Entertainment News

IWC Schaffhausen joins forces with Airspeeder, the world’s first electric flying car racing series, in a new engineering and timekeeping partnership. Combining the passion both companies share for technological progress, human endeavour and sustainability, they will work together in pioneering this new form of motorsport to fast-track a new era of clean-air mobility.

The Airspeeder racing series is the brainchild of founder Matt Pearson, who also runs Alauda, the world’s first performance electric flying car manufacturer. Taking inspiration from the role sport has traditionally played in advancing the cause of technology, Pearson’s visionary idea is to create a new kind of motorsport to accelerate the advanced air mobility revolution and transform passenger, logistical and even medical transportation.

The planned global race series will eventually see a full grid of eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) craft, manufactured by Alauda, managed by individual teams and operated by elite pilots, compete at heights of up to 40m off the ground and at top speeds of 200km/h. The air races will take place on electronically-created tracks and be streamed globally, minimising the environmental impact of more complex logistics and infrastructure.

Christoph Grainger-Herr, IWC CEO “It’s fantastic to play a part in bringing Matt’s bold vision to life. The Airspeeder team are true pioneers of aviation and they are bringing together two things that are really close to IWC’s heart.

“From making some of the planet’s best pilots’ watches for the last eighty years to the cut and thrust of modern automotive design and racing, we have always equipped and inspired those who dare to dream. We are proud to collaborate on an endeavour that will make such a progressive impact on society.”

From its technical base in South Australia, the Airspeeder project has brought together some of the brightest minds in aviation, motor racing and performance automotive engineering from across the world. Charged with envisioning a better future, the diverse team of engineers, specialists and pilots are encouraged to think innovatively to push the boundaries of technical excellence, a philosophy which IWC also shares. The new partnership reflects this common purpose and will establish a knowledge exchange to prompt technological progress within the engineering departments of both organisations.

Matthew Pearson, Founder, Airspeeder and Alauda said: “Time and again, IWC has enabled dreams and nurtured innovation. Like us, they see beyond the known horizon towards something different, bolder and more inventive. This commitment to progress is something we also value, and we are delighted that the entire team at Schaffhausen believes in our vision. Whether the result is a beautifully designed watch or a revolutionary flying car, we all rely on human and technical endeavour to make truly impactful change through giant technical leaps. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”

Airspeeder developed its first small-scale prototype performance eVTOL in 2017 and has continued to finesse the design ever since through computer modelling and simulation, as well as extensive testing.

The newest vehicle, the Mk3, is the world’s first fully functional electric flying racing car. With an overall aesthetic reminiscent of classic 1950s sportscars combined with racing drones, the speeders feature an octocopter layout, airfoil-profiled rotor arms, cutting- edge carbon-fibre composites and the latest EV battery technology. New advances in safety are delivered through a suite of technologies and engineering elements never before seen on an eVTOL craft. These innovations include LiDAR and Radar collision avoidance systems that create a ‘virtual force field’ around the craft to ensure close but ultimately safe racing. Designed for maximum performance and aerial agility, they move through the air with precision and pace.

An entire grid of these remotely piloted Mk3s is currently being built by Airspeeder, ahead of this year’s competitive pilotless events. The Mk4 is expected to launch in 2022, before the inaugural crewed season gets underway.

Lockdown should be the worst environment for a rising live band to emerge from, but Junodream have been flourishing in recent months. They were recently named Radio 1 Future Artists Tune of the Week and Jack Saunders has consistently championed the band, highlighting them in both the Next Wave and Future Artists segments, while other key airplay has included John Kennedy at Radio X plus BBC Introducing. Meanwhile, they’ve just sold-out their headline show at London Omeara and streaming support has constantly grown, culminating in two big cover moments: Hot New Bands at Spotify and Indie Britain at TIDAL. 
 
Junodream now crown their recent achievements with the release of their brand new mixtape ‘Travel Guide’. The band’s most ambitious body of work to date, the mixtape is released alongside the new single ‘White Sunday’. 
 
The ‘Travel Guide’ mixtape is informed by new ideas and sounds. Set to a wider hybrid of influences from synth-pop to punk and even prog, Junodream take us back to 2000 and the potential for a bright new future that was promised by the new millennium. The benefits of an increasingly digital world are countered by the claustrophobia of 24/7 rolling news and the constant demands of progressively more polarising social media. On a more personal level, it also looks at how perceptions change during the transition from childhood to adulthood, and the realisation that seemingly innocent events often had a darker undercurrent.
 
Junodream commented, “Everything now feels charged with a doomsday atmosphere, like Y2K twenty years on. We wanted to capture that anxiety: climate change, advertising, destructive tourism and paranoia. it’s a soundtrack to the end of the world. We’re also at that point where childhood innocence has almost completely evaporated, so being a bit cynical with nostalgia is really revealing. There’s a darker layer you can never be aware of as a kid.”
 
These themes are prevalent throughout the previous singles ‘Let Me Breathe Again’, ‘Eden Burns’ and ‘Travel Guide’. In contrast to the wilder sounds that preceded it, the new single ‘White Sunday’ is a beautiful cinematic ballad that feels akin to an unlikely merger between Radiohead and George Harrison.
 
The band added, “‘White Sunday’ tells the story of a guest who is struggling to deal with a hangover at a family wedding. His inner turmoil is ramped by the purity of the wedding as he realises his own life is lacking any emotional fulfillment. Riddled with shame and anxiety, he just falls apart.”
 
The ‘Travel Guide’ mixtape is completed by two new pieces of music. The expansive instrumental ‘NY2000’ establishes the mood of a world on the cusp of change, while the interlude ‘Niugnep’ captures the anxiety and confusion as those hopes spin off into very different realities. 
 
After recently playing the virtual Great Escape, Junodream are set to make up for lost time with a mixture of festivals and headline shows throughout the remainder of the year.

Empower London Foundation has formally announced plans for a vibrant new festival of arts, music and culture which will take place in the capital to raise money for a host of the city’s charities: The London Festival. The showcase promises to be an extravaganza of live music performances, city-wide cultural events, engaging new technology and feel-good entertainment.

A fully immersive and technologically advanced event the likes of which the capital has never seen before, visitors will be invited to step back into the past in six spectacular fully-sized ‘festival lands’ which trace the city’s evolution its Roman beginnings, through the often gruesome medieval period and on to the later Georgian and Victorian periods. Thrill-seekers and modern history buffs can also revisit the wartime spirit of the capital with remarkable reconstructions and interactive, immersive sets which enable visitors to see and experience the capital like never before thanks to augmented reality.

With plenty to see and do, visitors can sneak a glimpse of the technology of the future at the innovation hub, shop ’til they drop at the London Market which will showcase the creative wares of over 200 of London’s vibrant independent retailers and designers or even get involved in a plethora of community-led classes and creative workshops at the outreach zone. There are also a variety of cultural treats on offer including an interactive art gallery where viewers can ‘step inside’ art to enjoy a fresh perspective on the piece and a new world pavilion where the culture of Hawaii will be the focus of the 2023 launch event.

For music and performance lovers, a selection of bands, performance artists and VIP special guests will be on hand to perform each day, with the twist being that visitors will have the deciding vote on the final line-up thanks to an online, real-time voting system. To underline the ethos of support for creativity, all amateur performers and bands will receive grants to help them further their careers and continue to support the creativity of Londoners.

With a firm emphasis on education and accessibility for all, The London Festival‘s organisers have also created a dedicated safe zone for children with animations, a play area and baby zone staffed with childcare professionals. The London Festival will take place in the capital across a two-week period in summer 2023 with 100% of all funds raised dedicated to providing vital financial support to organisations running educational programmes, offering support for entrepreneurs and rolling out public awareness campaigns to underprivileged communities, under-realised individuals and disadvantaged children across the capital.

The initiative has already received strong support from most London MPs and Assembly members with organizers now approaching the Government to involve them in the overall project.

David Knights, an Empower London Trustee said “Bold, brave and completely different to anything that’s ever been done in the capital before, we’ve got big plans to make The London Festival one of the not-to-be-missed events in the capital and attract visitors from all over the world. With an ambitious goal of raising £150M for charitable causes over 10 years from ticket sales alone, the London Festival is set to be inclusive, exciting, immersive and aims to celebrate the best that the capital has to offer thanks to our unique partnership with event experts the Nascent Vek Group and support from government officials and local community groups.”

"Higher Power" becomes the soundtrack for TV commercials for the debut of the new all-electric BMW models. Kick-off for a long-term cooperation between BMW and the Warner Music mega-band with sustainability as the unifying element.

Note: This press release is a 1:1 copy of the original issued by BMW headquarters in Germany. No adaptations have been made to cater for the UK market.

Munich. Local emission-free driving pleasure has never been greater than with the first-ever BMW iX and the first-ever BMW i4. The fitting soundtrack for the debut of the latest all-electric models is called "Higher Power" and comes from the British band Coldplay. You can hear the quartet's latest single in the TV commercials filmed for launching the joint worldwide communication campaign for the two new models. It delivers the perfect message with the lyric line "This joy is electric". The song for a new era of individual mobility marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between BMW and Coldplay.

Back in 2014, Coldplay, made up of Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman, performed before 1,500 fans at the end of their "Ghost Stories Tour" at BMW Welt in Munich. On the basis of the contact established at that time, a creative connection has now been established between the premium car manufacturer and the band, which has achieved worldwide success in the charts. This is based in particular on a common interest in sustainability in various areas of life.

"In the initial discussions we quickly realised: Coldplay and BMW share many common goals that go far beyond marketing," says Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer and Brand BMW. "Based on this we developed a real co-creation in which the band actively contributed their thoughts and attitude to the design of our campaign for the BMW iX and the BMW i4." The shared awareness of sustainability gave rise to an intensive creative process between BMW and the British musicians and which will produce further co-created elements later in the year.

For the BMW Group, the premiere of the BMW iX and the BMW i4 is an important milestone in the current phase of its transformation towards electric mobility. The company expects all-electric models to account for at least 50 percent of its global vehicle sales as early as 2030. The Coldplay musicians are looking for innovative ways to combine their popularity and performances in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans with a positive impact with regard to sustainability. The band said "We are proud to partner with BMW as part of our efforts to make everything we do as sustainable as possible. The technology that BMW use for their electric cars can power our live performances almost entirely from renewable energy."

For the premiere of their new song "Higher Power", Coldplay already managed to overcome the usual boundaries of the music business. Last month, Coldplay premiered "Higher Power” in space. The song was played for the first time by French astronaut Thomas Pesquet on the International Space Station. Shortly after, the band played its first live set of 2021 for earthly audiences in a special livestream from the site of Glastonbury Festival.

With the launch for the campaign film for the BMW iX and the BMW i4, fans all over the world can now enjoy the sound of "Higher Power". "And that's just the beginning," announces Stefan Ponikva, Vice President BMW Brand Communication and Brand Experience. "We are already looking forward to being able to realise exciting projects with regard to sustainability in an intensive and substantial collaboration with Coldplay."

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

Euro 2020 has starts and social media sensations Woody & Kleiny have teamed up with The Hoosiers to get the party started with the new England anthem ‘Route 66’, a holler-along, pints-in-the-air chant that’s sure to soundtrack the jubilation as Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and pals attempt to fire England to glory. Capturing the feelgood factor that sweeps the land at each tournament, the song is a cheeky celebration of all things unmistakably English: “Beans on toast, Sunday roast and a cuppa tea / Got me shirt, got me flag and I’ve had me Weetabix.”
 
The song’s video captures the fun. Woody & Kleiny lead the charge, while The Hoosiers blast through the song while on the top of an old school double-decker bus. And when they take to the pitch of the London Stadium, they’re joined by famous friends including Naughty Boy (making his first ever cameo in a music video) and The Wealdstone Raider.
 
Despite the bantz, there’s a serious purpose to ‘Route 66’. Proceeds from the track will aid the charity CALM, (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) which is leading a movement against suicide. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives, and 75% of all UK suicides are male. CALM exists to change this. The charity provides a confidential helpline and webchat service for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems; spreads their message throughout communities to enable people to get the help they need before they reach the point of crisis; and encourage positive behavioural change, using cultural touch points like art, music, sport and comedy.
 
Woody & Kleiny commented: “We just want to take this opportunity to say how excited we are to be teaming up with The Hoosiers on this project. They’ve sat on the song for over 20 years waiting for the right time to move it forward and we feel honoured to be asked to get involved.
 
“To top it off, we have all chosen to align ourselves with the charity CALM, which is close to ALL our hearts. We want to help support them in every way possible, the amazing work they’ve done for so many and continue to do so. We hope you all enjoy the positive vibes we’ve created and get behind the movement for a great cause.”
 
The Hoosiers’ Irwin Sparkes added: “Both Al and I have been through highs and lows in the music industry together. Because of this we’ve come to value our mental health and can’t shut up about it. Which is the point, ‘cos talking is key. That’s why we’re chuffed to bits and tickled pink to align ourselves with CALM who are there to offer support if you don’t know who to talk to. You’re not alone.
 
“Despite us being younger and better looking than Woody & Kleiny, they were still happy to be seen on camera with us to support such a vital cause as promoting positive mental health. Our heroes.”
 
Woody & Kleiny are best mates on a mission to entertain the world. Between their engaging content, viral mindset and force of personality, the duo have become one of the biggest creator teams in the world with a combined social media following of 23.5 million. Their adventures have also included the launch of their own LUC clothing range and the release of their book ‘The Social Struggle: How We Took Over The Internet’.
 
Consisting of Irwin Sparkes (vocals / guitar) and Al Sharland (drums), The Hoosiers are famous for hits including ‘Goodbye Mr. A’, ‘Worried About Ray’, ‘Choices’ and ‘Cops And Robbers’. They’re firm festival favourites, having played everywhere from Glastonbury to the Isle of Wight, and even launched their own stage-show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The multi-Platinum-selling duo released their ‘Greatest Hit(s)’ collection in 2019, while their live shows in support of the album included a headline date at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

The stories of Birmingham’s Windrush generation are to be celebrated in Birmingham Museum’s new programme of events and activities commemorating this year’s national Windrush Day.

Birmingham Museum’s Windrush commemorations will feature:

• A vibrant live digital event celebrating the city’s Caribbean community through music, storytelling and poetry;
• An online lecture exploring the legacy of Caribbean migrants through the photography of Andrew Jackson;
• And a new learning resource for schools featuring interviews with individuals from Birmingham’s Windrush generation.

Taking place on Saturday 19 June, Windrush Culture will explore the musical and artistic legacy of the Windrush generation in Birmingham. Featuring singer Call Me Unique, Reggae band Ire-Ish, performance poet Sue Brown and multi-disciplinary artist Joyce Treasure the evening of performances and conversations will honour the resilience and creativity of Black artists who emigrated to England from the Caribbean between 1948 and 1968.  The online event is hosted by Birmingham arts organisation The Red Earth Collective and Birmingham Cultural and Community Researcher Gary Stewart in partnership with Birmingham Museums.

Sandra Griffiths, Director at The Red Earth Collective, said:

“Birmingham is one of the most vibrant and creative cities in Britain and one of the key reasons for that is the huge number of people who settled here in the forties, fifties and sixties from the Caribbean, Asia and Ireland. Our live online event, Windrush Culture, will celebrate the creative legacy of the many artists, musicians and performers who have made Birmingham their home. A legacy that all our communities can be proud of.”

An online lecture – Windrush Day: How do you tell a story that’s never been told? – by photographer, Andrew Jackson will also be hosted on Tuesday 22 June. Discussing his work, From A Small Island, Andrew will also talk about his plans to complete a trilogy of works that explore the legacy of migration from the Caribbean to the UK. Andrews’s photography, which features in the UK’s government art collection, interrogates notions of place, belonging and selfhood.

Birmingham Museums will also start work on creating a dedicated Windrush learning resource for schools and communities through the digitisation of the hugely significant Birmingham Black Oral History Project which was deposited with the museum in the 1990s.

Birmingham Museums’ Windrush events have been made possible with a grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Calling all explorers: get ready for the expedition of a lifetime as you don your VR goggles and embark on a truly magical adventure to an incredible jungle world.

Playable now at Birmingham Resorts World, bookings are now open for teams of up to 4 people aged 12+. Traverse floating islands as you try your best to journey home - keeping an eye on the clock as you go. This world may look like a paradise, but it’s not all it seems...

During a walk in the park, you found a portal that leads to the mysterious world. An amazing sanctuary populated by animals appears in front of you. But how do you get back? With only 50 minutes to get home, expect puzzles galore as you unlock portals and journey your way back to freedom. The question remains… will you be able to make it out? You’ll need to use all of your wits and work together with your teammates in order to escape. 

This unmissable interactive VR experience is available at Basingstoke, Birmingham Resorts World, Cheltenham, Norwich and the brand-new sites of Kingston-Upon-Thames and Watford. 

Proving that electric vehicle (EV) conversions don’t have to cost the earth, London Electric Cars (LEC) has launched its own affordable electric-powered classic Mini, with prices starting from £25,000 (excluding local taxes, shipping and donor). Not only are LEC’s conversions some of the most cost-effective in the marketplace, they are also some of the most sustainable in terms of their end-to-end vehicle lifecycle impact.

Based in the heart of London, LEC is the only electric car conversion specialist within the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) as well as being the only EV converter based in one of the world’s largest cities. London Electric Cars is aiming to transform the face of electric vehicle ownership and electric-powered conversions of classic cars from petrol power. Founded in 2017, the company is on a mission to create sustainably-converted classic cars using electric power, with real-life EV mileage predictions based on real-world city driving and in-car usage, such as stereo and heater.

The base 20 kWh LEC classic Mini conversion, costing from £25,000 (excluding local taxes, shipping and donor), has a projected range of 60 - 70 miles, with owners having the ability to install a higher kWh motor and upgraded batteries to provide more range at an additional cost. Drivers can use any Type 1 or Type 2 public charger available country-wide, rapid charging on demand, as well as use their private home wall-box systems and also charge from a domestic 13A socket should they wish.

Focusing on the full lifecycle impact of the conversion, and not just the powerplant itself, the team has conducted extensive research, development and independent analysis to prove that by using a pre-owned Nissan Leaf infrastructure (motor and battery cells) it is a more sustainable solution than mining and creating materials for an LEC-only powertrain. The company also has plans to reuse and renew computer hardware and batteries inside traction packs and uses additive manufacturing technologies to assist with the production and engineering of the LEC classic Mini conversions, all conducted from its London-based workshop.

Matthew Quitter, Founder and Managing Director of London Electric Cars said: “As a classic car enthusiast and advocate for affordable and sustainable electric vehicle conversions, it made sense for us [LEC] to focus on the original Mini. [Alec] Issigonis was one of the most collaborative and free-thinking designers, but also someone who knew how to stick to a budget. With this EV conversion we wanted the classic Mini to be an affordable yet useful option for city dwellers, not just in our home town of London but all over the world to tackle traffic and help put a stop to pollution.

“There’s also a bigger picture to think of here. With the UK’s announcement of the world’s most ambitious climate change target of a 78% CO₂ reduction by 2035, it is clear that combustion engines will soon be a thing of the past. LEC offers an affordable conversion that keeps these British classic cars on the road. The vehicle becomes fast and clean whilst maintaining the originality and appeal that our customers love about a classic car.”

Owner of a London Electric Cars converted classic Mini said: “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and more. Not only does my classic Mini have a new lease of life, but it’s perfect for running around London and so cheap to run! No more worrying if I’ve forgotten to pay the Congestion Charge and there are so many public charging points around. It really is a win, win.”

London Electric Cars is based in the heart of the city in Vauxhall, employing a range of skilled classic car mechanics, technology-driven engineers, electronic gurus and sales-orientated commercial minds, all with the same goal of developing and delivering affordable conversions of combustion engine vehicles to run on electric power. The team, which is growing, has driven over 2,000 miles in its production-ready EV-powered classic Mini, with the order books now open.

The team has created its first customer classic Mini, setting the new benchmark in affordable and sustainable conversions for the much-loved classic Mini. For those customers who do not have a classic Mini already, but wish to have an EV conversion, LEC is able to source a donor at an additional cost to the client. Each converted classic Mini takes around six weeks to transform to run on electric power. The current waiting time is around six months for customers with cars in the UK, and the company has a range of customers looking to convert their cars and ship them to their homes around the world, with one of the biggest markets being America, closely followed by Japan. Each conversion starts from £25,000 plus donor, local taxes, duties and shipping for the basic 20 kWh electric adaptation.

The electric classic Mini conversion is part of the UK-based company’s affordable EV conversion range, which includes the iconic British Land Rover, Morris Minor and Morris Traveller. All of LEC’s conversions are road tax, Congestion Charge and ULEZ exempt. Resident’s parking is heavily discounted in most London and city Boroughs too. Costs to run LEC-converted cars are predicted to be as little as 5p per mile.

Football fans with designs on the top England job are the subject of a hilarious new music video released ahead of the EURO 2020 tournament kicking off today.

Created by footy-mad rapper T8PES in support of his new England anthem This is Football, the cheeky film pays tribute to ‘armchair managers’ up and down the country.

The spoof sees the Birmingham artist star as a sofa tactician, based on former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough player Gareth Southgate - now in charge of the national team - as he prepares to watch the finals of the major tournament.

“After some unconvincing friendly warm-ups, Southgate’s performance will be under the spotlight in a big way. We’ll all be studying his player choices and tactics from the first whistle. He could go from waistcoat-donning hero of the last world cup to Euro 96 penalty missing zero if we fail to progress from the group stage of the tournament, particularly after being cited as favourites.”

“We wanted to map the journey that every football fan eventually takes as they move from eager spectator to critic, analyst and pundit, to eventual fully-fledged armchair management and international TV coach.”

This Is Football, released on Friday June 4, received support from T8PES’ old friend and global megastar Ed Sheeran, who said, “I love this England tune from my old mate T8PES. England’s gonna bring it home – make sure you check the song out!”

Described as a ‘people’s anthem’ by Birmingham artist, youth worker and Aston Villa fan Jimmy Davis, who records and performs under the moniker T8PES, the track is a rousing call to arms for fans to get behind Gareth Southgate and team as they progress through the major sporting event.

The track features a myriad of musical styles, including rapped verses from T8PES, guest vocals from emerging local talent Wolverhampton indie singer Jack Cattell and Hertfordshire pop artist Zoe Philips, as well as the brass section from UB40’s favourite tour support band Kioko.

Villa-supporting T8PES has penned football-based lyrics and freestyles about the ups and downs of the beautiful game in his weekly Premier League Wrap Up which led to MUTV asking him to perform on the channel.

And whilst his great grandparents hailed from County Mayo in Ireland, T8PES is a diehard England fan. The 39-year-old has watched every England game in European and world tournaments since the age of 9 when he was holidaying in Italy during Italia ‘90.

This Is Football is out across all streaming platforms now.

The restoration and redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Costume Workshop has been completed in the Company’s Stratford-upon-Avon hometown. The RSC has the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre and the future of costume making on the historical site has been secured through a mix of public and private support.
Over 30,000 people from around the world supported the Stitch In Time fundraising campaign, alongside the National Lottery through Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Government’s Local Growth Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. With gifts from other trusts, foundations, companies and individuals, £8.7 million was raised for the Costume Workshop restoration and redevelopment.

The 30-strong team of costume makers have moved back into the new workshop which has some of the best facilities for costume-making. The redeveloped building, which includes more space and daylight, is now fit to provide training and apprenticeship opportunities to retain the costume-making skills and crafts locally. For the first time the Costume Workshop will be open to visitors where they will get a glimpse at the skills used every day to create RSC costumes, and to see the restored Grade II listed buildings that now sit alongside newly created spaces. Guided tours are expected to start in 2022.

The Costume Workshop team had to relocate for two years whilst the restoration and redevelopment took place. This involved packing and moving:

• Over 1714 reels of thread
• 7885m of stock fabric
• 3500 pairs of shoes
• 1131 magnets
• One pricing gun
• 126 paintbrushes
• Five Sheila’s Maids
• 115kg salt
• 97 hat blocks
• Two hat stretchers
• 27 fob watches
• One Sonic Jewellery Cleaner
• One swivel knife
• One power file
• One anvil pre-1950s
• 36 Mannequins
• 45 Sewing machines
• 862 square feet of stock leather
• One manual treadle machine from the 1920’s
• Seven tailor’s hams
• Eight velvet boards

All items are now in the new Costume Workshop which is home to many specialist skills, and crafts including men’s and women’s costume-making, millinery and jewellery, dyeing and costume painting, costume props and footwear. The workshop sits opposite the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres on the site of the 1887 Memorial Theatre Scene Dock, which is now the new entrance to the building.

Gregory Doran, RSC Artistic Director said: “Thank you to all who have supported the restoration and redevelopment of our Costume Workshop. The team create amazing costumes every year but were doing so in conditions that were not fit for purpose. Costumes are integral to an actor’s performance and to them becoming the character they are to play. As Judi Dench said, ‘no matter how much rehearsal time you have, you cannot get fully into the part until you are in costume’.

“We make, repair and recycle hundreds of costume pieces each year, which are seen by audiences around the world. Costumes have been made on this site continuously since at least the 1940s, and the workshop now has the costume-making facilities to secure the legacy of our costume-making skills and the heritage buildings that house them.”

Harriet Walter, RSC Associate Artist said: “Much as I loved visiting the rabbit warren where costumes and armour and everything else was made in the old days, I realise it was pretty much a Dickensian sweatshop and it was more fun to visit rarely than to work in permanently.

“The RSC costume laboratory has produced all kinds of magic and I can remember nearly every RSC costume I have worn on stage and many that I viewed from the auditorium. It is testament to the skill contained here that these costumes have endured and not fallen apart after all the wear and tear we have given them. Playing Cleopatra, I needed to be free to move around, to feel skittish and sexy and then transform into a grieving shadow and emerge from that grief with a final triumphant throned image. The costumes did most of that work for me”.

As part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund support for the project, Threads is a programme of engagement activity that will celebrate the opening of the Costume Workshop and run until the end of 2021. The aim is to share the heritage of the building, the technology and the people involved in costume-making in Stratford-upon-Avon through a series of family events, community projects, exhibition, and educational activity.
The Threads Costume Day on Friday 20 August will celebrate RSC costume-making heritage through a series of free pop-up performances, workshops and family-friendly activities taking place across Stratford-upon-Avon. Full details to be announced.

Anne Jenkins, Director England, Midlands and East, National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “It is wonderful that thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to support Threads and the costume workshop restoration to ensure that these amazing services and unique skills are preserved for years to come, meaning that local people and visitors will be able to learn more about the RSC’s rich heritage on and off stage.”

Helen Peters, Board Director and Chair of the CWLEP’s culture and tourism business group, added: “The £1 million awarded from the Local Growth Fund will enable the public to access the costume workshop for the first time which will be a major boost to tourism in the town as we all recover from the pandemic.

“The CWLEP Strategic Reset Framework is focused on encouraging enterprise and innovation to drive forward the economy and this is a perfect example of collaborative working which will give the RSC the opportunity to train the next generation of costume makers as well as encouraging more people to visit Stratford-upon-Avon.”

Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director for Arts Council England said: “We’re proud to invest in the RSC and delighted to hear its long-awaited costume workshop is now complete. Theatre is about so much more than just the final performance, so I hope this new space will not only give the costume department the resources they need but give visitors from around the world a rare insight into the intricate and inspiring work that goes on behind the scenes of this world class theatre company.”

Dublin's Inhaler have released their new single It Won’t Always Be Like This on Polydor. The song launched as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record In The World on Radio 1 alongside a video directed by James Slater.  

Sharing its name with the band’s debut album, which is set for release on July 9^th, It Won’t Always Be Like This is a re-recorded version of an early single that the Irish rock quartet wrote over four years ago, but its meaning has changed between now and then. The world is a different place to when singer and guitarist Eli Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon formed the band as teenagers in Dublin seeking to emulate the big-thinking, big-chorused indie-rock bands they worshipped with some uplifting anthems of their own.
 
A run of euphoric singles had helped Inhaler gather thrilling momentum by the time the world went into lockdown in March 2020. Over the next year, as they crafted and honed a debut album in a manner that no-one has ever dreamed of making their debut album – writing sessions over Zoom, quarantine conditions in the studio, no pubs open to reflect on a hard day’s tracking – it was the words of their early single that they kept coming back to: “It won’t always be like this”. Six words to hang on to. That sense of remaining hopeful, of pulling through hard times, seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, is the thread that ties this mesmeric collection of songs together. “There’s a sense of optimism on this album and the song It Won’t Always Be Like This is the main catalyst for that,” says Hewson. “We kept coming back to that title.”
 
When everything was going to pot, when the future looked uncertain, Inhaler kept the faith. It Won’t Always Be Like This is a coming-of-age record, an album about adolescence, love, getting lost and finding yourself again. It closes one chapter of the band’s life and opens another.
 
Inhaler will play an 18-date tour of the UK & Ireland later this year.

The Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) - Promoter of the 2021 Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - has revealed exclusive renderings of the state-of-the-art Pit & Team Building that will be the centre-piece of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit – F1’s newest track.

With just 6 months until the greatest drivers in the world line up on the grid in Jeddah to fight for victory at the 2021 FORMULA 1 SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX, SMC has unveiled brand new images of the spectacular home to teams, drivers, staff and VIP guests alike during the inaugural F1 race weekend in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Considered the heart of a Formula 1 circuit, the newest Pit & Team Building in F1 will overlook the starting grid and back on to Jeddah’s majestic Red Sea coast. Designed by renowned Tilke GmbH architect, Ulrich Merres, the 280m-long, four-storey, cutting-edge structure takes the form of a composed landscape of multi-storey staggered buildings sitting splendidly alongside the main straight of the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, defined in its detail by straight and sleek lines.

Housing all team garages as well as the race control centre and the exclusive Paddock Club premium hospitality suites, the Pit & Team Building will provide guests with a magnificent view down on to the Pit Lane and starting grid where the most crucial moments of the racing action will occur when Formula 1 makes its debut in Jeddah for the penultimate round of the FIA Formula One World Championship.

Designed to fit harmoniously within the track and its surroundings, its architectural expression is equally inspired by its idyllic location on the banks of the Red Sea and the layout of the circuit.

Indeed, the building's functionality, visual connection to the track and sensible positioning mark it out as one of the most unique and innovative structures of its kind, guaranteeing spectacular views of the racing action as well as of the breathtaking Jeddah waterfront.

Commenting earlier, HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) said: “We are delighted to share these exclusive renderings of our stunning Pit & Team Building with the world today. The Pit Building stands as a symbol of all that this race represents: welcoming, modern and spectacular.

“With only 6 months to go until the pinnacle of motorsport reaches Saudi Arabia, preparations are progressing at an incredible rate as our dedicated team gears up for the first ever Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. We can’t wait to welcome you to Jeddah next December for a weekend of record-breaking racing and world class entertainment.”

The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight has long been one of the greatest. Very few singers over the last 50 years have matched her unassailable artistry.

Now Gladys Knight – The Empress of Soul and seven-time Grammy winner – have announces a series of special UK dates for June 2022. Starting June 18th in Manchester, the 9-city tour concludes with two nights at London’s Royal Albert Hall on June 29th and 30th.

Gladys comments: “UK I have missed you!  I can’t wait to be back in 2022 and very much look forward to seeing you all soon!” Since she began her career in the 1950s performing with The Pips, the award-winning singer has recorded more than 40 albums and enjoyed No.1 hits on the Pop, Gospel, R&B and Contemporary charts.

Known for her collection of classic hits such as Midnight Train To Georgia (which remains one of the most famous Motown records to date and was honoured as one of 'The Greatest Songs Of All Time' by Rolling Stone Magazine), Help Me Make It Through The Night, Licence To Kill (the official theme song to the James Bond film), The Way We Were, Baby Don't' Change Your Mind, and You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Gladys Knight is one of music’s icons, and her contribution to pop culture unparalleled.

Gladys Knight has been honoured with the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has dozens of TV, film and theatre credits.

UK dates and venues are:

June 18                      Manchester O2 Apollo
June 19                      Birmingham Symphony Hall
June 21                      Bournemouth International Centre
June 22                      Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
June 23                      Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
June 25                      Cardiff Motorpoint Arena
June 26                      Leeds First Direct Arena
June 27                      Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
June 29                      London Royal Albert Hall
June 30                      London Royal Albert Hall

Michael Harrison is thrilled to announce the cast for Disney’s Bedknobs And Broomsticks, which will make its world premiere as an exciting new stage musical, visiting Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 April 2022.

Dianne Pilkington will star as Miss Eglantine Price, the mysterious lady that the three orphaned Rawlins children are evacuated from wartime London to live with. Dianne’s West End credits include Les Misérables, Wicked, Mamma Mia and Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein.

Charles Brunton will play Emelius Browne. Charles starred in the iconic role of Miss Trunchbull in Matilda both in the West End and on Broadway. Other credits include Love Never Dies, Chess and Scrooge.

The rest of the company includes Mark Anderson, Jessica Aubrey, Georgie Buckland, Kayla Carter, Jonathan Cobb, Jacqui Dubois, Matthew Elliot-Campbell, Sam Lupton, Rob Madge, Vinnie Monachello, Nathaniel Morrison, Conor O’Hara, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Robin Simoes Da Silva, Emma Thornett and Susannah Van Den Berg.

The Rawlins children will be played by Dexter Barry, Izabella Bucknell, Haydn Court, Poppy Houghton, Evie Lightman and Aidan Oti.

Enter a world of magic and fantasy with Disney’s classic movie Bedknobs And Broomsticks. With the original songs by the legendary Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), including Portobello Road, The Age Of Not Believing, The Beautiful Briny and new music and lyrics by Neil Bartram and book by Brian Hill, Bedknobs And Broomsticks will be brought to life by award-winning theatre-makers Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison.

When the three orphaned Rawlins children are reluctantly evacuated from wartime London to live with the mysterious Eglantine Price, they have no idea what adventures lie ahead. Upon discovering Eglantine to be a trainee witch, they join forces to search for a secret spell that will defeat the enemy once and for all. Armed with an enchanted bedknob, a bewitched broomstick and a magical flying bed, they encounter surprising new friendships on their journey from Portobello Road to the depths of the beautiful briny sea.

Bedknobs And Broomsticks is produced by Michael Harrison by special arrangement with Disney Theatrical Productions.

In a challenging year for India and South Asia, BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL, part of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and sister festival in Manchester, will be a love letter to the homelands, continuing to premiere the very best of new indie and classic films from the Indian subcontinent and diaspora, from Thursday 17th June to Sunday 4th July 2021.

Supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) using funds from the National Lottery, this will include the festival's Opening Night Midlands premiere of WOMB (Women of My Billion), an inspirational feature documentary telling of one woman, Srishti Bakshi, who walks the entire length of India (nearly 4,000 kms), over 240 days to explore the experiences of other women in its billion plus population. Srishti will be live in conversation at MAC Birmingham following the screening.  Our closing film, Flight, will showcase British Asian film makers and actors and their continued contribution to British cinema’s success, often depicting realistic stories of British Asian immigrant experience. 

Festival Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE says: "Last year we grew our audiences quite substantially by going online and UK-wide. With the UK scene improving, we are delighted to not only offer a strong high-definition online experience on LoveLIFFatHome.com but to also welcome our audiences back to the big screen at MAC Birmingham, Millennium Point, and, for the first time at Everyman at The Mailbox.  We will this year be showcasing the best of British Asian filmmaking, plus exciting premieres in over 7 South Asian languages. Of course, we are working with cinemas to ensure the safety and comfort of all our audiences".

One of Satyajit Ray's greatest actors, the late Soumitra Chatterjee is also profiled in the premiere of Abhijaan, while light-hearted moments are brought with the premieres of Bengali drama Searching For Happiness and black comedy Ashes On A Road Trip. Sanal Kumar Sasidharan's Kayattam (A’hr) in Malayalam, starring one of South India's most decorated actresses, Manju Warrier, , makes its UK debut at the cinema as does Iram Parveen Bilal's Narrative Feature Grand Jury Award nominee at South By Southwest in 2020, I’ll Meet You There, which examines the immigrant life of a Pakistani American family in Chicago, USA.

The Festival's new strand dedicated to ecology-related films, called ‘Save The Planet’, brings stirring features that in different ways reflect lives affected by deforestation and rising sea levels, and how people are meeting the challenge. As Bangladesh marks the 50th anniversary of its independence, BIFF celebrates the country's giant strides in global cinema with special screenings of the lyrical The Salt in Our Waters. Films are in languages such as  Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Urdu, Malayalam, Marathi, Gujarati et al, all with English subtitles.

Online In Conversation events will take place at www.loveliffathome.com where we’ll be speaking to Bollywood actor, producer and director, Karan Johar as well as pan Indian actress and musician, Shruti Haasan and Jahnvi Kapoor, daughter of the late Sri Devi and Boney Kapoor who is making big strides in cinema. In a unique and rare interview, Pam Cullen talks to Nasreen Munni Kabir about her life including working with Indira Gandhi, how she befriended the shy young Satyajit Ray on his early visits to London, rubbing shoulders with such luminaries as Charlie Chaplin and managing Raj Kapoor’s press schedule in the

golden age of cinema.

Ben Luxford, Head of UK Wide Audiences at the BFI, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the festival again this year. Thanks to National Lottery players we’re able to help bring this exciting programme to cinemas and households across the UK. The focus on British Asian filmmakers this year is a particular highlight.” The National Lottery raises £30 million each week for good causes across the UK.

Professor Rajinder Dudrah, Professor of Cultural Studies and Creative Industries, Birmingham City University said: “In another challenging year all round, not least for our Indian friends and families, we need the possibility of the new, to be able to look at things differently, for hope, and to create and tell our stories in a myriad of ways. This summer of BIFF 2021 promises to do just that with a range of stimulating films and events that deal with the topical, to the practical and the uplifting. Birmingham City University, as in previous years, is pleased to be a partner to this venture that brings thought, escape and creativity to our city and online platforms.”

Casting details are announced for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s (RSC) Henry VI Part One: Open Rehearsal Project, which will invite audiences inside the full rehearsal process for the first time in the Company’s history, culminating in a live rehearsal room run-through of Henry VI Part One broadcast online on Wednesday 23 June at 7pm.

King Henry VI: Mark Quartley

Mark played Ariel in the RSC’s live motion-capture production of The Tempest in 2016, Other RSC credits include Maydays, Measure for Measure and Written on the Heart. Theatre credits include Armadillo (The Yard Theatre), Strife (Chichester Festival Theatre), Another Country, Macbeth (Trafalgar Studios), Ghosts (The Rose Theatre), Private Peaceful (Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Tempest (Theatre Royal Bath), The War Has Not Yet Started (Southwark Playhouse) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre). Mark’s screen credits include The Ipcress File, Cursed, Truth Seekers, Criminal, Shamed, Red Dwarf, Hoff The Record, In The Club, Lucky Man, Cuffs, Siblings and Vera.

Talbot: Jamie Ballard

Jamie last appeared at the RSC in the 2015 production of The Merchant of Venice, following previous roles in Written on the Heart and Measure for Measure (2011). Jamie is perhaps best known for playing the title role of Harry Potter in the West End production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Other stage credits include Mother Christmas (Hampstead Theatre), In The Vale of Heath (Hampstead), Uncle Vanya (Theatre Clwyd/Sheffield Crucible), The White Devil (The Globe), Ghosts (HOME Manchester) and King John (The Rose Theatre Kingston). Jamie’s screen credits include Suffragette, Vera (ITV), Three Girls (BBC One), Penny Dreadfuls (Sky), Ripper Street (BBC One) and The Hollow Crown (BBC).

Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York: Michael Balogun

Michael will make his RSC debut as York following his acclaimed role in Death of England: Delroy and Macbeth for the National Theatre. Other stage credits include Macbeth (Chichester Festival Theatre), Barbershop Chronicles (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Dark (Ovalhouse Theatre), and People, Places and Things (Headlong). His screen work includes You Don’t Know Me, War of the Worlds and Casualty.        

RSC Associate Artists Mariah Gale, Mark Hadfield and Amanda Harris will play the roles of Margaret, Winchester and Exeter respectively.

Margaret: Mariah Gale

Mariah last appeared at the RSC playing Wendy in the 2015 production of Wendy and Peter. Other RSC credits include Morte’D Arthur, The Comedy of Errors, As You Like It, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar and The Tempest. Screen credits include I May Destroy You, Dr Who, Father Brown, Broadchurch and Death Comes to Pemberley.

Winchester: Mark Hadfield

Since joining the company in 1987, Mark has appeared in at least 20 RSC productions including Michael Boyd’s 2018 production of Tamburlaine; The Plantagenets, The Seagull, The Canterbury Tales, Jubilee, Twelfth Night, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Exeter: Amanda Harris

Amanda’s previous RSC credits include The Two Noble Kinsmen, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Troilus and Cressida, and Measure for Measure. She played Emilia in Greg Doran’s 2004 production of Othello for which she won an Olivier Award. Other stage credits include Othello, Pericles, Vanity Fair, Andromache (Donmar Warehouse); Flare Path, One For The Road, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear (Bristol Old Vic); Cause Celebre, Take The Fire – Jean Cocteau monologues, Island of Slaves (Lyric Hammersmith); Arcadia (Birmingham Rep/Bristol Old Vic) and Travesties (Savoy) and Macbeth (Battersea Arts Centre). Amanda’s television credits include Oliver Twist, Sam Saturday, A Vote for Hitler, Sharman, A Touch of Frost, Midsomer Murders, Lady Jane, Jeeves and Wooster, The Bill, Casualty, Heartbeat and The Locksmith.

The cast also includes:

James Cooney (Alencon)

James was Rosencrantz to Paapa Essiedu’s Hamlet, Patroclus in Troilus Cressida, and most recently Claudio in Measure for Measure and Bianca(o) in The Taming of the Shrew.

Marty Cruickshank (Reignier)

Marty was the Duchess of York in Richard II and played Gertrude to Sam West’s Hamlet (2001). She also appeared in Heresy of Love and played Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in collaboration with Garsington Opera.

Oliver Johnstone (Suffolk)

Oliver played Edgar in King Lear, and Iachimo in Cymbeline, and appeared in Imperium and Oppenheimer, and Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in collaboration with Garsington Opera.

Mimî M Khayisa (Somerset)

Mimi last appeared at the RSC in 2016 playing the roles of Ophelia and Cordelia in Hamlet and King Lear.

Anna Leong Brophy (Burgundy)

This is Anna’s debut with the RSC. Anna’s previous stage credits include Richard Pictures (Edinburgh Fringe); Pitcairn (Chichester Festival Theatre/Shakespeare’s Globe), In the Night Time (Before the Sun Rises) (Orange Tree Theatre) and Alice in Wonderland (Storyhouse). Her screen credits include Harry Hill’s Clubnite, Back, Terra Vision, Traces, Last Tango in Halifax, Alibi’s Traces, Berlin Station and Paradise War.

Chris Middleton (Duke of Gloucester)

Chris was most recently with the RSC in Salome, Coriolanus and in the Roaring Girls Season (The Witch of Middleton and Arden of Faversham)

Lily Nichol (Joan la Pucelle)

Lily appeared in Imperium Parts 1 & 2 and most recently in Maydays.

Bridgitta Roy (Warwick)

Bridgitta returns to the company following the 2019 production of King John in which she played the role of Queen Elinor.

Liyah Summer (Bastard of Orleans)

Liyah was most recently with the RSC in Maydays.

Jamie Wilkes (Charles, the Dauphin)

Jamie was one of the Two Noble Kinsmen, and appeared in The Rover in 2016, as well Oppenheimer, and The Shoemakers Holiday.

RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran said: “Emerging from the pandemic, we know we can reach world-wide audiences through our work online. We also know that there’s a strong appetite from those who can’t join us in Stratford but want to feel part of the RSC. This project opens up the process of theatre-making to audiences like never before. It’s a voyage of discovery, which we hope will yield some perhaps surprising insights into the ways plays get rehearsed, and give the opportunity for anybody to benefit from the training that exists here at the RSC, growing their own skills or just discovering something new. The open rehearsal will also mark for us a transition back to in-person theatre in Stratford as our buildings gradually come back to life during the summer through our café and restaurant, our new outdoor Garden Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, which will be ready for indoor performances of The Magician’s Elephant this Autumn.”

Director Owen Horsley added: “The rehearsal room is a fascinating place filled with imagination, creativity and discoveries. Currently we ask audiences to book for a show with little or no context of how we approached the play or the decisions that were made in the room. It is exciting to consider the prospect of audiences being engaged at an earlier point in the process to deepen their understanding and investment into the theatre experience. We will not be taking Henry VI Part One into a theatre for a live audience but who knows, maybe one day will be able to offer both - an open rehearsal and then an opportunity to step into the theatre to see the production that you witnessed being made. As we return to the act of making theatre again in person, I think it is a great moment to rethink how we do that.”

Henry VI Part One: Open Rehearsal Project features Music by Paul Englishby, Movement by Polly Bennett, Fights by Rachel Bown-Williams & Ruth Cooper-Brown.

The daily schedule of activity begins with a Company Warm Up, led by members of the acting company and creative team, in which participants develop skills such as voice technique and stage fighting, as well as physically preparing for the day.

From noon, online audiences are invited to join a live rehearsal session as the actors and directors put the show on its feet. This will be followed by the opportunity to join members of the company for a post-rehearsal Green Room Chat as they reflect back on the day, unwind after rehearsals and answer audience questions about the process.

The Henry VI Part One: Open Rehearsal Project will culminate in a live streamed final rehearsal room run through from Stratford-upon-Avon on Wednesday 23 June, available to watch on demand until midnight on Friday 25 June.  This will give audiences a unique chance to see the end result of three intensive rehearsal weeks – the moment just before a show hits the stage.

The three Henry VI plays were originally due to be presented in the Swan Theatre from 10 October 2020 – 2 January 2021 by a single company of actors, across two performances but were later postponed due to the ongoing impact of the pandemic.