- by way of entertainment than fearless com- ty... batants prodding each other with blunt- Birmingham’s eighth Zombie Walk is likely to tipped lances... attract in excess of 2,000 people, all of whom are certain to look like they’ve seen better See thelist for all your days. Still, it’s not the drained-of-blood com- plexion that matters, it’s whether the ‘walk- events listings

whatsonlive.co.uk 49 The List Cover June Birmingham ONLY.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 16:29 Page 1

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

50 whatsonlive.co.uk The List Cover June Birmingham ONLY.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 16:29 Page 2

Your week to week listings guide June 2016

thelist July 2 TuesdaySaturday - - Birmingham June Theatre, 28 Alexandra New at Granny Gangsta

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

What’s On Wed 1 to Sun 5 June Mon 6 to Sun 12 June Mon 13 to Sun 19 June Mon 20 to Thurs 30 June

Bill Bailey at Barclaycard Arena Let’s Rock Birmingham at City of Colours Festival in Digbeth McFly at O2 Academy Fri 3 June Sandwell Valley Country Park Sat 18 - Sun 19 June Mon 20 - Wed 22 June Sat 11 June

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thelist Wednesday 1 - Sunday 5 June THROUGHOUT JUNE Gigs Benigno Bossi (1727-1792), Fri 27 OCEANS ATE ALASKA May - Sun 4 Sept Wed 1 June, The Visual Arts Rainbow Venues, NEW ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE Birmingham Birmingham Museum & Marking the 400th anniversary of the Art Gallery death of William Shakespeare, Fri 10 HANKKS Wed 1 June, June - Sun 25 Sept The Rainbow Venues, FITTING IN AND GETTING ALONG Birmingham NEW TALES OF THE CITY A display of Through personal stories, film and a prints and drawings capturing the HANNAH JOHNSON & THE selection of objects, the exhibition expansion of European cities from BROKEN HEARTS Wed 1 explores the life stories of members the 17th to 19th century, Fri 24 June June, The Jam House, of Birmingham’s Polish community, - Sun 2 Oct Birmingham until Sun 5 June JUMP THE SHARK + TURNING TO SEE: FROM VAN DYCK TO mac, Birmingham SHRINKING VIOLETS LUCIAN FREUD Van Dyck's last self- PRINTS: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SERIES Wed 1 June, The Hare portrait, curated by Midlands-born AND 11 DRYPOINTS BY LOUISE & Hounds, Birmingham Chris Bevington - The Robin, Biston and internationally renowned artist BOURGEOIS Two collections of works PILGRIMAGE WITH THE RED LEMONS Fri 3 - John Stezaker, until Sun 4 Sept CITY OF SOUNDS by one of the most influential artists FESTIVAL Wed 1 - Sun YOUNG PILGRIMS & TINY Sat 4 June, The Jam Eastside Projects of recent decades (1911-2010), until 26 June, Adrian Boult BEAST Fri 3 June, Hare House, Birmingham Sun 19 June Hall, Birmingham & Hounds, Birmingham PRODUCTION SHOW until Sat 16 July SWIM WITH SHARKS & BARBARA WALKER: SHOCK AND AWE A PHOENIX RISING Wed 1 GYPSY BLOOD Fri 3 DJ ROB Sat 4 June, Irish Grand Union major new commission of drawings, June, The Robin, June, Brindley Place, Centre, Birmingham until Sun 3 July NEW LAURA OLDFIELD FORD SOLO Bilston B’ham THE RAINBOW VENUES EXHIBITION, Laura spent six weeks in BOM (B’ham Open Media) KEITH JAMES Wed 1 THE SONS OF PITCHES WAREHOUSE CLOSING residence at the Grand Union, her Fri 3 June, Artrix, PARTY Sat 4 June, The INGENIOUS AND FEARLESS June, Kitchen Garden research in Digbeth culminating in a Bromsgrove Rainbow Venues, COMPANIONS The first ever exhibition Cafe, Birmingham new body of work, Fri 17 June - Fri 5 Digbeth, B’ham by the High Altitude Bioprospecting LAURA J MARTIN + FRAN THE MAN Fri 3 Aug (HAB) science-art collective, until Sat SPECIAL GUESTS Wed 1 June, Irish Centre, MEGSON Sat 4 June, Ikon Gallery 11 June June, Ort Cafe, Birmingham Artrix, Bromsgrove Birmingham BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Fri NELLY Sat 4 June, O2 DAN FLAVIN: IT IS WHAT IT IS AND IT Museum of The Jewellery 3 June, Ricoh Arena, Academy, Birmingham AIN'T NOTHING ELSE Flavin’s artistic ADAM GREEN & FRIENDS Quarter Coventry practice was dominated by a use of Wed 1 June, The Hare CAMERON LLOYD Sat 4 COLLECTING BIRMINGHAM: STORIES fluorescent light and an aesthetic & Hounds, Birmingham SUNDARA KARMA & June, Havana THAT SHOULD BE SHARED The first in a that challenged art for art’s sake, ATLANTIC SOUL INHEAVEN Fri 3 June, Republic, Shrewsbury series of four exhibitions showcasing until Sun 26 June ORCHESTRA Thurs 2 The Rainbow Venues, objects collected from local people, BUSTED Sat 4 June, June, Birmingham Birmingham telling their stories of life in Barclaycard Arena, The Library of Birmingham Town Hall Birmingham, until Sat 31 Dec COASTS Fri 3 June, O2 Birmingham KERN BABY, A CHILD FOR SACRIFICE A PIG BAG Thurs 2 June, Academy, Birmingham THE PARLOTONES Sat 4 series of photographs by artist Faye Other The Jam House, B’ham LIBERTY LIES Fri 3 June, June, Hare & Hounds, Claridge, based on Sir Benjamin ETCHINGS BY DAVID HARBAN Local MAMMAL HANDS The Slade Rooms, King’s Heath, Stone's imagery, until Tues 7 June Thurs artist David Harban specialises in 2 June, The Hare & Wolverhampton Birmingham OUR SHAKESPEARE The Library of printmaking and aquatint, until Wed Hounds, Birmingham SOUL LEGENDS Fri 3 CONGO NATTY Sat 4 Birmingham joins forces with the 15 June, Harborne Art Gallery LUKE FRIEND June, Wolverhampton June, The Rainbow British Library to stage a free and Thurs 2 MADE AT MAC AT HEART OF ENGLAND Grand Theatre Venues, Digbeth, colourful exhibition, until Sat 3 Sept June, O2 Institute, TRUST HOSPITALS The Arts Birmingham GOODALL + RINSE + B’ham Parkside Gallery, BCU Department at Heart of England NHS SENSER Thurs 2 June, THE SURRENDERS + DIRTY DC - TRIBUTE TO Trust Foundation gives artists from all NEW SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND O2 Academy, B’ham JUNK Fri 3 June, The AC / DC Sat 4 June, The walks of life the opportunity to show- DESIGN GRADUATE SHOW 2016 Rainbow Venues, Robin, Bilston case their work in high-profile loca- WESTROCK Thurs 2 Showcasing the latest work from Birmingham MUSE INC + SUPPORT tions across three hospital sites, until June, Artrix, final-year students for courses in NOVANA Fri 3 June, O2 FROM HUMM Sat 4 Fri 29 July, Heartlands Hospital, Bromsgrove Architecture, Landscape and Zero- Academy, Birmingham June, The Roadhouse, Good Hope Hospital & Solihull BEVERLEY KNIGHT Thurs Carbon Design and Retrofit, Sat 11 - Birmingham Hospital 2 June, Symphony THE URBAN VOODOO Sat 18 June MACHINE Fri 3 June, FRANK NELSON Sun 5 WELLCOME IMAGE AWARDS EXHIBITION Hall, Birmingham The Flapper, June, Irish Centre, RBSA Gallery until Sun 23 Oct, Thinktank at JOANNA GRUESOME Birmingham Birmingham NEW NEW CURATORS: SCULPTURE Millennium Point, Birmingham Thurs 2 June, The Hare LIMEHOUSE LIZZY Fri 3 CLARE TEAL & GUY EXHIBITION Current students and NEW BA FINE ART EXHIBITION, Fri 3 - & Hounds, Birmingham June, The Robin, BARKER Sun 5 June, recent graduates curate an exhibition Sun 19 June, Article Gallery, CHRIS BEVINGTON & Bilston Wolverhampton Grand of original artworks by members, Birmingham City University FRIENDS + REBECCA BLACK SABBATH TRIBUTE Theatre associates, and guest artists, Wed 8 NEW JAMES MORGAN ARTWORKS Prints DOWNES Thurs 2 June, Fri 3 June, The DECADE Sun 5 June, - Sat 18 June and paintings inspired by flowers The Robin, Bilston Roadhouse, B’ham The Rainbow Venues, NEW FRIENDS EXHIBITION The annual and foliage, Fri 3 - Mon 27 June, Digbeth, B’ham exhibition is an opportunity for Winterbourne House & Garden MOSTLY AUTUMN Sun 5 Friends of the Society to showcase NEW ROGER HIORNS - A RESTROSPEC- June, The Robin, their varied creative practices, Wed TIVE VIEW OF THE PATHWAY Using boy Bilston 22 June - Sat 16 July choristers of Birmingham Cathedral NEW CYNTHIA PEARSON RBSA - ON THE Choir singing Evensong while lying THE STAIRS LIVE Sun 5 MAP Fabric and thread used to inter- down on the floor of the nave, rather June, The Hare & pret the decorative qualities of maps, than standing in the stalls, Wed 15 & Hounds, Mon 27 June - Sat 13 Aug Fri 17 June, Birmingham Cathedral BirminghamSONIC BOOM SIX Sun 5 June, NEW SOUND & AIR Third in a series, all The Barber Institute The Slade Rooms, based on the elements of earth, Wolverhampton CURIOUS BEAUTY Display showcasing wind, fire and water. A quarter of the Ennemond-Alexandre Petitot's proceeds of each sale goes to the eccentric, neoclassical drawings for hospice, Fri 17 June, John Taylor ornamental vases, engraved by Hospice, Birmingham Joanna Gruesome -- The Hare & Hounds

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Wednesday 1 - Sunday 5 June

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE, HOWARD REED, breaking musical returns, direct from unique interactive performance, Classical Music PAUL IMRIE & SCOTT BENNETT Thurs 2 the London Palladium, until Sat 4 developed with support from the June, The George Hotel, Lichfield June, Birmingham Hippodrome Unicorn Theatre, Fri 3 - Sun 5 June, GRAFFITI CLASSICS 16 strings, 8 danc- mac, Birmingham ing feet and 4 voices with 1 aim: to ALICE IN WONDERLAND Blue Orange make classical music wickedly funny Arts presents its version of Lewis DISCONNECTED Nick Wilkes’ comedy and fantastically exhilarating, Wed 1 Carroll's classic tale, until Sat 11 about an engineer sent to an island Jun, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre June, The Blue Orange Theatre, to disconnect an old telephone box, Birmingham Fri 3 - Sat 11 June, Hall Green Little CBSO: THE SEVEN AGES OF Theatre, Birmingham SHAKESPEARE Featuring Nicholas DOCTOR FAUSTUS Maria Aberg returns McGegan (Conductor), & the CBSO to the RSC to direct Marlowe's notori- THE CHRIS & PUI SHOW New stage Chorus. Programme includes works ous tale of vanity, greed & damna- show featuring toys and characters by Nicolai, Arne, Sullivan, Vaughan tion, until Thurs 4 Aug, The Swan from the hit TV programme, Sat 4 Williams' Porter, Berlioz & Purcell, Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon June, The Core, Solihull Wed 1 Jun, Symphony Hall, THE ALCHEMIST Polly Findlay directs SEARCHING FOR THE HAPPINESS New Birmingham MANILLA ROAD COMEDY Thurs 2 June, Ben Jonson's comedy about human children’s play which follows a young NICHOLAS MCGEGAN WITH THE CBSO The Victoria, Birmingham, B’ham folly, until Sat 6 Aug, The Swan Esmeralda as she sets off on an BAROQUE ENSEMBLE Songs & music Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon adventure, Sat 4 June, mac, B’ham KEITH FARNAN, RO CAMPBELL & inspired by William Shakespeare, COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY HAMLET Simon Godwin directs Paapa FEMINASITY Comedy sketch show including Purcell, Locke, Arne & oth- ROBINSON Thurs 2 June, The Glee Essiedu as Hamlet in Shakespeare's where Megan Ford takes down the ers..., Thurs 2 Jun, Symphony Hall, Club, Birmingham searing tragedy, until Sat 13 Aug, patriarchy with nothing but her bare Birmingham Royal Shakespeare Theatre, hands and some fabulous wigs, Sat MICKEY SHARMA, TIM CLARK, JOHN CBSO SONGS FROM THE MOVIES Stratford-upon-Avon 4 June, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, MOLONEY & PIERRE HOLLINS Fri 3 Featuring John Altman (Conductor) Birmingham June, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham CYMBELINE Melly Still directs & Lance Ellington (Vocalist). Fri 3 Shakespeare's rarely performed Jun, Symphony Hall, Birmingham MAX & IVAN Fri 3 June, The Glee work, Sat 15 Oct, Royal Shakespeare Club, Birmingham RUSSELL WATSON Sat 4 Jun, Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon Wolverhampton Grand Theatre MARK STEEL Fri 3 June, The Old Rep Dance Theatre, Birmingham BEING FRANK: BOOTCAMP Featuring BILL BAILEY Fri 3 June, Barclaycard fun and creative devising opportuni- Arena, Birmingham ties where everyone creates their own dance, until Fri 3 June, Old Rep STUART GOLDSMITH, TOM ALLEN, RO Theatre, Birmingham CAMPBELL & KEITH FARNAN Fri 3 - Sat 4 June, The Glee Club, Birmingham PINOCCHIO Presented by Ballet Theatre UK, Thurs 2 June, The Core WILL-E, NINIA BENJAMIN, JOHN RYAN & Theatre, Solihull JOHN SIMMIT Sat 4 June, mac, B’ham PASHA: IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU The PIERRE HOLLINS, MICKEY SHARMA, Strictly Star hits the road again with a JOHN MOLONEY & TIM CLARK Sat 4 brand new show in which he'll be June, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham joined by his spectacular dancers THE SALVATION ARMY PRESENT COMEDY WITH CAKE - SUITABLE FOR BELONGING WiP presents a brand and guests, including Anya Garnis, SYMPHONY SOUNDS 2016 Sat 4 Jun, ALL THE FAMILY & FEATURING BARBARA new work of theatre which explores Sun 5 June, Lichfield Garrick Symphony Hall, Birmingham NICE, MAUREEN YOUNGER & IAN the lives of two groups of characters desperately trying to find a place to CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY CRAWFORD Sun 5 June, Artrix, belong, Wed 1 June, mac, B’ham ORCHESTRA Featuring Michael Seal & Bromsgrove Julian Lloyd Webber (conductors). TOM: A STORY OF TOM JONES The Programme includes works by Musical Theatre na nÓg present an Mozart, Haydn & Beethoven, Sat 4 inspirational story of self-belief and June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Theatre determination, Wed 1 - Sat 4 June, Conservatoire THE MUSICAL OF ALL MUSICALS (THE New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham ROSS LEADBEATER’S GREAT BRITISH MUSICALS!) An ‘hilarious’ satire where DINOSAUR PARK Show-stopping SONGBOOK Featuring an eclectic pro- one storyline becomes five delightful adventure, spine-tingling theatrics gramme ranging from Ivor Novello to musicals, until Sat 4 June, Crescent and megalithic mayhem, Thurs 2 Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lionel Bart to Theatre, Birmingham June, The Old Rep Theatre, B’ham Leslie Bricusse, with The Beatles, SHADOWLANDS Stephen Boxer, Tony TELL ME ON A SUNDAY Jodie Prenger Take That, Coldplay & Gilbert & Slattery & Amanda Ryan star in the stars in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sullivan, Sat 4 June, Bramall Hall, stage version of William Nicholson's Don Black’s one-woman musical Birmingham University TV drama and subsequent film of the which charts the misadventures of a Talks same name, until Sat 4 June, The young English girl in New York in the SUNDAY CLASSICS Presenting a range TONY GARNETT: BROMSGROVE WORDS of young stars of the future from the REP, Birmingham heady days of the 1980s, Thurs 2 June, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre British film and television producer classical world, ranging from opera Tony Garnett is best known for his singers to violinists to harpists at the TEA WITH OSCAR WILDE The popular 13-year association with director Ken very start of their careers... Sun 5 Jun modern chat show reimagined for Loach and his TV docudrama Cathy The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, the Victorian age, hosted by the Come Home, Sun 5 June, Artrix, Birmingham acclaimed wit of the era, Oscar Bromsgrove CHARITY SCRATCH CONCERT WITH CON- Wilde. Thurs 2 - Fri 3 June, Old Joint SERVATOIRE ALUMNI ORCHESTRA & Stock Theatre, Birmingham CHORUS Programme includes works THE NEW KID The Young Rep presents by Faure, Parry & Shostakovich, Sun Grace Barrington's drama, which 5 June, Adrian Boult Hall, centres on a new boy at school who Film Birmingham Conservatoire rebels against conforming, Thurs 2 - INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Sat 4 June, The REP, Birmingham THE QUIET HOUSE Gareth Farr’s highly WAITING FOR HAPPINESS (18) A film anticipated new play explores fertility LATE NIGHT LOVE ‘An unflinching exploring the themes of rootlessness, Comedy Gigs and the taboo that surrounds it, until attempt to unpick the truth from the displacement and alienation in a Sat 4 June, The REP, Birmingham fiction of chocolate boxes and untan- globalised, migratory society, TOM LUCY, TOM ALLEN & ANDY gle expectations of adulthood from through the story of young Abdullah. ROBINSON HAIRSPRAY Presented by Sutton Wed 1 June, Bramall the promise of power ballads’, pre- Stars Khatra Ould Abder Kader. Music Building, Birmingham Coldfield Musical Theatre Company, sented by Eggs Collective, Fri 3 until Sat 4 June, Lichfield Garrick Foreign Language, subtitled. The HOWL Wed 1 June, The Mockingbird, June, mac, Birmingham Mockingbird, Birmingham, Thurs 2 Birmingham CATS Andrew Lloyd Webber’s record- NON ZERO ONE: GROUND CONTROL A June

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thelist Wednesday 1 - Sunday 5 June THE SKY TREMBLES AND THE EARTH IS Kubrick's philosophical space opera MAKE A TUDOR GALLEON HAT: CRAFT Moseley Old Hall, Wolverhampton AFRAID AND THE TWO EYES ARE NOT charting the progress of civilisation ACTIVITY Thurs 2 June, Blakesley COVENTRY MOTOFEST 2016 Sat 4 - Sun BROTHERS (12a) At the heart of the returns to our screens in digitally Hall, Birmingham 5 June, Coventry City Centre film’s layered narratives is an adapta- remastered form. Electric Cinema, EVENING SUPPER LECTURES 2016 A tion of A Distant Episode, the savage Birmingham, Sun 5 June BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Sat 4 - two-course supper in the Barn Sun 5 June, Birmingham City Centre short story, set in Morocco, by Restaurant, accompanied by a talk American author Paul Bowles, first MIDLAND BONSAI SHOW Members will NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: on a variety of subjects and a chance published in 1947. Moving between to stroll in the gardens after hours, be staging an extensive display of documentary, fiction and fable, The Released Fri 3 June, showing at Thurs 2 June, Baddesley Clinton, their trees, which will be divided into Sky Trembles… sees its protagonist, selected cinemas Solihull competitive classes and judged, Sun filmmaker Oliver Laxe, directing his BLOOD ORANGE (15) 5 June, Birmingham Botanical own film in Morocco, the forthcoming ANIMAL MANIA Fri 3 June, Blakesley Gardens BREAKING THE BANK (tbc) Las Mimosas, before walking off set Hall, Birmingham and into Rivers’ narrative. mac, HOLDING THE MAN (15) DIGBETH FIRST FRIDAY Digbeth comes Birmingham, Fri 3 - Sun 5 June THE MEASURE OF A MAN (tbc) alive on the first Friday of each month with exhibitions, late-night HIGH-RISE (15) The director Ben ME BEFORE YOU (12A) Wheatley has garnered considerable openings, special events, culture in THE NICE GUYS (tbc) acclaim following his films Down unexpected spaces, live music, street Terrace, Kill List and A Field In RACE (PG) food and more, Fri 3 June, Digbeth, Birmingham England. Here, he untangles an eco- VERSUS: THE LIFE AND FILMS OF KEN system preserved in a luxury London LOACH (tbc) MEDIEVAL HERALDIC SHIELD WORK- tower block, where a young doctor SHOP Make a shield with your own (Tom Hiddleston) moves to the 25th coat of arms, Fri 3 June, Weoley floor to discover fierce dissent Castle Ruins, Birmingham between the residents. Artrix, UK GAMES EXPO Fri 3 - Sun 5 June, Birmingham Botanical Gardens Bromsgrove, Fri 3 & Sun 5 June NEC, Birmingham SING STREET (12a) John Carney start- KINGS HEATH FARMERS MARKET Sat 4 ed out as bassist for the Irish rock June, All Saints Church, Kings’ WINDMILL SAILING See the historic band The Frames, directed some of Heath, Birmingham windmill in action. If the weather’s their music videos and went on to not suitable, volunteers will instead helm the critically acclaimed feature HANDSWORTH HERITAGE WALK Admire take visitors inside the windmill, in films Once and Begin Again. He fine Georgian and Victorian architec- small groups, Sun 5 June, Avoncroft keeps to the theme of music here ture, a convent designed by Museum, Bromsgrove Augustus Pugin, and a church that with this simple love story in which a THE NATIONAL METRO & MINI SHOW boy starts up a band in order to was built nearly 1,000 years ago, Sat 4 June, Soho House, Birmingham Sun 5 June, British Motor Museum, impress a girl. Bono himself collabo- Gaydon, Warwickshire rated on the soundtrack. Stars Lucy SWORDS AT SOHO! Action-packed Boynton & Maria Doyle Kennedy. Events demonstrations of 18th century bat- ANTIQUES & COLLECTORS FAIR Sun 5 June, National Motorcycle Museum, mac, Birmingham, Fri 3 - Wed 8 June IGNITE BRUM Bringing together a tles, plus the chance to have a go at Solihull number of talks to a night packed sword play yourself, Sat 4 June, with education, enlightenment and Soho House, Birmingham MAC CONTEMPORARY CRAFT MARKETS laughs, Wed 1 June, The Glee Club, THE KINGMAKER'S MEDIAEVAL BANQUET Sun 5 June, mac, Birmingham Birmingham Dine with the infamous Earl of BIRMINGHAM DIAMOND LEAGUE ATHLET- FAMILY CRAFT ACTIVITY: MASQUERADE Warwick in the year 1471, Sat 4 ICS Sun 5 June, Alexander Stadium, MASKS Make your own masquerade June, Warwick Castle Birmingham mask and immerse yourself into the BEGINNERS’ BLACKWORK WORKSHOP CLASSIC FORD SHOW The UK's pre- grandeur of Aston Hall, Wed 1 June, Materials, needles, threads and pat- mier classic Ford event, featuring Aston Hall, Birmingham terns are provided to enable you to drag strip action, huge club car dis- OH I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE complete a simple project in one day plays and more, Sun 5 June, Santa The beach will be open, donkey to take home, Sat 4 - Sun 5 June, Pod Raceway, Northants rides and punch & Judy shows will also be available, Wed 1 June, Mister Maker Manor House Museum, West Bromwich CRAFTY KIDS WORKSHOP A family- ZOOTROPOLIS (PG) The modern mam- friendly make-and-take craft activity mal metropolis of Zootropolis is a led by a designer maker, Wed 1 - city like no other. Comprised of habi- Thurs 2 June, Museum of the tat neighbourhoods like ritzy Sahara Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a HALF-TERM FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT melting pot where animals from Join a host of children's entertainers every environment live together. mac, as they spread chocolate joy, Wed 1 Birmingham, Sat 4 June - Sun 5 June, Cadbury World, ONLY YESTERDAY (PG) It’s 1982, and Birmingham Taeko is 27 years old, unmarried, CASTLE QUEST Wed 1 - Sun 5 June, and has lived her whole life in Tokyo. Tamworth Castle She decides to visit her relatives in QUEEN VICTORIA'S BIRTHDAY Including the countryside, and as the train trav- a new parade, Wed 1 - Sun 5 June, els through the night, memories Blists Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire flood back of her younger years... Foreign language, subtitled. Electric FROM THE FIRE - STUDIO CERAMICS Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 4 June FROM THE MIDLAND POTTERS ASSOCIATION Wed 1 - Sun 5 June, VERSUS: THE LIFE & FILMS OF KEN Selly Manor, Birmingham LOACH (12a) A special 'pay what you can' matinee of this new documen- MISTER MAKER Wed 1 - Sun 12 June, tary, a candid behind-the-scenes National Sea Life Centre, account of Loach's politically aware Birmingham career. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, ARTSFEST A cornucopia of creativity, Sun 5 June Wed 1 - Fri 24 June, University of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (12a) Stanley Wolverhampton

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thelist Monday 6 - Sunday 12 June Theatre Gigs Classical Music CHEEKY MONKEY COMEDY Tues 7 June, LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH The Dark Horse, Birmingham THOMAS TROTTER & CATRIN FINCH NICHOLAS ALLBROOK BETHANY BLACK, SUSAN MURRAY, VG Programme includes works by J. Mon 6 June, The Hare LEE & MAUREEN YOUNGER Wed 8 Sanders, C. Franck, J.S Bach, & Hounds, Birmingham June, Kitchen Garden Cafe, B’ham Debussy, Elias Parish-Alvars, M. HOWL Wed 8 June, The Mockingbird, GRAND SLAM Mon 6 Grandjany & Handel, Mon 6 June, Birmingham June, The Robin, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Wolverhampton ROB ROUSE, CHRISTIAN REILLY Thurs 9 CHAMBER ENSEMBLES Mon 6 June, June, mac, Birmingham ADAM ANT Tues 7 June, The Dome, Bramall Music Building, Symphony Hall, Birmingham University Birmingham CBSO: ITALIAN SYMPHONY Featuring Rob Rouse TIR NA NOG - LEO Walter Weller (Conductor) & O’KELLY & SONNY Laurence Jackson (Violin) CONDELL Tues 7 June, Programme includes works by Kitchen Garden Cafe, Dvorak, Bruch & Mendelssohn, Wed Birmingham 8 June, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Adam Ant - Symphony Hall THE JOHNNY CASH BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHES- ROADSHOW Tues 7 TIGRESS Fri 10 June, O2 Academy, B’ham TRA Featuring Michael Lloyd (con- June, Wolverhampton O2 Institute, LOS ENDOS Sat 11 June, ductor BPO), Daniele Rosina (con- Grand Theatre Birmingham The Robin, ductor - Aspire Ensemble), Di Xiao THE WEDDING CRASHERS BEN WATT BAND Fri 10 Wolverhampton (piano). Programme includes works ENRYCH IN STITCHES COMEDY by Mozart, Ravel & a selection of Tues 7 June, The Jam June, Hare & Hounds, PINK FLOYD'S THE WALL FUNDRAISER FEATURING PHILL JUPITUS, BBC 10 pieces, Sat 11 June, Adrian House, Birmingham Kings Heath, B’ham 'LIVE' Sat 11 June, MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE, FRANCESCA Boult Hall, Birmingham MARTINEZ & ANGELA BARNES Thurs 9 WALKING ON CARS Wed ALL FOLK'D UP Fri 10 Crescent Theatre, June, The Glee Club, Birmingham 8 June, O2 Academy, June, The Core Birmingham Birmingham Theatre, Solihull WOMEN IN ROCK + BOBBY DAVRO Thurs 9 June, New SYLVAIN DARRIFOURCQ THE BORN AGAIN BACKSTREET THUNDER Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham + IN LOVE WITH Wed 8 BEATLES Fri 10 June, Sat 11 June, The ROB ROUSE, FELICITY WARD, MARK June, mac, The Roadhouse, B’ham Roadhouse, B’ham SIMMONS & THE BOY WITH TAPE ON HIS Birmingham FACE Fri 10 June, The Comedy Loft, JOHN GRANT Fri 10 DAVE HANSON Sat 11 Birmingham GOSPEL CENTRAL Wed 8 June, O2 Institute, June, Cafe Nero, June, The Jam House, B’ham B’ham JAMALI MADDIX, JOEL DOMMETT, DAVE Birmingham TWENTYMAN & SEAN COLLINS TALON - THE BEST OF LET'S ROCK BIRMINGHAM Fri 10 - Sat 11 June, The Glee Club, THE OFFICIAL RECEIVERS EAGLES Fri 10 June, Sat 11 June, Sandwell Birmingham Thurs 9 June, The Jam The Robin, Bilston Valley Country Park House, Birmingham CAPABILITY BROWN 300: A CELEBRATION DEBORAH FRANCES CATAPULT CLUB FEAT. THE ORBISON STORY Sat Sat 11 June, Artrix, OF HIS LIFE IN MUSIC Featuring Bromsgrove LYON ESTATES + RUBIO Fri 10 June, O2 11 June, New Birmingham Conservatoire’s CARDINAL Thurs 9 June, Acadamy, Birmingham Alexandra Theatre, ANDRE VINCENT, FELICITY WARD, MARK Chamber Orchestra. Programme The Flapper, B’ham Birmingham SIMMONS & THE BOY WITH THE TAPE ON DRONGOS FOR EUROPE includes works by Handel, Arne, HIS FACE Sat 11 June, The Comedy BEACH SLANG Thurs 9 + LUCIFER STAR BIG DEAL Sat 11 June, Boyce & Mudge, Fri 10 June, Loft, Birmingham June, The Sunflower MACHINE + DRAGSTER The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham Cathedral Lounge, Birmingham Fri 10 June, The Birmingham SARA PASCOE Sun 12 June, The Glee BIRMINGHAM PROMS Free outdoor Rainbow Venues, Club, Birmingham CHARLOTTE CARPENTER T.REXTASY Sat 11 June, concert culminating with a spectacu- Birmingham Thurs 9 June, Hare & The Core Theatre, lar firework display, Sat 11 June, The Hounds, Kings Heath, JULIAN ARGUELLES' Solihull Bramall, Birmingham University Birmingham TETRA WITH PERCY STREET & LAINE Sat 11 BCMG - REMEMBERING THE FUTURE PURSGLOVE Fri 10 June, Theatre TROUBADOUR Thurs 9 June, The Blue Monkey Programme includes works by Judith Adrian Boult Hall, HILARITY CHARITY GALA IN AID OF June, The Robin, Club, Birmingham Weir, Luke Bedford, Richard Baker, Bilston Birmingham CENTRAL YOUTH THEATRE Featuring WALK OF FAME Sun 12 Zoe Martlew, Howard Skempton & Joe Lycett, Nish Kumar, Pappys, POST WAR GLAMOUR TALON - THE BEST OF June, Kitchen Garden John Woolrich, Sun 12 June, CBSO Daniel Kitson (MC) plus more tbc, GIRLS + FRAUDS (EP EAGLES Thurs 9 June, Cafe, Birmingham Centre, Birmingham Mon 6 June, Wolverhampton Grand LAUNCH) Fri 10 June, The Core Theatre, CITY OF SOUNDS: BGSO HALL OF FAME Theatre The Hare & Hounds, TONY KEARNEY Sun 12 Solihull Featuring Birmingham Gay Birmingham June, Irish Centre, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Oddsocks RICKY COOL AND THE IN Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Kat Galbraith present a high-octane musical ver- THE JENTS Fri 10 June, (violin) & Philip Mills (clarinet). CROWD Fri 10 June, DANCING IN THE STREET, sion of Shakespeare’s battle of the Brindley Place, Programme includes works by Grieg, The Blue Monkey Club, MOTOWN'S GREATEST sexes, Tues 7 - Wed 8 June, Lichfield Birmingham Mozart, Dvorak, Saint-Saens, Birmingham HITS Sun 12 June, Garrick GROUPER Fri 10 - Sat 11 Copland & Prokofiev, Sun 12 June, PROSE + SPECIAL Birmingham Town Hall BLACKADDER: THE TUDOR YEARS All & June, The Jam House, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham GUESTS Fri 10 June, Sundry present a stage show based Birmingham DEE D & THE JAMES Conservatoire The Flapper, GANG Sun 12 June, The on the much-loved TV series, Tues 7 THE BEGGAR’S OPERA Students from Birmingham JAKE SIMS Sat 11 June, Robin, Bilston - Sat 11 June, Artrix, Bromsgrove the University of Birmingham present TOM JONES Sun 12 an original interpretation of Britten’s MUSIC HALL MEMORIES Relive those June, Beacon Park, work, combining opera, musical the- magic memories from the Golden Lichfield atre & cabaret, Sun 12, Tues 14 & Age of Music Hall with a star line-up HANNAH ALDRIDGE & Wed 15 June, The Barber Institute, to be announced, Wed 8 June, LILLY HIATT Sun 12 Birmingham Wolverhampton Grand Theatre June, Kitchen Garden THAT'LL BE THE DAY A musical romp Cafe, Birmingham through the youthful days of HACKNEY COLLIERY Rock’n’Roll in the ’50s, on through BAND Sun 12 June, Comedy Gigs the Swinging ’60s and into the taste- mac Birmingham HILARITY CHARITY GALA FEATURING JOE free days of the 1970s, Wed 8 June, LYCETT, NISH KUMAR, PAPPYS, DANIEL New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham KAST OFF KINKS Sun 12 KITSON, AISLING BEA PLUS MORE TBC June, Hare & Hounds, BEYOND CARING Darkly humorous Mon 6 June, Wolverhampton Grand Grouper - The Jam House, Birmingham Kings Heath, B’ham new play by Alexander Zeldin which

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whatsonlive.co.uk 57 The List 6 - 12 June - Birmingham Only VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:45 Page 3

MEETING POINT: corner of Colmore Row & Waterloo Street, Victoria Square TOUR TIMES: 10.30am, 12.30pm & 2.30pm

CONTACT: 0121 427 2555 / 07805 115 998 [email protected]

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

58 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 6 - 12 June - Birmingham Only VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:45 Page 4

thelist Monday 6 - Sunday 12 June exposes an invisible class, Wed 8 - WNO - CAVALLERIA been divided into two screenings. CHOLMONDELEY POWER & SPEED Sat 11 June, The REP, Birmingham RUSTICANA/PAGLIACCI Welsh National mac, Birmingham, Fri 10 June FESTIVAL Celebration of supercars WNO - CAVALLERIA Opera celebrates its 70th birthday WHERE TO INVADE NEXT Just in time and bikes, past, present and future, RUSTICANA/PAGLIACCI Welsh National with the double bill that started it all, for election season, America's politi- Fri 10 June, Cholmondeley Castle, Opera celebrates its 70th birthday Sat 11 June, Birmingham cal provocateur, Michael Moore, is Cheshire with the double bill that started it all, Hippodrome back with his new film, confronting GEORGIAN BIRMINGHAM & CAPABILITY Thurs 9 June, Birmingham the most pressing issues facing BROWN BUS TOUR Guided bus tour on Hippodrome America today and finding solutions the Big Brum Open Top Bus, Fri 10 BOBBY DAVRO Brand new show from in the most unlikely places. Followed June, Birmingham City Centre one of last year’s Celebrity Big by a Q&A via satellite with Michael ROYAL GARDEN PARTY Take along a Brother finalists, Thurs 9 June, New Moore. mac, Birmingham, Fri 10 picnic and engage in a whole host of Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham June; Electric Cinema, Birmingham, fun activities, including a live trail, Sat Fri 10 June BLACK IS THE COLOUR OF MY VOICE 11 June, Soho House, Birmingham Inspired by the story of Nina Simone, COOL HAND LUKE (15) Paul Newman's KINGS NORTON FARMERS' MARKET Sat a successful jazz singer and civil rebellious chain-gang prisoner fights 11 June, The Green, Kings Norton, rights activist seeking redemption the system and Oscar winner George Birmingham Kennedy's fellow inmate in this 1960s after the untimely death of her father, COOKING WITH ELVIS The Crescent UNPLUG AND PLAY Playday outdoors Thurs 9 June, The Old Rep Theatre, classic. Electric Cinema, Theatre Company present Lea Hall’s Birmingham, Sat 11 June in the gardens, Sat 11 June, Castle Birmingham anarchic play about child abuse, wife Bromwich Hall Gardens, Birmingham THE SPINNING WHEEL A fusion of sto- abuse, sex, loss and cooking, Sat 11 EVERYBODY WANTS SOME! (15) On their last weekend before the start of BOLLYWOOD CELEBRATION Sat 11 rytelling, projection mapping, hip - Sat 18 June, The Crescent Theatre, June, Birmingham Botanical Gardens hop, jazz and spoken word, Thurs 9 Birmingham school, a group of college baseball June, mac, Birmingham players test the waters of unsuper- PIKES AND MUSKETS See the grisly vised adulthood... If the concept of work of the Barber Surgeon and I, ELIZABETH From the creators of this comedy fails to get your juices learn what it takes to be a solider, Sat Dalloway & Austen's Women comes flowing, remember that director 11 June, Aston Hall, Birmingham a one-woman play which explores Richard Linklater’s last film, CLASSIC AND VINTAGE COMMERCIAL the struggles of Queen Elizabeth as Talks Boyhood, was nominated for six she attempts to reconcile the desires SHOW Featuring over 400 pre-1997 CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS: WARFARE AND Oscars (and won the BAFTA for best commercial vehicles, Sat 11 - Sun 12 of womanhood with the duties of THE PUBLIC ARCHIVE A symposium film). Stars Blake Jenner & Zoey sovereignty. Rebecca Vaughan stars, June, British Motor Museum, exploring the subject of conflict and Deutch. mac, Birmingham, Sat 11 - Gaydon, Warwickshire Guy Masterson directs, Thurs 9 - Fri its interpretation in our national Wed 15 June 10 June, Lichfield Garrick THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL Sat archives. Chaired by Professor Lynda GABOR (PG) Directed by Sebastián COCKROACHED Intense drama where Morris, Sat 11 June, mac, B’ham 11 - Sun 12 June, Ragley Hall, Alfie, this inspiring documentary tells Warwickshire two actors swap roles, their produc- AUTHORS OF A CERTAIN ERA Four nov- the remarkable story of a friendship tion taking on a different shape every elists share their experience of get- between Sebas and Gabor, a young BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Sat 11 - night, Thurs 9 - Sat 18 June, The Old ting a novel published when no filmmaker and a blind cinematogra- Sun 12 June, Birmingham City Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham longer in the first flush of youth, Sun pher. HOME has specially commis- Centre GRUMPY OLD WOMEN Three live and 12 June, St John’s Library, Worcester sioned an audio description for blind THE SOOTY SHOW: SOOTY IN SPACE rather furious females take to the or partially sighted customers to Join Sooty, Sweep and Soo for an stage for an orgy of middle-aged accompany this screening. Foreign adventure on the space station, com- mayhem, Fri 10 June, New Alexandra language, subtitled. mac, plete with Sooty's Turbo Rocket, Sat Theatre, Birmingham Birmingham, Sun 12 June 11 - Sun 12 June, Cadbury World, Film Bournville AUSTIN HEALEY CONCOURSE EVENT See a collection of these iconic cars, Sun INDEPENDENT CINEMAS: NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: 12 June, Castle Bromwich Hall ONLY YESTERDAY (PG) It’s 1982, and Released Fri 10 June, showing at Gardens, Birmingham Taeko is 27 years old, unmarried, selected cinemas BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS: PEAKY and has lived her whole life in Tokyo. THE BOSS (tbc) BLINDERS Sun 12 June, Birmingham She decides to visit her relatives in City Centre the countryside, and as the train trav- EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (12a) els through the night, memories FIRE AT SEA (tbc) BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL RECORD FAIR Sun 12 June, National flood back of her younger years... LEARNING TO DRIVE (tbc) WNO - IN PARENTHESIS British com- With the voices of Daisy Ridley & Motorcycle Museum, Solihull poser Iain Bell’s adaptation of the Dev Patel. mac, Birmingham, Tues 7 MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN (12a) BIG FISH LITTLE FISH FAMILY RAVE Sun epic poem by Welsh poet, writer and June MOTHER’S DAY (12a) 12 June, The Rainbow Venues, artist David Jones, Fri 10 June, THE DIVIDE (12a) A documentary WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (tbc) Digbeth, Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome telling the story of seven individuals LOVEHARD Two men (LoveHard) play striving for a better life in the mod- more than 30 characters on a night ern-day US and UK - where the top of frights, blights and lack of lights... 0.1% owns as much wealth as the Fri 10 June, Old Joint Stock Theatre, bottom 90%. By plotting these tales Events Birmingham together, we uncover how virtually WE OWE THEM SO MUCH; ARTISTS AND every aspect of our lives is controlled MONSTERSAURUS Brand new, ener- EPIGRAPHERS IN EGYPT by one factor: the size of the gap With Lee getic show from the creators of Young, an independent researcher, Aliens Love Underpants. Expect between rich and poor. mac, Birmingham, Tues 7 & Thurs 9 June Wed 8 June, Perry Beeches II: The spills, thrills, magic & mayhem... Sat Free School, Birmingham 11 June, The Old Rep Theatre, THE QUEEN ON TOUR PART 1 With HANDSWORTH HERITAGE WALK Admire Birmingham unprecedented access to the royal fine Georgian and Victorian architec- MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING The Lord household, the films in this unique collection provide a valuable record ture, a convent designed by Chamberlain’s Men present an out- Augustus Pugin and a church that door staging of Shakespeare’s battle of royal tours and state visits, and also include revealing portraits of the was built nearly 1,000 years ago, of the sexes, Sat 11 June, Packwood Wed 8 June, Soho House, House, Solihull Queen and her children. This is the seventh volume in the BFI's ongoing Birmingham FIRST STAGES: DING DONG Cloud releases of the films produced by the TIM PEAKE LANDING PARTY With lots of SCALEXTRICS SUPER PRIX 2016 Cuckoo Land presents an interactive UK Government's Central Office of activities and a themed astronaut Budding Lewis Hamiltons can put musical play about time for younger Information, and the first to focus on breakfast, Fri 10 June, National their racing skills to the test, Sun 12 children, Sat 11 June, The REP, official films made about the royalty. Space Centre, Leicester June, Wonderful World of Trains and Birmingham This four-hour documentary has Planes, Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List 13 - 19 June - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:44 Page 1

thelist Monday 13 - Sunday 19 June conducts a programme of works by Dvorak, Bax & R Strauss, Sun 19 Gigs Classical Music June, The Bramall, Birmingham THE ATEA WIND QUINTET Programme University INGLORIOUS Mon 13 includes works by Eugene Bozzam June, The Robin, Jean Francaix, Olivier Truan & Arthur Bilston Bird, Mon 13 June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire BEN FOLDS & YMUSIC Comedy Gigs Mon 13 June, SHOSTAKOVICH QUARTETS II FEAT. THE LOUDEEMY SOUP COMEDY NIGHT Mon Symphony Hall, LIGETI QUARTET Mon 13 June, Recital 13 June, The Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire Birmingham AN EVENING WITH MOZART, MESSIAEN & CHOPIN Featuring CHEEKY MONKEY COMEDY Tues 14 HAFDIS HULD Mon 13 Jessica Efezeybek, Tung Khng Chua June, The Dark Horse, Birmingham & Stavroula Thoma (pianos), Mon 13 June, Kitchen Garden HOWL Wed 15 June, The Cafe, B’ham June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire Mockingbird, Birmingham NASHVILLE Tues 14 THE GILDAS QUARTET Part of the City SOFIE HAGEN, SILKY Thurs 16 June, June, Symphony Hall, mac, Birmingham Birmingham Of Sounds Festival. Programme includes works by Turnage & DANNY MCLOUGHLIN, MIKE WILMOT & PUBLIC IMAGE LTD Tues Shostakovich, Wed 15 June, Adrian COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY 14 June, The Slade Boult Hall, Birmingham ROBINSON Thurs 16 June, The Glee Rooms, Club, Birmingham Wolverhampton KATHERINE JENKINS A celebration of her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birth- MA POLAINE'S GREAT day The London Concert Orchestra & DECLINE Tues 14 June, Anthony Inglis (conductor), also fea- Kitchen Garden Cafe, ture, Wed 15 June, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Absolute Bowie - O2 Institute Birmingham LEE JONES Tues 14 CBSO: SIBELIUS' SECOND Programme CIRCUS OF DREAMS TRIBUTE Fri 17 June, June, The Jam House, includes works by Beethoven, Elgar & Thurs 16 June, The The Roadhouse, Birmingham Sibelius, Thurs 16 June, Symphony Jam House, B’ham TIM GARLAND Tues 14 Hall, Birmingham Birmingham UP4 THE DOWNSTROKE June, Adrian Boult MURRAY PERAHIA IN RECITAL KILLER WAVE PSYCH Fri 17 - Sat 18 June, KIAN ‘N’ JC Thurs 16 June, O2 Hall, Birmingham Programme includes works by SPECIAL WITH THE CULT The Jam House, Academy, Birmingham JULIET KELLY Wed 15 Haydn, Mozart, Brahms & Beethoven, OF DOM KELLER Fri 17 B’ham June, Lichfield Garrick Fri 17 June, Symphony Hall, SOFIE HAGEN, IAN BOWDEN, GRAHAM June, The Hare & PAUL MCCLURE + WILKES & MICHAEL J DOLAN Fri 17 JACK PACK Wed 15 Birmingham Hounds, Birmingham ASHLAND Sat 18 June, June, Lichfield Garrick June, The Glee Club, SUMMER FESTIVAL VOICES Featuring UB4T Fri 17 June, Irish Ort Cafe, Birmingham B’ham Jack Apperley (conductor). IVO GRAHAM, TANYALEE DAVIS, DANNY Centre, Birmingham THE MOJO FILTERS Sat MCLOUGHLIN & MIKE WILMOT Fri 17 - THE FRANKIE VALLI Programme comprises Purcell’s The LIVE, LOUD & LOCAL Fri 18 June, The Rainbow Sat 18 June, The Glee Club, B’ham STORY - JERSEY BOY Tempest, Fri 17 June, The Barber 17 June, The Slade Venues, Birmingham FEAT: STEPHEN JAMES Institute, Birmingham GLENN WOOL, DANNY WARD, MATT REED Rooms, Wed 15 June, The JOHN LAW'S NEW ALED JONES Fri 17 June, Coventry & EDDIE BRIMSON Fri 17 - Sat 18 June, Wolverhampton Robin, Bilston CONGREGATION Sat 18 Cathedral The Comedy Loft, Birmingham ABSOLUTE BOWIE June, Arena Theatre, LUCAS D & THE GROOVE BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR - A (TRIBUTE) Fri 17 June, Wolverhampton GHETTO Wed 15 June, SHAKESPEAREAN CONCERT Conducted O2 Institute, B’ham The Jam House, Bham MY BROTHER, THE WOLF by Paul Spicer, Sat 18 June, CBSO BAD MANNERS Fri 17 Sat 18 June, Slade Theatre EXPIRE Thurs 16 June, Centre, Birmingham June, The Robin, Rooms, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Ben The Rainbow Venues, THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS Elgar’s work Bilston Wolverhampton Freeman stars opposite X Factor final- Digbeth, Birmingham is here performed by two long estab- ist Diana Vickers in this new touring PETE CHURCHILL & ANGELIC UPSTARTS Sat THE BIG WOLF BAND lised Midlands choirs - the version of Richard O’Brien’s cult clas- MISHKA ADAMS Fri 17 18 June, Hare & Thurs 16 June, The Birmingham Choral Union & Solihull- sic, Mon 13 - Sat 18 June, June, The Glee Club, Hounds, Birmingham Roadhouse, B’ham based The Chandos Choir, Sat 18 Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Birmingham BARRY MANILOW Sat 18 June, The Bramall, Birmingham STIPE - R.E.M TRIBUTE MALCOLM STENT IN THE AFTERNOON SIMPLY MORE RED Fri 17 June, Genting Arena, University Thurs 16 June, The Spend an afternoon in the company June, Palace Theatre, Birmingham Robin, Bilston CITY OF SOUNDS: RAISING THE ROOF! of Malc and be home by teatime, Redditch ARE YOU EXPERIENCED? Featuring Sutton Coldfield Choirs, IMAX Thurs 16 June, Tues 14 June, The Core, Solihull JOHN COOPER CLARKE Sat 18 June, The Four Oaks Cluster Choir, Sutton O2 Institute, THE KING AND I Amateur production of Fri 17 June, Roadhouse, B’ham Coldfield Youth Voices & The Birmingham Accidentals, Sat 18 June, Adrian the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, Birmingham Town Hall FROST Sun 19 June, THE SLAMBOVIAN Boult Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire presented by Queensbridge Musical HELLS BELLS ~ AC/DC The Robin, Theatre Co, Tues 14 - Sat 18 June, Wolverhampton CBSO BEETHOVEN'S SEVENTH Featuring The Core Theatre, Solihull Kazuki Yamada (Conductor & Pieter RICKY COOL AND THE IN Wispelwey (Cello) Programme OLIVER! Bromsgrove Operatic Society CROWD Sun 19 June, includes works by Weber, Elgar & present an amateur staging of Lionel The Brass House, Beethoven, Sat 18 June, Symphony Bart’s musical version of the Charles Birmingham Hall, Birmingham Dickens classic, Tues 14 - Sat 18 T R DALLAS Sun 19 June, Artrix, Bromsgrove BRANT INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETI- June, Irish Centre, TION 2016 Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, The CUTTIN' IT Charlene James' new play B’ham Barber Institute, Birmingham explores the urgent issue of FGM in MIDLAND YOUTH JAZZ Britain and the price some girls pay SUNDAY CLASSICS Presenting a range ORCHESTRA WITH CLARE to become a woman, Tues 14 - Sat 18 of young stars of the future from the TEAL Sun 19 June, June, The REP, Birmingham classical world, ranging from opera Artrix, Bromsgrove singers to violinists to harpists at the CALAMITY JANE BMOS Musical DESTRUCTION PARTY very start of their careers… Sun 19 Theatre present an amateur produc- Sun 19 June, Adrian June, The Spotted Dog, Digbeth, tion of the classic Wild West musical, Boult Hall, Birmingha Birmingham Tues 14 - Sat 18 June, New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham OFFSPRING Sun 19 BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHES- June, O2 Academy, THE ROAD TO HUNTSVILLE An explo- Offspring - O2 Institute TRA: NATURE’S REALM Richard Laing Birmingham ration of unconventional love, state 60 whatsonlive.co.uk The List 13 - 19 June - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 19:44 Page 2

Monday 13 - Sunday 19 June

homicide and challenging precon- ceptions, written and performed by Stephanie Ridings, Wed 15 - Thurs Talks 16 June, mac, Birmingham MUTINY: SCREENING & TALK Exploring the British Caribbean experience of CIPHERS Staging of Dawn King’s the First World War and its legacies, provocative espionage thriller which as revealed by the last surviving vet- examines versions of identity, Wed erans of the British West Indies 15 - Sat 18 June, Old Rep Theatre, Regiment, Tues 14 June, mac, Birmingham Birmingham MACBETH GONE MENTAL Tap The Table productions present Shakespeare's quintessential tragedy as a rip-roar- ing comedy, Fri 17 June, The Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham Film SID New 50-minute one-man play by INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: Leon Flemming which explores the true nature of hero worship and what STALKER (PG) Deep within the Zone, a it means to be a punk, Fri 17 June, bleak and devastated forbidden land- Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham scape, lies a mysterious room with the power to grant the deepest wish- es of those strong enough to make the hazardous journey there. Desperate to reach it, a scientist and a writer approach the Stalker, one of the few able to navigate the Zone’s menacing terrain, and begin a dan- gerous trek into the unknown. Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Foreign language, subtitled. mac, The Rocky Horror Show - Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Birmingham, Tues 14 June DUETS The Billesley Players present screening of Otto Preminger's classic SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS GARDEN TOUR Peter Quilter’s quartet of separate PURPLE RAIN (15) The late Prince's flamboyant rock musical tells the courtroom drama, followed by a live Thurs 16 June, Winterbourne House short comedic plays exploring the jazz performance of some of Duke & Garden, Birmingham various stages of different relation- semi-autobiographical story of a young musician struggling to win Ellington's best. Electric Cinema, EVENING SUPPER LECTURES 2016 A ships, Fri 17 - Sat 18 June, The Birmingham, Sat 18 June Dovehouse Theatre, Solihull respect, complete with an epic two-course supper in the Barn soundtrack which includes When BREATHLESS (PG) Jean-Luc Godard's Restaurant accompanied by a talk on BEYOND BELIEF Riverside Performing Doves Cry. Electric Cinema, semi-improvised, groundbreaking a variety of subjects and a chance to Arts present a showcase of thought- Birmingham, Fri 17 June drama about the brief love affair stroll in the gardens after hours, provoking plays and monologues THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY (12a) between a petty criminal and a Thurs 16 June, Baddesley Clinton, exploring the theme of belief, Fri 17 - young American student. Stars Jean- Solihull Sat 18 June, mac, Birmingham This is a must for those who adored A Beautiful Mind and Good Will Paul Belmondo & Jean Seberg. BBC GOOD FOOD SHOW SUMMER (see THE UGLY DUCKLING A musical adap- Hunting. Srinivasa Ramanujan (Dev Electric Cinema, Birmingham, Sun 19 page 45 for details) Thurs 16 - Sun tation of Hans Christian Andersen’s Patel) is a young man who, after an June 19 June, NEC, Birmingham classic tale, presented by Sea Legs impoverished childhood in Madras, PRINCESS MONONOKE (PG) The first BBC GARDENERS WORLD LIVE 2016 Puppet Theatre, Sat 18 June, managed to secure a place at Trinity Studio Ghibli film to have major suc- Lichfield Garrick Thurs 16 - Sun 19 June, NEC, College in Cambridge. He later went cess outside of Japan, Princess Birmingham THE JUNGLE BOOK Tamworth on to lead the field in mathematical Mononoke is a stunning tale of a war Pantomime Company present an analysis, number theory, infinite between nature and man. Stars Yoji award-winning adaptation of series and continued fractions. Gosh. Matsuda. Foreign language, subti- Rudyard Kipling’s original story, Sat Also stars Jeremy Irons. Wem Town tled. Electric Cinema, Birmingham, 18 June, Tamworth Castle, Staffs Hall, North Shropshire, Tues 14 & Sun 19 June WUTHERING HEIGHTS Chapterhouse Thurs 16 June; Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 17 June Theatre presents its version of Emily NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Bronte’s classic love story, Sun 19 THE DAUGHTER (15) Christian returns June, mac, Birmingham to his hometown for his father's wed- BANG GANG (A MODERN LOVE STORY) ding. Reconnecting with childhood (18) friends and family, he unearths a THE CONJURING 2 (tbc) long-buried secret that threatens to GODS OF EGYPT (12a) shatter lives. Stars Sam Neill & Geoffrey Rush. mac, Birmingham, Fri THE KEEPING ROOM (15) Dance 17 - Wed 22 June LONG WAY NORTH (tbc) JANE EYRE Northern Ballet presents a choreographed version of Charlotte LOVE & FRIENDSHIP (U) Kate THE VIOLATORS (tbc) Bronte's dramatic tale of romance, Beckinsale plays Lady Susan Vernon WHERE YOU WERE MEANT TO BE (15 CCA CLASSIC CAR SALE Sat 18 June, jealousy and dark secrets, Fri 10 - who, while staying at a massive Tutbury Castle, Burton-upon-Trent Sat 11 June, Wolverhampton Grand estate, sets about finding a suitable BLITZ HILL Enjoy a summer evening Theatre husband for her daughter. Of course, on the home front as you travel to she wouldn’t mind an eligible man the 1940s with vintage entertainment, TORTOISE & THE HARE Northern Ballet for herself… Also stars Chloë presents a choreographed re-imagin- Events activities and characters from the Sevigny. mac, Birmingham, Fri 17 - World War Two era, Sat 18 June, ing of Aesop's much-loved fable Thurs 23 June HEAD GARDENER'S EVENING TOURS about a tortoise who, tired of being Wed 15 June, Packwood House, Blists Hill, Ironbridge, Shropshire SOLARIS (12a) teased for his slowness, challenges a On a space station Solihull WILD DYES DAY COURSE Discover how speedy hare to a race, Sat 11 June, orbiting the ocean-covered planet to create gorgeous colour on a silk Solaris, cosmonaut Kris Kelvin inves- EARLY YEARS: POPULAR TRACTOR Wolverhampton Grand Theatre STORIES A fantastic opportunity for scarf using local plants and kitchen tigates a series of mysterious and cupboard ingredients, Sat 18 June, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW bizarre occurrences among the crew. children aged between one and four Birmingham Royal Ballet present (and their families) to explore the Black Country Living Museum, Stars Natalya Bondarchuk. Foreign Dudley Shakespeare’s tale of mismatched language, subtitled. mac, tractor exhibition using action- marriage, Thurs 16 - Sat 18 June, Birmingham, Fri 17 - Thurs 23 June packed stories and Makaton signs, ENAMELLING DAY COURSE Sat 18 June, Birmingham Hippodrome Wed 15 June, Coventry Transport Black Country Living Museum, ANATOMY OF A MURDER + LIVE Museum Dudley JAZZLINES PERFORMANCE (12) A

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thelist Monday 13 - Sunday 19 June COVENTRY PRIDE 2016 Sat 18 - Sun 19 Northants June, Fargo Village, Coventry ROYAL AIR FORCE COSFORD AIR SHOW GAY CLASSIC CAR GROUP 18 - Sun 19 The Midlands’ premier air event, fea- June, Coventry Transport Museum turing exhibits, stalls, trade stands, VIKING WEEKEND Raudr Vagr Vikings military demonstrations and chil- group from Telford recreate the dren's entertainment, Sun 19 June, lifestyles of the Vikings and Anglo- RAF Cosford, Shropshire Saxons, Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, Arley MEDIEVAL FATHER'S DAY Including fire Arboretum, Worcestershire shows, beds of nails and displays of GORGEOUS GEORGIANS Sat 18 - Sun all-round derring-do, Sun 19 June, 19 June, Avoncroft Museum, Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire Bromsgrove, Worcestershire CLASSIC CAR DAY Sun 19 June, DROITWICH SPA FOOD AND DRINK Coventry Transport Museum FESTIVAL Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, 2016 PCA BRITISH FINALS The first ever Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire Physical Culture Association (PCA) MOTORSPORT MARSHALLING TASTER British Finals, featuring male and DAY Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, Donington female bodybuilding & fitness class- Park Racing Circuit, Derby es, Sun 19 June, Symphony Hall, Birmingham CADBURY CHARACTER WEEKEND Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, Cadbury World, WHEELY FUN DAY AT YHA COALPORT Birmingham Cycling-themed fun day, Sun 19 June, Coalport China Museum, CITY OF COLOURS 2016 Sat 18 - Sun Ironbridge, Shropshire 19 June, The Custard Factory, CREATIVE CARERS PROGRAMME: PAPER Centre Digbeth, Birmingham FATHER'S DAY ACTIVITIES Follow in Sherlock Holmes’ footsteps at this MARBLING Sat 18 June, Aston Hall, SUPERHEROES & PRINCESSES WEEKEND NATIONAL CAR RACES The British Birmingham detective-themed event, Sun 19 Bring along your little Annas, Elsas, Automobile Racing Club (BARC) June, Blists Hill, Ironbridge, Shrops ZOMBIE WALK BIRMINGHAM 2016 Sat Spidermen and Batmen to enjoy all presents two days of racing, Sat 18 - 18 June, Birmingham City Centre the usual fun of the farm, Sat 18 - Sun 19 June, Donington Park Racing BANBURY RUN Sun 19 June, British Sun 19 June, Lower Drayton Farm, Circuit, Derby Motor Museum, Gaydon, BRINDLEYPLACE DRAGONBOAT RACE Warwickshire 2016 Sat 18 June, Brindleyplace, Stafford BMW SHOW All BMWs welcome - race Birmingham OPEN DAY OF THE EARL OF DUDLEY’S cars, show cars, modern, retros, BIRMINGHAM ARMS FAIR Sun 19 June, MEMORY GARDEN Sat 18 - Sun 19 classics, new minis and BMW bikes, National Motorcycle Museum, BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Sat 18 - Solihull Sun 19 June, Birmingham City June, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley Sun 19 June, Santa Pod Raceway,

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whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List 20 - 26 June - Birmingham ONLY VERSION.qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 14:07 Page 1

thelist Monday 20 - Thursday 30 June Wolverhampton Symphony Hall, PINEL Thurs 30 June, Worcester Cathedral Gigs DEXY'S BOOTLEG Birmingham Classical Music SAMANTHA BARKS Mon RUNNERS Fri 24 June, FOTHERINGAY Tues 28 LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH 20 June, New Hare & Hounds, June, The Robin, THOMAS TROTTER Mon 20 June, Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham Bilston Birmingham Town Hall Comedy Gigs Birmingham NAVI - KING OF POP COLLIE BUDDZ Tues 28 PIANO RECITAL BY RISING STAR, CATHY TOADALLY FREE COMEDY! Mon 20 June, MICHAEL JACKSON TRIB- June , O2 Institute, MCFLY Mon 20 - Wed KRIER Programme includes works by The Blue Orange Theatre, UTE Fri 24 June, The Birmingham 22 June, O2 Academy, Berg, Denis Schuler, Janacek, Rihm & Birmingham Birmingham Robin, Bilston THE ACOUSTIC Schubert, Mon 20 June, Birmingham CHEEKY MONKEY COMEDY Tues 21 FLEETWOOD BAC Fri 24 SESSIONS Tues 28 Town Hall JARED JAMES NICHOLS June, The Dark Horse, Birmingham + BAD TOUCH + DAVE June, The Roadhouse, June, The Jam House, CITY OF SOUNDS: STEREO IS KING HANSON Tues 21 June, Birmingham Birmingham Programme includes works by Mason CARL HOWL Wed 22 June, The Mockingbird, Birmingham The Rainbow Venues, DETROIT SOUL Fri 24 - THE KILKENNYS Tues 28 Bates, Mark Norman, Steve Reich, Birmingham Sat 25 June, The Jam June, The Core John Cage, Chick Corea & ZOE LYONS, CAIMH MCDONNELL Thurs HYMN FOR HER Tue 21 House, Birmingham Theatre, Solihull Christopher Tyler Nickel, Mon 20 23 June, mac, Birmingham June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham June, The Robin, LICHFIELD JAZZ & CHANTEL MCGREGOR JENNY COLLIER, JOE BOR PLUS COMIC Conservatoire Bilston BLUES FESTIVAL Fri 24 - Wed 29 June, The TBC Thurs 23 June, The Glee Club, BOYSETSFIRE Tue 21 Mon 27 June, Lichfield Robin, Wolverhampton EX CATHEDRA: SUMMER MUSIC BY CAN- Birmingham DLELIGHT Programme includes works June, O2 Academy, Guildhall HURRAY FOR THE RIFF by Matthews Dawn, Morley, Vaughan Jenny Collier Birmingham THE VOW BAND Sat 25 RAFF + SPECIAL Williams & Gershwin, Tues 21 June, June, Irish Centre, GUESTS Wed 29 June, TOM WALKER TRIO Wed Birmingham Cathedral 22 June, The Jam Birmingham The Rainbow Venues, CITY OF SOUNDS: FROM BACH TO BERIO House, Birmingham BRANDY LIVE Sat 25 Birmingham Programme includes works by Bach, June, O2 Academy, ODDISEE & GOOD THE MELVINS Wed 22 Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Birmingham COMPNY Wed 29 June, June, The Rainbow Schumann, Liszt & Brahms, Thurs 23 O2 Institute, B’ham Venues, Birmingham VICIOUS NATURE Sat 25 June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham CYNDI LAUPER Wed 22 June, O2 Academy, ODYSSEY Wed 29 Conservatoire Birmingham June, The Jam House, June, Symphony Hall, ROMANY WOOD Featuring massed Birmingham Birmingham DAVID MACGREGOR Sat choirs from primary & prep schools CROBOT Wed 22 June, 25 June, Lichfield KAMASI WASHINGTON throughout Birmingham. Martin Leigh MILTON JONES, CRAIG HILL, STEVE The Rainbow Venues, Garrick Wed 29 June, O2 conducts Shostakovich’s Festive HARRIS PLUS COMIC TBC Thurs 23 June, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham Birmingham BRANDY Sat 25 June, Institute, Birmingham Overture op.96 (7) and ZZ TOP Thurs 23 June, O2 Academy, TRASH BOAT Wed 29 Gaukroger/Carr’s Romany Wood JEN BRISTER, BILLY KIRKWOOD, MILO O2 Academy, B’ham Birmingham June, The Asylum, (40’), Fri 24 June, Symphony Hall, MCCABE & OTIZ CANNELLONI Fri 24 Birmingham Birmingham June, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham THE ENID Thurs 23 RIHANNA Sat 25 June, June, The Robin, Ricoh Arena, Coventry ALIBIS + SPECIAL THE PLANETS: AN HD ODYSSEY AL PORTER, JAMES DOWDESWELL, Featuring the Royal Philharmonic JENNY COLLIER & JOE BOR Fri 24 - Sat Bilston RITCHIE BLACKMORE'S GUESTS Wed 29 June, Orchestra, Northampton Bach Choir 25 June, The Glee Club, Birmingham RAINBOW Sat 25 June, Ort Cafe, Birmingham ABSOLUTE BLONDIE & Robert Ziegler (conductor). Genting Arena, JONATHAN BYRD Wed BILLY KIRKWOOD, JEN BRISTER, IVAN Thurs 23 June, The Programme includes works by Birmingham 29 June, Kitchen BRACKENBURY & IAN D MONTFORD Sat Jam House, Strauss, Bach arr. Stokowski, Garden Cafe, 25 June, The Comedy Loft, B’ham Birmingham KIRVANA - A TRIBUTE TO Beethoven, Williams & Holst, Sat 25 Birmingham BLANK PARODY Fri 24 NIRVANA Sat 25 June, June, Symphony Hall, Birmingham BARRY CRYER & COLIN SELL Sat 25 The Slade Rooms, SEAL Thurs 30 June, June, Artrix, Bromsgrove June, The Flapper, SOLIHULL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Wolverhampton Symphony Hall, Birmingham Programme includes works by Ravel, FAT PENGUIN COMEDY Wed 29 June, Birmingham WHITESNAKE UK PLUS KORN AGAIN + STIFF Sarasate, Piazzolla, De Falla & The Patrick Kavanagh, Birmingham POIZON Fri 24 June, BIZKIT - FAMILY VALUES Rimsky-Korsakov. Jon HOWL Wed 29 June, The The Slade Rooms, TRIBUTE Sat 25 June, Malaxetxebarria conducts, Sat 25 Mockingbird, Birmingham The Roadhouse, Wolverhampton June, Shirley Methodist Church, WILL FRANKEN, DAVID TRENT Thurs 30 Birmingham SAUL WILLIAMS Fri 24 Solihull June, mac, birmingham D-RAN D-RAN Sat 25 June, O2 Institute, CITY OF SOUNDS: ELEGY FOR A CONCERT OWEN O'NEILL & COMEDY CAROUSEL June, The Robin, Birmingham HALL Featuring Juneior Conservatoire WITH ANDY ROBINSON PLUS COMEDIAN Bilston ROXY MAGIC Fri 24 Choirs & Orchestras. Programme TBC Thurs 30 June, The Glee Club, June, Artrix, GOLDIE Sat 25 June, includes works by Howells, Birmingham Bromsgrove Hare & Hounds, Tchaikovsky & Percy Pursglove, Sat Birmingham 25 June, Adrian Boult Hall, ELVIS PRESLEY TRIBUTE Birmingham Conservatoire Fri 24 June, The Belfry, MICK FLAVIN Sun 26 Sutton Coldfield June, Irish Centre, CITY OF SOUNDS: REQUIEM FOR A CON- Birmingham CERT HALL Featuring Sir Richard Theatre THE ORBISON STORY Fri Armstrong (conductor), Birmingham SIMPLY DYLAN Sun 26 CHICAGO 24 June, Lichfield Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra & John Partridge stars as June, Kitchen Garden Garrick Choir, Caroline Modiba (soprano), lawyer Billy Flynn in a brand new UK Cafe, Birmingham Seal JEFF LYNNES ELO Fri 24 Victoria Simmonds (mezzo-soprano), tour of the Kander & Ebb smash-hit musical. X Factor winner Sam Bailey June, Barclaycard THE SONS OF PITCHES TCHA LIMBERGER AND David Butt (tenor) & Barnaby Rae stars as Mama Morton & Emmerdale Arena, Birmingham Sun 26 June, THE KALOTASZEG TRIO (bass). Programme comprises Maya favourite Hayley Tamaddon takes the Birmingham Town Hall Thurs 30 June, mac, Verlaak’s Carrier & Verdi’s Messa di GRIMES Fri 24 June, lead as Roxie Hart, Mon 20 - Sat 25 O2 Institute, CLIFF & THE SHADZ Sun Birmingham Requiem, Sun 26 June, Adrian Boult Hall, Birmingham June, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Birmingham 26 June, The Robin, JOHN BRAMWELL Thurs Bilston PANIC ROOM Fri 24 30 June, Hare & ORGAN RECITAL WITH DAVID HARDIE Chicago June, The Marr's Bar, SULTANS OF STRING Hounds, Birmingham Mon 27 June, Birmingham Cathedral Worcester Mon 27 June, Kitchen DEL CAMINO Thurs 30 PRIZEWINNER RECITAL WITH JAMAL Garden Cafe, TREMBLING BELLS Fri June, The Jam House, ALIYEV Also featuring Maria Birmingham 24 June, Tin Music & Birmingham Tarasewicz (piano). Programme includes works by Schubert, Brahms, Arts, Coventry GEORGE BENSON Mon JACQUI MCSHEE’S 27 June, Symphony Franck & Chopin, Tues 28 June, WHITESNAKE UK Fri 24 PENTANGLE AND MAGNA Hall, Birmingham Artrix, Bromsgrove June, The Slade CARTA Thurs 30 June, Rooms, KENNY G Tues 28 June, The Robin, Bilston LUNCTIME ORGAN RECITAL BY RICHARD

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Monday 20 - Thursday 30 June

LOADED Stafford Performing Arts THE HEIRESS Intimate Theatre present present an original jukebox musical a staging of Ruth & Augustus about British life and culture in the Goetz’s late 19th century novel about 1990s, Tues 21 June, Stafford a shy and naive girl who’s heir to a Gatehouse Theatre considerable fortune, Wed 29 - Thurs HALF A SIXPENCE Amateur production 30 June, The George Hotel, Lichfield presented by Sutton Coldfield CAPTURED The story of Isaac and Musical Theatre Company, Tues 21 - Sophie, of photographer and subject, Wed 22 June, Lichfield Garrick of perception and reality, Wed 29 RATBURGER Heartbreak Productions June - Sat 2 July, Old Joint Stock present the theatrical premiere of Theatre, Birmingham David Walliams’ modern thriller, Wed 22 June, St Paul’s Church, B’ham TWELFTH NIGHT Shakespeare’s popu- lar comedy is performed al fresco, Wed 22 - Sat 25 June, Maples Hays Dance Park, Lichfield SWEET CHARITY Amateur production presented by Birmingham Youth Theatre, Thurs 23 - Sat 25 June, The Old Rep, Birmingham TITLE OF SHOW Described as ‘a love letter to musical theatre’, Title Of Show follows Hunter, Jeff and their friends as they journey through the experience of self-expression, Thurs 23 - Sat 25 June, Old Joint Stock BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET: Theatre, Birmingham SHAKESPEARE TRIPLE BILL Featuring Mrs Barbara Nice who features in the Variety Performance at New Alexandra Theatre OTHELLO Promising to be Stafford work from José Limón, David Bintley Festival’s ‘boldest production yet’, and Jessica Lang, Wed 22 - Sat 25 THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW subtitled. Electric Cinema, Thurs 23 June - Sat 9 July, Stafford June, Birmingham Hippodrome (15) The cult movie hits the Electric Birmingham, Sun 26 June Castle BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET - CLASS ON Cinema for a late-night showing, star- CEMETERY OF SPLENDOUR (tbc) BREAKNECK HAMLET American actor & STAGE A chance to look behind the ring Tim Curry as the sexually deca- Soldiers afflicted by a mysterious author Timothy Mooney recklessly scenes and watch BRB’s talented dent Dr Frank-N-Furter. Electric sleeping sickness are stationed in a slices Shakespeare's four-hour mas- dancers in their final preparations for Cinema, Birmingham, Fri 24 June temporary clinic in a former school. A terpiece to create an hour-long romp, a performance of world-class danc- CALAMITY JANE (PG) Sharpshooter nurse intuits a connection between Sat 25 June, The Blue Orange ing, Sat 25 June, Birmingham Calamity Jane falls for cavalry Lt the soldiers' malady and the ancient, Theatre, Birmingham Hippodrome Danny Gilmartin. Stars Doris Day. mythical site on which the clinic is VARIETY PERFORMANCE IN AID OF Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 24 June built. Stars Jenjira Pongpas. Foreign BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL THE MEASURE OF A MAN (12a) At the language, subtitled. mac, CHARITY Featuring Marti Webb, Mrs age of 51 and after 20 months on Birmingham, Tues 28 - Thurs 30 Barbara Nice, Chris Howard, Steve unemployment, Thierry’s new job in June Day, CircusMASH & Phoenix Dance Film security at a supermarket soon Company, Sun 26 June, New brings him face to face with a moral Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: dilemma. Stars Vincent Lindon. A TALE OF THE RAILWAY A story about Foreign language, subtitled. mac, love, family and the kindness of GOLDEN YEARS (12a) A well-seasoned Birmingham, Fri 24 - Tues 28 June strangers, Sun 26 June, Artrix, cast of British thespians star in this Bromsgrove credit-crunch comedy. Fate, the pen- sions crisis and the injustice of old JUMPSTART Initiative showcasing new age contrive to force a retired couple work by performance makers living into a life of crime. Refusing to take or working in Worcestershire, Sun 26 the loss of their pensions lying down, June, Artrix, Bromsgrove they decide to take back what was theirs in the first place. They decide SWAP! New comedy directed by NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: Return Of The Saint star Ian Ogilvy, to start robbing banks. Stars Bernard Tues 28 June - Sat 2 July, Hill & Philip Davis. Roses Theatre, CRAZY ABOUT TIFFANY’S (tbc) Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Tewkesbury, Sun 26 - Wed 29 June ELVIS & NIXON (15) GANGSTA GRANNY Birmingham Stage EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT A breath- MATAR A UN HOMBRE (15) Winner of THE LAST KING (tbc) Company returns to the Alex with its taking journey through the the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize MA MA (tbc) staging of David Walliams' best-sell- Colombian Amazon, following the at Sundance in 2014 and based on POOR COW (tbc) ing children’s book, Tues 28 June - interwoven stories of two European real events, this psychological thriller Sat 2 July, New Alexandra Theatre, explorers; one in the early 1900s, the is a portrait of an ordinary man driv- Birmingham other 40 years later. Stars Nilbio en to murder in defence of his family. MAMMA MIA! The smash-hit musical Torres & Jan Bijvoet. Foreign lan- Stars Daniel Candia. Foreign lan- visits Brum as part of its first ever UK guage, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, guage, subtitled. mac, Birmingham, tour, Tues 28 June - Sat 3 Sept, Tues 21 - Thurs 23 June Fri 24 - Tues 28 June Events Birmingham Hippodrome EYE IN THE SKY (15) Striding across ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (12) the same moral minefield as last BILLY LIAR Amateur production pre- Henry Fonda trashed his nice-guy HONDA RON HASLAM RACE SCHOOL year’s Good Kill with Ethan Hawke, sented by Blue Orange Acting, image in Sergio Leone's bravura Experience riding on the Donington this British drama stars Dame Helen Devising and Performance students, spaghetti western, a sprawling epic Park GP Circuit and find out about as a colonel forced to weigh up the Wed 29 June, The Blue Orange that pays tribute to classic Hollywood high-performance bikes, Tues 21 consequences of a drone strike in Theatre, Birmingham westerns of yesteryear. Electric June, Donington Park Racing Circuit, Kenya. The target is a group of ter- Cinema, Birmingham, Sat 25 June Derby BOA YEAR 12 MUSICAL THEATRE SHOW- rorists planning a major suicide CASE Evening of singing, dancing & attack, but then a nine-year-old girl is SPIRITED AWAY (12) Hayao Miyazaki's BRINDLEYPLACE SUMMER MARKETS Fri acting from Birmingham Ormiston seen entering the kill zone... Stars Oscar-winning classic tells the story 24 June, Brindleyplace, Birmingham Academy’s Musical Theatre Pathway of a 10-year-old girl who must battle Helen Mirren & Aaron Paul. Artrix, THE AUTISM SHOW A national event students, Wed 29 - Thurs 30 June, ancient spirits to save her family. Bromsgrove, Mon 21 & Sun 26 June for autism (including Asperger syn- The Old Rep, Birmingham Stars Rumi Hiragi. Foreign language,

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thelist Monday 20 - Thursday 30 June STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Storytelling Sun 26 June, Santa Pod Raceway, performances, storytrails, live music, Northants dance, arts, stalls and crafts for chil- WALK FOR WHALES A five-mile spon- dren, Sat 25 June, Martineau sored walk for whale and dolphin Gardens, Birmingham conservation, Sun 26 June, National EXPLORE RAG RUGGING Learn a new Sea Life Centre, Birmingham skill and make a 'rag rug', Sat 25 CITROEN CAR CLUB Citroen Car Club June, Birmingham Back to Backs (West Midlands) form a display of up GRAND MEDIEVAL JOUST Sat 25 - Sun to 40 vehicles on Millennium Place, 26 June, Kenilworth Castle Sun 26 June, Coventry Transport RETURN OF THE GARRISON Meet the Museum stars and your favourite characters in WEDDING FAIR Sun 26 June, National a tribute weekend to a galaxy far, far Motorcycle Museum, Solihull away, Sat 25 - Sun 26 June, National MAC FOOD MARKET Sun 26 June, mac, Space Centre, Leicester Birmingham THE CLASSIC LAND ROVER SHOW Sat IDLE WOMEN OF THE WARTIME 25 - Sun 26 June, British Motor WATERWAYS A double bill of theatre, Heritage Weekend at Cadbury World, Bournville Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire poetry and music to whisk you back drome) offering practical support to MOSELEY FARMERS' MARKET Sat 25 MIDSUMMER MADNESS Watch the to the days of World War Two, Mon the two million people in the UK who June, Moseley Village Green, Tudors get into midsummer mischief 27 June, Dudley Canal Tunnel and live and work with autism on a daily Birmingham as they celebrate the longest day of Limestone Mines, Dudley basis, Fri 24 - Sat 25 June, NEC, the year, Sat 25 - Sun 26 June, Mary JAGUAR SUPER SATURDAY Featuring Arden's Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon Birmingham up to 50 Classic Swallow/SS/Daimler THE BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS The best and Jaguar cars, on display on BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2016 Sat 25 - of Britain will descend on Millennium Place, Sat 25 June, Sun 26 June, Birmingham City Birmingham as they compete for the Coventry Transport Museum Centre prestigious honour of being crowned MOSELEY ARTS MARKET A broad spec- HERITAGE WEEKEND AT CADBURY British champion, as well as for a trum of artwork, ceramics, jewellery, WORLD Sat 25 - Sun 26 June, place on the British Athletics team for mosaics, textiles, and other unique Cadbury World, Bournville the Olympic Games in Rio de hand-crafted gifts produced by SUMMER NATIONALS A huge variety of Janeiro, Fri 24 - Sun 26 June, artists & designers in and around race cars and bikes, as well as the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham Moseley, Sat 25 June, Moseley, Fireforce Jet Car, will keep the track Birmingham action-packed all day long, Sat 25 - Medieval Jousting at Kenilworth Castle

66 whatsonlive.co.uk Birmingham Conservatoire (FP- May 16).qxp_Layout 1 20/04/2016 17:37 Page 1 Pet Show (FP- June 16).qxp_Layout 1 23/05/2016 17:53 Page 1