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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...
HAMLET HAIL TO THE THIEF
This ‘dynamic’ new version of Hamlet sees Shakespeare’s words illuminated by seminal Radiohead album Hail To The Thief, with the deconstructed record - reworked by the band’s frontman, Thom Yorke - performed live on stage by a cast of 20 musicians and actors.
Commenting on the unique theatrical initiative, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s co-artistic directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, said: “Hamlet Hail To The Thief is a momentous project for us. To combine the totemic talents of William Shakespeare with Radiohead and Thom Yorke into a thrilling experiential piece of theatre... is a dream. It’s an event that embodies a core strand of our work, which is to be a meeting place for the work of our in-house playwright with the most exciting artists of our time, both nationally and internationally.”
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon, Avon, until Saturday 28 June
TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
This celebration of the late, great Tina Turner visits Birmingham as part of its first-ever UK tour and tells the story of one of the brightest stars in the musical firmament.
Taking audiences on a journey from Tina’s humble beginnings in Nutbush, Tennessee, the musical was fully endorsed by the rock & roll legend prior to her death. “It’s really important to me to have the chance to share my full story,” said Tina. “This musical is not about my stardom. It is about the journey I took to get there. Each night, I want audiences to take away from the theatre that you can turn poison into medicine.”
Expect a pulse-pounding soundtrack of Tina’s iconic hits, including The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer and River Deep, Mountain High.
The show has been written by Olivier Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall (The Mountaintop) and is helmed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd, who’s best known for directing Mamma Mia!.
Birmingham Hippodrome, until Saturday 28 June
CHICAGO
Coming complete with formation dancing and a healthy supply of fishnets, Tony and Olivier Award-winning Broadway and West End hit Chicago delves into the dark underbelly of the Windy City during the Jazz Age.
Kander & Ebb’s legendary musical is based on real-life events in the Roaring 20s and centres on the character of Roxie Hart, a nightclub singer who’s arrested and imprisoned for shooting her lover. Together with her cell-block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, Roxie fights to stay off Death Row with the help of smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn...
Strictly Come Dancing favourite Janette Manrara takes a break from everything else she’s doing nowadays to play Roxy, with Darren Day making a welcome return in the role of Billy Flynn.
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, until Saturday 28 June
PETER JAMES: PICTURE YOU DEAD
Bestselling crime writer Peter James has scored major successes on stage as well as in print and on TV, with adaptations of his novels having played to appreciative audiences at venues across the UK.
This latest offering sees Detective Superintendent Roy Grace - the Brighton-based policeman who’s headed up murder investigations in a number of James’ most popular works - investigating a cold case that leads him into the secretive world of fine art... Casualty’s George Rainsford returns in the role of Grace, with Peter Ash (Coronation Street) and Fiona Wade (Emmerdale) also featuring in the cast.
The Alexandra, Birmingham, until Saturday 28 June
HAMLET
With its beguiling blend of madness, murder, mayhem, and many a famous quote, there’s little wonder Hamlet continues to be one of Shakespeare’s most frequently performed plays.
This well-reviewed version of the bard’s endlessly thought-provoking tragedy sees Benedict Shaw taking the perilous voyage into his own psyche - a journey which any actor grappling with the complexities of the title role must surely make.
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, until Saturday 5 July
YOU KNOW MY MUM
Marketed as ‘a cheeky comedy about life and death for all the family’, You Know My Mum is presented by Ego Arts and features a baby bird named Bluey and a 25-year-old woman with Down’s syndrome, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother.
While Bluey learns about fried chicken factories and joins a boot camp for birds, Alex battles Harry Potter monsters and dreams about life after death. As her wild imagination comes to life, she begins to realise that the love which she thought she had lost is actually all around her...
The Rep, Birmingham, Fri 27 & Sat 28 June
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...
Lichfield Garrick, Friday 27 June; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre,Saturday 11 October; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Saturday 25 October
SPY MOVIE: THE PLAY
Garrick audiences here get the opportunity to check out The Greatest Spy Movie (n)Ever Made! Well, that’s according to the production team behind this family-friendly homage to the James Bond franchise and fringe theatre. A big hit at Edinburgh last year, the production churns out gags at breakneck speed and is sure to delight fans of slapstick comedy. If you’ve previously enjoyed shows such as The Play That Goes Wrong and The 39 Steps, this is a theatrical experience that’s well worth catching.
Lichfield Garrick, Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June
BAT OUT OF HELL
A loose retelling of Peter Pan, this Jim Steinman/Meat Loaf extravaganza unfolds in a Manhattan of the future - one which has been turned into a desolate wasteland and is lorded over by a ruthless dictator named Falco. The evil tyrant is determined to rebuild the city by destroying disused tunnels and subways which have become residential areas for the homeless community. But a group of kids whose DNA is permanently frozen - meaning they will be 18 years of age forever - are equally determined to thwart his dastardly plans...
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Monday 30 June - Saturday 5 July; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Monday 14 - Saturday 19 July
BING'S BIRTHDAY
Bing’s Birthday’s promoters are confident that their brand-new show is a perfect ‘first theatre trip’ for pre-schoolers and their families. And why wouldn’t they be, given that the production is awash with fun, laughter, music, puppetry and dressing-up?... Based on the animated CBeebies television series, the production runs for 70 minutes, including an interval.
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 1 & Wednesday 2 July
BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT
Familiar television faces Anne Reid (Last Tango In Halifax) and Caroline Quentin (Men Behaving Badly) team up to star in a brand-new show which takes a behind-the-scenes peek into the world of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The play marks the theatre debut of novelist & screenwriter Daisy Goodwin, whose CV includes another brush with royalty in the form of hit ITV series Victoria.
Former Shakespeare’s Globe artistic director Dominic Dromgoole helms the production.
Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 July
SPOT'S BIRTHDAY PARTY
Steve the Monkey, Tom the Crocodile and Helen the Hippo are poised to party with birthday boy Spot the Dog in this theatrical adaptation of Eric Hill’s classic book, Happy Birthday Spot.
Coming complete with singing, dancing and lots of interactive party games, the show is suitable for children aged two-plus.
Lichfield Garrick, Tuesday 1 & Wednesday 2 July; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 19 July
BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF
Television viewers of a certain vintage might well remember Boys From The Blackstuff and the impact that it made.
Alan Bleasdale’s bleak, Liverpool-located, award-winning seminal drama series from 1982 followed the trials and tribulations of five out-of-work tarmac layers struggling to make ends meet in an era of high unemployment. The series made a star of actor Bernard Hill, whose portrayal of mentally disintegrating headbutter Yosser Hughes - complete with his catchphrase of “Gizza job. Go on, gizza job. I can do that” - captured the nation’s imagination...
This powerful new stage adaptation of Bleasdale’s iconic masterpiece is visiting the region direct from the National Theatre and London West End.
Theatr Clwyd, Mold, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 July
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.
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 July; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 July; Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 22 - Saturday 26 July
SCOUNDREL WITH A SWORD
Jars Of Clay take to the stage this month with a brand-new tale of action, intrigue and romance.
After years of living ‘hand to mouth’, the roguish Elphine finds herself unexpectedly welcomed into a highly regarded school of defence, where she learns not only to sword-fight but also how to deal with the amorous advances of one of her classmates...
Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Thursday 3 - Saturday 5 July
LOVE HURTS
Steve Steinman is probably best known for his much-loved Vampires Rock shows, but he’s here taking a break from cavorting with the undead in favour of rocking out to some of ‘the greatest power ballads and anthems of all time’. Featuring a veritable jukebox of mega-hits from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Whitesnake, Billy Idol, Aerosmith, Foreigner, Rainbow and Van Halen, the show sees Steve joined by a cast of singers and a seven-piece live band.
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Friday 4 July
THE SMEDS AND THE SMOOS
Another Tall Stories adaptation of a picture book by award-winning collaborators Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Smeds And The Smoos tells the intergalactic tale of a young Smed and a young Smoo who fall hopelessly in love. Problem is... the red-coloured Smeds and the blue-coloured Smoos never mix, causing Romeo & Juliet-style complications for the star-crossed lovers... Created for children aged three-plus, this theatrical presentation of Donaldson and Scheffler’s delightful space romance comes complete with a powerful but gently conveyed message about difference and tolerance.
The show was nominated for an Olivier Award last year in the Best Family Show category.
Swan Theatre, Worcester, Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 July
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Accessible language, likeable characters and a series of comic capers with an ass combine to make A Midsummer Night’s Dream one of Shakespeare’s most popular works.
Lysander and Demetrius both fancy Hermia, Helena’s sitting on the shelf, Titania and Oberon are up to no good, and Puck’s got his finger in more pies than Mr Kipling...
Not that the plot is likely to be overly important in this particular production, given the fact that it’s zany funsters Oddsocks who’re at the helm! Expect plenty of madcap mayhem and knockabout fun from this always-value-for-money ensemble.
Age recommendation 7+
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Saturday 5 July; Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Sunday 6 July; Bowring Park, Telford, Thursday 10 July; Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Friday 11 July
BIG BIG SKY
A heart-warming story about family relationships, friendship, love and loss, Tom Wells’ Big Big Sky focuses on events which unfold at Angie’s café, a venue which serves as a haven for hungry birdwatchers and tourists. As the birds begin to fly south and the team start to pack up for the end of the season, one final visitor arrives - an individual who is about to ruffle their feathers in the most life-changing of ways...
New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Saturday 5 - Thursday 24 July
MUCH ADO ABOUT FALSTAFF
One of Shakespeare’s greatest and most enduring comic creations is here returning to the stage in a brand-new show.
The famously vain, gluttonous and ale-supping Sir John Falstaff appears in three of the bard’s plays, originally as a companion to Prince Hal in Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, and then as a philandering buffoon in The Merry Wives Of Windsor...
Telling a tale that revolves around Falstaff being chased by creditors demanding payment, GSP theatre company’s new production is being advertised as ‘an evening of jollity, frivolity, a definite lack of coequality, and more Shakespearean insults than ever previously heard on a theatrical stage’. Sounds like fun.
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wednesday 9 & Thursday 10 July
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
If you’re up for an evening in the company of a kooky collection of freaks, weirdos and goofballs, then this is the show for you!
The all-grown-up-now princess of darkness, Wednesday Addams, has fallen in love with a sweet young man from a respectable family. Wednesday’s dad, Gomez, knows about the romance, but mom Morticia remains blissfully unaware of the situation. And that’s very much the way it needs to stay - at least until the dinner at which the two families will finally meet. Needless to say, not everything goes according to plan...
Offering a lightheartedly spinetingling evening of music and laughter, this latest visit to the gloomy old mansion at 0001 Cemetery Lane sees Alexandra Burke top-billing in the to-die-for role of Morticia, with Birds Of A Feather favourite Lesley Joseph appearing as Grandma.
Birmingham Hippodrome, Thursday 10 - Saturday 12 July
WAR HORSE
War Horse was described as the theatrical event of the decade when it opened in the West End in 2009, since which time it has won numerous coveted awards and continued to garner great praise. Based on Michael Morpurgo’s hugely popular 1982 novel and presented by the National Theatre, the show is best known for its life-sized horses, which are operated to astonishing effect by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company.
The story revolves around the character of a young man named Albert and his horse, Joey, who is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France at the beginning of the First World War. Joey’s subsequent adventures lead to him finding himself alone in No Man’s Land. But Albert is in no mood to give up on his beloved companion, and sets out to find him and take him home to Devon...
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Thursday 10 - Saturday 19 July
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, Thursday 10 - Sunday 27 July
SHOWSTOPPER: THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL
If ever there was a show worth seeing more than once, this is it - and not only because it’s an Olivier Award winner. Showstopper! is exactly what it says on the tin, a musical that’s improvised - meaning that no two nights are ever the same. The rotating cast of quick-witted performers take audience suggestions and then spin a brand-new comedy musical out of thin air, complete with tunes, lyrics, dances and harmonies.
It’s clever stuff, performed by clever people. And if previous audience reaction is anything to go by, you can expect to be well and truly gobsmacked.
Lichfield Garrick, Friday 11 July
SPLAT!
Of The Jackel is the theatre company behind this family-friendly physical comedy.
The show turns the spotlight on two artists, one neat, the other messy, as they attempt to cover the history of art, an endeavour that leads to chaotic consequences.
Exploring the themes of ‘collaboration, play, dedication, spontaneity and letting go’, the production ‘features no language’, is accessible for deaf audiences, and has been created with children aged between three and six in mind.
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Saturday 12 July; Lichfield Garrick, Tuesday 22 & Wednesday 23 July
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, Saturday 12 July - Saturday 30 August
THE NAG'S HEAD
After inheriting a failing pub from their father, three estranged siblings discover an unnerving painting which he'd kept hidden from them for years - and not without good reason...
A play performed at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn but set in the county’s spookiest pub, comedy-horror offering The Nag’s Head is described by its performers, the London-based Make It Beautiful theatre company, as ‘an ode to the great British pub culture, to things that go bump in the night, and to Shropshire’.
The play features original music and ‘real paranormal accounts’.
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wednesday 16 - Friday 18 July
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, Wednesday 16 July - Saturday 23 August
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!”
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 20 July; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Wednesday 23 July; Malvern Theatre, Wednesday 30 July
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?...
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Sunday 20 July; Malvern Theatres, Saturday 25 October; Lichfield Garrick, Wednesday 29 October
RUDE SCIENCE
As science shows go, BBC Gastronaut Stefan Gates is pretty darned certain that his Rude Science production is the most revolting in the whole wide world. And he could well be right, given that it involves enormous bottoms, pee-powered fireworks, fabulous fart machines and vast whoopee cushions! Science stunts and spectacular experiments abound in a show that promises to be both entertaining and educational.
Suitable for children aged five and older.
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Monday 21 July
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, Tuesday 22 - Saturday 26 July
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.
Lichfield Garrick, Wed 23 July; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sun 31 August; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 20 & Sun 21 September
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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