What's On - Music, Events & The Arts

JEFF WAYNE’S WAR OF THE WORLDS ANNOUNCES NEW GENERATION FOR 2012

7th December 2012 - NIA

£42.50 & £62.50 (plus booking and transaction fees) available now at The Ticket Factory: www.theticketfactory.com or 0844 338 8000

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds: The New Generation is proud to announce its new generation of performers, with Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs and Wicked’s Kerry Ellis joining the tour for 2012.

Ricky Wilson who is fresh from a world tour with the Kaiser Chiefs will be taking on his first ever performance role as The Artilleryman, originally played by David Essex on Jeff Wayne’s classic recording. It is a new challenge for the rock star who grew up listening to Jeff’s album.

Sharing the stage, as Beth, is one of the most in demand talents in modern musical theatre - Kerry Ellis. Having received huge acclaim for her roles in West End hits Wicked and We Will Rock You, Kerry is described as the new “First Lady of the West End.” AND last week, she won a What’s On Stage Award for Best Solo performance for her Anthems project and has also recently released her debut album with Queen legend, Brian May.

They will be joining one of the world’s finest actors, Liam Neeson, as The Journalist, taking up the ‘baton’ previously occupied by the late Richard Burton.  Liam’s 3D holograhic performance will be seen in three separate ways, including the world’s first full body hologram, interacting with live performers on stage.

THE NEC GETS SET TO SEE THE BIGGEST GADGET SHOW LIVE YET

11th-15th April 2012 NEC, Birmingham

The event is based on the popular Channel Five TV show and is widely recognised as the best place to see, try and buy the latest consumer technology. With all Friday, Saturday and Sunday (13-15 April) tickets already sold out, 2012 is set to be the biggest show yet.

Now in its fourth year, the show will still the latest technology from the world’s leading electronics firms, such as LG, O2, HP, Epson, Pioneer, Phillips, Canon and JVC. Visitors can try out the new OLED TVs alongside smart and connected home technology, 3D projectors, 3D and HD camcorders, as well as new tablets, phones, laptops and gaming consoles; manyof which will be on show for the first time in the UK.

Other key features include the HUB Theatre, which returns after a hugely successful first run at last year’s event, to offer six free daily presentations of the best tech on show, gadgets to look out for and tips to get the best out of your gadgets. This year will even include a session on how to create a number one single just through the power of your smartphone, The Hub is presented by Stuff TV’s Lucy Hedges and Radio One’s Aled Hayden Jones.

The Game Zone is also extended for 2012 with games and products from the likes of Kuoda, Codemasters, Alienware, Epic and Leapfrog, as well as retailer GAME and many gaming challenges for everyone to get involved – pro and amateur players alike!  Epic and Train to Gain will give visitors the chance to design and build games of their own within its new theatre.

Not forgetting the one hour long, high energy, live theatre version of the TV show which will take place in the expanded Super Theatre three times daily. The show’s presenters will be on stage competing in high-energy tech challenges and inviting the audience to participate in a range of contests to win more gadgets! Each show seats 6,000 people (an increase of 2,000 seats from 2011).

To find out more and to buy tickets,  visit www.thenec.co.uk

LIONEL RITCHIE GETS SET TO SAY ‘HELLO’ TO THE LG ARENA

26th October 2012 - LG Arena

Tickets went on sale at 9.30am on Monday 5 March, priced at £65, £50, £40 (plus booking and transaction fees), and are available from The Ticket Factory: www.theticketfactory.com or 0844 338 8000

This October will see soul legend Lionel Ritchie take to the stage at the LG Arena; in a night full of his best-loved hits and new material from his long-awaited ‘Tuskegee’ album, which was set to be released in March.

Known for hits like ‘Hello’, ‘Dancing on the Ceiling’, ‘My Love’ and ‘All Night Long’, Lionel is without a doubt one of the biggest and best-selling solo artists of the 20th Century, and his success continues way into the noughties. His latest album ‘Tuskegee’, named after his place of birth, is set for release later this month and features re-recorded versions of 14 of his biggest hits. He has teamed up with the likes of Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and even Pixie Lott for a series of special duets.

Audiences are never disappointed with Richie’s exuberant live shows which deliver a mix material from a 30 plus year career from the memorable early days of the Commodores’, to the sweet serenades of his Eighties piano ballads and more recent up tempo pop material from the Noughties.

THE ULTIMATE OLIMPICK CHALLENGE

Jayne Howarth was disappointed to have missed out on London 2012 tickets, but discovers another elite sporting event in the Cotwolds this spring that is celebrating its 400th anniversary

As the world’s finest athletes prepare to travel to London for the greatest sporting event of the year, another elite set of contenders is getting ready to take part in their own Olimpick challenge.

That is not a mis-spelling, for we are talking about Olimpicks, Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks, in the delightful Cotswold town of Chipping Campden, to be exact.

Forget the blur as Usain Bolt charges towards the 100m finishing line; forget the steely determination of pentathlete Jessica Ennis or the tenacity of cyclist Victoria Pendleton. Instead, cheer on some of the Cotswolds’ most intrepid residents, who will be vying for the title of shin-kicking champion of 2012  on Friday, June 1, 2012, at Dover’s Hill.

Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks was born 400 years ago in 1612 after the lawyer gained the permission of James I to stage the games as a way of allowing local farmers and farmhands to have some fun after the toils of spring.

Recognised as being the “pre-dawn of the Olympic Movement” by the British Olympic Association, the games have had a chequered history.

They have been held on and off since 1612, disappearing only when the Puritans, the Civil War and the Enclosure Act, which saw the seizure of common land on which the games were held, put paid to the event.

The games have been staged annually since 1966 - except when bad weather and foot and mouth disease led to their cancellation -and are now firmly fixed in the town’s calendar.

Over the years locals have witnessed such spectacles as wrestling, backsword fighting, coursing, sledgehammer throwing and dwile flonking (a bizarre event that involves two teams dancing and throwing a beer-soaked cloth - the dwile - at each other).

And while there are still plenty of sports at this quintessentially English event, such as tug of war, obstacle race and running, shin-kicking is one of the favourites among the spectators.

Contenders wear white coats, which represent the traditional shepherd’s smock, and are allowed to cover their shins with straw to cushion any blows. The aim is to weaken your opponent by kicking their shins and then throwing them to the ground.

Other activities, such as demonstrations of dog handling and falconry, fairground rides, a procession with marching bands, the crowning of the Shuttlewake Queen, fireworks and a bonfire, complete this most unique of events.

Organiser Clive Thompson is particularly excited to stage a special event that will mark the 400th year milestone – the performance of Welcome Songs, a nationwide project that will involve members of the public, renowned ensemble I Fagiolini and artistic director Robert Hollingworth, as well as folk singer Eliza Carthy.

The Robert Dover Olimpick Games takes place on Dover’s Hill, Chipping Campden, on Friday, June 1st, 2012.

Activities begin at 2pm this year to mark the 400th anniversary, although sporting events start at 7.30pm.

Admission is £6 per adult and £3 per child.

A special souvenir booklet has been written to mark the 400th anniversary of the games.  It costs £4 and can be ordered from  www.olimpickgames.co.uk

LONGBOROUGH FESTIVAL OPERA

THE MAGIC FLUTE  9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16 June

KATYA KABANOVA  26, 27, 29, 30 June

GOTTERDAMMERUNG  17, 19, 22, 24 July

SWEENEY TODD  28, 29 July

Our Box Office is usually open 10am - 4pm Monday to Friday.

You may book by telephone on 01451 830292,  or by post to Longborough Festival Opera,  Longborough,  Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, GL56 0QF

You can also make a ticket request online using credit or debit card. www.lfo.org.uk

ANNUAL LEVELLERS DAY, BURFORD

19th May 2012

Hundreds of people, some wearing seventeenth century dress and carrying drums, pikes and banners, will march through Burford on Saturday 19th May in honour of the Levellers, known to many as Britain’s first democracy movement.

The Levellers were a farsighted movement of soldiers and citizens who campaigned for the right to vote. Du ring the English Civil War, they fought against King Charles I, initially seeing Oliver Cromwell as a liberator but later opposing him when it became clear he was a dictator-in-waiting. Over 300 of them were captured by Cromwell’s troops and locked up in Burford church. On 17th May 1649, three Leveller soldiers were shot in the churchyard.

The Levellers have been commemorated in Burford since 1975. Events this year will include topical debate, a special exhibition, music from Gary Kaye and comedy from Iszi Lawrence,along with a dedication ceremony

Described as an uplifting, family-friendly event which aims to relate the Levellers to our own time in ways that are inspiring, educational and enjoyable, committee members say that it is popular with tourists, international visitors, folk music fans and those who enjoy “living history”, as well as political aficionados and community groups.

For further information see www.levellers.org.uk

CHIPPING CAMPDEN LITERATURE FESTIVAL

1st-6th May

Co artistic director Vicky Bennett, describes this event as a small, friendly festival which gives the audience, the opportunity to meet authors and to participate.

The theme for this years events is ‘All For Love’ and the programme includes music, theatre, film and fun.

Highlights include award winning Claire Tomalin and Paula Byrne celebrating the British love of biography with talks on Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Whilst lovers of crime fiction have the opportunity of hearing highly acclaimed novelist James Runcie, writer of ‘The Granchester Chronicles’. Orion children’s author Linda Newbery will launch ‘The Treasure House’ and Archers’ actors Sunny Ormond and John Telfer will explore the fascinating world of Philip Larkin through his wit, words, women and music. Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of Guardian News & Media will talk about his forthcoming book ‘Ballade: Why Amateurs Should Attempt the Impossible.’ There will also be a residential poetry weekend and a demonstration showing how to make beautiful paper from recycled materials.

Events will take place at various venues throughout the beautiful town of Chipping Campden including the Town Hall, Old Police Station, School and St James Church.

For more information telephone 01386 841 222 or visit www.campdenlitfest.co.uk

THE GALLERY UPSTAIRS SUMMER EXHIBITION 2012 – “An English Summer”

Established in the Midlands as an important centre for British contemporary art and craft, the gallery promotes the works of young emerging artists alongside well known established artists and craftsmen.

In the garden there will be the striking limited edition “Half Apple” from David Watkinson made in polished cold cast bronze.

Stained Glass Illustrator Tamsin Abbott will be giving a talk & demonstration at Torquil Pottery on the 16th June at 11am and 2pm.

In celebration of the Jubilee on Monday 4th June, there will be strawberries & cream, Pimms & lemonade and music from “Retrojaz” in the garden from 1.30 to 4pm.

Tickets on the door £5 with proceeds going to the Cynthia Spencer NHS Hospice in Northampton.

CHIPPING CAMPDEN MUSIC FESTIVAL

6th-19th May 2012

The fabulous Chipping Camden Music Festival returns for its eleventh year.  President, Paul Lewis, describes it as one of the UK’s most important and distinctive music festivals. ’Great music is played by some of the most wonderful musicians in surroundings which offer the audience the opportunity to feel directly involved in the experience, while at the same time giving the performers the chance to be inspired and energised by the intense concentration of those listening.’

The programme includes returning artists such as the Nash Ensemble and Lawrence Power alongside the fresh faces of the Elias String Quartet and Imogen Cooper. Paul Lewis will play some of Schubert’s later works and on 9 May will play alongside tenor Mark Padmore to perform the composer’s final song cycle. Other composers represented include: Purcell, Brahms, Beethoven and Monteverdi. The Festival includes evening concerts, a film, two candlelit performances, a jazz picnic and several free weekday lunchtime recitals. So, whether you love the intimacy of Chamber Music or the sparks that are guaranteed to fly at the performances of the Festival’s Academy Orchestra, you are sure to find something you will enjoy.

For booking information, see www.campdenmusicfestival.co.uk or call the enquiry line on 01386 849018

Stratford-upon-Avon’s literary heritage to be celebrated

by Jayne Howarth

April in Stratford-upon-Avon means one thing: a celebration of the arts. The programme of events begins with a weekend-long party, from April 20th-22nd, to mark William Shakespeare’s 448th birthday on April 23.

The celebrations begin with the Shakespeare Birthday Lecture at The Shakespeare Institute on April 20th.

Central to the events is the Birthday Procession, which takes place on Saturday, April 21st at 10.30am.

There will be plenty of fun, free events for all the family, across the town during the day. The Royal Shakespeare Company is also organising a range of activities to complement the celebrations between noon and 6pm outside the theatres.

The following day features the Shakespeare Service at Holy Trinity Church, at 11am.

April 22nd also sees the beginning of the town’s literary festival, which ends on May 7th.  Among the guests will be Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and her predecessor Sir Andrew Motion.  Other big names include Jeremy Paxman, Prue Leith, broadcaster Jenni Murray; novelist PD James; and Sue Townsend.

The wide-ranging programme takes place at venues across the town, including the Shakespeare Centre and the Civic Hall.

For more details about events and ticket prices about the Stratford Literary Festival, visit www.stratfordliteraryfestival.co.uk

For details about the events to mark Shakespeare’s birthday, visit www.shakespearesbirthday.org.uk

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by David Baldwin

Moonrise Kingdom

To get a measure of just how popular American writer-director Wes Anderson has become since his first feature Bottle Rocket, consider the fact that his latest – Moonrise Kingdom – opens this year’s Cannes Film Festival. That’s quite an honour for any film-maker, and shows how far this quirky outsider has come since he first tip-toed his way onto the cinematic scene.

It wasn’t Bottle Rocket that put Anderson on the map though. That was Rushmore, his late 90s high school comedy about try-hard overachiever Max Fischer and the love triangle he forms with his teacher (Olivia Williams) and a morose millionaire (Bill Murray). With its unique visual style, mannered dialogue and nostalgic soundtrack, it had a design all its own, and that’s something Anderson has perfected over the course of the past decade or so in films like The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and the charming stop-motion animation Fantastic Mr. Fox.

But for every cheerleader of Anderson’s work, there’s a smug naysayer who says he’s now just repeating himself, throwing in the usual oddball characters and symmetrical shots, bringing nothing new to the table and proving he’s all style and no substance. Those naysayers won’t be changing their opinion for Moonrise Kingdom.

Footage has been hard to come by so far, but catch a glimpse of the trailer and it confirms within seconds that this is a Wes Anderson film and no mistake. Moonrise Kingdom tells the story of a pair of kids (Kara Hayward & Jared Gilman) who one day decide to leave their small town, leading the Sheriff (Bruce Willis), the boy’s parents (Frances McDormand & Bill Murray) and other locals to search them out.

Murray himself has become something of a lucky charm for Anderson, appearing in every single one of his films since his first-class turn in Rushmore, but this is the first time Anderson has worked with Willis and Edward Norton (appearing as a slightly dippy scout leader), lending a bit more interest to this project after the let down of his last live action film, The Darjeeling Limited – a fairly dull affair that suggested Anderson might have run out of steam.

The hope is that Moonrise Kingdom will be a return to form for Anderson and proof to his critics that he’s more than just a bunch of carefully considered mannerisms. His films always have heart, it’s just you have to search a little harder than most movies. It’s there, beating away beneath the oddball ticks and blanket of hipster irony. And it’s what makes his films much more than just something nice to look at.

The Electric Cinema

0121 643 7879 www.theelectric.co.uk

47-49 Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY

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by Toni Storey

Nestling in the heart of Birmingham’s buzzing Brindleyplace sits the Ikon art gallery, a hidden gem whose original Victorian building belies the slick and striking architecture within.

Once housing the Oozells Street primary school, this charming building continues to educate. For treading in the footsteps of its scholastic predecessor, the gallery runs workshops for all ages and has the “Slow Boat” project – a canal barge that works with young people and resident artists.

Ikon predominantly shows contemporary, conceptual artworks that are both intellectually and creatively stimulating.

The friendly atmosphere and quirky nature of the surroundings, which includes a gift shop and a bar/ café that has a menu to rival most gastro-pubs, makes it a must-visit venue.

The Martin Creed-designed musical, glass lift will also raise a chuckle for the young-at-heart, starting its ascent from the ground floor with a deep baritone note, rising to an angelic soprano on the top floor, courtesy of Birmingham choir Ex Cathedra.

This April, Ikon has three art shows that run until the 29th of the month.

The first is “Walking Artist” by renowned British artist Hamish Fulton. The exhibition is a major collaboration between Ikon and Turner Contemporary, Margate, and is the first major show since Fulton’s retrospective at Tate Britain in 2002.

Fulton’s installation consists of a series of huge, graphic wall drawings that use text to explain the tens of thousands of miles he has walked across the globe.

This theme began in 1973 when Fulton walked more than 1,000 miles in 47 days from Duncansby Head to Land’s End. Afterwards, he decided to “only make art resulting from the experience of individual walks”. His work now relates to social and political issues close to his heart.

His thoughtful art comments on such issues as China as an ascendant superpower; the political independence and justice for Tibet; and the plight of the North American Indians or Australian Aborigines.

The second exhibition this month is Sarah Browne’s “How to Use Fool’s Gold”. It is the first solo exhibition for this young rising star from Dublin and it includes her entry for the 2009 Venice Biennale.

Browne works with small communities of people to document their livelihoods, their resourcefulness and the creative forms of their existence

In “Modern Lives”, she asked people in Iceland about their lives and knitted traditional sweaters for them to wear that featured their words, then photographed them in a sequence of retro poses, echoing the style of knitting patterns of the mid-twentieth century.

The third and final exhibition is the profoundly moving “Postcards From Japan – A Message From Tohoku Artists”.

Sculptors Hironori Katagiri and Kate Thompson were working in their studio in Iwate when the tsunami struck in Tohoku, Japan, on March 11th, 2011. Despite this cataclysmic disaster, the Japanese postal system was one of the first lines of communication to be re-established, allowing survivors to let their nearest and dearest know they were safe.

Inspired by the impact of the postcards, Katagiri and Thompson invited other artists from the devastated region to take part in a collective project. It proved to be the catalyst for many of the artists there to return to art for the first time since the disaster and the results are beautiful, tender, sad and hopeful.

The Ikon will be closed between April 30th and May 16th in preparation for a new selection of artworks, including sculptures, film, photographs and installations from Moroccan artist Yto Barrada, who will reflect on her hometown of Tangier.

Running alongside this will be the “My Bad” exhibition by multi-media Welsh artist Bedwyr Williams, who will bring his sharp eye, wry humour and flamboyant costumes to Ikon.

Ikon Gallery, 1,Oozles Square

Brindleyplace, Birmingham B12HS

Tel: 0121 248 0708

www.ikon-gallery.co.uk

For those wishing to enjoy something rather more traditional, look no further than rural Warwickshire.

As well as hosting three international standard major exhibitions each year, Compton Verney, which is owned by Sir Peter Moore, houses six permanent and diverse collections.

But on March 31st, one of the county’s most treasured art galleries comes out of hibernation with two wonderful exhibitions to delight art lovers.

The majestic, neo-classical manor house, Compton Verney, which is set in “Capability” Brown’s bucolic landscape, will come to life with Gainsborough’s Landscapes: Themes and Variations and Into the Light: French and British painting from impressionism to the early 1920s.

The exhibition of Sir Thomas Gainsborough’s work will transport the viewer into a pastoral idyll.  We tend to think of Gainsborough (1727-1788) as the famed mid-eighteenth century portrait artist from Suffolk and rival to legendry Sir Joshua Reynolds.

However, his passion and pleasure was for landscape, and he declared that: “I am sick of portraits and wish very much to … walk off to some sweet village where I can paint landskips and enjoy the fag End of Life in quietness and ease.”

He had been in the business of painting since he was 13 years old, which was when he was sent to London to work as an artist’s apprentice to learn about the “alchemy” of painting.

At 17 Gainsborough had his own studio and by 19, he was married and was embarking on a lucrative portraiture business.

However, the landscapes were his real joy and despite selling relatively few, he regarded them as his most important works and devoted much time to the creation of these “landscapes of his own brain”.

The exhibition brings together some of Gainsborough’s finest landscape oil paintings, sketches and etchings, from both public and private collections. It features the English countryside, its forms, textures and colours, and the people and animals that lived and worked it.

The artworks have been chosen by the curator to represent six principal landscape types, many of which have not previously exhibited, showing how Gainsborough developed his style and orchestrated them.

From miniature sketches to giant, classically-inspired oil paintings, this exhibition is a wonderful insight into the artist as a sociable, altruistic, musical man, as well as artistic genius.

At the same time, Compton Verney will be displaying a collection of paintings by both French and British Impressionists and Post-Impressionists up to the early 1920s.

“Into the Light” comprises 54 paintings and drawings on loan from major galleries across the UK, including works by Boudin, Cézanne, Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sickert, Sisley, Alexander Stanhope Forbes and Philip Wilson.

It looks at the production of paintings from either side of the Channel during this decisive period in the history of European art, revealing comparisons between the artists’ works.

“Into the Light” illustrates some of the emerging trends in technique and materials utilised by the artists. The stunning, evocative depictions of the shifting of light over the landscape were the result of innovative techniques and their breath-taking results challenged the academic standards of their day.

These programmes mark a stunning debut to the start of the Compton Verney year. The addition of the Van Dyke triptych of King Charles I, on loan from the Royal collection at Windsor, is another exciting reason for a great day out at this superb location.

It is not just inside the gallery that visitors love to visit; the walk to the grand house is also part of the visitor experience. Whether you walk directly over the Adam-style Upper Bridge, which is flanked by the famous sphinxes, or take your time meandering along the woodland path through a carpet of spring flowers, it is a sight for sore eyes.

Compton Verney, Warwickshire CV35 9HZ

Tel: 01926 645 500

info@comptonverney.org.uk

www.comptonverney.org.uk

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by Rachel New

Warning, festival whinge alert! As we approach what used to be my favourite time of year for enjoying live music whilst losing myself in the camping spirit, I can’t help having a bit of a downer on festivals.

In the last 5 years they have become ridiculously expensive, far too commercial and oh my word don’t even get me started on crowded! Once you’ve walked two miles from the campsite, queued for 20 minutes for a loo and stood at the back of a giant field watching your music idols cavort like teeny tiny dolls in the distance you›re not always in the mood for fun. And when it’s all over there’s the traffic jams and long, torturous drive home. Which is why I’m so excited about ‘Lakefest’, a brand new festival, just down the road, which should involve none of the above! For starters it’s ridiculously affordable and so small you’ll be camping a stones throw from the action, round a rather lovely lake! And the line-up means you won’t feel like someone’s Grandma. In fact it›s a bit of a 90’s tribute weekend, with Toploader, Dodgy and Chesney Hawkes on the bill as well as some up and coming bands, making it ideal for a family weekend of music appreciation. And if you’ve ever watched the footage of a muddy, overpopulated Glastonbury with open mouthed horror, I can assure this will be in a totally different league!

Lakefest, 18-19 May, Croft Farm Water Park. www.lakefest.co.uk

Rachel New from the Heart FM breakfast show

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Orchestra of the Swan is to celebrate English composers past and present at its annual Spring Sounds Festival from May 18 to June 15.

The leading chamber orchestra conducted by David Curtis and Kenneth Woods will also be marking The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee during the three-concert programme staged in association with Touch FM at Stratford-upon-Avon Civic Hall.

Pianist Mark Bebbington will be joining the orchestra to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of John Ireland by playing his lush romantic Piano Concerto, and his tone poem ‘Legend’ on Friday, May 18.

Supported by the John Ireland Trust as the composer’s official anniversary concert, the programme will also include Vaughan Williams’ fizzing Wasps Overture and his romantic and gentle Fifth Symphony.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Frederick Delius, cellist Julian Lloyd Webber will be playing the composer’s lyrical Cello Concerto on the same Barjansky Stradivarius instrument that it was first performed on Saturday June 2.

The performance will begin with Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite no1 and continue with Elgar’s Enigma Variations and his Pomp and Circumstance March no4 in honour of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.

The concert will help raise money for Castel Froma, a specialist care centre in Royal Leamington Spa that meets the needs of people with complex neurological difficulties.

The Festival will conclude with two world premieres of trumpet music by John McCabe and Oxford University student Deborah Pritchard both of which have been written for young soloist Simon Desbruslais who will be performing them along with a trumpet work by Deborah’s tutor Robert Saxton on Friday, June 15.

McCabe’s Trumpet Concerto “La Primavera” has been inspired by the movements of athletes while Deborah Pritchard’s ‘Skyspace’ is inspired by James Turrell’s skyscapes.

The programme also includes Saxton’s ‘Psalm - A Song of Ascents’, William Byrd’s ‘Sellinger’s Round’ and other madrigals, and Sir Michael Tippett’s ‘Little Music for Strings’ and his own version of ‘Sellinger’s Round’.

Tickets are available priced from £9.50 to £21.50 by calling Stratford-upon-Avon Civic Hall box office on 01789 207100 (www.civichall.co.uk).

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by Jayne Howarth

Birmingham is gearing up for a spectacular four-week celebration of dance, with performances from classical ballerinas to 1,000 amateur enthusiasts in a “pop-up” city-wide event.

The biennial International Dance Festival Birmingham – one of the largest dance festivals in the world – runs between April 23 and May 19 at a host of venues across the city and at Warwick Arts Centre.

Produced by DanceXchange and the Birmingham Hippodrome, the IDFB will feature work by internationally-renowned dancers from as far afield as Cuba and Australia, and will also include outdoor performances across the city and in a park playground.

Kicking off this third festival is Home, a new production that will see 1,000 people from Birmingham surprising shoppers, commuters and city workers with “pop-up” performances throughout the city every day during the festival.

David Massingham, artistic director of DanceXchange and co-artistic director of IDFB 2012, said Home, which examines what ‘home’ means to the performers, is one of the festival’s most innovative participatory projects yet.

Home will also form part of Dancing for the Games, which is inspired by London 2012 and part of the Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands.

It is just one of many premieres at the festival.

Dance lovers will be able to see the inaugural performance The Impending Storm, choreographed by dancer David Toole with a team of UK and South African able-bodied and disabled artists; Spill by Australia’s Shaun Parker, whose free outdoor production at Cannon Hill Park will see performers combining dance with high energy street gymnastics in the playground; and Wings of Desire, the finale of the festival, which is inspired by the 1987 movie of the same name. To be performed in Victoria Square, it will incorporate dancers, rock climbers, circus, soundscape and projection.

American dancer and choreographer Jessica Lang will also premiere Lyric Pieces, commissioned by Birmingham Royal Ballet and IDFB, as part of the Three Short Works performance at The Crescent Theatre.

The legendary Sylvie Guillem is returning to the city to perform Push with Russell Maliphant at the Birmingham Hippodrome, one of myriad top, international dancers to come to the city for the event.

Also making the journey are the Royal Ballet Flanders, Canadian contemporary dancer Louise Lecavalier, Danza Contemporanea De Cuba, Colombia’s renowned Circolombia, and Spanish dance company Aracaladanza, which will be performing enchanting new shows for children as part of the family weekend, on May 5-7.

David Massingham said the family weekend was a crucial element of the festival.

“Children are the audiences of the future and it is important for us that the festival has something to offer young and old alike,” he explained.

“This weekend is a great opportunity for us to engage with families and show them that dance is an experience and activity that can be enjoyed together as a family, at any age and in a wonderful environment.”

For more details about the IDFB, log onto www.idfb.co.uk

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by David Baldwin

It’s been a long time since The Muppets were at the heart of popular culture. Their last cinematic feature was well over a decade ago (the lacklustre Muppets From Space), and an attempt to relaunch their TV show in the late 90s lasted two rather average seasons. Things had definitely come a long way away from the days when Jim Henson’s colourful puppets ruled the airwaves.

So as superfan Jason Segel unleashes a brand new Muppet Movie in these cynical, advertising-led days of iPhones, PSPs and Spongebobs, you have to wonder whether a bunch of fluffy felt puppets can once again capture the imagination of both adults and children?

The answer, pleasingly, has to be a resounding yes. And you have to give credit for that to Segel, who personally petitioned Disney to make the film and ensures that the heart and joie de vivre of Jim Henson stays at the centre of the story, largely thanks to an entirely new Muppet – Walter, an innocent abroad who’s one of the Muppets’ biggest fans and ends up helping Kermit and co. back into the spotlight.

To get an idea of how much The Muppets means to Segel, consider the fact that during the first proper read through of the script, he almost burst into tears when Kermit first spoke. He’s said that they were a massive part of his childhood, and now he wants to introduce Fozzy, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, Animal, Beaker, the Swedish Chef and all their fellow Muppets to a new generation as they reunite to put on a show to save their old theatre, featuring singing, dancing, chickens and chickens who can sing and dance.

One of the best moves that Segel has made with this new Muppets move is that he doesn’t shy away from the fact that Kermit and the gang have faded in popularity. He positively embraces it, creating a world where innocent fare like The Muppets has been replaced with TV shows like the entirely plausible sounding ‘Punch Teacher’. And then there are ‘the Moopets’, a bunch of cheap rip-offs playing a Las Vegas casino who have the likes of ‘Miss Poogy’ and ‘Kermoot’ in their ranks.

Of course, what would a Muppet movie be without celebrity cameos? Past movies have featured the likes of John Cleese, Steve Martin and Orson Welles (?!), and this new Muppet adventure is no different. We don’t want to ruin all of them for you, but expect the likes of Jack Black and Dave Grohl to join the anarchy on screen, many of them performing the horribly catchy ‘Mahna Mahna’ song during the end credits.

Everyone, whether critic or audience member, seems agreed that this is a fantastic return to form for The Muppets, and having already established itself as the highest grossing film in the entire series, we definitely won’t have to wait another decade before we see them again.

Welcome back, Kermit.

The Electric Cinema

0121 643 7879

47-49 Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY

www.theelectric.co.uk

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by Rachel New from the Heart FM breakfast show

I’ve decided in this age of belt tightening and cut backs the one thing I can’t do without is live music. But the cost of seeing a global superstar is way out of my budget these days.

Which is how I hit upon my greatest idea of 2012 so far... choose the cheaper imitation instead! There’s a tribute band out there to suit everyone’s taste, they’re usually playing on your doorstep for a fraction of the real deal - and the names alone offer entertainment! In March you can enjoy ‘Think Floyd’ in Bilston, ‘I am Beyonce’ in Lichfield, and ‘The Stones’ in Redditch. Unbelievably (confirming rumours he’s still alive) even ‘Elvis Presley’ is playing at the LG Arena!!

Now I can’t vouch for the virtues of ‘Definitely Might Be’ (Oasis tribute in Stourbridge) or ‘The Kast off Kinks’ (in Bilston) but I bet it’s a good night out, a chance to sing along to all your favourite songs without breaking the bank.

Bootleg Beatles in Malvern here I come!!

Elton John, Lichfield Garrick Nigel John, leading tribute to Elton John 16th & 17th March

Elvis Presley in concert - 17th March LG Arena

I am Beyonce, Lichfield Garrick - The Counterfeit Stones, Worcester, Swan Theatre

Definetly Might Be and Adored, at the River Rooms in Stourbridge

Bootleg Beatles from Stoke to Malvern

Kast off Kinks in Bilston

Fleetwood Bac at River Rooms in Stourbridge

The Stones in Redditch

Think Flloyd at The Robin in Bilston

Maetloaf in Stourbridge

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In the Spotlight

Talented young dancers from Midland Theatre Ballet are to take to the stage next month for their debut performance of timeless classic Sleeping Beauty.

The company, the brainchild of Artistic Director Lisa Hollinshead, is to stage two performances at the Crescent Theatre, Birmingham, in March.

Since it was launched in May 2011, students of Midland Theatre Ballet have met at the Birmingham Royal Ballet studios in Hurst Street for their Sunday training and rehearsal sessions with current and former professional ballet dancers, all of whom have contributed to the exquisite choreography.

Now, after nearly eight months of classes, the students are ready to hit the spotlight.

Lisa launched the company because she said young ballet students in the region lacked the opportunities to perform during their everyday training.

After selecting the finest young dancers in the region after rigorous auditions, they were offered the unique opportunity to train together.

“If you want your children to gain experience in the theatre, you often have to send them to London, which can be difficult for parents to manage,” explains Lisa.

“That’s where Midland Theatre Ballet comes in. It gives dancers the chance to have their moment on stage, and to benefit from some outstanding teaching and choreography.”

Already, the project has made an impression on ballet schools across the Midlands, with students travelling from Derbyshire, and even Wales, to join the training.

“It is truly a fantastic ballet company,” says Siobhan Collins-McCarthy, principal of The Siobhan Collins-McCarthy Dance Academy in Harborne. “All my students who have participated have told me they’ve had a great time, and I will definitely be encouraging them to audition again for the next performance. It’s such a great opportunity for them to perform.”

Sleeping Beauty is set to be a spectacular experience for all. Combined with lavish sets and beautiful costumes, it promises to be a breathtaking performance.

Sleeping Beauty will take place at the Crescent Theatre Birmingham on the 16th & 17th March 2012. Auditions for 2013’s performance of Beauty & the Beast are taking place 19th February & 25th March.

For more details, visit www.midlandtheatreballet.co.uk

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Joe Bonamassa  Saturday, 31 March 2012

Joe Bonamassa is hailed as one of the greatest young blues guitarists of his generation. Championed by Eric Clapton, and voted Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2009 Classic Rock Magazine Awards and voted ‘Best Overall Guitarist’, ‘Best Blues Guitarist’ in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2010 Reader’s Choice Awards, Joe is a living legend, one of the premier Blues/Rock guitarists on the planet and he is also evolving into a singer-songwriter of stylistic depth and emotional resonance.

JLS  16 - 17 March 2012 & Tuesday, 17 April 2012

After announcing that they are bringing their ‘4th Dimension’ tour to the LG Arena in March, JLS have now added a third date to their stint.In addition to 16 and 17 March, the boys will return to the LG Arena on 17 April to give fans a chance to see them live.

With five Number 1 singles and two Platinum albums already under their belt, JLS have secured their place as one of the UK’s biggest boybands. Their long-awaited third is album due out on 14 November 2011, giving fans the chance to get acquainted with their new material ahead of the 2012 tour.

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Thursday, 1 March 2012

Since Oasis split back in 2009, fans have been awaiting the return of Noel Gallagher and they shall have to wait no more as he’s heading to the NIA next March with his solo moniker, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The Manchester band will roll in to the NIA in early 2012 as part of a seven date tour that will visit cities across the UK and Ireland.

The Wanted Thursday, 1 March 2012

The Wanted are the hottest thing in pop right now and we’re excited to be welcoming them to the LG Arena next year, as part of their first ever UK arena tour.

On 1 March 2012, Jay, Max, Nathan, Siva and Tom will wow thousands of fans when they take to the stage and perform their biggest hits, including ‘All Time Low’, ‘Glad You Came’, ‘Heart Vacancy’ the Comic Relief single ‘Gold Forever’.

JACK BRUCE & HIS BIG BLUES BAND UK TOUR Thurs, 29 March Birmingham Town Hall 0121 780 3333

Bruce (bassist, singer, composer and musician) has travelled the world and the decades playing diverse musical styles but has now come home to the blues.  The blues have always been the driving force at the root of Jack’s art: from his timeless compositions with Cream – “Sunshine of Your Love”,” White Room”, “I Feel Free” – to his new songs, Jack lives the blues.

UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RIDE INTO BIRMINGHAM’S NIA

24 - 27 May 2012 NIA, Birmingham

The UCI BMX World Championships are coming to Birmingham’s NIA in May for what organisers promise will be the biggest and best BMX show in 2012. The fast-paced event will host over 2,000 riders from across the world, including some of the best names in the sport. Olympic GB hopefuls, Shanaze Reade and Liam Phillips will be hoping to achieve world titles in their last major competition before the London 2012 Olympics, with the event also providing the final opportunity for elite athletes to secure qualification points that will count towards the 2012 Games.

Ticket prices vary, with family passes (two adults, two children) ranging from £56-£66 and adult tickets priced at £21-£25 for the Friday and Saturday evenings (plus booking and transaction fees). www.bmxworldchamps.co.uk

THE GREATEST DOG SHOW ON EARTH IS BACK IN BIRMINGHAM

CRUFTs - 8-11 March 2012   NEC, Birmingham  Tickets start from £10

The ‘greatest dog show on earth’, Crufts, is set to return to Birmingham’s NEC next spring offering dog-lovers four days of canine celebrations. From 8-11 March 2012, thousands of dogs will participate in the event swapping medals and world records for trophies and rosettes. The 2011 event saw Crufts celebrate its 120th anniversary with over 1,200 overseas dogs taking part, representing more than 50 countries in a wide variety of competitions and events. In total around 28,000 dogs participated in the four day extravaganza, which was attended by 135,000 people, cementing Crufts’ reputation as the greatest dog show on earth.

To find out more about the event and to book tickets, visit www.thenec.co.uk

Award-winning show’s sensational return to Stoneleigh in 2012

The Edible Garden Show - 16th - 18th March 2012

Award-winning grow-your-own spectacular The Edible Garden Show makes a sensational return to Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

There will be advice in spades from celebrity gardeners, chefs, growers and livestock experts. From bees, chickens, goats and pigs to seeds, sheds, wellies and wormeries – there is something for everyone. The 2012 show will boast an additional exhibition hall, larger animal marquee and food areas with a wide range of gardening and cookery demonstrations and interactive displays.

BBC TV’s award-winning presenter James Wong is on a mission to tempt gardeners into becoming more adventurous by growing ‘exotic edibles’. The renowned gardener and botanist, who will be giving daily talks, says grow your own doesn’t have to be all about spuds and sprouts. James, who writes an exclusive monthly column with gardening tips and recipes for the show’s popular website, urges gardeners to explore the vast range of exotic fruit and vegetables that can germinate and flourish in the UK climate.

Broadcaster and writer Pippa Greenwood, celebrity chef Rachel Green and The Edible Garden Show’s own ‘Grow Your Own’ guru Paul Peacock will all be on hand to give invaluable tips and advice.

For more show information or to buy tickets visit: www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk or telephone 0844 338 8001

CHICAGO

“Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery and treachery… all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts”… so begins the international award-winning musical CHICAGO starring Ali Bastian as Roxie Hart, Stefan Booth as Billy Flynn, Tupele Dorgu as Velma Kelly and Bernie Nolan as Mama Morton.

Based on real life events back in the roaring 1920s, nightclub singer Roxie Hart shoots her lover and along with Cell Block rival, double-murderess Velma Kelly, they fight to keep from death row with the help of smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn.

The National UK Tour of CHICAGO will be produced by David Ian Productions in association with the Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler.

WHAT’S ON COTSWOLDS

Vaughan Williams: Extracts from Scott of the Antarctic - 8th February 2012 - 19.30

Cheltenham Town hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham, GL50 1QA

Cecilia McDowall: Seventy Degrees  Below Zero world premiere

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 7  Sinfonia Antartica

Robert Murray tenor

Stephen Layton conductor

This landmark concert tour retraces the steps of Captain Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole in music, images and words. Excerpts from Vaughan Williams’s film score Scott of the Antarctic are interwoven with moving readings from Scott’s diary, along with the world premiere of Cecilia McDowall’s new piece setting music to words by poet Seán Street, who uses as his inspiration entries in the Scott journals.

In partnership with the Scott Polar Research Institute

Supported by Arts Council, England, the Colwinston Trust, the RVW Trust, the Summerfield Charitable Trust and the Vaughan Williams Charitable Trust.

Tickets: £30.00, £25.00, £10.00, concessions available.

www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk/item/events

Mozart: A Musical Life

Saturday 11 February 2012 7.30 pm - Wotton Concert Series at  St Mary the Virgin, Culverhay,  Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 7LS

Mozart’s inspired First Symphony, brimming with youthful optimism sits in marked contrast to hisRequiem in which the composer confronts his own mortality. Also in this concert, excerpts from Mozart’s rarely played but magnificent Thamos King of Egypt.

www.wottonconcertseries.co.uk

The Third Luxury Antiques Weekend at Tortworth Court - Friday 24 – Sunday 26 February 2012

The Antiques Dealers Fair Limited is returning to Gloucestershire to stage the third annual Luxury Antiques Weekend at Tortworth Court, Tortworth, near Wotton-under-Edge, GL12 8HH from Friday 24 to Sunday 26 February 2012. The Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel is a magnificent Cotswolds country house surrounded by 30 acres of private grounds and an arboretum containing more than 300 rare species.

www.tortworthcourtfair.com

Cheltenham National  Hunt Festival 2012 - 13 - 16 March  Cheltenham Racecourse, Cheltenham, GL50 4SH Tickets from £20 Gates open 10.30am

The roar of the crowd as the tapes rise for the first race of the Festival each year tells you everything you need to know - 12 months of waiting is over!

Over the course of the week, around 230,000 people will be here to witness the action and soak up the atmosphere and across the country, well over £500 million will be wagered on the outcome of the 26 races.

The feature race on Tuesday is The Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the most sought after prize anywhere for 2 miles hurdlers. The Irish have won seven of the last ten runnings of this historic contest, but Katchit led home a 1-2-3 for Britain in 2008.

Russell Kane Wed 29th Feb 2012  Cheltenham Town Hall Tickets £17.50

Join Fosters Comedy Award Winner and star of loads of stuff on telly, Russell Kane as he mercilessly explores the ridiculous state of masculinity in the modern world. He shaves his chest fur; you watch and laugh.

www.cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk

WHAT’S ON THEATRES

Coventry - Belgrade Theatre

Stars in the Morning Sky - Sat 17 March - Sat 7 April 2012

What dream would you protect with your life?

Chris Hannan’s new adaptation of Alexander Galin’s Moscow Olympics drama, Stars in the Morning Sky, is a brand new Belgrade Theatre production directed by Hamish Glen.

www.belgrade.co.uk

Stratford- upon-Avon

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

SONG OF SONGS - 3 performances only 28 February, 1 & 6 March 2012

A combination of movement and text recreate the sensual world of the Song of Solomon from the King James Bible in an exciting new piece of theatre.

Directed and choreographed by RSC Head of Movement, Struan Leslie, the production will realise the energy, intimacy and eroticism of the poetry in this extraordinary old testament text.

www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on

Birmingham - Hippodrome Theatre

Birmingham Royal Ballet -

Hobson’s Choice - Wed 22 - Sat 25 Feb

A story of boots, booze, love and laughter from award-winning choreographer David Bintley.

Without doubt a classic of our time, don’t miss your chance to join the eccentric Maggie as she puts the world to rights, bags herself the perfect man and starts up her own business to boot.

www.birmingham hippodrome.com

Warwick - Warwick Arts Centre

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast - Wed 8 - Sat 11 Feb 2012

Be our guest and experience the magic of this spectacular stage adaptation of the classic film. Join the eccentric cast of characters from the childhood favourite, brought to life by Music Theatre Warwick. Based on the much-loved animated feature, dancing spoons, singing teapots and an ancient enchantment make this ‘tale as old as time’ family theatre at its best.

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk

Orchestra Of The Swan to work with new ‘composer in the house’

Orchestra of the Swan has been chosen by two of the country’s leading music organisations to take part in a prestigious scheme to re-establish contemporary composers at the heart of the orchestra.

The leading chamber orchestra will be working with 35-year-old award-winning composer Huw Watkins for two years from 2012 as its new ‘Composer in the House’ after being selected by the Royal Philharmonic Society and PRS for Music Foundation.

Composer in the House was created by the RPS and PRSF in 2005 to enable composers to have more space to create new work and to engage audiences more actively with new music through long-term involvement with a composer.

Orchestra of the Swan, which has residencies and concert series in Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham, Bedworth, London and Loughborough, has followed the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Sinfonia ViVA in becoming a Composer in the House recipient.

Huw Watkins, who lives in London, is one of the UK’s most admired composers and pianists, with a body of  distinctive orchestral, chamber and vocal compositions.

Having won the vocal category at this year’s British Composer awards, Huw will be writing new works for Orchestra of the Swan including a major commission in Spring 2013 and pieces for community and concert performance during his residency.

The orchestra has outstanding young pianist Benjamin Grosvenor as its Associate Artist this year, following cellist Julian Lloyd Webber who is now a regular soloist. It is resident at the Civic Hall in Stratford, is Associate Ensemble at Town Hall Birmingham, and has other residencies and concert series at Cadogan Hall London, Bedworth Civic Hall and Loughborough Town Hall.

Vanessa Reed, PRS for Music Foundation Executive Director and Rosemary Johnson, Royal Philharmonic Society Executive Director, said: “Composer in the House provides real opportunities for long-term creative exchange between the composer, orchestra member and audiences - and an essential development of 21st Century orchestral repertoire. The RPS and PRSF partnership is committed to developing wider opportunities for composers.”

David Curtis, Artistic Director of Orchestra of the Swan, said: “We are delighted to receive this award, which recognises our long-term commitment to commissioning and performing new music, placing contemporary composers at the heart of the concert programme.”

He added: “Huw Watkins’ appointment as our Composer in the House will create extremely exciting and innovative opportunities for the orchestra, Huw, our partners in schools and at the Royal College of Music where he teaches, and of course our audiences.”

Huw commented: “I am thrilled to be starting this relationship with the vibrant and enterprising Orchestra of the Swan and hugely grateful to the Royal Philharmonic Society and PRS for Music Foundation for giving me the opportunity to do so.”

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