Birmingham Cover January 2019.qxp_Birmingham Cover 14/12/2018 11:20 Page 1 MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE Your FREE essential entertainment guide for the Midlands RETURNS TO THE HIPPODROME BIRMINGHAM WHAT’S ON JANUARY 2019 JANUARY ON WHAT’S BIRMINGHAM Birmingham ISSUE 397 JANUARY 2019 ’ WhatFILM I COMEDY I THEATRE I GIGS I VISUAL ARTS I EVENTSs I FOOD Onbirminghamwhatson.co.uk PART OF WHAT’S ON MEDIA GROUP GROUP MEDIA ON WHAT’S OF PART inside: Yourthe 16-pagelist week by week listings guide THE SNOWMAN Raymond Briggs’ classic is back at The REP TWITTER: @WHATSONBRUM TWITTER: @WHATSONBRUM SAM AVERY contemplates the perils of parenting at the Old Rep... FACEBOOK: @WHATSONBIRMINGHAM FACEBOOK: STRICTLY COME DANCING LIVE! waltzes back into Brum BIRMINGHAMWHATSON.CO.UK BMAG Women Power F/P Nov 2018.qxp_Layout 1 19/10/2018 10:02 Page 1 Contents January Birmingham.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 17:02 Page 2 January 2019 Contents Swanning around - Matthew Bourne’s masterpiece gets a new lease of life... page 32 Ella Mai Sam Avery Arrows Of Time the list rising R&B star to play city’s talks about the perils of being a tribute to Dr Who on show at Your 16-page O2 Institute hapless learner-parent Thinktank Science Museum week-by-week listings guide page 13 page 24 page 49 page 51 inside: 4. First Word 10. Food 13. Music 24. Comedy 26. Theatre 37. Film 42. Visual Arts 49. Events @whatsonbrum fb.com/whatsonbirmingham @whatsonmediagroup Birmingham What’s On Magazine Birmingham What’s On Magazine What’s On Media Group 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 Sue Jones [email protected] 01743 281705 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 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 January .qxp_Layout 1 14/12/2018 14:37 Page 1 Entertainment news from around the region Elmhurst launches its own ballet company A centre of excellence which works in association with Birmingham Royal Bal- let will next month present an evening of dance to launch its own ballet com- pany. Elmhurst Ballet School’s new company will perform at its studio theatre in Edg- baston on Friday 8 & Saturday 9, pre- senting a show called Origins that will include a range of excerpts from works by leading classical and contemporary dance-makers. Commenting on the development, Elmhurst Ballet School Principal Jessica Wheeler said: “The new company will enhance the student experience with performances in a variety of locations. Students will gain a greater sense of working and touring in a professional company whilst learning and perform- ing a diverse range of choreography.” Route revealed for Vélo days. Led by professional artist tutors, the New chair appointed at courses include both one-day creative learn- Midlands cycle event ing experiences and ‘creative camps’ lasting Birmingham Hippodrome between two and five days. For more informa- tion, visit macbirmingham.co.uk Ben Elton hits the road with new comedy tour Blackadder and Upstart Crow writer Ben Birmingham Hippodrome has named archi- Elton is this year making a long-overdue re- tect Glenn Howells - a Trustee of the theatre turn to the world of stand-up comedy, head- since 2012 - as its new Chair. ing out on an autumn tour that sees him Glenn’s design-led architectural practice has visiting various Midlands venues. been influential in shaping Birmingham’s re- Commenting on the news, Ben said: "The last generation over the last three decades, hav- Full details of the Vélo Birmingham & Mid- time I toured, I was still smarter than my ing undertaken projects in Brindleyplace, lands closed-road cycle route have been re- phone. Things have definitely taken a funny Digbeth and the Jewellery Quarter. leased. turn.” To find out where he’s appearing in Commenting on his new role, Glenn said: One of Europe’s biggest cycling events, Vélo the region and to book tickets for the show, “Our vision for the Hippodrome is to build on Birmingham & Midlands (formerly Vélo Birm- visit Ticketmaster.co.uk its huge successes, to widen our artistic pro- ingham) returns on Sunday 12 May. gramme and to connect to the largest possi- The brand new and improved route will take ble audiences. We will do this through new 17,000 riders of all abilities on a 100-mile partnerships and investment in our Hippo- journey through the West Midlands. To check drome Projects - new artists and program- out the route, visit velobirmingham.com ming, expanded education and community programmes, bigger community festivals, and the development of our Southside cam- Holiday fun for kids at pus. “As Chamberlain realised in the 19th century, Midlands Arts Centre you can’t make a great city from commerce Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre will be and industry alone. To be truly great, a city running a number of kids’ courses during needs culture and soul, and that’s what we both February half term and the Easter holi- want to deliver.” 4 whatsonlive.co.uk First Word Birmingham January .qxp_Layout 1 14/12/2018 14:37 Page 2 First Word Tickets on sale for 2019 Brum Tattoo Britain’s biggest indoor inter- national tattoo returns to Arena Birmingham on Satur- day 23 and Sunday 24 Novem- ber. Featuring more than 1,200 performers, the Birmingham International Tattoo brings to- gether national and interna- tional marching bands and boasts a grand finale of spec- tacular pomp and pageantry. Tickets for the event are now on sale at theticketfactory.com. Smash-hit Queen musical rocking its way back to Brum Smash-hit West End musical We Will Rock You is returning to Birmingham Hippodrome in 2020 as part of a reimagined tour. Written by Ben Elton and inspired by the music of Queen, the show features the band’s most famous hits, including Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, We Are The Champions, I Want To Break Free, Don’t Stop Me Now, and of course the title track itself. We Will Rock You stops off in Birmingham from 20 April to 2 May 2020. For more information, visit birminghamhippodrome.com Burt Bacharach to play Mostly Jazz Funk & Soul Birmingham kids The 2019 edition of Birmingham’s Mostly Jazz go back in time... Funk & Soul festival will be brought to a close A group of local children will by the legendary Burt Bacharach. sample a taste of fame when The award-winning composer, whose hits in- they appear in a new BBC TV clude Alfie, I Say A Little Prayer, I'll Never Fall series to be aired this month. In Love Again and Walk On By, will perform at Back In Time For School will the three-day Moseley Park event on Sunday 14 feature 15 teenagers from July. Tickets for the festival can now be pur- Birmingham and the sur- chased at mostlyjazz.co.uk rounding area. Together with three teachers, the youngsters will be fast-forwarded through Greatest Showman star Hugh to 100 years of education, in the stop off in the Midlands region process exploring what schools taught and the way Academy Award-nominated Hugh Jackman will this they taught it. spring visit the Midlands as part of his first world tour. The programme airs on BBC His new production - The Man. The Music. The Show. - Two on 3 January at 8pm. will see the Wolverine actor accompanied by a live or- chestra as he performs hit songs from two of his films, The Greatest Showman and Les Miserables, and a se- lection of other much-loved numbers from Hollywood movies and Broadway favourites. Jackman performs at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena (formerly Genting Arena) on Monday 27 & Tues- day 28 May. For more information, visit resortsworldarena.co.uk whatsonlive.co.uk 5 First Word Birmingham January .qxp_Layout 1 14/12/2018 14:37 Page 3 First Word Movie magic at Nostalgia show The Alexandra celebration Birmingham’s Alexandra The- Popular Midlands nostalgia atre is hosting a week-long film show Go And Play Up Your Own festival this month. End is celebrating its 20th an- Highlights include quote-along niversary. and dress-up screenings of To mark the occasion, cast ’90s classic Clueless, the iconic members from across the years Spiceworld movie and the ever- are this month appearing in a popular Mean Girls. The concert version of the produc- screenings are free to attend tion. and take place at the Alex from Blending comedy, variety, Monday 14 to Sunday 20 music, theatre and dance, the January.