Birmingham What's On February 2026

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Editorial: Lauren Foster lauren@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281707 : Brian O’Faolain brian@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281701 : Abi Whitehouse abi@whatsonlive.co.uk : Jessica Clixby jessica@whatsonlive.co.uk Subscriptions: subscriptions@whatsonlive.co.uk 01743 281714

Contributors: Graham Bostock, Diane Parkes, Patsy Moss, Steve Adams, Sue Hull, Reggie White, Sue Jones, Chris Eldon Lee

Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Louise Hunter louise@21stcd.com 01743 281717

Birmingham What’s On

News from around the region

More acts announced for Shrewsbury Folk Festival

A performance by a three-time Grammy Award winner, and the UK premiere of an exclusive new Celtic music & dance show, will feature among the attractions at this year’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival. Singer-songwriter & guitarist Lucinda Williams (pictured) will top the bill on the festival’s Severn stage on Sunday 30 August. The four-day event will also host the debut UK performance of Talisk x Gardiner Brothers: Unleashed. The show unites the Scottish musicians with dancers led by fivetime world champions and former Riverdance leads, Michael and Matthew Gardiner.

To find out more about the festival and book tickets, visit shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk

The Flying Scotsman in Birmingham for half term

World-famous steam locomotive The Flying Scotsman is visiting Birmingham this halfterm holiday and will be operating five one-hour trips a day from Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 February. To find out more about the visit and check ticket availability, go to the website at vintagetrains.co.uk

B:Music’s spring season offering a ‘dynamic mix’

B:Music, the Birmingham music charity behind city venues Symphony Hall and Town Hall, has announced its Spring 2026 programme, ‘showcasing a dynamic mix of comedy, live music, dance and spoken word’. Highlights include: ‘the UK’s most talkedabout courtroom experience’, Murder Trial Tonight 4: Death Of A Landlord; Alex James’ Britpop Classical; performances by Imelda May and Suzi Quatro; and Julia Donaldson’s hit Edinburgh Fringe show, The Gruffalo, The Witch & The Warthog.

To check out the full programme and book tickets, visit the website at bmusic.co.uk

Indiana Jones film ‘live in concert’ at Symphony Hall

Birmingham’s Symphony Hall will this summer host a special screening of the 1981 film Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark, complete with a live performance of John Williams’ Grammy Award-winning score. To find out more about the Thursday 4 June event and to book your ticket, visit the website at bmusic.co.uk

Women & Girls In STEM Day marked at Thinktank

Birmingham’s Thinktank is marking Women And Girls In STEM Day on Saturday 7 February by presenting a host of creative activities designed to celebrate the impact of women on science, technology, engineering and maths... Highlights include kitchenscience presentations, STEM storytime events, planetarium shows and female scientists doing ‘science on stilts’.

To find out more about the event, check out birminghammuseums.org.uk

Birmingham venue to host athletics championships

The Novuna UK Athletics Outdoor Championships are returning to the Alexander Stadium this summer.

One of the most important dates in the domestic athletics calendar, the championships take place at the Birmingham venue on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 June.

The Undercover Detective comes to The Alexandra

Peter Bleksley - a founding member of Scotland Yard’s undercover unit and former

star of Channel Four’s Hunted - will be lifting the lid on some of the most dangerous and hidden aspects of murder investigations when he visits Birmingham theatre The Alexandra this month.

Peter’s The Makings Of A Murderer: The Undercover Detective shows at the venue on Monday 23 February. For more information and to book tickets, visit atgtickets.com

Expansion sees brewing company flying high...

The Indian Brewery Company has expanded into Birmingham Airport, partnering with TRGC, a leading UK travel hub hospitality operator. Commenting on the news, the company’s CEO, Jaspal Purewal, said: “We are super-excited to be opening in Birmingham Airport, creating more jobs and helping shine a light on the city. As a proud Brummie, I believe Indian Brewery BHX will be an amazing location, offering our locally brewed beers and incredible food to all passengers.”

A Side Dish of food and laughter

A new pop-up event series which aims to pair ‘great food and surprise comedy’ is coming to Birmingham in the first week of the month. Taking place from Monday 2 to Thursday 5 February, Side Dish ‘transforms local restaurants, pizzerias and casual dining venues into warm, social nights out, where a curated menu is paired with a surprise comedy moment woven into the evening’... The event will be raising funds for Anawim, a Birmingham charity working with women who face poverty, abuse and homelessness. For further information and to book, visit yuup.co/side-dish

Steps’ Faye Tozer joins Mean Girls

The touring version of awardwinning musical Mean Girls is heading for the Midlands. The hit show - featuring Steps star Faye Tozer until Augustwill make stop-offs at Stoke-onTrent’s Regent Theatre (Monday 30 March - Saturday 4 April) and Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre (Tuesday 23 - Saturday 27 June). It will then return to the region for the Christmas season, showing at The Alexandra in Birmingham from Monday 14 December to Saturday 2 January. To find out more and book tickets, visit meangirlsmusical.com

Picture perfect...

If visual storytelling is your thing, then get a date in your diary for next month’s Photography & Video Show at Birmingham’s NEC (Saturday 14 - Tuesday 17 March).

A must for anyone passionate about photography, video or content creation, the four-day event showcases the latest camera kit and accessorieswith more than 250 top brands featured - and offers bags of inspiration.

An immersive creator playground, inspiring galleries, a line-up of top speakers, the Photo Live stage, and sessions for beginners and professionals alike further add to the show’s appeal. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit photographyshow.com

Live Aid musical heading to the Midlands in Summer 2027

Hit West End production Just For One Day - The Live Aid Musical is heading out on a major UK & Ireland tour in 2027, including a summertime stop-off at Birmingham theatre The Alexandra from Tuesday 22 June to Saturday 3 July. The show tells the behind-the-scenes story of Live Aid, the global music event staged on 13 July 1985 and broadcast to an estimated

Valentine’s Night Beatlemania!

Beatles lovers are in for a Valentine’s Night treat when tribute band The Fab 4 commemorate the 63rd anniversary of John, Paul, George & Ringo’s first-ever gig in Birmingham, which took place at King's Heath’s Ritz Ballroom on 15 February 1963. The celebratory event takes place on the night of the 14th at King’s Heath Cricket & Social Club. To book your place, visit wegottickets.com

audience of 1.5 billion people worldwide. Songs by a host of legendary artists are featured in the production, including Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Madonna, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Diana Ross.

For further information and to book tickets, visit the website at atgtickets.com

Cannon Hill Park charity walk set to ‘shine a light on blood cancer’

A charity walk in Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park will aim to ‘shine a light on blood cancer’ at the end of next month. Organised by Blood Cancer UK and taking place on Saturday 28 March, Walk Of Light will feature a choice of two routes, one measuring 2.5km, the other 5km. Both are accessible for wheelchairs... To find out more and sign up to participate, visit the website at bloodcancer.org.uk

Othello coming to a cinema near you...

A critically acclaimed theatrical version of Shakespeare’s Othellostarring David Harewood, Toby Jones and Caitlin FitzGerald - will be screened in cinemas across the West Midlands region next month (from Wednesday 4 March).

The play was filmed at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London. To find out at which cinemas it’s showing, and when, visit the website at OthelloInCinemas.com

First Word

Applications now open for BCU scholarships

Millennium Point Trust has opened applications for a 2026 scholarship, inviting ambitious West Midlands students to apply for a fully funded undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University.

To find out more about the scholarship, visit millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

It’s all about guitar & bass at Solihull music show

The Guitar Show and its companion event, The Bass Show, are heading back to Cranmore Park in Solihull on Saturday 28 February & Sunday 1 March.

Publicised as ‘a jam-packed event

celebrating all things guitar and bass’, the shows provide visitors with the chance to ‘explore the latest gear, watch live performances, and attend workshops to improve your skills’. Tickets are available via the website at eventbrite.co.uk

Graduate ballet company to present double bill

Elmhurst Ballet Company - the graduate performance company of Birmingham’s Elmhurst Ballet School - will present a mixed bill of dance at the Edgbaston-located Elmhurst Studio Theatre on Friday 6 & Saturday 7 March. Titled Odyssey, the show ‘invites audiences on a journey through stories old and new, celebrating each dancer’s progression from student to artist’. To find out more and book tickets, visit the website at elmhurstballetschool.org

News from around the region

Howzat! Women’s cricket competition at Edgbaston

The largest-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup kicks off in mid-June, with the opening match - England versus Sri Lanka - taking place at Birmingham’s Edgbaston Stadium

Three for the price of one as craft shows return

The Creative Craft Show, Sewing For Pleasure and Fashion And Embroidery return to

Birmingham’s NEC from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 March. The 2026 editions of the shows will feature hands-on workshops, rare craft demonstrations, and ‘first-time appearances from exciting new makers’. For further information and to book tickets, visit the website at creativecraftshow.co.uk

Exploring oceans with Sir David Attenborough

Birmingham’s Symphony Hall is next month hosting a screening of award-winning documentary Ocean With David Attenborough - with the film’s original music score being performed live by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The event takes place at the citycentre venue on Sunday 1 March. For further information and to book tickets, visit the website at oceanconcert.live

on the 12th of the month. Cricket fans can book their tickets for the game - and two others also taking place at the venue - by visiting tickets.womens.t20worldcup.com

From meditative stillness to rhythmic intensity...

Birmingham’s CBSO Auditorium is hosting an evening of Indian classical music on Friday 13 February.

Taking the title The Soul Of Music: Rhythm & Beat - A Tribute To The Legends, the show features a programme ‘that journeys from meditative stillness to exhilarating rhythmic intensity’. For further information and to book tickets, visit allaboutthemusichub.org

MAC needs your chairs!

Birmingham’s Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) is inviting members of the general public to submit a pre-loved chair to The Final Bid - a unique installation by artist Michael Pinsky which is opening at the venue this summer. Chairs need to be submitted by Sunday 1 March. Visit macbirmingham.co.uk to find out more about how to do so.

Local author to discuss debut novel in Solihull

Solihull-based author Anna Byk will be marking International Women’s Day by discussing her debut novel, It’s Never Really Over, at Solihull Library on Saturday 7 March. The free-to-attend event will include a Q&A session, as well as the opportunity to purchase signed copies of the novel directly from Anna.

ALL THAT JAZZ

The inaugural Eastside Jazz Festival makes its debut at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire this month (Thursday 12 & Friday 13 February), presenting performances in the venue’s foyers, purpose-built jazz club and concert halls. A showcase of the city’s creative jazz scene, the festival brings together esteemed musicians and innovative performers, grassroots promoters and exciting local and student musicians. ‘Roaming’ tickets provide access to each day’s events - including performances by the four internationally acclaimed headline acts featured below, all of whom will be taking to the stage in the venue’s atmospheric Eastside Jazz Club...

CHRIS POTTER WITH THE PABLO HELD TRIO

Thursday 12 February, 8pm - 9.30pm

German pianist Pablo Held (pictured) and his acclaimed trio are celebrating two decades of jazz, joining forces with American master saxophonist Chris Potter for a European tour. They stop off in Birmingham to cause a stir on Eastside Jazz Festival’s opening night. It’s not the first time Chris has made music at the Conservatoire - he worked with a large ensemble of students back in 2012, creating a jazz suite which was subsequently performed at Cheltenham Jazz Festival.

OLIE BRICE QUARTET

Friday 13 February, 6pm - 7.30pm

Double bassist Olie Brice is here joined for a night of forward-thinking music featuring Alexander Hawkins on piano, Rachel Musson on tenor sax and Will Glaser on drums... Offering a combination of formal structure and free improvisation, the quartet brings to life Olie’s own compositions, which are presented in balance with his interactive free -playing. The result is an engaging and impressively original contemporary jazz performance.

AURUM TRIO

Friday 13 February, 5pm - 6pm

Already well established on the UK jazz scene, Bristol-born pianist Rebecca Nash (pictured) is now beginning to make a splash internationally with her distinctive and heartfelt sound.

The evening’s gig features the newly formed Aurum Trio, promising to combine Rebecca’s ethereal melodies and densely saturated harmonies with warm tones provided by Henrik Jensen on bass and the punk-spirited drumming of Dave Smith.

BBC BIG BAND

Friday 13 February, 8pm - 10pm

One of the world’s most versatile jazz orchestras, the BBC Big Band, under the musical direction of Barry Forgie, continues to delight audiences across the globe with its radio broadcasts.

Boasting a star-studded list of previous collaborators - Robert Palmer, Van Morrison, Amy Winehouse and Ray Charles, to name but a fewthe orchestra’s pedigree is undisputed. Their Eastside Jazz Club gig is the perfect way to close this inaugural festival.

Live music from across the city...

Badly Drawn Boy

The Jam House, Birmingham, Wed 25 February

Damon Gough’s debut album, The Hour Of Bewilderbeast, announced him as a star in the making, winning him the Mercury Music Prize in the year 2000. Twelve months later, he penned the score for the Hugh Grant movie About A Boy, and then quickly followed up with two further albums: Have You Fed The Fish? and One Plus One Is One.

Touring solo for much of the time since those heady early-career days, he’s recorded only one album in the last 13 years but retains a solid fanbase and an admirable ability to be his raw and honest self when on stage.

Raye

bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham, Mon 23 & Tues 24 February

Last year was a truly fabulous one for Rachel Keen, better known, of course, as Raye. Highlights included an appearance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, an impressive performance of Adele’s big Bond number, Skyfall, at the Oscars, and chart-busting success with the spectacularly catchy single Where Is My Husband!.

And the award-winning singer-songwriter & record producer is certainly hitting the ground running in 2026, stopping off in Birmingham for two nights as part of a fourmonth-long world tour. Support for both gigs comes courtesy of her talented younger sisters, Absolutely and Amma.

The co-frontman of supergroup The Last Shadow Puppets - alongside Arctic Monkeys’ Alex Turner - guitar star Miles Kane is widely admired for his energetic performances and blistering live shows. He appears in Birmingham this month in

Elkie Brooks

Birmingham Town Hall, Sat 7 February

With an impressive 60-plus years in the music industry behind her and 20 albums under her belt, Elkie Brooks quite rightly continues to hold the title of British Queen of Blues. She’s back in Birmingham this month with her ongoing Long Farewell tour, presenting a gig that will feature all of her greatest hits, including Pearl’s A Singer, Fool (If You Think It’s Over), Don’t Cry Out Loud and Sunshine After The Rain.

Mermaid Chunky

Hare & Hounds, Birmingham, Thurs 19 February

Audio visual Gloucestershire duo Mermaid Chunky - comprising Freya Tate and Moina Moin - are forging a career for themselves in a truly unique way. Drawing on their shared and splendidly bizarre sense of humour, they create genre-crossing and frequently mindbending sounds which are primarily designed to celebrate their friendship and make them happy (other people enjoying their music is very much viewed as a bonus!).

To further stand out from the crowd, they dress in homemade costumes, create soundscapes using everyday objects, and describe themselves when on stage as bathing in milkmaid serenity and improvised chaos. Expect a memorable experience.

support of sixth studio album Sunlight In The Shadows, a 12-track offering of psycheinfused rock & roll that’s brimful with hooks and beautifully layered with lush, screeching guitars... Miles will be joined on the night by special guests Villanelle.

Fatboy Slim

O2 Academy, Birmingham, Fri 6 & Sat 7 February

The one-time bassist for indie rock band The Housemartins, Quentin Leo Cook - aka Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim - is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most creative DJs. Adopting the Fatboy Slim moniker in 1996, Cook scored a massive hit with Better Living Through Chemistry. Follow-up albums You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby and Halfway Between The Gutter And The Stars played their part in achieving mainstream popularity for the big beat genre. Norman visits Birmingham early this month with his Acid Ballroom tour.

By Diane Parkes

MYTHICAL MAGIC

Dance Consortium’s MÁM - a dizzying gateway between modern dance and the ancient heartbeat of Ireland - is taking to the road this month, stopping off at Birmingham Hippodrome as part of a debut UK tour. What’s On recently caught up with the show’s creator, choreographer & dancer, Michael Keegan-Dolan, to find out more...

When choreographer & dancer Michael Keegan-Dolan was creating his production MÁM, he turned to the music and landscape of his native Ireland for inspiration: “I was born in Ireland in 1969. There was a lot going on politically and economically. I think much of the work I make comes from where and how I was formed.

“I perceive the world through that history, our native language, the landscape and our musical tradition - and MÁM is very linked to that. When I made the piece in 2019, it was an expression of my relationship to many of these things - from land to history to folklore to mythology to music to religion to spirituality.”

Having moved to Irish-speaking West Kerry in the year he created the work, Michael says the spirit of Ireland is inescapable in the land and its people.

“The foundations of the making of the piece were my moving to the West Kerry Gaeltacht,” he recalls. “When I stand in my garden in West Kerry, I can see Skellig Michael, the iconic island, a UNESCO site, kind of floating in the distance in the Atlantic ocean. And we grow some of our own food here, in that ancient West Kerry soil - so when we eat our carrots, broccoli or cabbage, we are kind of imbibing Kerry!

“When I go to the supermarket and talk to the people there, they might speak with a particular rhythm and they might make a joke about something West Kerry. When you speak in the Irish language, your brain is functioning in an entirely other way. So it’s a powerful place to reevaluate who you are, in an ancient landscape where people have been living for a long time. It has endured conquest and famine and war, but people are still hereliving, breathing, talking, making music and celebrating life.”

Musicality is an integral part of MÁM. The show features the music of Irish traditional concertina player Cormac Begley and European music collective Stargaze, performing live on stage alongside 11 dancers and a young girl.

“My relationship to the traditional music in MÁM is through the lens of Cormac, through the ancestry and connections that Cormac has. Then my aspiration was to put around his sound a European classical/contemporary sound. It could be from any time - they play some Telemann, 17th-century German music, in the show also, so there’s a European tradition around an Irish tradition in conversation.

“Through that, we made a piece that feels direct, immediate and visceral; poetic and imaginative.”

Michael was artistic director of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre between 1997 and 2015. He then founded Teaċ Daṁsa in 2016. The company features dancers from across the globe performing works strongly grounded in Ireland’s heritage. The company’s first production, Swan Lake/Loch na hEala, in 2016 combined dance, storytelling and live music in a new interpretation of the classic ballet.

This was followed by MÁM, which was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production when it performed to sellout audiences at London’s Sadlers Wells in 2020. MÁM has toured to venues in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, North and South America and Taiwan. Michael says audiences everywhere have responded to it well: “MÁM creates an experience for the dancers dancing it, connecting, releasing and breathing in these rhythmical ways. And there’s this lovely collective truth about MÁM - it was made collectively and is performed collectively, and

I think that’s a beautiful thing to behold.”

The show’s Birmingham Hippodrome stop-off this month forms part of a nine-venue tour presented by Dance Consortium, a group of 24 large-scale venues aiming to bring the best contemporary dance from across the world to local audiences in the UK and Ireland. And Michael says each audience member will have their own unique response to the production:

“An important aspect of dance is how it can connect you to your being, to reality. It kind of forces you into life. I’ve made work built around stories like Swan Lake, and they are exciting... but ultimately, what we probably need most as a species just now is to switch our brains off a bit more and to allow ourselves to feel a bit more. That’s what I’m working on with the dances I’m making.

“It’s challenging sometimes because audience expectation has been conditioned over time. We go, we sit, we get impressed, we think there is something to ‘get’, and if we haven’t ‘got’ it, then it hasn’t been a good experience. But I think we also need to work a little bit more to empower audiences [by encouraging an understanding] that whatever you take is valid. It’s yours. If what you feel is really strange and nothing like the person next to you, that’s really exciting for me. And to own that, and to feel empowered by your own imagination and your own perception of reality, I’m all for that.”

Dance Consortium’s MÁM shows at Birmingham Hippodrome on Friday 6 & Saturday 7 February

Classical music from across the city...

Czech Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 12 February

Boasting an impressively distinctive soundand with a history stretching back more than 70 years - the Janacek Philharmonic is nowadays making some serious waves on the international music scene.

This month’s Birmingham stop-off sees the orchestra presenting a programme which begins with two excerpts from Janáček’s opera The Cunning Little Vixen. It also

Ex Cathedra: The Sun King’s Favourite

Birmingham Town Hall, Sun 15 February

"This is a rare opportunity to hear live such

extraordinarily lavish and sensational music,” explains Ex Cathedra’s founder, Jeffrey Skidmore, in talking about the ensemble’s Town Hall concert this monthan event marking the 300th anniversary of the death of Michel-Richard de Lalande.

“He was one of [the Sun King] Louis XIV’s favourite composers,” continues Jeffrey, “particularly of sacred music... [His] De Profundis clamavi was performed at the Sun King’s funeral in 1715, and at the first Concert Spirituel, performed in the palace of the Tuileries Gardens in 1725.”

Alongside De Profundis, Ex Cathedra will also perform Lalande’s La grande pièce royale and Cantate Domino.

Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto grosso Op6 no8 completes the afternoon’s programme.

features Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, performed by the supremely talented Jennifer Pike (pictured).

The concert concludes with Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony, a work which is also being performed (just three days later, in fact) by the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra (see the preview featured elsewhere on this page).

CBSO: Haydn’s Nelson Mass

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thurs 19 February

Joseph Haydn’s Nelson Mass was one of six masses written near the end of his life. The work is reflective of a period of terrible turmoil for Austria, during which the country was under serious threat from Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. However, around the time of the mass’ firstever performance - in mid-September 1798news filtered through that Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson’s British fleet had defeated the French Emperor at the Battle of the Nile. The mass’ triumphant conclusion seemed like a perfect musical celebration of Bonaparte’s defeat, a fact which saw the composition become forever linked with Nelson and his game-changing victory... Alongside the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the work, this mid-month Symphony Hall concert also features Beethoven’s third piano concerto.

CBSO: Korngold & Prokofiev

Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wed 25 February

This late-month City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra concert features three musical responses to world events. The programme commences with Iman Habibi’s Zhiân, a work composed as a reaction to state brutality in Iran.

The 10-minute piece is followed by Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto, written in 1945. Korngold had vowed to compose only film music until the Nazis were defeated, so the concerto was written in response to the end of the Second World War.

The concert’s final work is Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony, premiered in 1945. An optimistic composition, it was interpreted by many as a symbol of victory in the war.

Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Sun 15 February

One of the Midlands’ best known and most admired non-professional orchestras, the Birmingham Phil here perform Elgar’s Falstaff before taking on the challenge of Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony.

The composition was written following the death of Joseph Stalin, during whose time as Russian leader Shostakovich had been forbidden to write any music which featured Western influences. The 10th Symphony is viewed as the work in which the composer first made moves to free himself from the creative shackles which Stalin had imposed upon him.

Kadiatu and Mariatu Kanneh-Mason

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Wed 18 February

The Birmingham-based Misfits Music Institute is the arts organisation behind this special event, which sees Dr Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason and freelance clarinettist Anton Clarke-Butler reflecting on the challenges of creating art as Black musicians.

The evening includes a performance by 16-year-old cellist & pianist Mariatu Kanneh-Mason, the youngest of Kadiatu’s seven musically gifted children.

A TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT

Fawlty Towers madness live on stage...

By Steve Adams

A new stage version of classic TV sitcom Fawlty Towers comes to the region this month following a sellout run in London’s West End. Actor Danny Bayne says he’s revelling in the role of hapless hotelier Basil Fawlty… even when the character’s legendary creator, John Cleese, is in the audience...

Set in a dysfunctional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay - and apparently inspired by a real-life hotel visited by the cast of Monty Python - Fawlty Towers is regularly cited as one of the UK’s greatest-ever TV sitcoms. The series ran for just 12 episodes between 1975 and 1979, and now three of that dozen have been adapted and combined - by original co-writer John Cleese, no less - to create a stage show; one that proved to be an instant hit when it opened in the West End in May 2024.

The level of interest saw the show’s run extended multiple times, with every performance sold out. After a couple of months off, the cast have now embarked on a seven-month tour.

Danny Bayne - best known for roles in musicals including Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Hairspray and Only Fools And Horsesis the actor who plays madcap hotelier Basil Fawlty, the role made famous by Cleese. Taking the production around the UK is, he says, a big deal for him - not least because he knows how expensive travelling to see a show in the capital can be: “I’m from southeast London, I’m not from a theatre background, and I’m not from money. The first time I saw a show wasn’t in London. Even though we were only 12 miles away, we didn’t have the dough to go there [he briefly slips into a ‘sarf Landahn’ accent at this point]. Instead, I went to Dartford or Bromley to see a show. So being able to take a production to the provinces is quite special for me. We can make it way more costeffective for the viewer by bringing it to you. You can go to your local theatre and see the same cast as the West End.”

That cast also includes old-stager Paul Nicholas (still best known for 1980s TV comedy Just Good Friends) as the Major, Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton as Polly, Mia Austen as Sybil and Hemi Yeroham as Manuel, alongside a 12-strong ensemble playing an array of mostly familiar characters.

Cleese himself was involved in the casting process - “sorting the very, very, very good from the merely very, very good,” he said at the time. Danny initially played a minor role before taking over as the lead last year. He then found himself performing in front of the original Basil.

“I started off as a character called Mr Walt and first cover for Basil. John Cleese came to

see the show when I was on for Basil, which was brilliant. It was very nerve-wracking for maybe the first 30 seconds, until I heard him laugh, because he has a very distinctive laugh [imitates Cleese’s Muttley-like cackle]. I heard him in the box, it settled me right down, and I ended up having a lovely time.

“It was very nice having the respect of the person who wrote it and starred in it originally, and he said some lovely things.”

Those lovely things included Cleese, now aged 85, even taking to X/Twitter to proclaim Danny ‘a funnier Basil than me’.

“Even if he doesn’t mean it, it’s the nicest thing anyone could possibly have said, and it really did make me feel marvellous. It just gives you that boost of confidence that you’re doing the right things and paying homage to something that deserves respect.”

Danny was subsequently cast as Basil for the show’s final three months in the West End and this year’s tour. But as much as he loves the role, he admits it can be hugely tiring.

“If you see the show, it’s a lot of talking [for me] - almost constantly for an hour and 45 minutes - and having a mild mental breakdown for an hour and 45 minutes, too!

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done parts that are massive. Tony Manero (Saturday Night Fever) was a big, big job, but the words have been broken up by dancing and singing and all sorts of stuff, while this is machine-gun farce - it’s very quick.

“The reason I took the job in the first place is because it scares and terrifies me - and when something terrifies me, it makes me want to do it. I want to prove to myself that I can do it, and then serve the audience - there’s nothing better than making people laugh.”

The laughs come from Cleese’s amalgamation of classic (weren’t they all?) episodesCommunication Problems (“the one with Mrs Richards, the deaf lady”), The Hotel Inspectors (“full of farcical madness”) and The Germans (“the one that everyone’s waiting for”).

Danny says fans won’t see the join: “It’s not like they’re stuck on the end of each other. They’re interwoven into something you’d completely recognise, with all the classic lines. It’s complete insanity.”

There are elements from other episodes, tooincluding Basil The Rat - making the show something of a ‘greatest hits’ experience for

people familiar with the original series. And that includes Danny, who despite being born long after it originally aired, claims to have seen every episode “20 or 30 times”, courtesy of his father being a huge comedy fan.

The play obviously attracts plenty of people just like Bayne senior, but while Danny says the majority of audience members are aged “late 30s and up”, many also bring their children. He especially enjoys performing to kids.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world when you’re running around like a crazy man on stage and you’ve got some eight-year-old giggling at you because you’re being a fool.

“My comedy heroes are people like John Cleese - obviously - Jim Carrey and Robin Williams; all physical geniuses that I look up to and take things from. I laughed at them when I was a kid, even if I didn’t understand what they were saying - the physicality is what was funny. So the kids might not laugh at the words, but they’ll laugh at you being silly, which is kind of magic.”

Indeed, words are the one element that has come in for criticism from some quarters, as some of the series’ content hasn’t dated well. And Cleese recently stating that “wokeness has a disastrous impact on comedy,” hasn’t helped matters any.

That said, Fawlty Towers’ more dubious dialogue was clearly designed to be ridiculed - as were the characters delivering it - and Danny says the stage version follows the same template: “Everyone’s aware of what they’re watching. When the Major says something inappropriate, you’re pointing out certain generations and their prejudicesthat’s what we’re poking fun at. I’ve spoken to many people after the show - fans, people who weren’t fans - and at no point has anyone been offended.

“At the end of the day we’re just trying to make people laugh and provide a couple of hours of joy every night.”

Fawlty Towers shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 21 February; the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Tuesday 24 to Saturday 28 February and The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 March.

Comedy previews from across the region...

Cally Beaton

The Rep, Birmingham, Fri 13 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 21 February; Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Wed 20 May

Comedian Sally Phillips is among Cally Beaton’s many and varied admirers.

“She spins tales like Aisling Bea,” says Bridget Jones star Sally, “has the hair and strength of Pippi Longstocking, and the punk edge of Debbie Harry. Do I want a Cally Beaton rebrand? Hell yeah!”

Cally is visiting the Midlands with Namaste Motherf*ckers, a show described by its publicity as ‘a quick-witted, unexpected and unapologetic insight into life in midlife’.

Ria Lina

The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire, Sat 14 February

The state of the world, the eternal battle of the sexesand the delight of throwing life up in the air after years of following the rulesare among the subjects that comedian and forensic scientist Ria Lina puts under her microscope in current touring show Riabellion.

Her jokes include: “I wanted to do a show about feminism, but my husband wouldn’t let me.”

Desiree Burch

The Glee Club, Birmingham, Thurs 12 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 13 February

The menopause may not be the most novel of subjects around which to build a stand-up show, but Desiree Burch is aiming to make it seem like it is, courtesy of a winning blend of ‘childlike wonder and crone-like wit’.

Her show, titled The Golden Wrath, proved a big hit with Edinburgh Fringe audiences last summer.

Bridget Christie

Birmingham Town Hall, Fri 13 February; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 14 February

Christie’s star is most definitely in the ascendant, in part due to her hugely successful menopause-themed comedy drama The Change, which enjoyed excellent ratings when its second series was screened on Channel Four last spring.

With a loyal and ever-expanding fan

Hannah East

Walsall Arena & Arts Centre, Fri 20 February; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Sat 3 October; Glee Club, Birmingham, Thurs 15 October; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Fri 16 October; Kings Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sun 15 November

Brand-new skits, more wigs, celebrity sendups and laugh-out-loud moments are promised by Hannah East when she visits the Midlands this month with her latest comedy offering, in which she takes a deep dive into the highs and lows of parenting.

Hannah splits her professional life between stand-up and presenting.

“After graduating, I competed on the TV show Gladiators,” explains Hannah. “During the semi-final stage, I was waiting for a scene to be filmed with [ex-footballer] Ian Wright when

following, and a number of successful standup tours under her belt, she visits the region this month with Jacket Potato Pizza, the official publicity for which reads: ‘A kidney stone. A stray cat. An eye-themed fetish. Bridget Christie hits the road again with a brand-new show’.

he told me to read Caroline Flack’s autocue. After doing this, he gave me some advice - I should go into presenting. The rest, as they say, is history!”

Ladies Of Laughter

Birmingham Hippodrome, Sat 7 February

Championing female comics who appeal to comedy lovers of all backgrounds is the name of the game whenever Ladies Of Laughter takes to the stage.

This latest edition of the show features sets from five top-quality funny-women: Maureen Younger, Ola Labib, Esther Manito, Samira Bank and Shalaka Kurup.

The show’s line-up has been known to change at the last minute, but whoever turns up, an evening of high-quality comedy is pretty much a guarantee.

BABY DOOMER

Sam Nicoresti visits the Midlands with award-winning comedy show

By

Harborne-born trans comic Sam Nicoresti came to prominence by winning the prestigious Leicester Square Theatre New Comedian of the Year award in 2021. Numerous nominations and awards have followed, including the Best Comedy Show gong for his Edinburgh Fringe 2025 offering, Baby Doomera revamped version of which he’s touring to the Midlands this very month. What’s On recently caught up with Sam to find out more...

One of the biggest comedy shows at Edinburgh's 2025 Fringe, Sam Nicoresti's Baby Doomer was highly praised for its charm, gag rate and relatability. But, off stage, Sam paid a price for the extended soldout run: “I completely lost my voice! I wasn't speaking outside of the shows. I would come on stage, do an hour, and then I’d go back to a monkish existence. I'd shut myself away, drink Chinese cough syrup and make myself a Lemsip.

"I was doing it all by the end of the run - the vaporiser, hot showers, Lemsip, cough syrup, old wives' tales, hacks off the internet ... I was pouring all kinds of gloop down my throat."

Thankfully, the gloop paid off, as Sam deservedly scooped the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Comedy Show - although by the time the ceremony came around, a rejuvenating rest would probably have been preferable to a surge of media attention!

What’s more, despite the guaranteed rush of photographers and journos, award organisers provide no make-up assistance to ensure winners look their best.

“You work so hard all month, you have to really give it everything you've got, and then, at the end of it all, when you're limping across the finish line, the national press come and take your photo, and they're probably going to be the photos that most people see of you ... and you've never looked worse!

“You really are flying solo up there. I'm glad I had a little team around me who were able to provide a bit of blush on the day, straighten my shirt and so on. But it was horrible!”

Previous winners of the coveted Best Comedy Show award - the trophy now takes pride of place on Sam’s mantelpiece, next to a beloved cat’s cremated ashes - include Frank Skinner, Steve Coogan, Al Murray, Bridget Christie and Tim Key. Sam is delighted to have joined them: “It feels very nice …”

Originally from the Birmingham suburb of Harborne, though now residing in London,

Sam acquired a taste for performing in front of a live audience when still a teenager, participating in productions mounted by Birmingham-based youth theatre company Stage2.

Mastering stage craft was no walk in the park, but one particular comedic exchange in Oscar Wilde's The Importance Of Being Earnest proved to be a real turning point: “To be honest, I was just a bad actor, but I knew I was good at getting laughs. I think people were probably often laughing at how bad I was, but it's that classic thing of there just being something inside you that makes you an attention seeker; not good enough to get the tears, but sort of strange enough to get the laughs of sympathy. And that probably started something in me.”

There were occasional tentative public appearances in the West Midlands, but Sam embraced comedy more enthusiastically after moving to Sheffield for university, making waves first with award-winning sketch trio Staple/Face, then as one half of Sam & Tom. Aside from a 2018/19 solo show inspired by UFOs and a relative - Uncle Victor - Sam was “really having a lot of fun with Sam & Tom!”

But Covid lockdowns forced a reassessment:

“It's just the isolation. It's much harder to keep projects going with other people. And also, I was looking around at my life and came to a point where, all of a sudden, it just seemed obvious that it wasn't really going as well as I'd convinced myself it was.

“Part of that is the [comedy] industry - it's really hard to make a career out of being a double-act because you're obviously splitting everything two ways. Also, no one's really booking shows like that, it's harder to get on the club circuit, and it's not really clear what the progression to television is.”

Making the decision to go solo, Sam developed a new show inspired by identity politics and cancel culture. Originally called Cancel Anti Wokeflake Snow Culture, but soon truncated to simply Wokeflake, it became both a cult live success, and - once the show dropped on YouTube - a viral hit,

despite staging challenges: “The show really took it out of me because it was so technically complicated - you needed two laptops, a projector, 15 HDMI cables all chained together. And travelling that around small pub-theatre rooms, watching local promoters desperately trying to get a projector working five minutes before doors opened, just made me feel like, for the next one, I should just do a standup show.”

And so the more standup-centric Baby Doomer began to take shape - a show that tapped into the queer experience, building on Wokeflake’s themes.

"It was an interesting challenge because I hadn't really seen myself as much of a standup comedian before the pandemic, although I've always loved it and like watching it. I started to feel a bit more like giving it a proper go, and I just wanted to challenge myself to write a standup show.

"It ended up having all kinds of bells and whistles on top, but at its core, it’s fundamentally a standup hour - which was different for me, but that was the challenge that I wanted to set.”

Thanks to the Comedy Award, Baby Doomer is now enjoying an extended life, with more dates throughout the year (and TV offers as well). Its success has allowed Sam to become a full-time comic, albeit with understandable concerns about how everything will pan out in the future: “Now that I'm full time, I'm struggling to figure out what the hell you're supposed to do with your days. It feels a bit more like you do have to pay rent with the jokes now. I'm not really sure what the longevity of that is - but this year at least, I am a full-time comedian!”

Sam Nicoresti plays Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 20 February and Centrala Arts Centre, Birmingham, on Saturday 21 February

Comedy previews from across the region...

Al Murray

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sat 28 February; Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sat 16 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Sun 7 June; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 1 October

“I love being a pub landlord,” says Al Murray. “It’s a truly great calling. You’re there to soothe troubled souls, pour balm on troubled waters, make people’s important moments in their lives extra special, and provide a range of snacks. What’s not to like?”

Al is on tour this year with brand-new show All You Need Is Guv.

Richard Blackwood

The Glee Club, Birmingham, Sun 1 February; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sat 28 February

Richard Blackwood’s comedic style has been described as an amalgam of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock, combined with a healthy dose of Afro Caribbean and South London humour. Jokes include: “A little boy went up to his father and asked: ‘Dad, where did all of my intelligence come from?’ The father replied: ‘Well, son, you must have gotten it from your mother, coz I still have mine.’”

Sally-Anne Haywood

Stourbridge Town Hall, Thurs 12 February

If you’re a Sarah Millican, Russell Howard, Russell Kane, Hal Cruttenden or Suzi Ruffell fan and have attended some of their shows, there’s every chance that, prior to the main event, you will have had your laughter muscles nicely lubricated for you by Sally-Anne Hayward.

A real comedian’s comedian, Sally-Anne’s ever-so-nice persona conceals a caustic wit, a cutting cynicism and a generally bitchier side that serves her well as she takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the world around her.

Her latest stand-up offering features ‘tales of juggling lovers, dodging societal expectations and thriving without kids’.

Omid Djalili

Wolverhampton,

A fella who’s been referred to as ‘the thinking person’s Iranian comedian’, Omid Djalili is probably one of the most subversive comics currently doing the rounds on the UK comedy circuit.

“I’ve been breaking away from the Middle Eastern pigeonhole that you people [journalists] have unfairly put me in,” says Omid, who’s visiting the Midlands this month

Sam Nicoresti

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 20 February; Centrala Arts Centre, Birmingham, Sat 21 February

Birmingham-born trans comedian Sam Nicoresti visits the region this month with a revamped version of breakout show Baby Doomer. Described by Sam’s official publicity as ‘a glistening diamond hour of stand-up’ (its running time has been extended to 105 minutes, including an interval, for this tour), the show made a massive impact in Edinburgh last summer. It then received a similarly positive audience reaction during three weeks of sold-out performances at London’s Soho Theatre in the autumn. Sam’s chosen subjects for the show include love, insanity, and the hunt for the perfect skirt suit...

with latest stand-up show Namaste. “I’m a citizen of the world, and I will not be defined by cultural stereotypes. I have a specific viewpoint, which many call ‘Djalili-esque’, and I think my material reflects that now. Would you like a carpet? Visit my website. I also sell fried chicken, mayonnaise, motorcycle insurance and viagra, very fine price.”

Alasdair Beckett-King

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 21 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 8 March; Glee Club, Birmingham, Wed 25 March

When, as a stand-up comedian, you find that no less a laughter merchant than Stewart Lee is hailing you a five-star example of ‘clockwork comedy perfection’, it’s reasonable to assume that you must be doing plenty right. And Alasdair Beckett-King most definitely is. Stewart’s glowing recommendation is no stand-alone tribute either, with critics and audience members alike routinely praising the self-described hedge-wizard and cat burglar...

Alasdair - who also refers to himself as England’s most Scottish-looking man - visits the Midlands this month with latest show King Of Crumbs.

CHEEK TO CHEEK

Phillip Attmore and Amara Okereke face the music in classic comedy Top Hat

By Jessica Clixby

Classic musical rom-com Top Hat visits Birmingham Hippodrome next month as part of a national tour. The production boasts dazzling Art Deco design, choreography worthy of the great Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers - who starred in the original film version - and definitive Irving Berlin hits.

Tapping away in the lead roles are Phillip Attmore, who plays Jerry Travers, and Amara Okereke, as Dale Tremont. What’s On sat down with Phillip and Amara to find out more about the show…

Originally a film, now a stage show, Top Hat, as its name suggests, oozes the glamour of 1930s showbiz - a lighthearted romantic comedy which speeds from Broadway stage to luxe London hotel, and from the haute couture catwalk to the canals of Venice.

The 1935 movie, featuring music & lyrics by Irving Berlin, was adapted into an Olivier Award-winning musical in 2011. Following a Chichester Festival Theatre revival last year, the stage show has now embarked on a national tour, with Phillip Attmore playing tap dancer Jerry Travers and Amara Okereke taking the part of model Dale Tremont. The lead roles of Jerry and Dale were originated on screen 91 years ago by two Hollywood legends, who left behind them some very large tap shoes to fill...

“I think you recognise the honour that it is to pay homage to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers,” says Phillip. “But it’s not a biopicwe’re not playing Fred and Ginger; we’re playing Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont. It’s an invitation to pay due respect, as well as an opportunity to shine, getting to sing and dance to some of the greatest music ever written. I don’t feel any pressure. That’s what training does - when you step into roles like these, you’ve done everything, you’ve done all the work, so now’s the time to shine.”

“I think Fred and Ginger established their own iconic aura,” adds Amara. “It doesn’t even feel like we’re attempting to fill those shoes. It just feels like we’re carrying on the legacy - it’s more of an honour than anything else.”

This is Amara’s first national tour, but she’s well-versed in the world of musical theatre and feels particularly at home on the set of Top Hat.

“It’s a very new experience, but I’ve been doing musical theatre for almost a decade now - which is terrifying to say out loud! My natural inclination has always been towards the classic musicals. I’m a big fan of the Golden Age era of Hollywood movie musicals, and I’ve always wanted to emulate those kinds of performers. I’ve done a lot of older musicals - My Fair Lady, Oklahoma. My first job was Les Miserables, playing Cosette.

It’s been thrilling. I think I’ve been very, very lucky with the kind of opportunities that have come my way.”

The show’s plot sees Broadway star Jerry Travers chasing further fame in the UKmirroring California-born Phillip’s own journey across the pond: “This is my first time leading a show in the UK, which is a great honour, and it’s a case of life, imitating art, imitating life! I’m excited. There are so many full-circle moments for me being a part of this show. On Broadway, they have the Astaire Award, which is known now as the Chita Award, named after actor Chita Rivera. I’m a three-time winner of the Astaire Award, and so getting to play this role, at a time in my life when I wasn’t looking for it, is a huge honour, a great surprise and a big gift.

“My wife’s from the UK. It’s the first time that we’ve ever come over with our two little ones, and the first time in seven years that we’ve been here. They’re based in Liverpool. My five-year-old is going to school right now.”

“We’re hoping they develop a scouse accent!” Amara adds with a laugh.

Phillip is reprising the role of Jerry after last year’s revival, while Amara was brought into the production for the national tour. Chatting backstage, the rapport between the pair is obvious, a fact which has made it all the easier to recreate that chemistry on stage, according to Amara: “We have very similar passions, I think, when it comes to this show.

The first time I saw it, Lucy St Louis - a fantastic actress - was playing Dale in Chichester. Phillip and I were chatting away about all of our favourite performers and dancers from that era, and we just got each other. And I think we both love this in a similar way. The playfulness is very real on stage.”

The story has everything required for a true romantic comedy, from mistaken identity, to a bickering beta-couple and farcical disguises. Jerry and Dale even have a ‘meetcute’ moment, where their relationship begins - Jerry is practising a tap routine, to the consternation of Dale, who is trying to sleep in the hotel room below.

Alongside hit numbers such as Let’s Face The

Music And Dance and Puttin’ On The Ritz, the show also boasts clever set and luxurious costume design, both of which add to the production’s sense of Hollywood glamour.

“The movie is black & white,” says Amara. “We honour the costume design and the design of the movie, but we really bring it into colour. We get to enjoy the brightness and add to the joy - add a new layer of joy to the beautiful design that already exists. There are still aspects of the film’s design, thoughwe still have a beautiful feather dress that I’m very, very lucky to wear. For my character personally, she’s a model. She wears original designs by Alberto Beddini, so they’re quite ‘out there’. They’re stunning and beautiful and flashy. It’s a very artsy era.”

Phillip is equally effusive in his praise for the look of the show: “Peter McKintosh, who designed the costumes and the sets, has done a beautiful job of marrying the two, brilliantly fusing them together.”

Top Hat is positively awash with iconic songs and brilliant dance routines - but which numbers do Phillip and Amara most enjoy performing each night when they, er, ‘face the music and dance’?

“I think it’s got to be Lovely Day,” says Amara. “It’s the first time we see Jerry and Dale come together and really fall for each other. It’s so simple and it’s so sweet. It communicates so much through movement, and they don’t need to say any words. It’s beautifully done.”

“I always say it’s a toss-up between Lovely Day and Top Hat,” says Phillip. “Lovely Day, because of the storytelling - it says so much about the relationship that they find and then have to chase after and then find again in the end. And Top Hat because it’s the title song - and it’s just fun to do!”

Top Hat shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 March

Theatre previews from around the region

Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief

Malvern Theatres, Wed 4 - Sat 7 February; Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 24 - Sat 28 February

It’s been 20 years since the publication of The Lightning Thief - the first novel in Rick Riordan’s hit fantasy-adventure series, Percy Jackson And The Olympians.

The story follows the character of teenager Percy, who keeps finding himself in trouble at school and struggling to fit in. Eventually, he discovers that he’s a demigod - his mother is human, but his absent father is a god from Greek mythology... The epic adventures that ensue for Percy and his friends have previously been captured on the big screen, and recently found a new

All Is But Fantasy

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sat 21 February

Hailed as a groundbreaking theatrical event, All Is But Fantasy focuses on four Shakespeare characters - Lady Macbeth, Juliet, Emilia and Richard III - and poses the question: can you have ambition and love and still be alive in Act Five?

Whitney White (pictured) is the award-winning artist in search of an answer to that particular conundrum, presenting two high-energy gigtheatre performances that bring together rock, soul, pop and gospel music. Whitney is ably assisted in her endeavours by Macbeth’s three witches as backing singers!

audience via a Disney+ TV series. Now, fans around the country have the chance to catch up with Percy live on stage in this touring musical.

“The show is absolutely epic,” says Cahir O’Neill, who plays the character of Grover, a satyr. “I mean, we go on such a huge journey throughout the show. Expect the unexpected - one minute we’re on a bus, the next minute, we’re blowing up the bus, and then there’s monsters flying everywhere!”

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK champion Danny Beard joins the cast as Mr D.

The Battle

The Rep, Birmingham, Wed 11 February - Sat 7 March

Brand-new play The Battle has its roots in the gloriously hot summer of 1995, when one of the main items on the British media’s agenda was the red-hot race between Britpop bands Blur and Oasis to reach the top of the charts.

“I was there in February 1995,” recalls the play’s writer, John Niven, “and I remember Damon Albarn holding up the Brit Award for Best British Group and saying it should be shared with Oasis, with much love and respect to them. I also found an interview with Noel Gallagher from the same night where he said: ‘It’s us and Blur against the world now.’ But then, in August, you have Noel saying he wanted them to get AIDS and die!... That’s quite a dramatic arc in the course of five months! How do you get from one to the other? It was quite fun unpicking how it happened.”

Gavin & Stacey’s Mathew Horne stars.

Theatre previews from around the region

Our Little Hour

Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sat 14 February; Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Fri 27 & Sat 28 February

Award-winning playwright Dougie Blaxland’s Our Little Hour tells the story of Walter Tull, the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the UK game, who then went on to become the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an officer in the British Army... The production, described by its publicity as ‘an intensely moving musical drama’, includes 16 ‘hauntingly beautiful original songs’.

An Improvised Murder

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 26 February

Improvised theatre seems to be all the rage nowadays - a fact which should ensure plenty of bums on seats for local ensemble Foghorn Unscripted’s ‘rib-tickling journey into the unknown’.

“It’s edge-of-your-seat suspense,” they say,

“as we create a murder-mystery right before your eyes. Who harbours dark secrets waiting to be unearthed? Who bites the dust? Who’s the culprit? It’s all up to you! Think of yourself as the puppet master, pulling the strings of fate!”

Crown Of Blood

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wed 11 - Sat 14 February

An opportunity to experience Shakespeare as you’ve never seen it before...

That’s how Utopia Theatre describes Crown Of Blood, its new co-production with Sheffield Theatres.

A National Portfolio Organisation, Utopia exists to create ‘exceptional and world-class African theatre with imaginative flair’. In this particular instance, it’s doing so by presenting a 19th-century-set Yoruba adaptation of Macbeth.

The production is suitable for audience members aged 11-plus.

I’m Muslamic Don’t Panik

Thimblemill Library, Smethwick, Sat 21 February; Wolverhampton Arts Centre, Tues 24 February; Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 18 April

Bobak is visiting Iran to explore his cultural heritage. While on the journey of selfdiscovery, he encounters all manner of weird

Friends! The Musical Parody

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 16 - Sat 21 February

If it’s not broken, don’t turn it into a stage musical; that would surely have been the advice which millions of Friends fans would’ve given the creative team who set out to make this show...

So it’s probably a good thing that those millions of fans were never actually canvassed for their opinion... because as it happens, Friends! The Musical Parody makes for a thoroughly enjoyable night out at the theatre.

Lovingly lampooning the hit TV sitcom from the 1990s and early noughties, the show is a good-hearted romp through the series’ most memorable moments, but with the addition of some high-energy song & dance routines. What’s not to like?...

and wonderful characters - from the women defiantly running the first-ever (and last) Tehran marathon, to the participants in an underground breakdance battle...

Blending live music, spoken word and comedy (alongside the aforementioned breakdancing!), the show will be followed by a chance to join the cast for traditional Persian tea and biscuits.

The Ballad Of Mulan

The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire, Fri 27 February

Red Dragonfly and Grist To The Mill theatre companies here combine to explore the story of Mulan, a warrior woman - generally considered to be fictional - whose legendary heroics have been made familiar to modernday audiences by two Disney movies: a 1998 animated feature and a 2020 live-action film. West Yorkshire-born British-Chinese actress Michelle Yim takes the title role.

DOG DAYS

Family favourite Bluey returns to the stage...

By Simon Button

Featuring the heartwarming antics of the Heeler family - Bluey, her sister Bingo, mum Chilli and dad Bandit - Australian animated children’s television series Bluey has taken the world by storm since it first hit screens back in 2018. This year sees the quartet of canine characters making a welcome return to UK stages on a second national tour. With brilliantly created puppets, Bluey’s Big Play features the original voices from the beloved TV series, including the recognisable tones of Dave McCormack as Bandit and Melanie Zanetti as Chilli. Dave and Melanie chatted to What’s On recently and hinted at what to expect when Bluey and her puppy pals return to the region this month...

Why should Bluey fans come to see Bluey’s Big Play live on stage?

Melanie Zanetti: It feels like a huge extended episode, with the characters played by these enormous puppets, which beautifully bring them to life. The sets are incredible, and the music is by Joff Bush, who also does the music for the TV show. It's 50 minutes with no interval, and it's a really fun ride, with a story that you won't have seen on TV. I've seen it three times so far, including at The Theater at Madison Square Garden, where the energy was so frenetic it was like being at a rock concert.

Without giving spoilers, can you tell us a bit about the plot?

Melanie: It’s once again based around the family, and there are some cheeky ways in which the girls get up to mischief revolving around things that they want. And, of course, we all learn some beautiful lessons, just like in every Bluey story!

Dave McCormack: With Bandit, sometimes his forgetfulness leads him on funny little adventures around the house. I can't give too much away, but it's a very relatable story. All of your favourite characters are there - there's singing, there's dancing, and the way it's done on stage with the puppets is really original.

When did your own Bluey journeys begin?

Dave: A friend of mine had a friend who was doing an animated show and they needed someone to do the voice of the dad. I'm not an actor, I'm a musician and composer, but luckily my daughters were about four and six at the time, so it was quite relatable for me as a parent of young kiddies. I gave it a go, thinking, 'Oh, that was fun, I wonder if anyone will ever see it.' Time passed, then I got to see it myself. I thought it was just wonderful, with the animation, the colours, the story and the music.

Melanie: I was already doing voiceovers, and during one session, the person running the studio said: 'My brother's making this animation. It's already cast, but you have a great voice. Can I chuck down some vocals?' After that, they did their due diligence and auditioned some more people for, like, three months before coming back to me and saying, 'Actually, you were perfect all along.' That's how I landed the part of Chilli.

Did you think you'd still be voicing these characters all these years later?

Dave: Who could have known that? But I'm happy that it's been so successful because it has a good heart. When you watch it, it's warm, it's real, it's happy and it's sad. It's got all the bits and pieces that make up our lives, and it doesn't speak down to kids.

Melanie: I don't think anyone could have known how it would take off. It was just this little show coming out of Brisbane, Australia. But it's the funnest job ever, getting to work on excellent scripts with amazing people. It doesn't get much better than this.

Do you think Bandit (Dad) and Chilli (Mum) are good role models for parents?

Melanie: Absolutely. With Chilli, it's not just because she's so warm and kind and tuned into her kids - one of my favourite things about the show is that the parents are also fallible. They're not perfect, but when they make a mistake, they apologise.

Dave: Bandit is just a normal dude with some idiosyncratic foibles. It's funny because even though the characters are dogs, it's all about being human. Things don't always go the way we expect, but we deal with it all with love and compassion. I think that's what’s made the show so relatable to people all around the world - it's about what we do to get through everyday life.

What's the process in terms of you voicing the characters?

Dave: It's all done remotely. They send me the scripts with my bits highlighted in yellow, I read through them to get a general vibe, then normally I do four episodes in about two or three hours. I don't see it for a year because it goes away, gets edited, they do the animation, fix it all up, then I see it on the telly and I go, 'Wow, they've done such a good job!'

Melanie: What's wild is that, because I record it myself, I can record from anywhere in the world. With my acting jobs, I'm all over the place. I've recorded in Australia, New York, LA, Latvia, Florence... Wherever I am, they find a booth, put me in it, and away I go! Chilli may live in Australia, but she's done a world tour!

Have you based your performances on anyone you know?

Melanie: I draw a lot from my own mum for

Chilli. I'm one of six kids, and she was a bit ahead of her time in terms of tuning into us as little individuals and what our particular personalities were. We were never compared to each other.

Dave: Bandit is just me because, like I said, I can't really act. So when this all started, it was handy that I was in a similar situation in my real life. It's interesting because sometimes Bandit inspires me to be a better parent. I'll come home from doing a recording session and I'll be like, 'Okay, kids, get rid of those iPads, get rid of those iPhones, no devices, let's do something fun.'

What do you think kids and their families can learn from seeing the show?

Melanie: One of the most wonderful messages of Bluey is about being present with each other, and how mundane, everyday things can become magical and fun within worlds that we can create together. It's how we live together and learn from our mistakes. I really love the way it’s written because nothing feels explicitly didactic. It all comes very naturally, and I think that's genius writing. I don't have kids but I do have nieces, and they're around Bluey and Bingo's ages, so it's fun seeing the little comparisons between them.

Dave: One of the things I've learned from the TV show and stage play is not to sweat the small stuff. Don't get hung up on that stuff, because time passes so quickly, and as a parent myself, I love the fact that every day brings something new. I don't look back at any stage and go 'I miss that,' because the next stage is so rewarding.

Can you tease anything about the forthcoming Bluey movie?

Melanie: I can tell you nothing about it other than that it's going to be amazing!

Dave: I'm constantly amazed by the creative team behind Bluey, but other than that, my lips are sealed.

Bluey’s Big Play shows at Stoke-on-Trent’s Regent Theatre from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February, and at Birmingham’s The Alexandra from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 March. It then returns to the region in the summer, showing at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 July.

Theatre previews from around the region

Nine Sixteenths

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 12 February

Widely admired choreographer Pauline Mayers is the remarkable talent behind this intriguing new production. Blending devised theatre, dance and lip sync, the show asks questions about the demographics of those who control the media, and aims to shed light 0n the ways in which black women are scrutinised in the public eye.

The production’s starting-point - reflected in the title - is the nine-sixteenths of a second for which Janet Jackson’s breast was exposed on screen to millions of television viewers during a half-time performance with Justin Timberlake at the 2004 Superbowl. The incident derailed Jackson’s career for many years. By contrast, the career of Timberlake, who’d been responsible for exposing her during their performance choreography - went from strength to strength...

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope

Lichfield Garrick, Tues 24 February

Quentin Crisp certainly had a talent for outrageous selfpublicity. Back in the mid-20th century, ‘mincing around’ the streets of London in gaudy makeup and dying one’s hair crimson was a pretty good way for a gay man to get himself not only noticed but also thoroughly duffed up - and Quentin certainly bagged a beating or two en route to the fame and fragility of his old age...

Mark Farrelly here makes a welcome return with his much-travelled homage to the man who became known as The Naked Civil Servant.

The Hound Of The Baskervilles

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sat 14 February - Sat 14 March

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is one of literature’s most enduring characters, The Hound Of The Baskervilles his most famous adventure. Yet no matter how many actors don the deerstalker and solve the mystery of the monstrous moorland beast, the story remains a popular choice for both stage and screen adaptation. This New Vic Theatre version brings a welcome dose of humour to the lonely wasteland of the desolate moors...

Murder She Didn’t Write: An Improvised Parody

Lichfield Garrick, Tues 3 February; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Tues 24 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wed 6 & Thurs 7 May; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 21 September

Now here’s an improvised show with 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.

Inspector Morse: House Of Ghosts

Malvern Theatres, Tues 24 - Sat 28 February

Author Colin Dexter’s crossword-solving, alesupping, 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.

CROCS AWAY...

Roald Dahl’s Enormous Crocodile slides onto the stage at three Midlands venues this summer

By Diane Parkes

A new ‘mischievous’ musical, based on Roald Dahl’s classic children’s story The Enormous Crocodile, stops off in the Midlands this summer as part of a UK tour. With its fusion of puppetry and live music, the snappy tale of a very large reptile promises to delight younger audiences - as the show’s writer, Suhayla El-Bushra, recently explained to What’s On...

Roald Dahl’s enormous crocodile will be snapping at the heels of audiences across the region when the stage adaptation of the everpopular children’s book - first published in 1978 - comes to local theatres in the summer. Having premiered at Leeds Playhouse at Christmas 2023, then played Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London, the hit show will be visiting venues in Shrewsbury, Coventry and Wolverhampton this June. And writer Suhayla El-Bushra, who created the production’s book and lyrics, is looking forward to seeing more children enjoy the show: “Roald Dahl’s stories are full of drama, jeopardy and peril - that’s why they’re so popular. The Enormous Crocodile is the ultimate peril for its audience because it’s about a very big crocodile who wants to eat a child - and the whole audience is full of children.

“I used to read the book to my kids, and we all used to enjoy that very safe sense of danger. When I came to work on the show, I wanted to tap into that feeling of when you’re little and you want to be scared and you kind of enjoy the feeling of being scared but you also feel quite safe and held by that.”

The production, which brings together an impressive team of creatives, was an incredibly collaborative process, says Suhayla: “It took us about five years to write a musical version of the story with puppets. I was trying to write the story as it could be translated on stage, and it was hugely challenging in the most wonderful way.

“It’s a story that takes place in a jungle, with an enormous crocodile who plays lots of tricks by disguising himself, and who moves to lots of different places in the book. So there’s working out how to stage the story in itself, and then there’s the added layer of trying to turn this into song and lyrics and all the technical stuff that goes with that. And there was also this other factor to think about: what are the puppets going to be doing?”

To find an answer to that question, the team called on the expertise of leading puppet designer Toby Olié, whose previous work includes War Horse, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park, and Imperial Theatre Tokyo’s Spirited Away.

“We had lots of workshops where actors came in. Sometimes they were there specifically because they were brilliant singers and we were trying to work out the music. Or sometimes they were really excellent puppeteers, and we would sit and watch the puppets and how they were moving and how they would work. That would help give me a sense of their characters and the kind of things they would do and the lines they would say.

“We kept building up the show, layer by layer. We would all chip in and come together. It takes a long time, but it’s absolutely wonderful to be working with all these incredible brains from different areas.

“I think this happens with all musicals. You can’t just write it and hand it over to the next person to do their bit. It’s constantly putting it together, piece by piece. It’s like a game of Jenga, with ‘I’ll try this and then you try that and then I’ll try this’ and so on. And you’re always feeding off what the other creatives are bringing into the process.”

The music team of Suhayla, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab and Tom Brady have worked together to ensure that the songs not only take the story forward but are also lots of fun for small children.

“Ahmed and I had never written a musical before. Tom was there to oversee and play a part in helping us construct the songs so that they told a story. When you’re writing for a young audience, there has to be a simplicity to the songs - but that doesn’t mean that they can’t also be really complex and challenging.”

The team, who were also working with the Roald Dahl Story Company, were determined that no corners would be cut just because The Enormous Crocodile was aimed at children.

“The absolute driving force throughout the whole process, from the very beginning, was that we had to treat it as seriously as we would a play for adults. The bottom line was always that we would challenge every idea that we had and ensure that everything was the absolute best that it could be.

“In fact, I kind of joked that I spent more time trying to work out the character of this enormous crocodile than I have on any other

character I’ve written!”

The production is aimed at children aged three and above. Suhayla says audiences have been captivated: “There’s something in this show for all the family. I know it’s for small kids, but like all of Dahl’s books, there’s also incredible wit and humour to the story. And this is a really imaginative production - the design and puppets are wonderful, and I think people of all ages will enjoy it. It’s got great tunes, brilliant performances and lots of opportunities for the audiences to get involved.

“Watching the show - especially when we’ve done it with schools, where the audience has been almost entirely made up of childrenit’s just been wonderful to see the way [kids] respond to it. We want them to have a good time and have fun, and you can see that they do.

“The audience are a key part of the show; it only half exists until they come along. It’s about a crocodile who wants to eat a child, so they’re already involved in the story. We’ve leant into that in the production, and the children are encouraged to take part at various points.”

Suhayla hopes the show will spark a lifelong love of live stagework for those who go to see it: “Children are a really important audience, and they deserve good-quality theatre. For a lot of kids, this show is their very first experience of going to the theatre. There’s a huge amount of responsibility that comes with that. You want them to enjoy it, and for it to be really magical, and for them to want to come back. They are the future theatre makers, because we can all remember the first experience that we had when we were young and thinking ‘I want to do that,’ whether that was being on stage or wanting to be the person who writes.”

The Enormous Crocodile stops off at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn from Thursday 4 to Sunday 7 June, the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 June, and the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June

Theatre previews from around the region

Horrible Histories

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Fri 20 & Sat 21 February

If you love the Horrible Histories series - and why the heck wouldn’t you?! - then this concert version is well worth catching.

The premise of the production is that William Shakespeare has been asked to create the greatest show on earth, but has no idea how much trouble he’ll get from monstrous monarchs King Henry VIII, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria! Things then hot up when Death appears, while both Boudica and Cleopatra have designs on taking over. The show features a live band and a selection of much-loved songs from the television series, including Stupid Deaths, Charles II, Dick Turpin and The Monarchs’ Song.

Bluey’s Big Play

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 13 - Sun 15 February; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Wed 4Sun 8 March; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 July

Blue Heeler puppy Bluey has certainly had plenty to bark about since making her television debut eight years ago.

The Australian animated pre-school series in which she stars has not only developed a huge international fanbase but also picked up prestigious Emmy and Bafta awards. On the back of such global success, it was only a matter of time before the popular pup’s adventures made it onto the stage...

This 50-minute show finds Bluey and younger sister Bingo determined to thwart their dad’s plan to enjoy a quiet Sunday afternoon...

Brave Bettie

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sun 15 February

When the council threatens to cut down Bettie’s favourite tree, she must find the courage to protect it...

Half Moon and Z-arts join forces to present Tatenda Naomi Matsvai’s thought-provoking woodland adventure. Telling a tale of friendship, bravery and self-discovery, the show brings together poetry, songs, live music and stories.

Suitable for children aged between three and eight.

Justin Time To Rock

Birmingham Town Hall, Sun 22 February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 24 May & Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Mon 25 May

BAFTA Awardwinning children’s television presenter

Justin Fletcher returns to the region with a brand-new all-singing, all- dancing extravaganza. Justin is advising his young fans to prepare themselves for a show that’s positively awash with well-known songs, energetic dancing and plenty of rocktastic fun!

There’s A Monster In Your Show

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tues 17 - Sat 21 February; Birmingham Town Hall, Thurs 23 & Fri 24 April

Children’s author Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventures leap from page to stage, as his critically acclaimed Who’s In Your Book? series heads for the region in the form of a

Tales From Acorn Wood

Lichfield Garrick, Thurs 19 & Fri 20 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 21 & Sun 22 February; The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sat 28 February & Sun 1 March; Birmingham Hippodrome, Thurs 26 - Sun 29 March

Stage adaptations of books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler invariably offer theatrical magic aplenty, so this is definitely a show that’s well worth catching.

Bringing together clever puppetry and toetapping songs, the production provides youngsters with an hour of lively entertainment, including the chance to join Pig and Hen for a game of hide & seek.

The show is suitable for children aged oneplus.

well-received stage musical.

The show sees Little Monster being joined by friends Dragon, Alien and Unicorn for 50 minutes of comedy, chaos and high-energy fun, during which the pals will be learning all about the joy of friendship and books.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wed 25 & Thurs 26 February; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Tues 17 & Wed 18 March; Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 4 & Sun 5 April

In a career stretching back to the mid-1960s, the late Eric Carle illustrated more than 70 books - writing most of them, too. None have been more famous or successful than his 1969 story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The popular picture book has been translated into more than 60 languages, selling in excess of 52 million copies.

This interactive stage version of Carle’s much-loved tale, presented alongside three more of his stories, features no fewer than 45 handcrafted puppets and has a running time of one hour.

Dinosaur Adventure Live

The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Sun 22 February; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Thurs 2 April; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Tues 26 May

Dinosaur Adventure Live is being advertised as ‘the greatest prehistoric show on Earth’, providing audiences with a ‘65 million years in the making’ hour of ‘roarsome’ fun that’s ‘totally T-rex-iffic’...

The interactive experience allows families to take a journey through the Jurassic era, meet dinos face-to-face, and check out the impossible-to-ignore roar of a terror-inducing Tyrannosaurus...

Light entertainment from around the region

Tap Factory

Lichfield Garrick, Tues 10 February; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Fri 13 February; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Sun 22 February

Tap Factory has been dancing its way around the world for a good many years now. Featuring an explosive combination of acrobatics, music and comedy, the main attraction is undoubtedly the fast-moving

Jack Rhodes: Part-time Wizard, Full-time Moron

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wed 4 February; Wolverhampton Arts Centre, Thurs 12 February

One-time nuclear engineer and Britain’s Got Talent runner-up - Simon Cowell described him on the show as ‘one in a million’ - Jack Rhodes is a magician who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Witness, for example, the title of this new touring production! Slick visuals, impressive video effects and big theatrical moments all feature in Jack’s show, as do mindbending magic and highquality comedy.

If tricks and giggles are your thing, this is an evening of entertainment that’s well worth catching.

feet of the show’s hugely talented male tap dancers, whose dazzling performances sit at the heart of this furiously frenetic evening of family-friendly fun.

Dita Von Teese: Nocturnelle

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Wed 4 - Fri 6 February

Harry Styles, Tim Burton, Pamela Anderson and Prince Albert II of Monaco are among the celebrities who’ve been suitably impressed attendees at a Dita Von Teese production.

With a justifiable claim to the title Queen of Burlesque, Dita produces shows which are notable for their impressive level of opulence. This latest offering - ‘a world of wonder’ in which ‘sensuality meets magic’takes its inspiration from ‘magicians of the 19th century’. The show is hosted by ‘global drag icon’ BenDeLaCreme.

Theatre

Massaoke: Sing The Musicals

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Thurs 12 February; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Fri 27 February; Walsall Arena, Sat 2 May; Dudley Town Hall, Fri 4 September; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Thurs 22 October

A live band, performers singing in character, and a giant screen displaying singalong lyrics to productions such as Mamma Mia!, Les Miserables, Mary Poppins, Oliver! and The Phantom Of The Opera. If you’re a fan of musical theatre, what’s not to like?...

Circus Spectacular

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Mon 16 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 20 February

A production that’s earned plenty of plaudits on its travels, Circus Spectacular brings together magic, comedy and (of course) circus for a show which its organisers are publicising as a winning blend of skill and suspense. The production is suitable for children of all ages.

James Phelan

The Henrican, Evesham, Sun 15 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 20 February; Stafford Gatehouse, Sun 18 October

The nephew of the late Paul Daniels, James Phelan baffles, befuddles and bemuses with feats of sorcery that seem certain to draw gasps of astonishment from awestruck audiences.

“I learned by watching and emulating what Paul did on TV,” says James, “but I’ve been really careful not to do his stuff in my own show, or to inadvertently use his lines. I really need to avoid saying ‘You’ll like it’ and then accidentally adding ‘Not a lot!’!”

TOUR DE FORCE

Ellen Kent’s Farewell Tour brings opulent opera to the Midlands

By Jessica Clixby

Renowned producer Ellen Kent has been creating and touring extraordinary international operasfeaturing world-class performers, dazzling visuals and even the occasional animal(!) - since 1992. This year marks a last outing for her critically acclaimed versions of Madama Butterfly, La Traviata and Carmen. Now being co-produced by live- entertainment promoters Senbla, each production is visiting the Midlands in the upcoming months, with two of them stopping off in the region during February. What’s On spoke to Ellen about the ‘Farewell’ tour and her remarkable career...

For over 30 years, Ellen Kent has toured extravagant opera and ballet productions to appreciative audiences around the UK, in the process showcasing the talents of some of Europe’s major opera companies.

Famed for their ambition and spectacle, three of her productions are now travelling the nation on a celebratory ‘Farewell’ tour.

Ellen’s first foray into theatrical touring was far removed from the grand operatic scenes for which she is now renowned. She began her producing career touring European children’s theatre - but even then, she had a keen eye for the spectacular...

“When I did Bleu D’Ecailles - or Why The Fish Left The River - we had huge tanks of koi carp…” Ellen explains. “I never did things by halves. Doing things by halves is not ‘me’. We went right over the top, and created this sort of liaison with Europe. We developed touring theatre from Strasbourg and all over.”

The ability to make and develop relationships has served Ellen well - whether liaising with European opera greats, or approaching a national treasure to take part in a bilingual children’s show…

“I got hold of Judi Dench,” she recalls. “I sent this email and asked Judi Dench whether she would consider being the English narrator for us. Judi Dench became my patron - she still is!”

Ellen was born in India - her Scottish father was High Commissioner, while her mother was raised in India, in Pune. The family moved to Spain when Ellen was 12 - but being a sociable person even then, she wanted the opportunity to meet friends her own age.

“I used to read all the Enid Blyton stories; I loved Enid Blyton. My mother was a huge storyteller as well - she did very good Indian ghost stories. I said to my mother, look, I want to go to boarding school… Most people would hate going to boarding school, but guess what? I loved it. I had people of my own age, I made friends, I had a social life; it was great. I’m very good at getting on with people.”

Ellen’s first opera production materialised in 1992 when she and her then husband lived in Rochester.

“Rochester Castle, bless their hearts, they

rang me up and said, ‘Ellen, you do all these wonderful children’s shows from France; can you do something spectacular like that for us at Rochester Castle? We do these festivals in the summer…’ [Even though] I had no experience of opera, I heard myself saying, ‘I’m not sure that children’s plays will get you your vast audience - but opera might.’”

Ellen’s instincts proved sound, and in collaboration with the Romanian National Opera, she brought Verdi’s Nabucco to Rochester Castle. She remains a firm advocate for European artists, and in recent years has been working with Ukraine’s Opera International Kyiv - the company which stars in all three of this year’s productions.

Speaking of which... Puccini’s Madama Butterfly shows at Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre this month, telling the story of the beautiful Cio-Cio-San, who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant.

“It's the most popular opera in the whole world, ‘The Butterfly’ is very beautiful. We’ve got a very good cast. We’ve got a Korean girl, Elena Dee, who’s a class act, playing Cio-CioSan. Good cast, slick, beautiful production… For some reason, it seems to be the British favourite.”

Also touring this year are Verdi’s La Traviata and Bizet’s Carmen. Famed for her largescale productions, for this tour Ellen has had to make some logistical changes, returning to the cloth backdrops which were made for her when she first produced Carmen.

“I do love my Carmen. I did a spectacularly wonderful Carmen. I used to have horses in the show. I mean, can you imagine?

Andalusian stallions galloping on!

“With this one, it’s more of an open stage. And the cloths... I looked at the cloths I had painted in Moldova, based on designs I sent them; Goya, Picasso, that sort of thing. They are beautiful - I’d forgotten how beautiful the cloths were.”

After a decades-long career (“I'm rather proud of being 76 and still doing what I’m doing, to be quite honest...”) Ellen takes the process in her stride, including the challenges which are inevitable with such an ambitious, international endeavour.

“What I always say is, a window will open and you’ll find a way - and I always do.

Maybe the gods are looking after me - the Indian gods, of course, the goddess Kali… I always make a few pujas to Kali, and say, ‘Are you going to help me, Kali?’ Suddenly, a window will open up, and there it is - it all works out!”

Although the current tour may be billed as a ‘farewell’, Ellen isn’t ready to say goodbye to her career - indeed, she’s already looking forward to her next venture, with her ‘Number Two’, Victor Donos.

“I cannot stop and do nothing. Victor and myself - Victor being 36/37, and me being 76, not a bad combination - we’re going to launch the Ellen Kent International Opera Artist Agency. We're already signing people up.”

This seems like a natural step in a remarkable career. After bringing together international opera stars, rallying collaborators and creating productions which are intended to be entertaining rather than elitist, it’s not surprising that, for Ellen, it’s all about the people.

“I’m a people person. I mean, I believe in people. You can’t do anything without people, can you? And I’ve managed to get an entire army. I should have been like Queen Boadicea; I could have led my army… I’m quite good at leading people and gathering the forces to support me. I don’t know where that’s come from, but that’s probably one of my talents.”

Madama Butterfly shows at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, on Friday 20 February; The Alexandra, Birmingham, on Sunday 1 March; Stoke-on-Trent’s Regent Theatre on Saturday 7 March, and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on Wednesday 13 May

La Traviata shows at Malvern’s Festival Theatre on Sunday 15 February; The Alexandra, Birmingham, on Friday 27 March, and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on Monday 11 May

Carmen shows at The Alexandra, Birmingham, on Saturday 28 March, and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre on Tuesday 12 May

Dance performances across the region

Premiered in 2022 and hugely acclaimed, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Don Quixote - which is based on Miguel Cervantes’ famous 17thcentury novel of the same name - makes a welcome return to the Hippodrome stage this month.

For BRB’s director, Carlos Acosta, adding the comic opera to the company’s repertory was essential.

“BRB had never had a production of Don Quixote,” Carlos explains.

“It is the ballet that I danced the most when I was a dancer, so I have a grasp of what it is and what it takes, and I could transfer all this expertise to the company.”

Diversity: Soul

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Wed 11 - Sat 14 February; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Thurs 5 & Fri 6 March

With numerous sell-out tours under their belt, it’s fair to say Diversity have made the most of their Susan Boylebeating success on Britain’s Got Talent 17 years ago.

The critically acclaimed street-dance crew are this month and next visiting the Midlands with latest offering Soul. Based around the technological advancements of AI, the production ponders the future, exploring the question: what does it truly mean to be human in the digital age?

Featuring a host of different characters, from knights to lovers and innkeepers to gypsies, the ballet provides its dancers with plenty of opportunity to shine.

“It’s a very important production because it has a lot of parts for dancers in the company, not just the principal rank,” Carlos continues. “And it is also very difficult dancing, so the company really like it because it is a great challenge for them. I want BRB to be a company of virtuosos, and that means bringing difficult and diverse repertory that improves the standards of the dancers.”

Vincent Simone: Tango Passions

Lichfield Garrick, Sun 15 February; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Tues 17 February; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Sat 21 February

Strictly Come Dancing legend Vincent Simone makes a welcome return with a production that’s publicised as ‘a sexy, steamy, passionate night not to be missed!’.

Featuring music from Astor Piazzolla and Gotan Project, the show tells a Buenos Airesset tale of love, passion and lust at the turn of the 20th century...

Motionhouse: Hidden

Lichfield Garrick, Wed 25 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Fri 20 March

“Hidden is an emotional response to the current state of the world,” explains Kevin

Finnan, co-founder & artistic director of Leamington-located Motionhouse, who are once again touring their critically acclaimed show. “There’s the impact of the internet and social media, which everybody hoped would bring us all closer together. Sometimes it can, but it also seems to do equally well at tearing us apart… We seem to be facing a lot of conflict. We face conflict between ourselveswith people arguing endlessly - while on a wider scale, global conflicts have emerged around us.”

Film highlights in February...

100 Nights Of Hero

CERT 15 (91 mins)

Starring Emma Corrin, Nicholas Galitzine, Maika Monroe, Amir El-Masry, Charli xcx, Richard E Grant Directed by Julia Jackman

Loyalty and desire collide in this ‘richly imagined’ film adaptation of Isabel Greenberg’s acclaimed graphic novel. Sitting in the genre of medieval fantasy, the film focuses on the character of Manfred, whose arrival at a remote castle seriously challenges the delicate dynamic between a neglectful husband, his innocent bride, and their devoted maid... The film received its world premiere last autumn at the Venice International Film Festival, was released preChristmas in the US, and has been garnering generally favourable reviews; popular website Rotten Tomatoes called it a whimsical fairytale boasting sumptuous visuals but suffering from a surface-level narrative. Released Fri 6 February

Wuthering Heights CERT tbc (130

mins)

Starring Jacob Elordi, Margot Robbie, Owen Cooper, Alison Oliver, Hong Chau, Martin Clunes

Directed by Emerald Fennell

You’ve no doubt read the 1847 gothic masterpiece, possibly danced to the 1978 Kate Bush chart-topper, and presumably seen at least one of the various film adaptations of Emily Bronte’s one and only novel... Well, now it’s time to catch yet another cinematic version of the famously windswept romance!

This one sees Margot Robbie taking on the lead role of Catherine Earnshaw, a young woman whose life’s journey sees her marry a well-to-do neighbour named Edgar Linton. Trouble is, her lustful passion lies elsewhere, in the form of the dark and brooding Heathcliff, here played by Jacob Elordi, who was all set to take a break from acting before he was offered the part.

Elordi’s casting hasn’t been without controversy, with critics slamming the decision to give the role of the ‘dark-skinned gypsy’ (as Bronte describes Heathcliff) to a white actor. Director Emerald Fennell has defended her decision to employ Elordi by explaining that he “looked exactly like the illustration of Heathcliff on the first book that I read.”

Released Fri 13 February

Twinless CERT 15 (100 mins)

Starring Dylan O’Brien, Lauren Graham, Arkira Chantaratananond, Kody Harvard, James Sweeney, Tasha Smith

Directed by James Sweeney

When two young men meet in a support group for twinless twins, they form an unlikely friendship. Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney, who also wrote and directed the film) are both seeking solace and needing to develop an identity without their other halves. But when Roman meets Dennis’ ebullient co-worker, Marcie, it becomes clear that not everything is quite as it seems, with both men harbouring secrets that could potentially unravel everything...

Released Fri 6 February

CERT PG (95 mins)

With the voices of Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Nick Kroll, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Stephen Curry

Directed by Tyree Dillihay and Adam Rosette

If you love an anthropomorphic sports comedy (and who doesn’t?), then be sure to check out Sony Pictures’ latest animated offering. An original action-comedy set in an all-animal world, the film’s story follows the character of Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the pros and play roarball - a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Although his new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, Will is determined to revolutionise the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”

Released Fri 13 February

The Testament Of Ann Lee

CERT tbc (137 mins)

Starring Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Matthew Beard, Christopher Abbott, Viola Prettejohn

Directed by Mona Fastvold

After enjoying extraordinary success with last year’s The Brutalist - which she co-wrote - Mona Fastvold takes the helm for an epic musical biopic focusing on Ann Lee, the 18th-century founder of devotional sect the Shakers.

Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried takes the title role in a film which not only aims to capture the agony and ecstasy of Manchester-born Ann’s struggle to build a utopia, but also features more than a dozen traditional Shaker hymns reimagined as rapturous movements.

“This is one of our first feminists in America,” said Fastvold of Ann, in an interview with Vogue. “Some stories are telling you they want to be big and expansive and have scope and scale, and Ann Lee definitely wanted a grand story.”

Released Fri 20 February

Cold Storage

CERT 15 (99 mins)

Starring Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville, Sosie Bacon, Aaron Heffernan Directed by Jonny Campbell

As nightshifts go, Teacake and Naomi are about to have their wildest. As they go about their duties as employees of a self-storage company built on the site of an old military base, a parasitic fungus escapes from the facility’s lowest sublevel, where it was sealed by the government decades earlier.

As the temperature rises underground, the highly contagious microorganism multiplies and unleashes its terrors...

With time running out, it’s down to Teacake and Naomi - with the help of a grizzled bioterror operative (Liam Neeson) - to contain the rapidly mutating menace and prevent the explosive extinction of mankind itself...

Released Fri 20 February

Splitsville CERT 12 (104

mins)

Starring Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Simon Webster, Charlie Gillespie

Directed by Michael Angelo Covino

Fifty Shades Of Grey star Dakota Johnson plays a woman in an open marriage in this well-reviewed farce about love, friendship, and sleeping with your best pal’s wife. When Ashley asks the good-natured Carey for a divorce, the latter seeks solace and support in the company of his married friends Julie (Johnson’s character) and Paul. He is then shocked to discover that the secret to their happiness is an open marriage. But when Carey crosses a red line, all of their relationships are thrown into an unexpected and hard-hitting chaos...

Released Fri 20 February

Scream 7 CERT 15

Starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Joel McHale Directed by Kevin Williamson

What’s the next move for a film company when one of its franchises has yielded six successful movies?

A seventh movie, of course!

And so we have yet another chapter in the ongoing Scream slasher saga. Here’s how the storyline to this one goes: when a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realised as her daughter, Tatum, becomes the next target.

Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.

Released Fri 27 February

Visual Arts previews from around the region

I Photograph Comedians!

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Wed 18 February - Sun 31 May

If you love a laugh, you should get along to Andy Hollingworth’s new exhibition. As its title makes clear in a refreshingly straightforward manner, Andy photographs comedians - and it’s a selection of his images of some of the UK’s best-loved comics that forms the basis of this Gas Hall-located display. Photographs of Ken Dodd, Sarah Millican, Victoria Wood, Rik Mayall and Rhod Gilbert all feature, as do pics of such Midlands masters and mistresses of mirth as Jasper Carrott, Stewart Lee, Lenny Henry, Joe Lycett, Jo Enright and Shazia Mirza. The images of the latter four in that list are brand new and have never before been exhibited.

The display also features numerous items connected to particular comedians, including a jacket worn by Lenny Henry during his 1984 tour, a signed pair of Rik Mayall’s underpants, and Joe Lycett’s teddy suit, as worn in the advertisement for series two of Late Night Lycett.

“This retrospective of my work over the last 30 years reflects the changing faces of comedy in the UK and my interaction with them,” says Andy. “I’m delighted that it’s being displayed in Birmingham, a city that’s produced and been associated with many notable comedians over the years and a vibrant comedy scene which includes the UK’s second longest running comedy festival.”

Takuro Kuwata: Tea Bowl Punk

Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, until Sun 15 March

Traditional Japanese pottery techniques are fused with experimental sculptural processes in the work of Takuro Kuwata, whose signature use of vivid glazes, distorted silhouettes and explosive textures has effectively redefined the boundaries of contemporary ceramics.

Inspired by the boldness of American Pop Art, the Hiroshima-born artist produces works which are not only playful and provocative but also unmistakably contemporary.

Joy Labinjo: A Place Of Our Own

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Sat 7 February - Mon 4 May

British Nigerian artist Joy Labinjo is clear about her purpose with new exhibition

A Place Of Our Own; she is reclaiming the nude, and celebrating identity, belonging, and Black womanhood through the presentation of bold, intimate portraits. Marked by muted tones and simplified backgrounds, the paintings are explorations of the complexities of sexuality, reflecting on how Black women’s bodies are often hypersexualised in mainstream media.

Made In The Middle: A Craftspace Touring Exhibition

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 14 February - Sun 12 April

Showcasing contemporary crafts created across the Midlands region, MAC’s latest Made In The Middle exhibition draws together ceramics, textiles, jewellery, metalwork and sculptural works by 37 artists ranging in age from 22 to 82.

The Shelter Of Stories

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, until Sun 22 February

This groundbreaking exhibition explores the art of storytelling and has been curated by the writer Marina Warner. Bringing together historic objects with works by leading contemporary artists, the show asks: why do we tell stories, and what do they achieve?

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation

Herbert Art Gallery, Coventry, until Mon 25 May

Stories That Made Us - Roots, Resilience, Representation is a new immersive exhibition which travels through the life of a single South Asian family in Coventry across a period of 40-plus years.

Created by Hardish Virk and his sister Manjinder, from Hardish’s personal archives, the exhibition reveals much about their activist father and Punjabi poet mother, not to mention Hardish himself, whose formative years were

John Singer Sargent: An American In Worcestershire

Worcester City Art Gallery, until Sun 14 June

One of the most celebrated portrait painters of his time, American artist John Singer Sargent was a familiar figure in Worcestershire in the late 19th century. During his time in the county, he broke free from the conventions of Salon-style studio painting to experiment with Impressionism and work ‘en plein air’. In the process, he produced one of his most famous works, Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, which now resides at Tate Britain. This new exhibition explores the role of Sargent within the colony of avant-garde artists associated with the Worcestershire village of Broadway.

shaped by Coventry in the 1980s.

“Often the conversation, particularly around young people, is ‘We don’t know where we belong,’” says Hardish. “But also we’ve got people of my parents’ generation who feel like their story started in the 1950s and 60s. What I was very keen to say is that our story goes back at least 425 years, and we’ve contributed to every facet of British life.”

Visual Arts

Collage Now! Exhibition

The Gateway, Shrewsbury, until Thurs 12 March

A show rooted in collaboration, this curated celebration of contemporary collage features everything from cut paper and mixed media to assemblage and image layering.

The exhibition sits within the Gateway’s wider Colour Now programme.

Saba Khan: Riverless Water

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, until Mon 6 April

London-based Pakistani artist Saba Khan here continues her critical inquiry into how environmental disruption shapes identity and migration. At the exhibition’s heart is the subject of South Asian water histories, with paintings, interviews and an installation being used to examine the impact of the Mangla Dam’s construction in the 1960s - an event which led to the mass migration of people from Mirpur in Pakistan to Birmingham.

ANDI

New Art Gallery, Walsall, until Sun 5 April

Coventry-based artist ANDI is spending 12 weeks in the New Art Gallery’s purpose-built artists’ studio, developing new paintings and working at a larger scale for the first time. The residency, which comes as a direct result of winning the venue’s coveted Clive Beardsmore Artist Award, will see the up-and-coming creative make oil paintings that document and reflect on queer and trans experiences.

Unveiled:

The Rugby Collection In Full

Rugby Art Gallery, Sat 21 February - Sat 6 June

Spanning eight decades of artistic explorationand publicised as ‘a chance to experience the Rugby Art Collection like never before’ - Unveiled features in excess of 25o works, including muchloved pieces by Paula Rego, Lucian Freud and LS Lowry. The exhibition also features a selection of the Collection’s newer acquisitions.

Events previews from around the region

The 2026 Birmingham International Tattoo

Utilita Arena Birmingham, Sat 14 & Sun 15 February

A parade unlike any other, the Birmingham International Tattoo is back this month, providing over three hours of pageantry and spectacle.

The parade brings together massed marching bands, pipes and drums, and

displays including the Inter-Service Field Gun competition and British Flyball Association competition. The show is brought to a satisfying end with the everpopular Grand Finale, a presentation featuring more than 1,200 performers.

Birmingham Light Festival

Birmingham City Centre, Thurs 12 - Sun 15 February

Birmingham Light Festival returns for a second year in the middle of the month, transforming city spaces into dazzling openair galleries.

Brand-new temporary illuminated artworks will take over the streets, squares and public

spaces, alongside four legacy installations. Businesses across the city will be hosting a series of festival exclusives, with more than 50 events taking place across the weekend. Head to birminghamlightfestival.co.uk for further details.

Boogie Lights Express

Severn Valley Railway, nr Kidderminster, Fri 13 & Sat 14, Fri 20 & Sat 21, Fri 27 & Sat 28 February; and Fri 6 & Sat 7, Fri 13 & Sat 14 March

Departing from Kidderminster Station on Friday and Saturday nights, the Boogie Lights Express is a sound & light show consisting of thousands of LED lights and wristbands, creating a kaleidoscope of colours and flashing patterns.

Suitable for all the family, this unique musical party train comes complete with a decades-spanning soundtrack, a karaoke experience and plenty of opportunities to get involved and dance along.

Tractor World Show

Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Sat 21 & Sun 22 February

A firm favourite with fans of farming, trucking, classic models and amazing machinery, the Tractor World Show makes a welcome return across the third weekend of the month. As well as featuring hundreds of vintage, veteran, new and classic tractors, vans, stationary engines, lorries, trucks, classic commercials, Land Rovers and vintage vehicles, the show also includes historic displays of farm machinery and agricultural heritage.

The always-popular live auction - with over 1,000 expected lots - makes a return on the Saturday, while Sunday’s attractions include the Classic Commercial Drive In and Vintage Autojumble, showcasing classic vehicles and unique motoring collectables.

Events previews from around the region

Birmingham Chinese New Year Celebrations

Southside, Birmingham, Tues 17 - Sun 22 February

Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee and Birmingham Hippodrome are once again hosting the city’s annual Chinese New Year celebrations this month.

Festivities begin on the first day of the Chinese New Year (Tuesday the 17th), with market stalls and funfair rides in Hippodrome Square running daily throughout half-term week until Saturday. The main festival celebration, marking the Year of the Fire Horse, takes place on Sunday 22 February. The free-to-attend event will

begin with a traditional lion procession across Hippodrome Square and Chinatown. At the heart of the celebrations, the festival stage will host a packed programme of entertainment, showcasing the talent and creativity of Birmingham’s Chinese and East Asian communities. A mix of traditional and contemporary music, dance and theatre performances will take place throughout the day, with market stalls, funfair rides and family-friendly activities across Southside also featuring.

The Commandery’s Living History weekend offers visitors the chance to encounter characters from centuries ago, as reenactors mark the 375th anniversary of the English Civil War’s Battle of Worcester. The venue’s building and gardens will be open to explore, hosting living-history encampments and military displays across

what promises to be an action-packed two days.

Further attractions include historic firing demonstrations in the walled garden, metalworkers and willow weavers demonstrating their crafts, and medieval music and performances of Tudor-style dancing in the Great Hall.

Chinese New Year

Weston Park, Shropshire, Mon 16 - Fri 20 February

Weston Park has once again teamed up with the CultureKind Chinese Community for Chinese New Year celebrations to welcome in the Year of the Horse.

During February half term (Monday the 16th to Friday the 20th), the venue will host lantern-making activities in the Rose Paterson Art Gallery, providing visitors with the opportunity to make a lantern to use in the Friday evening procession. After the parade, which will be led by a traditional dancing dragon, the house will be open to explore, with its rooms ‘lit by lanterns.’

Half term at Thinktank

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, Sat 14 - Sun 22 February

There’s a variety of family-focused activities to enjoy at Thinktank this half-term holiday. The popular Lego WeDo Workshop is back (Saturday the 14th to Sunday the 22nd), during which you can build, program and customise your very own Lego creation. Families can watch interactive science show Electrifying Science Live (Monday the 16th to Friday the 20th), or catch Dr John Biddulph’s Low Voltage Ecology performance (on the 16th).

Other attractions include Birmingham artist Tat Vision doing some papier-mâché junkmodelling on the 17th, Hours Theatre Company’s walkabout performance, Space Junk, on the 19th, and Stirchley Printworks’ live demonstrations on the 21st.

thelist

VISUAL ARTS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS

Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

CHRISTOPHER SAMUEL: WATCH US LEAD

Through 9 newly recorded interviews, Watch Us Lead highlights the experiences of disabled people of colour in Birmingham, combining these stories with stained glass and drawings by the artist.

OZZY OSBOURNE: WORKING CLASS

HERO A celebration of the solo achievements and global awards of rock icon Ozzy Osbourne, and the album art of the original Black Sabbath line-up to coincide with their historic homecoming concert, until Sun 27 Sept

Compton Verney, Warwickshire

COMMODITIES: SCULPTURE AND CERAMICS BY RENEE SO Hong Kongborn artist Renee So creates darkly playful ceramic sculptures, exploring how perceptions of history can be distorted, re-fashioned and changed, until Sun 8 March

MODERN MASTERPIECES: PAINTINGS FROM THE BARBER INSTITUTE OF FINE

ARTS An intimate display of six exceptional paintings by major modern artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Édouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard, until Sun 6 Sept

Coventry Music Museum

WE'LL LIVE AND DIE IN THESE TOWNS A temporary exhibition, partially based on the anthemic song recorded by Coventry trio The Enemy, but also exploring how football, music and Coventry all combine.

OUR TOWN A tribute to This Town through the eyes of a supporting artist, including memorabilia and costumes. The museum also features a tributes to The Specials’ Terry Hall and Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers.

The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham

SUNSETS, FOOD AND FRIENDSHIP An exhibition of young people’s photography focused on the importance of culture, heritage and identity in shaping a sense of self and belonging, until Sun 22 Feb

Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry

PAUL LEMMON: THROUGH THE SCREEN A disruption of videos taken from film, TV and social media, transformed into kaleidoscopic oil paintings which foreground the illusory qualities of the screen, Wed 4 - Sun 15 Feb

WARWICKSHIRE’S JURASSIC SEA

Discover the amazing creatures that lived in Coventry & Warwickshire during the time of the dinosaurs, until

Sat 21 Feb

DIPPY IN COVENTRY: THE NATION’S FAVOURITE DINOSAUR Dippy the diplodocus is in Coventry on a threeyear loan from the Natural History Museum, until Sat 28 Feb

DISCOVER DINOSAURS Delve deeper into the world of Dippy and discover different types of dinosaur fossils - as well as some local dinos, until Sat 28 Feb

CASE: COVENTRY ART SOCIETIES

EXHIBITION A ‘diverse and inspiring’ collection of artworks created by members of art societies and art groups across Coventry & Warwickshire, Fri 20 Feb - Sun 19 April

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham

DONALD LOCKE: RESISTANT FORMS An exploration of the Guyanese-British artist’s work across five decades, including early ceramics, mixed media sculptures and large-scale paintings, until Sun 22 Feb

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

CHILDISH THINGS A playful, nostalgic and intergenerational exhibition that explores childhood, through artworks and objects from the Museum’s collection, until Sun 1 Feb

LEAMINGTON OPEN 2026 Exhibition of shortlisted works by West Midlands artists, Fri 20 Feb - Sun 3 May

Mead Gallery, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

TAKURO KUWATA: TEA BOWL PUNK The first UK solo exhibition of the internationally celebrated Japanese ceramic artist, fusing traditional Japanese pottery techniques with bold and experimental sculptural processes, until Sun 15 March

Midlands Arts Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham

MADE IN THE MIDDLE: A CRAFTSPACE

TOURING EXHIBITION A showcase of exceptional contemporary craftsincluding ceramics, textiles, jewellery, metalwork and sculptural worksbeing made currently across the Midlands, Sat 14 Feb - Sun 12 April

CRAFTSPACE: 40 OBJECTS FOR 40 YEARS Graphic storyteller Stewart Francis Easton’s new textile mural invites you to explore Craftspace’s 40-year story through 40 objects, Sat 14 Feb - Sun 12 April

HOSPITAL ROOMS: BALANCING ACTS A special project by arts and mental health charity Hospital Rooms, exploring how artists, young people and NHS staff have worked together to re-imagine what a mental health hospital can look and feel like, until Sun 26 April

MADE AT MAC: CREATIVE FAMILY SHOWCASE Mixed-media exhibition showcasing the work created by children, young people and families on MAC's creative courses, until Sun 28 June

New Art Gallery, Walsall WALSALL SOCIETY OF ARTISTS 75TH ANNUAL EXHIBITION Featuring works in a wide range of media, with many items listed for sale, until Sun 15 Feb BETWEEN HERE AND THERE: ART & DESIGN STAFF FROM WALSALL COLLEGE Featuring a variety of work in a broad range of media, until Sun 8 March

IMPRESSIONS A selection of contemporary prints from the gallery’s collections which testify to the breadth and richness of printmaking across a range of subject matter and techniques, until Sun 12 April

STUDIO PRINTS: CELEBRATING THE BALAKJIAN COLLECTION Major exhibition featuring artworks acquired for the Gallery’s permanent collection from the archive of London-based Studio Prints. The show includes prints by, among others, Frank Auerbach, Marc Balakjian, Lucian Freud and Dorothea Wight, until Sun 12 April

HANNAH MAYBANK: UN-STILL With her practice having been heavily influenced by access to the Garman Ryan Collection, Hannah has created a brand-new painting featuring chrysanthemum flowers, as a gift for the Gallery’s 25th birthday, until Sun 17 May

Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery

NUNEATON SCHOOL OF ART ALUMNI EXHIBITION A show examining the history of the organisation, and a show of work by artists who have attended or taught at the institution, until Sat 28 Feb

CORLEY & FILLONGLEY PHOTOGRAPHIC

CLUB Exhibition featuring 50-plus works displaying a rich selection of differing subjects - including portraiture, nature, action and still life - many of which will be for sale, until Sat 28 Feb

RBSA Gallery, Birmingham

DRAWN TO DANCE: THE FIGURE IN MOTION Unique exhibition celebrating a collaboration between the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists and Birmingham Royal Ballet, exploring the movement and poise of the ballet dancer, Tues 10 - Sat 21 Feb

RBSA PRINT PRIZE 2026 Show celebrating the diversity of printmaking whilst also introducing the public to a myriad of modern-day printing techniques, Thurs 26 Feb -

Sat 28 March

COLOUR: SHADES, TINTS, AND HUES, ARTWORKS FROM THE RBSA PERMANENT COLLECTION An exploration of the works held in the RBSA Permanent Collection, each chosen because they feature one dominant colour, Thurs 26 Feb - Sat 28 March

Rugby Art Gallery

PAST FREQUENCIES, FUTURE COMMUNITIES: THE HOULTON TAPESTRY

A community art exhibition that traces the journey from Rugby Radio Station in 1926 to the new town of Houlton in 2016, until Sat 7 Feb

TRIPONTIUM: FINDS FROM THE STORES Exhibition of archaeological finds from a small Roman settlement about four miles north-east of present-day Rugby, permanently donated to the museum, until Sat 11 April

Wolverhampton Art Gallery

GRAYSON PERRY: THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE VIRGIN DEAL A four-metre-long tapestry - part of The Vanity Of Small Differences series - telling the story of Tim Rakewell, a fictional 21st-century software developer who climbs the social and economic ladder from his working-class roots, until Sun 12 April

Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum

DAVID BIRTWHISTLE: A RETROSPECTIVE Celebration of one of Worcester’s most respected artists, whose paintings explore historic buildings and the landscapes around them, until Sun 31 May

Elsewhere:

FEEDING WITHOUT JAWS Grab your snorkels and dive back in time for an immersive temporary exhibition showcasing new research into unusual ancient fish, until Sat 28 Feb, Lapworth Museum, Birmingham

PAINTING THROUGH THE DARK MONTH A dynamic exhibition of paintings by Rob Pointon, who completed an oil painting a day throughout the month of January, until Sun 15 March, Courtyard Gallery, The Brampton Museum, Newcastle-under-Lyme COMPENSARE EXHIBITION: FOR THE SWALLOWS WE WEIGH Free exhibition by Marley Starskey Butler, exploring how art reflects the challenges and hopes of adoptive families, until Sat 4 April, Eastside Projects, Birmingham LUKE JERRAM: TIPPING POINT Thoughtprovoking sound & light installation, creating a simulated forest fire. Made in collaboration with award-winning composers Dan Jones and Simon Birch, Thurs 12 - Sun 15 Feb, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Gigs

THE PILL + MONOXIDE

BROTHERS Sun 1 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

LOZ RABONE Sun 1 Feb, Jo Jo Jims, Birmingham

SLIDE BOY ROY Sun 1 Feb, The Brasshouse, B’ham

CONNOLLY HAYES Sun 1 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

NAIMA BOCK + MYER U CLARK Sun 1 Feb, Just Dropped In, Coventry

ANTHONY GOMES Sun 1 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

NICK HARPER Sun 1 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

ENGELFEST FT ALGAE BLOOM + 300 SKULL AND COUNTING + MERCURY + MY RUSHMORE

+MORE Sun 1 Feb, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent

ABSOLUTE REGGAE Sun 1 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

JONNY NASH (FT TOMO KATSURADA) + CHRISTOPHER

HADDOW Sun 1 Feb, The Darwin Room, Shrewsbury Library

DYLAN LEBLANC Mon 2 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

TUMMYACHE + JAZZCAT + PIP Mon 2 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

MAGDALENA BAY + ALLIE X Mon 2 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SECKOU KEITA: HOMELAND BAND + NATACHA ATLAS + SAMY BISHAI Mon 2 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

A.A. WILLIAMS Tues 3 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

KAVUS TORABI + DJABBIC 3 Tues 3 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

FOGHORN STRINGBAND + KELVIN DAVIES & CHLOE

TURNER Tues 3 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

SHAUN GAMBOWL WALSH AND THE PLAGIARISTS Fri 6 Feb,

The Night Owl, Birmingham

RUN DON’T WALK + IN CROOKED WONDERMENT + SIXFOLD + LAST EXIT + ECLYPSE Fri 6 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

BASIL GABBIDON BAND Fri 6 Feb, Jo Jo Jims, Birmingham

THE MELVIN HANCOX BAND Fri 6 Feb, Tower of Song, B’ham

MONSTEROSA Fri 6 Feb, 1000 Trades, Birmingham

MATT STORM Wed 4 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

BIG WOLF BAND Wed 4 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

TROUSDALE Wed 4 Feb,

O2 Institute, Birmingham

RAT ATTACK Wed 4 Feb, The Flapper, Birmingham

DROLLZ + WILL KELLEEN Wed 4 Feb, Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham

THE LOST NOTES + THE ROSELLYS Wed 4 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham

DAVE BROWNING’S JAZZ CATS Wed 4 Feb, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield

THE ROY ORBISON STORY Wed 4 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE CARPENTERS: VOICE OF THE HEART Wed 4 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

YOBS + SPITS MILK Thurs 5 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

THE CHRISTIANS Thurs 5 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

TRANSATLANTIC SESSIONS

2026 Thurs 5 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE ILLEGAL EAGLES Thurs 5 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

BLACK CACTUS + DISORDER Thurs 5 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

COUNTRY SUPERSTARS Thurs 5 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

GO YOUR OWN WAYFLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE Thurs 5 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

THE RADIOHEAD PROJECT Thurs 5 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

JOE H HENRY Thurs 5 Feb, Priest Weston Village Hall, Shropshire

SPEAK! + THE NEW CONSISTENT + RAY HEART Fri 6 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

Feb, The Station, Cannock

NEW SOUNDS Fri 6 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

PEASHOOTER Fri 6 Feb, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield

SHEF LEPPARD + DRESSED TO KILL Fri 6 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

BIG BAND OF BOOM Fri 6 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

AN EVENING OF RADIOHEAD Fri 6 - Sat 7 Feb, Lichfield Cathedral

JACEK STACHURSKY Fri 6 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

VIANOVA + SHIELDS Fri 6 Feb, The Asylum, Birmingham

VUKOVI Fri 6 Feb, XOYO, Birmingham

ROY G HEMMINGS Fri 6 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

THE HISTORY OF ROCK Fri 6 Feb, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

GREG COULSON BAND Fri 6 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

STEALING SHEEP Fri 6 Feb, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

BEATLEMANIA Fri 6 Feb, hmv Empire, Coventry

GLASS HOUSE MUSEUM, DHAMPYRES + HEY BUDAPEST! Fri 6 Feb, Arches Venue, Coventry

THE BON JOVI EXPERIENCE Fri 6 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

BIFFY MCCLYRO Fri 6 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

REMI HARRIS - MAN OF THE WORLD - THE MUSIC OF PETER GREEN Fri 6 Feb, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

A TRIBUTE TO THE CARPENTERS Fri 6 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

DYLAN AND MITCHELL BIG YELLOW TAMBOURINE MAN

BAND Fri 6 Feb, Halesowen Town Hall

BLONDISH Fri 6 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

THE JAKE LEG JUG BAND Fri 6 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stokeon-Trent

DEFINITELY OASIS Fri 6 Feb, The Underground, Stoke-onTrent

THE MAGIC OF MOTOWN Fri 6 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

ROD STEWART SONGBOOK Fri 6 Feb, Tamworth Assembly Rooms

QUESTIONS OF ANGELS Fri 6

THE REAL QUEENS OF BOLLYWOOD Sat 7 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

REWIND - THE JOURNEY OF SOUL, R&B AND UK GARAGE Sat 7 Feb, The Halls Wolverhampton

LEGEND - THE MUSIC OF BOB MARLEY Sat 7 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

BLACK PARADE + MANTRA Sat 7 Feb, The Sugarmill, Stokeon-Trent

IAN PROWSE & THE FIDDLE OF FIRE Sat 7 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

FILMSTAR Sat 7 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, B’ham THE REVERTERS + CAPTAIN WILBERFORCE + GILL + DARKMATERIAL + CARIAD Sat 7 Feb, The Dark Horse, Birmingham

COMBUST + SPEEDWAY + SORCERER + IMPOSTER + NO RELIEF Sat 7 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MILES KANE Sat 7 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

BIG BAND OF BOOM Sat 7 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

PREACHER STONE + REVENANT Sat 7 Feb, The Asylum, Birmingham

ALSO EDEN Sat 7 Feb, The Flapper, Birmingham

ELKIE BROOKS Sat 7 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

MICHAEL STARRING BEN Sat 7 Feb, The Alexandra, B’ham

FOO FIGHTERS GB + QUEENS OF THE STONED AGE Sat 7 Feb, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

THE QUAD ROX Sat 7 Feb, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

OAS-IS + RE:VERVE Sat 7 Feb, hmv Empire, Coventry

NORTHERN LIVE DO I LOVE YOU Sat 7 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

DARK SIDE OF THE WALL Sat 7 Feb, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

TOOL SHED Sat 7 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

MASTERS OF THE SCENE - ABBA

THE SHOW Sat 7 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

SABBOTAGE Sat 7 Feb, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

SLEEP BROKEN Sat 7 Feb, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent

MARTYN JOSEPH Sat 7 Feb, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent

KERR DONNELLY BAND + THE CENTAURS Sat 7 Feb, Top Of The World, Stafford

ALICIA GARDENER-TREJO QUARTET Sat 7 Feb, The Hive, Shrewsbury

MAN OF THE WORLD - THE MUSIC OF PETER GREEN Sat 7 Feb, Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire

THE GREY GOOSE BLUES BAND Sun 8 Feb, The Brasshouse, Birmingham

AL-BARAKAH - MOHAMED

TAREK FEAT. AASHIQ AL RASUL Sun 8 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE Sun 8 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham

THE BEST OF TUBULAR BELLS I, II & III Sun 8 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

SCOTT LAVENE Sun 8 Feb, Just Dropped In, Coventry

ARTHUR COATES & KERRAN

COTTERELL Sun 8 Feb, The Fleece Inn, Bretforton, Nr Evesham

ELO AGAIN Sun 8 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

NICOLA CIPRIANI AND BRAD MYRICK Sun 8 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

WALK RIGHT BACK - TALE OF THE EVERLY BROTHERS Sun 8 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

thelist

Classical Music

CBSO: BACH & BEETHOVEN Featuring François Leleux (oboe/conductor) & Lisa Batiashvili (violin). Programme also includes M Lindberg’s Violin Concerto No.1, Sun 1 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

ARMONICO: A MOMENT OF CALM

Featuring Eloise Irving (soprano & harp) & Christopher Monks (director). Programme includes works by Gjielo, Whitacre, Britten & more..., Sun 1 Feb, Festival Theatre, Malvern

RBC LUNCHTIME MUSIC Featuring Haoen Li (piano). Programme comprises JS Bach’s Partita No.2, Mon 2 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

OVER THE RIDGE OF THE WORLD

Featuring Joanne Roughton-Arnold (soprano) & Nigel Foster (piano). Programme includes works by R Clarke, C McDowall, M Dring & Dame Gillian Whitehead, Tues 3 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

ANNETTE RICHARDS ORGAN RECITAL Programme includes works by Buxtehude, Byrd, JS Bach & more..., Tues 3 Feb, Organ Studio, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

APOLLO’S JUKEBOX Tues 3 Feb, St Mary's Church, Warwick

FREE PRE-CONCERT PERFORMANCE: RBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Featuring Tess Jackson (conductor). Programme includes works by Vaughan Williams, J Williams, Walton & Carwithen, Wed 4 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

CBSO: BRAHMS’ FOURTH SYMPHONY Featuring Eduardo Strausser (conductor) & Natalya Romaniw (soprano). Programme also includes works by N Shekhar & Strauss, Wed 4 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

PAUL CARR ORGAN RECITAL Programme includes works by JS Bach, Alain, Elgar & more..., Thurs 5 Feb, St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham

KIRSTEN JENSEN (CELLO) & JOHN THWAITES (PIANO) Programme includes works by Shostakovich, Brahms & Beethoven, Thurs 5 Feb, The Gateway, Shropshire

RBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: SHOSTAKOVICH 5 Featuring Tess Jackson (conductor). Programme also includes works by Vaughan Williams, Walton, Addinsell & more..., Fri 6 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

THE AYOUB SISTERS Featuring Sarah Ayoub (cello) & Laura Ayoub (violin). An evening of transformative music blending western classical, Arabic and Celtic traditions, Fri 6 Feb, St Laurence's Church, Ludlow, South Shropshire

CONCERTS IN THE ROUND Featuring Mark Tocknell (clarinet), Hilary Summers (cello), Gill Styles (piano),

Fri 6 Feb, St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury

BBC PHILHARMONIC - TCHAIKOVSKY'S FIFTH SYMPHONY Featuring Adam Hickox (conductor) & Elisabeth Brauss (soloist). Programme also includes works by Rossini & Ravel, Fri 6 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-onTrent

CBSO NOTELETS: ADVENTURES IN SPACE

Featuring Helen Edgar (presenter). Space-themed music, playful audience interaction and lots of chances to explore and join in, Fri 6Sat 7 Feb, CBSO Centre, B’ham

CBSO: THE STORIES OF MOVIE MUSIC WITH MARK KERMODE Featuring Michael Seal (conductor) & Mark Kermode (presenter). Concert celebrating the emotional connection that audiences form with film music, Sat 7 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham

SOUTH BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA Featuring Sabrina Ko (conductor), James Hamilton (leader) & Leo Penny (soloist). Programme includes works by Ravel, Strauss & Shostakovich, Sat 7 Feb, St Francis Church, Bournville, Birmingham

EDGE CHAMBER CHOIR - NORTHERN LIGHTS: MUSIC FROM SCANDINAVIA

Programme includes works by Sibelius, Greig, Gjeilo & more..., Sat 7 Feb, St John’s Church, Ludlow, South Shropshire

BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: SHOSTAKOVICH 10

Featuring Michael Lloyd (conductor). Programme also includes Elgar’s Falstaff, Sun 8 Feb, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

ECHO RISING STARS: ÁLFHEIÐUR ERLA GUÐMUNDSDÓTTIR (SOPRANO) Also featuring Kunal Lahiry (piano). Programme includes works by Barber, Sibelius, María Huld Markan & more..., Sun 8 Feb, Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

SWAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA Featuring Rebecca Miller (conductor) & Chris Allan (cello). Programme includes works by Elgar, Powell, Smyth & Tchaikovsky, Sun 8 Feb, Warwick Hall

Comedy

RICHARD BLACKWOOD Sun 1 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

GARY DELANEY & ANDY ROBINSON Sun 1 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

HAL CRUTTENDEN & WAYNE BEESE Sun 1 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

BARBARA NICE & WAYNE BEESE Sun 1 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

PHIL NICHOL Wed 4 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PAUL SINHA, HAYLEY ELLIS, RICK

WILSON & FREDDIE QUINN Wed 4 Feb, Herbert’s Yard, Birmingham

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE Wed 4 Feb,

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

MILTON JONES, MICK FERRY, THE RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS REVUE & WAYNE BEESE Wed 4 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

CHRIS MCCAUSLAND Wed 4 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

BASKETMOUTH Thurs 5 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ANDY ROBINSON, LINDSEY SANTORO, EMMANUEL SONUBI & ELI MATTHEWSON Thurs 5 Feb, The Glee Club, B’ham

CHRIS STOKES, HOWARD ANSTOCK, ROGER SWIFT & DAN SMITH Thurs 5 Feb, Stourbridge Town Hall

MATT REED, LINDSEY SANTORO, EMMANUEL SONUBI, MICKY P KERR & TOM ALBAN Fri 6 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JANINE HAROUNI Fri 6 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

HAL CRUTTENDEN Fri 6 Feb, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

SALLY-ANNE HAYWARD Fri 6 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

PATRICK MONAHAN Fri 6 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

KAZEEM JAMAL, JACK MILLER, PETER FLANAGAN & ADAM BEARDSMORE Sat 7 Feb, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

PREET SINGH Sat 7 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MATT REED, LINDSEY SANTORO, EMMANUEL SONUBI & MICKY P KERR Sat 7 Feb, The Glee Club, B’ham

SHALAKA KURUP, SAMIRA BANKS, ESTHER MANITO, OLA LABIB & MAUREEN YOUNGER Sat 7 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

RORY BREMNER & SPECIAL GUESTS Sat 7 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

LOUISE LEIGH, ROGER MONKHOUSE & JACK CAMPBELL Sat 7 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

TEJ DHUTIA, NOREEN KHAN, ESTHER MANITO, ANNETTE FAGON & SHALAKA KURUP Sat 7 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

MO GILLIGAN Sat 7 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

GLENN MOORE Sat 7 Feb, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

OMID DJALILI Sun 8 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Theatre

ROBIN HOOD A ‘sheriff-busting pantomime extravaganza’ featuring Gok Wan, Matt Slack, Faye Tozer, Andrew Ryan, Matt Cardle, Sandra Marvin and special guest star Christopher Biggins, until Sun 1 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

JACK & THE BEANSTALK Presented by Startime Variety, Thurs 29 Jan - Sun 1 Feb, Halesowen Town Hall

DARE TO DREAM JR Get Your Wigle On

present a Disney musical revue featuring numbers from Encanto, Frozen II, The Princess And The Frog, Coco and many more, Sat 31 Jan - Sun 1 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE BFG Tom Wells’ brand-new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story about a gentle giant and the smallest human bean, until Sat 7 Feb, The Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

ALL IS BUT FANTASY: LADY MACBETH, EMILIA A ‘theatrical event’ in which Shakespeare characters are revisited across two high-energy gig-style performances, until Sat 21 Feb, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon ALL IS BUT FANTASY: JULIET, RICHARD III A ‘theatrical event’ in which Shakespeare characters are revisited across two high-energy gig-style performances, until Sat 21 Feb, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon ODE TO JOYCE Celebration of Joyce Grenfell, one of the greatest female entertainers of the 20th century, Sun 1 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield AGATHA APPLETON AND THE PERIL OF THE PYRAMIDS Rain Or Shine Theatre Company present an archaeological adventure full of ‘side-splitting spills and thrills for all the family’, Sun 1 Feb, Fairfield Village Hall, Worcs

WIFI WARS Interactive comedy game show in which the whole audience competes. Expect classic TV game shows, zen-like word puzzles, retro video games and modern first-person shooters, Sun 1 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

REVISION ON TOUR: MACBETH Dickens Theatre Company present Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy, Mon 2 - Tues 3 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE Get ready for some improvised comedy sleuthing where you, the audience, create your very own Agatha Christieinspired drama live on stage, Tues 3 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

ONTROEREND GOED: HANDLE WITH CARE Theatre stripped down to its essence - no actors, no technicians, just a box and the audience... Tues 3 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

TEECHERS John Godber’s comic masterpiece - a funny and fastmoving account of life at Whitewall Academy, Tues 3 - Sat 7 Feb, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

MACBETH Amateur version of Shakespeare’s bloodiest play, Tues 3 - Sun 8 Feb, Oldbury Theatre

AGATHA APPLETON AND THE PERIL OF THE PYRAMIDS Rain Or Shine Theatre Company present an archaeological adventure full of ‘side-splitting spills and thrills for all the family’, Thurs 5 Feb, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire

ENGLAND’S TALES OF THE COUNCIL

HOUSE KID New theatre show taking a ‘powerful and nostalgic journey back to the heart of working-class Britain in the 1960s and 70s’, Thurs 5 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

MADE IN THE MIDLANDS Scratch night featuring three work-in-progress pieces by local artists/companies, each selected via open call, Thurs 5 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ETERNAL LOVE THE MUSICAL Journey into ‘a fantastical dark world’ in which the love-struck Vampire Baronplayed by Steve Steinman - searches for eternal love against a backdrop of original rock anthems, Thurs 5 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE BBC’S FIRST HOMOSEXUAL New dramatisation based on the BBC’s 1954 documentary about male homosexuality, which was banned following airing, Fri 6 Feb, The Crescent Theatre, Birmingham CARMEN Ukrainian National Opera present Bizet’s tale of passion and jealousy. Sung in French with English surtitles, Fri 6 - Sat 7 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

THE FRESHWATER FIVE ‘Powerful play’ concerning five fishermen, £53million-worth of cocaine and an ongoing fight for justice, Fri 6 - Sun 8 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

MATT MILLER: FIXING Drag mechanic Natalie Spanner presents a show about family breakups, learning car maintenance and choosing the right shade of lipstick to do it in, Sat 7 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham

LILIN Warwick Malaysian Students Association present a journey of selfdiscovery during which a young girl named Yasmin learns that there’s more to her grandmother than she thought, Sat 7 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD

Jonathan Goodwin stars as Charles Dickens in a one-man production that brings to life the author’s famous unfinished story, Sat 7 Feb, Worcester Script Haven

Kids Theatre

RUBY’S WORRY Musical adventure for younger audiences, told through live music, song, puppetry and physical theatre. Suitable for children aged between three and seven, Sun 1 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ANANSI THE SPIDER Family-friendly West African & Caribbean folk tales about a loveable spider, Mon 2 Feb, Lichfield Street Hub Library; Tues 3 Feb, Darlaston Library; Wed 4 Feb, Streetly Community Library, Sutton Coldfield; Thurs 5 Feb, Bloxwich Library Community Library; Fri 6 Feb, Willenhall Community Library & Sat 7 Feb, Bilston Library

Dance

LA PROBABILITÉ DU NÉANT Ebnflōh

Dance Company present a performance that ‘reminds us of our luminous capacity for resistance and resilience’, Thurs 5 Feb, Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome

DANCE CONSORTIUM: MÁM Twelve dancers ‘summon a whirlwind of myth and magic’ as they take audiences on ‘an otherworldly journey steeped in the landscape and culture of West Kerry in Ireland’, Fri 6 - Sat 7 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

Light Entertainment

THE NIGHT SKY SHOW Astronomer & author Adrian West (aka VirtualAstro) presents a visual and thoughtprovoking experience for everyone who looks up and wonders, Sun 1 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

JANET STREET PORTER IS OFF THE

LEASH Expect an evening of comedy, tragedy and gossip in a ‘tour de force rant against growing old gracefully’, Mon 2 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

WORLD TOUR Featuring a ‘brand-new collection of short films filled with extreme journeys, untamed characters and captivating cinematography’, Tues 3 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

ANY OBJECTIONS - A LIVE LOOPING HARP COMEDY Electroacoustic harpist and comedian Scarlett Smith presents ‘a playful celebration of creativity and harp innovation’, Wed 4 Feb, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

THE PARODY OF THE RINGS Expect comedy, chaos and utter nonsense as a team of hapless ushers attempt to create an epic tale of hobbits, elves and orcs, Wed 4 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

QUEENZ - DRAG ME TO THE DISCO! Live vocal extravaganza celebrating pop royalty through the decades, Wed 4Thurs 5 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

DITA VON TEESE: NOCTURNELLE New show from the Queen of Burlesquea blend of old-Hollywood allure, theatrical magic and high-art ‘stripscapes’, Wed 4 - Fri 6 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

AN EVENING WITH PSYCHIC SALLY ‘The nation’s favourite psychic’ is back on tour... Thurs 5 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

CABARET EXTREME Featuring a bizarre blend of burlesque, daring drag, extreme stunts and contemporary circus, Thurs 5 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

QUEENZ - DRAG ME TO THE DISCO! Live vocal extravaganza celebrating pop royalty through the decades, Fri 6 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE BOLLYWOOD BRATPACK FEATURING

CHIRAG RAO A musical experience blending timeless melodies from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, and Dean Martin with the hits of Bollywood icons Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam, Fri 6 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

TEASE Lady Lust and Miss Temptation host ‘the ultimate burlesque and cabaret experience’, Fri 6 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

CSSA CHINESE NEW YEAR GALA Celebrating Chinese culture through live performances and interactive activities, Fri 6 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

LINE DANCING WITH THE DOUBLE DOLLYS Character comedy with live Dolly Parton songs and line dancing, Sat 7 Feb, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

THE REAL QUEENS OF BOLLYWOOD A ‘vibrant and moving celebration’ of the women whose voices ‘shaped the sound and soul of Indian cinema’, Sat 7 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

STUART MICHAEL: THE PSYCHIC MEDIUM

Direct from London’s West End, Sat 7 Feb, Walsall Arena

TOMMY J ‘Magic, mayhem and nonstop laughs’ with the Shrewsbury pantomime favourite, Sat 7 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

K-POP SUPERSTARS Sun 8 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

Talks & Spoken Word

AN EVENING WITH ASTON VILLA LEGENDS Join Andy Townsend, Lee Hendrie and Ian Taylor as they share stories and anecdotes from their careers in football, Wed 4 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

SIMON YATES: TOUCHING THE VOID Join the acclaimed mountaineer as he shares the drama and excitement of his journeys around the world, Thurs 5 Feb, Walsall Arena

HAMZA YASSIN: MY LIFE BEHIND THE LENS Join the cameraman and presenter as he shares precious memories - both in life and nature, Thurs 5 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

AN AUDIENCE WITH FRANK BRUNO An evening with the boxing legend, Fri 6 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

DAVID ROWNTREE: NO ONE YOU KNOW A Wolverhampton Literature Festival event in which the founder member of Blur gives a unique insight into the first few years of one of Britain’s most

successful bands, Fri 6 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

HAUNTINGS Gerard Logan presents three tales of the supernatural: Naboth’s Vineyard and The Hanging Of Alfred Wadham by EF Benson, and MR James’ Oh, Whistle And I’ll Come To You, My Lad, Fri 6 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

STUART MACONIE: WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM THEIR FRIENDS Bestselling writer & broadcaster Stuart Maconie tells the epic story of The Beatles, Sun 8 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

Events

SUPER LEAGUE BASKETBALL TROPHY FINALS 2026 An action-packed day of top-tier basketball from the elite men’s and women’s team, Sun 1 Feb, Utilita Arena Birmingham

MILITARIA Featuring 350-plus exhibitor stands, Sun 1 Feb, NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

HIDDEN SPACES TOURS A rare opportunity to explore areas of the building that are usually closed to the public, Thurs 5 Feb, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

DISCOVERY TOUR AT BLAKESLEY HALL

Experience a guided tour of the fascinating Tudor building, Thurs 5Fri 6 Feb, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

QUEEN HEAVEN Combining classic music videos, immersive solar system visuals and archive footage, Fri 6 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

THE HAUNTED HALL: A CANDLELIT GHOST TOUR Hear tales of the ghosts at Aston Hall, Fri 6 - Sun 8 Feb, Aston Hall, Birmingham

WOLVERHAMPTON LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Celebrating the voices of authors, poets, writers, storytellers and publishers from across the UK, Fri 6Sun 8 Feb, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

HIDDEN SPACES TOURS A rare opportunity to explore areas of the building that are usually closed to the public, Sat 7 Feb, Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery

WOMEN AND GIRLS IN STEM DAY

Bringing together inspiring women from diverse STEM fields to showcase their work, Sat 7 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

THE YORKSHIRE CARD SHOW - NEC

TAKEOVER The home of all things cards, featuring passionate collectors, top-tier vendors and rare finds, Sat 7 - Sun 8 Feb, NEC, Birmingham

WORCESTER BRICK FESTIVAL A celebration of all things LEGO, Sun 8 Feb, University of Worcester Arena

thelist

Gigs

LORNA SHORE + WHITECHAPEL + SHADOW OF INTENT + HUMANITY’S LAST

BREATH Mon 9 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

ROBBIE WILLIAMS Mon 9 Feb, The Civic at The Halls, Wolverhampton

BELL WITCH + AERIAL

RUIN + 40 WATT SUN Tues 10 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

HENRY’S BLUESHOUSE Tues 10 Feb, Snobs, Birmingham

JAMES ARTHUR Tues 10 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham

EDGAR MACÍAS QUINTET

PLAYS BUENA VISTA Wed 11 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

BEAUX Wed 11 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

SLEEP THEORY + THE PRETTY WILD Wed 11 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

CLEMENTINE MARCH +

EXOTIC PETS Wed 11 Feb, Centrala, B’ham

SMALL CHANGES Wed 11 Feb, Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham

NASHVILLE IN CONCERT: THE ENCORE TOUR Wed 11 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham

THE SWAPS + THOMAS

HEPPELL + SAINT

SENARA Wed 11 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

FAETOOTH + COLTAINE Wed 11 Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

XLOV Wed 11 Feb, The Civic at The Halls, Wolverhampton

BLUEBYRD + GARY

LYNCH-WOOD Wed 11 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

JAKE LEGG JUG BAND Wed 11 Feb, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield

THE MUSIC OF ADELE Wed 11 Feb, Lichfield Cathedral

DANIEL KIMBRO Thurs 12 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

THE JAZZ ROOM: THE HEART OF NEW ORLEANS Thurs 12 Feb, The Jam

House, Birmingham

MUMFORD & SONS Thurs 12 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

GRAVE ALTAR + MARTYS

SAINT + SKULLDUGGERY

Thurs 12 Feb, Subside Bar, Birmingham

CHRIS POTTER WITH THE PABLO HELD TRIO Thurs 12 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

DEFTONES + DENZEL CURRY + DRUG CHURCH Thurs 12 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham

JULIA DISNEY AND CHRISTOPHER

CROMPTON Thurs 12 Feb, Catshill Social Club, Bromsgrove

A HEAD FULL OF COLDPLAY Thurs 12 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

BALLADESTE Thurs 12 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ANKORA Thurs 12 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

LUKE COMBS UK Thurs 12 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

SLIM JIM BLUES Thurs 12 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

WOMEN IN ROCK Thurs 12 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

AND FINALLY… PHIL COLLINS Thurs 12 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

THE MUSIC OF WHITNEY Thurs 12 Feb, Lichfield Cathedral

TRIBUTE TO MOTOWN LEGENDS Thurs 12 Feb, Festival Drayton Centre, Market Drayton, North Shropshire

SORRY Fri 13 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

UMARELLS Fri 13 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

THE LILACS + THE ROSADOCS + CRUZ Fri 13 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MAXIMO PARK Fri 13 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

BUDDY HOLLY

EXPERIENCE Fri 13 Feb, Jo Jo Jims, B’ham

NERVOUS TWITCH & THE BOO TIKI’S Fri 13 Feb, Tower of Song, B’ham

STRANGE MEETING Fri 13

Feb, 1000 Trades, Birmingham

WYLDEST Fri 13 Feb, The Victoria, B’ham

MARDI GRAS + HEAVY

BEAT BRASS BAND Fri 13 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

AURUM TRIO Fri 13 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

OLIE BRICE QUARTET Fri 13 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

BBC BIG BAND Fri 13 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

MICHAEL MARCAGI + EVAN HONER Fri 13 Feb,

XOYO, Digbeth, B’ham

THE BRACKNALL Fri 13 Feb, Mama Roux’s, Birmingham

ECLIPSE - THE PINK

FLOYD EXPERIENCE Fri

13 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

ABSOLUTE BOWIE Fri 13

Feb, The Assembly, Leamington Spa

BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA Fri 13 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

SWEET LIKE SABRINA Fri 13 Feb, Kidderminster Town Hall

THE ELO SHOW Fri 13

Feb, Dudley Town Hall

ULTIMATE COLDPLAY Fri

13 Feb, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

SHEF LEPPARD +

MAIDEN ANGLIA Fri 13 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

THE COST Fri 13 Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

BROOKE COMBE Fri 13 Feb, The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent

ROBBIE WILLIAMS

PLAYED BY DAN BUDD Fri 13 Feb, Eleven, Stokeon-Trent

ED TUDOR POLE + XTRO

GHOST Fri 13 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-onTrent

TOM MCCONVILLE Fri 13

Feb, Fenton Town Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

OPIUM LORD + GODS OF HELLFIRE + SPACE

WITCH Fri 13 Feb, The Rigger, NewcastleUnder-Lyme

GREG RUSSELL Fri 13

Feb, Burton Folk Club,

Burton upon Trent

THE BILLY JOEL

COLLECTION Fri 13 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

RADIO GAGA - QUEEN

TRIBUTE Fri 13 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

A TRIBUTE TO ELTON JOHN Fri 13 Feb, Lichfield Cathedral

TWO TONE REVOLUTION Fri 13 Feb, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield

CILLA & THE SWINGING 60S Fri 13 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

LOS PACAMINOS FEATURING PAUL YOUNG Fri 13 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

SIERRA VIEW + MOONSHINE + CALL OF THE KRAKEN Fri 13 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

THE RIGMAROLLERS Fri 13 Feb, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire

RED SKY JULY Sat 14 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

THE BESNARD LAKES + THE THORN Sat 14 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

MIDRIFT + TURN OF PHRASE Sat 14 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

GRAVE PALMS + NOTION OF FORTUNE + MADDOX Sat 14 Feb, The Night Owl, Birmingham

THE ACADEMIC Sat 14 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

FREDDIE HALKON Sat 14 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MOGWAI + FOREST

SWORDS Sat 14 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

ARM’S LENGTH + BEN QUAD + SHORELINE + KOYO Sat 14 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

LOVE DISTRACTION Sat 14 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

SOUTHERN BEAUTY FT.

ALISON WHEELER Sat 14 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

MONKEY BUSINESS Sat 14 Feb, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield

THE CLASSIC ROCK SHOW

Sat 14 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

PLUG IN MAYBE Sat 14 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

THE WONDER OF STEVIE Sat 14 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

ABBA - SWEDE DREAMZ Sat 14 Feb, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

THE FRATELLIS Sat 14 Feb, The Civic at The Halls, Wolverhampton

ASH Sat 14 Feb, The Sugarmill, Stoke-onTrent

THE ILLEGAL EAGLES Sat 14 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

CHINA CRISIS Sat 14 Feb, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

SOUL LEGEND - TRIBUTE TO MARVIN GAYE Sat 14 Feb, Two Gates Club, Tamworth

SPACE Sat 14 Feb, The Station, Cannock

TAYLORMANIA Sat 14 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

WILD CANDY Sat 14 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

MARK HARRISON BAND Sat 14 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

LOS SERPENTOS Sun 15 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

Mumford & SonsO2 Institute, Birmingham

OMAR PERRY & ERM BAND Sun 15 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

NIALL MCCABE Sun 15 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

THE BEACHES Sun 15 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THIRSTY WORK Sun 15 Feb, The Brasshouse, Birmingham

LAURENCE JONES Sun 15 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

TAYLORMANIA Sun 15 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE JANIS JOPLIN

EXPERIENCE Sun 15 Feb, The Robin, Bilston ALL FOR THE JOLLY Sun 15 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

THE COVASETTES Sun 15 Feb, The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent

RANT Sun 15 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

THE SOUNDS OF PHILADELPHIA & MOTOWN Sun 15 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE CRAWLING + SAARKOTH + OMEGATHRONE Sun 15 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

Monday 9 - Sunday 15

Classical Music

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER Programme includes works by D Buxtehude, M Festing, E Elgar & more..., Mon 9 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

LUNCHTIME CONCERT Featuring Lucy Irving (clarinet), Tues 10 Feb, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury

DARRAGH MORGAN (VIOLIN) AND MARY DULLEA (PIANO) Performing new works written by RBC’s MMus composers, Wed 11 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

CBSO X BCMG: AN EXPLORATION OF KURTÁG AT 100 Featuring Paul Griffiths (presenter), Colette Overdijk & Georgia Hannant (violins), Chris Yates (viola), Arthur Boutillier (cello) & John Reid (piano/celesta).

Programme includes works by György Kurtág & Bach, Thurs 12 Feb, CBSO Centre, Birmingham

CZECH JANÁČEK PHILHARMONIC

ORCHESTRA Featuring Daniel Raiskin (conductor) & Jennifer Pike (violin). Programme includes works by Janáček, Bruch & Shostakovich, Thurs 12 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham BALLADESTE Featuring Tara Franks (cello) & Preetha Narayanan (violin). Programme features a selection of contemporary minimalism, Indian classical and folk, Thurs 12 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

HENSCHEL QUARTET Featuring Christoph Henschel & Hannah Perowne (violins), Monika Henschel (viola) & Mathias Beyer-Karlshøj (cello). Programme includes works by Haydn, F Swain & Mendelssohn, Fri 13 Feb, Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: LIGHT AND SHADOW An atmospheric evening of music from film and television, Fri 13 Feb, Number 8, Pershore

THE AYOUB SISTERS Featuring Sarah Ayoub (cello) & Laura Ayoub (violin). An evening of transformative music which blends Western classical, Arabic and Celtic traditions, Fri 13 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

VIVALDI’ FOUR SEASONS BY CANDLELIGHT Featuring Piccadilly Sinfonietta & Henry Chandler (violin), Sat 14 Feb, Worcester Cathedral BIRMINGHAM PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA: SHOSTAKOVICH 10 Featuring Michael Lloyd (conductor). Programme also includes Elgar’s Falstaff, Sun 15 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

EX CATHEDRA: THE SUN KING'S FAVOURITE Featuring Jeffrey Skidmore (conductor). Programme includes works by Lalande & Corelli, Sun 15 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

Comedy

CHLOE PETTS Wed 11 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

GEARÓID FARRELLY Wed 11 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

DESIREE BURCH Thurs 12 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON & SANDRO FORD & BETHANY

BLACK Thurs 12 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JAIN EDWARDS Thurs 12 Feb, Cherry Reds, Birmingham

PAUL MCCAFFREY Thurs 12 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

SALLY-ANNE HAYWARD Thurs 12 Feb, Stourbridge Town Hall

BRIDGET CHRISTIE Fri 13 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

GEORGIE JONES Fri 13 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SANDRO FORD, BETHANY BLACK, JOE

BINGHAM & MO MAGALEO Fri 13 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

CALLY BEATON Fri 13 Feb, The Rep, Birmingham

MATT STELLINGWERF, SAMANTHA DAY, TREVOR BICKLES & PAUL REVILL Fri 13

Feb, Bedworth Civic Hall

DESIREE BURCH Fri 13 Feb, Warwick

Arts Centre, Coventry

OMID DJALILI Fri 13 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THOR STENHAUG Sat 14 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MILTON JONES, ROMAN HARRIS, JESSIE

NIXON & DAVE LONGLEY Sat 14 Feb, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

SANDRO FORD, BETHANY BLACK, ROB

THOMAS & COMIC TBC Sat 14 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

RIA LINA Sat 14 Feb, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire

BRIDGET CHRISTIE Sat 14 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

ROB AUTON Sat 14 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

JUSTIN MOORHOUSE Sat 14 Feb, Abbey Theatre, Nuneaton

DANI JOHNS, JON WAGSTAFFE, COMEDIAN MAD RON & WILL DUGGAN Sat 14 Feb, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

MILO EDWARDS Sun 15 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SCOTT BENNETT Sun 15 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

Theatre

THE UNFRIEND Amateur version of the Stephen Moffat farce exploring middle-class England’s perennial struggle to keep up appearances, Mon 9 - Sat 14 Feb, Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth

THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF Gossip, desire and deception are at the forefront of this amateur version of Gian Carlo Menotti’s radio opera. Presented by RBC students, Tues 10 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

MEET FRED Hijinx Theatre’s ‘darkly hilarious’ production follows a cloth puppet (Fred) as he tries to live an ordinary life by getting a job, finding love and becoming part of society, Tues 10 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

EVITA Amateur version of Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical, Tues 10 - Thurs 12 Feb, Macready Theatre, Rugby DIAL M FOR MURDER Stoke Rep Players present an amateur version of Frederick Knott’s classic story of betrayal, intrigue and murder, Tues 10 - Sat 14 Feb, Stoke Rep Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S DEATH ON THE NILE

Mark Hadfield stars as Hercule Poirot in a new version of the Agatha Christie classic. Glynis Barber and Bob Barrett also star, Tues 10 - Sat 14 Feb, Malvern Theatres

FAWLTY TOWERS - THE PLAY Join Basil, the Major and Polly as they bring to life all your favourite moments from the show’s unforgettable 12 episodes. Danny Bayne, Paul Nicholas and Joanne Clifton star, Tues 10 - Sat 21 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND New musical telling the true story of William Kamkwamba - a boy who hopes ‘to produce the gift of power and give hope for tomorrow’, Tues 10 Feb - Sat 28 March, Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

THE FULSTOW BOYS The Lichfield Players present an amateur version of Gordon Steel’s play, which is based on the stories of 10 young men who made the ultimate sacrifice in World War One, Wed 11 - Sat 14 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

SHAKESPEARE ON LOVE Second Thoughts Drama Group take a look at a selection of lovers from Shakespeare’s work and the modern musicals inspired by them, Wed 11Sat 14 Feb, The Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

CROWN OF BLOOD New Yoruba adaptation of Macbeth, featuring storytelling, music and movement, Wed 11 - Sat 14 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK The Mary Stevens Hospice Pantomime Company present a giant panto featuring X Factor star Chico, Wed 11 - Wed 18 Feb, Stourbridge Town Hall THE BATTLE A ‘wickedly funny’ dive into one of the greatest rivalries in rock history: Blur vs Oasis. Mathew Horne stars, Wed 11 Feb - Sat 7 Mar, The Rep, Birmingham

LIVING THE LIFE OF RILEY Feelgood family comedy featuring Cheryl Fergison, Leah Bell, Paul Dunn and Alison Stanley, Thurs 12 Feb, The Core Theatre, Solihull

PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH Former Poet Laureate Casey Bailey’s acclaimed production asks important questions about colonial legacy and contested heritage, at the same time shining a light on the criminal justice system, Thurs 12 Feb, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

NINE SIXTEENTHS A show that looks at the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl, Thurs 12 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

JULIET & ROMEO Lying Lips Theatre Company showcase Shakespeare’s classic love story by presenting the tragic play as a circus, Thurs 12 - Fri 13 Feb, The Crescent Theatre, B’ham

NINE SIXTEENTHS A show that looks at the fallout from the infamous Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake ‘wardrobe malfunction’ incident at the 2004 Superbowl, Fri 13 Feb, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

ENCOUNTER Warwick Gospel Choir combine music, dance and drama in a production that explores what it means to be ‘called, set apart and sent out as a royal priesthood’, Fri 13 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

MIDLAND OPERA: ORPHEUS & EURYDICE Programme comprises Orpheus & Eurydice by Gluck, adapted by Berlioz, Fri 13 Feb, Plantsbrook School, Sutton Coldfield

ROBIN HOOD AND THE GREAT CREME

EGG HEIST

A folk legend and a magic

thelist

chicken come together in this unique panto, presented by the Castle Players, Fri 13 - Sat 14 Feb, SpArC Theatre, Bishops Castle, Shropshire

CLEMENTINE Rosalie Minnitt stars in a comic story about sickly sisters, selflove and Sylvanian families, Sat 14 Feb, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton MY LIFE WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS

David Benson revisits his classic portrait of the much-missed Carry On star in a new version of the show, Sat 14 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

JACK OFF THE BEANSTALK: GRAB YOUR CHOPPER Adult pantomime filled with outrageous innuendos and ‘beantickling’ antics, Sat 14 Feb, The Wulfrun at The Halls, Wolverhampton

OUR LITTLE HOUR New musical drama that tells the story of Walter Tull, the orphaned grandson of a Barbadian slave, who became the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game, Sat 14 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

JANE EYRE Amateur version of Charlotte Brontë’s gothic masterpiece, Sat 14 - Sat 21 Feb, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

Acclaimed reinvention of Sir Arthur

Conan Doyle’s most famous Sherlock Holmes story - ‘a fast-paced comedy caper that promises to leave you howling’, Sat 14 Feb - Sat 14

Mar, New Vic Theatre, Newcastleunder-Lyme

LA TRAVIATA Ellen Kent Opera present Verdi’s tragic tale, Sun 15 Feb, Malvern Theatres

MIDLAND OPERA: ORPHEUS & EURYDICE

Programme comprises Orpheus & Eurydice by Gluck, adapted by Berlioz, Sun 15 Feb, Plantsbrook School, Sutton Coldfield

Kids Theatre

PEPPA PIG’S BIG FAMILY SHOW

Featuring music, adventure and surprises, Wed 11 - Thurs 12 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

MERMARELLA (CINDERELLA OF THE SEA)

An Indigo Moon production for younger audiences, fusing puppetry, shadow theatre and music, Thurs 12 Feb, Glasshouse Arts Centre, Stourbridge

BLUEY’S BIG PLAY Theatrical adaptation of the award-winning children’s TV series, featuring puppetry, music, ‘and an abundance

of family fun’, Fri 13 - Sun 15 Feb, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

BRAVE BETTIE A ‘powerful and playful’ production for younger audiences that explores resilience, self-belief, activism and our bond with nature. Suitable for children aged between three and eight, Sat 14 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham & Sun 15 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

PETER AND THE WOLF FAMILY CONCERT

The University of Warwick Chamber Orchestra present a ‘fun-packed and interactive adventure’... Sun 15 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE MAGIC OF SCIENCE: HIGH VOLTAGE

A fast-moving, colourful and familyfriendly show filled with ‘mystery, suspense, and lots and lots of mess!’ Sun 15 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

Dance

DIVERSITY - SOUL 2026 New tour based around the technological advancements of AI - questioning what the future holds, and what it truly means to be human in the digital age, Wed 11 - Sat 14 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET: DON QUIXOTE Comedy and dance combine in Carlos Acosta’s highly acclaimed ‘explosion of Spanish sunshine’, Thurs 12 - Sat 21 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

VINCENT SIMONE: TANGO PASSIONS

Take a journey to Buenos Aires for a tale of love, passion and lust, accompanied by classic and modern Argentine tango music from the likes of Astor Piazzolla and Gotan Project, Sun 15 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

Light

Entertainment

TAP FACTORY Fast-paced production in which eight male performers deliver ‘a sensational blend’ of dance, acrobatics, music and

comedy, Tues 10 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

THE MUSIC OF PRINCE BY CANDLELIGHT Wed 11 Feb, Worcester Cathedral

JACK RHODES: PART TIME WIZARD, FULL TIME MORON An evening of tricks and giggles from the Britain’s Got Talent runner-up, Thurs 12 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

MASSAOKE - SING THE MUSICALS

Featuring hits from some of the greatest musicals of all time, performed by a live band and character singers. A giant screen displaying lyrics also features, to enable audiences to sing along, Thurs 12 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-onTrent

STRANGE, BUT TRUE CRIME Join exforensics lecturer Jennifer Rees as she explores the world’s most shocking and unbelievable cases, Thurs 12 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

GAME SHOW SHOW An evening of games, satire and social history, featuring trivia, poetry and parody ‘about the place you call home’, Thurs 12 Feb, The Talbot Theatre, Whitchurch, North Shropshire

THE PARODY OF THE RINGS Expect comedy, chaos and utter nonsense as a team of hapless ushers attempt to create an epic tale of hobbits, elves and orcs, Thurs 12 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN SINGALONG VERSION Screening of the much-loved film, with lyrics provided to enable audiences to sing along, Fri 13 Feb, Holy Trinity Church, Cradley Heath

MATT PARKER: GETTING TRIGGY WITH IT

Unique show fusing comedy and maths, Fri 13 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

GAME SHOW SHOW An evening of games, satire and social history, featuring trivia, poetry and parody ‘about the place you call home’, Fri 13 Feb, Goodrich Village Hall, Herefordshire

THE DOLLY SHOW Kelly O’Brien stars in a celebration of the life and music of Dolly Parton, Fri 13 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

Monday 9 - Sunday 15 February

KPOP FANTASY High-energy theatrical celebration of K-pop, Fri 13 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

TAP FACTORY Fast-paced production in which eight male performers deliver ‘a sensational blend of dance, acrobatics, music and comedy’, Fri 13 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

MURDER TRIAL TONIGHT IV: DEATH OF A LANDLORD Return of ‘the UK’s most talked-about courtroom experience’, in which the audience is the jury, Sat 14 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

DAZZLING DIAMONDS - COMEDY DRAG SHOW ‘Smash-hit comedy variety drag show’, Sat 14 Feb, The Palace Theatre, Redditch

IMPROVESARIOS A group of classically trained musicians improvise a brandnew opera, Sat 14 Feb, The Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa

THE PARODY OF THE RINGS Expect comedy, chaos and utter nonsense as a team of hapless ushers attempt to create an epic tale of hobbits, elves and orcs, Sat 14 Feb, The Regal, Tenbury

THE MUSIC OF ED SHEERAN BY CANDLELIGHT Sat 14 Feb, Lichfield Cathedral

LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING - MUSICAL THEATRE NIGHT Featuring memorable love songs from the West End, Sat 14 Feb, Rother Street Arts, Stratfordupon-Avon

ALL HANDS TOGETHER Three Idle

Women present an evening of songs, stories and harmony that ‘carry audiences through time and along the waterways of the UK’, Sun 15 Feb, Dorothy Parkes Centre, Smethwick

SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE: THE GEORGE HARRISON STORY Daniel

Taylor stars as the ‘quiet’ Beatle in a celebration of one of music’s most understated icons, Sun 15 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester ANYTHING GOES - SONGS FROM THE SHOWS Featuring Broadway hits and musical theatre classics, Sun 15 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

Talks & Spoken Word

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS WITH GORDON BUCHANAN Join the wildlife cameraman as he recalls encounters with pandas, grizzlies, tigers, jaguars and other animals... Mon 9 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

STAND-UP POET Gavin Robertson’s alter-ego, Greg Byron, performs a selection of verses and sporadic comic anecdotes... Thurs 12 Feb, Tipton Library

EXPLORING SHAKESPEARE, 1599 - 1600: AS YOU LIKE IT Local Shakespeare

specialist Clare Smout hosts a ‘friendly, interactive session’ featuring an introductory talk, a group discussion on characters, themes, language and staging, and video clips illustrating a variety of interpretations, Sat 14 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS WITH GORDON BUCHANAN Join the wildlife cameraman as he recalls encounters with pandas, grizzlies, tigers, jaguars and other animals... Sun 15 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE MAKINGS OF A MURDERER: THE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE Peter Bleksley - a founding member of Scotland Yard’s undercover unit and a former star of Channel Four’s Hunted - lifts the lid on the most dangerous and hidden aspects of murder investigations, Sun 15 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

DARWIN MEMORIAL LECTURE Professor Robert Foley FBA presents Charles Darwin - The Scientific Gift That Keeps On Giving, Sun 15 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Events

CRIME & DINE Join author & crime

historian Adam Wood and local chef Sarah Jenkins for an exclusive evening of fine dining, Tues 10 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry BEHIND THE SCENES COLLECTIONS TOUR

Join the Collections Officer on a special tour, Wed 11 Feb, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

THE BACK TO BACKS BY CANDLELIGHT

Explore the Birmingham Back to Backs by the atmospheric glow of candlelight, Thurs 12 Feb, Birmingham Back to Backs

DISCOVERY TOUR AT BLAKESLEY HALL

Experience a guided tour of the fascinating Tudor building, Thurs 12Fri 13 Feb, Blakesley Hall, B’ham

WALKING FOOD TOUR OF LUDLOW

Discover local delicacies and food producers on this three-hour walking tour, Thurs 12 - Sat 14 Feb, Ludlow, South Shropshire

BIRMINGHAM LIGHT FESTIVAL

Returning event which sees citycentre locations transformed into spectacular galleries of illuminated artworks, Thurs 12 - Sun 15 Feb, Birmingham City Centre

CBSO & BIRMINGHAM LIGHT FESTIVAL: BRINGING THE LIGHT LANTERN WALK

Featuring CBSO Youth Musicians & artwork by Sophie Handy. An afternoon of live music, light art and a lantern walk, Fri 13 Feb, The Roundhouse, Birmingham

BOOGIE LIGHTS EXPRESS Enjoy a spectacular sound & light show on board a steam train, Fri 13 - Sat 14 Feb, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, nr Kidderminster

THE GREAT BRITISH SHOOTING SHOW

The UK’s leading event for shooting sports and outdoor pursuits, Fri 13Sun 15 Feb, NEC, Birmingham

NOVUNA UK ATHLETICS INDOOR

CHAMPIONSHIPS BIRMINGHAM 2026 Event bringing together the nation’s finest athletes for two days of highenergy competition, Sat 14 - Sun 15 Feb, Utilita Arena Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM ANIME & GAMING CON The largest anime convention in the Midlands, Sat 14 - Sun 15 Feb, Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham THE 2026 BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL TATTOO Event bringing together massed marching bands, pipes and drums, Sat 14 - Sun 15 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham

LEGO WEDO WORKSHOP Create your own invention using specialist Lego kits, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

SMETHWICK PUPPETRY FESTIVAL

Featuring puppet shows for families, performances for adults, puppetry workshops, exhibitions and more, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, venues across Smethwick

FOLK ART ANIMAL TRAIL Can you spot the animals hidden around the grounds? Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

Celebrate the year of the horse with fun activities and performers, Sat 14Sun 22 Feb, Trentham Estate, Staffs LEGO FEB HALF TERM Get building and bring your most amazing ideas to life, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

BIG BLUE BLOCKS Build, stack, channel and connect larger-than-life play blocks, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

LAMBING FESTIVAL Visit the lambs in the indoor barn - you might even catch a live birth, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Park Hall Countryside Experience, Oswestry, North Shrops FEBRUARY HALF TERM FUN Step back in time to the golden age of travel with both steam and diesel-hauled trains, Sat 14 - Sun 22 Feb, Severn Valley Railway, nr Kidderminster

CASTLE QUEST: IMAGINATION

PLAYGROUND ‘A magical hands-on experience for children where creativity reigns supreme’, Sat 14 Feb - Sat 11 April, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

thelist

Gigs

PETER CASE AND SID

GRIFFIN Mon 16 Feb, Kitchen Garden, B’ham

GOOD NEIGHBOURS + MASTER PEACE Mon 16 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

MØL + TAYNE + COLD NIGHT FOR ALLIGATORS Mon 16 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

LIVE FOREVER - THE RISE OF BRITAIN’S GREATEST ROCK ‘N’ ROLL BAND Mon 16 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

SUEDE Mon 16 Feb, hmv Empire, Coventry

THE DEARS Tues 17 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

PLANTOID + FUZZ

COUNCIL Tues 17 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

FILKIN’S DRIFT Tues 17 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

ALEX SPENCER + THE CASES + LEAH WILCOX Tues 17 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

HENRY’S BLUESHOUSE Tues 17 Feb, Snobs, Birmingham

COACH PARTY + LIZZIE

ESAU Tues 17 Feb, Castle & Falcon, B’ham

PETER ANDRE IN THE VERY BEST OF FRANKIE

VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS Tues 17 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham

L1NKN P4RK Tues 17

Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

SMITH / KOTZEN + KRIS

BARRAS BAND Tues 17

Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

TOM ROWLEY Thurs 19

Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE ACES + ALEKSIAH

Thurs 19 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

DETROITWICH FUNK

MACHINE Thurs 19 Feb, Tower of Song, B’ham

SANGUISUGABOGG + FULCI + GATES TO HELL + CELESTIAL SANCTUARY

Thurs 19 Feb, The Asylum, Birmingham

THE WONDER OF STEVIE

Thurs 19 Feb, The Core Theatre, Solihull

KEELEY + ATALHOS

WHITELANDS Wed 18 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

BLACK HONEY Wed 18 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

BLACKBEARD’S TEA PARTY Wed 18 Feb, Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham

BEAUTIFUL CRAZY - THE LUKE COMBS

COLLECTION Wed 18 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

ROARING TWENTIES Wed 18 Feb, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield

THE IRISH HOUSE PARTY Wed 18 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE GENESIS SHOW Wed 18 Feb, Malvern Theatres

FLAT MOON Wed 18 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stokeon-Trent

RONNIE SCOTT’S JAZZ CLUB Wed 18 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

COURTNEY HADWIN Thurs 19 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

MERMAID CHUNKY Thurs 19 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

KIM RICHEY Thurs 19 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

SOUND OF THE LIONESS Thurs 19 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

LACROSS CLUB Thurs 19 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

SHAWN JAMES Thurs 19 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

ASH Thurs 19 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

FAKE HASTE + NEW EFFECT + ALTERATION + BLISS Fri 20 Feb, The Rainbow, Birmingham

HOMETOWN GLORY - A TRIBUTE TO ADELE Fri 20 Feb, The Core Theatre, Solihull

JOSH HINDLE Fri 20 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

IZZY DERRY + SOPHIE HADLUM + CROISSANT + BRASS HIP FLASK Fri 20 Feb, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

THE ENEMY Fri 20 Feb, hmv Empire, Coventry

Thurs 19 Feb, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

SOLSTICE Thurs 19 Feb, Kidderminster Town Hall

CHANTEL MCGREGOR

Thurs 19 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

JULIAN JOSEPH Thurs 19 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? A TRIBUTE TO TINA TURNER Thurs 19

Feb, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

KING OF FOXES + FORTY FATHOMS DOWN Thurs 19 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

THIS IS THE POLICE

Thurs 19 Feb, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire

JESS TUTHILL Thurs 19 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shrops

MARIA SOMERVILLE Fri 20 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

LOS FASTIDIOS Fri 20 Feb, The Night Owl, Birmingham

THE COVASETTES Fri 20 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

COUNTERPARTS + GOD COMPLEX + ONE STEP CLOSER + SUNAMI Fri 20 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

DARTS Fri 20 Feb, Castle & Falcon, B’ham BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME Fri 20 Feb, The Asylum, Birmingham FIAT LUX + THE MOONS OF JUPITER Fri 20 Feb, The Victoria, B’ham UNDER THE BRIDGE +

BLACK AUTUMN + METHODEMIC + SCULPTURES + CONCUSSION Fri 20 Feb, Arches Venue, Coventry

MICHALE GRAVES + HOUSE OF DAWN + KID

KLUMSY Fri 20 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester STING AND THE POLICE STARRING THE ROZZERS Fri 20 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

ROY ORBISON & THE TRAVELING WILBURYS EXPERIENCE Fri 20 Feb, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

LUTHER LIVE Fri 20 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

DEFINITELY MIGHT + ADORED Fri 20 Feb, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

WHITESNAKE UK & VAN

HALEN UK Fri 20 Feb, The Robin, Bilston

KATAKLYSM + VADER + BLOOD RED THRONE Fri 20 Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

SPECIAL KINDA MADNESS Fri 20 Feb, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

PET SHOP BOYS, ACTUALLY. Fri 20 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stokeon-Trent

JERSEY BEATS Fri 20 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

MIDNITE CITY Fri 20 Feb, The Station, Cannock

VOODOO ROOM: A NIGHT OF HENDRIX, CLAPTON & CREAM Fri 20 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

ROGER PARKES - PIANO MAN Fri 20 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

THESE SMITHS Fri 20 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

The Artisan Tap, Stokeon-Trent

WEEKEND DAD + DRAVE Fri 20 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

SMALL CHANGES Fri 20 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shrops

THE NORTHERN

SOULTRAIN Sat 21 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

BEACH BØNES Sat 21 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

RATTUS INHERITUS Sat 21 Feb, The Night Owl, Birmingham

BIG SPECIAL + GANS + GOOD HEALTH GOOD WEALTH Sat 21 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE ENTITLED SONS Sat 21 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

PUNK ROCK FACTORY + THE BOTTOM LINE Sat 21 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

THE MILK MEN Sat 21 Feb, Jo Jo Jims, B’ham

CORY HANSON Sat 21 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

WE ARE THE CATALYST Sat 21 Feb, The Flapper, Birmingham

MOTHERSHIP - LED

ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE Sat 21 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

THE VIOLET HOURS Sat 21 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

THE KILLERZ Sat 21 Feb, Queens Hall, Nuneaton

SHAPE OF YOU Sat 21 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE UPBEAT BEATLES Sat 21 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

THE ROCK OF AGES

EXPERIENCE Sat 21 Feb, The River Rooms, Stourbridge

FOZZY + TAILGUNNER + MARISA AND THE MOTHS Sat 21 Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

THE MUSIC OF FRANK ZAPPA Sat 21 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

WHOS NEXT Sat 21 Feb, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

DIRTY RUBY Sat 21 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stokeon-Trent

JIMI BOSWELL + RECOLTE Sat 21 Feb,

METAL MILITIA Sat 21 Feb, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent

THE DAVID BARRON BAND + THE CENTAURS + THE ILLUSION + STEP OUT Sat 21 Feb, Top Of The World, Stafford

DAFT PUNKZ Sat 21 Feb, The Station, Cannock

THE STORY OF SOUL Sat 21 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

DAN OWEN Sat 21 Feb, Unitarian Church, Shrewsbury

SKABURST Sat 21 Feb, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury

JD CLIFFE Sun 22 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham MOMENTS OF PLEASURE: THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE TO KATE BUSH Sun 22 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

JESSIE REID Sun 22 Feb, Kitchen Garden, B’ham

CHASING ABBEY Sun 22 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

RICH DICKINSON’S DRIVING FORCE Sun 22 Feb, The Brasshouse, Birmingham

CORPUS DELICTI Sun 22 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

DEVIN KENNEDY Sun 22 Feb, The Rainbow, Digbeth, Birmingham

SHOWADDYWADDY Sun 22 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

BON JOVI FOREVER Sun 22 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

STEVIE WATTS AND THE WHIRLYBIRDS Sun 22 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

FINDING WAYS FT SEBASTIAN ROCHFORD Sun 22 Feb, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry

THE BEST OF TUBULAR BELLS I, II & III Sun 22 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

CHARM OF FINCHES Sun 22 Feb, The Hive, Shrewsbury

THE DR HOOK SONGBOOK

- STARRING BILLY SHANNON Sun 22 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

Classical Music

BIRMINGHAM GAME MUSIC ENSEMBLE: SPRING Featuring Tommaso Nista (conductor). Programme includes music from the Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, Animal Crossing & more..., Thurs 19 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

JULIAN JOSEPH PIANO CONCERT Thurs 19 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

CBSO: HAYDN'S NELSON MASS & BEETHOVEN Featuring Omer Meir Wellber (conductor), Sir Stephen Hough (piano), Luis Gomes (tenor), Stefan Cerny (bass), Georgia Mae Ellis (mezzo soprano), Lauren Urquhart (soprano) & CBSO Chorus, Thurs 19 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham

ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PLAYS MOZART AND BEETHOVEN Featuring Alison Lambert (clarinet). Programme includes works by Mozart, Hans Gal & Beethoven, Thurs 19 Feb, Festival Theatre, Malvern

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN SESSIONS: SHIFTING LIGHT Featuring David Le Page (director). Programme includes works by Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Bridge & more..., Thurs 19 Feb, St Nicholas Church, Warwick

CBSO: BEST OF BOND Featuring Stephen Bell (conductor), Matt Ford & Alison Jiear (vocalists). Programme includes soundtracks that have accompanied Britain’s best-loved secret agent..., Fri 20 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

GOŚKA ISPHORDING (HARPSICHORD AND ELECTRONICS) Gośka collaborates with BEAST to present works combining harpsichord and electronic music, featuring world premieres of works by Birmingham composers Holly Gowland and Scott Wilson, Fri 20 Feb, Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham

ANTHONY PINEL ORGAN RECITAL Fri 20 Feb, St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury

MYSTERY ENSEMBLE - RECOMPOSED: THE FOUR SEASONS Programme includes works and recompositions by Max Richter, Sat 21 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

NEW MUSIC ENSEMBLE & PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Featuring Daniele Rosina (conductor) & Elizabeth Cragg (voice). Programme includes works by Berio, J Walshe, Dallapiccola & more..., Sat 21 Feb, Elgar Concert Hall, University of Birmingham

MARTYN RAWLES ORGAN RECITAL Programme includes works by C McDowall, J Ireland, P Whitlock & more..., Sat 21 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

CBSO FAMILY CONCERT: TUNES & TALES Featuring Chloe Rooke (conductor), Tom Redmond (presenter) & the CBSO Children's Chorus.

Monday 16 - Sunday 22

Programme includes works by Prokofiev, Bernstein, Grieg & more..., Sun 22 Feb, Symphony Hall, B’ham

BAROQUE-CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA Featuring Andrew Kirkman (conductor). Programme includes works by Haydn, Sun 22 Feb, Elgar Concert Hall, University of B’ham

MALVERN CONCERT CLUB Featuring Dame Sarah Connolly (mezzo soprano) & Malcolm Martineau (piano). Programme includes works by Barber, Debussy, Duparc & more..., Sun 22 Feb, Festival Theatre, Malvern

BOGLARKA GYORGY (VIOLIN) & AMY BUTLER (PIANO) IN CONCERT Programme includes works by Mozart, Debussy, L Boulanger & Saint-Saëns, Sun 22 Feb, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester

Comedy

EMMANUEL SONUBI Tues 17 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

IAN SMITH Wed 18 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MIKE RICE Thurs 19 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON, JEN NOLAN & TOM

HOUGHTON Thurs 19 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

ROB COPLAND Thurs 19 Feb, Cherry Reds, Birmingham

SCOTT BENNETT Thurs 19 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

BARBARA NICE Thurs 19 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

JIMEOIN Thurs 19 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

ANIA MAGLIAN Thurs 19 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

CHRIS RAMSEY Thurs 19 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

JACK CARROLL Fri 20 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

TOUSSAINT DOUGLASS, JEN NOLAN, TOM HOUGHTON, RYAN KENNY & COMIC

TBC Fri 20 Feb, The Glee Club, B’ham

CLINTON BAPTISTE Fri 20 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

MRS SMITH Fri 20 Feb, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

HANNAH EAST Fri 20 Feb, Walsall Arena & Arts Centre

SAM NICORESTI Fri 20 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

THE COMEDY STORE ON THE ROAD Fri 20 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

DARREN HARRIOTT, HARRY JENKINS, RICKY BALSHAW & JON PEARSON Sat 21 Feb, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham

BRENNAN REECE, TOUSSAINT DOUGLASS, JEN NOLAN & TOM HOUGHTON Sat 21 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

JIMMY CRICKET Sat 21 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

ALASDAIR BECKETT-KING Sat 21 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

CALLY BEATON Sat 21 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

CONNOR BURNS Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

RUSSELL KANE, STEPHEN BAILEY, JO

ENRIGHT & WAYNE BEESE Sun 22 Feb, Walsall Arena & Arts Centre

PAUL F TAYLOR, MICHAEL MCKENZIE, ERIC RUSHTON & ALEXANDER BENNETT Sun 22 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Theatre

CONSTELLATIONS The Highbury Players present an amateur version of Nick Payne’s thought-provoking play about the choices we make in life, Mon 16 - Sat 21 Feb, Highbury Theatre, Sutton Coldfield

FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY Hit show featuring much-loved moments from all 10 seasons of the iconic TV series. An original musical score also features, Mon 16 - Sat 21 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE WIZARD OF OZ Amateur version presented by Sutton Coldfield Musical Youth Theatre, Tues 17 - Sat 21 Feb, Sutton Coldfield Town Hall

OAKHEART AND THE WONDER SCROLLS Storyteller Bronia Evers weaves together strands of an ancient ballad, a visual poem and an original fairytale with spoken word and handcranked scrolling illustrations, Wed 18 Feb, Thimblemill Library, Smethwick

RAPUNZEL Brand-new musical version of the classic fairytale, Wed 18 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE LIBRARIAN A ‘comical slapstick children’s puppet show’ celebrating stories, libraries and a love of books. The performance is followed by a 30minute workshop, Wed 18 Feb, Bearwood Community Hub, Bearwood Baptist Church INTO THE WOODS JR Youth Vision present an amateur version of Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine’s fairytale musical, Wed 18 - Thurs 19 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

THE BORROWERS Stratford Youth Theatre present an amateur version of Mary Norton’s classic story, Wed 18 - Sat 21 Feb, The Bear Pitt

Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

SEASONS GREETINGS STAC present an amateur version of Alan Ayckbourn’s festive farce, Wed 18 - Sat 21 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

CINDERELLA - P*SSED UP PANTO

Adults-only production featuring pyrotechnic effects, strong language, stroboscopic lighting and adult themes, Thurs 19 - Fri 20 Feb, The Crescent, Birmingham

CALAMITY JANE Amateur version presented by Starcross Theatre Company, Thurs 19 - Sat 21 Feb, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

‘I SHALL NOT HATE’ A play about reconciliation, followed by a panel discussion, Fri 20 Feb, Coventry Cathedral

SMETHWICK PUPPETRY FESTIVAL

SCRATCH NIGHT A showcase of new work from the world of puppetry, Fri 20 Feb, Thimblemill Library, Smethwick

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: ADULT PANTO

Expect saucy jokes and outrageous antics in this alternative version of ‘a tale as old as time’, Sat 21 Feb, The Old Rep, Birmingham SNOW WHITE AND THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN - ADULT PANTO An evening of slick, fast-moving, farcical fun and bawdy sexual innuendo. Strictly over18s only, Sat 21 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

IT’S ALL GREEK Dame Siân Phillips and Alex Jennings give voice to stories, scenes and poems from Ancient Greece, Sat 21 Feb, Malvern Theatres

HOLMES & WATSON: THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE MASKED MAGICIAN Edwardian magic and suspense, featuring The Great Baldini and Peter Clifford, Sat 21 Feb, Macready Theatre, Rugby I’M MUSLAMIC DON’T PANIK ‘Hilarious and heartfelt story’ of one man’s journey to Iran to discover his cultural heritage, Sat 21 Feb, Thimblemill Library, Smethwick

TRULY JACK THE RIPPER Step into the shadowy streets of Victorian London for an evening of drama and mystery. Written and performed by Jonathan Goodwin and Gary Archer, Sat 21 Feb, St Dominic’s Social Centre, Stone

Kids Theatre

AFTER THE RAIN Sabotage Theatre fuse puppetry, original music and playful storytelling in a show for younger audiences, Mon 16 Feb, St Hilda’s Church Community Hall, Sandwell

TOM GATES EPIC STAGE SHOW New stage show based on the bestselling books and TV series by Liz Pichon, Mon 16 Feb, Kidderminster Town Hall

CARTOON CIRCUS LIVE Production

thelist

fusing ‘the comedy of pantomime with the thrill of the circus’, Mon 16 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR Family show featuring ‘international circus acts, magic and laughs aplenty’, Mon 16 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS: THE MUSICAL Wise Owl Theatre Company present a family-friendly musical ‘that promises to have audiences laughing from start to finish’, Mon 16 - Tues 17 Feb, The Rep, Birmingham

AFTER THE RAIN Sabotage Theatre fuse puppetry, original music and playful storytelling in a show for younger audiences, Tues 17 Feb, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital Arts Space, Sandwell

GABBY GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Indigo Moon present a shadow theatre show that follows the adventures of an eight-year-old as she’s sent on an errand into the woods... Tues 17 Feb, Rother Street Arts, Stratford-uponAvon

A THREAD FALLS FROM MY HAND ‘A woman and a puppet inhabit the urban space, reconstructing the symbolic gestures of other women who have inhabited it before them’, Tues 17 Feb, Hurst Road Community Centre, Smethwick

RUDE SCIENCE Expect enormous bottoms, fart machines, snot cocktails, vast whoopee cushions, pee-powered fireworks and ear-waxoozing mannequins, Tues 17 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

FUN FOR LITTLE ONES - LIVE TRIBUTE TO ‘MS RACHEL’ Featuring singalongs, puppets, characters, colourful onscreen animations and plenty of audience participation, Tues 17 Feb, Malvern Theatres

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS

Presented by Base Panto, Tues 17Sat 21 Feb, The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent

THERE’S A MONSTER IN YOUR SHOW

Musical show for younger audiences based on Tom Fletcher’s ‘interactive adventures for big imaginations’, Tues 17 - Sat 21 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE LIVE Education and fun collide in a show that looks at how science shapes the modern world we live in. Expect a few loud bangs along the way, Wed 18 Feb, Kidderminster Town Hall

UTTERLY REVOLTING SCIENCE SHOW A high-tech, highly explosive show packed with burp biology, fart physics and revolting edible chemistry, Wed 18 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

THE THREE BILLY PIGS Noisy Oyster blend two classic fairytales in a production fusing puppetry, storytelling, live music and a little bit of eco awareness... Wed 18 Feb,

Lightwoods House, Smethwick

ADVENTURES IN SCIENCE The Magical Mr West - aided by his corvid companion Crowbert - presents a show for younger audiences featuring magic, science and tomfoolery, Wed 18 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE STARS IN THE SKY Luminous Tales present an ‘adventurous romp amongst the wild beasts of the stars’, Thurs 19 Feb, Brasshouse Community Centre, Smethwick

CARTOON CIRCUS LIVE Production fusing ‘the comedy of pantomime with the thrill of the circus’, Thurs 19 Feb, Halesowen Town Hall

THE MCDOUGALLS: PIRATE ADVENTURE Join Auntie Aggie, Max and Morag the Rabbit as they set sail on a musical treasure hunt filled with songs and sea shanties, Thurs 19 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

THE DINOSAUR THAT POOPED: A ROCK SHOW! New musical adventure for younger audiences based on Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter’s bestselling books, Thurs 19 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

MARK THOMPSON’S SPECTACULAR SCIENCE SHOW Award-winning show featuring exploding elephant’s toothpaste, vortex-generating dustbins and howling jelly babies, Thurs 19 Feb, The Regal, Tenbury TALES FROM ACORN WOOD Theatre show for younger audiences based on much-loved stories by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, Thurs 19 - Fri 20 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

THE TALE OF NOBODY NOSE ‘Wordless storytelling, skilful puppetry and classic clowning’ combine in a production that sees three clowns go in search of their own red nose... Fri 20 Feb, The Crown Wharf Theatre, Stone

UNICORN LIVE! Show for younger audiences, featuring favourite pop and musical theatre songs, ‘dazzling’ costumes, and a real unicorn called Sparkle, Fri 20 Feb, The Benn Hall, Rugby

FAMILY MAGIC: THE GREAT BALDINI A show packed with magic, puppetry, escapology - and lots of sweets! Fri 20 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

THE GROOVY UV SHOW An awardwinning, fun-filled hour of puppetry, mayhem, and silliness, Fri 20 Feb, Rother Street Arts, Stratford-uponAvon

THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN Family-friendly show featuring improvised storytelling, pirates and princesses, unicorns and dragons, and spacemen and swordfights, Fri 20 Feb, Willenhall Chart Centre

CIRCUS SPECTACULAR Featuring international circus acts, magic ‘and lots of laughs’, Fri 20 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

FOUR GO WILD IN WELLIES ‘Whimsical’ family theatre show that looks at the joy of inventiveness and curiosity, and how friendships are built, broken and mended, Fri 20 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham HORRIBLE HISTORIES - THE CONCERT Featuring hit songs and cast members from the CBBC TV series, Fri 20 - Sat 21 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham TREASURE ISLAND Swashbuckling family adventure featuring songs, shanties and pirate fun, Fri 20 - Sun 22 Feb, The Core Theatre, Solihull THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD Tall Stories’ acclaimed production, based on Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s muchloved picture book, Fri 20 - Sun 22 Feb, The Rep, Birmingham

THE 3 LITTLE PIG TAILS A ‘funny, warmhearted and interactive rustic tale’ featuring puppetry, live music and lots of audiences participation, Sat 21 Feb, The Market Theatre, Ledbury UP JUMPED THE CRAB: A STORY OF CROMER NOW & THEN Crooked Timber Theatre present ‘a charming puppet story in miniature, showing a day at sea with the real Cromer crab fishermen of North Norfolk’, Sat 21 Feb, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital Arts Space, Sandwell

DINO TALES: JURASSIC RESCUE ‘A raptor-ous adventure featuring a captivating story and a herd of prehistoric beasts’, Sat 21 Feb, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre

WONDERLAND Join the Hatter as he brings Alice's adventure to life with charming puppets, vibrant scenery, lively music... and of course, hats! Sat 21 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

THE PRISON PUPPET SHOW Tat Vision present a fast, silly and absurd puppet show ‘full of laughs and mischief’, Sat 21 Feb, 1000 Trades On The Park, Bearwood

JUSTIN TIME TO ROCK Family show that sees CBeebies favourite Justin Fletcher and his friends form a rock band and invite audiences to help choose the best songs to sing, Sun 22 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

THE 3 LITTLE PIG TAILS A ‘funny, warmhearted and interactive rustic tale’ featuring puppetry, live music and lots of audiences participation, Sun 22 Feb, Belmont Community Hall, Wellington, South Shropshire

Light Entertainment

TALKING SOPRANOS Ninety-minute live show featuring two of The Sopranos’ iconic cast members - Steve Schirripa (Bobby Bacala) and Emmy Award winner Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti), Mon 16 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

TWO MR P’S IN A PODCAST LIVE: LET THAT BE A LESSON... Award-winning podcast featuring classroom experiences and ‘hilarious’ tales from educators across the UK, Tues 17 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

K-POP LIVE The ‘ultimate tribute to the global K-Pop phenomenon’, Tues 17 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

SHEN YUN A theatrical journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture, featuring classical dance, live orchestral music, authentic costumes and interactive backdrops, Tues 17Wed 18 Feb, Regent Theatre, Stokeon-Trent

LOOKING FOR ME FRIEND: THE MUSIC OF VICTORIA WOOD Wed 18 Feb, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

BOYBAND IN THE BUFF STARRING GARETH GATES Celebration of pop, passion and pecs, Thurs 19 Feb, Swan Theatre, Worcester

AN EVENING OF FILM, WORDS AND MUSIC IN APPRECIATION OF THE APPLE

The title of this show says it all! Thurs 19 Feb, SpArC, Bishops Castle, Shropshire

THE MUSIC OF LUTHER VANDROS BY CANDLELIGHT Thurs 19 Feb, The Abbey Church, Shrewsbury

FC BULLARD Jimmy Bullard and John Fendley hit the road with a show that features football chaos, wild stories and mystery guests, Fri 20 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

JAMES PHELAN: THE MAN WHO WAS MAGIC New production from the award-winning magician, Fri 20 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

JOSH HINDLE: KING OF THE ROAD TOUR

Expect unforgettable renditions of classics by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé and many more... Fri 20 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

WORLD TOUR Featuring ‘a brand-new collection of short films filled with extreme journeys, untamed characters and captivating cinematography’, Fri 20 Feb, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa

THE USELESS HOTLINE: NOW HIRING ‘The internet’s favourite advice show’ sees Max Balegde and George Clarke offer ‘half-serious advice wrapped in full-blown comedic chaos’, Sat 21 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

PAUL MERTON & SUKI WEBSTER’S IMPROV SHOW Expect a show full of ‘fast, fabulously funny improvised games, scenes, stories and laughout-loud surrealism’, Sat 21 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry CALIFORNIA DREAMING Featuring classic American songs from across the decades, Sat 21 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

TRÉS TRÉS CABARET ‘A saucy and silly night to remember’, Sat 21 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield TAP FACTORY Fast-paced production in which eight male performers deliver ‘a sensational blend of dance, acrobatics, music and comedy’, Sun 22 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

THE BEST OF FRANKIE VALLI AND THE FOUR SEASONS Peter Andre stars in a high-pitched celebration of timeless music from one of the biggest-selling groups of all time, Sun 22 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

K-POP PARTY The ‘ultimate live celebration of Korea’s global music phenomenon’, Sun 22 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

Dance

VINCENT SIMONE: TANGO PASSIONS

Take a journey to Buenos Aires for a tale of love, passion and lust, accompanied by classic and modern Argentine tango music from the likes of Astor Piazzolla and Gotan Project, Tues 17 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

THE NEXT STEP: LEGACY WORLD TOUR Brand-new dance show celebrating 10 seasons of The Next Step, dance and friendship, Fri 20 Feb, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

ME DANCE: THE CHRYSALIS - MOMENTS BETWEEN MOVEMENTS Performance of new work in collaboration with De Montfort Dance Students and ME Dance Company Artistic Director Marcia Edwards, Sat 21 Feb, Wednesbury Library

VINCENT SIMONE: TANGO PASSIONS

Take a journey to Buenos Aires for a tale of love, passion and lust, accompanied by classic and modern Argentine tango music from the likes of Astor Piazzolla and Gotan Project, Sat 21 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Talks & Spoken Word

LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS WITH GORDON BUCHANAN Join the wildlife cameraman as he recounts encounters with pandas, grizzlies, tigers, jaguars and other animals... Wed 18 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

Monday 16 - Sunday 22 February

SLÁINE: THE HORNED GOD Join professional storyteller Jason Buck for a tale of ancient Celtic heroes and villains, monsters and magic, dragons and demons, and goddesses and gods, Sat 21 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

Events

CHINESE NEW YEAR Vibrant celebration to welcome in the Year of the Horse, Mon 16 - Fri 20 Feb, Weston Park, Shropshire

ELECTRIFYING SCIENCE LIVE Explore the wonders of electricity, from ancient discoveries to modern-day marvels, Mon 16 - Fri 20 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

FEBRUARY HALF TERM: STEM WEEK A week of exploration, science and innovation, Mon 16 - Sun 20 Feb, Royal Air Force Museum Midlands, Cosford

FEBRUARY HALF TERM ACTIVITIES

Including arts & crafts, interactive storytelling sessions and outdoor trails, Mon 16 - Fri 20 Feb, National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire

GAMES DESIGN BOOTCAMP Build your very own platformer. This event has been designed for young people aged 16 to 18, Mon 16 - Fri 20 Feb, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

HEAD JUNK MODELLING Join Birmingham artist Tat Vision for some papier-mâché junk-modelling, Tues 17 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

ALL STAR SUPERSLAM WRESTLING Over-the-top wrestling mayhem, Tues 17 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

FAMILY MORNINGS: SPECTACULAR

SPACE Get hands-on with spacethemed activities, Tues 17 - Thurs 19 Feb, The Commandery, Worcester

PADDINGTON CHARACTER VISIT Take a heritage train ride out into the countryside to see Paddington™ and listen to tales of his adventures, Tues 17 - Thurs 19 Feb, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, nr Kidderminster

NATURE'S JOURNEY: FROM DINOSAURS TO BIRDS CHILDREN'S CRAFTS

Featuring nature-inspired creative activities, Tues 17 - Fri 20 Feb, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

THE CARAVAN, CAMPING AND MOTORHOME SHOW New motorhomes, campervans, caravans, tents and camping accessories - all under one roof, Tues 17 - Sun 22 Feb, NEC, Birmingham

WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026

Featuring top one-year ranking players, Tues 17 - Sun 22 Feb, Telford International Centre

MUSEUM TAKEOVER DAY: UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK Explore hands-on activities that reveal the wonders of animal evolution and the importance of planet sustainability, Wed 18 Feb, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

HOLIDAY CLUB - KIDS Hands-on activities for STEM enthusiasts aged between seven and 10, Wed 18 - Fri 20 Feb, Coventry Transport Museum

SPACE JUNK Walkabout performance by Hours Theatre Company, Thurs 19 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

CIRCUS WORKSHOPS Join Circus Berzercus for some fun activities, Thurs 19 Feb, Wednesbury Library

WALKING FOOD TOUR OF LUDLOW

Discover local delicacies and food producers on a three-hour walking tour, Thurs 19 Feb, Ludlow, South Shropshire

GUARDIAN BEASTS: MAKE YOUR OWN ‘ALAN MEASLES’ CHARACTER Inspired by Grayson Perry’s Alan Measles, this playful family workshop invites children and parents to design their own guardian beast, Thurs 19 Feb, Wolverhampton Art Gallery

TREE FOLKLORE AND MYTH TOUR Free walking tour, Thurs 19 Feb, Birmingham Botanical Gardens

HALF TERM FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Featuring Chinese-inspired stories with hands-on craft activities, Thurs 19 Feb, Museum of Royal Worcester

ART MASTERCLASS: BRITISH BIRDS

STILL LIFE OIL PAINTING Learn traditional oil painting techniques using British bird taxidermy as still life subjects, Thurs 19 Feb, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

KIDS JEWELLERY WORKSHOP Have a go at making your own piece of jewellery, Thurs 19 Feb, Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

DISCOVERY TOUR AT BLAKESLEY HALL

Guided tour of the Tudor building, Thurs 19 - Fri 20 Feb, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

DEATH MOUNTAIN: A MURDER MYSTERY

Put your detective skills to the test, Thurs 19 - Sat 21 Feb, Colwall Village Hall, Herefordshire

BLAKESLEY HALL BY CANDLELIGHT Join the storyteller to discover Tudor secrets and superstitions, Fri 20 Feb, Blakesley Hall, Birmingham

BOOGIE LIGHTS EXPRESS Enjoy a sound & light show on board a steam train, Fri 20 - Sat 21 Feb, Severn

Valley Railway, Bewdley, nr Kidderminster

RACE RETRO Event bringing the entire motorsport community together under one roof, Fri 20 - Sun 22 Feb, NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

LIVE PRINTING DEMONSTRATIONS WITH STIRCHLEY PRINTWORKS Watch skilled printers create prints by hand using traditional techniques, Sat 21 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

CARDBOARD PUPPET WORKSHOP Spend an afternoon crafting your own creations with Tat Vision, Sat 21 Feb, 1000 Trades On The Park, Bearwood, Birmingham

YOUR WORCESTER: GALLERY TOUR

Enjoy a guided tour of permanent display Your Worcester, Sat 21 Feb, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum

THE BEEKEEPING SHOW Sat 21 Feb, Telford International Centre, Shrops 70S DAY PARTY Daytime clubbing experience for partygoers aged 25plus, Sat 21 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

DOZE UNDER DIPPY Snooze under the feet of a 26-foot Diplodocus, Sat 21 Feb, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry

WAKING UP WITH WASSAILING Join a traditional Wassail procession, Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove

TRACTOR WORLD SHOW Celebration of vintage and classic machinery, Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb, Three Counties Showground, Malvern

LIVING HISTORY WEEKEND Come faceto-face with the past at The Commandery’s biggest weekend of the year, Sat 21 - Sun 22 Feb, The Commandery, Worcester

BIRMINGHAM CHINESE NEW YEAR

FESTIVAL Special event to welcome the Year of the Horse, Sun 22 Feb, Southside, Birmingham

ORIGINS OF MIDDLE-EARTH: J.R.R. TOLKIEN AND SAREHOLE GUIDED WALK Join a guided walk introducing the scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien when he lived near Sarehole Mill as a child, Sun 22 Feb, Sarehole Mill, Birmingham

WORCESTERSHIRE CHINESE NEW YEAR

CELEBRATIONS 2026 Featuring familyfriendly performance and activities, Sun 22 Feb, Museum of Royal Worcester and Royal Porcelain Works, Worcester

CHINESE NEW YEAR PAINT YOUR OWN POTTERY Celebrate the Year of Horse, Sun 22 Feb, Museum of Royal Worcester and Royal Porcelain Works, Worcester

4X4 EXPO Featuring indoor trade stands and display vehicles, Sun 22 Feb, Staffordshire County Showground, Stafford

Gigs

POOL KIDS Mon 23 Feb, Hare & Hounds, B’ham

HEAVEN SHALL BURN + THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER + FROZEN SOUL Mon 23 Feb, XOYO, Birmingham

HELS PATTISON + HOLLIE

VEE TRIO + BETH HILL Mon 23 Feb, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

SPIERS & BODEN Mon 23 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

RAYE + ABSOLUTELY + AMMA Mon 23 - Tues 24 Feb, bp pulse LIVE, B’ham

BOKO YOUT Tues 24 Feb, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham

AIRBOURNE + ASOMVEL + AVALANCHE Tues 24 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

HENRY’S BLUESHOUSE Tues 24 Feb, Snobs, B’ham

B:ATTLE OF THE BANDS Tues 24 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

THE CARPENTERS STORY Tues 24 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

CHARM OF FINCHES Tues 24 Feb, Temperance, Leamington Spa

CROWBAR + LEGIONS OF DOOM + SILVERBURN Tues 24 Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

CLASSIC ROCK SHOW Tues 24 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

COURTNEY MARIE ANDREWS Wed 25 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

CHARM OF FINCHES Wed 25 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

BADLY DRAWN BOY Wed 25 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

AND MEN Wed 25 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

NIGHTINGALES + TERRY

EDWARDS Wed 25 Feb, Castle & Falcon, B’ham

GEOFF SANSOME’S SAUCE CITY JAZZ BAND Wed 25 Feb, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield

KATHRYN TICKELL & THE

DARKENING Wed 25 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

HEAVENLY Wed 25 Feb, Just Dropped In, Coventry

FEAST OF FIDDLES Wed 25 Feb, Palace Theatre,

Redditch

MILLICENT CHAPANDA Wed 25 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

CABLEFEST 4 Wed 25 FebSun 1 Mar, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent

MONSTER FLORENCE Thurs 26 Feb, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham

NEVER THE BRIDE Thurs 26 Feb, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham

SPITTING TEETH + DEAD

HARTS Thurs 26 Feb, The Flapper, Birmingham

THE NEIL DIAMOND TRIBUTE

SPECTACULAR Thurs 26

Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

SL Fri 27 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

STOP MAKING SENSE LIVE Fri 27 Feb, O2 Academy, Birmingham

SEB ROCHFORD Fri 27 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

ABBA GOLD Fri 27 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

BRIGHT BLACK + GRUNK + DESTINATION DISEASE Fri 27 Feb, Arches Venue, Coventry

THE JERSEY BEATS Fri 27 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

PINK LIVE STARRING VICKY

JACKSON Fri 27 Feb, Palace Theatre, Redditch

EMILIO SANTORO AS ELVIS Fri 27 Feb, Walsall Arena & Arts Centre

BEATLES COMPLETE Fri 27

Feb, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley

BUCKCHERRY / MICHAEL

MONROE + RUBIKON Fri 27

Feb, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

JASON DONOVAN Fri 27

Feb, The Halls, Wolverhampton

COUNTRY FEST Fri 27 Feb, The Sugarmill, Stoke-onTrent

ANTARCTIC MONKEYS Fri 27 Feb, Eleven, Stoke-onTrent

LAST RESORT Fri 27 Feb,

The Underground, Stokeon-Trent

GREG MURRAY AND THE SEVEN WONDERS Fri 27 Feb, The Rigger, Newcastle-Under-Lyme

THE JOHNNY CASH

ROADSHOW Fri 27 Feb, Stoke Repertory Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

NANCY KERR & JAMES

FAGAN Fri 27 Feb, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs

COLDPLACE Fri 27 Feb, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury

BIRDBROTHER Fri 27 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

ELLE-J WALTERS BAND Fri 27 - Sat 28 Feb, The Jam House, Birmingham

NEW STREET ADVENTURE

Sat 28 Feb, The Night Owl, Birmingham

GRANDSON + PINKSHIFT Sat 28 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

THE ANSELLS Sat 28 Feb, O2 Institute, Birmingham

LESS THAN JAKE + THE BOUNCING SOULS + THE AQUABATS! + THE BAR

STOOL PREACHERS Sat 28 Feb, O2 Academy, B’ham

THE SMITHS LTD Sat 28 Feb, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham

THE EARTH, WIND AND FIRE EXPERIENCE BY AL MCKAY Sat 28 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

ANTARCTIC MONKEYS Sat 28 Feb, hmv Empire, Coventry

WRECKLESS ERIC Sat 28 Feb, Just Dropped In, Coventry

STEVIE MAC (STEVIE NICKS

FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE) Sat 28 Feb, Marrs Bar, Worcester

ULTIMATE BOYBANDS Sat 28 Feb, Dudley Town Hall

A NIGHT OF MOTOWN & NORTHERN SOUL Sat 28 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

KAISER CHIEFS Sat 28 Feb, The Halls, Wolverhampton

PEARL SCAM + KINGS OF THE STONE AGE Sat 28 Feb, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent

THE JAM’D Sat 28 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE BOHEMIANS - QUEEN

TRIBUTE Sat 28 Feb, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire

Classical Music

LUNCHTIME ORGAN CONCERT WITH THOMAS TROTTER Programme includes works by Holst, B Matter, Mendelssohn & more..., Mon 23 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

RBC LUNCHTIME MUSIC Featuring Jiayue Wang (flute), Wenhui Cao (violin), Joanne Sealey, Hing Yan Leung & Rufus Westley (piano). Programme includes works by Boulanger, Debussy, Rzewski & more..., Mon 23 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

SIETZE DE VRIES ORGAN RECITAL Tues 24 Feb, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

CÈLIA MARGALEF PIANO CONCERT Tues 24 Feb, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury

CBSO: KORNGOLD & PROKOFIEV

Featuring Tianyi Lu (conductor) & Carolin Widmann (violin). Programme also includes Zhiân by Iman Habibi, Wed 25 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

MELA GUITAR QUARTET CONCERT Programme includes works by Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Holst & more..., Wed 25 Feb, Westminster Theatre, Keele University

TOM BORROW PIANO CONCERT

Programme includes works by Bach, Rachmaninoff & R Schumann, Thurs 26 Feb, Stoke Repertory Theatre, Stoke-onTrent

SIMON HÖFELE (TRUMPET) & ELIZABETH BRAUB (PIANO) IN CONCERT Programme includes works by R Strauss, Liszt, K Pliss & more..., Thurs 26 Feb, The Bradshaw Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

CBSO: SCHOOLS' CONCERT

Featuring Bryony Morrison & Charlotte Skinner (presenters). Programme includes works by Stravinsky & Shostakovich, Thurs 26 - Fri 27 Feb, CBSO Centre, Birmingham

RBC BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Featuring Lucy Russell (director & violin) & William Sherratt (baroque oboe). Programme includes works by Bach, Vivaldi & Haydn, Fri 27 Feb, Recital Hall, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Featuring Kevin John Edusei (conductor) & Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha (soprano). Programme includes works by Moussa, Strauss & Sibelius, Fri 27 Feb, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry

ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN - THE

SHEEP STREET SESSIONS:

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Programme includes works by Smetana, Dvořák, Janáček & Martinů, Fri 27 Feb, Stratford Town Hall, Stratford-upon-Avon

CONCERTS IN THE ROUND

Featuring musicians from Concord College, Acton Burnell, Fri 27 Feb, St Chad’s Church, Shrewsbury

HALLE - TCHAIKOVSKY'S PIANO MASTERPIECE Featuring Euan Shields (conductor) & Tom Borrow (piano). Programme also includes works by Strauss & Brahms, Fri 27 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

ST DAVID’S DAY CONCERT

Featuring Dilwyn Morgan (compere), the Penybontfawr Male Voice Choir & Meibion Goronwy Male Voice Choir, Sat 28 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Comedy

SAANIYA ABBAS Wed 25 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

PHIL ELLIS Thurs 26 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON, MATT BRAGG & COMIC TBC Thurs 26 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

SEANN WALSH Thurs 26 Feb, The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham

NOISE NEXT DOOR Thurs 26 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

ROSS NOBLE Thurs 26 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

FAT THEO, DANNY STRACHAN, KATIE SLATER & SUZANNE LANE Thurs 26 Feb, Artrix, Bromsgrove

VITTORIO ANGELONE Fri 27 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

CLINTON BAPTISTE Fri 27 Feb, Symphony Hall, Birmingham

DALISO CHAPONDA Fri 27 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

MATT BRAGG, LOUISE ATKINSON, RYAN CULLEN & COMIC TBC Fri 27Sat 28 Feb, The Glee Club, Birmingham

AL MURRAY Sat 28 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

ERIC RUSHTON Sat 28 Feb, Crown Wharf Theatre, Stone

RAYMOND AND MR TIMPKINS Sat 28 Feb, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge

GARY DELANEY Sat 28 Feb, Stourbridge Town Hall

CHRISTIAN REILLY, DON BISWAS, MANDY MUDEN & TONY VINO Sat 28 Feb, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire

Theatre

DI AND VIV AND ROSE Here To There

Productions present Amelia Bullmore’s ‘joyous romp through life’s highs, lows and challenges’, Mon 23 - Sat 28 Feb, Malvern Theatres

THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN The Nonentities present an amateur version of Beth Flintoff’s haunting tale about the infamous murder in the red barn, Mon 23 - Sat 28 Feb, The Rose Theatre, Kidderminster

I’M MUSLAMIC DON’T PANIK A ‘hilarious and heartfelt story’ of one man’s journey to Iran to discover his cultural heritage, Tues 24 Feb, Wolverhampton Arts Centre

QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE Mark Farrelly’s hugely acclaimed solo play about the man who became known as The Naked Civil Servant, Tues 24 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

BURN Stoke Youth Musical Theatre

Academy present an amateur version of Deborah Gearing’s story about Birdman - a 15-year-old with no family, no friends and nothing to lose, Tues 24 Feb, Stoke Rep Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE Get ready for some improvised comedy sleuthing where you, the audience, create your very own Agatha Christieinspired drama live on stage, Tues 24 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL ‘The perfect adventure for gods and mortals of all ages’. RuPaul’s Drag Race UK champion Danny Beard stars, Tues 24 - Sat 28 Feb, Birmingham Hippodrome

INSPECTOR MORSE: HOUSE OF GHOSTS

Tom Chambers stars in an original story that brings the iconic detective to the stage, Tues 24 - Sat 28 Feb, Malvern Theatres

FAWLTY TOWERS - THE PLAY Join Basil, Major and Polly as they bring to life all your favourite moments from the show’s unforgettable 12 episodes. Danny Bayne, Paul Nicholas and Joanne Clifton star, Tues 24 - Sat 28 Feb, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent DEAR EVAN HANSEN Big 3 Productions present an amateur version of the award-winning musical, Wed 25 - Sat 28 Feb, Rugeley Rose Theatre

THE BOY AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS

Widely acclaimed show that celebrates friendship, kindness and compassion, Wed 25 - Sat 28 Feb, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry THE CHICAGO BLUES BROTHERS Celebrating 45 years of ‘blues, brass and unholy fun’, Thurs 26 Feb, The Swan Theatre, Worcester BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - ADULT PANTO Featuring Drag Race stars Elle Vosque, Cheryl, Paige Three and

Monday 23 - Saturday 28

Icesis Couture, Thurs 26 Feb, The Civic, Stourport

MY CAR PLAYS TAPES John Osborne’s play about getting older, driving a car that’s about to be scrapped, and being unexpectedly reunited with your old cassette collection from the 1990s, Thurs 26 Feb, Church Stretton Library, South Shropshire

THE BALLAD OF MULAN A ‘powerful exploration’ of gender, war and identity, Fri 27 Feb, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire

MY CAR PLAYS TAPES John Osborne’s play about getting older, driving a car that’s about to be scrapped, and being unexpectedly reunited with your old cassette collection from the 1990s, Fri 27 Feb, Farlow and Oreton Village Hall, Oreton, Shropshire

OUR LITTLE HOUR New musical drama that tells the story of Walter Tull, the orphaned grandson of a Barbadian slave, who became the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game, Fri 27 - Sat 28 Feb, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham

THE BALLAD OF MULAN A ‘powerful exploration’ of gender, war and identity, Sat 28 Feb, SpArC Theatre, Bishops Castle, Shropshire

Kids Theatre

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR Eric Carle’s colourful characters come to life in an interactive show featuring puppetry, storytelling and original music, Wed 25 - Thurs 26 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE PRINCESS PROMS Concert filled with epic, heartwarming, and nostalgic songs from magical animations, Sat 28 Feb, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent

TALES FROM ACORN WOOD Theatre for younger audiences based on muchloved stories by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, The Swan Theatre, Worcester

Dance

HIDDEN Motionhouse present their critically acclaimed exploration of how, in an increasingly divided world, light can come out of the darkness in times of crisis, Wed 25 Feb, Lichfield Garrick

Light Entertainment

MATT FORD PRESENTS BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD: THE COLE PORTER

SONGBOOK Step back in time to a world of wit, romance and timeless

sophistication, Mon 23 Feb, New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

A TICKET TO RIDE Take a trip down memory lane with a hit parade of timeless classics from The Beatles, The Hollies, The Searchers, The Kinks and more... Thurs 26 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry MASSAOKE - SING THE MUSICALS

Featuring hits from some of the greatest musicals of all time, performed by a live band and character singers. A giant screen displaying lyrics also features, to enable audiences to sing along, Fri 27 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham FLAT & THE CURVES The awardwinning cabaret girl band fuse ‘outrageous comedy and ferocious vocals’ while taking a look at life’s disasters and absurdities, Fri 27 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE JERSEY BEATS ‘OH WHAT A NITE’

The story of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons - from their formation through to the dizzy heights of fame, Fri 27 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

PAUL MERTON & SUKI WEBSTER’S

IMPROV SHOW Expect a show full of ‘fast, fabulously funny improvised games, scenes, stories and laughout-loud surrealism’, Fri 27 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

BANFF MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL

WORLD TOUR Featuring a ‘brand-new collection of short films filled with extreme journeys, untamed characters and captivating cinematography’, Sat 28 Feb, Birmingham Town Hall

SOMETHING ABOUT GEORGE: THE GEORGE HARRISON STORY Daniel Taylor stars as the ‘quiet’ Beatle in a celebration of one of music’s most understated icons, Sat 28 Feb, The Albany Theatre, Coventry

Talks & Spoken Word

IOLA WILLIAMS The Springwatch star talks about his childhood and career in conservation. Presented by Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Mon 23 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

THE MAKINGS OF A MURDERER: THE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE Peter Bleksley - a founding member of Scotland Yard’s undercover unit and a former

star of Channel Four’s Hunted - lifts the lid on the most dangerous and hidden aspects of murder investigations, Mon 23 Feb, The Alexandra, Birmingham

LEO HOULDING: EXPOSED The legendary climber presents an evening of ‘storytelling, film and stunning visuals’, Tues 24 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

BEN FOGLE: WILD Ben presents an evening of ‘inspiring and uplifting tales’, Wed 25 Feb, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

AN EVENING WITH WOLVES LEGENDS Featuring Molineux favourites Steve Bull, Steve Daley and Andy Mutch. VIP experience also available, Thurs 26 Feb, Walsall Arena

DAVID ROWNTREE: NO ONE YOU KNOW A Wolverhampton Literature Festival event in which the founder member of Blur gives a unique insight into the first few years of one of Britain’s most successful bands, Thurs 26 Feb, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield

AN EVENING WITH NIGEL OWENS MBE

One of the world’s top rugby referees recalls stories from his life and career, Fri 27 Feb, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Events

WALKING FOOD TOUR OF LUDLOW Discover local delicacies and food producers on a three-hour walking tour, Wed 25 - Fri 27 Feb, Ludlow, South Shropshire

BOOGIE LIGHTS EXPRESS Enjoy a sound & light show on board a steam train, Fri 27 - Sat 28 Feb, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, nr Kidderminster

CINEMA UNDER THE STARS Unwind and enjoy a specially selected spacethemed film, Sat 28 Feb, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum

THE NATIONAL WEDDING SHOW

Featuring hundreds of top wedding suppliers, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, NEC, Birmingham

THE NATIONAL EQUINE SHOW Featuring hundreds of equestrian brands, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, NEC, B’ham

BRANCHLINE WEEKEND Event

celebrating 35 years since the arrival of the first DMU on the Severn Valley Railway, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, nr Kidderminster

GO DIVING Featuring interactive displays and demonstrations, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, NAEC Stoneleigh, Warwickshire

MIDLANDS GARDEN RAIL SHOW Event offering visitors the chance to see layouts in the larger gauges and scales, Sat 28 Feb - Sun 1 March, Warwickshire Event Centre, Leamington Spa

Win! Four tickets to see Horrible Histories - The Concert!

Fancy enjoying some concert fun with the Horrible Histories crew?

For the very first time, the hit show’s much-loved actors are appearing live on stage with a live band - and led by the Horrible Histories song master Richie Webb!... What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win four tickets to see Horrible Histories - The Concert at Birmingham theatre The Alexandra on Friday 20 February.

Competition closes Friday 13 February

Win! Two weekend camping tickets to this summer’s Shrewsbury Folk Festival!

Shrewsbury Folk Festival returns to the West Mid Showground from Friday 28 to Monday 31 August, with Lucinda Williams, Ferocious Dog and Cara Dillon among the performers.

What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win two weekend camping tickets to this year’s event.

Competition closes Monday 2 March

Win! A pair of tickets to see hit musical Top Hat!

Based on the classic 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Top Hat is a sparkling romantic cocktail laced with witty comedy, stunning choreography and tap-dancing brilliance. The hit musical visits Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 7 March... What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to see the show on Tuesday the 3rd.

Competition closes Monday 23 February

Win! A pair of tickets to The Creative Craft Show!

The Creative Craft Show returns to Birmingham’s NEC next month. Explore hundreds of stalls packed with everything from knitting and stitching supplies to card making, felting and more - covering every corner of the crafting world.

What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win two tickets to the event from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 March.

Competition closes Monday 2 March