Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover September 2019.qxp_Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover 21/08/2019 14:34 Page 1 WUNDERBAR! EDDIE IZZARD Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands VISITS THE MIDLANDS WOLVERHAMPTON & BLACK COUNTRY WHAT’S ON SEPTEMBER 2019 2019 SEPTEMBER ON WHAT’S COUNTRY BLACK & WOLVERHAMPTON Wolverhampton & Black Country ISSUE 405 SEPTEMBER 2019 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD On wolverhamptonwhatson.co.uk inside: PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP GROUP MEDIA ON WHAT’S OF PART Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide COME TO THE CABARET! iconic musical at the Grand TWITTER: @WHATSONWOLVES @WHATSONWOLVES TWITTER: PARTY IN THE PARK Jaki Graham headlines festival at Dudley’s Himley Hall FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON ROMEO & JULIET Matthew Bourne re-imagines WOLVERHAMPTONWHATSON.CO.UK literature’s greatest love story... Peaky Blinders Festival Full September 2019.qxp_Layout 1 20/08/2019 10:00 Page 1 Contents September Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 21/08/2019 15:23 Page 2 September 2019 Contents Calendar Girls The Musical - Award-winning show comes to Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre - page 28 BalletBoyz Go Wild... Matthew Bourne the list all-male troupe bring new show ...when Madagascar The Musical re-imagines Shakespeare’s Your 16-page to Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn visits the Potteries greatest love story... week-by-week listings guide feature page 8 page 30 feature page 32 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 17. Gigs 20. Comedy 24. Theatre 37. Film 40. Visual Arts 45. Events @whatsonwolverhampton @staffordshirewhatson @whatsonshropshire Wolverhampton What’s On Staffordshire What’s On Shropshire What’s On Managing Director: Davina Evans [email protected] 01743 281708 Sales & Marketing: Lei Woodhouse [email protected] 01743 281703 Chris Horton [email protected] 01743 281704 What’sOn Editorial: Lauren Foster [email protected] 01743 281707 Brian O’Faolain [email protected] 01743 281701 Abi Whitehouse [email protected] 01743 281716 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 MEDIA GROUP Subscriptions: Adrian Parker [email protected] 01743 281714 Contributors: Graham Bostock, James Cameron-Wilson, Katherine Ewing, Jenny Ell, Steve Adams, Lauren Cole, Nanci Davies, Jack Rolfe, Daisy Sparkle, Steve Taylor, Chris Eldon Lee, Patsy Moss, Tom Silverton Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Julia Perry [email protected] 01743 281717 This publication is printed on paper from a sustainable source and is produced without the use of elemental chlorine. We endorse the recycling of our magazine and would encourage you to pass it on to others to read when you have finished with it. All works appearing in this publication are copyright. It is to be assumed that the copyright for material rests with the magazine unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or stored in an electronic system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recording or otherwise, without the prior knowledge and consent of the publishers. First Word Wolves_Shrops_Staffs Davina.qxp_Layout 1 21/08/2019 17:12 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Wunderbar! A taste of Germany at Shropshire’s Oktoberfest Shropshire Oktoberfest returns to Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park early next month (Friday 4 & Saturday 5 October). Presented by the award-winning Shropshire Festivals team, the popular event features around 150 real ales, numerous bars serving lager, cider and perry, a prosecco parlour, gin den, wine bar, street food, live music, karaoke and comedy. Commenting on the event, Shropshire Festival’s founder, Beth Heath, said, “We’re very excited to be bringing back Oktoberfest for a third year. We’ve been thrilled with the support for the event over the last two years, with people flocking to the Quarry for fun with friends, networking with a difference and group outings. “This year’s festival will be better than ever, and for the first time we will be holding a silent disco, which we hope will create a memorable, unique experience with plenty of laughs.” Fancy a beer or two...? Betteridge. “Where else can you watch The show is written and directed by Kat movies about flight surrounded by real Hughes and Kat Boon, the latter of whom Summer is flying, autumn is here, head for military aircraft and get the chance to climb said: “We want to invite audiences to see the the Guildhall and sample some beer! inside an aircraft to buy your popcorn?” city they’re used to in a different light, to This year’s Lichfield Arts Autumn Beer Festi- rediscover it through this unusual, thrilling val, taking place on Friday 20 & Saturday 21 story. It’s about the city’s past but also about September, features 25-plus real ales - many Arts Council funding for what the future might look like. It’s a show of which have been sourced from local and for everyone and, told with a live band, it will regional breweries - plus a range of tradi- Creative Black Country be a fantastic and fun night out.” tional ciders/perrys and specialist bottled An award of £1,403,154 from Arts Council beers... For full details and to check out England’s Creative People & Places which ales will be available at the Guildhall, programme will allow local initiative Creative First look at Dudley’s new visit lichfieldarts.org.uk Black Country (CBC) to expand its current activity into Dudley. £9.5million music institute Creative Black Country aims to make the The first artist’s impressions of the Black most of local talent by working with people Country’s new £9.5million music institute, ‘to discover, explore and grow an exciting Resonance, have been released. and meaningful programme of arts activity’ Former office building Cable Plaza on The in Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Waterfront at Brierley Hill is being given a Commenting on the news, Parminder complete facelift by Overbury, ‘the UK's lead- Dosanjh, Creative Director of CBC, said: “We ing fit-out and refurbishment specialist’. are over the moon. Expanding to Dudley feels A one-of-a-kind institute for popular music in like a natural step; the prospect of working as the Black Country, Resonance will offer A double dose of cinema a regional programme in the Black Country is degrees for students seeking careers in the at RAF Museum Cosford hugely exciting, and we look forward to local music industry. The venue’s co-director, residents benefitting from the investment.” David Barnard, said: “We will be providing The Royal Air Force Museum Cosford is first-class teaching to students who enrol at providing ‘the ultimate outdoor cinema Resonance, and we need the building they screening experience’ this month when it Fall in love with Stoke study in to reflect that.” presents two hit movies on a giant inflatable Two Staffordshire theatre makers are staging screen - and set against a backdrop of the a new show that will ask its audience ‘to fall venue’s military aircraft! in love with Stoke-on-Trent’. The highest-grossing Star Wars film, The Showing at Longton Central Methodist Hall Force Awakens, will be screened on Friday 20 from Wednesday 18 to Saturday 28 Septem- September, with iconic aviation movie Top ber, Stoke: A Love Story has been inspired by Gun being shown the following night. the city’s history, ‘from potbanks to mines, “Both movies are fitting for us as a venue,” and from Northern Soul to ’90s rave culture’. said Cosford’s Public Events Manager, Abi 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Wolves_Shrops_Staffs Davina.qxp_Layout 1 21/08/2019 17:12 Page 2 First Word Julie Walters in Save Acorns Hospice appeal... Smethwick-born Mamma Mia! favourite Dame Julie Walters DBE has joined fellow Midlands celebrities Jasper Carrott, Glynn Purnell and Tony Iommi in backing the Save Acorns Black Country Hospice Appeal, which aims to raise £2million. Dame Julie has urged people across the Midlands to play their part in helping to save the Walsall hospice from closure. She said: “Children's hospices are incredible places that help families going through the toughest times. It's clear just how much Corrie star Ryan searching for streets paved with gold... Acorns in the Black Country Former Coronation Street favourite Ryan Thomas 125th anniversary pantomime,” said Adrian means to all the families who will this Christmas star as Dick Whittington in Jackson, the theatre’s chief executive & artistic depend on its services, and to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s pantomime director. “He completes what is already an iconic the amazing staff and volun- production. line-up and what will be a truly magical produc- teers for whom it's not just a Ryan, who played Jason Grimshaw in the long- tion.” place of work but more like an running TV soap, joins Hi-De-Hi stars Su Pollard Dick Whittington runs at the Grand from extended family.” and Jeffrey Holland in a cast that also includes Saturday 7 December to Sunday 12 January. Grand Theatre panto favourites Ian Adams and Tickets can now be booked by calling 01902 42 92 Julie Paton. 12 or online at grandtheatre.co.uk “I am thrilled that Ryan is joining the Grand’s Film festival Midlands mental health festival returns to back in Telford celebrate the arts and wellbeing Telford’s Film Festival is The fourth edition of Birmingham’s Bedlam Arts & Mental Health Festi- Having a laugh at returning to screens val takes place next month (Tuesday 1 - Saturday 12 October). Enginuity around the borough this Created with the aim of using the arts to increase awareness of mental autumn. health & wellbeing issues, the event showcases a selection of new and Ironbridge Gorge’s Enginuity A collaboration between creative works performed across the city.