There’s never a dull month when it comes to theatre in the Midlands. Check out our selection of shows coming to venues across the region during the next few weeks...

​GHOST STORIES

After a couple of years spent giving London West End theatre-goers the heebie jeebies, Ghost Stories is After a couple of years spent giving London West End theatre-goers the heebie jeebies, Ghost Stories is this month spooking audiences in the Midlands! 

The brainchild of Andy Nyman - co-creator of Derren Brown’s television and stage productions - and The League Of Gentlemen’s Jeremy Dyson, the show focuses on the character of Professor Goodman, a ‘man of reason’ who’s determined to debunk the paranormal. But when he embarks on an investigation into three apparent hauntings, as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child, the professor finds himself at the outer limits of rationality - and fast running out of plausible explanations for what he’s experiencing... Clive Mantle, Eddie Loodmer-Elliot, David Cardy and Dan Tetsall, star.

Malvern Theatres, until Saturday 26 July

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THE LAST LAUGH

“I’ve written a play that imagines Eric Morecambe, Tommy Cooper and Bob Monkhouse sitting in a dressing room discussing life, death, comedy, and what it means to be funny,” explains Paul Hendy, the one-time television presenter who’s not only written The Last Laugh but is also producing and directing it. “Anybody who likes comedy and has an interest in the history of comedy - or, to be honest, just wants a good laugh - will enjoy this show, because ultimately it explores what it means to be funny, even if you don’t know these actual comedians. Last year at Edinburgh, we had a lot of comedians come to see it, and they responded so positively because it was all so relevant to them.” 

The Alexandra, Birmingham, until Saturday 26 July 

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4:48 PSYCHOSIS

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is teaming up with the Royal Court Theatre to present 4.48 Psychosis, the final play written by Sarah Kane before she committed suicide in 1999 at the age of 28.
Plunging the audience into the mind of an unnamed protagonist grappling with severe depression, the play reunites the original cast, which included Daniel Evans, who is now co-artistic director of the RSC.

The final performance has been scheduled to take place at 4.48am on the morning of Sunday 27 July. It will be followed by a post-show discussion with the cast and creative team over breakfast. 

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sunday 27 July

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MARY POPPINS

Everybody’s favourite magical nanny is opening her umbrella and flying back into the Midlands!

PL Travers’ popular fictional character has been a global superstar since Julie Andrews brought her to life in Walt Disney’s hugely successful 1964 movie. Not surprisingly, the success of the film led to a stage version - albeit some 40 years later - and Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s award-winning musical has been doing great business in theatres across the world ever since.

Acclaimed Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert, having both received critical acclaim and nightly standing ovations for their performances in the recent Australian production.

The show’s timeless score includes the songs Jolly Holiday, Step In Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and Feed The Birds. New songs and additional music & lyrics are provided by the Olivier Award-winning British team of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

Birmingham Hippodrome, until Saturday 23 August

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THE WINTER'S TALE

One of Shakespeare's last plays - and featuring perhaps the quirkiest ever stage direction of 'exit, pursued by a bear'! - The Winter's Tale recounts the tragic story of the jealous King Leontes, whose unfounded belief that his wife, Hermione, has been unfaithful leads to a series of disastrous actions... 

Director Yaël Farber makes her RSC debut, having recently helmed acclaimed productions of King Lear and an Olivier-nominated Macbeth for the Almeida Theatre.
“The Winter’s Tale is a beautiful and strange beast,” says Yaël, “a mystery to be solved; a fusion of gritty tragedy and leaps of faith for both the characters and the audience. 
“We are in such a stark and brutal time in the world - and this story plunges us into the shadows of human nature from the start. The journey then expands into a space of miracles and wonder.
“I am drawn to stories that explore the shadows - but I am most interested right now in the possibility of redemption. A redemption that is earned.”

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon, Avon, untl Saturday 30 August

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THE KOALA WHO COULD

Here’s a fascinating fact about Claudia Winkleman that many of her admirers may not know: she’s in love with Kevin the Koala from Rachel Bright & Jim Field’s award-winning picture book The Koala Who Could. 
And given that she’s waxed lyrical about the much-loved bestseller, which was published back in 2016, the Strictly Come Dancing and Traitors presenter would surely also adore this acclaimed stage adaptation! 
The 55-minute, interval-free show is suitable for kids aged two-plus and features plenty of catchy songs to get your youngsters up and dancing.  

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thursday 24 - Saturday 26 July

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HOT MESS

“The climate crisis is such an overwhelming issue, and talking about it can often feel really paralysing,” say Jack Godfrey and Ellie Coote, the team behind Hot Mess, which this month shows in the Patrick Studio prior to heading north to the Edinburgh Fringe. “We wanted to create a musical that reminds us of the urgency of this issue, but in a way that is also entertaining, relatable, and sometimes ridiculous. 

“Hot Mess is really a romcom about Earth and Humanity - an unlikely romance between an entire species and an entire planet - who have spent 200,000 years just trying to make their relationship work. We hope audiences will fall in love with these characters and want to root for them, even in their darkest moments.”
The show has been produced by Birmingham Hippodrome’s in-house New Musical Theatre Department. 

Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thursday 24 & Friday 25 July

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MILKSHAKE! LIVE ON HOLIDAY

The Milkshake! pals are heading off on holiday - and Midlands-based families are invited to join them for a fun-packed new adventure...
If you’ve watched the TV series and/or been to a previous live production, you’ll already know what to expect from a Milkshake! show. If not, get ready for an event that promises lots of laughter, bucketloads of family fun, bags of audience participation and plenty of singing and dancing... 

Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 29 July

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TOM GATES EPIC STAGE SHOW

This brand-new show pays loving tribute to author & illustrator Liz Pichon’s award-winning Tom Gates stories. Liz’s series of books about the character have been translated into 47 languages, selling more than four million copies worldwide.

“I wanted to fill the books with all the things I loved doing when I was a kid,” says Liz. “It's just the best feeling ever to know that children are enjoying reading the books, because I love making them. So thank you so much for choosing Tom Gates, and keep reading and doodling!” 

Malvern Theatre, Wednesday 30 July 

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IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE

If your little ones are big fans of the much-loved CBeebies television series, they’re certain to adore this live version as well.

And it’s not only the kids who’re in love with the stage shows. According to audience surveys and parents' reviews, nine out of 10 adults consider In The Night Garden Live to be a five-star theatrical experience. 
The show lasts for 60 interval-free minutes, sees Igglepiggle looking for his friends in the Night Garden (by following their funny sounds), and features a very special visit from ‘the amazing flying Pinky Ponk’.

The Rep, Birmingham, Saturday 2 - Wednesday 6 August

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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Elegant Georgian settings and wonderful comic characters abound in this stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s famous romantic novel. 

The foolish and marriage-obsessed Mrs Bennet is relentless in her pursuit of suitable men for her five daughters to marry. But her increasingly desperate quest generates all manner of muddle and mayhem in the process... 

This oft-performed story is here presented by Illyria Theatre. The company - which has garnered an enviable reputation for producing high-quality theatrical fare for performance in the great outdoors - is touring four shows this summer. 

Hanbury Hall, Droitwich, Saturday 2 August; Upton House and Gardens, Saturday 9 August; Moseley Old Hall, Nr Wolverhampton, Friday 29 August

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THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

Little known but lots of fun, The Two Gentlemen Of Verona is one of Shakespeare’s very earliest comedies. It is here being presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company in a version lasting just 80 minutes - a fact which makes it an ideal introduction to the bard for younger members of the family. 

The plot centres on the subject of male friendship and betrayal, as lifelong friends Proteus and Valentine fall out over Silvia, the Duke of Milan’s strong-willed daughter. Expect plenty of Elizabethan-style humour, as lovers chase through the woods and Shakespeare’s much-loved device of mistaken identity complicates matters further. 

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Monday 4 - Sunday 31 August

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BE MORE CHILL - THE MUSICAL

Sci-fi musical Be More Chill boasts an impressive online following of faithful fans and has enjoyed outings both in the West End and on Broadway. 

The show’s storyline follows the fortunes of high-school student and social outcast Jeremy Heere, who’s desperate not only to become popular with his peer group but also impress the girl of his dreams. 
The answer to his problems seems to be the ‘SQUIP’ - a supercomputer pill that tells its user what to do and say. But after swallowing the ‘medication’, Jeremy finds out that trying to be someone you’re not can come at a significant cost... 

The show is based on the same-named 2004 novel by Ned Vizzini, a much-heralded young writer who died by suicide at the age of 32. 

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wednesday 6 - Sunday 31 August

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THE KOALA WHO COULD

Here’s a fascinating fact about Claudia Winkleman that many of her admirers may not know: she’s in love with Kevin the Koala from Rachel Bright & Jim Field’s award-winning picture book The Koala Who Could. 

And given that she’s waxed lyrical about the much-loved bestseller, which was published back in 2016, the Strictly Come Dancing and Traitors presenter would surely also adore this acclaimed stage adaptation! 

The 55-minute, interval-free show is suitable for kids aged two-plus and features plenty of catchy songs to get your youngsters up and dancing.  

The Rep, Birmingham, Thursday 7 & Friday 8 August

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THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

Mistresses Page and Ford believe it’s high time the fat knight Sir John Falstaff was taught a lesson. After all, the big fella’s been courting them both, claiming that each is his one and only true love and caring not a jot that they’re both married! 

A tale of buck-baskets, frolicsome fairies and men dressed as women, this is Shakespeare at his comic best. Expect your sides to be as near to splitting as they’re ever likely to be when engaging with the works of Stratford’s most famous son. Presented by much-loved outdoor-theatre specialists Illyria.

Dudmaston Hall, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, Thursday 7 August; Winterbourne Gardens, Birmingham, Saturday 9 August; Hanbury Hall, Droitwich, Worcestershire, Saturday 30 August

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HMS PINAFORE

Illyria Theatre here gets to grips with Gilbert & Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore, a comic opera in two acts that marked the pair’s fourth collaboration and proved to be their first major success. 

A classic tale of forbidden love across different social classes, the production comes complete with sharp dialogue, catchy tunes, and some seriously slapstick humour.

Bowring District Park, Wellington, Shropshire, Saturday 9 August; Hanbury Hall, Droitwich, Saturday 23 August

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THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Multi-award-nominated Immersion Theatre bring their trademark style and energy to this stage adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s much-loved riverside tale. 

A firm family favourite, Grahame’s classic story ably demonstrates the way in which one life can command the full attention of three others! Mole, Badger and Ratty simply don’t have time for any of their own interests - they’re way too busy having to look after their reckless and irrepressible friend, Toad...  

Shrewsbury Castle, Thursday 14 August

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CHOPPED LIVER & UNIONS

If you’ve never heard of Sara Wesker, you’re not alone - but her largely forgotten story is a truly remarkable one. 

Born in 1901, the tiny yet larger-than-life Sara - the aunt of acclaimed playwright Sir Arnold Wesker - became a real trailblazer in the trade union movement, leading ‘the singing strikers of 1928’, battling fascists at Cable Street, and helping to shape the radical politics of her age. 

Paying loving tribute to her, this one-woman Blue Fire Theatre Company production is visiting Ludlow having played to sold-out audiences ‘from New York to Edinburgh’.  

Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Thursday 14 August; Courtyard Theatre, Hereford, Wednesday 8 October

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BIN RAT

Live music, physical comedy, puppetry, visual storytelling and oodles of silliness. Welcome to the wonderful world of The Last Baguette, a Wiltshire-based theatre company who major in exploring important issues of the day via entertaining, accessible and eccentric work. The zany funsters’ latest show sees them inviting audiences to join them on a rummage through the rubble with Bin Rat, to discover where all the junk goes. 

Described as a fun, feral and family show, the pay-what-you-choose production runs for 50 minutes and is suitable for all ages.

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Wednesday 20 August 

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TIMON OF ATHENS

This new Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) production provides a rare opportunity to check out one of the bard’s least-performed plays. A dark satire questioning whether anything can be considered of true value in a world of unfettered greed, the play was likely written by Shakespeare in collaboration with Thomas Middleton. This latest production is being presented by the RSC’s highly rated Next Generation Act Young Company.

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Wednesday 20 & Thursday 21 August

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THE BOY WITH WINGS

Sir Lenny Henry’s well-received children’s book, about one boy’s interstellar efforts to save the galaxy, is here adapted for the stage. The story’s main protagonist is 12-year-old Tunde, a boy whose life takes numerous unexpected turns when he sprouts giant wings and discovers that his dad is a powerful alien warrior...  

The Rep, Birmingham, Thursday 21 - Saturday 30 August

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CAPTAIN CAULIFLOWER AND MARVIN THE MISCHIEVOUS MOOSE

With the autumn school term looming on the all-too-near horizon, your youngsters may need cheering up. If so, there’s every chance that this 50-minute theatrical offering will put them back in a resoundingly happy space. Promising ‘extreme silliness and unquestionable danger’, the show sees Captain Cauliflower and his ever-faithful moose engage in an ‘unforgettable adventure’ that takes them up into outer space and deep down under the ocean. But can the intrepid pair get the better of their evil arch nemesis, the oh-so-odorous Onion Man?...  

Presented by award-winning ‘masters of the absurd’ Mad Etiquette.

Smethwick Library, Wednesday 27 August

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THE SIGNALMAN

Charles Dickens’ famous short story tells the tale of a Victorian-age signalman who’s haunted by visions of impending disaster on his isolated stretch of line.  

This latest stage adaptation is presented by Middle Ground Theatre Company, who are kickstarting an autumn tour of the show with this late-summer run in Malvern.

Malvern Theatres, Wednesday 27 - Saturday 30 August

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A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE

If you’ve previously checked out and loved other stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s books - think of, for instance, The Gruffalo, Stick Man and Room On The Broom - why not give A Squash And A Squeeze a go? 

A Little Angel Theatre and Lowry collaboration - telling the tale of a little old lady and a flappy, scratchy, greedy, noisy crowd of farmyard animals - the show has been created with children aged between three and eight in mind. 

Beautiful puppets and enchanting songs are very much the order of the day.

Brierley Hill Civic, Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 August; Malvern Theatres, Sunday 31 August & Monday 1 September

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BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

Seen by tens of millions of people across the globe, Buddy is an enormously enduring and touchingly affectionate portrayal of one of rock & roll’s earliest and brightest stars. Charting the singer’s meteoric rise to fame and fortune, and following his career through to his very last performance, the show features timeless Buddy classics such as That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, Rave On and Everyday...  

Birmingham Hippodrome, Wednesday 27 - Saturday 30 August; Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 9 - Saturday 13 September; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Friday 19 - Saturday 20 September; Lichfield Garrick, Monday 2 - Saturday 7 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Monday 23 - Tuesday 24 March

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INSPECTOR MORSE: HOUSE OF GHOSTS

Author Colin Dexter’s crossword-solving, ale-supping, classical music-loving Oxford detective is back in business, this time on stage. 

On the back of a series of well-received novels, Morse became a household name in the 1980s and 90s courtesy of actor John Thaw, who played him in 33 feature-length television episodes. Spin-off shows Lewis and Endeavour followed in the 21st century - and now the cerebral sleuth is making a welcome return in the form of Strictly Come Dancing’s Tom Chambers. 

This brand-new stage adaptation, based on an original story, finds Morse investigating the on-stage death of a young actress, and in the process uncovering a connection to sinister events in his own dim and distant past. 

The Rep, Birmingham, Thursday 28 August - Sunday 14 September

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CHOREOMANIA

Medieval-influenced singing and contemporary electronic dance music combine in this movement-led performance by British Youth Music Theatre. 

The show’s story unfolds in 16th-century Strasbourg, a town living on the edge, having recently been through multiple plagues and famines. Religion dominates, but the church cannot solve the muddling mystery of the townspeople who just can’t stop dancing...

Birmingham Hippodrome, Friday 29 - Sunday 31 August

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FAIRLIGHT

In the ‘unusual subjects for a musical’ stakes, Fairlight is riding high, examining, as it does, the subject of queer invisibility in the world of tennis.

The production intertwines its numerous songs with accounts of Victorian prosecutions of gay men, demonstrations of the rules of lawn tennis, and interviews with current LGBT+ tennis professionals.

Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society, Birmingham, Saturday 30 August

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DINOSAURS LIVE

Dinosaurs are once again roaming the region this year, thanks to this interactive show for all the family to enjoy. 

Presented by the Natural History Museum in association with Mark Thompson Productions, Dinosaurs Live! provides youngsters with the chance to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures on a fun- and fact-filled journey through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. 

The show is suitable for children aged three-plus. 

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sun 31 August; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 20 & Sun 21 September

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NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM: DINOSAURS LIVE!

Dinosaurs are once again roaming the region this year, thanks to this interactive show for all the family to enjoy. 

Presented by the Natural History Museum in association with Mark Thompson Productions, Dinosaurs Live! provides youngsters with the chance to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. 

Taking audiences on a fun- and fact-filled journey, the show is suitable for children aged three-plus.

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sunday 31 August; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 September; Albany Theatre, Coventry, Saturday 27 September

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CALAMITY JANE

Calamity Jane, telling the story of the Wild West’s most notorious female outlaw, is best known from its 1953 film version, starring Doris Day and Howard Keel. In common with the movie, the stage show boasts comedy, drama, dance and music, with its playlist including such much-loved numbers as The Deadwood Stage, Black Hills Of Dakota, Windy City and Secret Love.   

“The show is so wholesome,” says West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher, who takes the title role. “It’s such a wonderful, nostalgic story. People are going to come and be immersed in the world of Deadwood City, be transported away for a while and not have to think about the state of the world right now. 

“Calamity Jane is a really fun, feelgood time, and I think our audiences will be leaving the theatre slapping their thighs and singing. That’s what we hope, anyway!”

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 9 - Sat 13 September

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CIRQUE DE CELINE

Circus meets melody in this gravity-defying show, in which acrobats and aerialists dance to the rhythm of Celine Dion’s biggest hits - including The Power Of Love, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now and My Heart Will Go On.

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Saturday 20 September  

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THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’ - The Rocky Horror Show is returning to the region! 

Richard O Brien’s cult production tells the tale of the straight-laced Brad and the deliciously corruptible Janet, who arrive at the castle of the alien transvestite Frank N Furter and witness the birth of the monster, Rocky. 

Along the way, they take the audience through a selection of love-’em-or-loathe-’em musical numbers, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and The Time Warp. Great fun’s a guarantee - particularly if you get into the spirit of things and attend the show dressed in your very best stockings & suspenders (as many patrons do)!

Motherland star Jackie Clune - she played school receptionist Irene Lamb in the hit BBC TV comedy series - takes on the role of the Narrator at the Regent.

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Monday 22 - Saturday 27 September 

 

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​THE HAUNTING OF BLAINE MANOR

When Doctor Roy Earle, a renowned American parapsychologist famous for discrediting hauntings and exposing fake mediums, accepts an invitation to attend a seance at ‘the most haunted building in England’ - the Blaine Manor of the title - he finds himself, along with his companions for the evening, temporarily cut off from the outside world by a raging storm... And as every lover of the ghost story/horror genre very well knows, where there’s a raging storm and a haunted house, there are also, inevitably, things that go bump in the night...

An award-winning love letter to both the Golden Age of Hollywood and the era of Hammer Horror movies here in the UK, The Haunting Of Blaine Manor is described by its publicity as the new Woman In Black - only scarier...

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre,Saturday 11 October; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Saturday 25 October

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THE FAMILY MAGIC SHOW

Those unfamiliar with The Great Baldini are advised to imagine an amalgamation of arch Bond villain Ernst Blofeld and legendary magician/comedian Tommy Cooper.

The self-proclaimed - presumably with his tongue firmly in his cheek - ‘emperor of illusion, prince of prestidigitation and maharajah of mystery’ is stopping off in the region this month to tell the story of his partnership with his faithful companion, Baldwin The Magical Dog...

Bristol-based Baldini comes complete with a host of five-star reviews and is a firm family favourite, so be sure to check him out before he disappears in the proverbial puff of smoke...

Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Saturday 25 October

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THE DINOSAUR THAT POOPED: A ROCK SHOW

Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter are promising their brand-new production will come complete with new songs, a lot of laughs and (not surprisingly given the show’s title) a whole load of poo! 

Based on Tom and Dougie’s bestselling children’s books, The Dinosaur That Pooped follows Danny and Dino as they try to get hold of the last two tickets to their favourite rock band’s last-ever concert. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan... Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day?...

Malvern Theatres, Saturday 25 October; Lichfield Garrick, Wednesday 29 October  

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​THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

This much-loved story from the pen of CS Lewis is rightly regarded as an all-time classic of children’s literature. It sees the lion-god Aslan coming to the aid of four youngsters who’ve accidentally stumbled into his mystical world of Narnia...

Visiting Birmingham this month having last stopped off in the city at The Rep for the Christmas 2023/24 season, the show features ‘magical storytelling, bewitching stagecraft and incredible puppets’.

“We have this epic stage and fantastic imagery,” says the production’s director, Michael Fentiman, “but there’s not a lot of literal depiction of location of the show. Instead, we’re asking the audience to take a leap with us. We work with an illusionist to try and do things that seem impossible. So the way we use magic and lighting and shift-of-focus achieves the possible from the seemingly impossible.”

The show’s Midlands stop-offs come as part of a UK-wide tour to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the novel’s publication.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 28 October - Saturday 1 November

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MURDER SHE DIDN'T WRITE

Improvised shows are seemingly all the rage nowadays - and this one has certainly got plenty to recommend it... 

First and foremost, it was a multiple-sell-out hit at the Edinburgh Fringe... 
Secondly, it’s presented by a critically acclaimed company - Degrees Of Error - who are past masters of the improv genre...

Thirdly, the show is a real hoot. An Agatha Christie-inspired whodunnit, it features a classic murder-mystery which is created ‘on the spot’. Audience members are then encouraged to don their deerstalkers (if they’ve brought them along), grab a magnifying glass and make sure their ‘finger of suspicion’ is ‘at the ready’... The show runs for two hours, including an interval.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Wednesday 5 November

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