Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover April 2019.qxp_Wolverhampton & Black Country Cover 21/03/2019 16:34 Page 1 HAIR THE MUSICAL COMES Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands TO THE MIDLANDS WOLVERHAMPTON & BLACK COUNTRY WHAT’S ON APRIL 2019 2019 APRIL ON WHAT’S COUNTRY BLACK & WOLVERHAMPTON Wolverhampton & Black Country ISSUE 400 APRIL 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 MICKY P KERR Britain’s Got Talent finalist visits The Slade Rooms TWITTER: @WHATSONWOLVES @WHATSONWOLVES TWITTER: CC SMUGGLERS perform their debut album at Newhampton Arts Centre FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON FACEBOOK: @WHATSONWOLVERHAMPTON EGG-CITING FUN! Easter activities at the Black WOLVERHAMPTONWHATSON.CO.UK Country Living Museum BRB Peter Wolf (Grand Theatre) Full April 2019.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2019 10:05 Page 1 Contents March Wolves/Shrops/Staffs.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2019 15:34 Page 2 April 2019 Contents Hair The Musical - get set for a Summer of Love at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre... feature page 22 Rotterdam Jess Robinson Kapow! the list Jon Brittain’s heart-warming putting a face to the voices inflated fun at Shrewsbury’s Your 16-page comedy comes to the Midlands behind Dead Ringers... West Midland Showground week-by-week listings guide feature page 16 page 20 page 49 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 11. Food 18. Music 20. Comedy 24. Theatre 37. Film 40. Visual Arts 43. Events @whatsonwolves @whatsonstaffs @whatsonshrops Wolverhampton What’s On Magazine Staffordshire What’s On Magazine Shropshire What’s On Magazine 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 Shrops_Staffs_Wolves April.qxp_Layout 1 22/03/2019 15:01 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Council gives green light to theatre’s expansion plans A planning application submitted by Wolver- hampton Grand Theatre to the City Council to expand its premises has been approved. The application proposal detailed the venue’s desire to build a pop-up theatre on the site of the former Post Office building on Lichfield Street. Commenting on the news, Grand Theatre CEO & Artistic Director Adrian Jackson said: “I am absolutely delighted to be moving onto the next stage in this exciting project, which supports and enhances the regeneration of Wolverhampton city centre. The potential of this second space will con- tribute to the Lichfield Street Arts Hub vision. The opportunity to build upon our already- thriving community, educational and cul- tural offering is thrilling.” Field To Fork Festival Festival’s 2019 line-up. Stoke multi-million pound The event gives a nod to Brexit as well, cour- returns for a second year tesy of a ‘farewell to Europe’ theme, and also developments showcased After attracting a celebrates the 50th anniversary of the moon Two multi-million pound regeneration crowd of more than landing. schemes which will support the continued 9,000 people in 2018, The festival takes place at various venues transformation of Stoke-on-Trent have been Shropshire’s Field To across the city and beyond from 5 to 13 July. showcased to global investors at a major in- Fork Festival is mak- For further details, visit lichfieldfestival.org ternational property event. ing a welcome return The development opportunities on the for- next month. mer East-West Precinct in the city centre, and Taking place at on land next to Stoke-on-Trent Railway Sta- Harper Adams Uni- tion, were recently unveiled at the Mipim versity on Saturday 4 property show in Cannes. May, the celebration Both schemes are being highlighted to poten- of all things food and tial investors as part of Stoke-on-Trent City farming will feature interactive entertain- Council’s regeneration strategy. ment, educational exhibits & presentations, The strategy is fo- children’s activities, tasting sessions, tractor- cused on ensuring trailer rides, robot making, vintage tractors the city continues to and a farmers’ market. Peter Pan flying into raise its profile na- Commenting on the festival, Simon Pride, Stafford for Christmas tionally and interna- Director of Marketing & Communications at tionally as a leading Stafford Gatehouse Theatre will be taking its Harper Adams, said: “We’re uniting our ex- destination in which audience to the magical world of Neverland perts, alongside a wealth of food & craft pro- to live, work, study this Christmas when it presents a pantomime ducers and other exhibitors, to present a day and invest. jam-packed with activities which will not version of swashbuckling family favourite only inform our visitors but also give them a Peter Pan. fantastic free day out.” Running at the venue from 13 December to 5 Shropshire Beatlemania! January, the show is being presented by Beatlemania is set to sweep through Shrews- Prime Pantomimes, for whom producer bury this autumn when the town hosts three James Tobias said: “We’re already hard at Lichfield Festival shows days of live music, guest speakers and film work to ensure we bring this classic family screenings dedicated to the Fab Four. for 2019 announced favourite to life in spectacular fashion. Audi- The Shrewsbury Beatles Weekend takes place A concert celebrating Ivor Novello, choral ences can expect a high-energy, localised from 20 to 22 September, with top tribute music from Voces 8 and a performance by show packed with all the ingredients which band The Mersey Beatles headlining the Kathryn Tickell’s new folk supergroup, The make pantomime such an unforgettable ex- event on the final night. Darkening (pictured), all feature in Lichfield perience for the entire family.” 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Shrops_Staffs_Wolves April.qxp_Layout 1 22/03/2019 15:01 Page 2 First Word Animals are centre stage at town’s Cartoon Festival Shrewsbury’s well-established Cartoon Festival will take the theme of ‘animals’ when it makes a welcome return to the town on Saturday 27 April. The ever-popular event sees a small army of professional illus- trators producing giant car- toons in Shrewsbury Town Square. A number of cartoon workshops also take place across the day. For more information, visit shrewsburycartoonfestival.com Wacky goings-on in Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park Shrewsbury’s first soapbox derby will take place in the town’s Quarry Park next month (Saturday 26 May). Featuring 44 soapbox cars and raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support, Wacky Races has announced that the fastest gravity racer in Europe, Andy Ash, will be the scrutineer and soapbox safety expert for the event. 0 Riding out for a good cause... Summer Proms to Alexandra Burke to share lead role in Midlands Air Ambulance Char- return to National The Bodyguard in Wolverhampton ity is once again hosting its Arboretum Former X Factor star Alexandra Burke will share the role of Bike4Life Ride Out & Festival Rachel Marron with Cirque du Soleil performer Jennlee Shallow this month (Sunday 28 April). One of the biggest biker events when hit musical The Bodyguard returns to Wolverhampton in the country, the ride-out Grand Theatre this summer. starts at Meole Brace in Shrews- Based on the 1992 Oscar-nominated movie of the same name bury and follows a 23-mile route starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the show stops off to RAF Cosford, where the ac- at the Grand from 25 June to 6 July. companying family-friendly fes- Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased either by calling tival takes place. 01902 42 92 12 or visiting grandtheatre.co.uk. For more information, visit bike4lifefest.com The popular Summer Proms At The Arboretum event will be returning to Staffordshire’s National Memorial Arboretum on Saturday 3 August, com- plete with its usual line-up of traditional proms favourites... Tickets for the event start from £20 for an adult, with dis- counts available for under- 16s, families and groups. To book tickets for the show, visit thenma.org.uk whatsonlive.co.uk 5 First Word Shrops_Staffs_Wolves April.qxp_Layout 1 22/03/2019 15:01 Page 3 First Word At the double! Two iconic musicals return to Birmingham Hippodrome Tickets will this month go on sale for blockbuster musicals Mamma Mia! and We Will Rock You (pictured), both of which will be visiting Birmingham Hippodrome next year. “The arrival of these two major musical juggernauts in 2020 continues Birmingham Hippodrome’s reputation for bringing the very best in live entertainment to Midlands audiences,” said Fiona Allan, the theatre’s artistic director & chief execu- tive.