Contributors: Graham Bostock, Diane Parkes, Patsy Moss, Steve Adams, Sue Hull, Reggie White, Sue Jones, Liz Day, Chris Eldon Lee, Rachel Smith
Publisher and CEO: Martin Monahan Accounts Administrator: Louise Hunter louise@21stcd.com 01743 281717
whatsonwarwickshire whatsonworcestershire
News from around the region
New show set to celebrate ‘Queen of Crime’ Agatha
Actor Ben Miller (pictured) is teaming up with bestselling crime writer Lucy Foley this autumn to present a brand-new live-on-stage celebration of Agatha Christie, 50 years after her death.
Described by its publicity as a thrilling journey through Christie’s incomparable catalogue of mysteries, detectives and unforgettable characters, Between The Covers Live! visits Birmingham Town Hall on Monday 12 October.
Fisherman’s Friends heading inland in 2027
Shanty-singing specialists Fisherman’s Friends are heading inland next year to perform at two West Midlands venues. The much-loved ensemble will be dropping anchor in the region on Saturday 4 September 2027, when they appear at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, and then heading to Coventry’s Warwick Arts Centre a couple of weeks later, on Thursday the 30th. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit the website of the relevant venue.
Shakespeare’s Distillery
rum named World’s Best
Hobbit festival bringing Middle Earth to the Shire
The UK’s first official hobbit festival will arrive in Shropshire in the autumn, bringing JRR Tolkien’s fictional ‘Shire’ to life.
Popular visitor attraction Weston Park has confirmed that it’s set to play host to the fiveday Brandywine Festival from Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 September, using its rolling estate of Capability Brown parkland to welcome hobbit fans from across the country. Commenting on the news, Rebecca Alexander, head of estate operations at Weston, said: “The event includes workshops on hobbit dancing, cooking, weaving and fibre arts, music and dance, and at the centre of it all The Four Farthing Games, a series of traditional hobbit folk games. Our 1,000 acres of rolling parkland provides the perfect backdrop for bringing the author’s fictional Middle-earth and his land of the small people - The Shire - to life, and we cannot wait to welcome hobbit fans from across the county and beyond to experience something truly special here at Weston Park.”
Open-air art competition at Avoncroft Museum
Avoncroft Museum in Worcestershire is this month hosting an open-air art competition (Sunday 19 July).
Participants can set themselves up and get creative anywhere across the venue’s 19 acres of countryside, including inside any of its 30 historic buildings and structures. To find out more, visit the website at avoncroft.org.uk
Roman fort hosting twoday festival next month
To find out more and purchase tickets, visit the website at betweenthecoverslive.com
Beefy Boys in Worcester with new cookbook tour
Award-winning burger creators The Beefy Boys are bringing their new book tour to Worcester this month... As part of a UK-wide series of events to celebrate the launch of second cookbook The Beefy Boys’ Great British BBQ, the fellas will appear at Piston Gin Distillery on Friday 3 July.
Shakespeare Distillery is celebrating its biggest international success to date after its Jester Rum Cask Strength Sherry Expression was crowned World’s Best at this year’s World Rum Awards.
Commenting on the success, Simon Picken, director of Shakespeare Distillery, said: “Having our rum recognised by our peers on the world stage is a huge testament to the dedication and skill of our distillery team here in Stratford-upon-Avon.” To find out more, visit shakespearedistillery.com
Lunt Roman Festival returns next month, offering families the opportunity to be transported back nearly 2,000 years. Taking place at Lunt Roman Fort in Baginton on Saturday 8 & Sunday 9 August, the event’s highlights include displays of gladiatorial combat, a living-history village and a ‘firebreathing twist inspired by ancient myth’. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website at luntromanfort.org/events
Paul Heaton set to visit the region
Former Housemartins singer Paul Heaton is heading out on tour in the autumn to promote his new album Jenius, stopping off at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Friday 13 November. Special guests for the tour include singer Rianne Downey and Lightning Seeds. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit ticketmaster.co.uk
Midlands stop-off for Morgan Jay
Comedian & musician Morgan Jay has announced his biggest UK tour to date, with a run of arena shows taking place across the country in 2027. Morgan will visit Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Thursday 1 April. Tickets are available via livenation.co.uk
Northern Funk at Rother Street Arts
Northern Funk favourites Smoove & Turrell bring their unique fusion of funk, soul, northern soul, hip-hop and electronica to Stratford-uponAvon’s Rother Street Arts House at the end of the month. Accompanied by a full band when performing live, the much-loved Tyneside duoJonathan Scott Watson and John Turrell - stop off at the venue on Saturday 25 July. To find out more and purchase tickets, head to the website at rotherstreetarts.org
Hit show Hadestown heading to two local venues in 2027
Tony and Grammy award-winning musical Hadestown is heading for the Midlands in 2027. The hit show, which takes audiences on a journey to the underworld and back, will stop off at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 13 to
Dame Harriet back at the RSC
Dame Harriet Walter will return to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in the autumn, to reprise her role as Brutus in Phyllida Lloyd’s groundbreaking 2012 Donmar Warehouse production of Julius Caesar. The 90-minute show runs at the RSC’s The Other Place venue in Stratford-uponAvon from Thursday 5 to Saturday 28 November. To find out more and book tickets, visit rsc.org.uk
Saturday 17 April, and then visit the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton from Tuesday 26 to Saturday 30 October. To purchase tickets for the show, visit the website of the relevant venue or head to tour.hadestown.com
Solihull venue presenting a summer of outdoor theatre in Brueton Park
Solihull venue The Core is presenting three outdoor productions in Brueton Park this summer: The Sword In The Stone (Saturday 25 July), As You Like It (Wednesday 12 August) and The Tales Of Peter Rabbit (Saturday 22 August). To find out more about each show and purchase tickets, visit thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk
Drama festival at Bromsgrove venue
Bromsgrove’s Artrix venue will host the National Drama Festival at the end of the month (Thursday 30 July - Sunday 2 August).
A celebration of ‘the cream of amateur theatre’, the event will showcase a selection of one-act productions performed by awardwinning amateur theatre groups from across the country. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit artrixbromsgrove.co.uk
Blenheim Palace to host Dinosaurs Are Forever exhibition of sculptures
Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire will next month present Dinosaurs Are Forever, a new exhibition showcasing full-scale dinosaur sculptures created by artist and former BBC presenter Jay Jay Burridge.
The exhibition - which will feature five reimagined Megalosaurus skeletons located in the grounds of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site - shows from Tuesday 11 August to Sunday 1 November. To find out more and book tickets, visit the venue’s website at blenheimpalace.com
First Word
Coventry theatre unveils new programme of shows
News from around the region
A brand-new National Theatre production of Jim Cartwright’s The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice, and a new stage adaptation of The Silence Of The Lambs, are among the shows which will be visiting Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre from the autumn onwards.
Other new-season highlights include After Party - a co-production from Paines Plough and Traverse Theatre Company, which sees a family coming together ‘for one unforgettable night’ - and Nanny Of The Maroons - a show telling the true story of a legendary 18th-century freedom fighter.
Commenting on the forthcoming attractions, Artistic Director Corey Campbell (pictured) and Interim CEO Emma Flatley said: “We’re incredibly proud to be bringing such a wideranging and ambitious programme to our audiences over the coming months, from bold new co-productions and powerful new writing, to major touring drama, live music, comedy and family entertainment.” Visit belgrade.co.uk for information about all of the venue’s upcoming shows.
Summer opera returns to castle in the Cotswolds
Sudeley Castle in the Cotswolds is staging an evening of operatic and musical hits midmonth (Monday 13 July).
Performed by four singers and a string quintet, the 90-minute production sees arias and scenes from operas by Handel, Mozart, Puccini and Rossini being presented alongside songs from musicals by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein and Noel Coward. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website: sudeleycastle.co.uk
Food festival promising to serve up a feast of delights
The Three Counties Food & Drink Festival will be serving up ‘an amazing feast of delights for the whole family to experience, enjoy and savour’ when it makes a welcome return at the end of the month (Malvern’s Three Counties Showground, Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 July).
Highlights include demonstrations by TV
Stunning floral displays on show in Wychbold
Popular garden centre Webbs in Wychbold will once again be offering visitors the chance to pick their own dahlias this summer and early autumn.
Showcasing a collection of more than 5,000 dahlias in full bloom, and featuring over 60 varieties, Webbs’ Flora Fields will be available to visit from Saturday 15 August to early October. To find out more, visit the venue’s website at webbsdirect.co.uk
National Youth Orchestra back in the Midlands
The National Youth Orchestra is heading to Birmingham next month.
Comprising 160 teenage musicians, the highly acclaimed NYO will perform at the city’s Symphony Hall venue on Wednesday 5 August. The evening’s programme features Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No1, Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz, and Dante Part 2: Purgatorio, a work by Thomas Adès, who will also be conducting the concert. For further information and to book tickets (teenagers go free), visit the website at bmusic.co.uk/events
chefs in the Cookery Theatre, a fire cooking stage, free-to-attend Taste & Talk sessions and a baking school for younger members of the family. John Torode and Lisa Faulkner (pictured) are among the well-known names in attendance at this year’s event. For more information and to book tickets, visit threecountiesfoodfestival.com
An autumn return to the region for Disney On Ice
Disney On Ice will bring skating spectacular Discover The Magic to Birmingham in the autumn.
The production - which shows at the city’s bp pulse LIVE venue from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 8 November - features moments from, among other films, Moana, Frozen, Encanto, Toy Story and Coco. For more information and to book tickets, visit the official website at disneyonice.co.uk
First Word
Sonic Live In Concert heading to the Midlands
Iconic video-game character Sonic The Hedgehog is heading to Birmingham early next year in a new concert experience. Bringing ‘the music and moments of the beloved video games to the stage’, Sonic Live In Concert visits the city’s Symphony Hall on Saturday 20 February.
To find out more and purchase tickets, go to the website at sonicliveinconcert.com
Python legend takes to the stage with Holy Grail
John Cleese will visit Birmingham Town Hall in the autumn to present a show celebrating the classic 1975 film Monty Python And The Holy Grail, in which he starred alongside fellow Pythons Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The Sunday 20 September event will feature a screening of the movie followed by a 45-minute Q&A session with John.
Commenting on the tour, the much-loved Fawlty Towers star said: “I’m delighted to be celebrating more than 50 years of Holy Grail with these live events around the countrymainly because I genuinely never expected either the film or myself to last this long.”
National Trust launches its Sky Garden Challenge
The National Trust has launched its annual Sky Gardening Challenge competition, with entries welcome from Midlanders who live in flats and apartments.
The competition has a range of categories, ‘encouraging participants to enter everything from one plant pot to showcasing how their balcony is attracting wildlife and pollinators’. Competition entries will close at midnight on Sunday 16 August.
To find out more, including information about the prizes that are up for grabs, visit the website at nationaltrust.org.uk
News
from around the region
Full steam ahead for heritage railway’s autumn gala
The Severn Valley Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala will take place from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 September.
This year’s event will feature, along with
Festival to mark jewellery making in Birmingham
Birmingham is to host a ‘glittering’ festival celebrating over 250 years of jewellery making in the city.
Taking place in May 2027, the month-long event will include exhibitions, activities and workshops featuring the output of ‘worldclass creatives’.
The announcement marks the one-year anniversary of Birmingham being awarded World Craft City status, an accolade designed to recognise its rich heritage, skilled artisans and innovation in jewellery and allied trades.
Chess championships heading for the Midlands
The University of Warwick is hosting the British Chess Championships next month. Taking place from Saturday 1 to Sunday 9 August, the event will bring together the country’s top grandmasters, rising stars and brilliant young prodigies.
One Night In Nashvillein Worcestershire!
Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium is hosting two major summer events this month, with a country music ‘spectacular’ and one of the UK’s fastest-growing day-club experiences both making their debut at the ground. One Night In Nashville will play a full-band concert on Friday the 24th, with
other guest trains, Ivatt Class 2 tank locomotive No 41313, the first-ever locomotive from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway to visit the Severn Valley Railway.
day-club phenomenon Day Fever - featuring guest DJ James Haskell - taking place on Saturday the 25th. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit sixwaysstadium.co.uk
New exhibition celebrates hot hatch golden age
Visitors to the British Motor Museum in Gaydon can now check out a brand-new exhibition celebrating the golden age of hot hatches... Spoiler Alert: The Hot Hatch Story is available to view at the venue until next spring. For more information, head to the website at britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Diary date for Malvern’s annual autumn show
Malvern’s annual autumn show will make a return across the final weekend in September (Friday the 25th - Sunday the 27th). Coming complete with ‘vibrant’ celebrations of gardening, food and countryside life, the show will feature the CANNA UK Giant Vegetables Championship, Great Malvern Cake Off competitions, appearances by celebrity experts, the chance to sample a selection of locally produced food, and ‘shopping opportunities galore’. For more information and to book tickets, visit the website at malvernautumn.co.uk
WORLD CLASS ACTS IN LICHFIELD
Featuring internationally renowned performers, family favourites, fascinating spoken-word events and plenty more besides, Lichfield Festival returns this month with an explosion of culture to suit all tastes. The festival hosts events throughout the year, but July marks the undoubted highlight of the cultural calendar - the city’s 13-day multi-arts summer festival, this year running from Tuesday 7 to Sunday 19 July. Read on to check out some of this year’s highlights...
XUEFEI YANG & MARIA VEGA
Lichfield Cathedral, Thurs 16 July
Renowned guitarist Xuefei Yang and flamenco sensation Maria Vega make a triumphant return to the festival, five years after their debut performance. The duo once again present a fusion of dance and music. Their programme, titled Silk And Fire, combines traditional Spanish and South American works - by De Falla, Albeniz and Paco Peña - with Xuefei’s Chinese folk-inspired compositions. The music is, of course, accompanied by Maria’s flamenco movement, in what promises to be a spellbinding evening of entertainment..
Lichfield Festival takes place at various locations across the city from Tuesday 7 to Sunday 19 July. To check out the full programme and book tickets, visit lichfieldfestival.org
RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN MCMULLEN
The Hub at St Mary’s, Thursday 9 July
The popular folk duo make their first appearance at Lichfield Festival, as part of a summer tour around the UK.
Rachel, who provides fiddle and vocals, and multi-instrumentalist Darren - mandolin, bouzouki, tenor banjo, whistles, guitar and bass - both hail from Canada and have toured together since 2012 as founding members of award-winning group Còig.
The gig will no doubt feature songs from their debut album, Home.
LA SOLITUDE:
JESSICA
WALKER & JOSEPH ATKINS
The Hub at St Mary’s, Monday 13 July Blending music and theatre - and presented as part of the festival’s French Icons series - La Solitude explores the life and legacy of 20thcentury singer-songwriter Barbara (1930 - 1997).
Vocalist Jessica (pictured), accompanied by Joseph on the piano, brings Barbara to life, weaving together original French and new English versions of her songs - also available in the form of a newly released album.
RUMER
Lichfield Cathedral, Friday 17 July
MOJO Award winner and two-time Britnominee Rumer here marks the 15th anniversary of her hit debut album, Seasons Of My Soul. Rumer’s Cathedral performance comes in the middle of an ensemble tour celebrating the work of Burt Bacharach, who has long been a major influence on the Pakistan-born singer-songwriter’s repertoire. Expect an evening of heart-felt music that falls between realism and romance.
KNDS FAIREY BRASS BAND:
WALLACE AND GROMIT & MORE
Lichfield Cathedral, Saturday 11 July
This fun-filled family adventure sees the Fairey Band teaming up with claymation masters Aardman for a screening of the latter’s Oscar-winning 1993 movie, Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (featuring dastardly penguin Feathers McGraw).
The band will provide live accompaniment to the film - a special arrangement of Julian Nott’s iconic score - after which they will perform a selection of brass-band favourites.
SAMRAT MAJUMDER
Church of St Chad, Wednesday 15 July Rising star Samrat Majumder is a ScottishIndian classical guitarist. Last year tipped as ‘one to watch’ when he was announced as an artist for the Young Classical Artists Trust, Samrat was celebrated by Classic FM when the radio station named their 2026 list of 30 exceptional musicians under the age of 30. His performance at the festival features JS Bach’s Lute Suite No2, presented alongside works by Dowland, Schubert and others...
AURORA PERCUSSION DUO
The Hub at St Mary’s, Sunday 12 July
Delia Stevens and Le Yu have made it their mission to redefine the art of percussion, delivering adrenaline-fuelled performances which are both aurally and visually spectacular.
The duo’s century-spanning repertoire ranges from the work of JS Bach through to RimskyKorsakov’s Flight Of The Bumblebee, and from Gershwin to the present day - all while showcasing a host of instruments, from the marimba to the ever-so-humble egg shaker.
GX2:
THE DON SHIRLEY TRIO PROJECT
The Hub at St Mary’s, Thursday 16 July
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
The Hub at St Mary’s, Saturday 18 July Marvel at the miraculous feats recorded by Guinness World Records - and look out for a special guest record-breaker or two! This spoken-word event is led by Guinness World Records’ editor-in-chief and longtime friend of the festival Craig Glenday, who will be sharing plenty of fascinating secrets from the legendary book. And there’s even a chance for audience members to make a record of their very own!
Reimagining the genredefying work of visionary pianist & composer Don Shirley, the trio is led by the festival’s 2026 artist-inresidence, cellist Gabriella Swallow (pictured), and Mercury award-nominee Joe Webb (piano)... The gig will be Gabriella’s second festival appearance at The Hub at St Mary’s - two days earlier, on Tuesday 14 July, she takes part in an intimate trio performance with trumpeter/singer Pete Horsfall and guitarist Honey Boulton.
BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES
Lichfield Cathedral, Saturday 18 July
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of American Independence, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales presents a programme of works by American composers. The concert opens with Charles Ives’ Three Places In New England. This is followed by a violin concerto by Samuel Barber - featuring award-winning US-Russian soloist Maria Ioudenitch (pictured) - and Aaron Copland’s much-loved Appalachian Spring.
Live
music from across the region...
The Bad Plus
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 3 July
“Evolution is necessary for life and creativity. We’ve evolved, but we’re still The Bad Plus.” So say founding members Dave King and Reid Anderson, who will be joined in Coventry by guitarist Ben Monder and tenor saxophone Chris Speed.
A jazz group formed in the year 2000, The Bad Plus spent the following two decades performing as a piano trio, before ditching the ivories and transforming into a quartet back in 2021. They’re visiting Coventry just a handful of months after Dave and Reid revealed that the boundary-pushing quartet will be disbanding later in the year.
Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse
Temperance, Leamington Spa, Thurs 23 July
California-based roots rock band Beaux Gris Gris & The Apocalypse sees Louisiana born & raised musician Greta Valenti teaming up with UK British Blues Hall of Fame inductee Robin Davey to present a blend of blues, rock Americana, country and soul.
Joined by a line-up of musicians that changes across tours, the duo are visiting Leamington as part of a UK and Europe summer tour. For the record, Beaux Gris Gris is pronounced Bo Gree Gree.
Warwick Folk Festival boasts the very best in contemporary and traditional folk arts from the UK and beyond.
As well as an extensive line-up of talented performers, the four-day camping event features workshops, dance performances,
Def Leppard
bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham, Sat 4 July
Forming in Sheffield in 1976, Def Leppard have sold well in excess of 100 million albums worldwide and become one of rock’s most influential bands... Their Birmingham show comes as part of a UK and Europewide tour. Expect all the hits, including classics such as Rock Of Ages, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Animal, and Foolin’.
Redskies
Marrs Bar, Worcester, Thurs 30 July
A real talent for blending post-grunge, stoner rock riffs and alt-rock has seen bright young things Redskies carve out an interesting space for themselves on the UK music scene.
They’re joined for this Worcester gig by two local bands: Lukash - a pop punk/rock scene-influenced trio who are making a return after 20 years for a one-off show - and PHON - a heavy grunge/sludge trio whose reputation has been greatly enhanced by their on-stage antics and colossal riffs.
23 - Sun 26 July
children’s entertainment and a festival village.
This year’s line-up of performers includes Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy, Eddi Reader (pictured), Fisherman’s Friends and Spiers & Boden.
Doom Gong
The Tin at The Coal Vaults, Coventry, Mon 6 July
What do you get if you blend psychedelic rock, jazz fusion, prog rock, bedroom pop, lo-fi, and contemporary classical music? The answer? A sound produced by Doom Gong which the Louisville band refer to as Denim Psych! Formed in 2022, the sevenpiece tug their collective forelock in the direction of modern acts such as All Them Witches and King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, while simultaneously paying homage to iconic influencers of yesteryear like Black Sabbath and Frank Zappa.
Warwick Folk Festival Castle Park, Warwick, Thurs
Classical music from across the region...
Edward Gardner: John Adams’ Harmonielehre
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Fri 17 July
“I’m thrilled to be reconnecting with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,” says Edward Gardner in talking about this concert, which sees him conducting the orchestra in a team-up with an exceptional cohort of young musicmakers. “We have a wonderful, rich, shared history.
“The young musicians [performing with the orchestra as part of the first-ever CBSO Orchestral Residency scheme] will have played many mainstream works in their colleges and youth orchestras, but to tackle this extraordinary programme together will
fill us all with a sense of ambition and pride.”
The ‘extraordinary programme’ to which Edward is referring features three landmark pieces which have redefined orchestral mass and momentum: Edgard Varèse’s boundary pushing Ionisation and Amériques, and John Adams’ Harmonielehre. The latter, written in 1985, was described by the composer himself as “a statement of belief in the power of tonality at a time when I was uncertain about its future”.
Orchestra of the Swan: The Alchemist
St Nicholas Church, Warwick, Thurs 9 July
The virtuosity and drama of Tartini’s Devil’s Trill Sonata, the elegance of Corelli’s La Folia, and the vivid scene-painting of Biber’s Sonata Representativa are here set alongside original works by jazz pianist & composer David Gordon and violinist David Le Page...
This latest concert is one of the Orchestra Of The Swan’s hugely popular Swan Sessions. The regular get-togethers typically see between three and eight members of the orchestra performing in a relaxed and intimate setting.
Kazuki conducts Harmonium
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 4 July
Music Director Kazuki Yamada is the man with the baton as his City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra present a celebration of ‘uncommon American heroes and heroines’.
The programme includes John Adams’ Harmonium - a search for transcendence in the face of uncertainty - Copland’s Fanfare For The Common Man - written in 1942 and urging Americans to fight for the freedom of the world - and Joan Tower’s Fanfare For The Uncommon Woman - with each fanfare dedicated to a remarkable female musician.
Stratford-upon-Avon Symphony Orchestra
Greig Hall, Alcester, Sun 5 July
Founded more than 60 years ago, the Stratford-upon-Avon Symphony Orchestra present programmes of tuneful music from the 17th century onwards.
Their programme for this month’s concert comprises Ethel Smyth’s Overture from The Wreckers, Strauss’ Concerto For Oboe, and Franck’s Symphony In D Minor.
The oboe soloist is Nicola Hands (pictured).
CHERRY ON THE CAKE
Hollywood film actor Bill Pullman talks about making his RSC debut in a new all-star version of The Cherry Orchard...
By Steve Adams
Bill Pullman is one of three movie stars - alongside Sir Kenneth Branagh and Helen Hunt - appearing in a new version of The Cherry Orchard at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre this summer. The Hollywood veteran tells What’s On about his first visit to the RSC - back in the 1970shis love of trees, and how his apparent ‘guest star ’ role in the production came about...
The region’s hottest theatre ticket this year is undoubtedly the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) new production of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, which boasts three bona fide Hollywood A-listers among its cast. Tickets for the show sold out almost instantly, such was the pulling power of its initially announced stars Sir Kenneth Branagh and Helen Hunt - only for fellow movie legend Bill Pullman to be added to the 28-strong ensemble a few weeks later. Probably best known for playing the US president in 1996 blockbuster Independence Day, the actor’s extensive CV also includes the likes of Spaceballs (and its upcoming sequel), The Accidental Tourist, Sleepless In Seattle and Lost Highway. More recently he’s taken the lead role in four seasons of Netflix’s The Sinner and also appeared in The Boroughs.
Wrapping work on another project contributed to initial confusion over whether he’d officially signed up for the RSC role, but the unintentional delay also had a few upsides. Not only did it suggest he was the show’s guest star - as well as a bonus for those who had already booked tickets - but he says being unveiled after the fact suits him just fine.
“I got no pressure!” laughs the amiable 72year-old, who hails from upstate New York but now lives in Los Angeles. Given how agedefying he looks and sounds, the California lifestyle evidently agrees with him.
“Tickets were sold out. It wasn’t like I was brought in to add five more people on the bus or something.”
It turns out the delay was purely down to communication issues (“I thought it was a slam dunk”), since he was never going to pass up the chance to perform at a venue he’d made a pilgrimage to while a college student in the early 1970s. Was visiting the theatre a big deal for a fledgling American thespian?
“That’s a good question, because there are a number of actors that probably don’t have it on their radar like I did,” he says, attributing his interest to “a little bit of propaganda the RSC put out in the 60s”.
“I was in high school, and there was a substitute teacher who didn’t know what to teach,” he explains. “She’d come across a 16mm film that the UK government funded about Christopher Plummer as a young actor in Stratford-upon-Avon, riding his bike to work. It was totally out of context, but it dripped into my DNA what a beautiful thing to be an actor and riding around on a bicycle. And then to come here, it was like Mecca - it
didn’t disappoint.”
That initial visit afforded Bill the chance to take in a matinee performance of Macbethas well as sample one of the local delicacies...
“I got some fish & chips to eat on the coach on the way back,” he recalls, whimsically.
“They were about the best I ever had. I think that was the last time I had chips wrapped in newspaper.”
We’ve moved on from doing that now, I tell him.
“That’s too bad - there might have been a little flavour in the ink.”
Taste is a sense the actor relies on more than most, having lost the ability to smell over 50 years ago following an accident when he fell from the shoulders of another actor during rehearsals for a play.
“I was in a coma for two and a half days, and when I came out, I didn’t have a sense of smell,” he says matter-of-factly. He’s attempted to get it back without success, but says the condition (“it’s called anosmia”) has almost certainly heightened his sense of taste.
“When I first went to California, I was walking down the street with an actor friend and there was this orange tree. I’d never seen one before, so we had tree-ripened fruit there and then. I couldn’t smell it, but the taste was so perfect.
“The first taste of tree-ripened fruit is a whole different experience to the ones that get shipped, so I had to have trees that I could watch and see if I could beat the squirrels to the fruit.”
The fascination didn’t stop there. For the last 15 years, he and wife Tamara have run Hollywood Orchard, a non-profit organisation that harvests, uses and donates locally grown fruit to needy families, working with food charities and hosting workshops and pop-up kitchen events.
He also co-owns a ranch in Montana with his brother where he gets to spend time outdoors and escape the day job - although he admits it can make it hard to return.
“Sometimes it's a little scary because you get your head into that world and then you come [back] into this one… you’ve really got to be able to compartmentalise.”
His role on the farm primarily seems to involve making repairs (“we have fires that wipe out fences”) and chopping down and clearing dead trees - which brings us nicely back on point, and the play we’re here to talk about. It turns out he’s had “a very serious engagement with orchards” virtually his entire life.
“They’ve had mystical levels of attraction for me. I remember taking an acting class and they asked us to bring in a book that was important to us and do prop work with it. I brought Fruits For The Home Garden.”
The actor’s affection for the genuine article seems clear, but what about Chekhov’s Cherry Orchard?
“[It’s] a play I read in college and did a scene from, but I didn’t really relate to the younger characters at the time. Now I’ve aged a bit, it’s like ‘Oh my God, I get it.’”
The battle for a prized estate - and its titular fruit trees - depicted in Chekhov’s final play is effectively a commentary on the class struggles that beset the Russian Empire around the time of the Russian Revolution, but the allegory has a contemporary resonance too. Bill remains fairly tight-lipped about the new version (by Olivier Awardwinning playwright Laura Wade) save for a cryptic reference to a letter he received from director Tamara Harvey when she first offered him the role.
“The content of it was so interesting to me, and the way she thought about the character of Gaev. When I looked at the script, I could feel exactly what she had kind of baited me with.”
There are clearly parallels to be drawn with modern society and divisive contemporary politics, as well as an environmental message (“they weren’t good stewards of the land”), but Bill is just as keen to focus on the manic family dynamic and the characters’ total lack of morals as they debate what to do in the face of spiralling debts.
“They don’t really know how to behave, and the corruption is eating away at them. There’s something really brilliant about the human mind that can live quite blissfully with denial.”
He also believes the play - which he’s quick to point out is as much fun as it is intellectually stimulating - provides a fascinating prism through which to view the trials and tribulations of the human condition.
“Denial is more than a river in Egypt,” he jokes. “They can go from deep despair to high mayhem in an instant, just because of the need to escape the truth. It’s passionate and emotional… and insane.”
The Cherry Orchard shows at The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from Friday 10 July to Saturday 29 August
Comedy previews from across the region...
Ayoade Bamgboye
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Thurs 23 July
Born in London, raised in Lagos, sacked in Budapest (she was working as an assistant to film director Yorgos Lanthimos on his movie Poor Things) is how Ayoade Bamgboye describes herself. Another description would be ‘Edinburgh Fringe debutant who walked away with the Best Newcomer award in 2025’.
Ayoade is heading for Birmingham this month with the stand-up offering that earned her that coveted festival gong last summer.
Taking the title Swings & Roundabouts, the show is about ‘going nowhere fast, being too British to stop apologising and too Nigerian to stop shouting’.
Comedy All Stars
Dudley Town Hall, Sat 25 July
James Acaster
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Mon 20 - Wed 22 July
Long established as one of the UK’s leading comics, James Acaster was nominated for the Edinburgh Fringe’s Best Comedy Show award for five consecutive years back in the 2010s - a fact which provides irrefutable evidence of the consistently high quality of his material.
James peddles a style that initially makes his humour seem awkward and shambolic. He gets away with doing so by virtue of the fact that his writing is so solidly brilliant, blending observational comedy with a selection of more eccentric pieces.
He’s visiting the region this month as part of a UK tour.
Gary Delaney
Lichfield Garrick, Wed 22 July; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thurs 10 September; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 22 September; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Fri 2 October; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Fri 23 October; Dudley Town Hall, Sun 1 November
Michelle Wolf
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 2 July American funnywoman Michelle Wolf probably remains best known for her infamous headline set at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, during which she told a series of gags that rattled Republicans and Democrats alike.
The Comedy All Stars show returns to Dudley Town Hall late this month with another line-up of top comedians... The show will feature sets by Milton Jones, Nick Helm (pictured), Aurie Styla and Babatunde Aléshé.
Paul Smith
The Halls Wolverhampton, Sat 4 July; Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Wed 29 July & Wed 11 November; Dudley Town Hall, Wed 19 August; Utilita Arena Birmingham, Fri 25 September
Affable Liverpool
comedian Paul Smith has waxed lyrical on all manner of topics in his time, including such peculiar subjects as who he’d most like to be haunted by (GhandiPaul reckons he’d do it quite quietly) and which is the largest animal he thinks he could beat in a fight (a goose). He’s also ‘died’ on stage in front of a Babylon 5 actress, who made matters worse for him by shaking her head in pity... Widely regarded as one of the comedy circuit’s most accomplished MCs, Paul has made a real name for himself courtesy of online video clips which almost routinely go viral.
“The hardest part of running competitively in Wales must be keeping up with the Joneses,” quips the ever-popular Gary Delaney.
And Gary’s certainly no one-joke pony: “My girlfriend’s dog died, so to cheer her up, I went out and got her an identical one. She was livid and yelled ‘What am I going to do with two dead dogs?’”
Suffice it to say there will be plenty more gags where those came from when the Solihull-born funnyman visits Lichfield with his latest touring show, Gary On Laughing.
Indeed, President Trump, who’d boycotted the evening, was so appalled by her performance that he called her “a filthy ‘comedian’”.
She’s certainly an acquired taste - her sets have included gags about otter rape, for example - but acclaimed specials on HBO and Netflix have seen her steadily build a global fanbase.
Shrewsbury International Comedy Festival
Various locations, Shrewsbury, Wed 8 - Sun 12 July
As well as being a hotbed of food, flowers and folk music, Shrewsbury in recent times has become a centre of comedy excellence, thanks to this hugely popular event.
As on previous occasions, the 2026 edition of the multi-venue laugh-in is brought to a close with a special gala event at Theatre Severn.
The finale show will feature sets by Esther Manito, Lou Sanders, Morgan Rees, Frankie Monroe, Ignacio Lopez and Scott Bennett. Other comedians contributing to the festival across its five days include Lindsey Santoro, Stuart Goldsmith, Clinton Baptiste and Tez Ilyas (all pictured below).
cutting it
Ramin Karimloo talks about taking the title role in a new production of Sweeney Todd...
A new production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street opens at Birmingham Rep this month. Under the direction of Joe Murphy, this latest incarnation of the Stephen Sondheim classic sees musical theatre legend Ramin Karimloo take on the title role of Sweeney - a barber whose plans for his customers extend way beyond giving them a short back & sides...
Actor Ramin Karimloo has sung many of the most iconic roles in musical theatre, including the Phantom in The Phantom Of The Opera and Love Never Dies and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, but despite a career which has seen him performing on Broadway and in the West End, this summer is the first time he will play Sweeney Todd. Ramin takes up the cut-throat razor of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in a new production of the hit Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler musical, produced by Birmingham Rep and directed by the theatre’s artistic director, Joe Murphy. And the Iranian-Canadian actor, singer & songwriter is looking forward to bringing the role to life.
“Sweeney is one of those rare characters who feels almost inexhaustible,” Ramin explains.
“On the surface, he’s become this mythic figure, almost a cautionary tale, but underneath that is a man shaped by loss, injustice and a kind of emotional fracture that feels very human.
“What draws me to him isn’t a desire to define him too quickly but to explore that space between the man he was and the figure he becomes.
“There’s something unsettlingly relatable in that. The idea of how far someone can be pushed and what happens when grief and anger go unresolved.”
Based on a Victorian Penny Dreadful, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street tells the story of Benjamin Barker, who is wrongfully sent to a penal colony and returns to London bent on revenge. Taking the new name of Sweeney Todd and opening a barber’s shop, he joins forces with the baker Mrs Lovett to launch a murderous regime in which he cuts the throats of his customers and Mrs Lovett turns them into tasty pies.
Ramin, who will be sharing the stage with Meow Meow as Mrs Lovett and David Bedella as Judge Turpin, is keen to delve into the multi-layered character of Sweeney.
“The role feels like a real gift. With Sondheim, so much of the work is already there on the page, in the language, in the rhythm, in the way the music carries thought and emotion. You’re not having to impose something onto it - you’re listening,
responding, and allowing it to lead you.
“Of course, there’s a responsibility that comes with a role people know so well, but for me the focus is always on staying present with it rather than trying to measure up to anything outside the room.
“The richness of the writing gives you permission to explore, to sit in the contradictions, and to trust that if you honour what’s there, something truthful will come through.”
Premiered on Broadway in 1979, Sweeney Todd is often described as one of the most demanding musical theatre roles to sing, but Ramin says it’s all about working with the music: “I think ‘challenge’ can sometimes be the wrong word - it’s more about precision and trust. With Sondheim, the music and the text are so intricately connected that you can’t separate the two. Every rhythm, every shift in melody is carrying thought - so the work is really about honouring that, rather than trying to push against it.
“If you stay present and let the writing lead, it actually supports you. The discipline is in listening closely enough to follow it, rather than imposing something on top of it.”
Sondheim, whose other works include Into The Woods and Sunday In The Park With George, is a stalwart of 20th century musical theatre, with Sweeney Todd being one of his most popular shows.
“I think Sweeney Todd works on a few levels at once. It has the scale and thrill of something almost operatic, but at its core it’s a very human story about loss, love, and what happens when those things become distorted. That combination makes it both entertaining and unsettling in equal measure.
“And then, of course, you have the writing. Stephen Sondheim created something incredibly rich. It’s dark, it’s funny, it’s precise and it doesn’t ask the audience to sit comfortably. It invites them to lean in, to question, and to recognise elements of themselves in places they might not expect. That’s what gives it a kind of lasting power.”
For Ramin, the attraction of the show is not just having the chance to play Sweeney but being able to do so in a new production here in Birmingham.
“What really drew me in was the opportunity
to work with Joe Murphy. From our first conversations, there was an energy and openness that felt both inspiring and supportive. It didn’t feel like coming in with fixed ideas, but rather the chance to explore something together.
“That sense of collaboration is hugely important to me. The Rep has a real history of nurturing bold, actor-led work, and this felt like the right place and the right people to take on something as rich and demanding as this piece.”
He is looking forward to spending time in the city.
“I wouldn’t say I know Birmingham particularly well, even though I have worked here a few times over the years. But that is actually something I’m looking forward to changing. There’s something nice about arriving somewhere without too many preconceptions and allowing yourself to discover it as you go.
“For me, it’s often less about ticking off specific places and more about getting a feel for the city; its rhythm, its people, its character. That usually ends up feeding the work in ways you don’t expect, so I’m looking forward to spending time there and letting that side of it reveal itself.”
And Ramin hopes his portrayal of Sweeney will also bring new revelations to the audience: “I came to the piece without a long personal history with it, so I didn’t feel tied to any one interpretation from the outset. That’s been quite freeing in a way, because it allows you to approach it with fresh eyes and let the work speak to you as you go.
“I hope audiences feel engaged by it, that they lean in, that it stays with them in some way, whether that’s through the music, the story or something more personal. It’s a piece that doesn’t sit comfortably, and I think there’s something valuable in that. If it sparks a reaction or a conversation, then it’s doing its job.”
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street shows at Birmingham Rep from Saturday 4 July to Saturday 15
August
Theatre
Theatre previews from around the region
Matilda The Musical Birmingham Hippodrome, Wed 1 July - Sun 2 August
Matilda is an extraordinary child, but her parents think she’s a nuisance. When they’re not glued to the television set, her mum practises ballroom dancing and her dad gloats about his latest dodgy business deal.
Life at school isn’t much better for Matilda either. Then, one day, she discovers that she’s got very special powers and decides it’s high time
The Karate Kid The Musical
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 21 July - Sat 25 July
Martial arts movie The Karate Kid - one of the highest-grossing films of 1984 - saw bullied teenager Daniel LaRusso turn his fate around with the help of a mentor named Mr Miyagi...
Now, the film’s story is being retold in this critically acclaimed stagemusical version, which is currently on its first-ever tour of the UK.
“The story isn’t about karate per se - it’s about human connection,” says Singapore-raised veteran Adrian Pang, who stars as Mr Miyagi.
“These two fish-out-of-water misfits, living in their own bubbles, find a way to connect despite generational and cultural differences. Two different worlds collide, and they form this bond and friendship.”
the grown-ups were taught a much-needed lesson...
Adapted from one of Roald Dahl’s best-loved books, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage-musical version of Matilda - complete with music & lyrics by comedian Tim Minchin - has been delighting West End audiences for 15 years, during which time it’s bagged in excess of 100 international awards.
Waitress
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 6 - Sat 11 July
This smash-hit Broadway and West End musical is based on the 2007 movie of the same name and visits the Midlands with West End favourite Carrie Hope Fletcher heading the cast.
Expert pie maker Jenna is trapped in a loveless marriage to a controlling and abusive man and dreams of a better future. When a baking contest - and the town’s new doctor - provide her with the hope of something better, she has to decide whether she can find the courage to rebuild her life...
Billed as a musical celebration of friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie, Waitress co-stars Les Dennis as Old Joe, with Evelyn Hoskins and Sandra Marvin also featuring.
Theatre previews from around the region
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
The Alexandra, Birmingham, until Sat 4 July
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold was John le Carré’s third book and established the former MI5 and MI6 employee as a significant name in the spy-novel genre.
Not only written but also set during the Cold War era, its story focuses on the character of Alec Leamas, a British intelligence officer who’s persuaded to undertake one final, dangerous, deceptive and deeply personal mission...
This acclaimed stage production is out on tour following a sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre. Ralf Little takes the title role.
Richard III
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, until Sat 4 July
Surinderella
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 July
Rifco Theatre Company have been producing live entertainment celebrating contemporary British South Asian experiences for a quarter of a century. Their latest show sees them turning their attention to the beloved theatre tradition of ‘the great British pantomime’but complete with a Bollywood-blockbusterstyle twist!
Expect magic, makeovers, selfie-obsessed stepsisters, and a mould-breaking title character...
The Choir Of Man
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 14 - Sat 18 July; Malvern Theatres, Tues 21 - Sat 25 July; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 20 - Sat 24 October
A huge success in the West End, with an Olivier Award nomination further proving its credentials, The Choir Of Man is no conventional theatre production. Set in a pub, featuring ‘a wildly talented group of incredible instrumentalists, world-class wordsmiths, and sensational singers’, it’s brimming with hits from artists including Queen, Luther Vandross, Paul Simon, Adele and Katy Perry. There’s no story to follow as such - the show maybe feels more like a gig than a play - but there’s certainly plenty to enjoy across its near two-hour running time.
Blue Mist
The Rep, Birmingham, Wed 22 - Sat 25 July Truth, trust and ambition come under the spotlight in Mohamed-Zain Dada’s ‘darkly funny’ Olivier Awardnominated play.
When aspiring journalist Jihad wins the chance to make his own documentary, he sets out to give voice to his community and challenge the usual stereotypes that fill the airwaves. But in a media landscape that profits off fear, how far can one voice really go?... Blue Mist is being presented by Boundless Theatre in association with Tamasha, a long-established British Asian company whose plays aim to reflect the realities of life in a multicultural society.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The murderous and machiavellian Duke of Gloucester, better known - but only once he’s ascended the throne, of courseas Richard III, is perhaps the most powerful and evil of all theatre villains. Shakespeare’s brutal play follows Gloucester’s blood-soaked trail as he uses all his skills as a lover, a liar, a trickster and a tyrant to seize power and become the King of England... Matthew Duckett, whose acting CV includes Netflix’s film version of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, takes the title role.
MANBand
Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 27 - Wed 29 July
A feelgood tale about four music-loving pub regulars wanting one last shot at fame and fortune, Bloomin’ Good Productions’ MANBand is showing at the Crescent Theatre as part of Birmingham Fest 2026.
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sunday 30 August
This fresh retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream - made with youngsters very much in mind - sees the Royal Shakespeare Company teaming up with leading children’s theatre ensemble Unicorn for the very first time.
The show has proved a big hit with adults as well as kids, courtesy of its fast-track storytelling (it runs for just 80 interval-free minutes), eye-catching design and innovative creative captioning.
Theatre previews from around the region
The Rocky Horror Show
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Mon 6 - Sat 11 July
Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’The Rocky Horror Show is returning to the Midlands! Richard O’Brien’s cult production tells the tale of the straight-laced Brad and the deliciously corruptible Janet, who arrive at the castle of the alien transvestite Frank N Furter and witness the birth of the monster, Rocky. Along the way, they take the audience through a selection of love-’em-or-loathe-’em musical numbers, including Damn It Janet, Sweet Transvestite, and The Time Warp. Great fun’s a guarantee - particularly if you get into the spirit of things and attend the show dressed in your very best stockings & suspenders (as many patrons do)!
The Band
Lichfield Garrick, Tues 14 - Sat 18 July
Written by Tim Firth and featuring the music of Take That, The Band is a story about the power which music can have over people.
For five teenage girls, their favourite boyband and the music they play are everything. Twenty-five years later, the quintet attempt to rekindle their friendship with a trip to a concert by the band they loved so dearly as teenagers. But none of the ladies’ lives have turned out quite the way they were expecting... Presented by Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company.
I’m Sorry Prime Minister
Malvern Theatres, Tues 28 July - Sat 1 August
Jonathan Lynn, who co-wrote the satirical television sitcoms Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, is the creative force behind this related stage play, which sees the return of the aforementioned series’ main characters: Jim Hacker and Sir Humphrey Appleby.
Former PM Hacker’s desire for a quiet life as master of an Oxford college is spectacularly upended when he finds himself facing the ultimate modern crisis - being cancelled by the college committee. Enter the delightfully devious Sir Humphrey, who’s lost none of his love for bureaucracy, Latin phrases, and welltimed obstruction...
The Changeling
Oldbury Rep, Sat 11 - Sat 18 July
Oldbury Rep Players once again tread the boards in the middle of this month, presenting the world premiere of Paul Steventon-Marks’ reimagining of the Dracula myth. The Players have previously performed another of the award-winning playwright’s
Game Of Thrones: The Mad King
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon, Mon 20 July - Sat 5 September
Premiering at the Royal Shakespeare Company this month, Game Of Thrones: The Mad King is a prequel to the original books and HBO’s long-running television series. Described as ‘a sweeping new stage epic’, the production spans the final years before the events of the original novels, which were written by George RR Martin, who is serving as executive producer on the show.
“When I first wrote Game Of Thrones, I never imagined that it would be anything other than a book,” says George. “For me, the RSC was the obvious choice when thinking about putting a Game Of Thrones story on the stage. Shakespeare is the greatest name in English literature, and his plays have been a constant source of inspiration to me and my writing.”
After Party
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 30 JulySat 1 August & Wed 9 - Sat 12 September
The Belgrade here joins forces with Traverse Theatre and Paines Plough to present preview performances of award-winning playwright Morna Young’s latest offering. Actress and matriarch Vivienne Blackwood summons her fractured family to an 80thbirthday celebration. As old tensions surface and beliefs collide, Vivienne’s real reason for gathering her relatives together soon becomes apparent...
The production returns to the Belgrade in September.
Boiler Room Six: A Titanic Story
Albany Theatre, Coventry, Sat 18 July
In the final hours of 14 April 1912, the RMS Titanic, on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York, collided with an iceberg. The ‘unsinkable ship’ slowly sank. It was one of the most tragic disasters of the 20th century, with 1,517 men, women and children losing their lives.
One man who survived was the ship’s stoker, Frederick Barrett - and it’s his story of that fateful night that Boiler Room Six explores. The production stops off in Coventry this month as part of a UK tour.
works: Frankenstein - A Monster In Paris.
Theatre
Outdoor theatre previews from around the region
The Three Musketeers
Winterbourne Gardens, Birmingham, Fri 3 July
There’s plenty of swashbuckling fun to be had in Illyria’s lighthearted stage version of Alexandre Dumas’ classic adventure novel. Set against a sweeping backdrop of 17thcentury war-torn France, the play is being advertised by Ilyria as a coming together of peril, politics and passion.
The long-established theatricals wish to make it clear that younger children are most welcome at the show - assuming, they say, that they’re brave enough to attend…
The Great Gatsby
The Old Place, Deansway, Worcester, Wed 29 July
The critically acclaimed This Is My Theatre is the company behind this stage adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece. Set in the American Jazz Age of the Roaring 20s, the story focuses on the quixotic passion of mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby for the beautiful former debutante Daisy Buchanan. In the process of recounting the tale - told though the eyes of Gatsby’s Long Island
neighbour, Nick Carraway - Fitzgerald presents not only the story of a delightfully decadent decade but also a cautionary tale about the American Dream...
King Arthur And The Holy Fail
Shrewsbury Castle, Thurs 23 July
Othello
Lichfield Cathedral, Tues 7 July; Coughton Court, Warwickshire, Fri 10 July; Shrewsbury Castle, Tues 28 & Wed 29 July; Alderford Lake, Whitchurch, North Shropshire, Tues 11 August; Bantock House & Gardens, Wolverhampton, Sat 15 August
Shakespeare’s tragic tale of lost handkerchiefs, ruined reputations and mistreated wives has always been one of theatre’s most powerful stories.
When Iago is overlooked for promotion by Othello, his Machiavellian mind turns to thoughts of vengeance. Othello’s willingness to be led by the nose is all grist to Iago’s mill, and fatal consequences ensue...
The production is presented by the wellestablished and all-male Lord Chamberlain’s Men, who are taking on the challenge of performing Othello for the very first time in their history.
good stories in a fun, informative way, gently challenging people’s perceptions and the way in which they react to theatre.”
Northanger Abbey
The Commandery, Worcester, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 & Thurs 23 - Sun 26 July
Jane Austen’s classic satire tells the story of the bookish
The ever-impressive Three Inch Fools return with an epic tale of Arthurian adventure and medieval mayhem. Here’s the show’s set-up, as described by the Fools themselves: “When Camelot is rocked to its core by a tragic - and frankly improbable - incident involving a large table of an undisclosed shape, Arthur is thrust into the quest of a lifetime. Will he bravely battle through blistering cold and scorching fire to save his beloved realm, or will he crumble as fate refuses to cooperate?”
Romeo And Juliet
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Sat 11 July; Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove, Sun 12 July
Zany funsters Oddsocks make a welcome return to the region, this time with their sureto-be-entertaining adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous story of star-crossed lovers.
“Our inclusive approach means that varied communities across the UK are able to engage with theatre,” say the company’s founders and husband & wife team, Andy Barrow and Elli Mackenzie. “We aim to tell
Catherine Morland, a 17-year-old girl whose obsession with Gothic horror novels helps fuel her imagination when she visits Northanger Abbey. The the one-time church and home of her suitor, Henry Tilney, is a place in which Catherine soon finds fact and fiction colliding... Presented by Worcester Repertory Company.
Jeeves And Wooster In Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
The Amphitheatre, Telford Town Park, Wed 22 July
The wonderful world of PG Wodehouse lands in Telford as the ever-affable Bertie Wooster yet again gets himself into the type of terrible tangle from which only his razor-sharp valet Jeeves can extricate him.
Comical escapades abound in an outdoor show featuring live jazz music performed by an ensemble of actor-musicians.
Theatre for younger audiences
Mr Sleepybum’s Dream Machine
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 4 July; Little Theatre, Donnington, Shropshire, Sat 21 November
With accolades and glittering gongs aplenty to recommend it, Mr Sleepybum was a show well worth checking out. Now, the title character - a fella who has ‘stupid, silly dreams’ at night - is making a welcome return with this brand-new production.
Running for one hour and suitable for children aged between three and eight, the show sees Mr Sleepybum invent a machine that magically brings to life all manner of dreams, including ones featuring dinosaurs, robots, car chases and, er, the world’s largest blanket!
The Dinosaur That Pooped
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Wed 22 July; Lichfield Garrick, Sat 12 September; Birmingham Town Hall, Sun 8 November
Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter’s touring production
features new songs, a lot of laughs and (not surprisingly given the show’s title) a whole load of poo!
Based on Tom and Dougie’s bestselling children’s books, The Dinosaur That Pooped follows Danny and Dino as they try to get hold of the last two tickets to their favourite rock band’s final concert.
But with a villainous band manager lurking,
nothing goes according to plan... Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day?...
The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Mon 20 - Tues 21 July; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Fri 24 July Everybody’s favourite tea-guzzling tiger is back in town, dropping in on Sophie and her mum just as they’re settling down for an afternoon cuppa...
Adapted by David Wood from the late Judith Kerr’s 1968 book of the same name, this 55-minute show features singalong songs and plenty of magic - not to mention a big, stripy tiger, of course!
Dinosaur Adventure Live
The Core Theatre, Solihull, Tues 28 July Dinosaurs are once again roaming the Midlands this summer, thanks to this interactive show for all the family to enjoy. Youngsters get to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures - including, of course, every child's favourite flesh-eating giant: the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
In The Night Garden Live
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fri 31 July & Sat 1 August
If your little ones are big fans of CBeebies television series In The Night Garden, they’re certain to love the live version as well. And it’s not only the kids who’re in love with the stage show. Audience surveys and
Bluey’s Big Play
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 a prestigious Emmy award.
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...
parents’ reviews reveal that, for nine out of 10 adults, the production is a five-out-of-five theatrical experience... This currently touring show is titled Igglepiggle’s Busy Day.
Out Of The Box
The Ampitheatre, Telford Town Park, Sat 25 July
A toothbrush stars in a balancing act, a string sparks a heist, and a tea party lands on someone’s head.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Darryl J Carrington, a performer with more than 20 years of circus and clowning experience who transforms’ everyday objects into extraordinary adventures’. The show is non-verbal and visits Telford with a host of five-star reviews to recommend it.
The Sword In The Stone
Brueton Park, Solihull, Sat 25 July
Cambridge Touring Productions is the company behind this family-friendly outdoor offering. The story focuses on two characters - young Wart and his friend Morgan - as they head for London. Along the way, they meet a selection of colourful characters and learn some seriously useful lessons about courage, friendship, and finding your way in the big, wide world.
GROWN UP
Matilda The Musical returns to Birmingham
By Jessica Clixby
Matilda has had quite a journey. The strong-willed schoolgirl first appeared in Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel, then made her big-screen debut eight years later, and eventually took to the stage in Stratfordupon-Avon in 2010, in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s smash-hit show Matilda The Musical. The production has since delighted audiences around the world and is now on a tour of the UK and Ireland. What’s On spoke to Rob Howell, the show’s award-winning designer, to find out more…
Matilda The Musical has become a global phenomenon. First staged at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Courtyard Theatre 16 years ago, the production is now touring the UK and Ireland, stopping off at Birmingham Hippodrome this month.
Based on the book by Roald Dahl, Matilda tells the story of an extraordinary girl with a vivid imagination, who takes control of her own destiny...
Set & costume designer Rob Howell has been involved from the start, and has since received Olivier and Tony awards for the show’s design. He told What’s On that there was a long, gradual process of development before the inaugural performance.
During that time, as writer Dennis Kelly’s script crystalised, and composer & lyricist Tim Minchin’s songs were added into the mix, the creative team had to make a crucial decision - how would Matilda and her classmates be brought to life on stage?
“As Tim started writing the music and the script developed, it became clear that Matilda needs to be able to hold the stage,” explains Rob. “Can you ask a young actor to walk out into the middle of a big stage, hold that stage on their own, and deliver the songs that Tim was writing? Or do you have to have a young adult?”
After a series of workshops to explore different possibilities - including using puppets - the production team finally settled on casting child actors in the central roles.
“It was an instant no-brainer - it was gold, straightaway,” says Rob. “I enjoy puppets on stage, but it just wasn’t going to be the same. It would have been a different style of production, which didn’t seem right to what Tim was writing and Dennis had written.”
Working on the production’s costume and set, Rob dreamed up his own designs, rather than replicating the book’s well-known Quentin Blake illustrations.
“Quentin Blake’s amazing, but I had to be clear at the outset: were they asking me to stand up his drawings, or was I going my own way? And it was, ‘No, you’re going your own way…’ That was liberating because it meant I could do my own thing. However, Quentin’s Quentin, and it’s inevitable that when you put a scruffy kid in a scruffy school uniform, it looks like a Quentin Blake scruffy drawing - but I wasn’t looking at his drawings for clues.”
However, an opportunity arose to have the
illustrator’s work represented on stageQuentin was invited to design a blazer badge for Matilda’s school, Crunchem Hall.
“The request went to Quentin and his studio. He sent a sketch back of a kid being banged over the head with a mallet. I put my lettering over the top of it for Crunchem Hall, and that’s embroidered and made by the thousands now - hand stitched on the blazers that all the kids wear, all over the world.”
With so many of the cast clothed in school uniforms, the show’s costume design presents some unexpected challenges. “You’d have thought that school uniform would be quite easy to get your hands on, but it’s not, because different schools have different shapes, and they sell out at the obvious times of the year when everyone’s buying school uniforms. [Dahl] was writing in the 80s, but he seems to be writing [about] schools and teachers and buildings and desks in the period of time between the wars - an important place and time for Dahl that he kept going back to.”
Matilda was published in 1988, a time when school uniforms were more likely to feature tracksuit trousers and polo shirts. But Dahl conjured up a very different style in the book, which Rob has explored in his design.
“We’ve pushed it back to be a bit more austere - wool blazers, grey shorts and pleated skirts - because that seems to be the world that he was writing about. It’s hinting at a ‘yesteryear’ rather than ‘nowadays’. It’s fascinating - even today, when it’s playing in different places in the world, nobody’s ever said to me, ‘The uniform’s too old-fashioned.’ We all understand that language of slightly course, wool blazers.”
Towering over the schoolkids is the formidable Miss Trunchbull, Crunchem Hall’s cruel headmistress. Dahl paints a clear picture of the tank-like character in the book, and Rob found out more about her creation at the author’s estate.
“I try not to get too close to the original source material - I certainly don’t watch films, because I’m too easily distracted by somebody else’s ideas. [Miss Trunchbull] is the clearest description of any of the characters in the story… When I went to see Lucy Dahl and the estate, they told me that Roald based it on a friend of his, and they showed me a picture of this friend - it was quite an extraordinary look!
“When we got onto the idea that Miss Trunchbull might be played by male actors,
that opens up the door for a level of exaggeration, which we needed anyway to get her to be frightening and powerful… It’s quite an early call for the actor playing Trunchbull to get into all of the underpinning and the makeup and the wig. It’s hot, and they have to do some agile stuff with it, so it needs to be very flexible. It’s a very cleverly made under-costume to give her the shape.”
Designing the set, Rob used a motif of children’s blocks covered in different letters of the alphabet, with the intention of creating a word-search game that is instinctively played by members of the audience, whether they’re aged nine or 90…
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you are, who you are - you’re instantly playing the same game as everybody else. That’s what I’m trying to do with the lettering on the setwhen you look at the scenery, you might find a word the person next to you hasn’t found, or maybe the eight-year-old found it before you did. That’s more than just fun, that’s life - kids can be quicker than us… It just levels everybody out.”
The words hidden around the set also hint at events in the play - particularly a scene by writer Dennis Kelly in which Matilda invents a story for the school librarian.
“Matilda is telling the librarian her story on stage. She says, ‘An acrobat and an escapologist want to get married…’ The story goes on and it’s delightful, but almost all of the words that are in Matilda’s story are hidden in a wordsearch all over the set. You can find them if you look - you can find ‘hug’, you can find ‘marriage’. You can also find ‘burp’, by the way!
“The one thing that I never get bored of is when I go to see the show and I’m there at the beginning. The audiences are going in, and you see families - kids, parents, grandparents - they’ve got there 10 minutes early or whatever, and the number of arms pointing up at the set… They’re basically saying ‘What have you found? I found acrobat - wait, does it say burp? It can’t say burp!’ I never get tired of seeing that - that’s a proper family experience.”
Matilda The Musical shows at Birmingham Hippodrome from Wednesday 1 July to Sunday 2 August
Light entertainment from around the region
Suzy Homemaker
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Fri 17 July
Suzy Homemaker was originally the name of a popular mid-1960s line of miniature and functional toy household appliances (including ovens, blenders, washers and irons) which allowed girls to practise becoming ‘the perfect housewife’. It then started to be used as a derogatory term for any woman whose habits reflected the stereotypical domestic activities traditionally performed by women. Taking all of the above into consideration, it’s hardly surprising that Erica Mulkern’s acclaimed show revolves around the history and development of contemporary feminism. Blending modern dance, theatre, comedy and visual storytelling, the show focuses on the experiences of three female characters, along the way covering everything from suffragette rebellion to picture-perfect 1950s suburbia.
The publicity for Sons Of Pitches is both effusive and completely justified.
The first winners of BBC Two and Gareth Malone’s The Naked Choir, the dapper a
capella quintet recently celebrated 10 glorious years of performing together. They visit Shrewsbury to present a nicely balanced programme of pop covers, original numbers and improvised songs.
Alistair McGowan
The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire, Sat 25 July; St George’s Hall, Bewdley, Sat 10 October
Worcestershire-born Alistair McGowan followed in the footsteps of Mike Yarwood to become one of the country’s most revered impressionists. He’s also worked extensively in the theatre, appearing in productions including Little Shop Of Horrors, for which he received an Olivier nomination. Alistair makes a return to the Midlands this month with a show in which he combines ‘classic comedy, poetry and beautiful piano music’. The latter comes courtesy of his newfound talent as a classical pianist.
Theatre
Swamplesque
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Fri 17 July
If you’ve never heard of Swamplesque, you won’t be alone - but there are plenty of theatre-goers around the world who would be only too happy to testify to its quality. Taking Australia by storm and selling out at each of the last two Edinburgh Festivals, the show is a burlesque and drag-parody homage to the wonderful world of DreamWorks Animation’s swamp-dwelling ogre, Shrek. Presenting its audiences with a veritable smorgasbord of performance styles, the show boasts eye-catching costumes and plenty of sassy, body-positive choreography.
The People’s Orchestra
Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sat 18 July
The community-based non-profit People’s Orchestra visits the city centre from nearby West Bromwich, accompanied by community choirs. Concert-goers will decide the final setlist for the evening, selecting from pop favourites, epic film scores, 1980s anthems and Disney showstoppers.
100% Badgers With Matt Hobs
Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Fri 10 July; Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 24 September
Comedian Matt Hobs has turned his passion for badgers into an hour-long comedy performance, one that found an appreciative audience at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Expect to leave the venue at the end of the show knowing far more about Matt’s favourite animal than you’d ever imagined possible...
Under The Hammer: An Immersive Art History
Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Thurs 16 & Fri 17 July
A ‘fine blend’ of theatre, improvisation, escape room and whodunnit, Under The Hammer finds its inspiration in real-world cases of art-crime and sees its audience members become recruits of the Company of International Artists. The role will require them to put their little grey cells to good use in order to tackle puzzles, decipher codes and attempt to solve a case of art forgery before the culprit has the chance to slip away into the night... Coming dressed as a famous artist or favourite detective is encouraged but not obligatory...
Dance previews from across the region
Lord Of The Dance: 30th Anniversary
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 13 - Wed 15 July; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Mon 28 September - Sun 4 October
Since catapulting traditional Irish music and folk dance into the limelight back in the mid-1990s (ably assisted in so doing by the similarly sensational Riverdance, of course), Michael Flatley’s choreographed adventure, Lord Of The Dance, has become an international phenomenon. These Midlands stop-offs form part of a nationwide tour to celebrate 30
Autin Dance
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 25 July
Birmingham-based Autin Dance have been performing since 2013. “We draw on contemporary social issues and events to make work which is beautifully crafted, accessible and relevant,” says founder Johnny Autin. “The company has a reputation for creating powerful performances, catapulting audiences into intense dance worlds which we hope will resonate with them long after they leave the auditorium.”
Latest production Zig Zag! is non-verbal, takes place outdoors, and finds two performers building a playful world from simple objects. The show has been designed for youngsters aged five and older.
years of the hit show, during which time Lord Of The Dance has visited 1,000-plus venues in a total of 60 countries and entertained in excess of 60 million people. If you’ve not yet been among them, then this is the perfect opportunity to catch up with one of the world’s most successful dance extravaganzas. The latest production comes complete with new choreography and features over 150,000 taps per performance.
Kai Widdrington
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 6 July
“I had the most incredible time on my firstever solo tour,” says Kai Widdrington in talking about Evolution, the show he’s bringing to Shrewsbury early this month. “It was such a fun and creatively brilliant production that we just had to bring it back again for 2026.”
The critically acclaimed show sees Strictly star Kai showcasing his versatility and passion for dance by taking the audience on a journey through an array of genres.
Nikita Kuzmin: Supernova
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Thurs 2 & Fri 3 July
International champion and Strictly Come
Dancing fan favourite Nikita Kuzmin’s sophomore solo tour sees him presenting ‘an explosive new dance spectacular’, created in collaboration with Bafta Award-winning choreographer Jason Gilkison.
Kyiv-born Nikita will be joined by special guest star Karen Hauer for the first of his three Belgrade shows (on Thursday the 2nd).
Rhythm Of The Dance
Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, Sat 18 July
Inspiring dances augmented by flutes and flailing fiddles is the name of the game when popular touring show Rhythm Of The Dance stops off in the region this month.
Taking its fans on a two-hour trip through hundreds of years of Irish dance and music, the hugely popular show boasts awardwinning world and Irish dance champions, talented vocalists, multiple costume changes, a state-of-the-art light & sound presentation, and a traditional Irish band of multiinstrumentalist musicians.
Film highlights in July...
Minions &
Monsters CERT PG (90 mins)
Moana
CERT PG (115 mins)
Starring Catherine Laga’aia, Dwayne Johnson, John Tui, Frankie Adams, Rena Owen Directed by Thomas Kail
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the first Moana movie, Disney are releasing a brand-new live-action reimagining of the much-loved and Academy Awardnominated animated adventure.
The film follows in the footsteps of, among others, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Aladdin, other animations which Disney have rebooted as live-action offerings. But its director, Thomas Kali, is eager to ensure the source material remains protected in the transition to real life.
“How do you honour this?” Kail mused in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “How do you say ‘we love it too’ and make it something that can be a companion and not try to be the same thing, but also trust what works? The opportunity to have flesh and blood, and have human beings tell the story and sing these songs and be in this world, there’s something so fundamentally different about the experience of watching and feeling that.” The new film finds Moana (Catherine Lagaʻaia) answering the call of the ocean and voyaging, for the very first time, beyond the reef of her island in an effort to restore prosperity to her people. Released Fri 10 July
Starring Zoey Deutch, Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Bobby Moynihan Directed by Pierre Coffin
Starting out in life as supporting characters in 2010’s Despicable Me, the Minions stole the show to such an extent that five years later they got their very own movie. Then, seven years after that, they got another. Now they’re returning in a prequel story, one which is set several decades before the first film begins in the 1960s...
Located in 1920s Hollywood, Minions And Monsters follows the linguistically creative creatures as they quickly become Tinseltown sensations, throwing lavish parties in
mansions and inspiring fans to wear overalls and goggles. Their ‘15 minutes of fame’ is abruptly cut short, however, when sound is introduced to film, and they find themselves completely unable to follow traditional scripts, speaking only their native and unscripted Minionese language. Destitute and hopeless, they decide to make their very own creature feature, and using an old spell book, summon a whole horde of mayhem-making monsters....
Released Wed 1 July
The Invite
CERT 15 (107 mins)
Starring Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, Skip Howland, Mel Powell Directed by Olivia Wilde
Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) are struggling. Their marriage is on the brink of collapse. Hoping to reignite a spark and break out of a rut, they invite over their charismatic and sexually liberated neighbours - Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penélope Cruz) - for what proves to be a disastrously awkward dinner party...
A remake of Spanish movie The People Upstairs, The Invite premiered back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, where it made a significant splash with the critics. Indeed, Variety was so impressed that it likened the film to the classic Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, while our very own Guardian hailed it “a genuinely funny and uncommonly intelligent comedy for adults”. Released Fri 3 July
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
CERT 12a (150 mins)
Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Tramell Tillman
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
Four years have passed since the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Peter Parker is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city - as a full-time Spider-Man. But, as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats SpiderMan has ever had to face...
As well as this month playing the part of Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway’s son in Christopher Nolan’s epic cinematic adaptation of Homer’s similarly epic poem The Odyssey (see bottom of the page), Tom Holland is here once again donning the red & blue spandex to star as New York’s favourite webslinging wallcrawler. This will be London-born Tom’s fourth standalone film as Spidey - and there’s a real buzz around Brand New Day’s release, a fact which augurs well for the future of superhero movies. The genre has seemed to be in a near-fatal freefall these last few years. Released Fri 31 July
Rosebush Pruning
CERT 18 (97 mins)
Starring Elle Fanning, Jamie Bell, Riley Keough, Callum Turner, Lukas Gage, Pamela Anderson Directed by Karim Aïnouz
Underneath the Catalonian sun, a rich white American family lives in hedonistic isolation, seeking love and validation through pop music, their designer wardrobes, and each other. But when an outsider arrives on the scene, buried tensions surface and blood ties are severed...
Debuting at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, where it was nominated for the event’s prestigious Golden Bear award for best movie, Rosebush Pruning has been likened to Saltburn - a salacious and offkilter black comedy which satirises the world of the wealthy. The film is in part a remake of the cult 1965 Italian movie Fists In The Pocket.
Released Fri 10 July
The Odyssey
CERT tbc (172 mins)
Starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o Zendaya
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan loves directing epic films. Length-wise, his 13th movie, The Odyssey, gives his longest film, Oppenheimer, a run for its money, but it falls just nine minutes short of becoming his most epic of epics. Where it definitely does come out on top, though, is in terms of money spent - The Odyssey is Nolan’s most expensive ever movie, boasting a money pot of $250million. Based on the famous - and yes, epic - poem written by Homer nearly 3,000 years ago, the
film stars Matt Damon as the big-bearded Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who’s on his way home to his family after fighting in the Trojan War. But returning to his loved ones is no walk in the park, with a cyclops, sirens and nymphs among the mythical creatures standing in his way.
Anne Hathaway stars as Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, with Tom Holland playing their son, Telemachus.
Released Fri 17 July
Visual Arts previews from around the region
Michael Pinsky: The Final Bid
Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sat 25 July - Sun 4 October
Making its UK debut at MAC, The Final Bid is an interactive exhibition which offers a new outlook on familiar objects. The show comprises a selection of chairs donated by members of the general public, who have also shared the stories behind their donations.
Helios by Luke Jerram
The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham, until Sat 7 November
Following on from his installations Museum Of The Moon and Gaia, Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram has brought Helios to the region.
The stunning artwork measures seven metres in diameter and features detailed imagery of the Sun’s surface.
The installation is a fusion of solar imagery, animated lighting and a specially created surround-sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson.
“It’s quite a challenge to try and capture the scale and power of the sun through a piece of music,” says Duncan. “For Helios, we took many different approaches and collated them into one long composition. The piece moves through a series of different expressions of the sun itself, as well as its relationship with us and our planet, shifting back and forth from a human perspective to a planetary one.”
Visitors can place bids to buy whichever chair takes their fancy.
Michael Pinsky, the artist behind the exhibition, is using the show to reframe ‘the way we value the everyday items around us’, and to interrupt the expected consumer process
Joan Miró: Painting And Poetry
Brampton Art Gallery, Newcastle-underLyme, until Sun 23 August
Boasting a highly individual style that placed him at the forefront of Surrealism and Dadaism, Joan Miró was one of the 20th century’s most influential and recognisable artists. Alongside his work as a painter and sculptor, Miró was also an accomplished printmaker - and it’s this latter practice which is the focus of Painting And Poetry. The exhibition brings together lithographic prints created to illustrate the writings of the celebrated French surrealist poet Robert Desnos.
The prints are not only an excellent example of the richness and variety of Miró’s print production, but also of his experimentation with vivid colours and abstract shapes.
Everything Must Go By Joe Lycett
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Wed 29 July - Sun 21 February
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery here plays host to a first major solo exhibition of art by Brummie comedian Joe Lycett.
Exploring the theme of ‘things that are no longer with us’, and inspired by objects from the City of Birmingham’s collection, Joe’s exhibition covers subjects including deceased celebrities, discontinued chocolate bars, extinct animals and destroyed buildings, all presented in the popular funnyman’s usual tongue-in-cheek style. Joe’s stated desire with the show is to “overwhelm and delight with a neon graveyard”.
Two Lionesses
Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry, until Sat 18 July
In the midst of conflicts involving their respective homelands, Anisa Mosaiebiniya - an Iranian artist - and Maya DavisStokes - a British-Israeli artist - have come together in Coventry - the City of Peace and Reconciliationto present a collaborative exhibition.
Endangered Crafts
Stourbridge Glass Museum, Sat 11 July - Sat 7 November
What do cut crystal glass making, copper wheel glass engraving and stained glass window making all have in common?
The answer, sadly, is that they are all on a list of ‘endangered glass crafts’ - examples of which are on show in this new exhibition.
Using the Heritage Crafts Red List of Endangered Crafts as a guiding framework, the show features contemporary glass artists working within traditions that are at serious risk of being lost. The exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of talks and demonstrations during the opening weekend.
Andy Warhol: Art Star
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Sun 4 October
Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s tribute to Andy Warhol is an Artist Rooms exhibition created in partnership with Tate and National Galleries of Scotland. The display includes both iconic and lesser-known drawings, screenprints,
paintings and photographs from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Warhol’s famous Campbell’s soup tin features in the show, taking its place alongside images of The Beatles, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor (pictured).
The Pattern Of Life: Enid Marx And Modern British Design
Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Sat 18 July - Sun 3 January
Visitors to Compton Verney can step into a world of abstract design this month, when the Warwickshire venue launches a major exhibition exploring the influential patterns of painter & designer Enid Marx.
The landmark show - featuring loans from the V&A Museum - charts Marx’s life through fabric. In the process, the exhibition traces the geopolitics of British design and the lasting impact of her work.
Unruly Desires: Reframing The Past
Royal Pump Rooms, Leamington Spa, until Sun 6 September
Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh use the photographic studio portrait to explore and disrupt ideas relating to the canon of western art, queerness, the gaze, love and intimacy.
The exhibition also includes brand-new workcreated by both artists within the Pump Rooms spaces - which find their inspiration in objects and pictures from the Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum’s collection.
Face Value: Contemporary Portraits from the Collections
New Art Gallery, Walsall, until Sun 23 May 2027
Inspired by the strong focus on portraits in the Garman Ryan Collection, this temporary exhibition brings together a selection of artworks from the Gallery’s Permanent Collection.
The artworks - which vary in scale and mediademonstrate how different themes and ideas can be conveyed and presented through portraiture.
GO WILD!
Enjoy the summer at Dudley Zoo & Castle...
By Jessica Clixby
There’s a whole host of activities in store at Dudley Zoo & Castle this school summer holiday. Whether you’re a budding zookeeper, an always fascinated history buff, or you just fancy a close-up encounter with your favourite critter, the day-out destination hosts events to suit all tastes. And, for the first time ever - this month and next - a selection of lifesize sculptures of endangered animals will be joining the regular residents. But will you be able to spot them all?...
Be sure you head to Dudley’s must-visit holiday destination this summer - where you can dive into history, check out amazing examples of architecture, build a sandcastle and meet a penguin or two - all on the same day!
Dudley Zoo & Castle has plenty in store during the school holiday, from amazing animals from around the world, to a fascinating insight into the creatures that live on our very own doorsteps.
This summer, for the first time, the Zoo will be showcasing a trail of lifesize toy-brick sculptures of endangered animals, the biggest of which is an enormous elephant!
Taking the title Wild Bricks and open for the duration of the school summer holiday, the trail provides visitors with an opportunity to learn not only about the animals which are represented but also the sculptures themselves, which have been meticulously built and transported to Dudley Zoo. Visitors who manage to find all of the sculptures could potentially have an extra treat in store; anyone who completes the trail can add their name into a weekly draw to win fantastic prizes - so keep your eyes peeled…
For visitors who find themselves inspired by the brick engineering skills on display, ‘build packs’ will be available for purchase from the Zoo’s gift shop, providing budding brick builders with the chance to put their own skills to the test.
Dudley Zoo & Castle is offering an ‘early bird’ discount for tickets booked before Friday 17 July. Using the code BRICKS30, visitors can enjoy a 30% discount on their summer holiday tickets, allowing them to see these spectacular creations and explore the Zoo. The popular venue, which will celebrate its 90th birthday next year, houses over 140 species, including primates, big cats, birds and reptiles, all ready to fascinate and delight animal-loving visitors, whether you’re creepy crawly crazy or an orangutan fan. The resident giraffes and penguins are always a favourite, but the Zoo’s sloth and axolotl habitats have proved a big hit with visitors as well - the latter residing in the Zoo’s Farm Barn, along with spiders, millipedes and stick insects in neighbouring habitats. Unusual animals such as the cassowary - one of the world’s biggest birds - wolverines, and
the Carpathian lynx (in a newly refurbished habitat) are also in residence.
For young ‘zookeepers in the making’ or adults who wish they could spend the day working with animals, the Zoo can make their dreams come true courtesy of its Animal Experience packages, which offer up-close interactions with some of the venue’s most popular residents. Whether you dream of feeding a big cat or would love to meet a sloth, the experiences allow visitors to get as close to the animals as the keepers do. Taking between 20 and 30 minutes, and including the cost of admission for two people, the Animal Experiences can make a visit to Dudley Zoo even more extraordinary. Serious wildlife fans can also become a keeper for the day, an experience that allows them to discover what the job of keeping the animals happy and healthy actually entails.
The Little Zoo Keeper experience (for eight to 13-year-olds) and the Adult Zoo Keeper package (14-plus) both include a hands-on experience working with the Zoo staff - and, of course, the chance to meet the animals as you take part in the daily rounds.
This isn’t the only way to see the Zoo’s animals up-close, however. Say hello to the lemurs in their one-acre free-roaming habitat, which Zoo visitors can enter for free, or marvel at the colourful Lorikeets in their own walk-through home - free to enter, with the option to buy nectar to offer as a sweet treat to the beautiful birds.
At the top of the hill sits Dudley Castle - with even more to see and do, including a castlethemed playground and Castle Creatures, which features an indoor walk-through and more critters to discover.
For a quick route to the Castle, visitors can ride the land train, which has wheelchair and buggy storage, or take in the view from the spectacular vintage chair lift, all for free. In fact, once visitors have been admitted to the Zoo, all activities are free of charge - apart from the seasonal face painting and funfair.
For those with an interest in architecture, the Zoo features a series of listed Tecton buildings - designed in the 1930s, when the Zoo opened - by Berthold Lubetkin. Berthold masterminded similar structures in London Zoo, but Dudley boasts the greatest surviving collection of such buildings.
If you’re landlocked in the Midlands this summer, head to the beach at Ow Bin Ya Sands, which, weather permitting, provides buckets, spades, deck chairs and all the fun of the seaside!
Exploring the Zoo does involve an uphill journey, and for those who would prefer not to take the chair lift, scooters, wheelchairs and buggies are available to hire on entry. There are additional details on the website for users of wheelchairs and scooters, outlining the best routes to take and viewpoints to check out in order to see the animals. The Zoo now also features a Changing Places facility.
In addition to the Wild Bricks sculpture trail, the venue’s summer programme includes a series of ‘out of hours’ events and activities. On Friday 7 & Saturday 8 August, the Outdoor Cinema returns to the Courtyard, screening The Goonies and A Nightmare On Elm Street on consecutive evenings, under the stars. Take part in an after-dark Bat Walk & Talk (scheduled regularly throughout the summer) to find out more about the UK’s native bat species. There are also evening (6.30pm8.30pm) Walk & Talk events. These provide participants with the chance to learn more about the history of Dudley Castle, find out about the conservation projects supported by the Zoo, or gain a better understanding of the 12 listed Tecton buildings and the Zoo itself. If you dare to brave the Castle after dark, there are also regular (and very popular) Ghost Tours to sign up for. Check the website for updates and book as soon as you canthe tours tend to sell out quickly. With a range of activities taking place throughout the holiday - and not forgetting that all-important early-bird discount!Dudley Zoo & Castle is certainly a destination to add to your summer schedule.
Wild Bricks is open at Dudley Zoo & Castle from Saturday 18 July to Monday 31 August. For further information, visit the venue’s website at dudleyzoo.org.uk
Family-friendly exhibitions across the region
For readers of a certain vintage, 54321 FAB! offers a not-to-be-missed opportunity to take a nostalgic stroll down memory lane.
The subject of the exhibition is the muchloved 1960s television series of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson, numbered among which were Stingray, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Joe 90, Fireball XL5 andarguably most famously - Thunderbirds. Original puppets - including Lady Penelope and Joe 90 - and a number of models (Fireball XL5, Stingray and the Thunderbirds crafts) are all included in the display, as is original comic and production design art
and a huge collection of 1960s memorabilia. Commenting on the exhibition, Museums Worcestershire Senior Curator Deborah Fox said: “We pride ourselves on providing top family fun for the summer holidays, and this year is a true classic. Visitors can re-live their childhood through Thunderbirds and friends, and share their memories with their families. We might even inspire some new fans!” The exhibition has been made possible with the support of Fanderson, the official Gerry & Sylvia Anderson Appreciation Society.
Unearth The Palaeoverse: Dig Into The Dawn Of Time
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, until Mon 31 August
Looking for places to take the kids during the school summer holidays?
If so, how about making a beeline for the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum to check out this immersive Jurassic exhibition. Highlights include the chance to hunt for
fossils in virtual reality, board a Jurassic submarine, draw a dinosaur and watch it animate across the wall, and strike the perfect prehistoric pose in the dressing-up zone.
Events
Titanic Exhibition
NEC Birmingham, until Sun 19 July
Towering LED walls, immersive recreations, and powerful video storytelling lie at the heart of this well-regarded exhibition. Telling the extraordinary story of the RMS Titanicwhich sank in 1912 on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York after colliding with an iceberg - the show follows the ship’s journey from a Belfast shipyard right through to the decades-later discovery of its wreckage more than two and a half miles beneath the surface of the Atlantic.
The exhibition’s highlights include genuine artefacts from the ship, including an original deckchair, a fragment of the Grand Staircase, a fireman’s pocket watch and a letter written on board.
Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition
NEC Birmingham, until Sun 13 September
In November 1922, in the Valley of the Kings at Thebes, archaeologist Howard Carter unearthed the tomb of a little-known Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty: Tutankhamun. Now, more than a century later, Carter’s incredible find is being celebrated with this award-winning touring show.
Offering Midlanders the chance to take a ‘breathtaking journey’ into ancient Egypt, its highlights include a Howard Carter-narrated movie featuring 360-degree projections, a seated virtual-reality journey through the mystical Egyptian afterlife, and an interactive digital Metaverse walk-through of the Valley of the Kings. Two ‘exceptionally curated’ treasure rooms also feature.
Organisers are advising that visitors should set aside 90 minutes to properly experience the exhibition.
54321FAB! Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, Sat 4 July - Sun 6 September
Events previews from around the region
The Festival Of Sport
Packington Estate, Warwickshire, Fri 24 - Mon 27 July
The Festival Of Sport returns to Packington Estate this month, bringing together children, parents and sporting legends for four days of coaching, competitions and entertainment.
Children aged four to 17 can take part in more than 20 sports, including rugby, hockey, athletics, football, rowing, boxing, archery and netball.
Sessions are led by much-admired sporting stars. Paralympic archer Jodie Grinham, Olympic hockey champions Kate and Helen
Richardson-Walsh, former athlete Derek Redmond, rugby internationals Ben Youngs and Alex Goode, and BMX champion Matti Hemmings will all be in attendance.
Adults can get involved in the event via a programme of fitness classes, wellness activities, yoga, pilates and expert-led talks. Away from the sports fields, visitors can enjoy live music, DJs, an outdoor cinema, circus performers, food stalls and camping or glamping options.
Friday only tickets are £35 and kids go FREE.
The Festival Of Brilliant Biddulph Old Hall, Staffordshire, Fri 10 & Sat 11 July
The Festival Of Brilliant returns mid-month with an impressive line-up of authors, poets, illustrators and performers as part of the National Year of Reading.
Taking place on 10 July for schools and community groups, and the following day for families, the children’s book festival will celebrate the joy of reading through a packed schedule of talks, workshops and interactive experiences.
Festival contributors include Joseph Coelhoa former Children’s Laureate - Bethan Woollvin, Jenny McLachlan, Chris Haughton,
Lisette Auton, Kieran Larwood and EL Norry. Young visitors can enjoy comic-making workshops with Marc Jackson, creative storytelling and drawing sessions with Matt Buckingham, and poetry activities led by Charlotte Rowley and Gabriella Gay. The festival will also bring to life a variety of stories through performances and installations. These include The Magic Lantern, Working Boys Club’s interactive Noisy Noise Noise sound library, and Cat & Mouse Theatre’s immersive Bookbooster Factory.
Events
Hanbury Countryside Show
Park Hall Farm, Hanbury, Worcestershire, Sat 4 July
The Hanbury Countryside Show is promising a full day of rural entertainment, farming traditions and family activities this month. Now in its 79th year, the popular event attracts around 14,000 visitors annually and features more than 1,500 exhibitors, over 200 trade stands and hundreds of competitions. Highlights include livestock and equine classes, countryside displays, local food & drink, shopping opportunities, rural crafts, vintage vehicles and live entertainment. Sheep shearing, farriery demonstrations, heavy horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, show jumping and the Young Farmers’ tug of war also feature.
The Game Fair
Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, Fri 24 - Sun 26 July
One of the UK’s biggest celebrations of countryside life, The Game Fair returns to Ragley Hall across the last weekend of the month.
Showcasing rural traditions, outdoor pursuits and country living, the event boasts a packed programme of displays, demonstrations and competitions, including shooting, fishing, falconry and gundog events.
Opportunities to try activities such as clay shooting, fly fishing and dog scurries also feature.
Hundreds of exhibitors will be in attendance, selling countryside clothing, artisan crafts, outdoor equipment and food & drink.
Camping is once again available, with more than 1,300 pitches on site, and options for caravans, motorhomes, campervans and roof tents.
Events previews from around the region
Summer
Gala Severn Valley Railway, Worcestershire, Sat 18 & Sun 19 July
Railway enthusiasts can enjoy a weekend of steam, diesel and heritage rail action at the Severn Valley Railway’s Summer Gala.
The two-day event will celebrate some of the smallest locomotives in the railway’s collection, alongside a number of special guest engines operating a busy timetable
between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. Visitors will have the opportunity to ride behind a variety of locomotives, including the visiting Kerr Stuart ‘Witch’ class No 4388. Away from the main line, Kidderminster Station will host a live-steam Gauge 1 model railway.
Medieval Moments
Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, Tues 21 July - Mon 31 August
Families can enjoy a medieval adventure at Sudeley Castle & Gardens throughout the school summer holiday.
Included with general admission, young visitors can check out an interactive Knight Trail set around the castle and grounds, in the process discovering what it took to become a medieval knight. Children can pick up a trail map and take part in a range of
activities, including target practice, dressing up and challenges inspired by life as a squire and knight.
Costumed storytellers will also be on hand, sharing tales of chivalry and castle life.
Storytelling sessions run from Wednesday 29 July to Monday 31 August, with falconry displays taking place on selected days.
Events
Newport Show
Chetwynd Deer Park, Newport, Shropshire, Sat 11 July
The award-winning Newport Show is back at Chetwynd Deer Park this month, offering visitors a packed day of family entertainment, agriculture and countryside attractions.
Named the Best Rural or Farming Event of the Year at the Farmer Rural Awards, the show has been a staple of the region’s summertime calendar for more than a century. Attractions include livestock displays, horses, cattle, sheep, vintage tractors, steam engines and a programme of main-ring entertainment, with live music, shopping opportunities and a diverse food festival also featuring.
New for 2026 is the Rural Lifestyle - Bloom, Make And Bake marquee, celebrating the growing interest in crafts, gardening, baking and traditional rural skills.
Families can also sample in excess of 50 free activities, including falconry displays, dog scurries, laser clay shooting and educational experiences highlighting the farm-to-food journey.
Truckfest
Three Counties Showground, Malvern, Sat 4 & Sun 5 July
Bringing together truck enthusiasts, families and industry professionals for a weekend packed with entertainment and vehicle displays, Truckfest returns to Three Counties Showground at the start of the month.
The event showcases hundreds of trucks, including customised show trucks, American rigs, vintage vehicles, emergency-service trucks and modern haulage fleets.
Visitors can enjoy arena attractions such as monster truck car-crushing demonstrations, freestyle motocross displays, wrestling shows, truck-pull challenges and monster truck rides. Alongside the entertainment, truck owners can enter judged competitions across various categories, celebrating vehicle presentation, customisation and craftsmanship.
Events previews from around the region
Medieval Day
Weoley Castle, Birmingham, Sat 18 July
Step back in time and experience life in medieval Birmingham - courtesy of this Weoley Castle Medieval Day. Taking place in and around the castle’s historic ruins, the event features costumed reenactors bringing the medieval period to life through demonstrations of everyday activities, crafts and combat displays.
Visitors can enjoy guided tours that explore the history of the castle and its inhabitants, while families can take part in a range of hands-on activities suitable for all ages. The event also includes opportunities to discover archaeological finds and learn about local history from specialists involved with the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
1940s Weekend
The Black Country Living Museum is once again turning back the clock for its muchloved 1940s Weekend, inviting visitors to experience the sights, sounds and spirit of wartime Britain.
The weekend sees reenactors, costumed characters and period settings bringing
Sat 11 & Sun 12 July
stories of resilience and community to life. Visitors can enjoy live 1940s music, watch street entertainment, explore historic shops and workplaces, and even try activities inspired by the wartime Home Front, from sandbag making to air-raid fire-fighting demonstrations.
Events
Jurassic Fun at Thinktank
Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum, throughout July
Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum is bringing dinosaurs to life this month with a series of family-friendly events that combine creativity, storytelling, cinema and hands-on animal encounters.
Young visitors can unleash their imagination in the Head Workshop with Tat Vision on Wednesday 22 July, creating their own wearable dinosaur-inspired creations made from recycled materials...
Budding palaeontologists can enjoy DinoSTORY Time (Thursday 23 & 30 July), an interactive storytelling session packed with prehistoric adventures, audience participation and plenty of dinosaur roars... For movie lovers, Cinema Under The Stars: Early Man (Saturday 25 July) offers a unique planetarium screening experience, combining comedy and prehistoric fun in an immersive setting...
Jurassic Encounters with Zoolab (Tuesday 28 July) provides an up-close introduction to numerous creatures through themed animalhandling sessions, helping families explore the links between modern animals and their ancient ancestors.
Classic Nostalgia
Shelsley Walsh Climb, Worcester, Sat 18 & Sun 19 July
Historic motorsport festival Classic Nostalgia is back for a two-day celebration of the golden era of motor racing, bringing together iconic Formula One cars, NASCAR machines, legendary rally cars and historic competition vehicles from across the decades.
Visitors can enjoy hill-climb action, demonstration runs, car-club displays, open paddocks and special vehicle parades, providing rare access to both the cars and their drivers.
Beyond the track, the festival offers live music, concours competitions, trade stands, food vendors and a programme of familyfriendly entertainment.
Black Country Living Museum, Dudley,
Emilio Santoro as ElvisWolverhampton
Festival Of BrilliantBiddulph Old Hall, Staffordshire
Lenny Pearce: Toddler RaveBirmingham Town Hall
Jay & Joss: It’s
Lichfield Garrick
thelist
VISUAL ARTS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
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, created to coincide with their historic homecoming concert, until Sun 27 September
BIRMINGHAM MEDIA ARCHIVE PROJECT: THE FIRST DECADE
1982-1992 Explore the city’s overlooked media heritage through the work of pioneering organisations, until Sun 28 June
Compton Verney, Warwickshire
TROUBLEMAKERS AND PROPHETS: ELIZABETH ALLEN AND OTHER VISIONARY ARTISTS
A bold, immersive exhibition exploring art, isolation and extraordinary vision, through Allen’s creations - absurd, darkly funny, and strikingly prophetic, until Mon 31 August
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 September
Coventry Music Museum
BEING HAZEL Exhibition celebrating Coventry-born legend Hazel O’Connor’s life and career through memorabilia, displays and clips, until December
The Exchange, Centenary Square, Birmingham
HELIOS BY LUKE JERRAM A stunning illuminated sculpture by acclaimed British artist Luke Jerram. An immersive and rare
opportunity to gaze at our closest star, until Sun 1 November
SEEING THE SUN Inspired by artist Luke Jerram’s illuminated sculpture, Helios, The Exchange presents a new exhibition - discover the Sun like never before through the lens of University of Birmingham research, until Sun 1 November
Herbert Museum & Art Gallery, Coventry
UNEARTH THE PALAEOVERSE: DIG INTO THE DAWN OF TIME
An immersive Jurassic exhibition - hunt for fossils in virtual reality, board a Jurassic submarine, draw a dinosaur and watch it animate across the wall, and strike the perfect prehistoric pose in the dressing-up zone..., until Mon 31 August
BENEATH THE WAVES Dive into an immersive underwater world where children under five can explore coral reefs, playful sea creatures, swirling currents and sparkling tidal pools, Sat 11 July - Sun 30 August
Ikon Gallery, Birmingham
AGDER KUNSTAKADEMI: TV
PAIN Installation transforming flat-screen monitors taken from prison cells - which are frequently smashed in moments of frustration - into a sculptural and contemplative work, until Sun 5 July
ANGELA DE LA CRUZ: UPRIGHT
Major exhibition of rarely seen works by the acclaimed contemporary artist, presented alongside a new commission developed in collaboration with Birmingham Royal Ballet, until Sun 6 September
Midlands Arts Centre, Edgbaston, B’ham
GENEVIEVE ROBERTSON: UNDER THE ORANGE STICKS OF THE SUN Showcase of work inspired by Genevieve’s personal history in the Canadian forestry industry and her interest in ecological systems, until Sun 5 July
CLARE HEWITT: EVERYTHING IN THE FOREST IS THE FOREST New work, produced from a studio within a circle of twelve oak trees, which
celebrates trees and their remarkable ability to nurture and communicate, until Mon 31 August
MAC CREATIVES Featuring work by 33 staff at MAC, this mixed-media exhibition showcases the huge variety of talent and artistry to be found within the venue, until Sun 13 September
MADE AT MAC: CAPTURING THE HUMAN FORM From life drawing to dance and sculpture to photography, artists across the full breadth of MAC’s courses are constantly looking to the human form for inspiration. This mixed-media exhibition showcases work by tutors and participants inspired by our bodies, Sat 4 July - Sun 24 January
New Art Gallery, Walsall STUART WHIPPS: THE FORMATION OF THE UNIVERSE
The Birmingham-based artist’s work explores wideranging subjects through photography, films and installations, until Sun 5 July TEN.8 AFTERIMAGE
Photography exhibition exploring the legacy and enduring impact of Ten.8, a photography journal that emerged from the Midlands’ radical cultural and political landscape, until Sun 13 September
Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery TO MARKET! TO MARKET! Nuneaton Market has endured for over 800 years. Learn more about its colourful history through paintings, photos and ephemera from within the museum's collection, until Sat 11 July
RBSA Gallery, Birmingham
RBSA SUMMER SHOW 2026
The Society’s biggest open call of the year, attracting submissions from artists based all around the globe, until Sat 1 August
Wolverhampton Art Gallery
HANDLE WITH CARE Exhibition exploring the city’s art collection, from its beginnings in 1887 to the present day, until Sun 16 August
BETSY SMITH: MEMORY IN COLOUR Exhibition of work by the local painter, celebrated for bold, colourful semiabstract land and seascapes, until Mon 31 August
SHAQÚELLE WHYTE: SHATTERED DREAMS The first institutional solo exhibition by the Wolverhampton-born artist. Bringing together six dynamic largescale paintings, the exhibition showcases Shaquelle’s bold figurative painting style, until Mon 31 August
Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum
DAVID COX: THE ART OF WATERCOLOUR Celebrating Worcester’s collection of watercolours by one of the West Midlands’ greatest painters, until Sun 1 November
54321 FAB! Nostalgic exhibition featuring original puppets, models, art and memorabilia from the muchloved 1960s TV shows of Gerry and Sylvia Andersonincluding Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90 and Stingray, Sat 4 July - Sun 6 September
Elsewhere:
BROKEN PROMISES Intimate body of work by Birmingham-based photographer Maria Reaney, exploring the intersection of the cost of living crisis through a series of personal narratives, until Sat 25 July, Library of Birmingham DERWEN COLLEGE: ALL ABOUT ME Students from Derwen College have been developing artwork as part of a recent competition, utilising
a range of adaptive technology to complete their artwork, until August, The Hive, Shrewsbury
STUDIO GALLERY SOLIHULL
Pop-up exhibition also featuring demonstrations and workshops, until Fri 21 August, Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull
MOTHERSHIP EXHIBITION 2026 Exhibition celebrating the inspiring work created by mother-artists and their children during the Mothership Residency, until Sat 5 September, Stryx, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham
NATIONAL PRINT EXHIBITION OF SOCIETY OF WOOD ENGRAVERS Prestigious touring exhibition showcasing contemporary relief prints, which highlight the continuing vitality and versatility of the medium, Fri 3 July - Sat 22 August, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire
IMAGINING INDIA Spotlight exhibition featuring historic objects from Attingham's collection, including a rare and recently conserved panoramic artwork, prints, ceramics, books, clocks, militaria and miniatures, all inspired by India, Sun 5 July - Tues 27 October, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury
THE ART OF REMEMBRANCE
Marking 25 years since the Arboretum officially opened, the exhibition invites visitors to discover why art is so important in terms of remembrance, Sat 18 JulySun 30 August, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire
OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Celebrate the beauty, diversity and fragility of marine ecosystems, from tiny hidden creatures to vast and rarely seen underwater landscapes, Thurs 23 JulyMon 31 August, Lichfield Cathedral
WHALES BY TESSA CAMPBELL FRASER Striking installation in which three majestic spermwhale sculptures appear to glide through the Cathedral’s nave - a reminder of what can be lost if people fail to care for the planet, Thurs 23 July - Sun 6 September, Lichfield Cathedral
Gigs
JOHN MCCUSKER TRIO
Wed 1 July, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
GLITTERER + JAZZCAT
Wed 1 July, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
MARK CHALLINOR’S
WABASH JAZZ BAND Wed 1 July, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
Wed 1 July,
Kidderminster Town Hall
SCOOTERS Wed 1 July, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham
A COUNTRY NIGHT IN NASHVILLE Wed 1 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
CASSIDY JANSON SINGS
CAROLE KING Wed 1
July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
WAVVES Thurs 2 July, Hare & Hounds, B’ham
DAMAGE Thurs 2 July, The Jam House, B’ham
SUNN O))) Thurs 2 July, O2 Institute, B’ham
ARKANSAS DAVE Thurs 2 July, The Asylum, Birmingham
SUMO CYCO Thurs 2
July, The Flapper, Birmingham
THE BLOW MONKEYS
Thurs 2 July, Rother Street Arts, Stratfordupon-Avon
THE GROOVE DIGGERS Thurs 2 July, Regal, Tenbury Wells
INSPIRAL CARPETS Thurs 2 July, Kidderminster Town Hall
MARQUEE SQUARE
HEROES Thurs 2 July, The Robin, Bilston
ALL OR NOTHING
EXPERIENCE Thurs 2
July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
AS DECEMBER FALLS
Thurs 2 July, The Sugarmill, Stoke-onTrent
3HEAD Thurs 2 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-onTrent
HERMAN’S HERMITS
Thurs 2 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
PANIC BEAR Fri 3 July, Hare & Hounds, B’ham
THE DEVOUT Fri 3 July, Hare & Hounds, B’ham
THE VINYL BROTHERS Fri
3 July, The Jam House, Birmingham
THE DESERT PLAZA Fri 3
July, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
CHARLOTTE YOUNG Fri 3
July, Actress & Bishop, Birmingham
ALKALINE TRIO +
ANTHONY GREEN & THE BOOM DONE BAND Fri 3
July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
ROOD END + NEW EFFECT + CHERRYAID + THE MIDWAY + ALEX. Fri 3 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
MIDNIGHT CITY Fri 3
July, Tower of Song, Birmingham
EDDIE PARKER’S AIRBORN Fri 3 July, 1000 Trades, Birmingham
RANGLE SARDAR Sat 4 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
AIRTIGHT 80S Sat 4 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
BEATLES FOR SALE Sat 4 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent
CHINA SHOP BULL Sat 4 July, The Rigger, Newcastle-Under-Lyme
LINK N PARK Sat 4 July, The Station, Cannock
KD AND THE DOGS Sat 4
July, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield
THE DYSFUNCTIONAL
IDIOTS + SIDELINERS Sat 4 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire
ANGELICA + FAUCET VAN
GOUGH + STAR AURORA Sun 5 July, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
GROOVE X2 Sun 5 July,
Jo Jo Jims, B’ham THE GARRY ALLCOCK TRIO Sun 5 July,Tower of Song, Birmingham
SABBOTAGE + EXORCISM + HANDS OF ATTRITION + VICIOUS NATURE Sun 5 July, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
SABBRA CADABRA Sun 5 July, The Flapper, Birmingham
JAMES T Sun 5 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield
KEROZENE Sun 5 July, Queens Hall, Nuneaton
DAVE ONIONS Sun 5 July, The Red Lion, Evesham
I WANNA BE SEDATEDRAMONES TRIBUTE Sun 5 July, The Robin, Bilston EMILIO SANTORO AS ELVIS Sun 5 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
CHRIS BEVINGTON ORGANISATION Sun 5 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
BEEP BEEP YEAH Sun 5 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent
SOME MIGHT SAY - OASIS
TRIBUTE Sun 5 July, The Station, Cannock
Inspiral Carpets - Kidderminster Town Hall
thelist
Classical Music
ZOE TAN PIANO RECITAL Fri 3 July, Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa
COLIN LAPUS ORGAN RECITAL Fri 3 July, St Mary’s Church, Warwick
SHEEP STREET SESSIONS: ON AN OVERGROWN PATH Featuring players from Orchestra of the Swan. Programme includes works by Ravel, Brahms, Bartók & more..., Fri 3 July, Stratford Town Hall
SHREWSBURY CHAMBER MUSIC
FESTIVAL Featuring musicians from the Royal Academy of Music. Programme includes works by Borodin, Turina, Schubert & more..., Fri 3 - Sun 5 July, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury
CBSO: KAZUKI CONDUCTS HARMONIUM
Featuring Kazuki Yamada (conductor), Janai Brugger (soprano & narrator) & CBSO Chorus. Programme includes works by Copland, Tower, Price & Adams, Sat 4 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
MILLIE ROYLE (SOPRANO) & TOBY BAKER (PIANO) Sat 4 July, Bewdley Methodist Church
BIRMINGHAM BACH CHOIR: A DATE WITH SHAKESPEARE Featuring Amy Coates (double bass), Andrew Woodhead (piano) & Lesley Smith (performer & historian). Programme includes works by Shearing, Vaughan Williams, Swingle & more..., Sat 4 July, St Mary Magdalene Church, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire
PHOENIX SINGERS: SUMMER CONCERT Sat 4 July, St George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham
AN EVENING OF DUETS & TRIOS Programme includes works by Dvořák, Fauré, Widor & Rheinberger, Sat 4 July, St Mary’s Church, Warwick
COME & SING: BRAHMS’ REQUIEM Featuring Jonathan Brown (conductor) & Malvern Festival Chorus. Includes an afternoon workshop for visiting singers and a public evening concert, Sat 4 July, Great Malvern Priory
SHAUN WARD ORGAN RECITAL Programme includes works by J. S. Bach, Messiaen, Rameau & Franck, Sat 4 July, St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow, South Shropshire
THE BREWOOD SINGERS: SUMMER SONGS Featuring Ember Wren (folk band), Sat 4 July, Pattingham Village Hall, Wolverhampton
NORDIC NATURE Featuring Luba Tunnicliffe (viola) & Hannah Watson Emmrich (piano). Programme includes works by C Schumann, Adès, Janáček & more..., Sat 4 July, Newcastle Community Centre, Newcastle-on-Clun
KEELE BACH CHOIR SUMMER CONCERT Featuring Alison Loram (violin).
Programme includes works by McDowall, Vaughan Williams & Todd, Sat 4 July, Keele University Chapel
WARWICK & KENILWORTH CHORAL
SOCIETY: SUMMERTIME! Featuring Alex Silverman (conductor) & Colin Druce (piano). Programme includes works by Gershwin, Copland & Price, Sat 4 July, St Nicholas Church, Kenilworth
BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONIC WINDS:
EITHER SIDE OF THE POND Featuring Callum Rookes (conductor). Programme includes works by Hesketh, Gershwin, Loewe & more..., Sat 4 July, Stratford-upon-Avon Methodist Church
NATIONAL ORCHESTRAS FOR ALL: INCLUSIVE FAMILY CONCERT Programme includes works by C Dews, Dvořák, Garcia & more..., Sun 5 July, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
BIRMINGHAM CONTEMPORARY MUSIC GROUP: YOUNG COMPOSERS AT WINTERBOURNE Sun 5 July, Winterbourne Gardens, Birmingham
MIDLAND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA:
HAYDN, THE LATER YEARS Sun 5 July, St Mary’s Church, Birmingham
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA Featuring Dan Watson (conductor), Phil Houghton (leader) & Nicola Hands (oboe), Sun 5 July, Grieg Hall, Alcester
Comedy
SCOTT BENNETT Wed 1 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs
MARK THOMAS Wed 1 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent
MICHELLE WOLF Thurs 2 July, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
ALFIE MOORE Fri 3 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent
LAURA LEXX, SILKY, FELICITY WARD & PAUL SAVAGE Fri 3 July, Crown Wharf Theatre, Stone, Staffordshire
SCOTT BENNETT Fri 3 July, Kidderminster Town Hall
ANDREW BIRD, SIMON WOZNIAK, WILL HANNIGAN & MARJOLEIN ROBERTSON Fri 3 - Sat 4 July, The Glee Club, B’ham
ERIC RUSHTON, RICHARD STOTT, ABI
CARTER-SIMPSON & RUSSELL
ARATHOON Sat 4 July, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham
PAUL SMITH Sat 4 July, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton
ED BYRNE & FRIENDS Sat 4 July, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester
ROUGH WORKS: NEW MATERIAL NIGHT Sun 5 July, The Glee Club, B’ham
KRISTIN KEY Sun 5 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
MARC SIMMONS Sun 5 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge
Theatre
JEKYLL & HYDE Amateur version presented by BOA Musical Theatre, until Thurs 2 July, The Old Rep, Birmingham
RICHARD III Matthew Duckett stars in a new version of Shakespeare’s famous history play, which takes its inspiration from the gangland world of Peaky Blinders. Richard Cheshire directs, until Sat 4 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
POPCORN Amateur version based on Ben Elton’s dark comic thriller, until Sat 4 July, Criterion Theatre, Coventry
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD Ralf Little stars in a stage version of John le Carre’s story of Cold War espionage, deception and moral compromise, until Sat 4 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy for everyone aged seven and above. A co-production between the RSC and Unicorn Theatre, until Sun 30 Aug, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon
LOCOMOTIVE FOR MURDER: THE IMPROVISED WHODUNNIT Watch as Pinch Punch create a unique whodunnit live on stage. Expect ‘outrageous accents, shaky alibis, thrills, spills and good old-fashioned kills’, Wed 1 July, Lichfield Garrick
9 TO 5 JR. Amateur version presented by Ormiston Forge Academy, Wed 1Thurs 2 July, Halesowen Town Hall
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING OSCAR The rise, fall, glory and devastation of Oscar Wilde is brought to life through his own words and those of his fiercest champion - the fabled Irish writer Micheál Mac Liammóir, Wed 1Fri 3 July, Malvern Theatres GUARDS! GUARDS! Second Thoughts Drama Group present an amateur version of Terry Pratchett’s play, Wed 1 - Sat 4 July, Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon STEPPING OUT Amateur version of Richard Harris’ lighthearted play about a group of women attending a weekly tap-dance class in a dingy church hall, Wed 1 - Sat 11 July, Priory Theatre, Kenilworth REP RISING 26 FESTIVAL Programme of theatre performed by emerging talent from the Young Rep and Rep Pathways programmes, Wed 1 - Sun 19 July, The Rep, Birmingham
MATILDA THE MUSICAL The RSC’s award-winning production, based on Roald Dahl’s much-loved story about an extraordinary little girl with an extraordinary mind, Wed 1 July - Sun 2 Aug, Birmingham Hippodrome SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER The Crescent Theatre Company present an amateur version of Oliver
Goldsmith’s satirical tale of manners, mistaken identity and courtship, Thurs 2 July, Coffin Works, B’ham HADESTOWN Amateur version of the West End musical, presented by SAOS Youth Theatre, Thurs 2 - Sat 4 July, Stourbridge Town Hall
THE ADDAMS FAMILY Ludwig Theatre Arts present an amateur version of the kooky musical comedy, Thurs 2Sat 4 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire
SHAKERS: UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT Amateur version of John Godber’s classic play, Thurs 2 - Sun 12 July, The Attic Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon
THE THREE MUSKETEERS Illyria theatre company present an outdoor version of Alexandre Dumas’ swashbuckling tale, Fri 3 July, Winterbourne Gardens, Birmingham
ROMEO AND JULIET Aunty Jen Productions bring Shakespeare’s tragic love story to life, Fri 3 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire
DEAR EVAN HANSEN Curtain Call
Studios present an amateur version of the award-winning musical, Fri 3Sat 4 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
AT RAINBOW’S END Artemis Theatre Company present a script-in-hand play addressing homophobic and transphobic abuse of older LGBTQ+ people in care, Sat 4 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER The Crescent Theatre Company present an amateur version of Oliver Goldsmith’s satirical tale of manners, mistaken identity and courtship, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Harvington Hall, Nr Kidderminster
SECOND PERSON NARRATIVE Amateur version of Jemma Kennedy’s play, consisting of multiple scenes documenting a single character’s life, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
SWEENEY TODD THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET Ramin Karimloo takes the lead in a new version of Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical, Sat 4 July - Sat 15 Aug, The Rep, Birmingham
THE FRIENDSHIP LAB A Restoke Production exploring adult friendships through the eyes of 10-to 13-year-old girls who respond in agony-aunt style to dilemmas submitted by grown-ups from across the country, Sun 5 & Mon 6 July, Drop City Books, Hanley, Stoke-onTrent
Kids Theatre
MR SLEEPYBUM’S DREAM MACHINE Award-winning interactive show for
younger audiences, filled with sketches, slapstick and silliness, Sat 4 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham
HELLO BIRDS A sensory story show for very young children featuring puppetry, key-word signing, baby safe props and singing, Sun 5 July, Warley Woods, Smethwick
Dance
NIKITA KUZMIN: SUPERNOVA New dance spectacular fuelled by the firepower of ‘world-class’ performers and creatives from across the globe, Thurs 2 & Fri 3 July, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Light Entertainment
DERREN BROWN: ONLY HUMAN LIVE Brand-new show from the master of mind control and psychological illusion, Tues 30 June - Sat 4 July, The Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent JUKEBOX IDOLS A whirlwind trip through the greatest hits of the 1950s and 60s, featuring The Overtones and Strictly’s Nadia Bychkova and Louis Smith, Wed 1 July, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
ALL OR NOTHING EXPERIENCE A West End cast tell the story of Mod band The Small Faces through their iconic music, Thurs 2 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
DES COLEMAN - RAT PACK REPRISE Join Frank, Dean & Sammy for an evening of Las Vegas glitz and glamour, Thurs 2 July, The Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent FORBIDDEN NIGHTS Celebrating over a decade of muscles, mayhem and more than 11,000 ripped shirts, Thurs 2 July, Lichfield Garrick
CELEBRATING NAT KING COLE Featuring the Down For The Count Swing Orchestra, Fri 3 July, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
RANGLE SARDAR Four distinctive vocalists, backed by a full live band, present an evening of authentic Punjabi folk music, Sat 4 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
WEST END TO WENLOCK 26 An evening of songs from stage & screen, performed by stars of the West End and featuring Key Change Choir. Charity event in aid of Severn Hospice, Sat 4 July, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire
LATA & ASHA: PURANE GAANE... SIDE A / SIDE B A musical journey honouring the enduring magic and legacy of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Sun 5 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull
THE LOVE LETTERS OF VIRGINIA WOOLF
AND VITA SACKVILLE WEST Join Polly Wright and Terina Talbot as they read extracts from letters shared between Virginia and Vita. An informal discussion follows..., Sun 5 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham JUKEBOX IDOLS Whirlwind trip through the greatest hits of the 1950s and 60s, featuring The Overtones and Strictly’s Nadia Bychkova and Louis Smith, Sun 5 July, Malvern Theatres
Talks & Spoken Word
AN EVENING WITH SUSIE WOLFF: DRIVEN
Join the former racing driver and MD of F1 Academy as she lifts the bonnet on her incredible journey to the top of motorsport, Wed 1 July, Birmingham Town Hall
AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS
Spend time with one of America’s most celebrated satirists and humour writers, Thurs 2 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
Events
TITANIC EXHIBITION: BIRMINGHAM
Experience the extraordinary story of the Titanic, until Sun 19 July, NEC, Birmingham
UNEARTH THE PALAEOVERSE: DIG INTO THE DAWN OF TIME An immersive jurassic exhibition, until Mon 31 Aug, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
GLADIATORS EXPERIENCE Put your speed, strength and skills to the ultimate test, until Mon 31 Aug, NEC, Birmingham
TUTANKHAMUN: THE IMMERSIVE
EXHIBITION Bringing Ancient Egypt to life, the exhibition offers a cuttingedge 90-minute journey back in time, until Sun 13 Sept, NEC, Birmingham
PEPPA PIG SPACE ADVENTURE Blast off with Peppa Pig and her friends on an ‘out of this world’ adventure for families with young children, until Sun 8 Nov, NEC, Birmingham
STOWE VALLEY ARTS FESTIVAL
Celebration of the artistic talent of young people from across Warwickshire, Tues 30 June - Wed 1 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry 125 YEARS OF BISHOP’S CASTLE CARNIVAL CELEBRATION An evening of film, photos and memories of the carnival over its 125 years, Thurs 2 July, SpArc Theatre, Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire
BLACK SABBATH CELEBRATION WEEK
Each day offers something unique, ranging from guided exhibition highlights to hands on making sessions, Thurs 2 - Sun 5 July, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
WOW! FEST 2026 Free communitydriven dance and outdoor arts festival, Fri 3 - Sat 4 July, Walsall Arboretum
COLMORE FOOD FESTIVAL Enjoy ‘mouthwatering’ mini dishes from local traders’ latest menus, Fri 3 - Sat 4 July, Victoria Square, Birmingham CAMPER JAM 2026 Weekend dedicated to the VW community, celebrating everything from T1s to T6s, Fri 3 - Sun 5 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
OH MY DAYS TJ’S 80S DAYTIME DISCO Event raising money for Childhood Cancer Parent Alliance, Sat 4 July, RIVA, Stafford
LIVING HISTORY FESTIVAL Experience a day of immersive history, surrounded by reenactors, Sat 4 July, Middleport Pottery, Stoke-on-Trent HANBURY COUNTRYSIDE SHOW
Featuring more than 700 exhibitors, 200 trade stands and 300 competitions, Sat 4 July, Park Hall Farm, Hanbury, Worcestershire
SOLIHULL DINING CLUB Event bringing together some of the UK’s best independent traders, Sat 4 July, Tudor Grange Park, Solihull,
HERITAGE TOURS AT THE EXCHANGE Exchange and discover the rich history and fascinating stories behind The Exchange’s walls, Sat 4 July, The Exchange, 3 Centenary Square, Birmingham
DISCO BLISS - 70S AND 80S DAYTIME
DISCO Celebrating the very best 70s disco and 80s pop, Sat 4 July, Dudley Town Hall
THE WRIGHT PARANORMAL Psychic medium night and paranormal investigation, Sat 4 July, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley
ABBA GARDEN PARTY Non-stop Abba hits, Sat 4 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
STUART CRYSTAL SITE WALKING TOUR
Explore the former site of the Stuart Crystal factory (where Stourbridge Glass Museum now stands) and learn about its significance within the local glass industry, Sat 4 July, Stourbridge Glass Museum
BIRMINGHAM DISABILITY FESTIVAL
Event celebrating inclusivity and diversity, Sat 4 July, Aston University, Birmingham City Centre
BIRMINGHAM CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL
Touring craft beer festival, Sat 4 July, The Bond, Digbeth, Birmingham
WELLINGTON ITALIAN SCOOTER
FESTIVAL Featuring scooter memorabilia and a market square filled with bikes, Sat 4 July, Wellington Town Centre, Shropshire
CLASSIC IBIZA Open-air celebration of White Isle-inspired house music, Sat 4 July, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire
OSWESTRY FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL Bringing together independent
producers, street-food venders, local distillers and brewers, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Oswestry Town Centre, Shropshire
WILD WEST WEEKEND Featuring ‘authentic Wild West displays, lively reenactments and themed activities’, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Hoo Zoo & Dinosaur World, Telford
THE GREAT BRITISH FOOD FESTIVAL
Featuring chef demos, street food, workshops and more, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
TRAMPOLINE, TUMBLING & DMT INTER REGIONAL CHALLENGE CUP FINAL 2026 Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Utilita Arena, Birmingham
ROCK ‘N’ RUMBLE Action-packed event featuring high-energy entertainment, big characters and country-style fun, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Drayton Manor, Staffordshire
STEP BACK TO THE 1940S The British home-front experience is brought to life across the line, Sat 4 - Sun 5 July, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster
54321FAB! Exhibition celebrating the much-loved 1960s TV shows of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson, Sat 4 July - Sun 6 Sept, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
CASTLE BROMWICH DINING CLUB
Bringing together some of the UK’s best independent traders, Sun 5 July, Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens, Birmingham
CLASSIC CAR EVENT Featuring around 100 motor enthusiasts in vehicles old and new, Sun 5 July, Middleton Hall, Tamworth
WORCESTER MELA FESTIVAL Free oneday festival featuring live music, dance, food, workshops and family activities, Sun 5 July, University of Worcester City Campus, Worcester
Festivals
ALDERFEST Line-up includes Jess Glynne, Professor Green & Artful Dodger, Fri 3 - Sat 4 July, Alderford Lake, Whitchurch, North Shropshire
NAPTON MUSIC FESTIVAL Line-up includes Bootleg Blondie, Mr Bon Jovi & Chasing Mumford, Fri 3 - Sat 4 July, Napton Village Hall Grounds, Napton On The Hill, Warwickshire
CAMPERJAM Line-up includes Oh My God! It’s The Church, Supreme Queen & The Kinx, Fri 3 - Sun 5 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
CHELTENHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL Line-up includes Vision String Quartet, Hana Chang, The Unthanks, Opus13, Pavel Kolesnikov, Angela Hewitt, Violetta Suvini and Friends, Sheku and Isata Kenneh-Mason, Fri 3 - Sat 11 July, venues across Cheltenham
Gigs
DOOM GONG Mon 6 July, The Tin At The Coal Vaults, Coventry
AGNOSTIC FRONT Mon 6
July, The Robin, Bilston
SAMMY HAGAR Mon 6
July, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton
COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS
Tues 7 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
JOSH ROUSE Tues 7 July, Kitchen Garden, B’ham
KING YELLOWMAN & THE
UPPER CUT BAND Tues 7
July, The Jam House, Birmingham
AMERICAN HI-FI + DON’T
PANIC Tues 7 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS Tues 7
July, The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton
ROSE’S PAWN SHOP Tues 7 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent
BONFIRE RADICALS Wed 8 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN
MCMULLEN Wed 8 July, Kitchen Garden, B’ham
DEMONS OF TUNE Wed 8
July, The Jam House, Birmingham
THE SWAPS + THE FOREGATE BROTHERS + TOMÁS DONCKER Wed 8
July, Temperance, Leamington Spa
PAULA JACKMAN’S JAZZ
MASTERS Wed 8 July, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield
THE JOURNEYMEN Wed 8
July, Queens Hall, Nuneaton
COLDPLACE Wed 8 July, Malvern Theatres
TRAVELLING RIVERSIDE
BLUES SHOW Wed 8
July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
EG LEG + GENIVA + DOGBREATH + NEBUKANEZA Thurs 9 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
JON B Thurs 9 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
PINKSHIFT + HEART
ATTACK MAN Thurs 9 July, The Flapper, Birmingham
FIRMAMENT Thurs 9
July, Subside Bar, Birmingham
THE DRIFTERS Thurs 9 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull
ANTHONY JOHN CLARKE Thurs 9 July, Catshill Club, Bromsgrove
RAY QUINN Thurs 9 July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
THE GENESIS SHOW Thurs 9 July, Malvern Theatres
JOHNNY & JUNE Thurs 9 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley
THE DANDELION CURSE Thurs 9 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-onTrent
MOVING PICTURESRUSH TRIBUTE Fri 10 July, Marrs Bar, Worcester
THE CAT DAVIS TRIO Fri 10 July, The Red Lion, Evesham
BRITPOP UNITED + ALL 4 INDIE Fri 10 July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge
ELECTROMANTICS Fri 10 July, The Robin, Bilston THE KILLERS KOLLECTIVE Fri 10 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
RACHEL DAVIS & DARREN
MCMULLEN Thurs 9 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
ALEXANDRA LEAVING Fri 10 July, The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
BREAKING BENJAMIN + CHEVELLE + RETURN TO DUST Fri 10 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham
FAIR WEATHER RIDERS Fri 10 July, Jo Jo Jims, Birmingham
THE JEFF BECK
EXPERIENCE Fri 10 July, Castle & Falcon, B’ham
SABBATH BLOODY
SABBATH Fri 10 July, The Asylum, B’ham
SOULSWITCH Fri 10 July, The Flapper, B’ham
BATTLE OF THE BANDS Fri 10 July, The Victoria, Birmingham
PATRILINEALS + IDLE
NOISE + LOUIS GLASBY Fri 10 July, The Rainbow, Birmingham
RHIANNON - A TRIBUTE TO FLEETWOOD MAC Fri 10 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull
BLONDISH Fri 10 July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
MATTHEW BYRNE AND SHERMAN DOWNEY Fri 10 July, Temperance, Leamington Spa
XODUS: BOB MARLEY
TRIBUTE Fri 10 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield
THRUM Fri 10 July, Just Dropped In, Coventry
MILITARIE GUN Sat 11
July, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
AMRITA KAUR Sat 11
July, Birmingham Town Hall
BAYLISS & SEAL AND AMIT DATTANI Sat 11
July, Bromsgrove Arts @ Fairfield Village Hall, Worcestershire
G2 DEFINITIVE GENESIS Sat 11 July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
ELECTROMANTICS Sat 11
July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield
XONOR + SANGUIS
MORTEM Sat 11 July, Arches Venue, Coventry
ACOUBA Sat 11 July, Queens Hall, Nuneaton ON THAT NOTE Sat 11
July, The Market Theatre, Ledbury
FINE LINES + JESSIE & THE REVOLVERS Fri 10 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent
THE SUMMER
SHOWCASES PART 1 Fri 10 July, Fenton Town Hall, Stoke-on-Trent
PISTOL WHIPPED + BUZZKOCKS Fri 10 July, The Rigger, NewcastleUnder-Lyme
DEMON + THE BLUESMAKERS ALLSTARS Fri 10 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs
ION MAIDEN Fri 10 July, The Station, Cannock
COUNTRY SUPERSTARS Fri 10 July, Lichfield Garrick
WILL BARNES QUARTET Fri 10 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
HOLLY CARTER Fri 10 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
THE DETOURS Fri 10 July, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield
THE UK ROCK SHOW Fri 10 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
THE TRAVELLING
RIVERSIDE BLUES SHOW Fri 10 July, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock. South Shrops NAKED SUNDAY + GUNS FOR GIRLS + CONFYDE Fri 10 July, Percy’s Cafe Bar, Whitchurch, North Shropshire
Trent
ERASURED Sat 11 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
METAL TO THE MASSES THE FINAL Sat 11 July, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent
BOWIE EXPERIENCE Sat 11 July, Lichfield Garrick
AFTER THE RAIN: LEONARD COHEN, TOM WAITS & NEIL YOUNG Sat 11 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
JOSEPHINE DAVIES
SATORI QUARTET Sat 11 July, The Hive, Shrewsbury
RUST FOR GLORY - NEIL YOUNG TRIBUTE Sun 12 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
TOM MARTIN Sun 12 July, Jo Jo Jims, Birmingham
KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS Sat 11
July, Regal, Tenbury Wells
TYPE OF NEGATIVE + PANTERA AD Sat 11 July, Marrs Bar, Worcester
ATTILA THE STOCKBROKER Sat 11
July, West Malvern Social Club
FLAT TONIC Sat 11 July, The Valkyrie Bar, Evesham
ICONIC 80S V 90S Sat 11
July, The River Rooms, Stourbridge
SOUL’D OUT UK Sat 11
July, The Robin, Bilston THE DAYBREAKERS Sat 11 July, Dive, Wolverhampton
FLESH CREEP + MISGENDERED + WITHERHORDE + KNIFEPOINT + GUTTER SCUM Sat 11 July, The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-
REGGAE FEST Sun 12 July, Tower of Song, Birmingham
THIRSTY WORK Sun 12 July, Queens Hall, Nuneaton
WATTLE & RIFF Sun 12 July, The Red Lion, Evesham
THE KINGS OF LEON TRIBUTE Sun 12 July, The Robin, Bilston
BRUCE JUICE Sun 12 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
AURORA Sun 12 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
A NIGHT WITH JOSEPHINE Sun 12 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
MAET LIVE & THE NEVER NEVERLAND EXPRESS Sun 12 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
Joan Jet & The Blackhearts - The Civic at The Halls Wolverhampton
Bonfire Radicals - Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Classical Music
CONSTANCE FROMENT FLUTE RECITAL
Tues 7 July, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury
LIBERATA COLLECTIVE: BEYOND THE MYTH OF MARIE ANTOINETTE Staged recital including works by Gluck, Piccinni, Bologne & more..., Wed 8 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield ORCHESTRA OF THE SWAN: THE ALCHEMIST, THE DEVIL AND THE DREAM
Featuring David Le Page (director). Programme includes works by Tartini, Gordon, Corelli & more..., Thurs 9 July, St Nicholas Church, Warwick
RALPH AND URSULA VAUGHAN
WILLIAMS: A LOVE STORY IN WORDS & MUSIC Featuring Katie Bray (mezzo), Kieran Rayner (baritone) & Nigel Foster (piano), Thurs 9 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
RUIMEI HUANG PIANO RECITAL Fri 10 July, St Hilda’s Parish Church, Smethwick
CHINGYAN LO ORGAN RECITAL Fri 10 July, St Mary’s Church, Warwick
GLORIES OF THE SPANISH RENAISSANCE
Featuring Bill Carslake (conductor) & International Choir of the Ludlow Summer School. Programme includes works by Rogier, de Victoria, Lobo & more..., Fri 10 July, St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow, South Shropshire
STIEN DE NEEF HARP RECITAL Sat 11 July, Shrewsbury Cathedral
BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL CHORAL
SOCIETY: FEEL THE SPIRIT Featuring David Wynne (conductor), Kevin Gill (piano) & Lufuno Ndou (mezzo soprano). Programme includes works by Rutter, Chilcott & Hogan, Sat 11 July, St. George’s Church, Edgbaston, Birmingham
SOUTH BIRMINGHAM SINFONIA
Featuring Sabrina Ko (conductor), James Hamilton (leader) & Katy Smith (soloist). Programme includes works by Rossini, Falla, Giménez & more..., Sat 11 July, Shirley Methodist Church
LEAMINGTON SINFONIA SUMMER CONCERT Programme includes works by Dvořák, Tchaikovsky & Borodin, Sat 11 July, All Saints Church, Leamington Spa
WOMBOURNE AND DISTRICT CHORAL
SOCIETY Featuring Dr. Edward Caine (conductor), Matthew Davies (organ & piano) & Josh Dibble (countertenor). Programme includes works by Vivaldi & Chilcott, Sat 11 July, St Benedict Biscop Church, Wolverhampton
HALESOWEN ORCHESTRA: NORTHERN
LIGHT Featuring Lee Armstrong (conductor), Claire Thompson (leader) & Nikolaj Henriques (bassoon). Programme includes works by Mendelssohn, Weber & Hamerik, Sat 11 July, Carter’s Lane Baptist Church, Halesowen
R SCHUMANN, SIBELIUS & GRIEG
Featuring Giacomo Schmidt (baritone) & Jong Sun Woo (piano), Sat 11 July, Newcastle Community Centre, Newcastle-on-Clun
STAFFORD CHORAL SOCIETY: AN EVENING AT THE OPERA Sat 11 July, The White Eagle Club, Stafford A SUMMER CELEBRATION OF MUSIC
Featuring the young performers of Brio Arts & Music Studio, Sun 12 July, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
THE FIDDLE AND THE DRUM: FOLK MUSIC THROUGH THE AGES Featuring Harvey Brough (leader) & Kate Brook (soloist), Sun 12 July, Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa
AURORA PERCUSSION DUO Featuring Delia Stevens & Le Yu (percussion). Programme includes works by J. S. Bach, Rimsky-Korsakov, Gershwin & more..., Sun 12 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
Comedy
ADELE CLIFF Mon 6 July, The Royal Pug, Leamington Spa
GARY OWEN Tues 7 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
HASAN AL-HABIB Wed 8 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
ERIC RUSHTON Wed 8 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
STEWART LEE Wed 8 - Thurs 9 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
MOJO BROOKZZ Thurs 9 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
JOE LYCETT & FRIENDS Thurs 9 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), B’ham
LINDSEY SANTORO Thurs 9 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
SAMANTHA DAY Thurs 9 July, Morris Hall, Shrewsbury
STUART GOLDSMITH Thurs 9 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
SPENCER JONES Thurs 9 July, Cherry Reds, Birmingham
JONNY COLE Thurs 9 - Fri 10 July, Dudley Town Hall
CAREY MARX, MICHELLE SHAUGHNESSY, RUSSELL ARATHOON, BEN POPE & BILAL
RASHID Fri 10 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
CLINTON BAPTISTE Fri 10 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
CHRIS O’NEILL Fri 10 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
SPENCER JONES Fri 10 July, Morris Hall, Shrewsbury
DOMINIC WOODWARD, MARTIN DAVIS, LOVDEV BARPAGA & PAM FORD Fri 10 July, Bedworth Civic Hall
CAREY MARX, MICHELLE SHAUGHNESSY, RUSSELL ARATHOON & COMIC TBC Sat 11 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
JONNY COLE Sat 11 July,The Halls Wolverhampton
TEZ ILYAZ Sat 11 July, Morris Hall, Shrewsbury
PAUL HILLEARD Sat 11 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
WENDY WASON Sat 11 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
DAVE CHAWNER Sat 11 July, Morris Hall, Shrewsbury
ESTHER MANITO Sat 11 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
IGNACIO LOPEZ Sat 11 July, Morris Hall, Shrewsbury
ALEXANDER BENNETT Sun 12 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL GALA FEAT. LOU SANDERS, IGNACIO LOPEZ, ESTHER MANITO, MORGAN REES & SCOTT BENNETT Sun 12 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Theatre
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock’n’roll musical, featuring timeless classics including Sweet Transvestite, Dammit Janet and the iconic Time Warp, Mon 6 - Sat 11 July, The Alexandra, B’ham
WAITRESS Carrie Hope Fletcher, Les Dennis, Sandra Marvin and Evelyn Hoskins star in a warm-hearted tale of love and friendship, Mon 6 - Sat 11 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
WHAT WE CAN DO WHEN WE CAN’T DANCE Brand-new show from DreamArts Rep Company, which creates original productions fusing theatre, rap and film, Tues 7 July, Lichfield Garrick
BOILER ROOM SIX: A TITANIC STORY The true story of stoker Frederick Barrett and his fight for survival during the last few hours of the Titanic, Tues 7 July, Lichfield Garrick
OTHELLO The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s story of deception and jealousy, Tues 7 July, Lichfield Cathedral
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER The Crescent Theatre Company present an amateur version of Oliver Goldsmith’s satirical tale of manners, mistaken identity and courtship, Wed 8 - Thurs 9 July, Selly Manor, B’ham
SLEEPING BEAUTY Amateur version presented by Grand Arena Youth Theatre, Wed 8 - Thurs 9 July, Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton
RAW Pentabus present a festival of theatre showcasing new plays written by rising stars from across the West
Midlands and Marches, Wed 8Thurs 9 July, Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire
THE MORALITY OF MRS DULSKA A ‘razor-sharp’ comedy about respectability, reputation and keeping things ‘nice’, Wed 8 - Sat 11 July, Bear Pitt Theatre, Stratford-uponAvon
CRAZY FOR YOU Talking Props Theatre Arts present an amateur version of George Gershwin’s musical comedy, Wed 8 - Sat 11 July, Rose Theatre, Kidderminster
IF/THEN Amateur version of Brian Yorkey’s contemporary musical, Wed 8 - Sat 11 July, Crown Wharf Theatre, Stone
ROMEO & JULIET The Dukes Theatre Company present an outdoor reimagining of Shakespeare’s iconic love story, Fri 10 July, Hartlebury Castle, Nr Kidderminster
OTHELLO The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s story of deception, and jealousy, Fri 10 July, Coughton Court, Worcestershire
MR BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY Amateur version exploring storytelling, memory, pop culture and ‘what we cling to when the world changes beyond recognition’, Fri 10 & Sat 11 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
THE CHERRY ORCHARD Sir Kenneth Branagh and Hollywood film stars Helen Hunt and Bill Pullman star in Laura Wade’s new version of Anton Chekhov’s last play, Fri 10 July - Sat 29 Aug, Swan Theatre, Stratfordupon-Avon
THE BODY SNATCHER & THE HANGED MAN’S BRIDE An Edinburgh preview double bill featuring Robert Louis Stevenson’s chilling story of greed, guilt and the macabre, and Charles Dickens’ tale of passion and deceit, Sat 11 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
AS YOU LIKE IT Pedalling theatre troupe The Handlebards present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, Sat 11 July, Coventry Cathedral
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER The Crescent Theatre Company present an amateur version of Oliver Goldsmith’s satirical tale of manners, mistaken identity and courtship, Sat 11 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham
ROMEO & JULIET Oddsocks present a new version of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Sat 11 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
FAIRLIGHT Show exploring why sport remains a place where many people struggle to be their authentic selves, Sat 11 July, Leamington Lawn Tennis & Squash Club, Leamington Spa
THE CHANGELING Amateur version of
thelist
Paul Steventon-Marks’ reimagining of the Dracula myth, Sat 11 - Sat 18 July, Oldbury Rep
ROMEO & JULIET
Oddsocks present a new version of Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Sun 12 July, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove
AS YOU LIKE IT Pedalling theatre troupe The Handlebards present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, Sun 12 July, The Lenches Amphitheatre, Nr Evesham
Kids Theatre
PETER RABBIT’S MUSICAL ADVENTURES
Waterperry Opera present a familyfriendly performance that blends a retelling of Beatrix Potter’s muchloved tale with classical music, Sat 11 July, Minster Hall, Lichfield
DINOSAURS LIVE! Natural History Museum family show in which dinosaurs ‘come alive’ on stage, Sun 12 July, Malvern Theatres
Dance
KAI WIDDRINGTON: EVOLUTION Join the Strictly star as he showcases his versatility and passion for dance, Mon 6 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Light Entertainment
BOX OF FROGS Birmingham’s premier improv group present an evening of high-octane comedy nonsense based entirely on audience suggestions, Wed 8 July, 1000 Trades, The Jewellery Quarter, B’ham
GIANT LEAP IMPROV Wed 8 July, The Hive, Shrewsbury
G4: PHANTOMS OF THE POPERA Join Jonathan Ansell, Michael Conway, Mike Christie and Duncan Sandilands for a rollercoaster celebration of musical theatre’s greatest hits, Wed 8 July, Dudley Town Hall
100% BADGERS WITH MATT HOBBS Stand-up comedy show about how the worlds of humans and badgers collide, Fri 10 July, Huntingdon Hall,
Worcester
FLAMENCO FROM SPAIN Featuring Rebecca Ortega (dancer) & Ramon
Ruiz (guitar), Fri 10 July, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury
MUSIC FOR YOUTH: THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL 2026 Celebrate the sound of the next generation at ‘one of the UK’s most exciting youth music festivals’, Fri 10 - Sat 11 July, CBSO Centre & Symphony Hall, B’ham
THE BOLLYWOOD BRATPACK Vocalist
Chirag Rao fuses iconic Hindi film songs with the sound and spirit of classic swing, Sat 11 June, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
ECHOES OF ICONS Star-Struck
Performing Arts Academy present a fusion of musical theatre, dance and drama, Sat 11 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull
A POLITICAL BRUNCH 1 Lighthearted panel show described as Have I Got News For You meets Question Time, Sat 11 & Sun 12 July, The Old Post Office, Shrewsbury
48 GHOSTS Evening of ‘fun frights and ghoulish delights’, Sun 12 July, The Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth
Events
BEHIND THE SECRET DOOR, STORIES
FROM THE SHELVES Each session will open a door into a different corner of the library collection, Mon 6 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
HALLS FINE ART VALUATION ADVISORY
DAY Halls Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers offer free antique and fine art valuations and advice about the latest art-world market trends and developments, Tues 7 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
BIRMINGHAM COCKTAIL WEEKEND
Festival-goers get exclusive access to £6 signature cocktails across all participating venues, Thurs 9 - Sun 12 July, various venues across Birmingham City Centre
DANCING GRANNIES QUIZ NIGHT A night filled with ‘fun, frolics and who knows what kind of questions’, Fri 10 July, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley
QUEEN HEAVEN Celebration of Queen’s music, combining classic videos, immersive solar-system visuals and archive footage, Fri 10 July, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
A WALK IN THE PARK SUMMER STROLL
Join landscape manager Fiona Tansey for a walk through the meadows, discovering the native flora and fauna along the way, Fri 10 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
BIDDULPH BEER & MUSIC FESTIVAL
Featuring a range of fine ales, ciders and a fully stocked bar, Fri 10 - Sat 11 July, Middleton Hall, Tamworth
THE FESTIVAL OF BRILLIANT Children’s
Monday 6 - Sunday 12 July
book festival celebrating creativity and storytelling, Fri 10 - Sat 11 July, Biddulph Old Hall, Staffordshire
CHEADLE CARNIVAL Weekend carnival featuring live music, a parade, main ring entertainment and family fun, Fri 10 - Sun 12 July, Memorial Recreation Ground, Cheadle, Staffs HERITAGE GLASS AND CHURCH WALKING
TOUR Discover the history of glass, exploring the churches, canals, factories and people that made the Stourbridge glass industry what it is today, Sat 11 July, Stourbridge Glass Museum
1940S EVENING Nostalgic evening of entertainment, Sat 11 July, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley
BACKSTAGE TOUR Take a peek backstage and meet the expert technical and creative teams, Sat 11 July, Lichfield Garrick Theatre
SUMMER SOUL PICNIC Experience an evening of live music, Sat 11 July, Caste Bromwich Hall Gardens, Birmingham
DISCO BLISS SUMMER TERRACE DAY
Featuring 1970s & 80s classics, Sat 11 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
THE MYTON HOSPICES - COVENTRY
CATHEDRAL ABSEIL 2026 See Coventry from new heights as you walk 90 feet down the side of the city’s cathedral, Sat 11 July, Coventry Cathedral
BONGO’S BINGO The original bingo rave sensation, Sat 11 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
1940S WEEKEND Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of wartime Britain as you wander through period-accurate shops, homes and industrial workplaces, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, Black Country Living Museum, Dudley
WIMBLEDON IN WARWICK Grab your picnic chairs, take along friends and family, and soak up the atmosphere as the Wimbledon 2026 finals are screened live, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, Warwick Market Place
COMIC CON MIDLANDS BIRMINGHAM
Featuring big names from movies, TV, streaming, gaming, anime and sports entertainment, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, NEC, Birmingham
ATTINGHAM DINING CLUB Event bringing together some of the UK’s best independent traders, Sat 11Sun 12 July, Attingham Park, Shrewsbury
ROCK ’N’ RUMBLE Action-packed event featuring ‘high-energy entertainment, big characters and country-style fun’, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, Drayton Manor, Staffordshire
WORLD MEERKAT WEEKEND Discover fascinating facts about meerkat life in the wild, and take part in themed activities, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, Hoo Zoo & Dinosaur World, Telford ARTISAN, CRAFT AND GIFT MARKET
Featuring talented makers, creators and enterprises from across the region, Sat 11 - Sun 12 July, Bantock House Museum, Wolverhampton
BENEATH THE WAVES Dive into an immersive underwater world where children under five can encounter coral reefs, playful sea creatures, swirling currents and sparkling tidal pools, Sat 11 July - Sun 30 Aug, Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry
SUMMER OF PLAY Featuring multiple play zones that encourage the whole family to get stuck in, Sat 11 JulyMon 31 Aug, Croome Park, Worcestershire
WINTERBOURNE’S RARE PLANT FAIR
Featuring specialist growers and nurseries from around the country, Sun 12 July, Winterbourne House and Garden, Edgbaston, B’ham ANTIQUES & COLLECTORS FAIR Browse a variety of stalls, Sun 12 July, Hartlebury Castle, Worcestershire
CLASSIC TRANSPORT DAY Travel onboard a historic steam train to visit the various vehicle displays across the site, Sun 12 July, Telford Steam Railway, Shropshire
ARTISAN FOOD AND CRAFT FAIR Step into a vibrant outdoor market featuring craft and food stalls, Sun 12 July, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley THE REUNION Celebrating the modified-car scene, Sun 12 July, Staffordshire Showground, Stafford CLASSIC MOTOR DAY Featuring vintage motors, motorbikes and commercial vehicles, Sun 12 July, Apley Farm Shop, Shifnal, Shropshire
WREKIN EATIN’ FESTIVAL Featuring street food, family fun and live entertainment, Sun 12 July, Wellington Cricket Club, Shropshire
Festivals
THE MOSTLY JAZZ FUNK AND SOUL FESTIVAL Line-up includes Fabio & Grooverider and the Outlook Orchestra, Jordan Rakei, Jalen Ngonda, Fri 10 - Sun 12 July, Moseley Park, Birmingham ALSO FESTIVAL Line-up includes Afriquoi, PVA plus Porgy and Bess Reimagined for the 21st Century, Fri 10 - Sun 12 July, Park Farm, Warwickshire
JAMES ORFORD ORGAN RECITAL Programme includes works by Parker, Sowande, Sowerby & more..., Wed 15 July, Lichfield Cathedral
RUIMEI HUANG & JOHN CHRISTIAN LEE
PIANO RECITAL Wed 15 July, Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon
JAMIE COCHRANE PIANO RECITAL Programme includes works by Schubert & Godowsky, Thurs 16 July, Wade Street Church, Lichfield
PHILIP JONES INTERNATIONAL BRASS
ENSEMBLE COMPETITION Featuring young brass quintets from around the world, Thurs 16 - Sat 18 July, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
CBSO: EDWARD GARDNER CONDUCTS JOHN ADAMS’ HARMONIELEHRE Programme also includes works by Varèse, Fri 17 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
JOSEPH JACOB ORGAN RECITAL Fri 17 July, Holy Trinity Church, Leamington Spa
THE HEATH STRING QUARTET Programme includes works by Mozart, Locke, Suk & more..., Fri 17 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
BIRMINGHAM GAY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: BRAHMS’ FIRST SYMPHONY Featuring Neavan Lobban (conductor). Programme also includes works by Dvořák, Sat 18 July, CBSO Centre, Birmingham
HORN DUO Featuring Jennifer Robson & Barnabas Stevens (french horn) & Isaac Boulter (piano), Sat 18 July, St Laurence’s Church, Ludlow, South Shropshire
BOURNVILLE CLARINET CHOIR: 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT Featuring Chloë Rogers (musical director) & Adam Carver (vocals), Sat 18 July, St Francis Church, Birmingham
BBC NATIONAL ORCHESTRA OF WALES: AMERICA250 Featuring Maria Ioudenitch (violin). Programme includes works by Ives, Barber & Copland, Sat 18 July, Lichfield Cathedral
JUNYAN CHEN PIANO RECITAL
Programme includes works by Rachmaninoff & Wild, Sun 19 July, Lichfield Cathedral
Comedy
ROSS NOBLE (PICTURED), OLIVER BOWLER & JON PEARSON Fri 17 July, Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham
JASON BYRNE, SEANN WALSH, ANGELOS
EPITHEMIOU & WAYNE BEESE Fri 17
July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley
DINESH NATHAN, ABIGOLIAH SCHAMAUN, CHRIS FORBES & COMIC TBC Fri 17Sat 18 July, The Glee Club, B’ham
Theatre
THAT KNAVE, RALEIGH Dyad Productions’ one-man show turns the spotlight on one of Britain’s most famous historical figures, Mon 13 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
BETWEEN THE LINES BOA Musical Theatre present a showcase of musical numbers inspired by ‘beloved books and powerful poetry’, Mon 13 - Tues 14 July, The Old Rep, Birmingham
THE OTHER PALACE Central Youth Theatre present a twisted tale inspired by the story of Coraline, Tues 14 - Wed 15 July, Wolverhampton Arts Centre
THE CHOIR OF MAN Smash-hit show celebrating community and friendship, set in ‘the best pub in the world’, Tues 14 - Sat 18 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham
THE BAND Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company present an amateur version of Tim Firth’s acclaimed musical, Tues 14 - Sat 18 July, Lichfield Garrick
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Wild Arts present Mozart’s comic opera, Wed 15 July, Malvern Theatres
HENRY V AND THE PRUSSIAN OFFICER
Edinburgh preview double bill featuring a retelling of Shakespeare’s history play alongside DH Lawrence’s tale of power, desire and control, Wed 15 - Fri 17 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
PRIVATE LIVES Lichfield Players present an amateur version of Noel Coward’s comedy of manners, Wed 15 - Sat 18 July, Lichfield Garrick
BUGSY MALONE Amateur version presented by Musical Youth Theatre Stafford, Wed 15 - Sat 18 July,
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS Amateur version of Richard Bean’s riotous farce, Wed 15 - Sat 25 July, The Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa
AS YOU LIKE IT Pedalling theatre troupe The Handlebards present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, Thurs 16 July, Hawkstone Park Follies, Westonunder-Redcastle, North Shropshire
THE PICKWICK PAPERS Rain Or Shine theatre company present an outdoor version of Charles Dickens’ muchloved story, Thurs 16 July, Cotswold Lavender, Snowshill, Worcestershire
EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE
Get Your Wigle On present an amateur version of the award-winning musical, Thurs 16 - Sat 18 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
SURINDERELLA Rifco Theatre present an evening of laughter, romance and ‘larger-than-life entertainment’, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
NORTHANGER ABBEY Worcester
Repertory Company present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s lighthearted romance, Thurs 16 - Sun 19 July, The Commandery Gardens, Worcester
IN THE AIR Crowded Coat Productions present a poignant play exploring grief, loss and memory. Part of Birmingham Fest ’26, Fri 17 - Sat 18 July, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
THE SPECKLED HEN & THE SIGNALMAN
Edinburgh preview double bill, featuring plays from masters of suspense Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Charles Dickens, Sat 18 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
DESTINATION: OLD HAG Join Bridget Hardy, Penny Rossano and Samantha Houston as they chart the ups and downs of life ‘with humour, heart, and some live opera singing’, Sat 18 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
GHASTLY STORIES FOR GRUESOME
GREMLINS Join storyteller Gav Cross for old, new and true stories - with some bumps and jumps along the way, Sat 18 July, 1000 Trades On The Park, Lightwoods House, Bearwood
AGGIE: THE STORY OF DAME AGNES
HUNT Adapted from her memoirs and performed by Alison Utting, Sat 18 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Folksy Theatre present an open-air version of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, Sat 18 July, Dorothy Clive Garden, Market Drayton, North Shropshire
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN Paperback Theatre present an outdoor version of Edith Nesbitt’s classic story, Sat 18 July, Bolton Gate Arts, Staffordshire
BOILER ROOM SIX: A TITANIC STORY The true story of stoker Frederick Barrett
and his fight for survival during the last few hours of the Titanic, Sat 18 July, Albany Theatre, Coventry
IOLANTHE Charles Court Opera present a fully staged production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s sharp satire, Sun 19 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
Dance
SLEEPING BEAUTY Ballet Cymru present a reimagining of a classic fairytale, performed to Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, Mon 13 July, Lichfield Cathedral
LORD OF THE DANCE: 30TH ANNIVERSARY New tour of the global phenomenon that redefined Irish dance, Mon 13 - Wed 15 July, Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
RHYTHM OF THE DANCE ‘A completely captivating experience of pulsating rhythms with slick choreography performed at lightning speed’, Sat 18 July, Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton
Light
Entertainment
A CELEBRATION OF RICHARD SWERRUN Featuring Dreamcoat Stars, Tues 14 July, Rugeley Rose Theatre
UNDER THE HAMMER: AN IMMERSIVE ART MYSTERY Can you crack the case? Keep an eye on the details and read between the lines in this blend of theatre and improv, escape room and ‘whodunnit’, inspired by realworld art-crime cases, Thurs 16 - Fri 17 July, The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham
LENNY PEARCE: TODDLER RAVE WORLD TOUR PART 2 Two shows (11am & 3.30pm) hosted by the pioneer of Toddler Techno and Baby Raves, Fri 17 July, Birmingham Town Hall
SWAMPLESQUE Award-winning Shrekinspired burlesque and drag-parody show, Fri 17 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
THE PEOPLE’S ORCHESTRA & CHOIR: JUKEBOX LIVE Interactive concert featuring epic film scores, pop favourites, Disney showstoppers and 80s anthems, Sat 18 July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN The ‘ultimate girls’ night out’, featuring hits from Cher, Tina, Whitney, Dolly,
Shania, Madonna and more..., Sat 18 July, Malvern Theatres
SONGS FROM THE MUSICALS Presented by Whitchurch Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society, Sat 18 July, St Alkmund’s Church, Whitchurch, North Shropshire
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER MOTOWN SHOW Sat 18 July, The Albany Theatre, Coventry
GINNY LEMON’S FRUIT LOOP The story of Ginny’s rise to fame and struggles with mental health, grief, addiction and the pressures of maintaining a public persona..., Sat 18 July, Swan Studio, Worcester
BHAVIK HARIA An evening of spiritual, Ghazal, Qawwali and light classical music, Sat 18 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
LOOSE CHIPPINGS: VICTORIA WOOD ON LOVE, LIFE AND LOSS Featuring Amy J Payne (voice) & Oliver Rundell (piano), Sun 19 July, The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield
Events
FAMILY FUN: MEDIEVAL SUMMER AT THE COMMANDERY Pick up one of the Medieval Summer activity bags and head up to the craft room to get creative, Tues 14 July Sun 30 Aug, The Commandery, Worcester
FAMILY TRAIL: THE KNIGHT’S QUEST Explore the building to find all of the knight’s symbols and complete the mini challenges, Tues 14 July - Sun 30 Aug, The Commandery, Worcester
BEYOND THE BOTTLE OVEN TOUR Find out about the craftspeople who shaped the city, Thurs 16 July, Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stokeon-Trent
BRINDLEY ARTISAN MARKET Food and gift market, showcasing the very best in locally produced artisan goods, Thurs 16 July, Brindleyplace, B’ham
A WALK IN THE PARK SUMMER STROLL Join landscape manager Fiona Tansey for a walk through the meadows, discovering the native flora and fauna along the way, Fri 17 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
ADULT NIGHT Visit the Ultimate Indoor Lego playground completely kid-free, Fri 17 July, Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham
FESTIVAL AT THE EDGE The longestrunning international storytelling festival in England, Fri 17 - Sun 19 July, Bromyard, Herefordshire FANTASY FOREST FESTIVAL Festival bringing fans from all genres of fantasy together for the weekend, Fri 17 - Sun 19 July, Sudeley Castle, Cheltenham
RAIL ALE TRAIL Enjoy real ale, live music and a laid-back heritage railway festival, Fri 17 - Sun 19 July, Churnet Valley Railway, Staffordshire
80S SILENT DISCO Featuring ‘some of the UK’s best 80s DJs playing all your favourite tunes’, Sat 18 July, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY: THE HAUNTING OF HIMLEY HALL Guided tour through the Hall's most unsettling accounts, Sat 18 July, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley
ULTRA WHITE COLLAR BOXING Event raising money for charity, Sat 18 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
TUNNEL TOURS Explore the tunnels that lie beneath the museum and learn about their history, Sat 18 July, Stourbridge Glass Museum
MARKET DRAYTON CARNIVAL A full day of family-friendly entertainment, live performances and activities, Sat 18 July, Market Drayton Town Centre, Shropshire
NERDCON Featuring panels, guest appearances, props, cosplayers and merchandise, Sat 18 July, Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry BRINDLEY RECORDS AND MAKERS
MARKET Created in collaboration with Midlands Record Fairs and Blue Moon Markets, Sat 18 July, Brindleyplace, Birmingham
A PREMIUM GIN TASTING & GLASS
ETCHING EVENING An immersive experience that pairs the world of fine gin with the beauty of handmade glass, Sat 18 July, Stourbridge Glass Museum
TIME TRAVEL @ THE HALL Travel back in time to various periods, Sat 18 July, Ford Green Hall, Stoke-on-Trent
MEDIEVAL DAY Featuring re-enactors, battle displays, guided tours, craft activities and much more. Learn what life was like in medieval Birmingham, Sat 18 July, Weoley Castle, B’ham
DONKEYS & FRIENDS ON THE FARM
Meet the equines and learn all about them, with special demonstrations and themed activities, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham
SUMMER GALA Featuring both guest and home-fleet locomotives operating a busy timetable between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster
WORLD SNAKE WEEKEND Learn about different snake species and the
Monday 13 - Sunday 19
important role they play in ecosystems, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Hoo Zoo & Dinosaur World, Telford
SUMMER MAKERS MARKET A celebration of independent creativity, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, FarGo Village, Coventry
POETRY MACHINE Beth Calverley will be chatting to visitors about their interests and dreams as she produces a brand-new poem, custom-made for them, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire
THE BIG CHURCHFIELDS SLEEPOVER A ‘one of a kind’ family camping experience, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Churchfields Farm, Droitwich CLASSIC NOSTALGIA AT SHELSLEY
WALSH Enjoy competitive hill-climb action, ‘thrilling’ demonstrations and non-stop entertainment on and off the hill, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb, Worcester
GREAT BRITISH SUMMER Enjoy fairground activities, pick up new tricks at the circus-skills station, and dive in to some puppet antics, Sat 18 July - Fri 28 Aug, Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire
SUMMER OF PLAY Featuring a variety of fun activities in celebration of imagination and creativity, Sat 18 July - Mon 31 Aug, Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire; Charlecote Park, Warwickshire & Packwood House, Warwickshire
WILD BRICKS A trail of life-sized endangered animals, all built from thousands of toy bricks, Sat 18 JulyMon 31 Aug, Dudley Zoo & Castle
FLOWER FIELDS Get lost in a sea of thousands and thousands of wildflowers, choosing your favourites to take home, Sat 18 July - Mon 31 Aug, Cotswold Farm Park, Cheltenham
FARMARAMA Five gigantic paddling pools and over 250 tonnes of golden sand transform the farm into a beach, Sat 18 July - Tues 1 Sept, National
Forest Adventure Farm, Staffordshire THE GREAT SUMMER ADVENTURE
Featuring the brand-new Around The World In 80 Maize maze, Sat 18 JulyTues 1 Sept, Hatton Adventure World, Warwickshire
TVR CLUB CAR SHOW Car showcase featuring a line-up of TVRs, Sun 19 July, Alderford Lake, Whitchurch, North Shropshire
AVONCROFT OPEN AIR ART COMPETITION Artists get creative in 19 acres of countryside, Sun 19 July, Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove
THE STRATFORD GIN & RUM FESTIVAL Event bringing together a handpicked line-up of craft gin and rum distilleries, live music, tasting experiences and food, Sun 19 July, Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon
PIRATES & PRINCESSES Climb aboard a heritage train and sing along with some of your favourite princesses and pirates, Sun 19 July, Telford Steam Railway, Shropshire
DRAGONS OF THE LOST LAND Brandnew event for 2026, Sun 19 - Thurs 23 July, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire
SUMMER ADVENTURES Featuring a whole host of fun family activities, Sun 19 July - Mon 31 Aug, Dudmaston Estate, nr Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Festivals
UPTON BLUES FESTIVAL Line-up includes Brave Rival, Aynsley Lister & Kyla Brox, Wed 15 - Sun 19 July, various venues around Upton upon Severn, Worcestershire
WOODSHROP TRIBUTE FESTIVAL Line-up includes tributes to Oasis, Queen & Robbie Williams, Fri 17 - Mon 20 July, West Mid Showground, Shrewsbury
SOLIHULL SUMMER FEST Line-up includes Craig David, Culture Club & Gabrielle, Sat 18 - Sun 19 July, Tudor Grange Park, Solihull
Boiler Room Six: A Titanic Story - Albany Theatre, Coventry
Gigs
THE WILDHEARTS Mon
20 July, XOYO, Digbeth, Birmingham
ANDRES ROOTS Mon 20
July, Temperance, Leamington Spa
TRUFFLE VALLEY BOYS
Mon 20 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-onTrent
THE TRUFFLE VALLEY BOYS Tues 21 July, Kitchen Garden, Birmingham
RUMOURS OF FLEETWOOD MAC Tues 21 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
ANTHONY GOMES Tues 21 July, The Sugarmill, Stoke-on-Trent
IAGO BANET Tues 21 July, Lichfield Garrick
SHEZ RAJA FT GUTHRIE GOVAN Wed 22 July, The Jam House, Birmingham
STEEL PANTHER + KELSY KARTER & THE HEROINES + BLACK SONIC PEARLS Wed 22 July, O2 Academy, Birmingham
CHILDREN OF THE GRAVY Wed 22 July, Jo Jo Jims, Birmingham
LACHLAN BRYAN AND THE WILDES Wed 22 July, Temperance, Leamington Spa
ERIC JOHNSON Wed 22
July, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
ROZEMARY + DEATH BLOOM Wed 22 July, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent
AN EVENING OF… GREGORY ISAACS Thurs 23 July, The Jam House, Birmingham
ARMANII + DJ NATE Thurs 23 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
BOOTLEG BEATLES & ROYAL LIVERPOOL
PHILHARMONIC
ORCHESTRA Thurs 23
July, Symphony Hall, Birmingham
BEN THOMPSON - THE ULTIMATE ELVIS
EXPERIENCE Thurs 23
July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
BEAUX GRIS GRIS & THE APOCALYPSE Thurs 23
July, Temperance,
Leamington Spa
MIKE SANCHEZ Thurs 23
July, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester
TUK SMITH & THE RESTLESS HEARTS + TENDER VENDETTA + BLANCO NEGRA Thurs 23 July, KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
COURTEENERS Thurs 23
July, Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent
THE PAUL ROSE BAND Thurs 23 July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-onTrent
PARKER BARROW + GEORGIA NEVADA Thurs 23 July, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs
ROCK FOR HEROES Thurs 23 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
GUNS 2 ROSES + METALLICA RELOADED + FAITH NO MAN Fri 24
July, O2 Academy, Birmingham
CLOCKWORK ORANGE Fri 24 July, The Flapper, Birmingham
ANDY BENNETT Fri 24
July, The Victoria, Birmingham
DESPERADO Fri 24 July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
SLYDER Fri 24 July, The Rhodehouse, Sutton Coldfield
THE MAGIC OF THE BEATLES Fri 24 July, Rother Street Arts, Stratford-upon-Avon
SHOWADDYWADDY Fri 24 July, Brierley Hill Civic, Dudley
FAT LIP Fri 24 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
THE BLUETONES + SIX TOWNS + ANDY GOWERS
GUNS FOR HIRE Fri 24
July, The Underground, Stoke-on-Trent
THE TRAVELLING RIVERSIDE BLUES SHOW Fri 24 July, Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent
A VISION OF ELVIS Fri 24
July, Lichfield Garrick
THE ANT HILL MOB Fri 24
July, The Feathers Inn, Lichfield
DREAM ON - AEROSMITH
TRIBUTE Fri 24 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
REA-LOADED Fri 24 July,
Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire
SKASTUDS Sat 25 July, Actress & Bishop, Birmingham
SLADE UK Sat 25 July, Jo Jo Jims, B’ham
FAST LOVE - GEORGE
MICHAEL TRIBUTE Sat 25
July, The Assembly, Leamington Spa
THE FLEETWOOD MAC
LEGACY Sat 25 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
SMOOVE & TURREL Sat 25 July, Rother Street Arts, Stratford-uponAvon
THE SELECTER Sat 25
July, Stourbridge Town Hall
A FOREIGNER’S JOURNEY
Sat 25 July, The Robin, Bilston
BIG JIM AND THE ALABAMA BOOGIE BOYS
Sat 25 July, Katie Fitzgerald’s, Stourbridge
GREG MURRAY & THE SEVEN WONDERS Sat 25
July, The Artisan Tap, Stoke-on-Trent
THE DRIFTERS Sat 25
July, King’s Hall, Stokeon-Trent
BEN THOMPSON - ELVIS
Sat 25 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
RADIO RUMOURS Sat 25
July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury
THE MELVIN HANCOX BAND Sun 26 July, Actress & Bishop, Birmingham
FLO Sun 26 July, O2 Institute, Birmingham
THE GLEN CAMPBELL
STORY Sun 26 July, Artrix, Bromsgrove
PINK LIVE: FEATURING
VICKY JACKSON Sun 26
July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
CHIC OUT Sun 26 July, The Sugarmill, Eleven, Stoke-on-Trent
THE RYAN EVANS
COUNTRY MUSIC SHOW
Sun 26 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
THRASHATOUILLE + BIOMECH + MAD
SPANNER Sun 26 July, Albert’s Shed, Shrewsbury
Classical Music
AGOGO QUARTET Programme includes works by F Mendelssohn, Dvořák & Bliss, Tues 21 July, St Alkmund’s Church, Shrewsbury
JAKE SCICINSKI ORGAN RECITAL Tues 21 July, Lichfield Cathedral
KENYA CHORAL CONNECTIONS Featuring Teddy Otieno (piano) & David Sotunde (saxophone). Programme includes works by contemporary writers alongside hymns and classical sacred music, Fri 24 July, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Comedy
SIMON BRODKIN Mon 20 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
STUART GOLDSMITH & ROB KEMP’S “BEATLESJUICE” Fri 24 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
SCOTT BENNETT, PETE SELWOOD, JESSIE NIXON & LIAM FARRELLY Fri 24 - Sat 25
July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
CHRIS GRACE Sat 25 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
PETER KAY Sat 25 July, Utilita Arena Birmingham
JEAN MCDONALD, DANE BUCKLEY, ERIC
RUSHTON & DEE ALLUM Sat 25 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
MILTON JONES, ANGELA BARNES, NICK HELM & AURIE STYLA Sat 25 July, Dudley Town Hall
ABSOLUTE BUS STOPS OF NORTHERN EUROPE & BEYOND PLUS LINDSEY
SANTORO Sun 26 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
Theatre
THE CARELESS CARLESS CASE Under The Tree tell the story of young Agnes Carless, who falls headfirst into mischief when a mysterious lodger arrives, Mon 20 - Tues 21 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY FAIL Three
Inch Fools present an outdoor show featuring ‘daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting’..., Tues 21 July, Castle Bromwich Historic Gardens
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Folksy Theatre present an open-air version of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, Tues 21 July, Martineau
Gardens, Birmingham
THE KARATE KID THE MUSICAL New musical based on the iconic 80s movie, Tues 21 - Sat 25 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham
THE CHOIR OF MAN Smash-hit show celebrating community and friendship, set in ‘the best pub in the world’, Tues 21 - Sat 25 July, Malvern Theatres
THREE MIGRANT WOMEN An intimate exploration of migration, memories and the profound cost of leaving everything behind, Wed 22 July, Lichfield Garrick
KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY FAIL Three
Inch Fools present an outdoor show featuring ‘daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting’..., Wed 22 July, Powis Castle & Gardens, Powys
JEEVES AND WOOSTER IN ‘STIFF UPPER LIP, JEEVES’ Join Bertie Wooster and his razor-sharp valet, Jeeves, in a show packed with misadventures, Wed 22 July, The Amphitheatre, Telford Town Park, Shropshire
THE POET OF LUFATIA Zander Gibney’s debut play - ‘a farce of convoluted communication about the amount people will say to not have to say anything at all’, Wed 22 - Thurs 23 July, Blue Orange Theatre, B’ham
ABIGAIL’S PARTY Stafford Players present an amateur version of Mike Leigh’s classic comedy, Wed 22 - Sat 25 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre BLUE MIST Mohamed-Zain Dada’s ‘sharp and darkly funny’ story about truth, trust and ambition, Wed 22Sat 25 July, The Rep, Birmingham
KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY FAIL Three Inch Fools present an outdoor show featuring ‘daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting’..., Thurs 23 July, Shrewsbury Castle
THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS Paperback Theatre present an outdoor version of Kenneth Grahame’s riverbank tale, Thurs 23 July, The Amphitheatre, Telford Town Park, Shropshire
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Folksy Theatre present an open-air version of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, Thurs 23 July, Biddulph Grange Gardens, Staffordshire NORTHANGER ABBEY Worcester Repertory Company present an outdoor version of Jane Austen’s lighthearted romance, Thurs 23 - Sun 26 July, The Commandery Gardens, Worcester
KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY FAIL
Three Inch Fools present an outdoor show featuring ‘daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting’..., Fri 24 July, Acton Scott Hall, South Shropshire
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Folksy Theatre present an open-air version of Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy, Fri 24 - Sat 25 July,
Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton
TERMINAL 2 David Payne’s play follows George and Lynda Sumner as they debate the meaning of life, the common bluebottle, sex tapes and the pros and cons of KFC - all whilst trapped in an airport departure lounge, Fri 24 - Sat 25 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
THE SWORD IN THE STONE Outdoor production telling a story of friendship and courage, Sat 25 July, Brueton Park, Solihull
AS YOU LIKE IT Illyria theatre company present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, Sat 25 July, Hanbury Hall, Droitwich Spa
BOUNDLESS Embedded Theatre present a devised theatre piece reflecting on the fragility of freedom, Sat 25 - Sun 26 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRST A45 Theatre presents the story of Alex, a shy footballer who responds to an ad from a confident OnlyFans creator to lose his virginity on camera, Sat 25Sun 26 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
MRS KAPOOR’S DAUGHTER’S WEDDINGTHE MURDER MYSTERY Immersive murder-mystery experience. Expect ‘sharp comedy, high-energy dances, live singing and laugh-outloud chaos that only Mrs Kapoor can deliver’, Sun 26 July, The Alexandra, Birmingham
THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Illyria Theatre Company present an outdoor version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic opera, Sun 26 July, The Lenches Amphitheatre, Nr Evesham TELL ME WHERE IT HURTS TeePee Productions’ comedy drama follows Chrissy, a dedicated drama teacher navigating life with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), Sun 26Mon 27 July, Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham
Kids Theatre
THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Judith Kerr’s charming children’s story, featuring ‘oodles of magic, singalong songs and clumsy chaos’, Mon 20Tues 21 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
THE DINOSAUR THAT POOPED: A ROCK SHOW Stage show for younger audiences based on Tom Fletcher & Dougie Poynter’s bestselling children’s books, Wed 22 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
THE ULTIMATE BUBBLE SHOW Fastpaced show in which a bubbleologist creates ‘incredible bubble sculptures, effects and magic displays’, Thurs 23 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury BLUEY’S BIG PLAY Stage version of the award-winning children’s TV series, promising ‘music, laughter and fun
for the whole family’, Thurs 23 - Sat 26 July, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA Judith Kerr’s charming children’s story, featuring ‘oodles of magic, singalong songs and clumsy chaos’, Fri 24 July, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre
MY FIRST CONCERT - FT BABYSHARK, PINKFONG & THE ZOOMIES A live musical adventure for young children, Sat 25 July, Lichfield Garrick OUT OF THE BOX Award-winning family show promising an hour of ‘joyful chaos, jaw-dropping skill, and irresistible fun’, Sat 25 July, The Amphitheatre, Telford Town Park, Shropshire
Dance
NATIONAL YOUTH DANCE COMPANY X ALLEYNE DANCE Showcasing brandnew show Memory Keepers, Thurs 23 July, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry AUTIN DANCE THEATRE: ZIG ZAG
Outdoor performance in which a playful world is built from simple objects. There is no text or spoken word; instead, storytelling is expressed through movement and physicality. Suitable for all ages, Sat 25 July, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham
Light
Entertainment
JAY & JOSS: IT’S NOT A GAME An evening with the award-winning illusionists who stunned the judges on Britain’s Got Talent, Tues 21 July, Lichfield Garrick
THE TRIAL 3 An immersive trial where you, the jury, decide the verdict. Watch the witnesses, view the CCTV footage and ask the judge questions you need answering, Tues 21 - Sat 25 July, Stoke Repertory Theatre, Stokeon-Trent
SONS OF PITCHES A show promising ‘soaring solos, impeccable harmonies and sensational beatboxing’, Sat 25 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
ALISTAIR MCGOWAN 3-IN-1 An evening of classic comedy, poetry and piano
Monday 20 - Sunday
music, Sat 25 July, The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shrops
Events
BEHIND THE SECRET DOOR, STORIES FROM THE SHELVES Each session will open a door into a different corner of the library collection, Mon 20 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRY FRIENDS
Featuring a live show from Wise Owl Theatre, Tues 21 - Thurs 23 July, Severn Valley Railway, Bewdley, Nr Kidderminster
TEQUILA CIRCUS: THE MAGIC OF MEXICO IN A CIRCUS Featuring ‘world-class’ stunts, Tues 21 - Sun 26 July, Webbs Wychbold, Worcestershire FALCONS IN FLIGHT Immersive experience offering a rare chance to see magnificent birds of prey up close, Tues 21 July - Thurs 27 Aug, Sudeley Castle, Cheltenham
SUMMER HOLIDAYS: MEDIEVAL MOMENTS Pick up a trail map and look out for learning and interactive activities, Tues 21 July - Mon 31 Aug, Sudeley Castle, Cheltenham
HARVINGTON HISTORY FESTIVAL
Featuring 16 top historians, broadcasters and authors, Wed 22Sun 26 July, Harvington Hall, Kidderminster
BACKSTAGE TOUR Explore the hidden secrets of The Rep and take a look at spaces usually closed to the public, Thurs 23 July, The Rep, Birmingham GET MUCKY GET MAKING Explore nature and enjoy the summer sunshine in the Forest School, Thurs 23 July, Compton Verney, Warks
THE 49TH ANNUAL WOLVERHAMPTON SUMMER FESTIVAL OF BEER & CIDER
Up to 50 beers including a festival special brewed by Bilston’s Newbridge Brewery, Thurs 23 - Sat 25 July, Wolverhampton Arts Centre BIRMINGHAM PHOENIX VS TRENT ROCKETS The Hundred doubleheader, Fri 24 July, Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham
MUSEUM AFTER HOURS: 54321! ‘STANDBY FOR ACTION, WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH’ Enjoy a rockin’ Friday night with Jamie Hill performing classic rock and pop numbers, including hits from the 60s, Fri 24 July, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
THE GAME FAIR Celebration of fieldsports and country life, Fri 24Sun 26 July, Ragley Hall, Warwickshire
FESTIVAL OF SPORT Event offering children aged from five to 17 the chance to try more than 20 different sports, Fri 24 - Mon 27 July, Packington Estate, Warwickshire CINEMA UNDER THE STARS Cinemastyle screenings in the museum’s
planetarium, Sat 25 July, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
THE MYTON HOSPICES - WORLD’S LARGEST INFLATABLE 5K Participants get to tackle 30 gigantic inflatable obstacles across a 5K course, Sat 25 July, University of Warwick, Coventry
LEEK & DISTRICT SHOW Local annual agricultural show, Sat 25 July, Dunwood Fields, Staffordshire
BATTLE OF SHREWSBURY ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND 2026 Experience the sights and sounds of life leading up to this historic clash, Sat 25 - Sun 26 July, Battlefield 1403, Shrewsbury
THE SEALED KNOT - THE FALL OF HARTLEBURY CASTLE Step back in time for the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Worcester, as well as the 380th anniversary of the Battle of Hartlebury, Sat 25 July - Sun 26 July, Hartlebury Castle, Worcestershire
THREE COUNTIES FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL Explore a selection of more than 150 stalls, Sat 25 - Sun 26 July, Three Counties Showground, Malvern
BIRMINGHAM MELA 2026 Open-air festival bringing the energy and richness of South Asian culture to the heart of Birmingham, Sun 26 July, Victoria Park, Smethwick MINI POP PARTY Step into a ‘magical concert experience’ and sing along to your favourite Taylor Swift hits, Sun 26 July, Shrewsbury Castle
HISTORIC VEHICLE CAR SHOW KHVC Classic Car Show featuring unique classic cars, Sun 26 July, Ludlow Farm Shop, South Shropshire
Festivals
WARWICK FOLK FESTIVAL Line-up includes Eddi Reader, Fisherman’s Friends, Spiers & Boden, Thurs 23Sun 26 July, Castle Park, Warwick BEACON PARK TRIBUTE FESTIVAL Lineup includes Aka...Noel Gallagher, Michael Jackson by David Boakes, That That Rule The World, Fri 24Sun 26 July, Beacon Park, Lichfield HIDE & SEEK - MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL Line-up includes Josh Baker, Across Boundaries, Enzo Siragusa & Kerri Chandler, Fri 24 - Sun 26 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
BIRMINGHAM JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL Line-up includes B.D Lenz, Dave Green, Buddy Guy & Bruce Adams, Fri 24 July - Sun 2 Aug, multiple venues around Birmingham
RUM & REGGAE Line-up includes Aswad, Musical Youth, Xodus & Strictly UB40, Sat 25 July, The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury
SIMMER DOWN FESTIVAL Line-up includes Tarrus Riley, Lady Leshurr & mr Vegas, Sun 26 July, Handsworth Park, Birmingham
Gigs
JAY BUCHANAN Mon 27
July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
GRAHAM GOULDMAN & HEART FULL OF SONGS
Mon 27 July, Huntingdon Hall, Worcester
CAYLEE HAMMACK Tues 28 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
IAN SIEGAL TRIO Tues 28 July, Temperance, Leamington Spa
NEUTRALS Tues 28 July, Just Dropped In, Coventry
JAKE LEG JUG BAND
Wed 29 July, Boldmere Sports and Social Club, Sutton Coldfield
THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY Wed 29 July, Regal, Tenbury
Wells
THE 19TH STREET BAND
Thurs 30 July, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham
DEL CAMINO Thurs 30
July, The Jam House, Birmingham
HOT 8 BRASS BAND
Thurs 30 July, Castle & Falcon, Birmingham
THE UPBEAT BEATLES
Thurs 30 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull
CHRIS FOX Thurs 30 July, Catshill Club, Bromsgrove
World presents a historic awakening as the mesmerising Sabri Sisters embark on their debut UK Tour, Fri 31 July, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
A CANDLELIGHT EXPERIENCE:
VIVALDI & MOZART Fri 31 July, Pershore Abbey
Comedy
JAY BUCHANAN Mon 27 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
COMEDY CAROUSEL WITH ANDY ROBINSON & COMICS TBC Thurs
30 July, The Glee Club, B’ham
PROJECT MAYHEM Thurs 30 July, The Wellington, Birmingham THE LATE NIGHT SWEET SHOP Thurs 30 July, Cherry Reds, Birmingham
KATE LUCAS, LEROY BRITO & COMICS TBC Fri 31 July, The Glee Club, Birmingham
PAUL SINHA, SEAN PERCIVAL & EL
BALDINIHO Fri 31 July, The Civic, Stourport
Theatre
MANBAND THE STORY Bloomin’
Good Productions present an uplifting tale of four pub regulars who decide on a final attempt at fame & fortune. Part of Birmingham Fest 2026, Mon 27Wed 29 July, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
KING ARTHUR AND THE HOLY FAIL
Three Inch Fools present an outdoor show featuring ‘daring quests, dashing knights and endless jousting’..., Tues 28 July, Uttoxeter Racecourse, Staffordshire
THE PICKWICK PAPERS Rain Or Shine theatre company present an outdoor version of Charles Dickens’ much-loved story, Tues 28 July, Theatre On The Steps, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire
WHEN VINCENT MET JOHN Nick Wilkes’ play imagines the
outcome if Vincent Van Gogh and John Lennon had ever met, Tues 28 - Wed 29 July, Malvern Theatres
OTHELLO The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present an outdoor version of Shakespeare’s story of deception, and jealousy, Tues 28 - Wed 29 July, Shrewsbury Castle
I’M SORRY PRIME MINISTER Clive Francis stars as Sir Humphrey Appleby alongside Simon Rouse as Jim Hacker in Jonathan Lynn’s political satire, Tues 28 July - Sat 1 Aug, Malvern Theatres
GRINDR THE OPERA - THE UNAUTHORISED PARODY Awardwinning musical taking audiences on a ‘hilarious and thought-provoking journey’ through the world of gay dating. Note that this production contains adult themes, Tues 28 July - Sun 2 Aug, The Old Rep, Birmingham ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale is brought to life in a production fusing humour, music and madness, Wed 29 July, Worcester Cathedral
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN Paperback Theatre present an outdoor version of Edith Nesbitt’s classic story, Wed 29 July, Himley Hall & Park, Dudley
THE GREAT GATSBY An ‘electrifying’ new stage adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel, Wed 29 July, The Old Palace, Deansway, Worcester
THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT FLAT EARTH Brand-new original
musical comedy telling the story of a woman who believes that Earth is flat - and now wants to prove it, Wed 29 July - Sat 1 Aug, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
THE PICKWICK PAPERS Rain Or Shine theatre company present an outdoor version of Charles Dickens’ much-loved story, Thurs 30 July, Victoria Gardens, Tewkesbury
THE RAILWAY CHILDREN Paperback Theatre present an outdoor version of Edith Nesbitt’s classic story, Thurs 30 July, Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre
MATILDA THE MUSICAL JR. Get Your Wigle On present an amateur stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s much-loved story, Thurs 30 - Fri 31 July, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
AFTER PARTY (PREVIEWS) Morna Young’s ‘life-affirming story about a life-ending decision’, Thurs 30 July - Sat 1 Aug, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry TELL TALE TWIT Nonsense, nastiness and chaos combine as Gav Cross takes a deep-dive into ‘the words we seem to know so well but never really listened to’, Fri 31 July, Lichfield Garrick
THE PICKWICK PAPERS Rain Or Shine theatre company present an outdoor version of Charles Dickens’ much-loved story, Fri 31 July, Severn Valley Country Park, Alveley, Bridgnorth, South Shropshire
WAR OF THE WORLDS Gav Cross reimagines HG Wells’ classic tale, Fri 31 July, Lichfield Garrick
Sabri Sisters Live - Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
Jay Buchanan - The Glee Club, Birmingham
Kids Theatre
DINOSAUR ADVENTURES LIVE: DANGER ON T-REX MOUNTAIN Brand-new family adventure introducing ‘some of the most incredible species ever to have roamed the earth’, Tues 28 July, The Core Theatre, Solihull IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE Join Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends for a fun-filled family show packed with ‘magical puppetry and enchanting music’. There’s even a special visit from the flying Pinky Ponk, Fri 31 July - Sat 1 Aug, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Light Entertainment
JAY & JOSS: IT’S NOT A GAME An evening with the award-winning illusionists who stunned the judges on Britain’s Got Talent, Wed 29 July, Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa
THE MUSIC OF JAMES BOND The Great British Film Orchestra present an evening of iconic Bond film scores, Wed 29 July, Lichfield Cathedral SECRETS OF THE SIMPSONS - AN
EVENING WITH MIKE REISS Join comedy producer Mike as he shares stories and scandals from Springfield, Thurs 30 July, Crescent Theatre, Birmingham
Events
RAF SUMMER CAMP 2026 Event giving young people aged 11 to 13 the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics in an aviation-inspired setting, Mon 27 July - Fri 7 Aug, RAF Museum Midlands, Cosford
JURASSIC ENCOUNTERS: ZOOLAB AT THINKTANK Find out what snakes, snails and spiders have to do with dinosaurs, Tues 28 July, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
STORYTELLING IN THE PARK Enjoy
myths, legends and traditional folk stories, Tues 28 July, Weston Park, Shropshire
KNIGHTS SCHOOL Learn the code of chivalry, practise your swords skills and design your own coat of armour, Tues 28 - Wed 29 July, Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens, Birmingham
ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRY FRIENDS
Featuring a live show from Wise Owl Theatre, Tues 28 - Thurs 30 July, Severn Valley Railway, Nr Kidderminster
KINETON RAF STEM: SUMMER ROCKET CARS Create and learn whilst making and firing K’nex rocket cars into the sky, Wed 29 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
BACKSTAGE TOUR Explore the hidden secrets of The Rep and take a look at spaces usually closed to the public, Thurs 30 July, The Rep, Birmingham
DINOSTORY TIME Dinosaur-themed storytelling in the Thinktank theatre, Thurs 30 July, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum
FUTURE ENGINEERS KIDS CLUB
Engineering playground for STEMcurious kids aged from seven to 14, Thurs 30 July, Coventry Transport Museum
BEYOND THE BOTTLE OVEN TOUR Find out about the craftspeople who shaped the city, Thurs 30 July, Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stokeon-Trent
THE HOME FRONT Family-friendly dropin event with wartime-themed activities, Thurs 30 July - Sat 1 Aug, Tudor House Museum, Worcester
THE FESTIVAL OF QUILTS Featuring a display of 1,200 competition quilts, Thurs 30 July - Sun 2 Aug, NEC, Birmingham
FAMILY FUN: FAB FRIDAYS Join a hands-on creative session inspired by the world of Thunderbirds, Fri 31 July, Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
GIANT BUBBLES Gather round to see giant bubbles float and pop above the lawns of Compton Verney, Fri 31 July, Compton Verney, Warwickshire
GIRLS ONLY STEM CLUB Providing girls aged seven to 14 with a welcoming and supportive space in which to explore science, technology, engineering and creativity, Fri 31 July, Coventry Transport Museum
BONGO’S BINGO The original bingo rave sensation, Fri 31 July, The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury
Win! A pair of tickets to see The Flaming Lips or Fun Lovin’ Criminals Live
This month we’re teaming up with University of Wolverhampton at The Halls to give away tickets to two shows!
What’s On is offering you the chance to win two tickets to see The Flaming Lips (pictured) on Tuesday 21 July or Fun Lovin' Criminals Live with The DiFontaine Orchestra on Friday 11 September. Competition closes Sunday 12 July
Win! A pair of tickets to see Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
A new revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street opens at The Rep, Birmingham, this month, running from Saturday 4 July to Saturday 15 August.
What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win two tickets to the performance on Tuesday 4 August. Competition closes Monday 27 July
Win! A pair of tickets to see The Karate Kid The Musical
Bringing the legendary 1984 film to life on stage, The Karate Kid The Musical takes flight as Daniel LaRusso’s journey is reimagined through movement, music and raw, energetic storytelling. The hit show visits The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 July. What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win two tickets to the performance on Tuesday the 21st... Competition closes Tuesday 14 July
Win! A pair of tickets to see The Last Laugh
The Last Laugh imagines three of Britain's all-time greatest comedy heroes - Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse - in a dressing room, discussing the secrets of life, death, comedy, and what it means to be funny… really funny!
What’s On is offering one lucky reader the chance to win two tickets to see the show at Wolves Grand on Wednesday 9 September. Competition closes Friday 28 August
