The Midlands Ultimate Entertainment Guide
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Birmingham Cover .qxp_Birmingham 26/01/2015 15:27 Page 1 BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S BIRMINGHAM ON WHAT’S THE MIDLANDS ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE BIRMINGHAM ISSUE 350 FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 2015 ’ Whatwww.whatsonlive.co.uk sOnISSUE 350 FEBRUARY 2015 THE SCRIPT NO SOUND WITHOUT SILENCE IN THE MIDLANDS... EDWARD SCISSORHANDS Matthew Bourne’s revised production arrives in the Midlands PART OF MIDLANDS WHAT’S ON MAGAZINE GROUP PUBLICATIONS GROUP MAGAZINE ON WHAT’S MIDLANDS OF PART NEW ART WEST MIDLANDS showcasing the region’s artistic talent... INSIDE: FILM @WHATSONBRUM WWW.WHATSONLIVE.CO.UK @WHATSONBRUM COMEDY THEATRE LIVE MUSIC VISUAL ARTS EVENTS FOOD & DRINK & MUCH MORE! Manford Comedy Club (FP-Feb).qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2015 17:16 Page 1 Contents Feb Region 1.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2015 17:29 Page 1 February 2015 Editor: Davina Evans INSIDE: [email protected] 01743 281708 Editorial Assistants: The King’s Speech Brian O’Faolain [email protected] royalty at The REP p25 01743 281701 Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 Subscriptions: Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Celebrating Skryabin Managing Director: twelve-day classical festival Paul Oliver [email protected] in Birmingham p19 01743 281711 Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan [email protected] 01743 281710 Graphic Designers: Lisa Wassell Chris Atherton Accounts Administrator Julia Perry Jodie Prenger, having a whip-cracking time as Calamity Jane. [email protected] Interview page 8 01743 281717 Website Development: Eddie Payne TO GET THE VERY Contributors: News p4 Indoor Grand Prix Graham Bostock: Theatre LATEST LISTING James Cameron-Wilson: Mo in the Midlands p55 Film; Alev Dervish: Music INFORMATION, Eva Easthope, Jessica Music p13 Aston, Patsy Moss, Jack VISIT: Rolfe, Jan Watts, Reggie whatsonlive.co.uk White, Simon Carter Comedy p22 INCLUDING Head Office: BOOKING ONLINE 13-14 Abbey Foregate, Theatre p25 Shrewsbury, SY2 6AE Tel: 01743 281777 The Midlands’ most e-mail: [email protected] comprehensive p40 entertainment website Dance Follow us on... Film/DVD p43 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is Visual Arts p51 produced without the use February 2015 of elemental chlorine. Birmingham Events p55 We endorse the recycling @whatsonbrum MTWTFSS of our magazine and Warwickshire would encourage you to 1 @whatsonwarwicks p65 pass it on to others to Eating Out 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 read when you have Worcestershire finished with it. @whatsonworcs 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ’ 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 WhatsOn 23 24 25 26 27 28 MAGAZINE GROUP 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. News January Region one.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2015 17:30 Page 1 News A ROUND-UP OF LOCAL AND NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT NEWS A Summer In The South... at the Birmingham REP This month sees two of Britain’s most acclaimed actors come together to host a tribute to one of France’s greatest writers. Robert Powell and Sian Phillips will pay hom- age to Sidonie-Gabrielle Collete in A Summer In The South at Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 15 February. Devised and directed by Midlands theatre critic Richard Edmonds, the two-hander is described as ‘fusing dark and disturbing sto- ries with colourful and amusing ones to cre- ate a haunting mosaic of prose and drama- tised passages’. A Summer In The South made its debut at Bromsgrove Festival. It’s since received a warm welcome at the Edinburgh Festival and Hampstead’s Kenwood House. Darcey attends launch of BRB’s new facilities Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) has unveiled its new-look home following a ‘dramatic’ trans- formation costing around £2.7million. Darcey Bussell CBE attended the recent launch event, which was open to invited guests who’ve supported the fundraising campaign. The retired ballerina, who is BRB’s Campaign For The Future President, spoke of her delight at joining the company as it welcomed people to its new home. “The new facilities will allow Birmingham Royal Ballet to welcome the community, nurture the talent of the future and main- tain their position at the forefront of both British and international dance,” said Darcey. The refurbishment sees BRB’s Hippodrome-based facilities transformed into an accessible first-class rehearsal space. The refurb will also enable the company to deliver further public- Second annual outing for engagement initiatives, strengthening its ability to put learning and outreach work at the heart after-hours museum event of its artistic and organisational strategy. Organisers behind a UK-wide series of events celebrating arts, culture and heritage House, to tell the story of Shakespeare’s have added a new date to the calendar. mature years as a writer and a man of Sound Investment continues Museums At Night, which traditionally takes Stratford. to fund commissions place in May, will now also take the form of a Any significant finds from the dig will join Birmingham Contemporary Music Group’s two-day festival on 30 and 31 October. other rare and important artefacts on display Now in its seventh year, the event offers visi- (BCMG) Sound Investment programme is in a conserved and extended exhibition area this month celebrating the completion of its tors an opportunity to explore museums, gal- when New Place leries and historic spaces out of hours, and seventy-fifth commission. The programme re-opens to the was the UK’s first crowdfunded scheme for also features a series of programmed public this year, events. classical music, and aims to raise money to the four-hundredth support living composers through the com- To find out what’s happening in your area, anniversary of visit www.museumsatnight.org.uk missioning of new music. Commenting on Shakespeare’s Sound Investment, BCMG Artistic Director death. Stephen Newbould said: “When we set up Sound Investment in 1991 it was ahead of the time. This was the era before the inter- Phill Jupitus to star in Mel net, and the term ‘crowdfunding’ wasn’t yet common parlance. The scheme has allowed Brooks’ hit musical comedy us to commission a great number of com- New Alexandra Theatre has confirmed that posers, giving established names free reign Phill Jupitus is to join Jason Manford, to try new, creative ideas, and giving a step David Bedella and Louis Spence up to others who’re right at the start of their in Mel Brooks’ musical comedy career. I truly believe that it’s been essential The Producers when it shows at in keeping contemporary classical music the Birmingham venue in April. alive and vibrant in this country.” Digging for spoils in Stratford Jupitus will take the role of Franz The seventy-fifth Sound Investment commis- sion - Gerald A new archaeological dig is to take place on Liebkind, the short-fused, carri- Barry’s the site of Shakespeare’s family home at er pigeon-keeping former Crossing The New Place in Stratford-upon-Avon. Nazi who’s brought on Bar - is being Archaeologists will soon begin work on an board by Max performed at area believed to be the Bard’s living quar- Bialystock and Leo Birmingham’s ters. Commissioned by Shakespeare Bloom to help them CBSO Centre Birthplace Trust, the dig forms part of a proj- stage the worst musi- on Friday 27 ect to transform New Place and Nash’s cal of all time. February. 4 www.whatsonlive.co.uk News January Region one.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2015 17:30 Page 2 Faith in the forest Multi-talented songstress Paloma Faith has announced she’s to perform at the Forestry Commissions series of outdoor concerts this summer. The Perfect Contradiction star will play seven woodland locations, including Cannock Chase Forest in Staffordshire (10 July) as part of Forest Live. Income from ticket sales is spent protecting, improving and expanding England’s forests and woodlands, increasing their value both to people and wildlife. Of her involvement in the events, Paloma said: “I’m so excited to do the forest tour. I did it before and had such a wonderful time. We’re so very lucky in Britain to have such a beautiful and diverse landscape, and I’m so Neil Foster excited to play for you there again. See you all in the summer!” For further information and to purchase tick- New home for Birmingham theatre company ets, visit www.forestry.gov.uk/music Birmingham Stage Company (BSC) has announced it’s to make the city’s New Alexandra Theatre its new home after twenty-three years as the resident professional company at the Old Rep. The switch follows the staging of BSC’s Horrible Christmas, which has been declared the most successful show in the company’s history. Speaking of the move, BSC actor/manager Neil Foster said: “It’s become obvious that we need a bigger stage for our shows, but we’ve been reluctant to leave the Old Rep in case it jeopardised the venue’s situation. Now that the theatre is in the wonderfully safe hands of BOA, we can leave the building knowing it has a bright future ahead of it. I launched BSC at the Old Rep in 1992, when I was twenty-six-years-old, and I hope it continues to inspire young people in the same way it did me.