Shropshire Cover January 2020.qxp_Shropshire Cover 13/12/2019 12:10 Page 1 Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands KOJO ANIM INTERVIEW INSIDE... SHROPSHIRE WHAT’S ON JANUARY 2020 ON JANUARY WHAT’S SHROPSHIRE Shropshire ISSUE 409 JANUARY 2020 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On shropshirewhatson.co.uk PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP GROUP MEDIA ON WHAT’S OF PART inside: Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide GET DANCING! TWITTER: @WHATSONSHROPS TWITTER: Jake Quickenden hosts new show at The Place in Telford FACEBOOK: @WHATSONSHROPSHIRE THE MORMONS ARE COMING... Award-winning musical on tour INSTAGRAM: @WHATSONSHROPSHIRE @WHATSONSHROPSHIRE INSTAGRAM: GLORIOUS FOOD check out some of our favourite eateries in 2020 SHROPSHIREWHATSON.CO.UK Salop Music Centre FP.qxp_Layout 1 20/08/2019 10:13 Page 1 Contents January Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 13/12/2019 16:18 Page 2 January 2020 Contents Go, go, go, Joe! - Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat visits the Wolves Grand - page 32 Welsh Wonder Kojo Anim Circus Of Horrors the list Cerys Matthews headlines comedian shares stories of life, celebrating 25 years with ‘an Your 16-page Wolves Literary Festival parenthood and family... amazing amalgamation of acts’ week-by-week listings guide page 4 page 22 page 32 page 53 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 17. Gigs 24. Comedy 30. Theatre 43. Film 46. Visual Arts 49. Events @whatsonwolverhampton @staffordshirewhatson @whatsonshropshire Wolverhampton What’s On Staffordshire What’s On Shropshire What’s On Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 What’sOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Lauren Cole [email protected] 01743 281733 MEDIA GROUP Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 Subscriptions: Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Nanci Davies, Patsy Moss 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 Wolves_Shrops_Staffs January.qxp_Layout 1 13/12/2019 16:50 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Fab-u-lous! Strictly Ballroom to visit two Midlands venues The fab-u-lous Craig Revel Horwood is to direct a 2020/21 UK and Ireland tour of Baz Luhrmann's smash-hit musical, Strictly Ballroom. The all-singing, all-dancing extrava- ganza stops off at two Midlands venues during the tour and comes complete with a selection of hit songs, including Love Is In The Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time. The show foxtrots into the region at the Wolverhampton Grand from 5 to 10 October, and then next year at Birming- ham Hippodrome, from 10 to 15 May. Voulez Vous - Abba dinner Welsh wonder headlines fidence Man. Forest Live is a major outdoor live music series, held every year by Forestry party at the Garrick Wolves Literary Festival England, which has been attended by 1.9 Mamma Mia! Now here’s an event no self- million people across the last 19 years. respecting Abba fan will want to miss... For more information and to book tickets, The Lichfield Garrick Theatre is this month visit forestryengland.uk hosting Voulez Vous - The Dinner Party (Fri- day 24 & Saturday 25 January), a two-hour Canadian comedian Tom musical theatre show, accompanied by a three-course meal, which sees talented West to headline gala show End singers performing the Swedish super- Canadian iconoclast Tom Stade will headline group’s greatest hits. For more information, this year’s Shrewsbury International Comedy visit lichfieldgarrick.com Festival Gala Show, which will bring down the curtain on a weekend of laughter-making on Sunday 19 July. Wacky Races named best “We’re thrilled to be able to announce Tom,” new event in the UK Catatonia founder Cerys Matthews is the star says Festival Director Kevin Bland. “He’s a Shrewsbury’s first Wacky Races get-together, attraction at this month’s Wolverhampton world-class act who sells out huge venues which took place in the town’s Quarry Park Literature Festival, where she will be talking across the country and has always enjoyed last summer, has won the FIA Formula E about her new book, Where The Wild Cooks tremendous support in Shrewsbury. He’s Championship’s ‘best new event in the UK’ Go. worth the price of admission alone, but award. Now in its fourth year, the festival takes place there’s more to come, and we’ll be announc- Featuring unique homemade creations in the from Friday 31 January to Sunday 2 February ing further top-quality acts during the com- form of soapboxes racing down a hill, Wacky and also features comedy, storytelling ing months.” Races attracted around 17,000 people and sessions, poetry events, and the chance to raised over £20,000 for charity. The event have afternoon tea with popular characters returns to Quarry Park on Sunday 24 May. from Jane Austen novels. For more information and to buy tickets, visit wolvesliteraturefestival.co.uk. Noel’s High Flying Birds set to sing in the forest... Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will appear at this summer’s Forest Live show in Cannock Chase Forest on Friday 19 June. The band will be joined by Australian outfit Con- 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Wolves_Shrops_Staffs January.qxp_Layout 1 13/12/2019 16:50 Page 2 First Word Stoke stadium date for Robbie Robbie Williams will this summer perform a special show at Port Vale Football Club's Vale Park Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent. Local lad and Vale supporter Robbie will take to the stage on 20 June for a concert in aid of three charities - the Donna Louise Hospice for Children & Young People, Unicef UK and The Hubb Foundation. Jack Savoretti to play Telford Town Park this summer Jack Savoretti will play Telford’s QEII Arena this summer (Saturday 27 June). Fast-rising singer-songwriter Jack, who last month released his third consecutive UK gold-certified album, Singing To Strangers, will be joined for the gig by Imelda May, who recently performed along- side the legendary Ronnie Wood. To purchase tickets for the show, visit gigantic.com Racecourse Rick One-time teen idol Rick Astley Cyber sculpture will perform a live set at The Shropshire artist best Uttoxeter Racecourse on known for creating a Knife Saturday 16 May. Angel sculpture - as a sym- The ’80s legend, best known bol of the campaign against for number-one single Never knife crime - has turned his Gonna Give You Up, is the star attention to cyber crime. attraction at the end of a full Alfie Bradley’s new sculp- day of racing action. ture, Trojan, is an iron- Tickets for the Live After Rac- worked horse representing ing event are available at tick- the Trojan horses prevalent etmaster.co.uk in cyber crime. The horses are a way of disguising mal- ware in order to mislead in- ternet users as to its intent. Alfie unveiled the new art- work on a piece of land near his studio on the edge Walliams magic at Alton Towers Resort of Oswestry. "I’ve chosen a A unique collaboration between Alton Towers Resort and David dilapidated location, as it Walliams will see a number of the bestselling author’s most-loved represents the current de- creations being brought to life across the venue. caying internet landscape. Commenting on the news, David said: “It’s a huge thrill for some of Like these battered build- my favourite characters to be getting their own attractions at Alton ings, the internet is getting Towers. I can’t wait to experience them for myself - and judging by ravaged by Trojan horses all the work that’s gone into it, I think people are going to love it. and cyber crime.” All will be revealed in the spring.” whatsonlive.co.uk 5 First Word Wolves_Shrops_Staffs January.qxp_Layout 1 13/12/2019 16:50 Page 3 First Word Theatre extends dementia services Wolverhampton Grand Theatre has announced plans to extend services for those living in the local community and surrounding areas who are affected by dementia. Although it’s already providing entertainment specifically for people living with dementia and their carers at monthly dementia-friendly Memory Cafes, the Grand wants to do more, so will be increasing provision throughout 2020. This will include the first de- mentia-friendly performance in the West Midlands - the mati- nee showing of Million Dollar Quartet on Thursday 2 July. Bat Out Of Hell flying into the Midlands in the autumn New name for Hit stage show Bat Out Of Hell-The Musical will hits, the show takes its inspiration from the leg- Walsall venue stop off at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre from endary album of the same name, which has sold Forest Arts Centre has been 29 September to 10 October as part of a UK tour.