Entertainment News

An extraordinary sun pendant is to go on public display for the first time as part of the British Museum’s National Programmes. The sun pendant, also known as a bulla, could be one of the most significant pieces of Bronze Age metalwork ever discovered in Britain.

The rare and spectacular object will be hosted at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery later this year from September to December as a British Museum Spotlight Loan. Discovered in the Shropshire Marches in May 2018 by an anonymous metal detector user, nothing like the sun pendant has been found in this country for over a century.

Shrewsbury also hopes to acquire other archeologically significant Bronze Age objects from the same findspot and is launching a crowdfunding campaign to display these objects at the same time as the sun pendant. These important objects allow visitors an insight into the full historic story an opportunity to admire the extraordinary craftsmanship of the objects close to their discovery spot, and help to understand the significance of the local landscape to Bronze Age Britain.

The sun pendant over 3,000 years old, dating between 1000–800BC in the late Bronze Age period. The elegant form and intricate decoration of the gold pendant includes an exceptionally rare depiction of the sun – not previously seen on objects found in Britain. Solar symbolism was a key element of mythology and belief in the Bronze Age and this pendant celebrates the life-giving power of the sun during the time of the earliest metalworkers. The sun pendant is therefore a hugely significant addition to knowledge of the art and iconography of Bronze Age Britain.

The sun pendant marks the end of an era as one of the final expressions of an art style and belief system that had lasted for almost 1,500 years. Deposited intentionally in a wetland landscape of bogs and ponds 3,000 years ago, the pendant provides a starting point for discussions about the role of both water and the sun in the religious beliefs and life in deep history.

Measuring 3.6cm high and 4.7cm wide, this bulla is only the second ever found in Britain. The other Irton bulla – now lost – was discovered near Manchester in 1722 and only known from a picture. Its quality was so high that experts of the day believed it must be Roman. It was last recorded in 1806 before disappearing from records. Curators hope it may one day be rediscovered in a private collection. In Ireland, six similar gold pendants have been found, though these are not identical to this gold pendant.

Alongside the sun pendant, Shropshire Museums are hoping to crowdfund to be able to acquire other historically significant objects unearthed from the findspot to help tell the complete story of ancient Shropshire. These include an exceptionally rare jewellery parcel wrapped by lead, believed to be one of the first records of using this material, and hoards which have the potential to date the transition between Bronze and Iron Ages. Shrewsbury Museum will need to raise £40,000 as the reward value of these Treasure objects.

Raising this money will enable Shrewsbury Museum to add these objects to their collection, preserve them and display to the public. This vast array of high-quality metalwork from this landscape suggests that the Shropshire site was an important location for a form of religious or ceremonial activity for over a thousand years.

These objects and ongoing fieldwork at the findspot reveal important discoveries about this period in British prehistory, advancing our collective archaeological knowledge and understanding of why precious objects would be cast away. Displaying these important objects in situ together for the first time at Shrewsbury Museum would be a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about this historic site.

The objects Shrewsbury are hoping to acquire and display include an unusual lead parcel containing two exquisite gold ‘lock-rings,’ which were likely worn as jewellery in hair or clothing. Found close to the sun pendant, X-ray analysis reveals similar decoration.

Composed of the same gold and from the same period, there appears close technological, cultural and chronological connections between the sun pendant and this lock-ring parcel. The lead sheet acted to wrap and conceal the rings in place, though damaging them in the act, and could also have helped ‘sink’ the light lock-rings when they were deposited in a wet and watery location with limited prospect of recovery.

The lead itself may also be considered a significant sacrifice given the importance of lead in both gold and bronze working. Lead was an important ingredient in bronze production but is rarely found in an unworked state in Bronze Age hoards – there are only ten other previous examples previously discovered.

This is also the first record of this kind of lead artefact to be found in a Late Bronze Age hoard, whilst gold lock-rings themselves have only been found in relatively small numbers – less than 80 examples are known in Ireland, Britain and western France. The combination of lock-ring and lead is completely unique to this parcel. The rarity of the lead and brilliance of the lock-rings indicates that this object is significant both culturally and archaeologically.

The objects Shrewsbury Museum hope to acquire also includes a rare iron axe, of which there are fewer than 30 examples, dating to the period 850–650 BC. This axe is nationally significant as it dates the hoard to the very end of the Bronze Age and potentially within the very earliest Iron Age, straddling the transitional period between the Bronze and Iron Ages.

This is the period where iron was beginning to be used by metal working smiths in Britain. Organic material found with this hoard could provide a crucial radiocarbon date for this transition.

Objects in further hoards that Shropshire Museums hope to acquire include a rare and well-worn cauldron handle as well as weapon fragments that demonstrate significance to our understanding of Bronze Age culture and landscape. The sun pendant will also star in the British Museum’s forthcoming major exhibition on Stonehenge, whilst the Museum is seeking three more museums to host the Spotlight Loan from late 2022 onwards as part of its National Programmes and commitment to sharing the collection as widely as possible across the country.

Part of the Spotlight Loan will also include further precious objects yet to be announced. A British Museum Spotlight Loan Gathering light: A Bronze Age golden sun will be on display at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery from 10 September until 12 December 2021.

Neil Wilkin, Curator, Early Europe at the British Museum said: “The Shropshire sun pendant is an internationally significant object, reflecting the artistic brilliance of communities from the deep past and the social and religious connections that spanned western Europe.

“It is fantastic that Shrewsbury Museum will have the first opportunity to show the pendant and will do so alongside fantastic objects from their own collections. This will allow the pendant to be set in its landscape and regional context for the first time.”

Fay Bailey, Manager, Shropshire Museums said: “The Shropshire sun pendant is an unparalleled find of International significance.

“The discovery of this exceptional object and associated finds helps to deepen our understanding of Bronze Age Britain and confirms that Shropshire has an important story to tell. We are delighted to be the first venue to display this remarkable object.”

Maria Bojanowska, Head of National Programmes at the British Museum said: “The sun pendant is one of the most spectacular objects in our collection. I’m very pleased that through the British Museum’s National Programmes, Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery will be the first place that the public can see this remarkable pendant in person and up close.”

A darts match using the original dart board and cabinet salvaged from the now demolished Birmingham pub The Eagle & Tun - made famous as the location of UB40’s Red Red Wine music video - will mark the end of a city exhibition featuring a host of everyday objects.

The event has been arranged by artist Harun Morrison, Wheatley Fellow at Birmingham’s School of Art, part of Birmingham City University, to celebrate the end of his visual arts show ‘Experiments with Everyday Objects’ in the large gallery space at Eastside Projects. Darts players of any ability and experience are welcome to join the event between 5pm and 8pm on Friday 30 July, held at the gallery’s Heath Mill Lane Digbeth home with individuals and staff teams from the Birmingham arts sector already committing to stepping up to the oche. 

Key artworks in the exhibition include Eagle and Tun fixtures and fittings such as chairs, wine glasses, and signs, salvaged prior to the historic pub’s demolition last year. The interior of Eastside Projects is currently layered in flock wallpaper chosen by the last owner of the Eagle & Tun, as well as a ‘glass harp' red wine glass installation based on the chords of the hit 1983 UB40 recording of ‘Red Red Wine’.

As well as providing the location for the filming of the music video to accompany the global hit from the Birmingham reggae band, The Eagle & Tun, stood on the corner of New Canal Street and Banbury Street close to Birmingham city centre, also featured in a video accompanying the single ‘Take Me Back to London’ by music star Ed Sheeran featuring British rappers Stormzy and Jaykae. The Eagle & Tun was demolished in October 2020 following a Compulsory Purchase Order, to make way for the HS2 terminus at Curzon Street Station next door.

Artist Harun Morrison, said, “The Eagle and Tun Darts Night is an informal way to consider how places can be memorialised through performance. The landscape of Birmingham is rapidly morphing, both through new infrastructure and housing developments. How can we creatively recognise, celebrate and mourn these changes?”

‘Experiments with Everyday Objects’ takes its title from a 1970s science book that describes over sixty experiments for children to do at home using readily available materials.

Harun Morrison has used a copy of the book belonging to his father, a former science teacher to select experiments as scores for a series of actions to camera that evoke the weirder end of YouTube demonstration videos. The series began during the first COVID-19 lockdown using whatever was to hand.

The experiments with everyday objects extend beyond the book’s instructions to include other things with personal and socio-political resonance of various sizes. These include the reconstruction of a stage prop originally designed by dancer Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson (1878–1949), the evocation of the recently demolished Birmingham pub, Eagle & Tun (compulsorily purchased for the HS2 railway development) and his narrow-boat Zoar.

Gavin Wade, Director of Eastside Projects, said, "Harun’s artworks propose many important ideas about the past and future of this part of Birmingham and he carefully weaves together an exhibition that asks us to slow down, be attentive to what is happening around you, and encourages people to ask more questions about the actions they take on a daily basis. Harun is an artist with a quiet, generous vision of bringing people together and recognising creativity in our daily lives."

The annual Wheatley Fine Art Fellowship is managed by Birmingham School of Art and Eastside Projects. With a £9,000 tax-free stipend, the fellowship is intended to give a practitioner time and resources to develop new work and ideas alongside staff and students at Birmingham City University’s prestigious Birmingham School of Art.

The closing date for applications for the next fellowship is Thursday 2 September 2021. The Fellowship lasts for 10 months, commencing in November 2021. Harun Morrison’s ‘Experiments with Everyday Objects’ is at Eastside Projects until Saturday 31 July.

Set to be a staple in your soundtrack this summer, on the track LYCO X WXYNE say: “Birkin Price is song that allows everyone and anyone to feel expensive we all deserve our moment to shine and this is it.”
 
Their recent single ‘Midlands’ created a viral moment across twitter racking up over 100,000 views on the teaser alone with the official video surpassing over 200,000 views and becoming one the most played songs on no signal radio to date. With a growing social presence the boys have also begun to amass serious numbers online for their tik toks & viral videos which are in the millions of views. 
 
WXYNE, originally from Jamaica and LYCO, from Nigeria, discovered each other on Instagram and after swapping musical ideas over social media they decided they had to meet and began their musical journey. The music comes from a place of authenticity and melds different cultural influences to nail down a sound that’s true to them.

WYYNE blesses the tracks with smooth melodies and Jamaican Patois, whilst LYCO offers soft sweet sounds mixed with his native Yoruba twang. Their a dynamic duo to keep your eyes and ears on. 

Thousands of listeners right across the UK are set to enjoy a richer and wider range of radio programming thanks to an innovative new technology called small-scale DAB.

Pioneered by an Ofcom spectrum planner, small-scale DAB provides a low-cost way for local commercial, community and specialist music services to take to the digital airwaves. 

Since February, Ofcom has planned the airwaves and awarded small-scale DAB licences in 25 areas across the UK. With the first round of awards now complete, these licences have the potential to allow the launch of over 500 new local radio stations.  Some of the hundreds of new stations set to launch on small-scale DAB are existing analogue community and small commercial radio services. Many others will be completely new - ranging from grass-roots community services to boutique specialist music stations, and services aimed at minority groups and other under-served audiences.

Ofcom will award further small-scale DAB licences in the North West of England and North East Wales later this year.  Kevin Bakhurst, Ofcom’s Group Director, Broadcasting and Online Content said: "The roll-out of this innovative technology will give listeners across the UK an unprecedented choice of locally produced content – serving communities and audiences across the country in a way never seen before. The UK’s commercial and community radio industry continues to go from strength.”

In Newcastle and Gateshead, Tyneside Community Digital (TCD) will provide four local analogue community radio stations (Radio Tyneside, Nova Radio, LGBQ station Pride FM, and Asian service Spice FM) all of which will be able to broadcast via DAB for the first time. The line-up is also set to include a new North East-based dance music station, Frisk Radio; Hindu FM, a Newcastle-based faith based station aimed at the Hindu community; Anxious Minds Radio, a North East-based station raising awareness of mental health and providing self-help tools for its listeners; and Toon FM, providing news and discussion about all-things Newcastle United.

Richard Finch, one of TCD’s directors said: “Our application had been over a year’s hard work which involved existing FM community radio stations and a whole batch of new channels - most of which are in our locality. DAB radio has been embraced by listeners and it’s now the biggest platform that people tune to.” 

“The service isn’t just about channels that already exist - we will be bringing new services to air including country music, podcasts, dance music and nostalgia. Most of these stations have never been on broadcast radio on Tyneside before.” 

The Sheffield and Rotherham licence was awarded to Shefcast Digital, a consortium of local community radio broadcasters Sheffield Live!, Link FM and Redroad FM.  Planned new services on the multiplex include Forge Radio (student radio from the University of Sheffield Students’ Union); Radio ADP (music and talk radio for Sheffield with a focus on the African diaspora community); It’s Folk Radio (folk music channel from Sheffield); and Mondo Radio (a Sheffield-based underground electronica music station).

Chair of Shefcast Digital, Steve Buckley, said: “Small-scale DAB in Sheffield and Rotherham will increase listener choice, respond to local interests and bring a range and diversity of new local, community and specialist services. For the many loyal listeners to our FM community radio stations it will also mean their favourite channel is finally available on DAB.”

Sangita Basudev, Chief Executive of Sheffield Live!, added: “Since we started as the first licensed community radio station in Sheffield we have always supported the aspirations of others to develop the local and community radio landscape. Through our social enterprise support scheme we are now working with local internet radio stations such as Rother Radio and Gumbo FM to bring them onto DAB, as well as creating some new services of our own.”

In Dudley & Stourbridge, a small-scale multiplex has been awarded to local company, DigiMux. Planned services include Radio India Dudley; Gorgeous FM, an LGBT+ station for Birmingham and the Black Country; and chill-out station, Skylab Radio.

DigiMux technical director, Nigel Ball, said: “The small-scale Dudley & Stourbridge licence will allow stations that are currently online only to broadcast terrestrially for the first time.”

Dave Brownhill, a director of Waterfront Media, which runs the local community radio station Black Country Radio said “We are delighted that DigiMux Ltd have been granted this licence by Ofcom. As a partner in this initiative, it means that Black Country Radio, alongside our new offering Black Country Xtra, will be available on DAB across the Black Country in the coming months.”

Some big laughs are promised in Wolverhampton this autumn as a popular comedy club is back and releasing tickets for its new season.

The Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club is returning to the Slade Rooms on Broad Street with some of the country's best TV and radio comedians. Five gigs are planned during the autumn, and the club will also be celebrating a milestone during the run – its 10^th anniversary of delivering comedy shows in the city.

During the past decade, LOL has brought some hilarious acts to Wolverhampton including local heroes Joe Lycett, a favourite on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown and current host of The Great British Sewing Bee, and Jo Enright, who has starred on TV with both Steve Coogan in I’m Alan Partridge and Peter Kay in Phoenix Nights. LOL Comedy Club has also introduced international stars to the city including Canadian Tom Stade, known for his 'Meat Van' on BBC1's Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, and Malaiwan Daliso Chaponda who was a finalist in 2017’s Britain’s Got Talent.

The team behind the club has worked with the likes of Jason Manford, John Bishop, Sarah Millican, Alan Carr and Chris Ramsey before they hit the big time and are looking forward to introducing some more great acts this autumn.

Marking the anniversary gig on Saturday, September 18, will be comics Patrick Monahan, winner of ITV’s Show Me The Funny, Michael Legge from BBC’s Would I Lie To You? and promising new stand-up Simon Lomas. They will be joined by Brummie MC Susan Murray, one of Huffington Post’s top 100 funny women tweeters.

On Thursday, October 7, the laughs will be provided by Scott Bennett, who won the Comic’s Comic award 2020, comedy magician and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Mandy Muden and Matt Bragg, who has supported both Harry Hill and Phoenix Night’s Clinton Baptiste. They will be joined by 8 Out of 10 Cats writer Roger Monkhouse as MC.

Comedians Danny Mcloughlin from BBC2’s The Premier League show, Danny Deegan of BBC3’s The Adam & Kelly Show and Yuriko Kotani, who has appeared on Russell Howard's Stand Up Central, will be on stage on Thursday November 4. Joining them will be MC Barry Dodds, the only comedian in the UK to have his podcast made into a Hollywood feature film, The Parapod Movie.

Festive fun will be offered on Thursday, December 2 by Britain’s Got Talent runner-up Robert White, Dudley’s own Sean Percival, a veteran of the UK’s comedy festivals, and the multi-award-winning Matt Rees. Barry Dodds will be returning as MC. And on December 16, Steve Harris, North West comedian of the year and support act for Johnny Vegas and Peter Kay, will join character comedian Keith Carter as Nige and Freddie Farrell, who has shared the bill with acclaimed comedians such as Sarah Millican and Chris Ramsey.

MC for the night will be the creative comic Damion Larkin, who will often improvise his entire set. The evening promises to bring the gift of chuckles for Christmas. Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment & climate change, said: “I’m delighted to see the return of the Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club to our city.

“We’ve all experienced a tough time of late and we’re all in need of something to raise our spirits. The comedians who will be performing can certainly promise to do that. It’s also a wonderful way to help us to relight our city and show people what fantastic events Wolverhampton has to offer.

“And a very happy tenth anniversary to the comedy club, we’re thrilled to see you back with us.” All shows will adhere to the most up-to-date guidance around coronavirus (Covid-19) to ensure safety for our audiences.

Major Ruse are gearing up for an exciting year ahead with a residency in Newcastle at Sage Gateshead this Summer where we will be finishing up our debut album and taking part in various music industry masterclasses.

They have opened up our Major Ruse Merchandise shop early to a select few
with an exciting promotion. The first 12 people to purchase our Major Ruse Merch and send us a selfie rocking whatever you've purchased will win a free signed copy of our album plus two free tickets to our private album Launch Party.

They are looking forward to sharing this moment with the lucky winners!

“I’d never thought I’d be presenting on radio and have my own weekly show,” Marcus said.

“Happy Birthday to Radio2Funky and thank you so much for the opportunity and all that you do for our city of Leicester. Shout out to all the presenters on the station for all the hard work you do and big respect to Vijay for encouraging me to come on the station to express my love for jazz music and our local community and for providing the foundation for growth.

“Last but not least and most importantly thank you to all our listeners and supporters it’s truly appreciated! Here’s to many more birthdays! So, tune in for some good Jazz music and get involved in the conversation
with our special guests....

"This album is a body of work that explores themes of personal and external limitations, the idea of what binds us to who and where we are and the transcendence of perceived obstacles to become our authentic selves."

Marcus Joseph & Rob Charles - Wednesday 6-7pm. Radio2Funky 95.0FM
Streamed live on Twitch, YouTube & Facebook. Catch up on Spotify, Soundcloud & Amazon Music

Ardingly Solar is a collaborative project between two science renowned schools - Ardingly College and Ifield Community College – to bring new, fresh thinking to the age-old problem of vehicle pollution. Tackling pollution ‘one car at a time’, the students have developed a series of innovative solutions over the last decade. The Institute of the Motor Industry has supported Ardingly Ifield Solar throughout its developments, playing a pivotal role in the construction of each of the solar cars, as well as developing an electric vehicle extracurricular course for pupils that will be trialled at Ardingly College and Ifield Community College this September.

Having endured a year where much of their innovation could not be showcased, the Ardingly Ifield Solar team are now embarking on a mammoth road trip, from John O’Groats to Haywards Heath, from 2nd to 11th August. Centre stage will be ‘The Basking Beasty’ – a car powered by solar energy. As Tom Porter from Ifield Community College and one of the students involved in the project explained it’s a really important venture: “As a pupil this trip is important to me as I get to have a voice to show what can be done in solar energy transport. It's exciting to know we are helping to build a better future”.

Under the guidance of MBE Dr Andrew Spiers, Ardingly Ifield Solar Car Project Manager, and with the help of volunteer companies, teachers and individuals including IMI regional member representatives, Douglas Wragg and Mike Reed, the students from Ardingly College and Ifield Community College had already made a name for themselves in the world of automotive innovation. Now they plan to go further with their road trip which will stop at sites of interest and those that have played a part in the manufacture and creation of this amazing and innovative car.

The IMI is supporting the Solar Car Challenge and will be using the road trip to raise money for its nominated charity, Ben, as Steve Scofield, Head of Business Development at the IMI explained: “There is no question that we need the greatest minds working on the best ideas to tackle the global pollution challenges and the Ardingly Ifield Solar team are playing no small part in using their imagination and ingenuity to show that solar power could be part of the answer.

“It’s hugely exciting to be involved in this latest project from the team and we really hope that by touring the UK their message about using solar power will reach a wider audience. We are also delighted that we can use this event to help raise funds for automotive charity, Ben.”

To donate to Ben visit Ben - Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund: Solar Car Challenge

Road Trip Stopping points

2nd August - John O’Groats – 9.00am

2nd August - Inverness – 1.45pm
Inverness castle, Inverness, IV23E

3rd August - Aberdeen - 3pm
Richard Thomson MSP
Aberdeen Energy Park, Claymore Dr, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8GX

4th August - Holyrood - 3.30pm
Canongate, Edinburgh, EH8 8DX

5th August - Durham University - 2.30pm
DUEM solar team & Flexible Solar
The Palatine Centre, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE

6th August - York Shambles – 10.40am
York, YO1 7LX

6th August – Ben Home – 3.00pm
Brinklow Rd, Easenhall, Rugby, CV23 0JE

7th August - Warwick - 10:00 am
With Cambridge University at the British Museum EV show
British Motor Museum, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Lighthorne Heath, Warwick CV35 0BJ

8th August - Cambridge - 12:45pm
Engineering Department and Business Park
Trumpington St, Cambridge, CB21P

9th August - IMI HQ – 12.00pm
Fanshaws, Brickendon, Hertford, SG13 8PQ

10th August – Central London – 1.00pm  
Ministry of Transport, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Rd, London, SW1P 4DR

11th August – McLaren – 11am
McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, GU21 4YH

11th August - Crawley Thales & Elekta – 3.00pm
Thales - Manor Royal, Crawley, RH109HA
Elekta - Linac House, Fleming Way, Crawley, RH10 9RR

11th August - Haywards Heath – 5.00pm
Ardingly College, College Rd, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, RH17 6SQ

Black creators on TikTok are refusing to choreograph new dances and calling out what they see as a new form of cultural appropriation on the app.

Rapper Megan Thee Stallion's latest song 'Thot Shit' was supposed to be a TikTok hit. Her previous single 'Savage' had more than 22 million hits on the app. 'WAP' generated 4m and there were 1.5m for 'Body'.

But this time a social media strike staged by Black creators on the viral-video-making platform has prevented her new single from taking off. Black creators have refused to make a dance for the song and instead mounted a digital walk-out.

Since June, the hashtag BlackTikTokStrike has been viewed more than 6.5m times on the app and has since been trending on social media platforms like Twitter. Black users are using the hashtag to voice their objections to what they say is preferential treatment.

Black creators say non-Black influencers use their work, reaping the financial and personal gains earned from views, but fail to acknowledge or give credit to originators.

"Even in the spaces we've managed to create for ourselves, [non-Black] people violently infiltrate and occupy these spaces with no respect to the architects who built it," Erick Louis, a Black TikTok creator who helped organise the strike. "This app would be nothing without [Black] people," Mr Louis, 21, wrote in a widely shared TikTok video.

The strike is about recognition and giving credit where it is due, he said. Black creators are not the only ones who agree. Rachel McKenzie, who is white, uses TikTok daily and supports the strike.

"Anyone that uses TikTok will tell you young Black creators choreograph the vast majority, if not all, of the dances that go viral," she said. "If you look at modern pop culture and its entirety, it's just another example of how Black culture sells and white people hijack it."

"As a white woman, I think it's important to speak to those who continue to deny credit or trivialise matters like this," she said. Going viral on TikTok has proven to have an impact far beyond popularity.

Some TikTok users have made millions in revenue from their videos. Moreover, viral songs on TikTok have had a huge impact on the music industry, influencing which songs become hits and gaining more streams and thus more money for artists.

While the strike started with Megan Thee Stallion's latest song, the problem has been highlighted before. In March, talk show host Jimmy Fallon invited TikTok influencer Addison Rae, who is white, to his show.

She performed numerous viral dances created by Black dancers who were not mentioned or featured on air. One of the dances for which she received lots of views was the 'Renegade' - created by Jalaiah Harmon, a 14-year-old Black TikToker.

After Rae's rendition of the dance, it began to trend. Even celebrities recreated it. But while others became the face of the dance, Jalaiah struggled to receive credit or compensation since TikTok pays for views.

Rae made nearly $5m (£3.6m) from TikTok in 2020 alone, getting views from videos she made recreating dances from Black choreographers. Although her exact earnings are unknown, according to one estimate Jalaiah made about $38,000 the same year from the app.

"I was excited and frustrated because they weren't tagging me or giving me credit," she said. Since the initial backlash, celebrities have attempted to make sure Jalaiah was acknowledged for her creation.

Fallon acknowledged his mistake, inviting Jalaiah and many other Black TikTokers on to his show in April, in an attempt to give a voice to the many unknown creators of viral dances. Jalaiah made appearances on The Ellen Degeneres Show, was featured in a music video and performed at an NBA All-Star game.

But many other Black TikTok creators still are fighting for recognition and credit they feel they deserve. TikTok has since released a statement highlighting its commitment to diversity and inclusion.

"Over the past year, our teams have continued working to elevate and support Black voices and causes, while fostering an inclusive environment on our platform and within our workplace," it said. The company said that it was training staff to better understand more nuanced content like culture appropriation and slurs and endeavoured to give users the tools to empower our community. It has not addressed the strike directly.

Supporters of the TikTok strike say it isn't just about the app. "Celebrities like the Kardashians, among many others, successfully exploit Black trends and behaviours that black pioneers have been persecuted for embracing," said Ms McKenzie.

"I think it really boils down to the inconvenient and uncomfortable nature of confronting systemic racism head-on." She says that sees obvious reluctance from some TikTok influencers to give Black creators credit as an example of how comfortable a lot of white people are sitting in such a skewed exploitative power dynamic.

Supporters say they will continue the strike indefinitely, although this does not include abstaining from the app entirely. While there is no clear indicator if the strike has been a success, it has started conversations and had an impact on trending dances.

Mr Louis said: "It just speaks volumes. We have these experiences outside of TikTok. As Black folks, we're used to galvanising, marching, protesting, having to scream and yell to have our voices heard.

"It's supposed to be a safe space but even in those spaces we're forced to make a statement and protest," he said.

Global superstar Tones And I has released her anxiously awaited debut album, Welcome To The Madhouse.

Available on all streaming platforms, her first full-length record details an intimately honest and vivid journey from busking in Byron Bay to international stardom to saying goodbye to her best friend. Tones And I weaves it all together into a moving and magnetic 14-track collection written entirely by the Australian artist with her co-producing every song.
 
Tones And I recently shared Welcome The Madhouse’s latest single “Cloudy Day,” and it has already clocked upwards of 20 million total streams and counting. Receiving critical acclaim, VARIETY hailed it as “the perfect pandemic anthem” while Tones And I delivered a debut performance of the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with another performance scheduled for this coming Monday, July 19^th.  

Speaking to her growing influence overall, Music Business Worldwide also recently chronicled her rise as “No.1 Songwriter On Streaming Services Last Year.” Tones And I commented on the significance of Welcome To The Madhouse explaining; “This album for me is very up and down and reflects the forever changing emotions in me. 

“There are songs on the album that were written before ‘Dance Monkey,’ about not knowing if busking was right for me. There are songs about my good friend T passing away and not wanting to deal with those emotions.

“The ups and downs of life in lock down and the mental challenges / struggles. Some songs make me laugh and some make me cry but there is no running theme or vibe to the album - the songs are unique to how I was feeling the day I wrote them.”
 
Regarding “Cloudy Day,” Tones And I elaborated on the single’s origins noting; “After my friend T passed away I was struggling to write any songs that were happy or that I even liked. I met up with a friend who told me this saying from his late mum – ‘on a cloudy day, look up into the sky and find the sun.’ I knew I wanted to use that as a lyric and the next time I went into the studio I wrote ‘Cloudy Day.’”
 
Tones And I Initially laid the foundation for Welcome To The Madhouse last year with the release of “Fly Away,” a poetic and powerful composition which has amassed over 215 million streams with Tones And I delivering performances of the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.  She followed it up in 2021 with the release of "Won't Sleep" which arrived alongside a Tones And I, Nick Kozakis and Liam Kelly directed official music video continuing what has become a tradition of highly unexpected and unforgettable visuals.  

Both tracks reflected the inimitable idiosyncrasies of Tones And I’s signature style, highlighting her clever lyricism, unpredictable songcraft, and indisputable knack for a hook. Tones and I's "Dance Monkey” was declared the most Shazamed single of all time, and officially became the 3^rd most streamed song of all time on Spotify making the track the most streamed song ever by a female artist on the platform.

The “Dance Monkey” official music video has surpassed 1.6 billion views on YouTube, while the track has eclipsed six billion streams globally and earned 4x platinum certification from the RIAA in the US as well as multi-platinum or diamond certification in sixteen other countries. Plus, "Dance Monkey” hit #4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, making “Dance Monkey” the first top five Hot 100 hit solely written by a woman in over eight years. In Australia, “Dance Monkey” holds the all-time record for the most weeks spent at #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, while in the UK “Dance Monkey” has made Tones And I the longest running #1 of all time by a female artist on the Official Singles Chart. The New York Times detailed the making of “Dance Monkey” in their Diary of a Song video series, speaking with Tones And I about her journey from local busker to global star. 
 
“Dance Monkey” is featured on Tones And I’s RIAA gold certified debut EP The Kids Are Coming which earned her four major wins back home at last year’s ARIA Awards including: “Breakthrough Artist,” “Best Female Artist,” “Best Pop Release,” and “Best Independent Release.” Following the EP’s release Tones And I showcased her staggering voice across performances of “Dance Monkey” and standout single “Never Seen The Rain,” appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Voice, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Today Show.
 
Originally from Australia’s Mornington Peninsula, Tones And I traveled to Byron Bay in early 2018 to take a chance at busking. On the first day she had crowds spilling onto the street. Tones quit her retail job and decided to make Byron her new home where she lived out of her van for a year, honing her songwriting and busking every weekend. A year later, she had one of the biggest songs in the world with her global smash “Dance Monkey.” 
 

The Board of the Belgrade Theatre today announces a major restructure to the senior leadership team for 2022. Chief Executive and Artistic Director Hamish Glen and Executive Director Joanna Reid will step down at the end of March 2022. Two new posts will be created – a Chief Executive responsible for overall strategy and to run the commercial side of the Belgrade, and a Creative Director, reporting to the CEO, to focus on the Theatre’s artistic output across both its professional and community areas.

There will be a scaled down leadership team of six. This team will lead on producing and programming, technical production, marketing, general management such as fund raising and income generation, financial management and commercial income and operations such as catering and conferencing.

These changes have been driven by two issues. The need to address the financial challenges of the pandemic and its aftermath, and the desire to develop a new vision and way of working for a 21^st century theatre.

Important to this new vision will be the legacy of Coventry’s year as City of Culture and Hamish Glen’s KEYS project. This was inspired by the story of Ira Aldridge, a young African-American actor, went came to Coventry in 1828 to manage a short season of plays at the old Coventry Theatre. 

Not even 21 years of age, he became the country’s first theatre manager of colour at time when slavery was still widespread throughout the British Empire. To honour this unusual event Glen wanted to ‘hand the keys’ of the theatre over to the next generation of young and diverse theatre-makers. 

Corey Campbell, Balisha Karra and Justine Themen were appointed as Co-Artistic Directors of the theatre for 2021, bringing with them a unique perspective that celebrates Coventry’s diversity and drives positive change. The three Co-Artistic Directors have driven the City of Culture programme of work with their own individual projects, as well as learning from Glen about the processes and challenges of running a major venue.

Hamish Glen and Joanna Reid said: “As with all theatres across the UK, the pandemic has proved uniquely challenging for the Belgrade, both financially and logistically.

“We’re proud of the way the whole team has pulled together, that we’re riding the storm with resilience and we’re excited for the work both inside and outside the building during City of Culture year. We feel that now is the right time to look to the future and to step aside, handing over a strong organisation to allow the next generation of talented and innovative theatre leaders to take the Belgrade forward.”

As previously announced, David Hanson will take over as Chairman of the Board later this year from Stewart Ferguson who has served as Chairman since 2012. Hanson is joined by Alan Pollock as Vice Chair, and other trustees joining the Board at this time are Nyasha Pitt, Tyrone Huggins, Thanh Sinden and Colin Bell.

Recruitment for the new CEO and Creative Director posts will begin immediately in July, with the aim that the successful appointees will be in post in January 2022.

Multi-platinum pop-trio Cheat Codes, popularly known for their smash single “No Promises” (ft. Demi Lovato), follow their highly-anticipated debut album Hellraisers, Pt. 1 and its lead single “Lean On Me” (ft. Tinashe), with the release of new single “Never Love You Again”.

The genre-blending single is a collaboration with Grammy award-winning country group Little Big Town, who recently performed their hit “Wine, Beer, Whiskey” live at the 56th Academy of Country Music Awards. The euphoric track also features British singer-songwriter and certified hit-maker Bryn Christopher, whose single with Sigala, “Sweet Lovin’,” reached number 3 on the UK singles chart and has over 500 million streams across platforms.

Cheat Codes have always been known to cross into every corner of the genre spectrum with past collaborations showcasing their musical range by working with everyone from Trippie Red and blackbear to Demi Lovato, Little Mix and Sofia Reyes. One genre they’ve never crossed into but always dreamed of is country and as huge fans of the genre, Little Big Town are one of their favourite acts.

“Never Love You Again” marks a new step for Cheat Codes as they enter the country space and continue to expand their musical diversity with a powerful song that blends each artists’ distinct strengths to perfection - Cheat Codes’ dance pop production, Little Big Town’s intricate vocal harmonies, and Bryn Christopher’s soulful style.

Of the new single, Cheat Codes said: "We’ve been fans of Little Big Town since we started Cheat Codes and to collaborate with the country icons has always been a bucket list goal of ours. Close friend and incredible creative Bryn Christopher sent over the beautiful idea he had started with Andrew Jackson and we just ran with it.

“We love to cross genres with our music and Never Love You Again gave us a natural opportunity to make it happen. We hope this song finds everyone enjoying their summer with friends and family! We can’t wait to see you all on the road..."

Little Big Town's Jimi Westbrook commented: "“Collaborating with artists in other genres has been one of our favourite experiences as a band. Recently, we were thrilled to get the chance to record a song with Cheat Codes. We couldn’t be any prouder of this song…crank it up and dance!"

Cheat Codes and Little Big Town's collaborative single ft. Bryn Christopher "Never Love You Again" is out now.

Comprising of Trevor Dahl, Matthew Russell and Kevi Ford, Los Angeles trio Cheat Codes are an inescapable force throughout popular culture. Their total stream tally eclipses a staggering 6 billion plays. With 4 billion streams on Spotify alone, they average 15 million monthly listeners on the platform, making them one of the “Top 200 Most Listened To Artists in the World.”

Maintaining a prolific pace, they’ve steadily amassed a diverse discography, including the platinum Pop Radio Top 5 smash “No Promises” (ft. Demi Lovato), the gold-certified “Feels Great” (ft. Fetty Wap & CVBZ), and gold-selling breakout “SEX” with Kriss Kross Amsterdam.

“Only You” (ft. Little Mix) soared to #1 on Pop Radio in the UK, while they received dozens of platinum certifications in 20 countries. Not to mention, Liam Payne, Kim Petras, and Sof í a Reyes all jumped at the chance to collaborate and remixes for Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. Acclaimed by Rolling Stone, Paper, Time, Billboard, and more, the musicians have shut down The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! with stunning and show-stopping performances.

With wedding season firmly back up and running, best men need to make sure they don’t land themselves (or the groom) in hot water, as it’s revealed Mancunian best men give the most inappropriate speeches. 

The study, by top10casions.com, found more than a quarter (27%) of Mancunian best men gave an inappropriate speech, compared to just 4% of the groomsmen in Southampton. According to the survey, the top 5 locations for a bad wedding speech are: 

Manchester (27%) 

London (19%) 

Glasgow (18%) 

Norwich (14%) 

Sheffield (13%) 

When it comes to wedding bust ups, Manchester is also home to the most argumentative wedding parties, with 38% of grooms falling out with their best man because of their speech. It’s couples in Birmingham however who are least likely to drift off into wedded bliss, with 30% of newlyweds arguing about something mentioned by the best man! 

The survey also asked wedding guests which topics they think are taboo during the speeches. Almost half think it’s okay to be mean to the bride during their speech and just a third think mother-in-law jokes should be off limits to the best man, compared to 60% who say any mention of the groom’s ex partners should be forbidden.

In light of the findings, a joke generator has been created to help nervous best men to navigate the minefield of wedding speech writing. The creators said: “Best men are often the forgotten heroes of weddings, with pressure piled on to pull a hilarious speech out of the bag despite their lack of any previous speech-giving experience.   

“We created the joke generator to help these unwitting soles to get some giggles, without the risk of any embarrassing tumbleweed moments.”

Research has revealed that West Yorkshire is the UK’s most dangerous region to drive in.

The study by A-Plan Insurance divided England and Wales by police district and assessed the number of reported dangerous driving offences as a ratio of each district’s population.

There were 515,758 driving offences reported in England and Wales during 2020, of which 431,573 related to dangerous driving offences such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, use of a mobile device while driving and incidents causing death or injury.

West Yorkshire topped the list with a total of 34,862 dangerous driving offences reported, and a regional population of 2,332,500, which equates to an offence for every 67 people.

South Wales and Lincolnshire are also in the top three, with South Wales registering 19,707 offences across 1,339,400 citizens and Lincolnshire reporting 10,004 instances of dangerous driving over 761,200 residents.

Among the UK’s safest regions to drive, Wiltshire tops the list with just 2,611 dangerous driving offences reported among a population of 722,200 residents – equivalent to and offence for every 277 people. Also, among the top 10 are regions such as Greater Manchester, Dorset and Hertfordshire.

All driving offences are down 27.5% compared to 2019, during which 711,440 reports were made. This decrease is no doubt affected by the UK’s fluctuating state of lockdowns over the course of the year, and the resulting reduction in personal travel and professional commuting due to home working.

The police statistics, drawn from the criminal justice system’s end of year report, indicate that 2,786 of last year’s driving offences were committed by children under the age of 17, with a further 18,462 offences committed by young adults aged 17-25. 488,000 offences were committed by adults, and 5,819 cases were attributed to “Companies, Public Bodies etc”. A further 691 reports were listed as uncategorised.

Across genders, 379,951 offences were committed by men, while only 94,472 reports were made against the country’s female population.

A spokesperson from A-Plan Insurance commented on the findings: “Despite the obvious impact the UK’s lockdown procedures have had on our use of the roads, a decrease of 27.5% in motoring offences is remarkable. With more employers choosing to persist with remote working solutions moving forward, one hopes that the UK’s roads will remain safer for both drivers and pedestrians.”

The research was carried out by A-Plan Insurance, which has more than 100 high street branches nationwide. The company, established in the 1960s, provides a personalised service to more than 600,000 clients.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced initial casting for The Magician’s Elephant, a new musical by Nancy Harris (book/lyrics) and Marc Teitler (music/lyrics) based on the novel by prize-winning children’s author Kate DiCamillo.

The principal cast includes; Keisha Amponsa Banson (Gloria Matienne), Marc Antolin (Leo Matienne), Sam Harrison (Count Quintet), Forbes Masson (Police Chief), Mark Meadows (Vilna Lutz), Alastair Parker (Magician), Summer Strallen (Countess Quintet) and Jack Wolfe (Peter Duchene).

Further cast comprises; Sharif Afifi (Milliner), Alison Arnopp (Baker), Hannah Brown (Swing), Michael Carolan (Swing), Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Fishmonger), Stephen John Davis (Doctor), Zoe Halliday (The Elephant), Wela Mbusi (The Elephant), Suzanne Nixon (The Elephant), Wendy Somerville (Mrs Griswald) and Mandi Symonds (Sister Marie).

The world stage premiere of The Magician’s Elephant will run in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre from Thursday 14 October 2021 to Saturday 1 January 2022 with press night on Tuesday 26 October 2021.

The production, which was originally due to run from October 2020 – January 2021, was postponed due to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, which included the temporary cancellation of all RSC performances, events and other activities. The production will mark the re-opening of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre following the pandemic and the return of audiences to indoor performances at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The Magician’s Elephant tells the story of orphan Peter Augustus Duchene, who lives a frugal life in the lonely town of Baltese. Then one day, a magician conjures an elephant from the sky. The animal’s appearance sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that it changes Baltese forever. Peter is catapulted into the quest of his life, overturning everything he ever thought he knew, and discovering that happiness can come from the most unexpected places.

This new adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s heart-breaking and darkly magical children’s book by Nancy Harris (book/lyrics) and Marc Teitler (music/lyrics) will be directed by Sarah Tipple, Associate Director to Gregory Doran on The Boy in the Dress. The production will feature design by Colin Richmond whose previous RSC credits include Wendy and Peter Pan and Vice Versa. Lighting is by Oliver Fenwick, Music Supervision and Musical Direction by Tom Brady, Orchestrations by Sarah Travis and Marc Teitler, vocal arrangements by Tom Brady and Marc Teitler, sound by Paul Groothuis and movement by Francesca Jaynes. Dramaturgy is by Réjane Collard-Walker. Puppetry direction is by Mervyn Millar with puppetry design by Mervyn Millar and Tracy Waller. The Magic Consultant is John Bulleid whose previous RSC credits include #WeAreArrested, and video is by Douglas O’Connell.
The role of Peter Duchene will be played by Jack Wolfe, who makes his RSC debut this Christmas. Jack’s previous theatre credits include Sweeney Todd (Lyric Belfast), Pinocchio (National Theatre) The Snow Queen (Rose Theatre Kingston) and The Musician (The Belfast Ensemble). Television credits include Inside No. 9; The Witcher; Father Brown and Hetty Feather.

Jack plays the lead role of Tim Walker/Prince Tamino in the upcoming film adaptation of The Magic Flute (Flute Film/Centropolis Entertainment) opposite Iwan Rheon and F. Murray Abraham, which is due for release in 2022.

He will be joined by Marc Antolin and Keisha Amponsa Banson in the roles of Leo and Gloria Matienne respectively.

Marc is no stranger to the RSC at Christmas. In 2010, he appeared as a member of the original ensemble cast of Matilda the Musical, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary in the West End. Marc continued with the production when it transferred to the West End and later went on to play the role of Rudolpho.

Marc’s other musical theatre credits include playing the role of Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors at Regents Park Open Air Theatre and Marc Chagall in Kneehigh/Bristol Old Vic's production The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk. Other notable stage credits include The Trial (Young Vic) and Taken at Midnight (Theatre Royal Haymarket/Chichester Festival Theatre).

Keisha Amponsa Banson is perhaps best known to musical theatre audiences for playing Ms Sheinkopf in School of Rock - The Musical. Keisha’s previous credits for the RSC include Matilda the Musical (Cambridge Theatre) in which she played the role of Mrs Phelps.

Keisha’s other theatre credits include Caroline, or Change (Chichester Festival Theatre/West End); Beano The Musical (Old Vic); King (Hackney Empire); Dr. FeelGood (The Other Palace); Motown the Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre); I Know All The Secrets In My World (Tiata Fahodzi); Yarico (London Theatre Workshop); City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse); The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre); From Here to Eternity (Shaftesbury Theatre); The Lion King (UK/Ireland Tour); Believers Anonymous (Rosemary Branch Theatre); Footloose (UK Tour); Woosah (Old Vic); Knight Crew (Glyndebourne Opera); Little Shop of Horrors (Menier Chocolate Factory, UK Tour). Her television credits include Children in Need; Live At The London Palladium; The Sound of Music Live!; Gareth Malone Goes to Glyndebourne; West End Story: What Nancy, Joseph & Maria Did Next and I’d Do Anything.

Four times Olivier award-nominated actress Summer Strallen will make her RSC debut this Autumn playing the role of Countess Quintet alongside Sam Harrison as Count Quintet.

Throughout her career, Summer has performed various leading roles on stage and screen.
Her most notable stage credits include playing Meg Giry in the West End production of Love Never Dies and Maria von Trapp in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music at the London Palladium. Other theatre credits include What’s In A Name (UK Tour); Young Frankenstein (Garrick Theatre); Hysteria (London Classic Theatre Tour); A Damsel In Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre); Ultimate Broadway (Shanghai Culture Square Theatre); Life Of The Party (Menier Chocolate Factory); Top Hat (Aldwych Theatre and National Tour), Company (Queens Theatre); The Drowsy Chaperone (Novello Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium); Cats (New London Theatre and National Tour); Fosse (European Tour) and The Sound of Music (Sadler’s Wells).

Summer played the role of Nancy Morrell in BBC One’s World War Two drama, Land Girls. She also voiced the part of “Princess Lucy” in The Big Knights, a British animated children’s television series, and played the role of Summer Shaw in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks.

Sam Harrison’s musical theatre credits include playing Bamatabois/Claquesous in Les Misérables (Queen's Theatre), Boris in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West Yorkshire Playhouse & UK Tour), the Hairdresser in The Phantom of the Opera (25th Anniversary Tour)
and Bobby in Crazy for You (London Palladium). Other stage credits include A Damsel in Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre), By Jeeves (Trinity Theatre) Eastward, Ho! (Shakespeare’s Globe), Salad Days (Riverside Studios) and Avenue Q (Gielgud Theatre).

Returning to the RSC this Christmas following his role as Mr Hawtrey, the Headmaster in The Boy in the Dress in 2019/20 is RSC Associate Artist Forbes Masson, who will play the Police Chief.

Forbes’ previous credits for the RSC include The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, Ahasverus, Morte D’Arthur, Henry VI Part 2, Henry V, The Grain Store, A Tender Thing, Henry VI Parts 1,2 & 3, Richard II, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and Hamlet. Other theatre credits include Summer and Smoke (West End and The Almeida), Little Shop of Horrors (Regents Park), Big Fish (The Other Palace), Bartholomew Fair, Merry Wives of Windsor, Boudica (all at Shakespeare’s Globe) and Travesties (West End and Menier). Forbes is known for his comedy partnership with Alan Cumming. Together they wrote and starred in The High Life, and created the famous Scottish comedy duo, Victor and Barry. Recent TV credits include Crime, Father Brown, Catastrophe, Shetland and EastEnders

Making his RSC debut this Autumn is Mark Meadows as Vilna Lutz. Mark’s previous musical theatre credits include The Thrill of Love (New Vic, Stoke); Flowers for Mrs Harris (Sheffield Crucible; Chichester Festival Theatre), Betty Blue Eyes (Novello Theatre); Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre); Urinetown (St James); High Society (Sheffield Crucible). Other theatre credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Tobacco Factory); A Woman of No Importance (UK Tour); Orpheus Descending (Menier Chocolate Factory); Quiz (Chichester Festival Theatre; Noel Coward Theatre); Tartuffe (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory) and The Magna Carta Plays (Salisbury Playhouse).

Mark’s TV and radio credits include McDonald & Dodds (Mammoth Screen); Kiri (Channel 4), EastEnders, Casualty, Doctors (all for BBC); Letters From Baghdad; Nicholas Nickleby (United Artists); High Heels & Lowlifes (Fragile Films), Poetry Please; Costing The Earth; The Good Companions; Company; Pal Joey (BBC Radio 3); The Worst Journey in the World; Torchwood-Lost Souls; If Not Now, When?; Abel’s Law; The Von Trapps & Me; Tommy the Voice; I Believe I Have Genius; The Quest and Making Hay (all for BBC Radio 4).

Also returning to the Royal Shakespeare Company this Christmas is Alastair Parker who plays the Magician. Alastair last appeared at the RSC as Sergei in the original cast of Matilda the Musical in 2010. Alastair later went on to understudy the role of Miss Trunchbull during the production’s run at the Cambridge Theatre.
Alastair’s other theatre credits include A Christmas Carol (Old Vic Theatre), Jerry Springer - The Opera (National Theatre, Cambridge Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre); Bed & Sofa (Finborough Theatre); BBC Proms - Sondheim at 80 (Royal Albert Hall); The Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Silk (Orange Tree Theatre); Wizard of Oz, The Glee Club (New Vic Theatre); Two Women for One Ghost, Cymbeline, Twelfth Night, HMS Pinafore (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Spittin’ Distance, Jonah Boy, Beginners Guide to Cybershopping (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Is There Life After High School (The Bridewell Theatre); Oklahoma (Perth Theatre) and Oliver (London Palladium).

The pioneering, Grammy award-winning composer, conductor, orchestrator, curator and artist Jules Buckley has teamed up with long-time collaborator and producer Chris Wheeler, Heritage Orchestra and percussion collective Ghost-Note to release ‘Apache’, the stunning debut single and fresh take on the Incredible Bongo Band classic. The single release comes alongside the announcement that the album ‘The Breaks’ will be released 3rd September 2021 on Decca Records.

With hip hop embedded into mainstream culture, the music from ‘The Breaks’ promises to appeal across generations of music fans. There will be a string of singles released from the 15-track album, which is a stunning collection of the much-loved, culture-defining music that birthed the Breaking scene and influenced hip hop and scratch DJs in the Bronx since the1970s.

‘The Breaks’ sees Buckley assemble some stellar featured artists, from Kamasi Washington, Vula and Mr Switch, to Mattiel, Mr Talkbox and US keys impresario Cory Henry. The album follows up the acclaimed ‘The Breaks’ BBC Prom in 2019, which saw B-boys and B-girls take to the stage at Royal Albert Hall alongside Buckley, Heritage Orchestra and Ghost-Note, for an exhilarating and spectacular musical celebration.

Among the four pillars of hip-hop culture, MC-ing, DJ-ing, graffiti art and breaking, ‘The Breaks’ has its original roots in disco, funk, soul, latin and beyond. All 15 tracks on ‘The Breaks’ album have been continuously mixed, featuring tunes from James Brown & The J.B’s, The Sugarhill Gang, Incredible Bongo Band, Lyn Collins, Zapp, Babe Ruth, Jimmy Castor Bunch, The Soul Searchers, Herman Kelly & Life, Kool & The Gang, as well as tracks that interweave a number of seminal samples, to delight music lovers, from cratediggers to connoisseurs.

Jules Buckley said: “It’s ace to finally release ‘Apache’ from the forthcoming ‘The Breaks’ album, which has been two years in the making with Chris, Heritage Orchestra, Ghost-Note and our incredible featured artists. We are raising the bar a little more in homage to the music that has helped define the Breaking scene and cemented its place as one of the four pillars of hip-hop culture worldwide. ‘The Breaks’ are the sonic blueprint for the foundation of a scene that birthed hip hop. It’s an honour to share this collection of killer music with the world.”

With a staggering discography of over 70 records, Jules Buckley has worked with some of the hottest names in music and become the widely celebrated, and imitated, originator of innovative, orchestral re-imaginings, blazing a trail across a broad range of genres with his 16 BBC Proms, including his tributes to Quincy Jones, Nina Simone, Scott Walker and Charles Mingus, the 1Xtra Grime Symphony, and the iconic Ibiza Prom, which spawned a major collaboration with Pete Tong, Chris Wheeler and Heritage Orchestra on the globally acclaimed Ibiza Classics live concerts and hugely successful ‘Classic House’ albums, released on Universal Music.

Jules Buckley will present his 17th Prom for the BBC, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the incredible Moses Sumney, on Saturday 21st August at 7.30pm at Royal Albert Hall. ‘The Breaks’ is designed to be listened to non-stop as a continuous mix, and will be released on CD, vinyl and cassette. An unmixed version will also be released digitally.

An all-female cast has been announced for “Power of Invention” - the new show about Birmingham’s famous Lunar Society which is taking place in the gardens of Soho House on July 30th, 31st and August 7th. The Lunar Society, whose ideas went on to shape the modern world, would regularly meet at the house to dine, conduct experiments and discuss the latest scientific theories.

Julia Wright of Boldtext Playwrights, who is producing the show, says: “Although very forward thinking on many issues, the Lunar Society didn’t have any female members, or even allow women to attend their meetings. We thought it was time to turn the tables by finally inviting women to take part in the Soho House story.”

Directed by Janet Steel, former Artistic Director of Kali Theatre, the cast includes Adaya Henry, Itasha James, Simran Kular and Katy Stephens. Producer Julia Wright continues: “We’re delighted to have these four exceptional actors joining our cast and to be able to showcase some of the homegrown talent we have right here in the West Midlands.”

Soho House, home to 18th century entrepreneur and industrialist Matthew Boulton, is one of the city’s historic properties cared for by Birmingham Museums Trust. Characters being explored in the short plays will include Matthew Boulton and daughter Anne, his business partner James Watt, and Lunar Society members Erasmus Darwin, Joseph Priestly and William Withering, as well as workers from the famous Soho Manufactory which was based right next door.

The show, funded by Arts Council England and The Barry Jackson Trust, lasts around an hour and will run three times a day on July 30th, 31st and August 7th at 12, 3 and 6pm.