Birmingham Cover February 2020.Qxp Birmingham Cover 22/01/2020 15:01 Page 1

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Birmingham Cover February 2020.qxp_Birmingham Cover 22/01/2020 15:01 Page 1

PHIL WANG COMES TO Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands THE OLD REP

BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON FEBRUARY 2020 Birmingham ISSUE 410 FEBRUARY 2020 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD Onbirminghamwhatson.co.uk

PARTOF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP inside:

Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide

BAND OF GOLD Kay Mellor’s classic TV series adapted for the stage TWITTER:@WHATSONBRUM FACEBOOK:@WHATSONBIRMINGHAM

SWAN LAKE Birmingham Royal Ballet’s spectacular production returns INSTAGRAM:@WHATSONBRUM

RAIN OR SHINE places to visit during the February school holidays BIRMINGHAMWHATSON.CO.UK Belgrade Theatre Full February 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:27 Page 1 Contents February Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:08 Page 2

February 2020

Contents

The Red Shoes - Matthew Bourne’s iconic production returns to Birmingham Hippodrome feature on page 32

Lana Del Rey Sarah Keyworth Peter Pan Goes Wrong the list

brings her Lust For Life to brings new show Pacific Olivier Award-nominated play Your 16-page Resorts World Arena to The Glee Club returns to the Birmingham Rep week-by-week listings guide page 17 feature page 22 page 26 page 51 inside:

4. First Word 12. Food 17. Gigs 22. Comedy 26. Theatre 37. Film 40. Visual Arts 43. Events

@whatsonbrum fb.com/whatsonbirmingham @whatsonbrum Birmingham What’s On Birmingham What’s On What’s On Birmingham

Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 ’ Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 WhatsOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 MEDIA GROUP Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Lauren Cole [email protected] 01743 281733 Subscriptions: Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Nanci Davies, Patsy Moss, Sue Jones Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry [email protected] 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine. We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it. All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers. First Word Birmingham February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 15:31 Page 1

Entertainment news from around the region

Wild! Renowned photography show visits Birmingham The internationally acclaimed Wildlife Photographer Of The Year exhibition is coming to Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery this summer (Saturday 23 May - Sunday 6 September). The world-renowned display, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London, features exceptional images which capture ‘fascinating animal behaviour, spectacular species and the breathtaking diversity of the natural world’.

Search on for mini pop growing presence in the UK live events indus- Hosted in a fully kitted-out marquee with 12 try, having partnered with a number of major bake stations and a treasure trove of cus- stars to perform in Brum music festivals in recent years. tomisable decorations, The Big Birmingham A popular children’s music brand is search- Bake is led by a team of professional bakers. ing for new dance talent to take part in the For more information, visit thebigbirming- UK leg of a world tour. hambake.com The Kidz Bop youngsters kick off their firstever UK headline tour this Easter and are looking for seven virtual support acts whose videos will be premiered on a big screen at the live shows. Dance groups simply have to select their favourite Kidz Bop song and send in a film of their own choreographed routine/music video performance... For more information, visit cuffeandtaylor.com. Samantha Womack and The Kidz Bop live show visits Birmingham Tom Chambers team up Symphony Hall on Saturday 11 April. EastEnders favourite Samantha Womack is to star in a brand new production of Dial M For Hippodrome welcomes Murder at The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Verve Poetry Festival Monday 20 to Saturday 25 April. The genre- Birmingham’s very own Verve Festival of Po- defining thriller also features Strictly Come etry & Spoken Word has made the city’s Hip- Dancing’s Tom Chambers. For more info and podrome theatre its new home. to book tickets, visit atgtickets.com/birming- Now in its fourth year, Verve has become syn- ham onymous with a lively and celebratory approach to programming poetry of every kind. From raucous performance poetry and quiet reading events to studious workshops and open mic, the programme encourages audiences not only to see their favourite poets but try something new. New name for iconic Verve takes place at the Hippodrome from Brum city centre venue Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 February. Arena Birmingham is set to be renamed Utilita Arena Birmingham as part of a major new partnership with ‘Britain’s leading Bake-off fun in Brum! Smart Pay As You Go (PAYG) Energy Bake-off fun has come to Brum - courtesy of a provider’. The iconic city-centre venue will brand new baking venue in the city’s Digbeth take up its new name on 15 April. Utilita has a district.

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First Word

Green light for Birmingham’s tallest building Birmingham City Council has approved plans for what will be the city’s tallest building. The 61-storey 503-apartment skyscraper will be built at 100 Broad Street. The scheme is valued at up to £150million, with proposals also including two retail units on the ground floor and a sky lounge bar/restaurant on the top floor. Yardley-based Europe Prop- erty Investment is the company behind the application. Glancy Nicholls Architects in Birmingham prepared the plans. Birmingham Royal Ballet all loved up at Symphony Hall Disney-themed A brand new love affair gets under way this Hall on Friday 14 February. brunch in Brum Valentine’s Day evening when Carlos Acosta Carlos will take to the stage in conversation with A Disney-inspired boozy sin- makes his first public appearance as Birming- BBC Midlands Today presenter Nick Owen. galong fancy-dress party is ham Royal Ballet’s Director. The company and its internationally acclaimed coming to Birmingham this BRB and the man selected to replace David Bint- orchestra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, will then summer. ley look like a match made in heaven and come present A Valentine’s Celebration Of Music And Taking place at a secret city- together for the first time at the city’s Symphony Dance. centre location on 27 June, the Magical Brunch features 90 minutes of themed entertain- A Beauty of a show ment, along with a ‘high tea’- inspired food offering and a for Christmas Disney-themed quiz with The Old Rep Theatre in Birming- prizes. Participants can also ham has announced that its add an hour of bottomless al- Christmas show will be classic cohol or an hour of bottom- fairytale Beauty And The Beast. less sparkling to their ticket. Running from Friday 20 Novem- To book your place, visit ber to Wednesday 30 December, eventbrite.co.uk the production will be the sixth festive-season show produced by Vamos offsetting carbon emissions the venue in association with The UK’s leading mask theatre company has collaborated with Birmingham Ormiston Academy conservation charity Trees For Life to set up a tree grove in the (BOA). Scottish Highlands. Commenting on the news, the Old Worcester-based Vamos’ aim is to offset the carbon emissions Rep’s Executive Director, Michael from the 23-venue tour of its new theatre production, Dead Penn, said: “Beauty And The Good. Beast is an inspiring tale, perfect The trees will help to re-wild the Caledonian Forest. for children and families. The Old Commenting on the initiative, Vamos’ Artistic Director, Rachael Rep are delighted to be teaming Savage, said: “This particular project is something we are up with BOA and the creative doing whilst we work on more long-term sustainability for the team behind last year’s wonderful company. This isn’t a quick solution; we are fully aware trees production of The Snow Queen to take up to 20 years to mature, but this is a positive springboard present a fresh and exciting take for us. This interim move invests in a better future and on this classic story.” supports invaluable reforestation in the Scottish Highlands.”

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First Word

Krazy fun in Sandwell Sandwell Valley Country Park will host its first ever Soapbox Derby in the autumn (4 October). Birmingham & Sandwell Krazy Races is a free-entry event that will see ‘weird, wacky and wonderful carefully crafted carts’ hurtle down a track consisting of chicanes, obstacles and water features. The event will feature between 40 and 50 teams, with participants encour- aged to raise as much money as possible for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity or a charity close to their heart. For more information, visit krazyraces.co.uk

Summer of Fame Celebrate Africa Birmingham theatre The Alexan- The UK’s first annual African dra has opened the application cultural festival is set to be process for children and young held in the West Midlands this people aged from nine to 24 who summer. would like to take part in a full- Described as a ‘party for all scale production of Fame The things Africa’, Ubuntu Pride Musical this summer. will celebrate African culture The show is being produced through traditional music, arts, across a two-week period and will dance and food. The event is see those who are selected work- expected to take place out- ing alongside a professional doors in Coventry on 1 & 2 Au- creative team. gust. Details will be confirmed The initiative runs from Friday 14 in the forthcoming weeks. to Saturday 29 August and culmi- nates in five fully staged perfor- Taking a leap of mances on The Alexandra’s stage. To find out more and apply, head faith and popping to bit.ly/fame2020. The deadline Dinosaur-sized half-term holiday family the question? for applications is Friday 17 April. fun at Birmingham University With 2020 being a leap year, Meet Jam the Dinosaur, enjoy a light show, make mini plant sculp- Birmingham venues Marco Dinosaur Disco! tures and relax with candle-lit yoga at the University of Birmingham Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & this half-term holiday. Grill and Bardolino Pizzeria at Youngsters should get set for a The uni is hosting a selection of family-friendly events inspired by The Cube are encouraging Jurassic adventure to remember the arts and science, including a sure-to-be-memorable DIY- women to follow tradition by when the Dinosaur Disco hits nosaurus fun day... ‘popping the question’ to their town this month! For more information, visit artsandsciencefestival.co.uk loved one this February the Presenters Bryony Morrison and 29th. Charlotte Skinner discover the “Our idea is to add a little dimensions of music (with a little Get active with dance-circus company sparkle to what could turn out help from a number of City of Motionhouse at Midlands Arts Centre to be quite an occasion,” says Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Get active at Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre this February half Sophie Boulton, wedding man- musicians) in an interactive term by joining internationally acclaimed dance-circus company ager at The Cube. “So those exploration of symphonic reper- Motionhouse for two special one-off courses. who do propose in either the toire. The hour-long show is The Leamington Spa-based ensemble are hosting two workshops: Marco Pierre White Steakhouse presented at Birmingham’s CBSO Creative Dance Camp (Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 February) and Bar & Grill or Bardolino Pizze- Centre on Monday 10 and Friday Dance On Film (Wednesday 19 to Friday 21 February). ria will be given a bottle of fizz 14 February. For more information, visit macbirmingham.co.uk to celebrate.” 6 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 15:31 Page 4 Kay Mellor's Band of Gold.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:00 Page 1

BANDKay Mellor has adapted herOF hit 1990s television GOLD series for the stage...

Bringing Band Of Gold to the stage for the first acters and moments that made Band Of Gold other sex worker that the teenager had ‘pimp time, writer‐director Kay Mellor is promising such a sensation when it premiered on ITV. But problems’. “I never saw her again, but I started fans that they’re in for a treat: “They’ll get all the killer of young mother turned sex worker thinking, ‘What is it that drives a woman onto the joy and the suspense they had from the Gina won’t be the same, with Mellor teasing: “I the Lane to sell her body?’” television version,” says the creator of one of think people will be more satisfied than they It took eight years for her to get Band Of Gold the most‐watched shows in British TV history. were with the TV revelation.” onto TV, “fighting everybody and literally beg- “But it’s live theatre, so it has that excitement Leeds born Kay was originally inspired to write ging people to read the script. I was an un- to it because it’s unfolding in front of their very ‐ the hard hitting drama when, on the way to a known writer writing about sex workers in the eyes.” ‐ party, she and her husband drove through north of England, and who’s gonna put that on Kay has revised the plot of the first series for Lumb Lane in Bradford ‐ a notorious hangout television?” the stage version, adding in a few twists to for sex workers ‐ and were approached in their The fight paid off. The show wasn’t just a grip- keep it fresh and surprising: “It’s funny and it’s car by a young woman. “It was like someone ping crime drama, it was a phenomenon. More sad,” she says, “and audiences are going to be had hit me in the solar plexus,” Kay recalls, than 15 million viewers tuned in each week, fans told a big story not over six weeks but across “because she was so young - 14 or 15 - and my held Band Of Gold parties where they’d catch two hours, with a beginning, middle and end.” daughters weren’t much older than that.” the latest episode over wine and pizza, and Set in the early 1990s, just as the TV series was, Haunted by the encounter, Kay left the party bookies took bets on the identity of Gina’s killer the stage version brings back the iconic char- early to track down the girl but was told by an- before the big reveal at the end of the first series.

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Simon Button

Kay would go on to become one of the UK’s more than two decades on and I think we’re in After three years on Corrie, Shayne is excited most successful and revered dramatists, pen- a worse position than we were then,” she says. about going out on his firstever tour in a play. ning television shows including Playing The “There’s as much if not more poverty now. “I’m looking forward to how much I can learn Field, The Syndicate and Girlfriends. She also People are really struggling and more people from working with so many great actors - and turned her muchloved TV series, Fat Friends are visiting food banks.” of course with Kay. I used to watch The Syndi- (which aired from 2000 to 2005), into a hugely cate on TV and think, ‘I’d love to be in some- Rose is like the mother hen, ruling the Lane successful stage musical, which she also thing like that’, never imagining I’d even get to where the younger girls work. directed. meet Kay let alone work with her. It’s a massive “She’s very territorial and nobody is stepping privilege.” Band Of Gold remains a firm favourite with on her patch,” explains Gaynor, “but she’s a Mellor fans. She smiles about people in the To research the role of Carol, Emma Osman has good friend and the kind of person everyone street still yelling, ‘What’s happened to Carol?’ delved into documentaries about sex workers: would hope would have their back because in reference to Cathy Tyson’s feisty prostitute, “It’s interesting to see how, even though they she’s tough.” who takes Gina (Ruth Gemmell) under her have to be tough, they’re also very vulnerable - wing. “And I get in taxis and the driver goes, ‘I Laurie Brett plays Anita, “a workingclass sur- just everyday girls in extraordinary circum- love that Band Of Gold. Why don’t you write vivor who’ll do whatever it takes to get through stances,” notes the actress whose credits some more of it?’” life”. She rents out a room to the girls for a cut include Doctors and Snatch. “They’re so of their earnings. “She’s very multilayered and resilient. Carol constantly talks about not Twentytwo years on from the series finale, a really interesting person,” says Laurie, who’s wanting to be controlled, to be independent Kay has done just that opting for a stage best known from EastEnders and Waterloo and her own woman. She’s so scared of being version of the classic story with a brand new Road. She was a fan of the TV show when it abandoned. I really appreciate being given the cast, rather than trying to bring back original premiered: “It was extremely gritty and it still opportunity to do something so powerful, and stars Tyson, Geraldine James, Barbara Dickson is. Plus, it was an honest portrayal of women to play a character who’s so strong and feisty.” and Samantha Morton for a sequel. who weren’t victims. Yes, they were victims of Sacha Parkinson is equally thrilled to be play- “There’s nothing like sitting in an auditorium circumstance but not in terms of their everyday ing Gina, who is driven to prostitution after listening to your play and hearing people lives.” splitting from her abusive husband, Steve. laughing and applauding. It’s absolutely magi- Coronation Street and dinnerladies star Sacha was only three when Band Of Gold cal. It’s like a drug.” Andrew Dunn is Ian, a counsellor and client started and has made the decision not to watch After reworking Band Of Gold, she work- with all sorts of flaws. “He has this front as a the series. “That kind of mirrors Gina’s own shopped it twice and made big changes, but pillar of the community, but in the background experience of going into a world she doesn’t the anonymous feedback from the second there’s a lot of other stuff going on,” Ian know anything about,” says the former Corrie workshop was that everyone would pay to see explains. “That’s really interesting to play.” star, whose CV also includes The Mill and Mr it and everyone would recommend it to a Selfridge. “Getting to work with Kay is an The role marks a reunion for Ian and Kay Mel- friend. “That’s when I thought, ‘Okay, let’s take amazing opportunity. Band Of Gold has been lor, who starred as husband and wife in the this to the next stage’. her baby for years, so to be a part of her explor- play A Passionate Woman at Hull Truck ing it again is really special.” “I decided to set it in its original time period Theatre in 2010. “Kay was fantastic to work because actually nothing much has changed with, so I’m really looking forward to working Hollyoaks regular and Dancing On Ice finalist since then. If anything, things have become with her again. Band Of Gold was one of the Kieron Richardson is making his professional harder with austerity and Universal Credit. first dramas to have so many female characters stage debut as badboy Steve, who becomes a People just can’t get to the end of the week. at its centre, and the story is still relevant. prime suspect in Gina’s murder. Kieron has a There are more sex workers than there were 20 Prostitution may have diversified but it’s still strong connection to Band Of Gold - his father years ago people selling their bodies basically happening.” was an onset security guard for the TV show. to feed their kids or make ends meet. It’s more Fellow Coronation Street star and X-Factor As a youngster, Kieran would go along to the relevant to today than ever before. winner Shayne Ward is relishing the role of DCI set, where he would hang out in Carol’s house “We’ve assembled this brilliant new cast of Newall, the detective tasked with finding and ride around in the blue police van. great actors and some well-known faces, and it Gina’s killer. Newall was played by David “Watching them all work is one of the reasons I allows me to reinvent Band Of Gold for both Schofield in the TV original. Schofield was in got into acting in the first place,” he explains, its long-term fans and those coming to it for the his 40s at the time, whereas Ward is in his “so it’s kind of come full circle.” first time.” mid30s. His take on the DCI is as a younger man keen to make his mark: “He wants to be Gaynor Faye, who recently left Emmerdale to taken seriously, and although he’s a nice guy, be able to star in the play, takes over from Kay Mellor’s Band Of Gold shows at the he’s also now in charge of the investigation so Alexandra, Birmingham, from Monday 10 Geraldine James as Rose and agrees the Band wants to assert his authority.” to Saturday 15 February. Of Gold revival couldn’t be more timely: “It’s

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10 whatsonlive.co.uk Alexandra Theatre Full February 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 17:33 Page 1 Food February Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 15:32 Page 1

steamed basmati rice, a cheese chilli naan and some masala fries, all of which were very tasty indeed and the perfect accompa- niments to the mains. If you’re still hungry - although Indico’s portion sizes are impressive - the restaurant offers a range of the finest Indian sweets and desserts. These include kulfi (a rich & creamy traditional In- dian ice cream with pistachio chunks), the classic gajar ka halwa (grated carrot cooked and sweetened in condensed milk and served with panacotta ice- cream) and our favourite - gulab jamun. With a big night of dancing ahead of us, we sensibly decided to share a dessert - we couldn’t leave without trying at least one! The heavenly gulab jamun - soft milk dumplings REVIEW: Indico Street Kitchen which are deep fried and then soaked in a rose-scented sugar Authentic North Indian dishes and a buzzing atmosphere syrup - were served with a Prestigious Indian street food Whilst sipping our cold pints of it was my favourite dish of the delightful panacotta ice-cream restaurant Indico Street Kitchen Cobra and tucking into some evening at that particular point and proved to be the perfect way has recently opened its second poppadoms and chutneys, my in proceedings. in which to end our evening at venue in the second city. partner and I perused the mouth- Indico. If you have a sweet tooth Daal makhani is one of our (or even if you don’t), I thor- Already a firm favourite with din- watering menu. After a lengthy favourite Indian dishes. Featur- discussion, we chose as starters oughly recommend ordering a ers in Shirley and paying tribute ing black lentils and red kidney portion. I’d always choose to the bustling streets of North the Punjabi samosa chaat, the beans, prepared in the restau- chilli paneer and the Punjabi fish savoury over sweet, but these are India, Indico adds an authentic rant’s special spices and gently seriously delicious. and exciting experience to The pakora, all from the hot chaats cooked in an ever-so-moreish Mailbox’s impressive selection of section. creamy sauce, the dish was Boasting authentic and vibrant canalside bars and restaurants. The latter boasted fried battered devoured without complaint. It dishes and an atmosphere to match, Indico Street Kitchen is The vibrant venue features Bolly- cod served with a rich tamarind wasn’t the best daal makhani mayonnaise. The batter lacked I’ve ever tried, but then I've tried well worth a visit. We stopped by wood art, street photography on a Friday evening and the and hand-drawn paintings & slightly in flavour, but the fish a heck of a lot, so don’t take that was cooked perfectly and the as a negative. place had a real buzz. In short, murals by local artists, not to the restaurant is a great addition mention jazz-inspired mixes of mayonnaise certainly packed a As tempting as the Mughlai lamb punch. to Birmingham’s premier luxury Indian classics. A true taste of rogan josh was for our second shopping & lifestyle destination. Punjabi culture! As did the paneer dish. A fiery main course, we chose the tan- Lauren Foster The extensive menu includes a Indo-Chinese fusion, the stir- doori dhaba chicken. Topped fried cottage cheese was cooked with crunchy onions, the dish selection of hot and cold chaats Food: nicely and served on a bed of featured succulent and perfectly nnnnn (tapas-style sweet, sour, salty Service: salad, peppers and fresh green prepared pieces of tandoori nnnnn and spicy sharing dishes), Indian Ambience: chillies. It showcased just the chicken tikka cooked in a curry nnnnn curries, a range of thalis and Overall value right amount of heat and was an sauce. Bursting with authentic nnnnn biryanis and a ‘from the tandoor’ OVERALL nnnnn section. It also has ‘lunch and enjoyable dish with which to North Indian flavours, it boasted kick off proceedings. a generous amount of heat; later’ options - including burgers Indico Street Kitchen and rolls - and an extensive The most flavoursome starter, enough to make you reach for 113 - 115 Wharfside Street selection of beers, wines and however, was the samosa. your beer afterwards, but not so Level 3 The Mailbox spirits. There’s a specially Packed full of delicious spicy much that it overpowered the Birmingham B1 1RF designed cocktail menu with an vegetables and chickpeas, and flavour of the sauce. Tel: 0121 643 9388 Indico twist too! served with a sweet onion relish, We also ordered a side of

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Food

It’s showtime at The Loft Birmingham! Visiting Birmingham Hippodrome, The Alexandra or The Old Rep? Then be sure to pop into The Loft Birmingham and take advantage of its new pre- theatre dinner menu. Available every Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm to 7pm, diners can enjoy two courses for £12.50 or three for £16.

Resorts World to host exclusive dinner A trio of local chefs are teaming up for an exclusive guest dinner at Sky By The Water - Resorts World Birmingham’s popular rooftop bar & restaurant. Matt Cheal, head chef of Cheal’s of Henley, and Aaron Darnley and Darryl Collins, head chef and pastry chef respectively at Sky By The Water, will collaborate on a six-course dinner. The event takes place on Sunday 16 February. Tickets cost £75 per person, with a ‘welcome’ drink in the Secret Winter Garden included in the price. Malmaison’s MalBox deli & bar now open in The Mailbox A new deli & bar operated by Malmaison has selection of cakes, pastries, salads, soups and opened in Birmingham’s premier luxury baguettes alongside a choice of hot and cold shopping & lifestyle destination. drinks. Adding to The Mailbox’s already impressive MalBox opens from 9am until 5pm Monday to offering of drink & dine destinations, MalBox Friday, 10am to 6pm on Saturdays, and from will serve up the best of Chez Mal in the Urban 10am until 4pm on Sundays. Room on Level 2. The new outlet offers a

Feel the love this Valentine’s Day at Harvey Nichols Feel the love this Valentine’s Day and enjoy three courses of indulgent food at Love is in the air at Harvey Nichols Birmingham. For £45 per person (to include a glass of Marco Pierre White’s Harvey Nichols Brut Champagne) or £60 Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & per person (with a bottle of Harvey Restaurant has revealed details of its Nichols Rosé Champagne), diners can Valentine’s weekend three-course set celebrate the most romantic day of the menu, priced at £39.95 per person. year by tucking into some truly Dishes include 28-day aged mouthwatering dishes. These include: Chateaubriand for two, served with lobster taco with caviar crème fraiche and triple cooked chips, pommes frites, a shellfish dressing; butter curry green salad with truffle dressing, monkfish tail with rice and flatbread; roasted vine tomatoes, watercress, fillet of beef Rossini; and salted caramel Bearnaise and peppercorn sauce. chocolate fondant with coffee ice cream. The eatery is also offering two-for-one The Harvey Nichols Valentine’s Menu is French Martini cocktails. available on Friday 14 & Saturday 15 The Valentine’s menu is available from February from 12pm to 10pm. Thursday 13 to Monday 17 February. You can make a reservation by visiting Book now via the restaurant’s website. harveynichols.com whatsonlive.co.uk 13 Assembly Leamington Spa Full February 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 15:28 Page 1 Classical February Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 12:15 Page 2

Classical

Mahan Esfahani In-The-Round Birmingham Town Hall, Sat 22 February The only harpsi- chordist ever to be a BBC New Genera- tion Artist, Mahan Esfahani is eager to raise the profile and appeal of his genteel and often-derided instrument of choice. But the Iranian musician is under no illu- sions about how difficult a task it’s going to be: “The harpsichord is like the posh, pretty boy in prison,” he told the Guardian recently. “He’s gonna get beaten on.” Esfahani’s Birmingham concert sees him CBSO: Walton’s Viola Concerto performing in the round, presenting a Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 27 February programme that features works by, among French violist Lise Berthaud is on a mission tras and record a significant amount of others, Johann Sebastian Bach. to find the dark heart of Walton’s smoulder- repertoire both live and in the studio - Lise ing Viola Concerto in this latest afternoon of has gone on to become a truly outstanding exceptional musicmaking from the City of figure on the international music scene. Karolos String Trio Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The concert’s programme also features John Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 7 February A part of the prestigious BBC Radio Three Foulds’ April - England and Ralph Vaughan A co-operative of nine of the UK's leading New Generation Artists Scheme - which Williams’ A London Symphony. Associate chamber players, Karolos often play in allowed her to perform with all BBC orches- Conductor Michael Seal takes the helm. smaller sub-groups... which is exactly what they’re doing for this Bromsgrove Concerts presentation. Violinist Harriet Birmingham International Birmingham Mackenzie, Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) and Recorder And Early Philharmonic Orchestra cellist Graham Walker are the trio here taking on the challenges of performing University of Birmingham, Sun 9 February Music Festival works by Mozart, Beethoven and Stephen Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Dodgson. Thurs 20 - Sat 22 February A highly anticipated event in the Conserva- toire’s calendar, this three-day get-together Ruisi Quartet features the all-female Fontanella Quintet, Barber Institute, Birmingham, who’ll be performing an eclectic mix of Fri 14 February music from ancient to modern times. Harp- There are innumerable worse ways to sichordist Robin Bigwood (pictured) takes spend a Valentine’s Day lunchtime than on Bach’s ‘Goldberg’ Variations, while spir- by sitting in the Barber with your beloved, ited early music trio Blondel perform me- enjoying a performance by these hugely dieval and renaissance music on a colourful One of the region’s best known and most admired non-professional orchestras, the talented Royal Philharmonic Society collection of shawms, bagpipes, curtals and award winners. The concert programme recorders. Birmingham Phil are previous winners of the What's On Readers' Award for ‘best or- features music by Britten, Webern and Beeth chestra in the Midlands’. oven. Their latest concert sees them presenting a programme featuring works by Enescu (Ro- manian Rhapsody No1), Mahler (Symphony No5: Adagietto), Williams (Hymn To The Fallen) and Elgar (Enigma Variations). It also includes a first performance of Ian Rae’s Pacific Concerto. Michael Lloyd is the man with the baton...

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Gigs

Beans On Toast The Castle & Falcon, Birmingham, Sat 8 February Climate emergency, Boris as PM, rail-melting heatwaves, a No-Deal Brexit... Given all of the above, Beans On Toast decided that the obvious title for his most recent album of social-commentary songs was The Inevitable Train Wreck! Emerging from the London folk scene over a decade ago and singing mainly about sex, drugs and politics, the artist otherwise known as Jay McAllister is a surefire bet for an entertaining evening out.

Lana Del Rey nominations and reached number one in the UK album charts. Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, Sat 29 February Fusing tragic romance with glamour - and in the process referencing plenty of pop New York-born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, culture, particularly 1950s and ’60s Ameri- more commonly known as Lana Del Rey, last cana - Rey’s previous offerings include Born year released her sixth studio album, To Die, Ultraviolence and Lust For Life, all of Norman F*cking Rockwell, to widespread which also topped the charts. acclaim. The record picked up two Grammy

Beth Hart Dubioza Kolektiv Caravan Palace Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sun 9 February O2 Institute, Birmingham, Wed 12 February O2 Academy, Birmingham, Sat 1 February "More than any record I've ever made, I'm In 2003, a group of friends from Bosnia and open to being myself on these songs," says Herzegovina decided to form a band... American singer-songwriter Beth Hart in talk- Along with local Balkan flavours, Dubioza ing about her new album, War In My Mind. Kolektiv’s musical influences include ska, “I've come a long way with healing, and I'm punk, reggae, electronic and hip-hop, to comfortable with my darknesses, weirdnesses name but a few. Now established as one of and things that I'm ashamed of - as well as the best and most popular live outfits in all the things that make me feel good.” Eastern Europe, and after blowing away audiences around the UK last year, the band this month play Birmingham in support of their brand-new album. Caravan Palace fuse hedonistic house and The 1975 old school jazz to euphoric effect. Their decadent, potent cocktail of jazz manouche, Arena Birmingham, Tues 25 February hip-hop, jive, house and beats defies simple The 1975 have enjoyed a phenomenal rise to categorisation and delivers with a punch. fame over the past few years - their 2018 The musical virtuosity of the Parisian seven- album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relation- piece band, combined with their panache, ships, was their third consecutive UK num- flair and genuine joy in performing live, ber one. The BRIT and Ivor Novello Award guarantees a riotous good time. winners are set to release their fourth They visit Birmingham in support of upcom- album, Notes On A Conditional Form, on the ing sonically explosive album, Chronologic. 21st of this month. whatsonlive.co.uk 17 Readers Awards 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:21 Page 1

Award FINALISTS in each category announced! VOTE for your WINNER! Readers’ What’sOn Awards

Yes, you VOTED in your thousands in the first round of nominations in the What’s On Readers’ Awards - over 15,000 votes across the West Midlands region!Now it’s time for you to VOTE once more to choose your ultimate WINNER in each category! Here are the award shortlist finalists:

Midlands Large Theatre l Burn The Floor Best Pantomime in l Birmingham Hippodrome l Matthew Bourne: Romeo And Juliet The Midlands 2019/20 l Belgrade Theatre, Coventry l Matthew Bourne: Swan Lake l Aladdin - Stourbridge Town Hall l Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford l Aladdin - Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Best Orchestra/Choir l The Alexandra, Birmingham l Cinderella - Lichfield Garrick l Birmingham Cathedral Choir l The REP, Birmingham l Dick Whittington - Wolves Grand l Birmingham Gay Symphony Orchestra l Wolverhampton Grand Theatre l Sleeping Beauty - Regent Theatre l Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra l Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent l Snow White - Hippodrome l CBSO Best Touring Musical l North Staffs Symphony Orchestra Best Pantomime Dame 2019/20 l Les Misérables l Andrew Ryan - Snow White, Best Classical/Operatic l Kinky Boots Birmingham Hippodrome Production l The Rocky Horror Show l Ben Humphrey - Snow White, l Birmingham Festival of Early Music l Blood Brothers Swan Theatre, Worcester l Birmingham Philharmonic: l Dirty Dancing l Brad Fitt - Aladdin, Movie Music Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury Best Home-Produced Show l CBSO: Viennese New Year l Christian Patterson - Billionaire Boy - Belgrade Theatre Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: l l Sleeping Beauty, Regent Theatre l The Boy In The Dress - RSC The Planets l Ian Adams - Dick Whittington, Brassed Off - New Vic Theatre Welsh National Opera (WNO) l l Wolverhampton Grand Theatre l The Snow Queen - The Old Rep Autumn Season l Wally Wombat - Aladdin, l The 39 Steps - New Vic Theatre Best Touring Theatre Play/Show Stourbridge Town Hall Best Dance Production Abigail's Party l Best Kids Show l Birmingham Royal Ballet: l An Inspector Calls l Dear Zoo Live! Beauty And The Beast l Educating Rita l Horrible Histories l Birmingham Royal Ballet: l The Girl On The Train l The Tiger Who Came To Tea The Nutcracker l The Mousetrap VOTE today atwhatsonlive.co.uk

18 whatsonlive.co.uk Readers Awards 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:21 Page 2

#readersawards2020

l The Snowman Best Amateur Dramatic/Operatic Best Midlands Music Festival l The Worst Witch Group Production l Birmingham Pride l BMOS: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang l Download Festival Best Arts/Cultural Festival l Birmingham Ormiston Academy: l Godiva Festival l Birmingham Comedy Festival Lord Of The Flies l Shrewsbury Folk Festival l Birmingham Weekender l Coventry Musical Theatre Society: l Worcester Music Festival l Lichfield Arts' Fuse Festival Annie l Let’s Rock, Shrewsbury l Shrewsbury International l Get Your Wigle On: Grease Comedy Festival Best Midlands Food Festival l Lichfield Operatic Society: Avenue Q l The Big Feast, Newcastle-under-Lyme l Colmore Food Festival, Birmingham l Worcester Arts Festival Best Comedy Night l Foodies Festival, Birmingham l Comedy Carousel at l Lichfield Food Festival Best Exhibition The Glee Club, Birmingham l Ludlow Food Festival l Apollo 50 - The Potteries Museum l Comedy at Henry Tudor House l Shrewsbury Food Festival & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent l Funhouse Comedy - various l Dressed To The Nines - Best Street Food Vendor l Just The Tonic, Birmingham Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery l Bournville Waffle Co l Laugh Out Loud Comedy - various l Home Of Metal Presents Black l Buddha Belly Sabbath: 50 Years - Birmingham Best Midlands Music Venue l Dick’s Smokehouse Museum & Art Gallery l Arena Birmingham l Patty Freaks l Leonardo da Vinci: A Life In Drawing - l Birmingham Town Hall l Urban Cheesecake Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery l O2 Academy, Birmingham Best Midlands Market l Wildlife Photographer Of The Year - l Resorts World Arena, Birmingham l Beckett’s Farm, Birmingham Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, l Symphony Hall, Birmingham l Bullring Indoor Market, Birmingham Coventry & Wolverhampton Art Gallery l The Empire, Coventry l FarGo Village, Birmingham l The Market Hall, Shrewsbury l Moseley Arts Market, Birmingham

What’sOn FINALISTS in each REGION

BIRMINGHAM Best Music l Birmingham Lit Fest l Birmingham Museum Best Indoor Event Best Independent l Birmingham & Art Gallery Festival l BBC Good Food Restaurant Weekender l Cadbury World Best Arts/Theatre Show l Adams l Birmingham Pride l National Sealife British Athletics Indoor l Harborne Kitchen Venue l Birmingham & Solihull Best Food Centre l Championships l Original Patty Men l Blue Orange Theatre Jazz & Blues Festival l Thinktank Festival/Event l Crufts l Purnell’s l The Crescent Theatre l Moseley Folk & Arts l MCM Birmingham l Wing Wah Midlands Arts Centre Festival l BBC Good Food l Best Outdoor Comic Con l The Old Joint Stock l Mostly Jazz, Funk & Show Event l Strictly Come Dancing l The Old Rep Theatre Soul l Birmingham Cocktail Best Independent Solihull Summer Fest Weekend Live l l Birmingham Frankfurt Coffee Shop l Colmore Food Festival Best Music Venue Christmas Market l 3 Three's Coffee l Digbeth Dining Club Best Arts l Ice Skate Birmingham Best Gallery/ l Cherry Reds Cafe Bar l The Actress & Bishop l Foodies Festival at Festival l Great Birmingham Exhibition Venue l Damascena Coffee l The Glee Club Cannon Hill Park Run The Barber Institute House l Hare & Hounds l Arts & Science Fest l l Peaky Blinders Birmingham Museum l The Edwardian l The Jam House (University of B’ham) l Best Visitor Festival - Digbeth & Art Gallery Tearooms at BMAG l The Night Owl l Birmingham Comedy l Summer In Southside Festival Attraction l Coffin Works l Java Lounge IKON Gallery l Birmingham Int Dance l Birmingham Back to l Festival Backs l Midlands Arts Centre and choose your WINNER!

whatsonlive.co.uk 19 Theatre Tokens Full Filler.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 17:48 Page 1 Readers Awards 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:21 Page 4

What’sOn FINALISTS in each REGION

Best Independent l Penn Tandoori Best Gallery/ Best Independent l National Memorial l Wellington Arts Bar/Pub l The Summerhouse, Exhibition Venue Restaurant Arboretum Festival Dudley l 1000 Trades l Compton Verney l Bolero Bar & Kitchen, Best Event Best Visitor l The Old Crown, l Coventry Music Worcester l Bonfire and Fireworks Digbeth WARWICKSHIRE Museum l Dine India, at Trentham Estate Attraction l The Jekyll and Hyde l Herbert Art Gallery Bromsgrove l Cathedral Illuminated l Attingham Park The Plough, Harborne l Leamington Spa Art l The Old Rectifying British Ironworks l Best Arts/Theatre at Lichfield Cathedral l l The Prince Of Wales, Gallery & Museum House, Worcester l Lichfield Proms in Centre, Oswestry Moseley Venue l Mead Gallery at l The Olive Branch Beacon Park l Ironbridge Museums Warwick Art Centre Mediterranean Bistro l Albany Theatre, l Scarefest at Alton l Park Hall Farm Coventry & Wine Bar, Worcs Towers l Severn Valley Railway, BLACK COUNTRY Ostlers at No.1, l Belgrade Theatre, Best Independent l l Staffordshire County Bridgnorth Coventry Restaurant Worcester Show Best Arts/Theatre l Criterion Theatre, l Café Vin Cinq, Rugby Best Event Venue Coventry l Cheals of Henley, STAFFORDSHIRE Best Independent l Chocolate Festival, l Royal Shakespeare Henley-in-Arden Restaurant Shrewsbury l Arena Theatre Theatre, Stratford Dough And Brew, l Shrewsbury Flower Dudley Town Hall l Best Arts/Theatre l 1709, The Brasserie l l Warwick Arts Centre Warwick Show Grand Theatre, l The Boat Inn, Lichfield l My Dhabba, Coventry Venue Shrewsbury Wacky Wolverhampton l l Hard Days Night, l Best Music Venue l The Cross, Kenilworth l Brewhouse Arts Races l Light House Media Newcastle under Lyme Centre Shropshire Centre, W’hampton l The Assembly, l Mackenzies, Lichfield l l Lichfield Garrick Oktoberfest l Stourbridge Town Hall Leamington Spa WORCESTERSHIRE l NOM Restaurant, l The Empire, Coventry l New Vic Theatre, Hanley l Telford Balloon and l The Kasbah, Coventry Newcastle-under-Lyme Kite Fiesta Best Music Venue Best Arts/Theatre l Regent Theatre, l Shakespeare Street, SHROPSHIRE l Brierley Civic Hall Stratford-Upon-Avon Venue Stoke-on-Trent l Dudley Town Hall Warwick Arts Centre, l Stafford Gatehouse Best Gallery/ l Artrix, Bromsgrove Newhampton Arts Coventry l Theatre Best Arts/Theatre l Huntingdon Hall, Exhibition Venue Centre, Wolves l Worcester Venue l Bear Steps Art Gallery, l The Robin, Bilston Best Music Venue Best Festival l Malvern Theatres l The Hive, Shrewsbury Shrewsbury l The Slade Rooms, l Eleven, Art In The Park, l Norbury Theatre, l Ludlow Assembly l Coalbrookdale Wolverhampton l Stoke-on-Trent Leamington Droitwich Rooms Gallery, Ironbridge l Lichfield Guildhall l Godiva Festival l Swan Theatre, l The Place, Telford l Shrewsbury Museum l The Sugarmill, Stoke l Leamington Food and Worcester l Theatre On The Steps & Art Gallery Best Visitor l The Underground, Drink Festival l Theatre Severn l Qube, Oswestry Attraction Stoke l Stratford River Festival Best Music Venue l Twenty Twenty l Victoria Hall, Hanley l Black Country Living l Stratford-upon-Avon Gallery, Much Wenlock l Drummonds Bar, Best Music Venue Museum Music Festival Worcester Best Music l Albert's Shed, l Dudley Canal & l Huntingdon Hall, Best Independent Tunnel Trust Worcester Festival Shrewsbury l Dudley Zoo Best Visitor l Albert's Shed, Restaurant l The Marr's Bar, l Lichfield Arts' Fuse RAF Cosford Museum Attraction Southwater l CSONS, Shrewsbury l Worcester Festival Wightwick Manor l The Buttermarket, l Dough and Oil, l l Coventry Music l Paradiddles Music Lichfield Blues & l Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Museum Cafe Bar, Worcester Jazz Festival The Queen’s Head, l Henry Tudor House, l Henry Tudor House, l Coventry Transport l l Lichfield Festival Best Event Bromsgrove Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Museum l Lichfield Festival Of l 1940s Evening - l Kenilworth Castle Folk l The Hive, Shrewsbury l Hundred House, BCLM Best Music Telford l Shakespeare’s l Staffs Fest l Black Country Boating Birthplace Trust Festival Best Music l Huntsman of Little Festival l Warwick Castle l Bromsgrove Folk Wenlock, Telford l Cosford Air Show Festival Best Arts Festival Festival l Big Feast, l Peaky Blinders Nights l Sunshine Festival l Farmer Phil’s Festival Stoke-on-Trent Best Independent at BCLM Best Event l Upton Blues Festival l Let’s Rock l Lichfield Festival Café l Wolverhampton l The Dragon Slayer - l Upton Jazz Festival Shrewsbury l Lichfield Literature l The Bird’s Nest Cafe, Literature Festival Warwick Castle l Worcester Music l Rock & Bowl Festival Festival Shrewsbury HSBC Let's Ride Festival l Shrewsbury Folk l Stafford Arts Festival Coventry l Festival l Crystal's Cupcakes, Best Gallery/ l Stoke Literary Festival Telford l Monster Jam - Best Event l Shropfest l The Furnace Kitchen, Exhibition Venue Ricoh Arena l Droitwich Spa Food The Motor Show - Best Food Coalbrookdale l Bilston Craft Gallery l Festival Best Food l Ginger & Co. Dudley Museum Ragley Hall l Eastnore Chilli Festival Festival l Festival Shrewsbury At The Archives l Stratford Literary l Enchanted Witley - l Great British Food Festival l Field to Fork l House Coffee Co. l Light House Witley Court Festival l Frestival, Shropshire Media Centre, l Worcester Festival l Lichfield Food Festival l Ludlow Food Festival Wolverhampton Best Food l Worcester Food l Stafford Cheese & Ale Owestry Food & Drink New Art Gallery, Festival Festival l l Festival/Event Festival Walsall l Stone Food & Drink l Coventry Food And Festival l Shrewsbury Food l Wolverhampton Best Visitor Drink Festival Festival Museum & Art Gallery Attraction l Tamworth Food Gusto l Digbeth Dining at Festival Coventry Cathedral l Avoncroft, VOTE Bromsgrove Best Arts Festival l Fargo’s Vegan Best Visitor Best Independent Festival, Coventry l Hanbury Hall l Church Stretton Arts and Gardens Attraction Festival Restaurant l Royal Leamington NOW! l Severn Valley Railway, l Alton Towers l Ludlow Fringe Festival l Bella, Wolverhampton Food & Drink Festival Bewdley l Drayton Manor l Oswestry Literary l The Cowshed l Warwick Food Festival l West Mid Safari Park Theme Park Festival l The Old Glasshouse, l Witley Court, l Lichfield Cathedral Shrewsbury Literary Dudley l Worcester l Monkey Forest Festival

whatsonlive.co.uk 21 Max Raabe.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:52 Page 1

THE SOUNDS OF THE ROARING 20S Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester head to Birmingham on their first ever UK tour... Max Raabe.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:52 Page 2

Million-selling German crooner Max Raabe is since the mid-’90s we’ve had the same line- When did you know the Palast Orchester the debonair, white-tie-and-tails-wearing up. We’re a student band - an old one! was going to be more than just a hobby? front man of the critically acclaimed Palast What was it that first interested you in the After a year, we were invited to perform at a Orchester, who’ll be coming to Birmingham particular style of music which the orches- ball, playing in the foyer. People stood in this spring. tra play? front of our stage and asked us to play again Formed in Berlin in 1986, the orchestra per- and again. It was then that we realised we The music was always there when I was a form music of the 1920s and ’30s to audiences were on the right track. Then we did our first child. Each Sunday there were black-and- across the globe, along the way garnering concert, got some TV jobs and said to our- white films on TV - not only German and Aus- rave reviews and scooping glittering gongs selves, let’s continue for as long as people trian films from the 1920s and 1930s but also like they’re going out of fashion. want to hear us, and for as long as we want to movies from the United States, with Fred As- do it. And we’re still doing it! Fifty-seven-year-old Max has received numer- taire. There was always a scene where some- ous awards for his commitment to the music body was singing and a band was playing in a Where do you find all the original arrange- of the era, including an ECHO Classic award big hotel. ments from the ’20s & ’30s? for his interpretation of Mack The Knife. In my father’s record collection there was an The first ones we found in flea markets, then In November, the ensemble’s new MTV Un- instrumental song called Crazy About Hilde. we found a big old publishing company in plugged album went straight into the Top 10 It was funny and fast, but there was a melan- Berlin. in the German pop charts. choly sub-note in there by the saxophones A few years ago, we did a tour of the States, What’s On caught up with Max ahead of the and the vibrato of the trumpet. It was like lis- including a concert in Chicago. A couple of Palast Orchester’s Birmingham stop-off next tening through a pipe into another room, an- weeks beforehand, somebody said, ‘Do you month... other era. So I went to flea markets in the next know there’s a big library in Chicago with big town, Münster, and bought some of these The orchestra has been together for more original stock arrangements from the ’20s & 78 records - not only German but also some- than 30 years, Max - so why has it taken so ’30s?’ We went and found around 30 arrange- times English songs. long to tour to the UK? ments and just had to pay the copy for them. It felt like Christmas! Incredible! We have played some concerts, at the Cado- You started performing the songs as a gan Hall in London and Shepherd’s Bush Em- teenager. What was the reaction from How do you decide which material to per- pire, and had invitations to festivals like friends and family? form for each concert? Twinwood and the Secret Garden Party. We My parents were shocked. My friends, they We have more than 600 songs in our reper- had wonderful concerts and they were always loved it. We had a very active church, and toire. We mix it up with songs I compose and very successful. In spring, I have my second every family and friend went there. Once a play songs of the countries we’re travelling solo concert at Wigmore Hall in London - year there was a big party and they asked us through. When we have a tour through some- which is a wonderful concert hall - but it’s not to do some sketches or play some music - and where like Scandinavia, we do one pro- so easy for artists from Europe to go to your is- that was the first time I put on my father’s top gramme, then when we go to Japan, we sing land. I think you have incredible artists and hat and sang these songs. It was wonderful. some Japanese songs. Recently we had a con- musicians - maybe that’s the reason why. They loved it, and it was fun for me. I never cert in Milan and the programme had five Ital- thought I’d one day become a musician. How would you describe Max Raabe And ian songs. The Palast Orchester? You went on to study classical singing at One of the songs we’ll play in the United King- dom is I Won’t Dance, a wonderful arrange- We’re a 13-piece orchestra playing the music college in Berlin, where you and your ment from 1935 which we found in Chicago. of the 1920s and 1930s. We have four saxo- friends formed the orchestra... We have Noel Coward songs and some by Al phones, two trumpets, one trombone, rhythm I financed my study with that music but told Bowlly. We play it in the way it was played in section with sousaphone, double bass, nobody about it. One of my teachers came to the early 1930s, in the pre-swing era. drums, guitar, banjo and a violin player - me and said, ‘Another professor told me that she’s the only lady in the orchestra. This is by you sing songs from the ’20s and ’30s. Take How do you feel when you stand at the chance. Our first violin was played by the girl- care; it may ruin your voice and can be dan- front of the orchestra singing these songs? friend of one of our saxophone players. And gerous or difficult. I don’t like this idea that It makes me feel lucky because I always dis- when he left, we asked a student of ours to you sing other material.’ cover new colours and variations. My aim is to play for a concert and he said, ‘For one con- He was then at a concert we did and said, entertain the audience and transport them cert I will do that, but I have no time to come “You do it well, you don’t stress your voice, out of reality. The music was written to take with you to play concerts and stay in your you have a wonderful technique and I see you its audience away from their everyday prob- band’. But then we realised how wonderful it don’t mix it up. You have this classical way to lems, and I’m pleased to say that it still works is to have a woman in the orchestra. Our cur- sing and you have this ’20s light crooning today. rent violinist, Cecilia Crisafulli, has been with style of singing. Don’t do it too much, but it’s us for 13 years. okay with me.” So I didn’t have to be a waiter or a taxi driver during my studies; I could just Max Raabe And The Palast Orchester How many musicians have played in the earn money with music. perform at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, orchestra since it was founded in the mid- on Thursday 5 March. 1980s? There are still eight people from that time. But Comedy February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:39 Page 1

Sarah Keyworth Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 22 February; The Glee Club, Birmingham, Fri 6 March Sarah Keyworth’s original premise for her new show, Pacific, was that she was turning into her dad. But then things moved on a bit. “It ended up being about how I, as a woman who likes to perceive herself as being slightly masculine, almost resents the feminine parts of herself. It’s about learning that I don’t have to be the biggest, strongest woman in the room. It’s like learning how to become a modern man.” Sarah is in a relationship with fellow comic Catherine Bohart. “In a misogynistic way, I like the idea of looking after my girlfriend,” she says, “but in reality, if my girlfriend left me for long, I’d starve!”

Alexei Sayle Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 28 & Sat 29 February Having long ago been in the vanguard of His regular appearances in cult BBC sitcom the alternative-comedy movement, Alexei The Young Ones then brought him to wider Sayle certainly knows how to work a crowd public attention. - particularly as most members of his audi- He's branched out considerably in more re- ence have been diehard fans of his stand- cent times, trying his hand at kids TV, docu- up for 40 long years. mentaries and even a bit of Shakespeare. Sayle shot to stardom in the late 1970s/early A big-screen appearance in the execrable ’80s, presenting a brash, loud and hugely Carry On Columbus is probably one ele- political act at the legendary Comedy Store. ment of his CV best forgotten, though...

Dom Joly Simon Brodkin John Shuttleworth Albany Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 13 Palace Theatre, Redditch, Wed 26 February; Birmingham Town Hall, Wed 5 Feb; Theatre February; The Place, Telford, Tues 18 The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 5 Severn, Shrewsbury, Thurs 13 Feb; Stafford February; The Core Theatre, Solihull, Thurs April Gatehouse Theatre, Thurs 5 March; Artrix, 20 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Bromsgrove, Wed 11 March; The Roses Mon 2 March; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Former medical doctor Simon Brodkin is Theatre, Tewkesbury, Thurs 12 March; Tues 3 March; Tamworth Assembly Rooms, perhaps best known as the creator of com- Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Sat 18 April; Sat 15 March; Stourbridge Town Hall, Wed 8 edy character Lee Nelson, a bling-wearing Stratford Playhouse, Stratford-upon-Avon, April; The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Fri 24 April; New Vic Theatre, Newcastle- Thurs 9 April Stella-swigging South London geezer. under-Lyme, Sat 25 April Simon has also hit the headlines for his From a launch- Midlands-based lovers of light comedy and unwavering commitment to the business of pad provided by understated but up-to-the-minute fashions being a top-quality prankster: he famously Trigger Happy here get the chance to enjoy another laugh- handed Prime Minister Theresa May her TV, Dom Joly has ter-filled evening in the company of P45 at the Conservative Party Conference. led an intriguing Sheffield’s raconteur par excellence. This latest tour sees him taking on perhaps and extraordi- The creation of actor Graham Fellows - a his trickiest task yet - going on stage as nary life. Some of one-time chartbuster with 1970s’ hit, Jilted himself. It’s a challenge he’s very much the highlights - John - Shuttleworth has been making his looking forward to meeting, though: well, highlights presence felt on the UK comedy circuit for “There’s no bigger buzz in the world than according to more than 30 years. turning up in a new city, making 2,000 Dom anyway - This latest show finds John a pale shadow people laugh and include world drinking, skiing down volca- of his former self. Years of strenuous DIY - then sleeping noes, holidaying in Chernobyl, trying to fly not to mention playing his organ while with about five of across the Grand Canyon strapped to an perched on a multi-pack of Diet Sprite with them afterwards. eight-foot rocket, and eating from Gillian no lumber support - has taken its toll... The only down- McKeith’s pants while imprisoned in the Expect classic songs, new stories, and the side is chlamy- Australian jungle... unmistakable pungent whiff of Deep Heat dia.” ...Some guys have all the luck. ointment... 22 whatsonlive.co.uk Comedy February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:39 Page 2

Comedy

Dane Baptiste Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sat 29 February; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Fri 20 March; Glee Club, Birmingham, Sun 29 March It’s certainly been a whirlwind few years for London-born funnyman Dane Baptiste. In 2014, he became the first ever black comedian to be nominated for the ‘best new- comer’ award at the Edinburgh Fringe, a success he achieved with debut solo show Citizen Dane. In the ensuing years he’s established himself on the UK comedy circuit to excellent effect, his constant and industrious honing of his act earning him a loyal and ever-expanding fanbase. Jokes include: “Dubai is what would hap- pen if you gave a 12-year-old a trillion dollars to redecorate his bedroom.”

Phil Wang The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, Sun 9 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sun 16 February; Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sun 5 April Phil Wang’s first ever five minutes behind ing to get up in the mornings, Phil is one of the mic as a standup comedian were spent the newer kids on the comedy block and de- telling other people’s gags. “I thought scribes his style of humour as smart, cheeky standup was like karaoke with jokes,” he re- and always changing. calls. “Most of the material I used was stolen, Jokes include, “Dying is a lot like camping. I but I learned fast and immediately started don’t want to do it,” and “I’m white and Chi- writing my own material.” Inspired to be- nese. I’m both majorities, bitch. I’m Pepsi Brum Craic come a comedian by his desire to avoid hav- and Coke.” Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 20 February Jonny Awsum Jimeoin Making a welcome return for this second Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sun 9 February; The Glee Club, Birmingham, Mon 3 Artrix, Bromsgrove, Wed 19 February Brum Craic, James Cook (pictured) will once February; Henry Tudor House, Shrewsbury, again be hosting a show that’s designed to Fri 21 February Fancy a straightforward comedy night with a provide a high-profile platform for some of ‘If you can’t beat straight-talking - well, actually, a rambling - the comedy world’s most promising new them, join them’ master of mirth? If so, then the sublime acts. Callum Oakley and Lindsey Santoro seems to have been Jimeoin is the fella for you. are among those who will be strutting their the perspective A gimmick-free one-man comedy machine, hopefully laughter-worthy stuff on this par- taken by musical Jimeoin's proved he's got what it takes on all ticular occasion. comic Jonny manner of top TV programmes, including Awsum. Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Having served as a Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks. barman at London’s Chuckle Club for He visits Stafford with his new touring show, eight long years, Jonny decided it was the appropriately titled Ramble On. high time he put down the pint glasses and picked up the microphone himself. Fame then came his way courtesy of Britain’s Got Talent, in which he performed This Is A Musical with Ant & Dec and The Triangle Song with David Wal- liams. Five-star reviews at Edinburgh and a starring role in panto followed, with Jonny now ticking off another first by heading out on his debut solo tour.

whatsonlive.co.uk 23 Tony Law.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:06 Page 1

A law unto

Comedianhimself Tony Law is back with a brand new show...

Don't be fooled by the title of Tony Law's pany myself. So I have a closing song!" little bit political, but it’s not preaching.” new touring show - Identifies - because it As well as a musical finale, Identifies also As with all of Tony’s shows, Identifies has has very little to do with the on-trend sees Tony addressing politics for the first changed since it debuted last year. The topic of identity! time. content is pretty much the same, but the "I tried to do a show that was really noth- “My closing also features a bit of Brexit. I delivery and the pacing are different - ing about identity as best I could,” says wouldn’t say it was pro-Brexit, but it’s pro something which he attributes to a Tony, “’cos that’s just how I work, to be people who voted Brexit, which is a little change in musical taste. contrarian!" twist for me. It’s not saying one way or “The shows never seem to get too locked The Canadian-born Law came to London another, it’s saying something nice about down. If you hear a recording of this in the 1990s and established himself as an all of the people, whichever way they material when I first did it, it will sound inventive and idiosyncratic comedian. voted. It sounds quite naff but it comes the same, the words won’t be that differ- Part of a lineage that includes Spike Milli- across quite good. It’s just a way of ent for most of it, but there’ll be different gan, Monty Python and Eddie Izzard, acknowledging our brothers and sisters inflections and a different pace to it. It Tony presents shows that are perhaps best who have different opinions. That was the slowly morphs. described as flights of surreal and absurd idea behind it.” “This show was written while listening to fancy. Freewheeling but well-structured, Tackling a thorny subject without offend- Toto, Supertramp and Steely Dan. It has a they are peppered with grand ideas, ing either side required Tony to look bit of a vibe like that - a 1970s vibe. But stories about everyday incidents, contem- deeper into the reasons why people made since I’ve been touring it, [US alt-rock plations on time travel, occasional props their decisions. pre-grunge heroes] Pixies have taken over. and even the odd song. "That was hard to do because I had to Pixies seems about right because of the In fact, Identifies concludes with a brand learn about all the reasons why someone urgency with which I deliver the material. new composition written solely by the wanted to do Brexit - because I didn’t It’s like a fricking train... ch-ch-ch-ch... comedian. know. But I needed to find out all of their but then slow, and then fast and loud. "I trained myself to make sounds on a reasons, not do it half-arsed like most “Almost every show of mine seems to have guitar and have written my very first song! people do - patronisingly looking down a life of its own.” I’ve done music before, but I’ve always got their nose and saying, ‘they’re idiots, they real musicians involved. They’ve made don’t really know!’ I didn’t want to go Tony Law: Identifies is at The Glee Club the music after I’ve hummed the song and from that angle, so I dived into it and Birmingham, on Friday 14 February. then tried to make it into a thing. With really got my head around it. For tickets and more details, visit this one, I forced myself to learn enough “That’s a bit of a departure for me. It’s a glee.co.uk strumming sounds to be able to accom- Tony Law.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:06 Page 2 Once the Musical.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:25 Page 1

URBAN FAIRYTALE Runaway West End and Broadway hit Once The Musical focuses on the passionate love experienced by two musicians, not only for their craft but also for one another. A new touring production will next month be casting its spell over Midlands theatre-goers. What’s On met up with the stars of the show...

24 whatsonlive.co.uk Once the Musical.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:25 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

Based on the 2006 cult feature film of the auditioned for the Broadway show and was line of work, you can always dig deeper into a same name, Once is about two lost souls - a then an understudy in the West End, I do role, get more out of it and give more to it. I Dublin street busker and a Czech musician - think I was too young. So it was the right deci- definitely relate to Girl’s personality more who unexpectedly fall in love. The musical sion to wait until now to take the lead. The than her circumstances. For example, I don’t follows the pair’s lives over a period of five cool thing about Guy is that he is the ‘any have a child and I’m not Eastern European, days. man’ or ‘everyman’ - and now I’ve seen so but I think I do relate to her optimistic out- many different versions of him, I can really look. She’s very positive and tries to be quite Once’s Celtic folk music and lyrics - written by make the part my own. The character in him- uplifting for others, even if she’s not feeling the stars of the film, Glen Hansard and self is almost nondescript, as it’s the pain and great herself - and that’s definitely something Markéta Irglová - have won Grammy, the journey in Once that’s perhaps more I try to do and the type of person I continue to Academy and Olivier awards. Complete with a important. He’s like a blank canvas.” aspire to be. book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, Once also took With a background both as an actor and a “With Once, I’m playing a lead role as home the coveted Tony Award for best musi- musician (but very separately), Dan doesn’t opposed to covering it, like I did with Beauti- cal in 2012. consider himself the typical musical theatre ful: Carole King The Musical. I’m actually performer: “I come from my acting and my really glad that I did that fir So what has made this heartwarming show st, as being in the singer-songwriter background above anything ensemble and being a swing or understudy is such a resounding success? else, so I’ve had a real dual career in that way. a real rite of passage. You learn what it feels “I think it’s a combination,” says Emma I’ve managed to play music at quite a high like to be a part of the show but not front-and- Lucia, one of the stars of the touring produc- level and be in West End plays, so I’m very centre. Then I think you are even more appre- tion that’s next month visiting the Midlands. lucky in that sense. What I think is great ciative both of your big break and your other “The storyline itself is so naturalistic - so about Once is that it attracts people on both cast members too. It’s a big step up in terms much so that it appeals to all kinds of people sides of the coin: whether you’re a massive of pressure, but I feel so excited and lucky to of all ages and backgrounds. But also it’s the musical theatre fan or prefer plays, Once is a be playing a lead role at my age.” fact that all of the music is played by the show you’ll want to see. Moderate and hard- So why should Midlands theatre-goers go to actors on stage. It’s very unique in that core theatre-goers and musical theatre lovers see Once? Emma continues: “Markéta Irglová, sense.” alike will be captivated by it. Guy is literally who co-wrote the music, said that you can be my dream role. The part could’ve been written “The story itself is definitely something every- a complete stranger to someone but once you for me in a sense, because of my Celtic up- one can connect to,” adds Emma’s co-star, start making music together, it’s like your bringing and being an actor/musician.” Daniel Healy. “We’ve all had those crossroads souls merge. There’s something about that moments in life, those real chances or deci- Dan’s background in music includes a close unspoken connection - the way music brings sions that people often look back on and wish working relationship with Ronan Keating. people together regardless of background - they’d dealt with differently. Once is about that Once captures in the best possible way.” “I became good friends with Ronan when he that kind of moment. It’s a real urban fairy- played Guy in the West End and I was his “There are a lot of people out there who are tale: it's got great music with an Irish connec- understudy. I just saw him as this hugely genuinely inspired to chase their dream, tion, a genuine story about love and loss, and successful fella who was following a similar whatever that may be,” says Dan. “Once has a a narrative about dreams coming true.” path to me, and we became great mates. He lasting effect, which I also felt when I Dan has been involved with the show for heard one of my songs online and asked me if watched it myself. It really does encourage many years and feels a real affinity with his I’d do some writing for him. I ended up doing people to make sure they’re doing what they character, Guy: “I might have picked up a few six songs on one of his albums, and then a love. Art should be all about getting right out- tips being in the West End cast! I understud- slot opened up in his band about four-and-a- side your own headspace and being taken on ied the lead in that, so I’ve seen many differ- half years ago. So I’ve played with him ever an incredible journey - and, of course, for you ent incarnations. But I can honestly say that since then, touring the world and everything. then to reflect it onto your own life and expe- this is the best cast there’s been out of all of It's been really great! I’m still writing songs riences. It’s so humbling to see people so the versions I’ve seen or been involved with - with him now, including one for Netflix’s moved by this musical, especially when and that’s not including myself, by the way! Galapagos. But over and above all that, he’s a you’re just going out there to do a job you love This cast is so bloody talented! Everyone good pal, and hopefully he’ll come down to and giving absolutely everything you can. involved in Once is a joy to be around, and I see the show.” Once is a beautiful piece, besides being multi- think the audience will feel that reflected in award-winning, and this is your opportunity And what about Dan’s own music? the show. to see it in its best form yet!” “I’m absolutely still working on that, too. It “Guy is a really great part that everyone can has crossed my mind that, as soon as Once bring their own take to because he is so relat- Once The Musical shows at the Belgrade has settled down a bit and we’ve got into the able. I would say that he’s really the closest Theatre, Coventry, from Tuesday 10 to rhythm of touring, I might slowly start putting character to myself that I’ve ever played. I’m a Saturday 14 March; Regent Theatre, Stoke- something together. I hope to have a new singer-songwriter who busked for years when on-Trent, from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 album finished by the time we stop touring!” I was young, so there are elements of Guy that March; Malvern Theatres from Monday 23 I’m so connected to. Just like Emma, I saw the Emma is returning to the role of Girl. to Saturday 28 March, and the Alexandra, show and realised that was the part I was Birmingham, from Monday 1 to Saturday 6 “It’s great to revisit the part because, in our meant to play. But at the time in my life I first June.

whatsonlive.co.uk 25 Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:02 Page 1

Theatre Theatre from around the region

Peter Pan Goes Wrong The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 18 - Sat 22 February; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 25 - Sat 29 February A play about a play that goes wrong isn’t a new idea by any means, Society in the Olivier Award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong, Mis- but it’s certainly a winning one, as the plaudits garnered by this chief Theatre Company here let loose those selfsame comic creations cheeky hit ably illustrate. One reviewer laughed so much he feared he on a production of JM Barrie’s children’s classic. The only trouble is, was going to hyperventilate, another admitted his funny bone had the bumbling thesps are more than a little accident-prone. So much been well and truly struck by the piece, while a third laughed and so, in fact, that they’re not even sure they’ll manage to reach the cur- laughed until ‘the tears ran down’. tain call, let alone Neverland... Having first introduced audiences to the Cornley Polytechnic Drama

Asking For It Ten Times Table Home Of The Wriggler The REP, Birmingham, until Sat 15 February Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, The REP, Birmingham, Thurs 20 - Sat 22 Mon 17 - Sat 22 February February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Mention of Alan Ayckbourn and a list of bril- Wed 26 February; Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Thurs 27 February liant observational comedies springs readily to mind. Ten Times Table, first performed in early 1977, is one of them. A cast of high-profile television actors here star in a story revolving around the Pendon Folk Festival committee, a calamitous ensemble led by the over-excitable Ray and coming complete with Marxist schoolteacher, mili- tary dog-breeder and octogenarian secretary. Robert Daws, best known as the team captain This critically acclaimed stage adaptation of in ITV’s gentle 1990s’ cricket comedy, Outside Birmingham’s ever-impressive Stan’s Cafe Irish author Louise O'Neill’s novel focuses on Edge, takes top billing. here make a welcome return with a story they the experiences of fictional main character and describe as a playful, kaleidoscopic soap- sexual-assault victim Emma O’Donovan. opera. The production is set in a far-distant “I’m incredibly proud of the book and its mes- post-oil future and finds four investigators sage,” says Louise, “which is why I was so ex- piecing together the interwoven stories of cited by the prospect of a stage adaptation. The families who once lived in the shadow of the prospect of this message getting as far and Longbridge car plant. wide as possible is incredible. Sexual violence Built from true stories and industrial history, is such an epidemic in our culture, an impor- the show sees its industrious performers tant and devastating issue that needs to be ad- turning dynamos to light the stage with car dressed and eradicated; and we’re not going to headlights, bringing to life dozens of hum- do that unless we face the issue head-on.” drum fragments of everyday moments.

26 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:02 Page 2 Holes.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 10:43 Page 1

JS E P I G N

Louis Sachar’s 1998 young-adult novel, Holes, is a staple of the national curriculum and much loved by children and adults alike. Nottingham Playhouse’s new stage version is coming to a theatre near you...

“The play, like Louis Sachar’s award-winning to dig a hole, five foot deep and five foot wide, number of reasons. Firstly, as Louis Sachar novel, is about a teenager, Stanley Yelnats, as a reforming character-building exercise. himself said, everyone as a child has an who gets falsely accused of stealing an old Stanley quickly discovers that the warden obsession with digging a huge hole to see pair of sneakers,” explains Adam Penford, who runs the camp is hunting for something, how far they can get into the earth, maybe Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse, the so he starts investigating. Holes is an epic even out the other side! So just that starting theatre behind a brand new stage adaptation mystery adventure story! premise is one that grabs people’s imagina- of the book. “Stanley is sent to Camp Green tions. “The novel was written in the late ’90s and Lake, which certainly isn’t green and no has been studied by schools ever since. I “Secondly, it’s a really gripping story, the longer has a lake. It’s a dried-up lake-bed and think people really engage with Holes for a book is certainly a page-turner - and on stage now very much like a desert. Every day he has Holes.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 10:43 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

you really can’t wait to see how it moves step- already adapted it himself, but at that point it were so successful in Nottingham. Family by-step through the adventure. By final-cur- had only ever been staged in America. I man- shows do often require a large creative team, tain, all of the loose ends of the mystery wrap aged to get hold of his agent in New York, but to use as many different theatrical elements up neatly into a really satisfying conclusion. one of the big questions was how to actually as possible in a collaborative way to create an stage this: how can you dig holes on stage? engaging story. So we knew there’d have to be “Then, the other big appeal is the characters. We did a series of several workshops over 10 puppetry because the dangerous yellow-spot- Everyone is drawn to them; this motley crew years ago, followed by a small version at the ted lizard is a huge part of Holes. All the char- of very different, characterful, flawed and real Wimbledon Theatre Studio, and that went acters are terrified of the lizard, which can kill people. down really well. I was trying to sell Holes as with a single bite, so the audience really “Finally, the reason it works so well on the an idea to theatres and there was a lot of in- needs to believe in that or the stakes of the page - and this is something we’ve tried to terest. But I never quite managed to land it as story fall short. We needed a really good translate onto the stage - is that it has a a full-scale production. So of course, when I puppetry designer and director to achieve consistent sense of danger and suspense. was appointed artistic director at Nottingham that, so Matt was the absolutely perfect Sachar doesn’t patronise the reader. These Playhouse, I finally got to programme Holes person. Likewise, with the set design from boys are being forced to do manual labour in myself! We’ve been working on it for over 10 Simon, the story takes place in so many differ- the baking heat, and the adults who are years, and the version we put on at Notting- ent locations and so many different timelines supposed to be looking after them are ruth- ham was so successful that Fiery Angel, our that a really skilled designer was essential. In less and only out for themselves. Even the producers, picked it up and decided to tour the play, there’s 1860s Latvia, Greenlake in environment itself and the creatures sur- the Playhouse production around the UK.” the 1890s and Stanley’s present day, which is rounding them are deadly. There’s a real mid-’90s for us. We needed a very fluid set The popular film adaptation of Holes, starring sense of jeopardy, of life and death, and I design that could cross between the different Shia LeBeouf and Sigourney Weaver, was re- think that’s something children respond to timelines in an imaginative way. It’s a real leased back in 2003. What can fans expect because they’re very aware they’re not being collaborative team effort. Holes also has from the stage version? talked down to. plenty of music and choreography working “Lots of people are huge fans of that film, or alongside the other disciplines.” “Underneath it all, Holes really is a story of have only seen the film and never read the friendship. Stanley makes friends with Zero, Adam is most proud of the intense emotional book. There’s a lot to admire about the movie, who’s the boy in the camp who never speaks. response of audiences to the Nottingham especially the cast, but theatre definitely re- Everyone else presumes he’s either mute or Playhouse production: “The audience really quires the audience to use their imagination a stupid, but he turns out to probably be the buy into the world we’ve created on stage and little more. The geographical location is one brightest of them all. Watching their friend- really care about our characters. For example, of the most important parts of the story be- ship develop is really beautiful. It’s also about when Stanley and Zero are under threat at the cause it’s so evocative, but we can’t create the love between Stanley and his parents. end, the audience are gasping out loud and that naturalistically on stage. We have to use shouting out against the baddie - and are signifiers in the set, props and costume to “The other underlying narrative is this ques- even moved to tears by the positive ending. So transport people to the desert location or to tion of destiny, and whether you have control even though this is a very stripped-back the top of the mountain, God’s Thumb, and over the way your life turns out or not. What’s production that asks the audience to really back in time to the 1890s, when Green Lake very clever about it is that Louis doesn’t really work hard with their imaginations, it feels was a flourishing community with an actual answer that question by the end, so while the like we’ve really been able to get to the heart lake. The power of imagination is the power storyline itself is tied up neatly, it still leaves a of Sachar’s story, to the point where they feel of theatre. That’s the major difference. lot of questions for the reader. Stanley is kind like they’re actually in the middle of it them- of an anti-hero in the beginning; things hap- “Also, there are quite a large number of char- selves.” pen to him and he blames bad luck and his acters, so in our production you’ll see an actor ‘family curse’. Then, as the play goes on, he Adam admits that he’s envious of people who taking on five, six, seven or more different starts to take control of his own destiny and have yet to discover the delights of Holes: “If roles. There’s a huge pleasure in seeing the becomes much more empowered. In the end, you know the book or the film, then our same person transform from a 40-year-old Sachar does almost hint that there are some production is a real joy to relive. If you’re new camp warden to an 85-year-old Latvian pig things out of our control and there’s definitely to the story, then you’re in a really privileged breeder! I think asking the audience to invest some sort of magic in the world we live in.” position because it’s a truly gripping tale, in this journey and take a very active part in with so many twists and turns. I’m really envi- creating it very much fits Holes anyway. Sachar adapted Holes for the stage himself, ous of anyone encountering this story for the Sachar’s story is very much about believing in but the Nottingham Playhouse production first time!” has been a long time in the making - as Adam yourself, others and the world - and we ask explains: “I read the novel quite a few years our audience to believe in the production.” ago from a list of 100 that everyone should Other creatives who’ve worked on the show Holes runs at the Belgrade Theatre, read in their lifetime. Of course, I got through include Simon Kelly, who designed for the Coventry, from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 about three, but one I did read was Holes. So I acclaimed adaptation of Noughts And February, Malvern Festival Theatre from read it as an adult rather than a child and fell Crosses. The puppetry, meanwhile, is the Wednesday 4 to Saturday 7 March and in love with it very quickly. I thought how brainchild of War Horse’s Matthew Forbes. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from much of an amazing play it would make. Tuesday 19 to Saturday 23 May. When I looked into it, I saw that Sachar had “Undoubtedly our creative team is why we Dead Good online magazine.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:50 Page 1

DEADWorcester’s Vamos Theatre tour their newGOOD show around the Midlands...

Vamos Theatre’s new show, Dead Good, tells Vamos Theatre has an impressive reputation “The main reason we’re telling this story is to the story of a friendship between two men for tackling difficult subjects and creating ask how the dying teach us to live, and how who are staring death in the face. Both Bob shows which audiences love. The Worcester- do we live fully?” she says. “I never thought and Bernard have been told that they’re dying based company uses full masks to tell its sto- I’d do a show about death because I’m terri- - but the pair are determined to live life to the ries without words - and having turned the fied by it, but it’s been really good for me to full while they still can. spotlight on dementia, the health service and tackle this subject because I’ll talk about it Embarking on one last adventure, the two post-traumatic stress in the past, Artistic Di- now. And across all of the research I’ve done, men discover that coming close to death actu- rector Rachael Savage felt the time was right I’ve laughed more than I’ve cried.” ally makes life, love and friendship more pre- to investigate society’s attitudes towards life The original inspiration for Dead Good came cious. and death. from an audience member who also hap- Dead Good online magazine.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:50 Page 2

pened to be a GP with a specialist interest in dience all the more effectively because that they heard what the character was say- end-of-life care. Vamos’ characters are masked: “Full mask ing!” “She emailed me to say she had an idea for theatre draws people in. The actors have de- The show uses eight masks in total, all of the next show. When I first met her, I was tailed scripts, objectives, the same things as which have been carefully crafted by Russell thinking, ‘Death is the last thing I want to other actors, but when there’s the full mask Dean of Strangeface Masks to ensure the char- make a show about. But then I found out that on top, there’s a real clarity of thought. We acters can progress through the story. pull the audience in to us so that we’re con- we were completely on the same page about “With a mask, you’re playing with people’s necting with them intellectually. They’re encouraging people to talk about the subject, perceptions,” Russell explains. “If the charac- working out what’s going on, and through planning for a good death, asking if there can ter is going on a long journey in the show, you that we also have a really close connection to be such a thing as a ‘good death’, and getting need to put into the mask maybe three, four their heart, where we can make them feel. families to find out each other’s wishes.” or five different expressions. With the masks What I hope is that the feeling then bounces As part of her 18 months of research, Rachael for the two lead characters, I’ve put in sad- back to the brain so that we can make them visited hospices where she talked to staff car- ness, regret, optimism, grim determination think. ing for patients with terminal diagnoses. and melancholy. It’s not the full expression. “My belief is that Dead Good is an important It’s the photo you throw away when people “At Mary Stevens Hospice in Stourbridge, I story to tell. I hope audiences will take away met Dave, a patient living with prostate can- are between crying and laughing; that’s what the message that life is precious and that their cer. He told me about how being terminally ill you play around with. family and friends are precious. Love and had changed him, changed his relationships “When a mask first comes on stage, by having laughter are wonderful things and, without and changed his capacity to love. He’s just the suggestion of a smile or the suggestion of making it into a cliché, it’s important to get like a bottomless pit now in terms of his ca- tears, we embrace all of those possibilities. out there, live life and learn what’s impor- pacity to love. Then we start to project back onto it what we tant.” “Then I went to St Richard’s Hospice in think is appropriate at that moment. The Taking the part of Bob in Dead Good is Aron Worcester, which has a Men’s Space Group. mask isn’t changing, we’re projecting onto it. De Casmaker, who’s worked with Vamos in The men who attend it have the kind of It’s the audience who’re doing the work.” the past. The Canadian clown performer has friendships that you make when there’s no- Russell discusses the characters with Rachael honed his skills in Cirque du Soleil’s Alegría body else who can really understand what before making small maquettes for each one. and the hit international touring production, you’re going through. There, I met two chaps He then makes a video of the maquettes, Slava’s Snow Show. named Nick and Pete, who are phenomenally which he sends to Rachael before agreeing good friends, and that friendship is based not “Bob is one of the two men who go on this the final masks. With Bob and Bernard, he only on care and compassion for each other great adventure soon after they both find out needed to ensure they had distinct personali- but also humour. They giggle and laugh and they’re terminally ill,” explains Aron about ties: “The two men have an age gap between rib each other and take the mick all the time.” his character. “He’s somebody who’s had a them, and you really do need to accentuate very simple and joyful journey through life - Medical staff and patients helped Rachael de- that. With masks you are playing on stereo- until recently, that is, when he’s been diag- velop the story to ensure it remained authen- types because that’s the way our perception nosed with cancer of the prostate. tic. works. So if it’s an older guy, you have to put “That really put him into a position of ques- them into an older-person stereotype, with “We’ve invited Pete and Nick into the re- tioning his existence, so he moved from being grey hair and bags under their eyes. hearsal room, and their double act has in- with his wife and being a retired auto-me- formed the whole piece. I’ve shared every “With stereotyping, you’re playing into some- chanic to deciding he’s going to die alone. He script and rehearsal video with Nick, and he’s thing which isn’t really acceptable, but it’s the left his wife to seek solitude, but then he fed back on them. way the mask and the character is played meets this other man, Bernard, who doesn’t which makes the difference. Often the most “The way in which we see death portrayed on let him have that solitude and forces him to subtle and brilliant mask performances are television or by Hollywood is often drama- find joy in these fleeting moments. the ones where the mask sets out who the tised, and what I’ve really tried to do is to tell “I’m really excited about this project. The idea character is expected to be, but then the char- it as accurately as possible. We want to de- of finding the lightness in dark material really acter is developed into this extraordinary in- mystify death and take the fear out of it. We’re attracts me to the theatre. In this production dividual.” a death-denying society, and the show is try- we’re hitting head-on a very realistic view of ing to change that.” And the results certainly create some memo- death, and then finding the joy and the light- rable theatrical moments: “Mask theatre Rachael is sure Dead Good will build on the ness that comes from that. We want the audi- tends to shoot straight to the heart. It’s a very success of previous Vamos’ productions Find- ence to come out of the show with a sense of emotional experience which tends to go very ing Joy, A Brave Face, Nursing Lives and Much extreme elation and joy that will resonate far deep and stay with you. People will think Ado About Wenlock. beyond the walls of the theatre.” about the show for a long time afterwards.” “I think people expect to go away from one of Aron is a big fan of masked acting, which he our shows having laughed and cried and with believes helps to create a special link with Dead Good shows at Malvern Theatres on something to think about. I give a voice to Vamos’ audiences: “You have to be conscious Wednesday 5 February, The Bridge House people who often don’t have one, so our of the simplicity that you’re bringing to every Theatre, Warwick, on Thursday 6 Febru- shows have to be about things that I’m pas- moment, but at the same time it’s a very com- ary, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, on sionate about, and that I want to make people mon language. It’s non-verbal, but often we Wednesday 26 & Thursday 27 February, think differently about.” will have an audience member after a show and the Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, Rachael believes these messages reach the au- saying they’re convinced the mask moved and Thursday 5 & Friday 6 March. Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:03 Page 3

Theatre more theatre from around the region

The History Boys “Realistically the person who parents would want teaching their child would be Irwin, as Irwin would get you into university,” says Bennett. Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Fri 7 - Sat 22 February “However, sentimentally their hearts would be with Hector because “I think I’d always wanted to write something about a charismatic he’s the type of teacher everyone wants. Everybody always wishes schoolmaster, and that went back quite a long way,” says playwright they’d learned more poetry at school and had someone who would in- Alan Bennett in talking about his award-winning The History Boys. spire them like that. And it’s the fact that, in a way, I couldn’t resolve The story unfolds in a boys' school in northern England in the 1980s. this conflict in my head which made me write the play.” A young teacher named Irwin has been brought in to coach the pupils Coronation Street and EastEnders actor Ian Redford and one-time Hi- for the Oxbridge exam - but fellow teacher Hector believes instead in De-Hi star Jeffrey Holland - fresh from a panto season at the Grand - learning for its own sake. take top billing.

In PurSUEt cancer becoming the strangest and most dys- new version, Henry Jekyll is a young, bold, functional of ‘families’. liberal and ambitious American senator The Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Cornish company Pipeline have described who’s poised to run for the most powerful of- Mon 10 - Sat 15 February their production as a love letter to the NHS. fice in the land - the Presidency of the United Substance misuse and celebrity stalking are It’s certainly that alright, but it’s plenty more States. What could possibly go wrong?... the name of the game in Eleanor Higgins’ besides, not least a provocative study of an short-but-satisfying production, which organisation creaking under the strain of a picked up plenty of plaudits at last year’s reprehensible rise in racism and bigotry... Edinburgh Fringe. Voldemort And The Described as an LGBT ‘Fleabag meets Teenage Hogwarts Miranda’, the play features Higgins in the Musical Parody role of ‘Woman’, a self-proclaimed “really hot lesbian” who’s initially in denial about her Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Tues 18 February - Sun 1 March alcoholism. Instead, she rationalises that life would be so very much better if only she Lessons in love and proper snake mainte- could date her idol, television’s Sue Perkins. nance were among those learned by the evil But one brief glimpse of her heroine in a Voldemort back in the days when he was just bookshop and one daring foray backstage at plain old Hogwarts teenager Tom Riddle... a TV studio later, Woman starts to realise This Harry Potter musical parody reveals that maybe the source of her trouble isn’t her young Tom’s fascinating story, from his time undeclared love for an already-partnered in a rock band to the experience of learning television star but rather the potent liquid Jekyll & Hyde how to kiss from a snake. It even reveals that sitting at the bottom of her glass... The Old Rep, Birmingham, he once had a Hufflepuff girlfriend... Wed 26 - Fri 28 February Henry Jekyll is not himself, not by a long Drip Drip Drip chalk, in this updated version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novella. Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Forget all about the familiar version of the Thurs 27 February Victorian-era London-located gruesome The tiny but taboo-busting Pipeline Theatre gothic drama, in which Jekyll’s alter-ego, the here present a thought-provoking play that malevolent Mr Hyde, conducts his reign of sees a trainee nurse from Eritrea, a second- murderous mayhem in the prevailing dark- generation immigrant Muslim doctor and a ness of a thick pea-souper or several... In this discredited academic who’s being treated for

28 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:03 Page 4 SIX.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:05 Page 1

THE QUEENDOM IS COMING... Divorced. Beheaded. Died... Divorced. Beheaded. LIVE! West End musical SIX is hitting the road...

From Tudor queens to battling boss-women, transfer to Broadway - with tours also near the end, where the queens realise com- SIX sees the wives of Henry VIII take to the planned for Australia, China, Japan, South peting is ridiculous and come together stage to tell their own versions of their lives. Korea and Canada. instead. There’s so much historical informa- This celebration of 21st century girl power tion to get across that there isn’t room for “This definitely isn’t a normal musical,” says sees the cast backed by the show’s all-female different side-stories - we’re all on the same Jodie Steele, whose character’s historical band, The Ladies In Waiting. path. It’s a very unique concept, for sure! counterpart is Catherine Howard. “It has only “The woman who I play, Catherine Howard, is SIX’s runaway success has shown no signs of one act and is definitely more like a concert widely known as the queen who nobody cares abating since it premiered as a student than usual - take a Girls Aloud gig and a about - and she’s Katherine with a ‘K’ in SIX. production at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in musical and SIX is right in the middle! The The two most famous queens, Catherine of 2017. The musical was nominated for five 2019 running storyline is that we’re competing as Aragon and Anne Boleyn, refer to her in the Olivier Awards, continued to sell every avail- Henry VIII’s wives, fighting over who had it musical as the most forgettable of the three able seat in London’s West End and will soon worse. It’s all about the competition until SIX.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:05 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

Catherines. People talk about Henry VIII’s six Henry really did love her and she really did Henry’s wives, but somehow we’ve changed wives, and when they get to Catherine love him. So her song is a ballad like those their fate for the youngsters and used their Howard, they characterise her simply as ‘the from Adele, and she wears white in her cos- tragic stories for something good. Teachers slut’ and move on. What SIX does really clev- tume to signify innocence. But then obviously message me thrilled with what we’re doing erly, though, is play on the fact that Katherine our show is pulling history into the future, so with SIX, as their pupils come to school after is the youngest queen - she was only 19 when Jane still has more of an edge to her than a seeing it brimming with excitement for beheaded - and makes her into a true pop Tudor queen would’ve been allowed. history and wanting to know more about princess: bright, bubbly, beautiful, covered in female historical figures overlooked in a “The latter queens aren’t as talkative and pink and enticing to everyone. She didn’t man’s world. Seeing history from a woman’s feisty as the first three. Anna of Cleves (Anne come from as good an educational back- point of view is so different. SIX is all over the of Cleves in history) is laid-back and doesn’t ground as the others, but she was just as world. It’s really unstoppable and doesn’t argue - but she’s also the biggest, badass smart. In Katherine’s section in SIX, she starts seem to be tiring!” boss-woman out of all six. Cleves can’t win by insulting all the others with such wit that it the contest of who had the worst time from The SIX cast album is the second highest- shows she shouldn’t be underestimated. Henry and she knows that. Henry decided streaming cast recording in the world. Why When her song begins, it’s quite sultry, but Anne was really ugly and didn’t want to be does Jodie think this is? then it slowly starts to go downhill... married to her, so she managed to play that to “The music is so current and plays on lots of “Katherine tells us about the various men her advantage, twist his arm and get loads of young people’s idioms while also using who treated her badly, so you get more of an money and a palace out of him. Her song is social-media slang. I think sometimes pop idea of the true tone of the song beneath the rap, like Lil’ Kim, and she wears red. doesn’t want to be too cheesy so doesn’t play glamour. She was abused and raped. In the “Then comes me as Katherine at number five - on that, but SIX really has fun with that idea choreography, the other five queens have channelling pretty-in-pink Ariana Grande. in the lyrics. It’s just so current, catchy and their hands all over me while I desperately try The survivor, Catherine Parr, dons blue and is cheeky! And it builds to this massive rock to pull them off, so it becomes very uncom- very quiet throughout the show, sitting back chorus at the end. People of all ages can’t fortable for the audience to watch. It’s an odd to watch the situation very much like Parr did help connecting with the show. Adults have a atmosphere at the end of the song because of in real life. She was an incredibly intelligent little laugh to themselves when they recognise the uncomfortable turn it takes. The audience woman who knew that to outlive Henry and how their teenagers speak, and the kids, don’t quite know what to do because we’ve not end up like the previous five queens, she teenagers and young adults themselves find it shocked them so much. I get the impression just needed to sit on the sideline and hold her relatable. In terms of the score as a whole and that some people feel very guilty that they tongue. Even though Parr was Catholic and the success of the album, because every song didn’t know about what had happened to fought against the new religion Henry created is so different, it’s like going to an ice cream Catherine Howard. Henry VIII and his male to divorce Aragon, she very much had to keep parlour and being able to get all the flavours: contemporaries - and male historians since - her opinions to herself after he took a liking to pop, rock, ballads, house. In that way, it’s like just passed her off as a promiscuous young her. She’s the calmest and sternest out of the the album is a compilation of strong women woman, and we believed it. We’re told she’s six, biding her time until her solo - an abso- in music. the one who slept her way to the top - and lutely huge Alicia Keys-esque song that unites that’s just not how it was at all because she “It’s funny and ironic, though, that in a show all the queens. really didn’t have a choice.” where it’s all about being equal, it’s so easy “Then we do the last three numbers as a for people to pick their favourites. People As with Katherine, each of the other queens group, flipping history on its head and saying come away loving the queen who ‘spoke’ to has her own very distinct personality. Each is how it would’ve been if these six very differ- them the most, and that’s fine. You can iden- assigned a colour and emulates a well-known ent but equally amazing women had lived tify with one person more than another, but music-industry female. nowadays.” that doesn’t mean you have to try and bring “Catherine of Aragon is the first queen and down the women you don’t relate to as much. In the end, SIX is all about female empower- married to Henry for the longest, so in the ment. The musical’s ethos even impacts on the cast show she wears gold and is very arrogant members’ off-stage relationships with one about that. She’s the most outspoken, com- “The queens finally come to realise that another: “I’ve been so lucky in my career; I’ve petitive and sassy. Music-wise she’s based on they’re all equal and there’s no need to fight done so much in my seven years as a profes- Beyonce. each other, which I think is so relevant to sional. I’ve covered, I’ve been an alternate now. Neither our obsession with social media “Anne Boleyn is the queen who came in standby and I’ve been a leading lady, but SIX and comparing ourselves to others, nor the whilst Catherine of Aragon was still there - is so special because every single person is so online trolling that comes out of it, are and the character seems the hot favourite equal. All shows say that it’s a ‘team effort’, healthy things. SIX is really fighting against with the youngsters. Boleyn has that Avril but I think with the manner in which the that. I think that SIX really is right up there in Levigne rock-chick vibe, and her colour is musical’s message makes its way into the very the women’s movement that’s happening at green. Her and Aragon argue throughout the dynamics of the cast, it’s even more the case the moment, showing that women can have a musical because they were the overlapping with SIX. We’re so supportive of each other, so say while supporting one another. Women queens who met and clearly didn’t like each I love living in and sharing SIX’s message. If having to sit on their opinions or do things other! Bobo [Boleyn] is very outspoken, confi- we just pick each other up rather than bring they don’t want has no place in our society. dent, quirky and has plenty of cheeky one- each other down, then wow, the world will be liners. I’d say she’s my favourite queen in the “There are plenty of boys and men who’re a better place to live in.” show. fans of SIX too, which is so, so important. In this movement of empowering women, we Jane Seymour is the total opposite of the first SIX shows at Wolverhampton Grand absolutely have to get males involved too, or two: she’s reserved and quiet, just like Sey- Theatre from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 we’ll never get where we want to go. We will mour was in real life. She’s the queen who March and Birmingham Hippodrome from never be able to change what happened to gave Henry his son, Edward, and then died. Tuesday 21 - Saturday 25 July. The Cat and The Canary Online Feb.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:53 Page 1 The Cat and The Canary Online Feb.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:53 Page 2

When the cat prowls, the ﬂock takes fright… Former Coronation Street star Tracy Shaw talks about her spooky role in a new touring production of The Cat And The Canary...

What’s The Cat And The Canary about, company of lovely actors who I really admire. obviously, but I get to visit these lovely places Tracy? around England, work in these gorgeous What attracted you to the project? Mr West was a millionaire who died quite some theatres and entertain people. That makes me I don’t think I’ve ever before had the chance to time ago. His solicitors have collected his feel alive. I’m such a theatre geek in the sense work on a piece that’s been updated because whole family together 20 years later to that I just get excited about the history and the of the reality of how we watch theatre and TV announce who he named as his heir. They all way they’re built and the tiles backstage. nowadays. Things are faster and not so arrive in the middle of nowhere in Devon, at obvious now. To do that work tastefully to a Audiences know you best for your the creepy old house where he used to live. His play written in the 1920s, and not just to television work… housekeeper still lives there, keeping the produce your average whodunnit, is quite I sort of fell into TV, but I still adore it. Because property just as it was when Mr West was alive. difficult. We want people to come along, watch I did Corrie for so long, I feel that television is There’s obviously a lot of tension between the the show and be enthralled. We have the most second nature to me, but there’s something family members about who is going to inherit amazing set. The action takes place in the big about theatre that just makes me feel alive. his money. Right at the beginning of the play, old house, so it’s got these fabulously eerie That’s why I took on this job - you have to work the heir is announced, but then the plot paintings with staring eyes! As an actor, your brain so much harder. I have to be so alive thickens as people start disappearing. getting this job makes me feel like I’m the cat every night; it really keeps me on my toes. Who do you play? who got the cream. What was it like to be part of Coronation My character is Annabelle West. She’s a People might think that because you’re a Street? successful writer who left the country a few well-known television face, you don’t have It was magic. Growing up, I used to spend a lot years ago but has now come back. She also to audition... of time with my great grandma watching the spent some time in the house with her There are periods where I think, “Maybe my show. I learned TV in Corrie. I love working grandfather years and years ago. The time’s up”. But the truth is that it’s absolutely with people I can learn from - admiring them psychological complexity of this piece really is right that I find myself sitting there with and constantly learning - and I worked with quite huge, especially for my character. another hundred people who look similar to the most amazing people on that show. I’d only The show has an impressive cast, too. What me. It keeps me really grounded, and I never just come out of drama school and was are they like to work with? take anything for granted. Then, when I get suddenly catapulted into a world I was They’re so talented. Britt Ekland is our that part and end up back on stage or TV, I feel unfamiliar with. I rolled with it and never ‘housekeeper’ - she’s just marvellous... And I like the luckiest person alive because I’m doing regretted it for a minute. It’s the most grew up listening to Marti Webb’s fantastic a job that I love. That’s what this business is prestigious programme I’ve ever worked on, voice. Ben Nealon from Soldier Soldier is like. There are a lot of knocks, but you and I’m thoroughly proud to have been a part brilliant, and so is Gary Webster from Minder. occasionally get a job that’s as stimulating as of it. Mark Jordon, who played my husband in this one. I’m really grateful. The Cat And The Canary shows at Malvern Casualty a few years ago, is a pleasure to work How do you feel about taking The Cat And Theatres from Monday 17 to Saturday 22 with again. It’s an absolute honour to be The Canary on tour around the UK? working on such a stimulating project with a February. I love going on tour. I miss my children, Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:03 Page 5

more theatre from around the region

The Boy In The Dress Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon, Avon, until Sun 8 March David Walliams’ The Boy In The Dress - helmed by RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran - ticks all the boxes of the feelgood family musical: young protagonists, splen- didly choreographed scenes (including foot- ball playing and disco dancing), a lightweight but thoroughly engaging storyline, a timely message (about embracing difference) and a fantastically memorable score (by one of the world’s hottest songwriting partnerships - Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers). The show is fun, fast, lively, colourful, clever and utterly absorbing, with an energetic and confident cast who’ve evidently got the greatest of faith in their material and more than enough talent to maximise the magic.

The Strange Tale Of Revenge First Time Charlie Chaplin And Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 13 - Sat 15 Lichfield Garrick, Fri 7 February February; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Stan Laurel Mon 17 & Tues 18 February Edinburgh Fringe star Nathaniel Hall here presents a funny and frank autobiographical The REP, Birmingham, An MP with a charmed solo show about ‘staying positive in a Tues 25 - Sat 29 February life, a journalist with negative world’. A little known fact about silent-era Holly- an axe to grind, and a Nathaniel contracted HIV during his first wood movie star Charlie Chaplin and his dead body that brings ever sexual encounter, aged 16. fellow Englishman, Stan Laurel - who, of the two protagonists “At a time when I was trying to make sense of course, found fame as part of a double-act into close and my sexuality,” he recalls, “I was getting this with Oliver Hardy - is that they were both incendiary contact message that gay men just get AIDS and die members of the famous Fred Karno music- with one another... anyway, so what was the point. hall troupe that set sail for New York in 1910. Louise Jameson, best “The show is very funny. I think there’s Stan, who understudied Charlie on arrival in known to oldies who remember 1980s humour hidden in even the darkest places, the US, returned home shortly afterwards. television as the long-time love interest of and you’re never too far from a laugh in First His big break lay several years ahead of Jersey-based copper Jim Bergerac, is the Time. It also has him... Chaplin, by contrast, had become a woman at the helm of this well-reviewed fabulous storytelling, global name within five years of setting foot touring show. on American shores. some bad drag, In a show which, on its producers’ own audience participation admission, plays somewhat fast and loose The Ballad Of and moments of quiet with the truth, these two early-20th-century reflection, but it ends in funnymen are rightly celebrated for their Maria Marten a really hopeful place.” immense contribution to cinematic comedy. New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, A post-show discussion will take place after Wed 26 - Sat 29 February the performance on the 26th. In Suffolk in the summer of 1827, Maria The Cat And The Canary Marten was the victim of what would become Malvern Theatres, Mon 17 - Sat 22 February known as The Red Barn Murder. Erstwhile sex symbol, former Mrs Peter Not only did news of the killing send Sellers and one-time ‘Bond girl’ Britt Ekland immediate shockwaves throughout the heads the cast of this famous murder- nation, but in the near-two centuries which mystery, a story that’s been adapted for the have followed, the story of Maria’s tragic cinema on three separate occasions, most demise has provided inspiration for famously with Bob Hope taking top billing. playwrights and filmmakers across the globe. When the descendants of the late Mr West But what about the woman at the centre of gather at a remote mansion to find out who the tragedy? What was her story? This will inherit his fortune, events take an ‘spinetingling’ new appraisal of events in the unexpected and deadly turn... red barn aims to find out... Presented by the Classic Theatre Company.

30 whatsonlive.co.uk Theatre February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:03 Page 6

Theatre for younger audiences... Theatre

Room On The Broom Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 3 & Tues 4 February Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the creators of The Gruffalo and We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, are the team behind this 'spell- binding' tale of a witch who makes the mis- take of thinking she can fit a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog - as well as her own cat - on her broomstick without it snapping in two. And when a hungry dragon appears, things really start to hot up... Tall Stories is the highly rated company presenting this Olivier Award-nominated show for children aged three and older.

Puss In Boots launcher and The Three Billy take aim with a The REP, Birmingham, Fri 14 & Sat 15 February Goats Gruff smoke blaster, Smoke, mirrors, hid- The Core Theatre, Solihull, Wed 19 February then this is def- den trapdoors, a host Wondering what to do with your three-to- initely the show of puppets, a work- seven-year-olds during the half-term break? to check out. ing windmill and an Well, if you take them along to this ‘trip- avalanche of fruit & trapping musical adventure’, then not only nuts - oh, and a talk- will one of the holiday afternoons be What A Wonderful World ing cat - ensure that beautifully taken care of, there’s also every Artrix, Bromsgrove, Sun 16 & Mon 17 February this latest presenta- chance that they’ll have a thoroughly “Before anything new is made, it must first tion of the ever- smashing time. With songs and dances to be dreamed,” say Lyngo Theatre in enchanting tail - clap along to and not one but three billy explaining their new show. “From our moon- sorry, tale - of Puss In goats gruff taking perilous journeys across a base in the Sea of Tranquility, we get a great Boots will keep chil- rickety bridge in search of greener pastures, view of the earth, and it’s time to make a new dren well and truly what’s not to enjoy?... one just like we do every night! What shall entertained. CBeebies’ Patrick Lynch is the we put in tomorrow’s world? Snowballs and man coordinating the fur-filled fun for mog- flamingos, of course! So all aboard the gie-loving youngsters to enjoy. sleeper train as it takes us on our dream voyage. “We start with putting the stars in the sky Milkshake! LIVE and move through history, discovering fire all over again and finally arriving at the one- Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sun 16 February; world tree, where we celebrate the new world The Place, Telford, Shropshire, Sat 22 Febru- ary; Lichfield Garrick, Sat 7 March that w e made all toge ther . Milkshake Monkey’s desire to put on a new “This is a truly amazing romp through the musical has hit the skids due to a nasty bout universe, where you can get your hands on of rampant stage fright - so thank heaven that Exciting Science the stuff of creation!” Fireman Sam, Noddy, Shimmer & Shine and Stourbridge Town Hall, Wed 19 February all their friends are on hand to help out... If you’ve watched the TV series and/or been Designed to enlighten, educate and entertain to a previous live production, you’ll already children aged four and older, Exciting Sci- know what to expect from this particular ence promises plenty of ‘wiz, bang, pop and Milkshake! show. If not, get ready for an splurt’, as the show’s scientists carry out all event that promises lots of laughter, bucket- manner of fun and fact-filled live experi- loads of family fun, bags of audience partici- ments. So if you think your kids would enjoy pation and plenty of singing and dancing. seeing some boffins create a volcanic erup- tion, turn a vacuum cleaner into a missile

whatsonlive.co.uk 31 Red Shoes New.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:18 Page 1

TheMatthew Bourne’s award-winningRed smash-hit Shoes returns to the Midlands...

32 whatsonlive.co.uk Red Shoes New.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:19 Page 2

Three years after its original much-heralded sense of the film's strange, unsettling In another nod to the movie, the whole score run at Birmingham Hippodrome, Matthew atmosphere and delving deep into the for the production has been pieced together Bourne’s The Red Shoes is making a highly complex psychology of the characters. from works by legendary film composer anticipated return to the venue. Bernard Hermann - best known for his iconic Producing a stage version of the movie had soundtracks to The Twilight Zone and Alfred The production takes many of its cues from been on Matthew’s to-do list for quite some Hitchcock’s Psycho. the 1948 film of the same title, which found time. On rewatching the film, he was its own inspiration in Hans Christian surprised to find himself feeling more Celebrities across the globe have been lavish Andersen's fairytale about a pair of sympathetic towards the manipulative in their praise of Bourne’s sumptuous enchanted shoes that force their wearer to instructor than he had been in the past. production, with Liza Minnelli declaring: dance until she dies. The movie reworks “I’ve never seen anything like this. I’m in Andersen's warning against vanity into a tale love!” of all-consuming, almost Faustian ambition. Every duet, Emmerdale actor and Strictly Come Dancing Widely regarded as the greatest dance film 2019 winner Kelvin Fletcher has also heaped ever made, The Red Shoes centres on young every“ group number, praise on The Red Shoes. A novice when it ballerina and star in the making Vicky Page. comes to watching live ballet, Kelvin said of When Vicky falls for the company's you know exactly the production: “It just blew me away, it charismatic composer, Julian Craster, the really did. The first thing I did when the show jealous Lermontov forces her to choose what’s going on finished, I texted Oti (Mabuse) and said, you between love and her career, knowing full have to come and see this; it’s amazing!” well that for Vicky, dancing is as important as from the movement. life itself. It’s like watching The Red Shoes shows at Birmingham Bourne’s stunning adaptation reinvents the Hippodrome from Tuesday 11 to Saturday story live on stage, brilliantly capturing a dialogue. 15 February. Zizi Strallen ” In Bourne’s take on the story, Vicky has even more reason to be ambitious. A wartime orphan living with an increasingly distant aunt, the on-stage Vicky is far less privileged than the film Vicky. Like Matthew himself, she begins as something of an outsider, taking nothing for granted and being under no illusion about how hard she must work for every success. To have come so far perhaps makes the prospect of hanging up her ballet shoes all the more difficult to accept.

It’s such a The genius about powerful“ story and “ Matthew’s work Matthew tells it is that you could really beautifully. watch it a hundred It transports you. It’s times and every time sensational. It really is you’d discover a sensational. different layer. David Walliams ” Bruno Tonioli ”

whatsonlive.co.uk 33 The Whip.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:13 Page 1

Reanimating history Journalist and dramatist Juliet Gilkes Romero talks about The Whip, her provocative new play about the British abolition of slavery...

New play The Whip captures the ‘moment’ And why not focus on moral conundrums award to the slave owners in the Abolition when people of many different political much closer to home? Act. But actually, afterwards, the slaves were persuasions collide in 1830s London. This required to work an apprenticeship of up to “Abolition was delivered in Britain in 1834, Royal Shakespeare Company production seven years because it was considered that following an Act of Parliament in 1833,” says explores the concerns of different people in they needed to prepare for their freedom. dramatist Juliet Gilkes Romero, the woman Britain in the lead-up to the Slavery Abolition That meant they continued working for their behind the play. “Some 800,000 Caribbean Act of 1833. What’s the price of the slaves’ former owners for no pay, but the owners no slaves were freed following a compensation freedom? Who should shoulder that cost? longer felt responsible for their care because The Whip.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2020 11:13 Page 2

by Lauren Cole

the slaves were no longer their property. sary, and although it was certainly flawed, own experience of the dreadful, inhumane Britain achieved it. That really should be abuses on the plantations. In the play, Mercy “Following wide-scale protests across the admired in the context of the politics of the is working very closely with the chief whip to Caribbean, the apprenticeship scheme had to time. Britain was truly leading the way. The try and deliver this act. be abolished, and in 1838 slaves were finally Whip really focuses on this fraught, intense free. I think it’s relatively unknown that the “Another prominent woman is Horatia, who battle Britain has between morality and econ- act which passed in 1833 wasn’t quite the has fled working in the north and lost her omy. Britain really was leaping off a cliff not abolition of slavery it claimed to be. child from being crushed to death in a cotton knowing the financial repercussions, and mill. She represents that side of the British “The other thing that people will probably essentially mortgaged the future of genera- story. She ends up working in the home of the find surprising is the slavery compensation tions to come - a debt we only finished paying chief whip, and her interest is in the state of act itself. Money was borrowed - 40% of the five years ago. Britain’s factories and getting children out of government’s national budget - to pay off “While The Whip is a really important part of those working conditions, rather than being already-wealthy slave owners. It was £20mil- Black British history, it’s definitely a multi- concerned with the fate of slaves in a far-off lion at the time, which equates to between faceted story. What fascinated me about 1833 colony. So when these two women meet, £20billion and £23billion in today’s terms! was that so much else was going on in Britain they’re rivals in some way and have different Slave owners became fantastically rich. The besides Abolition. In 1832, the Reform Act political agendas, but they slowly begin to re- loan for this pay-off ended in 2015, so if you came about that meant men who weren’t alise the commonality in their causes. were working in and before that year, then landed gentry could vote. MPs didn’t get a that’s where some of your taxes were going. “Horatia and Mercy are examples of the early salary, so it just wasn’t an option for working For me, as a descendant of the slave trade, seeds of women’s suffrage. There’s a very men who weren’t part of the elite. The general I was astonished to find that out. I got access clear narrative when we think of the public really weren’t being represented in the to the actual Abolition Act from 1833 and the suffragettes paving the way for women to House of Commons. The 1830s is where all of transcripts from the actual debates from the vote, but their battle started way, way before this starts to collide, and that’s what The House of Commons. I’ve transferred a lot of then. While men certainly had the political Whip is all about. What happened in these the language that was used there and chan- voice in the 1830s, women have a very strong years is really revolutionary. The Factory Act nelled people’s real concerns into the play. voice in The Whip. So the piece is certainly stopped children of a certain age working for What really excites me as a journalist and as a also about the emancipation of women, and more than 10 hours, as back then children as dramatist is handing these untold stories over that definitely resonates today. I don’t think young as five were working in British cotton to the public. I wouldn’t say my writing is enough has changed, particularly if you look mills. So the piece isn’t just about the emanci- didactic; I’m exploring the handprint of the at the proportion of women in modern slav- pation of slaves in the Caribbean, but also the past on the present day, but through very ery, or the gender pay gap. Mercy and Horatia emancipation of working children and the human stories. I don’t want to be preachy, are both very strong, intelligent women who working-class in general.” and The Whip certainly isn’t like that at all. go about politics in different ways. I want my writing to pose lots of questions to Very individual, human stories are central to “The Whip is all about how important it is to the audience, rather than just telling them The Whip. Many of its characters are based on be heard. Another character is Edmund, a what to think.” real-life figures. young, escaped slave who Boyd has taken in Juliet was spurred on to write the play by the “The majority of the action takes place either and raised to be an English gentleman. So we general lack of knowledge Brits have regard- in the House of Commons itself, or in the also have his story, about what it means to ing all aspects of slavery... house of one of the politicians - the chief completely lose who you are; how it feels to whip, Boyd, whose job it is to drum up sup- be plucked from your home, your family, and “On reflection I’m surprised that schools port and deliver the Abolition Act through the suddenly have an English home instead. So weren’t required to cover the Slave Trade more Commons. He has a huge battle trying to the play explores many different identities - it was the largest mass deportation of people deliver this, as many of the house have their that Britons can relate to.” in history and Britain played a huge part. For own interests in cotton and the Slave Trade. me, this has always been a burning issue. As Juliet is certain The Whip has universal reso- We also meet Lord Maybourne - loosely based a writer, I like to approach my work from an nance: “This play speaks to so many different on Lord Melbourne, the then home secretary - unusual point of view, so when I came across aspects of British society, regardless of back- and explore his machinations on either side this idea of weighing up the worth of hun- ground. The Whip has a full 360-degree view of the debate. We also encounter opposition dreds of thousands of people’s freedom of 1830s Britain that resonates today and tells MPs led by a back-bencher who has slaves against what Britain could afford in monetary a powerful story that I hope opens up many and has been made head of the West India terms, it really caught my attention. Britain discussions. When I see theatre, I want to be Committee, which was a pressure group mak- had seen that the trade was both becoming set alight with passion and continue to debate ing sure slave owners were properly compen- unworkable and obviously morally wrong. well beyond the curtain falling - and I think sated for what they would get per head of They’d seen what had happened to the The Whip will do that.” slave. Many MPs in the Commons were either French in Haiti when their slaves rebelled, slave owners or had cotton factories in and they could see across the pond that Britain. America wasn’t coming to a compromise - a lack of compromise that eventually led to civil “Another character, Mercy, is based on Mary The Whip shows at the Swan Theatre, war, as the south was fantastically wealthy Prince, a runaway slave who came to Britain Stratford-Upon-Avon, from Saturday from the Slave Trade, while the industrial and became the first black woman to deliver a 1 February to Saturday 21 March. north wasn’t. The Abolition Bill was neces- petition to parliament. She spoke about her Dance February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:41 Page 1

Dance previews from around the region

Richard Alston Dance Malvern Theatres, Tues 11 & Wed 12 February A choreographer who’s very much at the forefront of contemporary dance in the UK, Richard Alston takes inspiration directly from the music he uses. This month sees Alston’s highly rated company perform in Malvern for the 22nd and, sadly, last ever time; the ensemble is calling it a day after 25 years of impressive performances. The decision to shut up shop has been made as a result of the way in which the Arts Council funds its clients. “When you reapply [for a grant],” Gary Clarke Company: Wasteland Richard explains, “you have to present Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 27 & Fri 28 February a business plan and make changes to Following on from Coal, his show about the unconnected subjects in this sequel to Coal. what you’re doing. I felt that there was 1984/85 Miners Strike, Gary Clarke here turns “Rave was a subculture that came out of a lot of pressure on The Place, our his attention to the early 1990s, a time when oppression,” explains the Barnsley-born London home, to make some kind of the coal industry was in terminal decline. It choreographer. “The factories, warehouses change with the company, and instead was also a period when Britain’s illegal rave and mills were now home to new communi- to give money to younger choreogra- scene was flourishing. A raver himself, Gary ties. But rather than working, those commu- phers, who would then be touring.” has brought together the two at-first-glance- nities were dancing and playing music.”

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Dance

Giovanni Pernice: This Is Me Albany Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 27 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 21 March; Birmingham Town Hall, Fri 27 March; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sun 7 June; The Place, Telford, Thurs 25 June There’s no Strictly Live tour for Giovanni Per- nice this year - the hugely popular danceman has been way too busy getting ready to hit the road with this brand new show of his own. A homage to the music and dances which have inspired him on his journey from competition dancer to one of Strictly’s biggest stars, This Is Me sees Giovanni bringing together his natural Italian charm with ‘beautiful choreography and a fabulous soundtrack’. He’s joined by a cast of professional dancers for what will be his fourth touring show.

Birmingham Royal Ballet: Swan Lake Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 18 - Sat 29 February Birmingham Royal Ballet here presents a spend the daytime hours as a swan, return- spectacular production of a timeless clas- ing to human form only when night falls... sic. Set to Tchaikovsky’s mesmerising A sumptuous visual feast, BRB’s show score, Swan Lake tells the story of Odette, a presents an evening of ballet which is ideal beautiful princess who, caught under the not only for the seasoned dance-goer but wicked spell of the evil Von Rothbart, must also the first-time trier.

BLKDOG Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tues 11 February “I feel like I’m speaking on behalf of young people who are angry,” says choreographer Botis Seva in talking about his critically acclaimed show. “I don’t believe it’s just Autin Dance Theatre: me. I’m saying it for them, too.” Square One Co-produced by Sadler’s Wells London and Seva’s powerhouse company, Far From The Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Wed 12 February Norm, BLKDOG blends hip-hop dance with Joss Arnott Dance free-form antics to present a bleak, vital Project-based professional company Autin Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton, and haunting commentary on the Dance Theatre make a welcome return with a Fri 14 February challenges of being a childlike adult and show that delves into its founder & choreogra- Joss Arnott’s shows are highly charged, an untamed artist. pher Johnny Autin’s own personal journeys visually stunning and technically brilliant - through mental, physical and spiritual changes. and this latest production promises more Presented as a ‘work in progress’, the 30-minute of the same. solo production, combining digital media and When Worlds Collide has been described dance theatre, is followed by a Q&A with Autin. as a powerful, exhilarating masterclass “We draw on contemporary social issues and featuring an original, cinematic music events to make work which is beautifully score and impressive lighting. crafted, accessible and relevant,” says Johnny. The bill also features Fuel - a work inspired “The company is gaining a reputation for creat- by the young company’s seemingly ing powerful performances, catapulting audi- boundless energy - and An Event - a piece ences into intense dance-worlds which we hope exploring how people feel in that moment will resonate with them long after they leave the between everything being fine and auditorium.” everything falling apart.

whatsonlive.co.uk 35 Everything but the girl.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:51 Page 1 Everything but the girl.qxp_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:51 Page 2 Twenty years in dance... 2 Faced Dance Artistic Director Tamsin Fitzgerald talks about the company’s latest triple bill featuring an exciting new piece by choreographer Fleur Darkin...

Tell us about the title of the programme - dancers are still performing or have gone on to memories. Seeing the small difference that Everything [But The Girl]. What’s its build their own companies. I cast it based on dance made to children who had nothing was significance, Tamsin? the original choreography and have tried to very moving. I felt very emotional throughout We sat down as a team to all throw our pair up the skill level, individuality and style of the trip. It was totally inspiring. suggestions for names into the hat. We had a each dancer. It’s a tricky one when you create The company’s international reputation is very long chat about perceptions of the company, work on the individuality of a dancer rather important, and I know I’m extremely fortunate the type of work we do and the fact that often than create movement that any dancer could to have the opportunity to travel and tour to audiences think that the work is created by a do. It’s harder work to then recreate or different countries. Last year I was man or the company is run by a man. As reimagine a work on a new company, but it’s commissioned to create a new work and dance someone growing up in the ’90s, I often worked and I’d forgotten what an incredible film for UCCA Dune Art Museum in China. I listened to the group Everything But The Girl, piece it is. We’ve made some small changes have never seen a building like it - it’s and although the band was named after a shop and tweaks to the choreographic work. The completely space-age! It’s an incredible in Hull, something about the phrase resonated main change is that at certain tour dates we collection of curved white buildings carved for me. It’s our 20th anniversary, so we’re will have live musicians accompanying the into a dune on a beach in the coastal city of bringing Everything together to celebrate this work. Alex Baranowski has re-scored the work Qinhuangdao in China. We had a great time and [But The Girl] is a play on the fact that I so that it can be accompanied by some there and met some wonderful people. founded the company and have created 90% of incredible musicians. We’re working with We performed at the MTV Europe Awards in the work to date. So really it’s all about the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group on Lisbon and were subsequently invited to girl/woman…you just never physically see her. this element, and I think it’s going to be pretty audition for Madonna! At the time, I was special. thinking, “But we’re just a little youth dance Have you and Fleur Darkin worked together group from nowhere, so why does Madonna How does it feel to be celebrating 20 years before, and what is it about her work that want to work with us?” We didn’t get the gig, in the dance industry? inspired you to commission her to make a but boy, was I proud! piece for 2Faced Dance’s 20th anniversary? I think about all the other dance companies And I’m particularly proud of creating and I’ve never worked with Fleur before, but I’ve which are either still running or have folded, running our all-female choreography seen some of the work that she did for Scottish the companies that inspired me to start programme, The Bench, which was designed Dance Theatre. We commissioned Fleur dancing or who I yearned to be a part of, and I to encourage women to develop the necessary because she’s someone who works very think, ‘Wow, 20 years… that really is some shift in mindset to push past the glass ceiling differently from me. Her work is incredibly bloody brilliant achievement!’ From having no and create new work. We may not have theatrical and she’s someone who has funding to becoming an NPO, to employing a changed the world, but I think we made a challenged the status quo. She’s bright, team, to travelling round the world, to difference. talented and an incredibly generous person changing lives and to making all of that work who is also willing to work collaboratively. based in a place that has little cultural These are rare attributes but they appeal to me. landscape - it’s phenomenal, really. It’s really about the people who’ve been part of that She’s bold, and we like bold at 2Faced Dance. 2Faced Dance’s Everything (But The Girl) is journey, without whom I couldn’t have made it performed in the Patrick Studio at In ‘7.0’ are any of the original dancers work. Birmingham Hippodrome on Thursday 6 & performing? How did you cast both your Friday 7 February. pieces? What are the highlights of the company’s 20th anniversary? None of the original ‘7.0’ dancers are performing in the work, but all the original The trip to Haiti just after the earthquake, which inspired ‘7.0’, is one of my most vivid Film February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:42 Page 1 Film February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:42 Page 2

Film

Birds Of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn CERT 15 Starring Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, Ali Wong, Ewan McGregor DDirectedirected bbyy CCathyathy YYanan (USA)(USA) Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn was the best thing about the critically derided Suicide Squad (2016) and now, rightly, she gets a movie all to herself. Here, Harley has split up with her boyfriend the Joker (who could really do with his own movie) and teams up with the superheroes Black Canary and Huntress to help save a young girl with a price on her head, targeted by the awful, iron-fisted Black Mask (Ewan McGregor). In keeping with this new brand of female heroism, Birds Of Prey is directed by a woman, the Chinese-American Cathy Yan. And with Margot Robbie on board as producer, one hopes that this will do every bit as well as Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel, although the film’s restrictive certificate will limit its demographic reach. Still, there’s already talk of a sequel, dubbed Gotham City Sirens. Released Fri 7 February EDITOR’S CHOICE

Film highlights released in February...

Dolittle CERT PG (106 mins) Underwater CERT 15 (95 mins) Fantasy Island CERT tbc Starring Michael Peña, Maggie Q, Lucy Hale, Starring Robert Downey Jr, Starring Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, Austin Stowell, Portia Doubleday, Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Jessie Jessica Henwick, John Gallagher Jr, Michael Rooker Buckley, and the voices of Emma Thompson, Mamoudou Athie, TJ Miller Directed by Jeff Wadlow (USA) Rami Malek, Tom Holland, Ralph Fiennes Directed by William Eubank (USA) Directed by Stephen Gaghan (USA) Based on the cult TV series of 1977, this big– Hugh Lofting’s immortal children’s novel screen version adds a decided note of horror. about the veterinarian who can talk to ani- Here, the enigmatic Mr Roarke (Peña) facili- mals is back in a new live-action adapta- tates his clients’ wildest dreams on his tion. Robert Downey Jr follows in the remote tropical island, when those fantasies footsteps of Rex Harrison and Eddie Mur- suddenly turn pear-shaped. phy as the eccentric hermit with a gift for Released Fri 14 February zoological linguistics. The reported re-shoots don’t bode well, though. Released Fri 7 February

When an earthquake wrecks their subter- ranean laboratory, a crew of underwater researchers find themselves prey to creatures of the deep. No doubt the critters are furious about the plastic waste they’ve been exposed to… Released Fri 7 February whatsonlive.co.uk 37 Film February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:42 Page 3

Film highlights released in February...

Emma CERT tbc Brahms: The Boy II CERT tbc Like A Boss CERT 15 (83 mins) Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, Bill Starring Katie Holmes, Ralph Ineson, Owain Starring Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, Nighy, Mia Goth, Miranda Hart, Josh O'Connor Yeoman, Christopher Convery Salma Hayek, Jennifer Coolidge, Natasha Directed by Autumn de Wilde (UK/USA) Directed by William Brent Bell (USA) Rothwell, Billy Porter Directed by Miguel Arteta (USA) Not surprisingly, this is a sequel to The Boy (2016), in which a nanny was expected to Two friends as different as chalk and cheddar babysit a porcelain doll called Brahms. Now set up a cosmetics firm together and immedi- a new family moves into the creepy Heelshire ately get into financial trouble… Expect the Mansion, where the youngest son discovers comedy to be on the broad side. that Brahms is still resident. You can’t keep a Released Fri 21 February good doll down… Released Fri 21 February Little Joe CERT 12a (105 mins) It’s been four years since we’ve seen a big- Starring Emily Beecham, Ben Whishaw, screen Jane Austen adaptation and 24 years CERT tbc Kerry Fox, Kit Connor, David Wilmot, The Call Of The Wild Lindsay Duncan since Gwyneth Paltrow played the rich, con- Starring Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Omar Sy, Directed by Jessica Hausner niving and fanciful Emma Woodhouse on Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford (UK/Germany/Austria) film. Here, Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Split, Directed by Chris Sanders (USA) Joe is the recipient of a special plant Glass) dons the bustles and bonnets in a pro- designed to bring pleasure, created by his duction directed by the New York photogra- mother, Alice, a corporate plant breeder. But pher Autumn de Wilde. the flower has other ideas… Emily Beecham Released Fri 14 February won the best actress award at Cannes last year for her part as Alice. Released Fri 21 February The Public CERT 15 (119 mins) Starring Alec Baldwin, Emilio Estevez, Jena Malone, Taylor Schilling, Christian Slater, Gabrielle Union, Michael K. Williams, Jeffrey Another familiar American tale is brought Wright Directed by Emilio Estevez (USA) back to the big screen - again - with Harrison When a bitter cold front descends on Cincin- Ford as the outdoorsman who befriends nati, a group of homeless people occupy the Buck, the St Bernard/Scotch collie sold to public library. But in no time the sit-in freight haulers in the Yukon. Based on the becomes an opportunity for police aggression 1935 adaptation of the Jack London novel and political ascendancy. (which starred Clark Gable and Loretta Released Fri 14 February Young). Released Fri 21 February CERT 12a (126 mins) Sonic The Hedgehog CERT tbc Dark Waters Starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Starring James Marsden, Jim Carrey, Ben Greed CERT 15 (104 mins) Robbins, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Bill Pullman Schwartz (as the voice of Sonic), Tika Sumpter, Directed by Todd Haynes (USA) Neal McDonought Starring Steve Coogan, David Mitchell, Directed by Jeff Fowler (USA) Isla Fisher, Ollie Locke, Sophie Cookson, Asa Butterfield Directed by Michael Winterbottom (UK) Filmed on the Greek island of Mykonos, Michael Winterbottom's latest satire focuses on a high street fashion mogul with more money than sense. But as Sir Richard Mc- Creadie (Coogan) begins to celebrate his 50th birthday, things start to go awry… Sonic is not a real hedgehog, of course, but a Released Fri 21 February super-fast extraterrestrial who arrives on Partly based on an article in The New York Earth to escape intergalactic profiteers. But Times Magazine, this legal thriller stars Mark then he’s hunted by a maniacal roboticist Ruffalo as a corporate lawyer who defends (Jim Carrey), who also wants to exploit his chemical companies against allegations of powers. Based on the Sega video game. pollution. But when he visits an affected Older readers may remember Jim Carrey from farm in West Virginia - close to where his such films as Dumb And Dumber and The grandmother lives - he can no longer turn a Truman Show. blind eye… Released Fri 14 February Released Fri 28 February 38 whatsonlive.co.uk Film February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:42 Page 4

Film

Parasite CERT 15 (132 mins) Starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam Directed by Bong Joon-ho (South Korea) Parasite is an odd beast, a black comedy that wants to be Yorgos Lanthimos by way of Park Chan-wook. It’s perhaps best that you know no more than that as the film’s impact rests on its ability to surprise. It is, though, deliciously crafted and is as dead- pan as a black skillet. A Seoul family struggles to make ends meet by construct- ing pizza boxes, a humiliating task as they’re not very good at it. Then a school friend of Ki-woo's suggests that he could make a little money in the holidays by tutoring the teenage daughter of a wealthy family he knows. It’s certainly a start and soon Ki-woo has got his sister a job as an art therapist in the same house- hold... It’s an artful conceit dexterously unfolded by the Korean director Bong Joon-ho, winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes last year on a unanimous vote. It also snared the Golden Globe award for best foreign-language film and has six Oscar nominations under its sash. Released Fri 7 February CRITIC’S CHOICE

Downhill CERT tbc The Invisible Man CERT tbc True History Of The Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Starring Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson- Kelly Gang CERT 18 (124mins) Miranda Otto, Zoë Chao, Zach Woods, Alex Cohen, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, Harriet Dyer Macqueen Directed by Leigh Whannell (Australia/USA) Starring George MacKay, Essie Davis, Nicholas Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (USA) Hoult, Thomasin McKenzie, Charlie Hunnam, Russell Crowe A remake of the Swedish masterpiece Force Directed by Justin Kurzel (Australia/UK) Majeure (2014), Downhill is the story of a The legendary outlaw and bushranger Ned family involved in an avalanche and of the Kelly goes on the run from the authorities in emotional consequences. While the original 1870s’ Australia. Based on the Booker Prize- was not without its streaks of black humour, winning novel by Peter Carey. the humour would seem to be more at the forefront here, which could be interesting. Released Fri 28 February Released Fri 28 February

When an abused wife inherits her late husband’s fortune, she suspects there is more to the set-up than the eye can see… In spite of the numerous adaptations of HG Wells’ 1897 classic, this is actually a reboot of James Whales’ 1933 film version. However, with the advances in CGI, this man should look genuinely invisible. Released Fri 28 February

whatsonlive.co.uk 39 Visual Arts February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 10:19 Page 1

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Lindsey Mendick: The Yellow Wallpaper Eastside Projects, Birmingham, until Sat 11 April Ghostly ceramics crawling and sprawling into the gallery space tell Lindsey Mendick’s highly unusual story. Dropping out of art school and taking to her bed at her parents’ house following a nervous breakdown, she one night found herself wondering why there were six men dressed in black pacing the cul-de-sac on walkie talkies. When she told her mother what she had seen, her mum found the story impossible to believe, due to her daughter’s mental state at the time. Not long afterwards, the media broke the story about the poisoning of Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who, it turned out, had been Lindsey’s neighbour... As well as responding to her experience that terrifying night, Lindsey’s new exhibition also references an 1892 gothic novella by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The Yellow Wallpaper tells the story of a young mother with postna- tal depression who is haunted by the garish wallpaper that appears to mutate from the walls of the room in which she is convalescing.

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Visual Arts

Mayflower 400 Exhibition Worcester Art Gallery & Museum, until Sat 21 November Given that one of the Pilgrim Fathers who sailed on the Mayflower from Plymouth in the UK to Plymouth, Massachusetts, was born and educated in Worcestershire, it’s hardly surprising that the county is here taking the opportunity to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the historic transatlantic voyage. Edward Winslow was born in Droitwich and educated at Worcester’s Kings School. He would go on to serve as governor at Plymouth Colony... Drawing on 17th century archaeology & costume and featuring a collection of indigenous American and Canadian objects, the exhibition shines a spotlight on stories of colonialism, taking a look at the European occupation of the Alaskan shores and seas in the years which followed the Mayflower’s voyage. Worcestershire is one of 11 locations in England which is this year working with local, national Cornwall As Crucible: Modernity And and international partners to commemorate the Internationalism in Mid-Century Britain 400th anniversary of the Mayflower. The Barber Institute, University of Birmingham, Wed 19 February - Sun 17 May Taking as its inspiration the Barber’s Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Peter Kapow! recently acquired Constructivist sculpture Lanyon and Sandra Blow, the exhibition The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on- - Russian artist Naum Gabo’s Linear examines the artists’ development of a Trent, Sat 8 February - Sun 27 February Construction In Space No1 - Cornwall As visual language that explored the bound- The influence on art & design of cartoon and Crucible considers the relationships and ary between representation and abstrac- comic-book superheroes, super heroines and networks that existed between artists who tion. super villains is explored in this brand new lived and worked in the county (and most The installation also investigates the im- exhibition. The show brings together painting, particularly in St Ives) during the mid-20th pact which the distinctive Cornish land- fashion, photography, costume design, ceramics century. scape had on the work of the artists and illustration. Work by artists Duggie Fields, Featuring works by, among others, residing in the region. Jason Atomic & Emma Rodgers features.

Quinn: A Journey Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, Fri 14 February - Sun 31 May This thought-provoking multi-dimensional experience is a meditation on grief, loss, loneliness, the human search for meaning and the possibility of redemption through time and landscape. Comprising large-format photographs, moving-image pieces, ephemera and text vignettes, the work focuses on the character of William Henry Quinn, a young man who walks from the south west of England to the far north of Scotland during the period after the Second World War. Although presenting a fictional account, photographer, artist and writer Lottie Davies uses her installation to reference the real-world experiences of young men and women after they have

(Copyright Lottie Davies www.lottiedavies.com| www.whquinn.com) been exposed to extreme trauma. whatsonlive.co.uk 41 NEW Events February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:35 Page 1

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Events previews from around the region Events

Get Hands On With History Kenilworth Castle, Sat 15 - Sun 23 February Young visitors to Kenilworth this half term can discover what it was like to live, work and fight in a real-life castle. Little lords and ladies will have their skills put to the test with plenty of hands-on activities, including the challenges of sword fighting and shooting with a bow & arrow.

Race Retro 2020 edition of Race Retro. The event covers every discipline, from formula Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire racing to motorcycling, and includes two live Fri 21 - Sun 23 February rally stages across the weekend. Twenty-four thousand motorsport fans are set to World-class cars, motorsport legends and 250 descend on Stoneleigh Park this month for the specialist exhibitors also feature.

Adults Night: Medieval Festival Make And Play Valentine’s Special of Archery Engineers: Pixel Art Legoland Discovery Centre, Birmingham, Coventry Transport Museum, Wed 12 February Warwick Castle, Sat 15 - Sun 23 February Wed 19 and Wed 26 February The UK’s only Medieval Festival of Archery sees professional archers demonstrating their skills in daily shows and competitions. And for those who fancy getting interactive, a have-a-go archery option is also available.

Ever fancied visiting Legoland Discovery Centre Kids aged between two and eight but didn’t have any little ones in your life to take can here explore the patterns, along? Well, not to worry, because now you can contrasts and colours of pixel art, justifiably ‘go it alone’, courtesy of the venue’s a process which is used to make once-a-month adults-only event. characters for computer games. This month’s Valentine’s Special sees plenty of The sessions also provide young- prizes being put up for grabs throughout the sters with the chance to make their night. It also features workshop classes held by very own extraordinary-looking the venue’s Master Model Builders, providing creatures, the kind that could well Legoland enthusiasts with all manner of sure-to- have escaped from a computer be-useful tips and tricks. game! whatsonlive.co.uk 43 NEW Events February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:35 Page 3

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Events previews from around the region Events

Dragon Hunt Tamworth Castle, Staffordshire, Sat 15 - Fri 21 February

Tamworth Castle’s resident dragon, Ruby, and her brother, Hafgrim, have gone missing while playing a game of hide & seek. And they’re probably going to stay horribly lost too, unless some young and enthusiastic half-term- holiday visitors are willing to put in the hard yards to help find visit event for anybody who loves exploring the Caravan, Camping & them!... The hunt is just one of great outdoors. numerous dragon-based activities Motorhome Show Visitors to the show can check out new leisure taking place at the castle this NEC, Birmingham, Tues 18 - Sun 23 February vehicles and caravan holiday homes, browse month. Kids can also learn how to tents of all shapes and sizes, and pick up a wide With over 400 exhibitors all under one roof, the decorate the dragon’s den, iden- range of accessories and gadgets for their next Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show is a must- tify dragon eggs and have a go at a big adventure. dragon-related craft activity.

The Classic Dirt Bike Show Half-term activities Telford International Centre, Shropshire, at the RSC Sat 15 & Sun 16 February Royal Shakespeare Company This annual off-road and road-racing show here venues, Stratford-upon-Avon, makes a welcome return and comes complete Mon 17 - Fri 21 February, check with an outdoor autojumble. rsc.org.uk for individual venues Star guests confirmed for the 2020 get-together The RSC is taking inspiration from include American World Trials 1979 champion its current production of David Bernie Schreiber and 1970 British 500cc Walliams’ The Boy In The Dress motocross champion Bryan Goss. this half term. From free craft workshops exploring the themes of the book, to learning the dances and songs from the show in special performance workshops, there's plenty for visitors to enjoy. Other highlights include backstage theatre tours, playing dress- Discover The Pride up in the RSC’s dressing-up West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, cabinet, and the chance to check Sat 15 - Sun 23 February out a free The Boy In The Dress- West Midland Safari Park debuts its latest addi- inspired exhibition. tions to the pack this month, as seven new lion cubs make their first appearance on the safari drive-through. Visitors can also book an exclusive behind-the- scenes tour of the African Lion house and meet the pride of lions, including its youngest members.

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Events previews from around the region Events

The National Wedding Show NEC, Birmingham, Fri 28 Feb - Sun 1 March For couples currently planning their big day, the National Wed- ding Show is a must-visit event. Boasting over 250 wedding specialists from across the country - covering everything from photography and suit-making to jewellery and floral displays - there’s plenty of opportunity to tick off some of the items on your hefty planning list! Brides-to-be can also check out the latest bridal trends at the weekend’s catwalk shows, pick up useful hints & tips from numerous experts, and even try on a wedding dress or several, Become A Codebreaker able to learn about cracking codes by making with some exhibitors offering their very own codebreaking devices. Drop-in exclusive at-show discounts. Enginuity, Ironbridge, Shropshire, activities include making a cipher wheel to Sat 15 - Sun 23 February send & receive secret messages and having a go Codebreaking-themed activities are the order of on an Enigma-style machine to uncover a the day at Enginuity this half term, with visitors classified message.

February FUTURES Half Term British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warks Sat 15 February - Sun 1 March

Pirate And Princess Takeover Days Of Gore Alton Towers, Staffordshire, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Fri 14 - Sun 23 February Tues 18 - Thurs 20 February Well shiver those timbers and straighten that Daily presentations about ‘the tiara - Alton Towers Resort is certainly the place gooey, gory and gruesome reali- to take your little pirates and princesses this ties of yesteryear’ promise to half-term holiday! keep youngsters well and truly The popular visitor attraction is hosting a range entertained at Avoncroft Museum of family-focused themed activities this month, this half-term holiday. including an action-packed production, a fancy- Themed around the exhibition The Car. The As well as providing fascinating dress parade and an interactive game show - Future. Me., FUTURES features activities aimed insights into the history of after which there’s a ‘fabulous’ party to enjoy! at encouraging children to investigate what the medieval medicine, hygiene, Away from the princess & pirate theme, visitors cars of their future might look like. execution and torture, the venue can check out Sharkbait Reef to see a variety of Little ones can make their very own futuristic is also laying on plenty of craft- amazing fish, splash around in the tropical sur- vehicle using recycled materials, and then light based activities, including gooey roundings of the Alton Towers Waterpark, and it up with LEDs. There’s a special family trail to feel boxes and the chance to enjoy a round of what’s being termed ‘extraordi- enjoy too, challenging visitors to find the miss- make your very own slime. nary’ golf. ing parts needed to fix the car.

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Come rain or shine... Check out some of the Midlands’ best attractions this half-term

National Sea Life Centre Birmingham Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HL The National Sea Life Centre is home to more than 2,000 creatures (including black-tip reef sharks, a giant green sea turtle and a colony of gentoo penguins), many of which have been rescued or successfully bred as part of the global Sea Life breeding initiative. The venue also features the UK’s only 360-degree ocean tunnel, providing visitors with the opportunity to get up close and personal with the underwater residents. And in a UK first, 2020 will see two rescued Alaskan sea otters become resident in the attraction’s new multi-million-pound marine rescue facility. You can also: Help PJ Masks defeat the nighttime baddies this half-term holiday! Thinktank Science Museum Millennium Point, Birmingham, B4 7XG Birmingham's award-winning science museum offers a fun- packed day out for all the family to enjoy. From steam engines and talking robots to gurgling guts and a chocolate-wrapping machine, Thinktank features more than 200 hands-on science & technology displays and numerous historical collections. Highlights include MiniBrum, a new interactive gallery for under-eights, a new 4k planetarium and a science garden. There’s also an extensive programme of events and activities to enjoy throughout the year. You can also: Get building at a weekend of Lego family workshops, taking place 8 & 9 February.

Ironbridge Gorge Museums Ironbridge, nr Telford, Shropshire The World Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge is home to 10 award- winning attractions. These include the recreated Victorian town of Blists Hill, fun science museum Enginuity, and the Jackfield Tile Museum, a venue that brings to life ‘the artistry of ceramic art’. An Annual Passport ticket allows visitors to enjoy daytime admission to all 10 attractions for 12 months. You can also: Try your hand at the Victorian tube lining technique at Jackfield Tile Museum’s tile-decorating workshops on 17, 19 & 21 February. World of Wedgwood Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST12 9ER Find out all about the Wedgwood brand and its rich 250-year heritage at World of Wedgwood. Featuring a V&A Museum collection, a factory tour, a contemporary tearoom, a restaurant and the Wedgwood Flagship retail store, the venue boasts a wide range of things to see and do. Explore the 240-acre Wedgwood Estate - with its open, landscaped grounds, canals and beautiful woodlands - or maybe try your hand at the potter’s wheel in the Master Craft Studio. Or how about creating your very own piece of Wedgwood bone china tableware in the Decorating Studio... You can also: Make a Mother’s Day gift at hand & footprint- ing workshops during the half-term holiday.

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Cadbury World Bournville, Birmingham, B30 1JR Cadbury World is a wonder of chocolate delights and activities. Start your exploration of the venue in Aztec Jungle, travelling back over 1,000 years to the tropical rainforest of the Mayan Indians to discover the origin of the cocoa tree. Then visit Europe and find out about the arrival of cocoa in England, before moving on to Birmingham’s Bull Street, where John Cadbury opened his first shop. There's lots more to see and do on the Cadbury World adventure, including Purple Planet and the world's biggest Cadbury shop! You can also: Enjoy either breakfast or afternoon tea with Cadbury characters during weekends and school holidays. Shakespeare’s Family Homes Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire Discover the people and places behind the world’s greatest story- teller by visiting his five family homes in Stratford-upon-Avon. These include: Shakespeare’s Birthplace, the home in which he was born and grew up; the family home of his mother, Mary Arden; and the cottage in which his wife, Anne Hathaway, spent her childhood. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust also offers The Full Story tickets, which allow 12 months of unlimited visits to all five properties. You can find out more at shakespeare.org.uk You can also: Check out a brand new Shakespeare XR experience at the Shakespeare’s New Place site.

Warwick Castle Warwick, Warwickshire, CV34 6AH Boasting more than 1,100 years of history, Warwick Castle has plenty to see and do. History buffs can explore the castle’s Great Hall, battlements, towers and turrets, while family-friendly entertainment comes in the form of a Horrible Histories maze, the Castle Dungeon experience and a number of daily shows and activities. Top tip - if you purchase your tickets online and it rains for one hour or more during your time at the castle, the venue will guarantee you a free return visit. You can also: Attend the UK’s only Medieval Festival of Archery, taking place at the castle this month. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Check page 43 for information. Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 3TR Nestled away behind steel, concrete and roaring traffic in the busy heart of Birmingham is a lush oasis of calm that you may never have noticed. Featuring four large glasshouses boasting an air of Victorian grandeur, lively animal inhabitants and interactive children's areas set in 15 acres of landscaped greenery, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. You can also: Hire Gardens’ Explorer family backpacks from the reception desk every day during opening hours. Each backpack is bursting with creative activities and suitable for all ages.

whatsonlive.co.uk 49 Ru Paul Drag Race Full December 2019.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 16:01 Page 1 The List Cover February Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:09 Page 1

YourYour wweek-eek- bby-weeky-week llistingsistings gguideuide Februaryebruary 22020020 thelist

Everything (But The Girl) at Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 6 & Fri 7 February

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

What’s On Sat 1 - Sun 9 February Mon 10 to Sun 16 February Mon 17 to Sun 23 February Mon 24 to Sat 29 February

Olga Koch at Polyphia at The Mill, Roald Dahl & The Imagination Three Men In A Boat at Cherry Reds Cafe Bar Digbeth Seekers at MAC Birmingham The Core Theatre, Solihull Fri 7 February Thurs 13 February Fri 21 & Sat 22 February Fri 28 February

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thelist THROUGHOUT FEBRUARY Gigs Birmingham Museum & The Barber Institute CARAVAN PALACE Sat 1 Art Gallery Feb, O2 Academy, THE MUGHALS: POWER AND BEAUTY AT Birmingham WHITWORTH WALLIS ARTIST IN RESI- THE INDIAN COURT Exhibition exploring THE LURKAS Sat 1 Feb, DENCE: LEANNE O'CONNOR courtly life, power and culture in the Castle & Falcon, Birm- Leanne's work responds to the Indian subcontinent under Mughal ingham stained-glass and metalwork collec- rule (1526 - 1858), until Sun 2 Feb THE 45S Sat 1 Feb, The tion held within the Industrial gallery, A TALE OF TWO EMPIRES: ROME AND Night Owl, B’ham the Museum Collections Centre and PERSIA Exhibition exploring how the Community History & Archives Ser- ancient superpowers of Rome and CIRQUE DU SOUL WITH vice in Smethwick, until Mon 1 June Persia spun humiliating defeats and WILKINSON Sat 1 Feb, DRESSED TO THE NINES Exhibition promoted their bloody victories on The Mill, Digbeth, Man & The Echo - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham about dressing up and going out, the small pieces of art circulating in Birmingham from around 1850 to the present day, the pockets of the masses, until Sun JIVE TALKIN’ Sat 1 Feb, Folk Club, Birmingham Alexandra, B’ham until Fri 4 Sept 15 Mar The Old Rep Theatre, THE BAND CAMINO Wed OCTOBER DRIFT Sat 8 BIRMINGHAM REVOLUTIONS - POWER TO MATERNAL BONDS - IMAGES OF MOTH- Birmingham 5 Feb, O2 Institute, Feb, Dead Wax, Dig- THE PEOPLE Display exploring Birm- ERHOOD Spanning five centuries of STUART WOOLFENDEN Birmingham beth, Birmingham ingham’s vibrant and varied history of work and showcasing prints by Mar- Sat 1 Feb, Dead Wax, SAM LEE Wed 5 Feb, THE SKA 45S + STEVES protest and activism, until Fri 4 Sept cantonio Raimondi, Hans Thoma and Digbeth, Birmingham The Glee Club, B’ham 30TH BIRTHDAY Sat 8 Käthe Kollwitz, alongside drawings THE SNAKE DAVIS TRIO CODY KO & NOEL Feb, The Night Owl, by Dutch Golden Age artists Nicolaes Ikon Gallery Sat 1 Feb, Pizza Ex- MILLER: TINY MEAT Birmingham Maes and Adriaen van Ostade, until MERYL MCMASTER - AS IMMENSE AS press Live, B’ham GANG - GLOBAL DOMINA- THE MONKEY BUTLERS Sun 24 May THE SKY Using photography to ex- ALEXIS KINGS Sat 1 TION TOUR Thurs 6 Feb, Sat 8 Feb, O2 Institute, NEW CÉZANNE AND THE MODERN plore identity and its distinct cultural Feb, Scruffy Murphy’s, O2 Academy, B’ham Birmingham FRENCH PRINT Exhibition built around landscapes, this exhibition features Birmingham MAN & THE ECHO Thurs STEEL PANTHER - HEAVY new and recent work which sees new loan Les Baigneurs, Petite RUBY TURNER Sat 1 6 Feb, Hare & Hounds, METAL RULES TOUR Sat Meryl drawing on her dual heritage to Planche - an 1896/97 lithograph by Feb, Artrix, Broms- Birmingham 8 Feb, O2 Academy, examine broader questions about Paul Cézann - and exploring a pivotal grove Birmingham being in the world, until Sun 23 Feb point in French avant-garde art, Fri 7 ANTI-FLAG Thurs 6 Feb, Feb - Sun 7 June SMASHFEST 2 Sat 1 The Mill, Digbeth, DUSKY Sat 8 Feb, Hare ZOUZOU GROUP – DOOR OPEN – Feb, The Asylum, Birmingham & Hounds, B’ham Video installation by two anonymous Birmingham artists - one Syrian, the other British. Other VISUAL ARTS DELAIN Thurs 6 Feb, POUYA Sat 8 Feb, O2 The work exposes the constraints CATAPULT CLUB FT. OLI O2 Institute, B’ham Institute Birmingham PRE-WINDRUSH TO THE PRESENT DAY and imbalances of working together ASSOR Sat 1 Feb, O2 ASH SHEEHAN LIVE SURINDER SHINDA Sat 8 Heritage exhibition celebrating the across the boundary of a war zone, Institute, Birmingham Thurs 6 Feb, Actress & Feb, Birmingham Hip- long history of black representation until Sun 23 Feb Bishop, Birmingham podrome on the Hippodrome stage, until Fri 21 BRETT ELDREDGE Sat 1 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome Feb, O2 Institute, Birm- KIM PETRAS Fri 7 Feb, RACHAEL DADD Sat 8 ingham O2 Academy, B’ham Feb, The Cuban Em- MAC, Birmingham VANLEY BURKE EXHIBITION - HOME... ASHANTI Sun 2 Feb, O2 bassy, Birmingham CRAFTING A BETTER FUTURE Exhibition Portraits of Birmingham’s female DJ YODA & THE CUBAN Academy, Birmingham raising awareness of homelessness, Black elders, in the places they feel BROTHERS Fri 7 Feb, BEANS ON TOAST + TEN- showcasing scarves made by mem- most at home, are brought to life via LADY DONLI + SPECIAL The Mill, Digbeth, SHEDS Sat 8 Feb, Cas- bers of the West Midlands Craft augmented reality that sees the GUESTS Sun 2 Feb, The Birmingham tle & Falcon, B’ham Group, until Sun 1 Mar women in the portraits tell their sto- Sunflower Lounge, LISA O’NEILL Fri 7 Feb, LIL DURK Sat 8 Feb, O2 ries and talk directly to viewers about Birmingham ART AND SOCIAL CHANGE: THE DISABIL- The Glee Club, B’ham Institute, Birmingham what home means to them, until Fri ITY ARTS MOVEMENT Display of work HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS SMOKE FAIRIES + SPE- LIONEL - A TRIBUTE TO 21 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome by a civil rights group of artists and Sun 2 Feb, The Asy- CIAL GUESTS Fri 7 Feb, LIONEL RICHIE Sat 8 activists who fought the marginalisa- HERSTORY An exhibition about gynae- lum, Birmingham The Sunflower Feb, The Alexandra, tion of disabled people. Their work cology, access, stigma, politics of NOVA TWINS + SPECIAL Lounge, Birmingham Birmingham health, DIY and hacker culture, until supported the struggle, which led to GUESTS Sun 2 Feb, The ENTER THE DRAGON Fri DIMENSION Sat 8 Feb, Sat 25 Apr, BOM (Birmingham Open the passing of the Disability Discrimi- Sunflower Lounge, 7 Feb, Hare & Hounds, The Mill, Digbeth, Media) nation Act in 1995, until Sun 22 Mar Birmingham Birmingham Birmingham NEW THE SKETCHBOOK AND THE COL- THE INFLUENCE PROJECT Photography THE GAME Sun 2 Feb, EARLY BIRD Fri 7 Feb, KATIE BIRTILL Sat 8 LIDER: DRAWING LINKS BETWEEN FINE exhibition celebrating the impact of O2 Institute, B’ham O2 Academy, B’ham Feb, Pizza Express leading black musicians on contem- ART AND PARTICLE PHYSICS Ian An- THE WILDHEARTS | Live, Birmingham porary sound and culture, until Sun drews exhibits, makes and tests new JAMES TAYLOR QUARTET BACKYARD BABIES Tues Fri 7 Feb, Hare & PROJECT FUTURE 2020 22 Mar work related to his collaboration with particle physicist Professor Kostas 4 Feb, O2 Institute, Hounds, Birmingham Sat 8 Feb, Scruffy Mur- MADE @ MAC: ALL ABOUT TEXTILES Ex- Birmingham Nikolopoulos, Fri 7 - Fri 21 Feb, Stryx RONI SIZE + LTJ BUKEM phy’s, Birmingham hibition of work from courses led by Gallery, Digbeth TOVEY BROTHERS Tues Fri 7 Feb, O2 Institute, ASHANTI Sun 9 Feb, O2 artist tutors Penny Dixon, Helen Lane, 4 Feb, The Jam Birmingham Institute Birmingham Claire Leggett and Rosie Moss, until NEW LOVE & SOLIDARITY, JAMIE CREWE House, Birmingham Sun 19 Apr New body of work taking inspiration VICE CITY: ABBA NIGHT KELE Sun 9 Feb, Hare from Radclyffe Hall’s 1928 novel, The KNEECAP Tues 4 Dec, Fri 7 Feb, Hare & & Hounds, B’ham Well Of Loneliness, and using the Dead Wax, Digbeth, Hounds, Birmingham ONE NIGHT WITH ELVIS - RBSA Gallery ambiguous tensions it stirs to think Birmingham TRANSATLANTIC SES- LEE MEMPHIS KING Sun about repulsive kinships with places, RBSA START 2020 Exhibition displayed LIL DURK Wed 5 Feb, SIONS 2020 Fri 7 Feb, 9 Feb, The Alexandra, over three floors and featuring art- cultures, histories, communities and O2 Institute, B’ham Symphony Hall, Birm- Birmingham work in a wide range of media, until individuals, Fri 7 Feb - Fri 17 Apr, MIRANDA SYKES PLUS ingham BETH HART Sun 9 Feb, Sat 15 Feb Grand Union, Fazeley Street, Digbeth SEAN & HARRY Wed 5 THANK YOU FOR THE Symphony Hall, B’ham Feb, The Red Lion MUSIC Fri 7 Feb, The

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Saturday 1 - Sunday 9 February

BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHES- Classical TRA Featuring Michael Lloyd (conductor). Programme includes works ALICJA HUMENIUK VIOLIN CONCERT Pro- by Ian Rae, Enescu, Mahler, Williams gramme includes works by Bartok & & Elgar, Sun 9 Feb, The Bramall, Uni- Ravel, Mon 3 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal versity of Birmingham Birmingham Conservatoire GOLDMUND QUARTET Featuring Florian Schötz (violin), Pinchas Adt (violin), Christoph Vandory (viola) and Theatre Raphael Paratore (cello). Programme THE BODYGUARD Alexandra Burke includes works by Haydn, stars as Rachel Marron in the much- Mendelssohn, Dobrinka Tabakova acclaimed romantic thriller, until Sat 1 and Debussy, Tues 4 Feb, Symphony Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham Hall, Birmingham SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS TIMOTHY RIDOUT VIOLA CONCERT Pro- Featuring Lesley Joseph, Matt Slack, gramme includes works by Hin- Joe McElderry, Faye Brookes, Flaw- demith, Tues 4 Feb, Recital Hall, less, Doreen Tipton & Andrew Ryan, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire until Sun 2 Feb, Birmingham Hippo- Vampire’s Rock - The Alexandra, Birmingham HYUNGI LEE PERCUSSION RECITAL Pro- drome gramme includes works by Kazunori The Alexandra, Birmingham ries, Sat 8 Feb, The Blue Orange THE BOY IN THE DRESS World premiere Miyake, Piazolla arr. Pius Cheung, Theatre, Birmingham based on David Walliams' best-sell- UTE LEMPER: RENDEZVOUS WITH MAR- Paul Lansky, Matt Curlee, Toccata, ing book, with songs by Robbie LENE One-woman show in which Ute Keiko Abe JS Bach & Emmanuel Se- Williams and Guy Chambers, until tells the story of Marlene Dietrich, journe, Tues 4 Feb, Recital Hall, Sun 8 Mar, Royal Shakespeare The- singing songs from all chapters of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire atre, Stratford-upon-Avon German performer's Berlin cabaret Kids Shows SESTINA EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLE Pro- years through to her Bacharach col- KING JOHN Shakespeare’s rarely per- THE NAUGHTY FOX Immersive, multi- gramme comprises Cantanas by the laborations, Tues 4 Feb, The Old Rep formed tale of a nation in turmoil, sensory journey of friendship and Bach family, Wed 5 Feb, The Barber Theatre, Birmingham until Sat 21 Mar, The Swan Theatre, play for little ones and their grown- Institute, Birmingham Stratford-upon-Avon VAMPIRE’S ROCK: GHOST TRAIN Musical ups, Fri 7 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre, KUSS STRING QUARTET Programme sensation featuring ‘some of the Birmingham THE VICAR OF DIBLEY Stage show comprises Beethoven’s String Quar- greatest classic rock anthems of all based on Richard Curtis’ iconic TV LUNA: A PLAY ABOUT THE MOON Story- tet Op.131, Wed 5 Feb, Recital Hall, time’, Wed 5 Feb, The Alexandra, series, Fri 25 Jan - Sat 1 Feb, The telling, music, history and science Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Birmingham Crescent Theatre, Birmingham combine in a tale for younger audi- NICOLA BENEDETTI VIOLIN MASTER- MACBETH Fast-paced adaptation of ences, Sat 8 Feb, The Old Rep The- HOUSE GUEST Francis Durbridge’s CLASS Thurs 6 Feb, The Bradshaw Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, atre, Birmingham thriller, Tues 28 Jan - Sat 1 Feb, Lich- Hall, Royal Birmingham Conserva- power and revenge, Wed 5 - Fri 7 field Garrick toire Feb, The Old Rep Theatre, B’ham THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF SMACK AND CBSO: NICOLA BENEDETTI Also featur- THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES Eve Enslor’s CRACK An ‘angry, funny, love song to ing Klaus Mäkelä (conductor). Pro- acclaimed production, consisting of a Comedy a lost generation, inspired by the gramme includes works by series of personal monologues deliv- playwright’s own experience of jail & ELEANOR TIERNAN, ADAM HESS, ROSIE Tchaikovsky & Berlioz, Thurs 6 - Sat 8 ered by a diverse group of women, rehab’, Wed 29 Jan - Sat 1 Feb, The JONES & COMIC TBC Sat 1 Feb, The Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Wed 5 - Sat 8 Feb, The Crescent The- REP, Birmingham Glee Club, Birmingham atre, Birmingham ASKING FOR IT UK stage premiere of SUKH OJLA Sat 1 Feb, The Glee Club, FAT, FUNNY & FEARLESS Mother, blog- Louise O’Neill’s devastating novel Birmingham ger and self-confessed cake addict about sexual consent, Wed 29 Jan - Jessica Jones, also known as @the- JONNY AWSUM Mon 3 Feb, The Glee Sat 15 Feb, The REP, Birmingham fatfunnyone, performs her very first Club, Birmingham THE INVISIBLE MAN Amateur staging of one-woman show... Fri 7 Feb, JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH Wed 5 Feb, HG Wells’ classic story, Fri 31 Jan - The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham Sat 8 Feb, Hall Green Little Theatre, AN IMPROVISED MURDER Evening of KOJO ANIM Thurs 6 Feb, The Alexan- Birmingham stories, laughter, games and death... dra, Birmingham GASLIGHT The Crescent Theatre pre- Fri 7 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove PHIL NICHOL PLUS COMEDY CAROUSEL sents its version of Patrick Hamilton’s FIRST TIME Award-winning HIV-plus WITH ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 6 Feb, Victorian thriller, Sat 1 - Sat 8 Feb, theatre maker Nathaniel Hall presents The Glee Club, Birmingham A SPANISH SONGBOOK Featuring The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham his autobiographical solo show about Lorena Paz Nieto (soprano) & Shoito MILTON JONES Fri 7 Feb, Dudley Town THE WHIP Provocative new play set in growing up positive in a negative Kynoch (piano), Fri 7 Feb, The Barber Hall London at the dawn of the 19th cen- world, Fri 7 Feb, Lichfield Garrick Institute, Birmingham SEAN MCLOUGHLIN & OLGA KOCH (PIC- tury. Politicians gather to abolish the SINBAD THE SAILOR DOWN UNDER KAROLOS Featuring Harriet Mackenzie slave trade once and for all - but at TURED) Fri 7 Feb, Cherry Reds Cafe- Harlequinade present a fast-moving (violin), Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) & what cost?... Sat 1 Feb - Sat 21 Mar, Bar, Birmingham seafaring pantomime adventure, Fri 7 Graham Walker (cello). Programme The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon- - Sat 8 Feb, The Core Theatre, Soli- includes works by Beethoven, Avon hull Stephen Dodgson & Mozart, Fri 7 THE GHOST LIGHT Birmingham Ormis- Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove THE HISTORY BOYS In-house produc- ton Academy & The Old Rep come tion of Alan Bennett’s classroom STRAVINSKY’S CLARINET AND STRING together to tell the story of one family comedy, Fri 7 - Sat 22 Feb, QUARTET Featuring Peter Campbell- through the generations, Sun 2 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Kelly & Bryony Morrison (violins), The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham Christopher Yates (viola), Helen MEMORIES OF A SNOW SCENE One-man MADAMA BUTTERFLY Ellen Kent Opera Edgar (cello) & Oliver Janes (clar- show fusing old tech, funny stories present a new production of Puc- inet). Programme includes works by and genuine interactions to explore cini’s heartbreaking tale. Sung in Ital- Howells, Ravel & Stravinsky, Fri 7 the fine line between dwelling on the ian with English surtitles, Tues 4 Feb, Feb, CBSO Centre, Birmingham past and cherishing happy memo-

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Sunday 16 February 7.30pm Wednesday 19 February 1pm CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF The music of the Mamas and Papas A trip trapping musical adventure!

Thursday 20 February 7.30pm Tuesday 3 March 7.30pm DOM JOLY'S HOLIDAY SNAPS CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL TRIBUTE Travel and Comedy in the Danger Zone! Performed by The Fortunate Sons

Wednesday 4 March 7.30pm Thursday 5 March 7.30pm NICHOLAS CRANE: DON’T PANIC! OUR ISLAND STORY Author, geographer and cartographic expert The UK's only tribute to Dad's Army

As seen on TV

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thelist Saturday 1 - Sunday 9 February PHIL NICHOL, ROBIN MORGAN & COMIC Soni Razdan. Foreign language, sub- TBC Fri 7 - Sat 8 Feb, The Glee Club, titled. Midlands Arts Centre, Birming- Birmingham ham, Sun 2 Feb FERN BRADY Sat 8 Feb, The Glee AMANDA (15) Drama. Starring Vincent Club, Birmingham Lacoste, Isaure Multrier. Foreign lan- FREDDIE QUINN, GAVIN WEBSTER, JOE guage, subtitled. Midlands Arts Cen- SUTHERLAND & ROGER MONKHOUSE tre, Birmingham, Sun 2 & Thurs 6 Sat 8 Feb, The Comedy Loft, B’ham Feb HARRIET DYER Sat 8 Feb, Midlands MOTHER (PG) Documentary. Foreign Arts Centre, Birmingham language, subtitled. Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Wed 5 Feb COUNT ARTHUR STRONG Sat 8 Feb, Ar- trix, Bromsgrove PINK WALL (15) Drama. Starring Ta- tiana Maslany, Jay Duplass. Midlands HENNING WEHN, ROGER MONKHOUSE, Arts Centre, Birmingham, Thurs 6 NIGE & WAYNE BEESE Sat 8 Feb, Brier- Feb ley Hill Civic Hall, Dudley JOJO RABBIT (12a) Comedy/Drama. PHIL WANG Sun 9 Feb, The Old Rep Starring Roman Griffin Davis, Theatre, Birmingham Thomasin McKenzie. Artrix, Broms- JAYDE ADAMS Sun 9 Feb, Midlands grove, Fri 7 & Mon 10 Feb Arts Centre, Birmingham THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COP- PERFIELD (PG) Comedy/Drama. Star- ring Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie. Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Dance Fri 7 - Thurs 13 Feb SWAN LAKE Presented by the Russian A HIDDEN LIFE (12a) Drama/History. State Ballet of Siberia, Sat 1 Feb, Starring Matthias Schoenaerts, Bruno Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Ganz. Foreign language, subtitled. Everything (But The Girl) - Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome EVERYTHING (BUT THE GIRL) New triple Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, bill from choreographers Tamsin Fri 7 - Sat 8, Tues 11 & Thurs 13 Feb Birmingham tance of dressing up within the Fitzgerald & Fleur Deakin, Thurs 6 - THE LAST AMERICAN FREAK SHOW (15) THE ARENACROSS TOUR 2020 ‘Seat- LGBTQ+ community, Thurs 6 Feb, Fri 7 Feb, DanceXchange, Patrick Documentary. Starring Samantha X grabbing’ entertainment from some Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome and Dylan. Midlands Arts Centre, of the world’s best indoor Motocross HARRY POTTER BOOK NIGHT A ‘magical’ Birmingham, Sun 9 Feb racers and Freestyle MX stars, Fri 31 evening of things to make and do in- Jan - Sat 1 Feb, Resorts World Arena, spired by Harry Potter, Thurs 6 Feb, NEW FILMS ON GENERAL Birmingham Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust RELEASE: PRIMROSE HOSPICE LANTERN WALK THE MURDER OF FRANCIS CRAWFORD Film Released from Fri 7 Feb, showing at Primrose Hospice fundraising walk Enjoy the Back to Back’s Court 15 in INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: selected cinemas along a beautiful 1.5 mile route a new and unique way. Interrogate SEBERG (15) Biography/Drama. Star- BIRDS OF PREY: AND THE FANTABULOUS around the grounds of Ragley, Sat 1 the suspects, follow the clues and ring Kristen Stewart, Yvan Attal. Mid- EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN Feb, Ragley Hall, Alcester help the police solve the mystery of lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 31 (tbc) PJ MASKS Help PJ Masks defeat the the death of Francis Crawford, Fri 7 Feb, Birmingham Back to Backs Jan - Sat 1 Feb & Mon 3 - Tues 4 Feb DOLITTLE (tbc) nighttime baddies and restore the venue to its peaceful state, Sat 1 Feb HAROLD OFFEH IN SELFIE CHOREOGRA- LITTLE WOMEN (U) Drama. Starring PARASITE (15) Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson. Artrix, - Sun 1 Mar, National Sea Life Centre, PHY Afternoon workshop with chore- Bromsgrove, Fri 31 Jan UNDERWATER (15) Birmingham ographer Offeh, Fri 7 Feb, Digbeth, TRAIL FOR DOGS: BRING YOUR DOG TO Birmingham BLAKESLEY HALL Explore the grounds BIRMINGHAM SWING FESTIVAL'S GRAND on this special dog-inspired trail BALL Grab a seat in the circle to wit- Events around the gardens, with treats for ness a night of social swing dancing, HOT WHEELS MONSTER TRUCKS LIVE your dog on the way, Sun 2 Feb, performances and competitions, Sat Show combining Hot Wheels’ iconic Blakesley Hall, Birmingham 8 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall jumps and stunts with epic crashing CAMPER MART Browse accessories RAG RUG VALENTINES HEART Have a go and smashing, until Sun 2 Feb, Arena and find services for your VW van, or at crafting a traditional handmade Birmingham pick up essentials for that long- decoration with a romantic twist, Sat LEGO CITY: REPORT FOR DUTY Com- awaited project in the garage, Sun 2 8 Feb, Birmingham Back to Backs plete the build challenges and be- Feb, Telford International Centre, THOMAS & FRIENDS FEBRUARY HALF PINOCCHIO (U) Animation/Comedy. come a LEGO City hero, until Sun 1 Shropshire TERM Meet Thomas & Friends at Eu- With the voices of Dickie Jones, Mar, Legoland Discovery Centre, TEA WITH A TWIST PRESENTS DISCO TEA rope’s only Thomas Land, Sat 8 - Christian Rub. Midlands Arts Centre, PARTY Interactive party games, live Sun 9 Feb, Drayton Manor Theme Birmingham, Sat 1 Feb cabaret performances and cheesy Park, Tamworth SPIES IN DISGUISE (PG) Animation/Ac- prizes - all hosted by some of Birm- LEGO WEEKEND WORKSHOPS Take part tion. With the voices of Rachel Bros- ingham’s finest disco divas, Tues 4 in a range of LEGO-themed activities nahan, Jarrett Bruno. Artrix, Feb, mac, Birmingham in the museum's bespoke LEGO Bromsgrove, Sat 1 Feb GREAT BRITISH BEER FESTIVAL WINTER classroom, Sat 8 - Sun 9 Feb, Think- MARRIAGE STORY (15) Celebrating the West Midlands’ in- tank Science Museum, Birmingham Comedy/Drama. Starring Adam dustry, diversity and creativity MR CADBURY'S PARROT MINI-EGG SHOW Driver, Scarlett Johansson. Midlands throughout time, Tues 4 - Sat 8 Feb, Help the lovable Mr Cadbury's Parrot Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 1 - Sun New Bingley Hall, Birmingham find the clues to discover who’s been 2 Feb DRESSING UP, COMING OUT: FASHION IN after his precious treats, Sat 8 Feb - NO FATHERS IN KASHMIR (15) Drama. THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY Evening dis- Sun 29 Mar, Cadbury World, B’ham Starring Kulbhushan Kharbanda, cussion around the role and impor-

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thelist Monday 10 - Sunday 16 February PAUL SINHA Sat 15 Feb, Midlands Gigs Classical Arts Centre, Birmingham JANEY GODLEY Sat 15 Feb, Artrix, KATYA AND THE COMEDY Bromsgrove QUEENS Music Mon 10 Feb, JACK TUCKER Sun 16 Feb, The Glee O2 Academy, B’ham LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH Club, Birmingham AMIGO THE DEVIL THOMAS TROTTER Programme in- Mon TOM STADE Sun 16 Feb, The Glee 10 Feb, The Cuban cludes works by J.S Bach, Schu- Club, Birmingham Embassy, Birmingham mann, Rachel Laurin, Ad Wammes & Paul Dukas (arr. T. Trotter), Mon 10 DANDELION SQUASH + Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham STATUS + ISLA WOLFE + NAOMI JANDIO Mon ICELAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: 10 Feb, The Sunflower SIBELIUS NO 1 Featuring Yan Pascal Theatre Lounge, Birmingham Tortelier (conductor) and Jean-Ef- IN PURSUET New LGBT comedy/ flam Bavouzet (piano). Programme drama described as ‘Fleabag meets EMILIA MÅRTENSSON includes works by Bizet, Ravel, Anna Mon 10 Feb, Sym- Miranda’, Mon 10 - Sat 15 Feb, Thorvaldsdottir and Sibelius, Tues 11 The Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham phony Hall, B’ham Polyphia - The Mill, Digbeth Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham MABEL Tues 11 Feb, BAND OF GOLD World premiere based Feb, The Jam House, Fri 14 Feb, The Mill, O2 Academy, B’ham on Kay Mellor's award-winning TV Birmingham Digbeth, Birmingham series of the same name, Mon 10 - APRE + SPECIAL JADE IMAGINE Thurs 13 JAH WOBBLE & THE IN- Sat 15 Feb, The Alexandra, GUESTS Tues 11 Feb, Feb, Hare & Hounds, VADERS OF THE HEART Birmingham The Sunflower Birmingham Fri 14 Feb, Hare & Lounge, Birmingham PILOT NIGHTS Work-in-progress pre- KANO Fri 14 Feb, O2 Hounds, Birmingham sentations by ‘some of the UK’s LOATHE Tues 11 Feb, Academy, Birmingham HARRY WILLS Fri 14 most exciting theatre makers’... Tues The Asylum, B’ham 11 Feb, The REP, Birmingham THE NIGHT OWL VALEN- Feb, Hare & Hounds, BRU-C Tues 11 Feb, O2 TINE’S PARTY WITH RE- Birmingham TO MOVE IN TIME Tyrone Huggins’ Institute, Birmingham SPECT TO THE DIVAS Fri QUEEN SYMPHONIC Sat one-man show walks a thin line be- FRED DEAKIN PRESENTS 14 Feb, The Night 15 Feb, Symphony CBSO: SCHUBERT’S GREAT Featuring tween comic absurdity and melan- THE LASTERS Tues 11 Owl, Birmingham Hall, Birmingham the City of Birmingham Symphony cholia, Wed 12 & Thurs 13 Feb, The Feb, Birmingham Orchestra, Juango Mena (conduc- REP, Birmingham FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS THE ANNUAL VALEN- Town Hall tor) & Leila Josfowicz (violin). Pro- Fri 14 Feb, Birming- TINES BALL 2020 Sat 15 THE TWISTED TALE OF HANSEL AND gramme includes works by Berg & MADI SASKIA Tues 11 ham Town Hall Feb, O2 Institute, GRETEL New slant on the much-loved Feb, The Jam House, Schubert, Thurs 13 Feb, Symphony Brothers Grimm favourite, Wed 12 - LEATHER & LACE Fri 14 Birmingham Birmingham Hall, Birmingham Sat 15 Feb, Patrick Studio, Birming- Feb, Artrix, Broms- THE GOOD WATER Sat RUISI QUARTET Featuring Alessandro YACHT Tues 11 Feb, grove 15 Feb, Dead Wax, ham Hippodrome Hare & Hounds, Birm- Ruisi & Oliver Cave (violin), Luba BORROWED TIME, THE Digbeth, Birmingham ingham Tunnicliffe (viola) & Max Ruisi (cello). DREGS & LA MOXIE Fri OASIS MAYBE Sat 15 Programme includes works by Brit- BOWLING FOR SOUP 14 Feb, Route 44, Feb, The Night Owl, ten, Webern & Beethoven, Fri 14 Wed 12 Feb, O2 Birmingham Birmingham Feb, The Barber Institute, B’ham Academy, Birmingham EMILY CAPPELL + JOE GARETH GATES Sat 15 MAE MULLER Wed 12 SLATER + KATIE OWEN Feb, Pizza Express Feb, O2 Institute, (DJ) Fri 14 Feb, Castle Live, Birmingham Birmingham & Falcon, Birmingham FRED ZEPPELIN Sat 15 Comedy GOSPEL CENTRAL Wed JAMES BLUNT Fri 14 Feb, Route 44, B’ham DALISO CHAPONDA Tues 11 Feb, The 12 Feb, The Jam Feb, Arena B’ham THE LATHUMS + SPE- Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham House, Birmingham FEVER + SPECIAL CIAL GUESTS Sat 15 SAM AVERY Wed 12 - Thurs 13 Feb, A VOID + MEME DE- GUESTS Sat 14 Feb, Feb, The Sunflower The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham TROIT + EXHALER + The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham JANE EYRE Blackeyed Theatre pre- SPIT Wed 12 Feb, The sent a new adaptation of Charlotte Lounge, Birmingham TRU GROOVE Sat 15 Sunflower Lounge, Bronte's gothic masterpiece, Thurs TRU GROOVE Fri 14 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham 13 - Sat 15 Feb, Lichfield Garrick Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham DUBIOZA KOLEKTIV Wed SINBAD THE SAILOR DOWN UNDER Birmingham HRH METAL (WEEKEND 12 Feb, O2 Institute, Harlequinade present a fast-moving FLOYD IN THE FLESH - EVENT) Sat 15 - Sun 16 Birmingham seafaring pantomime adventure, Fri THE SOUND OF PINK Feb, O2 Academy, 14 - Sat 15 Feb, The Core Theatre, GRANNY’S ATTIC Wed FLOYD Fri 14 Feb, The Birmingham Solihull 12 Feb, The Red Lion Old Rep Theatre, HMLTD + SPECIAL Folk Club, B’ham Birmingham GUY: A NEW MUSICAL Uplifting elec- GUESTS Sun 16 Feb, tronic-pop musical about modern INHALER Thurs 13 Feb, IMAANI ‘ECLECTIC The Sunflower NATHAN CATON PLUS COMEDY masculinity, body image and the O2 Academy, B’ham ACOUSTIC SOUL’ Fri 14 Lounge, Birmingham CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON hook-ups and downs of dating in the POLYPHIA Thurs 13 Feb, Pizza Express DITZ Sun 16 Feb, Hare Thurs 13 Feb, The Glee Club, B’ham 21st century, Sun 16 Feb, The Old Feb, The Mill, Digbeth, Live, Birmingham & Hounds, B’ham Rep Theatre, Birmingham TONY LAW Birmingham THE MENZINGERS Fri 14 Fri 14 Feb, The Glee Club, FAIRPORT CONVENTION Birmingham HYPN05E Thurs 13 Feb, Feb, The Asylum, Sun 16 Feb, Artrix, NATHAN CATON, ELLIOT STEEL, TOM The Asylum, B’ham Birmingham Bromsgrove WRIGGLESWORTH & COMIC TBC Fri 14 - ZAKK SABBATH Thurs BROKEN HANDS Fri 14 Kids Shows CALIFORNIAN DREAMIN Sat 15 Feb, The Glee Club, B’ham 13 Feb, O2 Institute, Feb, Dead Wax, Dig- Sun 16 Feb, The Core FIRST STAGES: PUSS IN BOOTS CBee- Birmingham beth, Birmingham Theatre, Solihull GUZ KHAN, GEOFF BOYZ, MARK SIM- bies presenter Patrick Lynch brings MONS & MIKE COX Sat 15 Feb, The ROGER BIRD & THE CARNIVAL MAGNIFICO : the classic tale to life using puppetry, HUE & CRY Sun 16 Feb, Comedy Loft, Birmingham WYZE GUYZ Thurs 13 VALENTINES SPECIAL The Robin, Bilston smoke & mirrors, and a hidden trap- whatsonlive.co.uk 57 The List Birmingham 10 - 16 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:06 Page 3 The List Birmingham 10 - 16 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:06 Page 4

thelist Monday 10 - Sunday 16 February door... Fri 14 - Sat 15 Feb, The REP, Starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kid- Birmingham man. Midlands Arts Centre, Birming- BEASTLY BELLE Puppetry, film projec- ham, Fri 14 - Thurs 20 Feb tions and an original musical score THE LIGHTHOUSE (15) Drama/Fantasy. collide to bring a new twist to an old Starring Robert Pattinson, Willem tale, Sat 15 - Sun 16 Feb, Midlands Dafoe. Midlands Arts Centre, Birm- Arts Centre, Birmingham ingham, Fri 14 - Thurs 20 Feb WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD Lyngo CLOUDBURST (15) Comedy/Drama. Theatre present an interactive experi- Starring Olympia Dukakis, Brenda ence for younger audiences, Sun 16 - Fricker. Midlands Arts Centre, Birm- Mon 17 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove ingham, Sat 15 Feb STARDOG AND TURBO CAT (U) Anima- tion/Comedy. With the voices of Luke Evans, Nick Frost. Artrix, Broms- Cabaret grove, Sat 15 Feb TINA T’URNER TEA LADY’S STEAMY BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (12a) Biogra- BINGO Laugh, dance and play to win phy/Drama. Starring Rami Malek, as Tina spins her cage of balls to a Lucy Boynton. Highbury Theatre, high-energy ’80s soundtrack, Thurs Birmingham, Sun 16 Feb 13 Feb, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham BIG BAND BROADWAY Featuring Martin NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: & Shirlie Kemp, guest singers Rachel Released from Fri 14 Feb, showing at Tucker & Matt Ford, Larry Blank (con- selected cinemas ductor) and London Concert Orches- BLUMHOUSE FANTASY ISLAND HORROR Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes - Birmingham Hippodrome tra. Includes music from West Side (tbc) Story, Cabaret and A Chorus Line, Aston Hall, Birmingham Country Living Museum, Dudley EMMA (tbc) Sun 16 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birming- THE CLASSIC DIRT BIKE SHOW Dig out FEBRUARY HALF TERM FUN Enjoy per- ham SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (tbc) classic dirt bike machinery galore, see forming shadow puppet theatre at THE PUBLIC (tbc) fascinating club and private off-road Shakespeare's New Place and dis- machines, bag a bargain at the auto- cover pesky pests on a trail at Anne jumble and see off-road legends inter- Hathaway's Cottage, Sat 15 - Sun 23 Dance viewed on stage, Sat 15 - Sun 16 Feb, Feb, Shakespeare's Homes, Stratford THE RED SHOES Matthew Bourne’s tri- Events Telford International Centre, Shrop- Upon Avon umphant adaptation of the classic shire DISCOVER THE PRIDE Meet the gor- ADULT NIGHT film returns to Birmingham Hippo- Special event for adult DRAGON HUNT Tamworth Castle’s resi- geous lion cubs, who will be going drome, having won two Olivier fans of LEGO - use the Centre’s facili- dent dragon, Ruby, and her brother, out onto the safari drive-through for Awards and dazzled audiences and ties and enjoy some creative play Hafgrim, have gone missing while the very first time, Sat 15 - Sun 23 critics across the UK and the US, sessions, Wed 12 Feb, Legoland Dis- playing a game of hide & seek. Help Feb, West Midland Safari and Leisure Tues 11 - Sat 15 Feb, Birmingham covery Centre, Birmingham find them in the castle’s grounds, Sat Park, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster EDWARDIAN TEAROOMS LATE: VALEN- Hippodrome 15 - Fri 21 Feb, Tamworth Castle FEBRUARY FUTURES HALF TERM Design TINE DINNER DANCE THE DECADES Presented by Head to BMAG for a ro- FESTIVAL OF ARCHERY Encounter the and make your car of the future using Dubarrie School of Dance and Mas- mantic four-course meal, complete centuries-old art form, Sat 15 - Sun 23 recycled materials, then light it up querade Musical Theatre, Wed 12 - with a Robert Lane serenade, Fri 14 Feb, Warwick Castle with LED headlights. Explore the mu- Thurs 15 Feb, The Core Theatre, Soli- Feb, Birmingham Museum And Art seum via the new family trail or visit Gallery LIVING DANGEROUSLY Join in an activity hull trail, take on the role of a journalist, the exhibition, The Car. The Future. LEGO LATES AT THINKTANK A VALENTINE’S CELEBRATION OF MUSIC Late event and even test your own toy rocket car Me., Sat 15 Feb - Sun 1 Mar, British AND DANCE Featuring BRB’s orches- combining the Museum at Night ini- to its limits, Sat 15 - Sun 23 Feb, Black Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warks tra, the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, and tiative with LEGO activities and chal- classical extracts from Swan Lake, lenges. Ages 18+ only, Fri 14 Feb, Giselle & Don Quixote, Thinktank Science Museum, B’ham Fri 14 Feb, GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW Featur- Symphony Hall, Birmingham ing the largest and most varied choice of shooting-related products anywhere in Europe, Fri 14 - Sun 16 Film Feb, NEC, Birmingham INDEPENDENT LISTINGS: PIRATE AND PRINCESS TAKEOVER Pirate HUMAN NATURE (PG) Documentary. and princess-themed activities for all Starring David Baltimore, Jill Banfield. the family, exclusively available to Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, short-break guests, Fri 14 - Sun 23 Wed 12 Feb Feb, Alton Towers, Stoke-on-Trent WINGS OF DESIRE (12a) Drama/Fan- STUNT FEST Afternoon of ‘awesome’ tasy. Starring Bruno Ganz, Peter Falk. stunts and displays for all the family, Foreign language, subtitled. Mid- featuring some of the top UK stunt lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 14 drivers and riders, Sat 15 Feb, Santa Feb Pod Raceway, Wellingborough 1917 (15) Drama/War. Starring Dean- PENNANT MAKING Free drop-in ses- Charles Chapman, George MacKay. sion, Sat 15 Feb, Birmingham Mu- Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 14, Sun 16 - seum And Art Gallery Mon 17 Feb GHOST TOURS Exclusive opportunity to BOMBSHELL (15) Biography/Drama. venture into the Hall at night. Best prepare for a scare! Sat 15 Feb, Ghost Tours - Aston Hall, Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk 59 The List Birmingham 17 - 23 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:08 Page 1

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thelist Monday 17 - Sunday 23 February Classical Comedy AN EVENING WITH VIC & BOB Mon 17 Music Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham CBSO: RESPIGHI’S ROMAN TRILOGY JAMALI MADDIX Mon 17 Feb, The Featuring the City of Birmingham Glee Club, Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Kazuki Ya- JORDAN BROOKES Tues 18 Feb, The mada (conductor) & Vilde Frang (vi- Glee Club, Birmingham olin). Programme includes works by JIMEOIN Wed 19 Feb, Artrix, Broms- Shostakovich & Respighi, Wed 19 - grove Thurs 20 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birm- ingham TOM WARD & COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON FONTANELLA QUINTET: URBAN LOVE Thurs 20 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham SONGS Programme includes works by Dowland, Holborne, Purcell, BAGS OF LAUGHTER Featuring Shappi Gershwin, Pete McGarr & Radio- Khorsandi (pictured), Hugh Dennis, head, Thurs 20 Feb, Recital Hall, Count Arthur Smith, Hardeep Singh Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Kholi, Simon Brodkin, Jo Enright, ROBIN BIGWOOD: JS BACH GOLDBERG Geoff Whiting & Becky Brunning, Fri 21 Feb, Crescent Theatre, B’ham VARIATIONS Fri 21 Feb, Royal Birm- ingham Conservatoire Jack Garratt - Castle & Falcon, Birmingham TOM POSTER PIANO CONCERT Pro- gramme includes works by Schu- 20 Feb,The Jam Feb, O2 Academy, mann, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Grieg House, Birmingham Birmingham Gigs & Chopin, Fri 21 Feb, The Barber In- HELLO AGAIN - THE SOLID SOUL Sat 22 stitute, Birmingham MAX & HARVEY Mon 17 CATAPULT CLUB FT. HOT Feb, The Jam House, NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE FEAT. PERCY Feb, O2 Academy, LITTLE HANDS Fri 21 Birmingham PURSGLOVE Fri 21 Feb, Elgar Concert Birmingham Feb, O2 Academy, DRY CLEANING + POZI Hall, University of Birmingham FLARES Mon 17 Feb, Birmingham Sat 22 Feb, The Sun- MAHAN ESFAHANI IN-THE-ROUND Harp- JOHN KEARNS Fri 21 Feb, Midlands Mama Roux’s, B’ham X AMBASSADORS Fri 21 flower Lounge, B’ham sichord concert. Programme in- Arts Centre, Birmingham KING NUN + SPECIAL Feb, O2 Institute, MAMA PRESENTS AN cludes works by Orlando Gibbons, PAUL MCCAFFREY Fri 21 Feb, The GUESTS Mon 17 Feb, Birmingham EVENING OF GENESIS Miroslav Srnka, W.F Bach, Elizabeth Glee Club, Birmingham The Sunflower GUNS 2 ROSES Fri 21 Sat 22 Feb, The Core Maconchy & J.S Bach, Sat 22 Feb, TOM WARD, ANDY ROBINSON, THE RAY- Lounge, Birmingham Feb, Route 44, B’ham Theatre, Solihull Birmingham Town Hall MOND & MR TIMPKINS REVUE & LAURA GIRL RAY Tues 18 Feb, BELLE AND THE BOUR- TWIN PEAKS Fri 21 Feb, CATORES CONSORT An evening of var- LEXX Fri 21 - Sat 22 Feb, The Glee Hare & Hounds, Birm- BON BOYS FEATURING Hare & Hounds, Birm- ied a cappella vocal music, Sat 22 Club, Birmingham ingham ingham AMY CAT WALTON Sat Feb, St John Baptist Church, Berk- GARRETT MILLERICK, RUSSELL HICKS, JYELLOWL Tues 18 22 Feb, Pizza Express swell, Nr Solihull THE FUREYS Fri 21 Feb, JUNIOR SIMPSON & DAVE LONGLEY Sat Feb, Dead Wax, Dig- Live, Birmingham The Core Theatre, BLONDEL MEDIEVAL AND RENAISSANCE 22 Feb, The Comedy Loft, B’ham beth, Birmingham Solihull THE MAINE Sat 22 Feb, BAND: OF ALL THE BIRDS Programme TOM STADE Sun 23 Feb, Artrix, HOT CHOCOLATE Wed O2 Institute, B’ham reflects on the perfection of nature HARICO + MASS HOUSE Bromsgrove 19 Feb, The Jam Fri 21 Feb, The Sun- JACK GARRATT Sat 22 and the artistry of humans in imitat- House, Birmingham flower Lounge, B’ham Feb, Castle & Falcon, ing it, Sat 22 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire THE CLASSIC ROCK FLEETMAC WOOD PRE- Birmingham SHOW 2020 Wed 19 SENTS SEA OF LOVE NEW RULES Sat 22 Feb, CBSO YOUTH ORCHESTRA: ELGAR'S Theatre Feb, Symphony Hall, DISCO - BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy, B’ham SYMPHONY NO.1 Featuring Kazuki Ya- Birmingham mada (conductor). Programme in- PETER PAN GOES WRONG Mischief Fri 21 Feb, Hare & FRED ZEPPELIN Sat 22 cludes Takemitsu, R. Strauss and Theatre present a 'riotous' spin on a JOHN KIRKPATRICK Wed Hounds, Birmingham Feb, Lichfield Guildhall Elgar, Sun 23 Feb, Symphony Hall, timeless classic, Tues 18 - Sat 22 19 Feb, The Red Lion MAX & HARVEY Fri 21 SANCHEZ & BARRING- Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham Folk Club, B’ham Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute, TON LEVY Sat 22 Feb, CAGE THE ELEPHANT Birmingham O2 Academy, B’ham Thurs 20 Feb, O2 S-X + SPECIAL GUESTS THE REYTONS Sat 22 Academy, Birmingham Fri 21 Feb, Castle & Feb, O2 Institute, NAPALM DEATH Thurs Falcon, Birmingham Birmingham 20 Feb, O2 Institute, QUEEN RHAPSODY Fri PALAYE ROYALE: THE Birmingham 21 Feb,The Old Rep B*STARDS WORLD TOUR ELO AGAIN: RE-DISCOV- Theatre, Birmingham Sun 23 Feb, O2 Insti- ERY TOUR Thurs 20 MIDGE URE - VIENNA & tute, Birmingham Feb, The Old Rep The- VISAGE: THE 1980 TOUR THE SENSATIONAL 60S atre, Birmingham Fri 21 Feb, Birming- EXPERIENCE TOUR Sun TREVOR WATTS AND DI- ham Town Hall 23 Feb, Wolverhamp- ALOGUE WITH STRINGS THE INSPECTOR CLUZO ton Grand Theatre Thurs 20 Feb, Mid- Fri 21 Feb, The Ac- ATIF ASLAM Sun 23 lands Arts Centre, tress & Bishop, B’ham Feb, Arena B’ham Birmingham THE COUNTERFEIT THE SHERLOCKS Sun 23 THANK YOU SCIENTIST STONES Fri 21 Feb - Feb, O2 Institute, Thurs 20 Feb, Mama Sat 22 Feb, Artrix, Birmingham Roux’s, Birmingham Bromsgrove THE COLLECTIVE Thurs PSYCHO DOLLZ Sat 22 Kazuki Yamada conducts the CBSO at Symphony Hall, Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk 61 The List Birmingham 17 - 23 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 11:08 Page 3

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thelist Monday 17 - Sunday 23 February CIRQUE BERSERK Combining contem- KNIVES OUT (12a) Comedy/Crime. porary cirque-style artistry with Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans. adrenaline-fuelled stunt action and Artrix, Bromsgrove, Thurs 20 Feb featuring an international troupe of BOMBSHELL (15) Biography/Drama. over 30 jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, Starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kid- dancers, drummers and daredevil man. Artrix, Bromsgrove, Fri 21 & stuntmen, Tues 18 - Sun 23 Feb, The Mon 24 Feb REP, Birmingham PARASITE (15) Drama/Thriller. Starring VOLDEMORT AND THE TEENAGE HOG- Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee. For- WARTS MUSICAL PARODY Brand new eign language, subtitled. Midlands musical parody packed with ‘magic, Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 21 - hormones and more than a few mur- Thurs 27 Feb ders’, Tues 18 - Sun 1 March, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOUR- HOOD (PG) Biography/Drama. Starring JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR The Garrick Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys. Midlands Young REP Musical Group present Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 21 - an amateur version of Tim Rice & An- Thurs 27 Feb drew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical, Wed 19 - Sat 22 Feb, Lichfield Gar- CATTLE HILL (PG) Animation. With the rick voices of Marit Andreassen, Oda Os- voll Avatsmark. Artrix, Bromsgrove, HOME OF THE WRIGGLER Kaleidoscopic Sat 22 Feb Cirque Berserk soap opera from Birmingham-based The REP, Birmingham, Tues 18 - Sun 23 February Stan’s Cafe, Thurs 20 - Sat 22 Feb, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (18) Drama/Fan- The REP, Birmingham tasy. Starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, The ever-busy Zippos Circus this month make a welcome return to Horacio Salinas. Foreign language, subtitled. Midlands Arts Centre, Birm- the Midlands with their hit West End extravaganza. Described as a ingham, Sun 23 Feb danger-filled spectacle, Cirque Berserk! promises to ‘amaze audi- Kids Shows ences of all ages’ with its hair-raising Globe of Death - a presentation in which daredevil motorcyclists speed around the inside of a EXCITING SCIENCE SHOW Entertain- NEW FILMS ON GENERAL RELEASE: steel cage at more than 60mph. An international troupe of jugglers, ment for younger audiences, featur- Released from Fri 21 Feb, showing at ing ‘silly, fun and factual science selected cinemas acrobats, aerialists, dancers, drummers and stuntmen also make a experiments’, Wed 19 Feb, Stour- BRAHMS: THE BOY II (tbc) telling contribution to proceedings, showcasing the finest in tradi- bridge Town Hall tional circus skills and thrills in a show which The Times once de- GREED (15) THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF Trip- scribed as 'a NutriBullet of contemporary circus'. trapping musical adventure, Wed 19 LIKE A BOSS (15) Feb, The Core Theatre, Solihull LITTLE JOE (12a) learning officer and volunteers, Tues with its learning officer and volun- ROALD DAHL & THE IMAGINATION SEEK- 18 Feb, Aston Hall, Birmingham teers, Thurs 20 Feb, Aston Hall, Birm- ERS Family show inspired by the ingham works of Roald Dahl, Fri 21 - Sat 22 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON CRAFT ACTIVITY Feb, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham Use a variety of craft materials to cre- KIDS JEWELLERY WORKSHOP Have a Events ate and decorate your own 17th-cen- go at making your own piece of jew- MOTIONHOUSE WORKSHOP - CREATIVE tury London buildings, Tues 18 Feb, ellery, Thurs 20 Feb, Museum of the DANCE CAMP Have fun discovering Blakesley Hall, Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham Film creative dance with Motionhouse's DAYS OF GORE Daily presentations FLORAL SUNCATCHERS CRAFT ACTIVITY INDEPENDENT LISTINGS professionals. Suitable for experi- about the gooey, gory, gruesome Make your own sun catcher or head enced dancers and newcomers alike, truths of yesteryear, Tues 18 - Thurs band, Thurs 20 Feb, Blakesley Hall, JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL (12a) Fam- Mon 17 - Tues 18 Feb, Midlands Arts 20 Feb, Avoncroft Museum, Broms- Birmingham ily/Action. Starring Karen Gillan, Centre, Birmingham grove, Worcestershire Dwayne Johnson. Midlands Arts Cen- VERVE POETRY FESTIVAL Now in its tre, Birmingham, Mon 17, Wed 19 - SPOTLIGHT TALKS FOR ALL Delve deep THE CARAVAN, CAMPING AND MO- fourth year, Verve is synonymous with Sat 22 Feb into the history of Aston Hall with its TORHOME SHOW 2020 The UK’s largest a lively and celebratory approach to display of leisure vehicles, static holi- programming poetry of every kind, day homes, lodges and tents, Tues Thurs 20 - Sun 23 Feb, Birmingham 18 - Sun 23 Feb, NEC, Birmingham Hippodrome SMETHWICK ENGINE STEAMING DAY See PANCAKE DAY A day of baking-themed the world’s oldest working steam en- family fun, including pancake races, gine in all its glory, Wed 19 Feb, Fri 21 Feb, Sarehole Mill, Hall Green, Thinktank Science Museum, B’ham Birmingham ANIMALMANIA Come face to face with CRAFTY FRIDAYS: STORY STICKS Use a lizards, snakes, chinchillas, hedge- variety of materials to create your hogs, giant bunnies, tortoises and story stick, Fri 21 Feb, Weoley Castle creepy crawlies, Wed 19 Feb, Ruins, Birmingham Blakesley Hall, Birmingham TALL TALES: RAPUNZEL FAMILY STORY- ASTONISHING ART ACTIVITY: SKETCH TELLING TOUR Interactive telling of the AND MODEL Collect and sketch your famous fairytale, Fri 21 Feb, Aston favourite features as you explore Hall, Birmingham Aston Hall, then head to the class- RACE RETRO Bringing together over room to transform your ideas and 24,000 motorsport fans, Fri 21 - Sun create models using quick-drying 23 Feb, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth modelling clay, Wed 19 Feb, Aston Hall, Birmingham A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY! Time-travelling murder-mystery trail for families and SPOTLIGHT TALKS FOR ALL Delve the young-at-heart, Sat 22 Feb, Aston Roald Dahl & The Imagination Seekers - Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham deeper into the history of Aston Hall Hall, Birmingham whatsonlive.co.uk 63 The List Birmingham 24 - 29 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:05 Page 1 The List Birmingham 24 - 29 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:05 Page 2

thelist Monday 24 - Saturday 29 February Feb, Pizza Express O2 Academy, B’ham Club, Birmingham Gigs Live, Birmingham STEREOPHONICS Sat 29 Classical ALEXEI SAYLE Fri 28 - Sat 29 Feb, Mid- NOVATINES Thurs 27 Feb, Arena Birming- lands Arts Centre, Birmingham BOY & BEAR LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH Mon 24 Feb, O2 Institute, ham MARLON DAVIS, HELEN BAUER, STUART Feb, O2 Institute, THOMAS TROTTER Programme includes Birmingham LANA DEL REY Sat 29 GOLDSMITH & BARRY DODDS Sat 29 Birmingham works by J.S Bach, Beethoven, GEORGE AND ELTON: Feb, Resorts World Mozart, Franz Lehár & Maurice Duru- Feb, The Comedy Loft, Birmingham THE MURDER CAPITAL FAITH & LOVE Thurs 27 Arena, B’ham flé, Mon 24 Feb, Birmingham Town DANE BAPTISTE Sat 29 Feb, Artrix, Mon 24 Feb, O2 Insti- Feb, Artrix, Broms- AS DECEMBER FALLS Hall Bromsgrove tute, Birmingham grove Sat 29 Feb, The Asy- JAMES GILCHRIST (TENOR) & ANNA CULTDREAMS + SPE- EDITORS Thurs 27 Feb, lum, Birmingham TILBROOK (PIANO) Programme includes CIAL GUESTS Mon 24 Arena Birmingham GET STONED Sat 29 works by Schubert, Jonathan Dove & Feb, The Sunflower PARLIAMO + SPECIAL Feb, Route 44, Birm- Barber, Wed 26 Feb, The Barber Insti- Theatre Lounge, Birmingham GUESTS Thurs 27 Feb, ingham tute, Birmingham SPAMALOT Amateur staging presented NEW YEARS DAY Tues The Sunflower MELTED MESSIAH Sat ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: IMMORTAL by the Lichfield Operatic Society, Tues 25 Feb, O2 Academy, Lounge, Birmingham 29 Feb, Scruffy Mur- BELOVED Featuring Jason Lai (conduc- 25 - Sat 29 Feb, Lichfield Garrick Birmingham LENNON STELLA Fri 28 phys, Birmingham tor) & Lauren Zhang (piano). Pro- JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR ME, MYSELF & I - BARRY gramme includes works by Feb, O2 Institute, TEEDRA MOSES - 15TH DREAMCOAT Starring Britain’s Got Tal- STEELE Tues 25 Feb, Birmingham ANNIVERSARY OF COM- Schumann, Beethoven & Xiaoran ent 2019 finalist Mark McMullan as The Core Theatre, Jiang, Wed 26 Feb, The Bradshaw TFSP: ROOKIE Fri 28 PLEX SIMPLICITY Sat 29 Joseph, Tues 25 - Sat 29 Feb, Solihull Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Feb, The Actress & Feb, O2 Institute, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre GOO GOO DOLLS Tues Bishop, Birmingham Birmingham CBSO: WALTON’S VIOLA CONCERTO Fea- 25 Feb, O2 Institute, THE ORIGINAL Fri 28 THE MISSION - THE turing the City of Birmingham Sym- Birmingham Feb, Route 44, B’ham UNITED EUOPEAN PARTY phony Orchestra, Michael Seal RING OF SATURN Tues (conductor) & Lise Berthaud (viola). CHANTE CELESTE (3 - TOUR Sat 29 Feb, O2 25 Feb, Mama Roux’s, Programme includes works by HOUR -SET) Fri 28 Feb, Institute, Birmingham Birmingham Foulds, Walton & Vaughan Williams, Hare & Hounds, Birm- BAKERS REUNION WITH Thurs 27 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham THE 1975 Tues 25 Feb, ingham DECADENCE Sat 29 Arena Birmingham CBSO: A NIGHT ON BROADWAY Featuring KYLE GASS COMPANY Fri Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Michael England (conductor) and REBECCA FERGUSON 28 Feb, The Asylum, Alice Fearn, Scott Davies, Ashley Day Tues 25 Feb, Town Birmingham CLEARWATER & Sophie Evans (vocalists). Pro- Hall, Birmingham NANNA RADLEYS Fri 28 CREEDANCE REVIVAL gramme includes scores from HOTEL LUX Tues 25 Feb,The Jam House, Sat 29 Feb, Artrix, Chicago, Cabaret, West Side Story, Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham Bromsgrove Wicked and more... Fri 28 Feb, Sym- Birmingham phony Hall, Birmingham MARK KINGSWOOD Fri 3 OF A KIND Sat 29 Feb, THE BOYS ARE BACK! 28 Feb,Town Hall, The Mill, Digbeth, ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN CHAMBER EN- 5IVE, A1, DAMAGE, 911 Birmingham Birmingham SEMBLE Programme includes works Tues 25 Feb, Sym- by Mozart, Malcolm Arnold & THE SCRIPT Fri 28 Feb, HEAVY DISCO SPECTAC- phony Hall, B’ham Beethoven, Fri 28 Feb, Artrix, Broms- Resorts World Arena, ULAR Sat 29 Feb, Hare grove THE DEAD SOUTH Tues Birmingham & Hounds, B’ham 25 Feb, O2 Academy, CBSO: A LONDON SYMPHONY Featuring DEJA VEGA + THE PA- NANNA RADLEYS Sat 29 Birmingham the City of Birmingham Symphony Or- GANS S.O.H + HÜDS Fri Feb,The Jam House, chestra, the CBSO Youth Chorus, the SAINT PHNX Tues 25 28 Feb, The Sunflower Birmingham CBSO Children’s Chorus & Michael Feb, Hare & Hounds, Lounge, Birmingham CREST GLIDER Sat 29 THE STRANGE TALE OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN Seal (conductor). Programme in- Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute, & STAN LAUREL Nostalgic bio drama DUB FX Fri 28 Feb,The cludes works by Foulds, Gary Carpen- Birmingham paying homage to two men who D’ONE Wed 26 Feb, O2 Mill, Digbeth, B’ham ter & Vaughan Williams, Sat 29 Feb, Institute, Birmingham changed the world of comedy forever, TERRORVISION THUMPER Sat 29 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Fri 28 Tues 25 - Sat 29 Feb, The REP, Birm- GABBIDON Wed 26 Feb, KK Steel Mill, Dead Wax, Digbeth, ingham Feb,The Jam House, Wolverhampton Birmingham Birmingham FAUSTUS: THE DAMNED WOMAN Radical TECHNO BIBLE PRE- INDOOR OLDSCHOOL reimagining of Christopher Marlowe’s ROVING CROWS Wed 26 SENTS... WYLD LAUNCH GARAGE FESTIVAL Sat Comedy provocative tale, told from a female Feb, The Red Lion PARTY Fri 28 Feb,The 29 Feb, The Hanger, JOSIE LONG Tues 25 Feb, The Old Rep perspective... Wed 26 Feb - Sat 7 Folk Club, B’ham Mill, Digbeth, Birming- Wolverhampton Theatre, Birmingham March, The REP, Birmingham ham EXAMPLE Sat 29 Feb, GOD DAMN + SPECIAL ALEX EDELMAN O2 Academy, B’ham Wed 26 Feb, The Glee JEKYLL & HYDE Arrows & Traps Theatre GUESTS Wed 26 Feb, JPEGMAFIA Sat 29 Feb, Club, Birmingham The Sunflower give Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic Lounge, Birmingham BARBARA NICE, MERCEDES BENSON, KATE classic a modern twist, Wed 26 - Fri MCCABE & MAUREEN YOUNGER Wed 26 28 Feb, The Old Rep Theatre, B’ham THE LUKA STATE Wed Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove DRIP DRIP DRIP 26 Feb, The Actress & Pipeline Theatre tack- Bishop, Birmingham SPENCER JONES & COMEDY CAROUSEL les the rise of racism and bigotry in WITH ANDY ROBINSON Thurs 27 Feb, the NHS, Thurs 27 Feb, Midlands Arts CAVETOWN Thurs 27 The Glee Club, Birmingham Centre, Birmingham Feb, O2 Institute, OKLAHOMA! Birmingham ADAM ROWE Fri 28 Feb, The Glee Club, SOSage Factory Youth Birmingham Theatre present an amateur produc- THE MYSTERINES Thurs tion of the Rodgers & Hammerstein TOM BINNS Fri 28 Feb, The Comedy 27 Feb, Castle & Fal- classic, Thurs 27 - Sat 29 Feb, The Loft, Birmingham con, Birmingham Core Theatre, Solihull JAMALI MADDIX Fri 28 Feb, The Slade DEL CAMINO Thurs 27 THREE MEN IN A BOAT Ridiculous tale of Rooms, Wolverhampton Feb, The Jam House, men behaving badly while messing Birmingham SPENCER JONES, TEZ ILYAS & DAVE about on boats, Fri 28 Feb, The Core JOHNS Fri 28 - Sat 29 Feb, The Glee JOE STILGOE Thurs 27 Crest Glider - O2 Institute, Birmingham Theatre, Solihull whatsonlive.co.uk 65 The List Birmingham 24 - 29 February.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 18:05 Page 3

thelist Monday 24 - Saturday 29 February A ROCK’N’ROLL SUICIDE Charting the ences as a curator and the inspiration life of nearly-was-a-rock-star Gypsy Dance for exhibition Art and Social Change: Lee Pistolero, AKA Lee Mark-Jones, The Disability Arts Movement, Thurs Events Fri 28 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove WASTELAND Gary Clarke’s rave-in- 27 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham WHAT CAREER LIVE? & WHAT UNIVER- EDITH IN THE DARK Thriller by Phillip spired story of northern life with the SITY LIVE? For students aged be- Meeks, Fri 28 Feb - Thurs 7 March, coal industry in terminal decline, tween 15 and 19, Fri 28 - Sat 29 Feb, Hall Green Little Theatre, Birmingham Thurs 27 - Fri 28 Feb, Birmingham NEC, Birmingham Hippodrome HAMLET The Crescent Theatre Com- Film THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW Meet pany present a ‘carefully cut version’ NEW FILMS ON GENERAL with 200-plus wedding specialists, in- of Shakespeare’s searing tragedy, RELEASE: cluding venue coordinators and Sat 29 Feb - Thurs 7 March, The award-winning photographers, Fri 28 MR. JONES (15) Biography/Drama. Feb - Sun 1 Mar, NEC, Birmingham Crescent Theatre, Birmingham Starring James Norton, Vanessa Kirby. Midlands Arts Centre, B’ham, Fri 28 Feb A HIDDEN LIFE (12a) Biography/Drama. Cabaret Starring August Diehl, Valerie Pach- FASCINATING AIDA Evening of cabaret ner. Foreign language, subtitled. Ar- with Dillie Keane, Adèle Anderson & trix, Bromsgrove, Fri 28 Feb Liza Pulman, Sat 29 Feb, Birmingham THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE Town Hall (15) Adventure/Comedy. Starring Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce. Mid- lands Arts Centre, Birmingham, Fri 28 Talks - Sat 29 Feb AN EVENING WITH ANN CLEEVES The THE LION KING (PG) Animation/Adven- author of popular TV series Shetland ture. With the voices of Donald & Vera talks about her books and Glover, Seth Rogen. Midlands Arts SUTTON COLDFIELD BOOKFEST Meet adaptations, as well as her latest Centre, Birmingham, Sat 29 Feb your favourite authors, discover as- bestseller, The Long Call, Tues 25 tonishing books and enjoy some in- Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove WAVES (15) Drama/Romance. Starring teractive storytelling fun, Sat 29 Feb, Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr. CURATOR TALK AND TOUR Join Anna Sutton Coldfield Town Hall and Sut- Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham, ton Coldfield Library, Birmingham Berry as she talks about her experi- Sat 29 Feb

66 whatsonlive.co.uk Warwick Castle Full February 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 14:16 Page 1 BRB Swan Lake Full February 2020.qxp_Layout 1 22/01/2020 09:26 Page 1