Entertainment News

Barbara Dickson has announced an extensive UK tour beginning in March 2022, performing both classic and more recent material from her extraordinary canon of music across both pop and folk, all with her exceptional band.                        

As a multi-million selling recording artist with an equally impressive Olivier Award winning acting career, Barbara Dickson OBE has long since cemented her status as one of the UK’s best-loved performers. Emerging from the Scottish Folk Revival of the 1960s, Barbara Dickson became the biggest selling Scottish female album artist of all time, earning 6 platinum, 11 gold and 7 silver albums.

Known to a wider audience in the 1970s and 1980s with hits including ‘Answer Me’, ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’, ‘The Caravan Song’ and ‘I Know Him So Well’, she enjoyed ten years of chart success as a pop star. So much was her contribution that she was awarded an OBE from Her Majesty The Queen in 2002 for Services to Music and Drama.

As an actress, she has appeared in the award-winning theatre productions, ‘John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert’, ‘Blood Brothers’ and ‘Spend, Spend, Spend’. She was the original Mrs Johnstone and Willy Russell’s muse.

In October 2020, Barbara released her new album ‘Time Is Going Faster’, which marked 50 years since her first solo album, 1970’s ‘Do Right Woman’. Consisting of 10 new tracks, the album features three original songs written by Barbara herself, her first new writing in years, including the title track, ‘Goodnight, I’m Going Home’, and ‘Where Shadows Meet The Light’. The album also features a new rendition of ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’ from Willy Russell’s ‘Blood Brothers’.

Having landed in the Top 20 UK Official Folk Albums Chart, ‘Time Is Going Faster’ was nominated for Album of the Year at the Celtic Music Radio Awards 2020, the album having also been featured as album of the week on the station. The Arts Desk described ‘Time Is Going Faster’ as “a lovingly crafted album by one of Britain’s most talented female singers, a real musician who knows exactly where her strengths lie”, while the Scotsman said “Barbara…sticks to what she knows on her new album – and what she knows is varied and always worth hearing”.

After a musical odyssey of 50 years creating music, playing guitar and piano, acting, and songwriting this tour is a culmination of her journey thus far. Barbara will perform a wonderful range of material drawing on her folk roots as well as performing globally known hits. It’s an evening packed with songs from one of the finest voices you will ever hear.

Tour Dates:

March 17th     Cannock Prince of Wales Theatre
March 18th     Dunstable Grove Theatre
March 19th     Basingstoke Anvil
March 21st     Hunstanton Princess Theatre
March 22nd    Maidstone Hazlitt Theatre
March 24th     Yeovil Westlands
March 25th     Carmarthen Lyric Theatre
March 26th     Blackburn King George’s Hall
March 27th    Perth Concert Hall
March 30th    Edinburgh Usher Hall
March 31st    Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

April 2nd        Bradford St George’s Hall
April 3rd         Birmingham Town Hall
April 4th         Wellingborough Castle Theatre
April 5th         Eastbourne Royal Hippodrome
April 7th         London Union Chapel
April 8th         Clacton Princes Theatre
April 9th         Milton Keynes The Stables
April 10th       Shrewsbury Theatre Severn
April 12th       Isle of Man Gaiety Theatre
April 13th       Gateshead Sage
April 14th       St Annes Lowther Pavilion
April 15th       Liverpool Royal Philharmonic Hall

US actress Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1987 romantic comedy Moonstruck, has died, her family announced.

Her brother wrote she was "at peace" after suffering ill health.

Dukakis had a long and distinguished career in theatre, both as a performer and as a director. But in her 50s she starred in a series of hit comedies on screen, including an award-winning turn as Cher's mother in Moonstruck.

That run - in the late 1980s - also included roles in Steel Magnolias, Working Girl and Look Who's Talking with her other key roles being a secondary school head teacher in 1995's Mr Holland's Opus and as a transgender landlady in the TV series Tales of the City, whose fourth series premiered on Netflix in 2019.

"My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City," Apollo Dukakis wrote on Facebook. "After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her husband Louis."

Olympia was born in 1931 in Lowell, Massachusetts to Greek immigrants. Her cousin Michael was Democratic candidate for in the US presidential election, losing to George HW Bush. She studied performing arts at Boston University and moved to New York in the late 1950s before starring in dozens of plays on and off Broadway, as well as directing and teaching.

In 1961 she met actor-producer Louis Zorich. She had been cast as a married woman in a play and Zorich auditioned for the part of her husband. He didn't get it - but they got married for real the following year.

Dukakis had several roles on the big and small screen but it was Moonstruck that propelled her to stardom and won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Playing an eye-rolling, interfering Italian matriarch,

Despite the Oscar, and critical acclaim, she said she was taken aback, not considering the part one of her more important roles.

She once said: "All of the attention I was getting was lovely, of course, but I was more than a little confused about why it had come at this point, and with this role, which, to my mind, was not the greatest part I had ever played." She was nominated three times for an Emmy for her TV work - Lucky Day (1991), More Tales of the City (1998) and Joan of Arc (1999).

Looking back on her long career in a recent interview, she said she was encouraged by how things have improved for women. "I think things are finally moving in the right direction, both for women and for minorities,” she once said.

“We are far from reaching our goal but there's a forward movement that's real and strong. You're seeing more women as directors and decision-makers and that's a great thing. I'm happy that I've lived a long enough life so I could witness the growth that has occurred."

She was 89.

Birmingham’s Moseley Folk and Arts Festival are pleased to announce acclaimed singer-songwriter Passenger will be taking to the stage for this year’s much-anticipated event. He joins an already impressive line-up that includes Frank Turner, as well as the previously announced The Waterboys, Richard Hawley, The Wonder Stuff and Gruff Rhys.

Taking place in the idyllic surrounds of Moseley Park, in Brum, the annual family-friendly fest’ runs from Friday 3 to Sunday 5 September 2021. Passenger was originally booked to appear in 2020, but when the festival was rescheduled due to COVID-19, he was unable to reconfirm. However, after some serious diary juggling, he’s now back with a Sunday night mainstage appearance – where he’ll be joining a closing bill that already boasts Richard Hawley, AIM Independent Music Awards' International Breakthrough 2019 artist Jade Bird, and Brum’s own fast-rising Katherine Priddy.

Since his 2007 debut album Wicked Man’s Rest, Passenger has enjoyed rapid international success, with sell out shows around the world, an Ivor Novello award, and a Brit Award Nomination, as well as sharing stages with the likes of Jools Holland and pal Ed Sheeran. Released in January, and debuting at number two in the album charts, Songs For The Drunk and Broken Hearted is Passenger’s sixth Top 10 long-player.

Punk-folk troubadour Frank Turner joins Saturday's line-up. In an astonishing 20-year career, he's sold over one million records and played to over two million people. 2019 saw the release of Frank's eighth solo record, No Man’s Land, which became his fourth consecutive UK Top Three album.

Discussing the event’s return after 2020’s postponement, Moseley Folk Festival’s John Fell said: "It has been a very difficult year for live music, but following the continued roll-out of vaccines, as well as the recent announcement of the government’s roadmap plans, things are looking positive for the return of the festival this September.

"We've been spending the last 12 months plotting and planning for all eventualities, and are feeling very optimistic about being able to go ahead safely later this year. The last year has made us all realise the value of live music and has shown just how much the local community needs events such as this.

"There has been a lot of support from the Moseley Folk audience and the uptake on 2021 tickets has been huge. Whilst there may still be some bumps in the road, the festival has weathered out worse and we are in a great position to make the 2021 festival a very special weekend.

"Let’s make up for lost time!"

Five thousand music fans packed into the first live gig without social distancing for over a year, as part of research into reopening large events with chart-topping indie band Blossoms headlined the sold-out concert in a big top in Liverpool's Sefton Park.

Everyone had to have a negative Covid test, with the research helping determine how this summer's festival season can go ahead.

Singer Tom Ogden said beforehand: "We're really excited just to play live.” Drummer Joe Donovan added: “Especially if we can get our industry back open.

“It's been closed for so long with very little support, if any support, so it will be nice to get back and kickstart it again. Get it back on track."

The Stockport five-piece were supported by rising Wigan band The Lathums. Asked how excited he was, frontman Alex Moore told the programme: "I don't think you can put it into words to be honest.

"We've all been cooped up for a year. It's what we were meant to do, this is what we've been working for four years. It's just an amazing feeling."

It was the first concert since last March where fans can stand shoulder-to-shoulder - not to mention sit on someone else's shoulders, crowdsurf or jump into a moshpit. All members of the audience had to fill in a health questionnaire and take lateral flow tests at one of four centres in the city on Saturday. They were able to put their face masks away once inside the venue.

All attendees were also given two PCR tests to take at home. Organisers say that is optional but crucial in providing the vital data that is needed by the scientists.

As well as studying any spread of the virus following the event, researchers will examine factors like audience movement and interaction, ventilation, duration, catering and alcohol consumption. The six-hour gig was put on by Reading and Leeds festival promoters Festival Republic, whose managing director Melvin Benn said he persuaded the government to add it to the line-up of official pilot events.

"This wasn't originally in the Events Research Programme, and if I'm honest I sort of forced them to do it because I didn't think they would get enough data for festivals without it," he  said. "And then they very much agreed."

Sweden’s leftfield pop innovator Boy In Space crafts unorthodox and emotionally-charged songs which examine life in all of its chaotic and ridiculous beauty. His recent tracks, ‘Dance Alone’ and ‘Remember Me’, have accelerated his huge and still growing following, reaching 2 million monthly listeners at Spotify. That rise has been magnified by huge interest at tastemakers, earning the 26-year-old widespread critical acclaim along with high profile airplay at Radio 1.
 
Having dropped a slew of increasingly expressive and adventurous releases since 2018, Boy In Space shares his debut EP ‘Frontyard’ - the biggest creative statement of his career to date. The EP is launched alongside the brand new single ‘Sucker Punch’. 
 
‘Frontyard’ finds Boy In Space (real name Robin Lundbäck) looking back to the early-2000s, sidestepping cosy nostalgia and instead forensically exploring his past in an attempt to make sense of his present. Its lyrical depth is defined by what he feels comfortable sharing with the world. Those often heavyweight themes are given an enticing allure by the EP’s sound: pop with a capital P that’s open, inclusive and accessible to all.
 
‘Frontyard’ is the first installment in a pair of interconnected EPs, which will be completed with a second release later this year. The title is a metaphor for the stories that the EP contains. Just like a frontyard is gardened and maintained to look presentable to the neighbourhood, the EP’s songs are tales that Boy In Space is comfortable sharing with the world at large.
 
Boy In Space’s push for pure pop perfect shines boldly within the new single ‘Sucker Punch’. His vocals brim with both an easygoing charm and the confidence to keep the topline enticingly straightforward, which gives him a really individual identity. The instrumentation also makes simplicity a virtue, with a looped guitar groove and streamlined beats supporting an equally uncomplicated sentiment - an unspoken adoration for someone who might not even know that you exist. 
 
Boy In Space commented: “For me, the ‘Frontyard’ EP feels like a time machine. I really tried to go backwards in time in a sense when it comes to influence and sound. It represents my musical core in the best way possible.”
 
As the EP’s previous tracks have demonstrated, Boy In Space has a remarkable ability to hone in on the feelings behind universal struggles. It doesn’t always make for comfortable listening. See ‘Dead End’, a song in which Robin channels energy from his younger self to look at relationships that ended badly and the hopelessness that came with the collapse of something wonderful. Elsewhere, ‘Save Me’ simultaneously embraces both a positive energy inspired by old school pop-punk and the devastating details of crippling depression.
 
Boy In Space created the EP during sessions in New York, Los Angeles and Stockholm with a small, carefully curated group of collaborators such as long-term friend Philip Tillström (aka DREAMDNVR), Freddie Häggstam (Chainsmokers) and Elton Holmsten (aka unheard).
 
Raised and still based in Alingsås, Sweden, Boy In Space is a singer, songwriter, self-taught producer and multi-instrumentalist. In his young life, he’s already been through so much, from losing friends and the turbulence of his parents’ divorce, to trouble at school that was at least partly attributable to undiagnosed mental health disorder, and the unexpected intensity of international success in his teens as part of the international pop trio JTR.
 
When the band came to a natural conclusion, Boy In Space delved into dark, introspective lyricism blended with Scandipop style and an experimental edge. One thing in particular informed his changing outlook. Dreaming of a move to Hollywood, led him to question his other aspirations. The revelation was both simple and revelatory: the things he wanted in life were satisfying but ordinary. There was no need to cultivate an image aside from who he really was.
 
Expect much more content from Boy In Space to follow in the near future.

Artistic Director, Sean Foley has announced his programme for the 50th anniversary season of Birmingham Repertory Theatre in its current home on Centenary Square with tickets on sale now at birmingham-rep.co.uk.  

Opening the celebratory season, the smash-hit comedy-drama East Is East (3-25 Sep) returns home for its 25th anniversary Since premiering on The REP’s stage in 1996, East Is East has sold out three London runs, been adapted into a BAFTA Award-winning film and become a modern classic of comic-drama. Rediscover this joyous play where it all began. 

This hilarious comedy follows George Khan as he strives to raise his family the proper Pakistani way but hasn’t counted on the distractions of 1970’s Salford. Abdul and Tariq aren’t ready to be married off, Saleem is pushing artistic boundaries, Meenah’s skirt is too short and Sajit just wants to hide in his parka. Can mum Ella keep the family together? 

What’s New Pussycat? (8 Oct-14 Nov) is a brand-new musical that invites you to experience the Swinging Sixties of London, as the thrilling iconic hit songs of the internationally celebrated singer Tom Jones are married with Henry Fielding’s classic comic novel – The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling. Written by the Tony Award winning Joe DiPietro (Memphis The Musical), the show has the full backing of Sir Tom himself who has been consulting with the producers throughout the development. 

This joyous, romantic and highly entertaining new musical includes Tom Jones’ greatest hit songs: Green, Green Grass of Home, It’s Not Unusual, Leave Your Hat On, Delilah, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Sex Bomb and, of course, What’s New Pussycat?. 

The show will be directed by Luke Sheppard, whose most recent production – the acclaimed & Juliet – has taken the West End by storm and won 3 Olivier Awards and 6 Whatstonstage Awards. He will be joined by a top-class creative team, including the legendary choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Arlene Philips CBE. 

The REP’s Artistic Director Sean Foley will be bringing sunshine to Birmingham this Christmas as he directs his hit play, The Play What I Wrote (27 Nov-1 Jan). When the production opened in London’s West End, originally directed by Kenneth Branagh, every single review was a rave, every show a sell-out and it won every major theatre award.  

'Hamish' has written a play, an epic set in the French Revolution called ‘A Tight Squeeze for the Scarlet Pimple’. 'Sean', on the other hand, wants to continue with their double act. He believes that if they perform a tribute to Morecambe and Wise, Hamish’s confidence will be restored and the double act will go on. But first Sean needs to persuade a guest star to appear in the play what Hamish wrote... 

Every performance also famously features a special guest star. Previous mystery guest stars have included Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, Joanna Lumley, Daniel Radcliffe, Kylie Minogue, Nigel Havers, Jerry Hall, Sir Ian McKellen, Dawn French and Sting.  

Floella Benjamin’s book about her own experiences coming to the UK, Coming to England (19 Feb-6 Mar) bursts onto the stage with music, storytelling, humour and pathos in a world premiere production. 

10-year-old Floella is strong and brave. When her parents leave Trinidad for England her young life is turned upside down when she’s placed with a cruel foster ‘auntie’. Eventually sailing to join her parents, Floella’s excitement for her new life in England is short-lived, with the family subjected to racism and intolerance in 1960s’ London. Guided by her inspirational mother, and working twice as hard as her classmates, young Floella strives to overcome adversity and learns to love and accept herself. 

Adapted by David Wood, ‘the national children’s dramatist’ (The Times), this thoughtful stage version of Floella’s inspirational true story follows her difficult and courageous journey towards becoming a TV icon, successful businesswoman and eventually Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham.  

Artistic Director, Sean Foley said: “I’m thrilled to be able to announce what has become, in effect, my first season of work at this iconic and beloved theatre. All theatres have undergone tremendous challenges over the past year, and very many tough decisions have had to be made to get us to this point. We are tremendously excited by the shows and proud of the amazing array of creative talent from our freelance community that will be at The REP for this very special 50th Anniversary Season of the company on Centenary Square. The programme is testament to the whole company’s determination and desire to share the amazing event of live theatre with our audiences again, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back - back to entertainment, to debate, to laughter, and to the sheer joy of experiencing the excitement that being part of a great night out brings.” 

International songstress Ameera, celebrates the release of her third single, Bloom, and a Cassette Award Win for Best Original Song by releasing an acoustic version of bloom exclusively on YouTube.

Ameera performed her newly released hit single at the award ceremony at the famous Hotel Esplanade in St Kilda, on Tuesday night, April 27. This was an incredible achievement for Ameera, as she has been unable to perform live in 5 years due to her crippling stage fright.

The Cassette Awards are a nationwide, Australian award night for acknowledging outstanding achievements in student work across Music, Audio and Entertainment Business Management departments. The nominees are judged and voted by leading industry professionals and JMC Academy lecturers. 

On Tuesday April 27, Ameera took to the stage at the famous 'Hotel Esplanade' in St Kilda, for JMC Academy's 2021 'Cassette Awards'. Ameera performed her cinematic masterpiece 'Bloom' and won 'Best Original Song' for the track. The overwhelming response from the audience, was that Ameera was most deserving of the award.

Fellow nominee 'Tianna Karis' said: “Ameera's sound check was mind blowing and I was telling everyone at the show, just wait until you hear Ameera's performance it’s incredible! 

“The night was so beautiful and it was such an awesome opportunity to perform. Ameera definitely got plenty of new fans from last night, like I’m kind of obsessed.  

Ameera hadn't performed live for a number of years due to crippling stage anxiety. Life really changed after Ameera lost her Mum to cancer. Ameera was propelled to heal and move forward with her life after feeling she'd held herself back from living it for too long. 

Ameera owes overcoming trauma and anxiety, to committing to longterm therapy and surrounding life with love and faith. 

When winning the award Ameera said: “The real accomplishment for me tonight, is performing live again. Not just performing, but connecting with everyone and truly enjoying it.

“I have previously struggled with stage anxiety and it held me back from doing what I love to do. I want to thank JMC for opening up my entire World, to Nik for mentoring me with my single 'Bloom' thank you to all of you.”

Bloom is about life and death and how we all grow and ‘Bloom’ through our experiences and individual lifetimes. What is interesting specifically about this track is how Ameera paints a song musically rather than describing it. All of the instruments represent the blooming of life.

“With Bloom, I opened up and added instruments in a way that sonically represents the blooming of a flower – the bridge dances around chords without key signature before returning to its final state of bloom where I sampled wind-up toys and hit pens and pans to create organic sounding percussion,” Ameera said.

Her mother passed away in 2018. It was a precious moment as Ameera had slept next to her all night holding her hand, listening to her breathing. Her Mum told her she did the same when she was born. After her Mum passed, all Ameera could think about was both birth and death, and how devastating Vs beautiful these moments are; and how they connected in some strange, traumatic, transformative and life changing way.

She realised after such excruciating loss, that people are open to talk about birth; but quick to avoid discussing death. Both events are pivotal in everyone’s life and if openly discussed could create community, rather than separation and loneliness.

Ameera’s own journey with accepting death was to encapsulate her experience with it by writing a song and thus ‘Bloom’ was born. Ameera composed Bloom over two months and continued to push herself to compose the piano in a way she had never done before.

Willow Smith has revealed she is polyamorous. The 20-year-old confirmed her relationship status on American talk show Red Table Talk which she hosts alongside her mum Jada Pinkett-Smith and grandmother Adrienne Banfield-Norrison. Polyamory is where those involved agree it is fine for everyone to be open to or have more than one romantic partner.

Willow said she couldn't see herself wanting to go past two partners. "With polyamory, I feel like the main foundation is the freedom to be able to create a relationship style that works for you and not just stepping into monogamy because that's what everyone around you says is the right thing to do," she said.

"Also, doing research into polyamory," she added, "the main reason why divorces happen is infidelity." In the TV interview, Willow's grandma says it feels like it's 'really all just about sex' which Willow denies saying: "In my friend group, I'm the only polyamorous person, and I have the least sex out of all of my friends." Willow's mum, Jada, told her daughter she was happy with whatever choices she wants to make.

A U.K based digital artist sold an entire collection of digital artwork in under 20 seconds when they went online this week.

Doctor Troller, whose real name is Andrew Brown, an artist from south London, launched his digital collection of 40 works for £380 apiece via his website https://www.doctortroller.com and sold one of each totalling £14,500 in under 1 minute.

Andrew Brown, aka Dr Troller, a UK artist, sells digital works using Non Fungible Tokens (NFT). NFTs are registered tokens on Ethereum’s blockchain and prove ownership of a piece of digital art. Sales of NFTs have shot up in the past month by a digital artist called Mad Dog Jones’ who sold his Fax Machine NFT for $4.1m in March this year.

He is well known on social media platform Instagram, where his unique artistry has grown his fan base close to 900K, which generates an average of 1.6 million views for his works.

Art produced by Andrew Brown has increased in value since he launched, bringing his NFT collection to just over £228,000 in value. Artworks, when resold, will earn the current NFTs holders 2% royalties in Ethereum when a resale has commenced. NFT copyrights are tracked mechanically via a commercial rights management company “NFT Intellect”, which monitor royalties owed to current NFT holders.

Doctor Troller, also known as Artist Andrew Brown, says: “The future of art is digital, and the lockdown has certainly sped up the transition away from physical artworks. This has been a great experience for me and should open up new opportunities for artists to be able to monetise their content outside of the traditional gallery model.”

One of Spain’s great international actresses, Paz Vega, will be the host of the 2021 Laureus Awards Show in her home city of Seville on May 6, when the Winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards are unveiled.

The hugely popular star has a wide fan-base. Her successes have covered European and Hollywood hits such as Lucia in Sex and Lucia by Julio Medem, Talk to Her by Pedro Almodóvar and James L. Brooks’ Spanglish, where she played opposite Adam Sandler.

Paz has been directed by acclaimed film makers such as Frank Miller, Danis Tanovic, Oliver Parker, Michelle Placido and the Taviani brothers and shared billing with fellow actors Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Mendes,  Colin Farrell, Jason Clarke, Jeremy Renner, Antonio Banderas, plus the legendary Christopher Lee and Morgan Freeman. Most recently she appeared with Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: Last Blood.

The Laureus Awards, which reflects sporting achievement during 2020, is the premier honours event on the international sporting calendar. The Winners will be revealed in a ‘virtual’ Digital First format as a result of continuing uncertainty over travel and social contact because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paz, a native of Seville, says she is looking forward immensely to showcasing her city and re-connecting with Laureus. “It is an unbelievable honour to be able to present such a major event from my home city, to celebrate the best of sport with Seville as a backdrop.

“I attended the Laureus Awards in Abu Dhabi, when Boris Becker and I presented the Sportsman of the Year Award to my great friend Rafael Nadal.  And now we have the chance to put the Awards show together here in Seville.  Although we can’t host the Nominees and Winners in person, I have seen how they are all preparing for the virtual event. It’s very exciting,” she said.

“Seville is so special because I grew up here. All my family live here, all my friends from when I was a child. I have many, many stories here. It's my town. People in Seville are very welcoming, very happy, the lifestyle here is very relaxed and we’re surrounded by beauty and history.”

Coincidentally Rafael Nadal is once again a Nominee this year along with an impressive list of the most outstanding sports performers from 2020, including Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, Robert Lewandowski, Naomi Osaka, Federica Brignone, Iga Swiatek, Tadej Pogacar, Dominic Thiem, Mikaela Shiffrin and top teams Bayern Munich, Liverpool FC, Los Angeles Lakers and Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One.

A University of Wolverhampton graduate is hitting all the right notes by being selected as a drummer for a new all-female Jazz band run by the prestigious Birmingham Jazzlines programme. 

Scarlett Churchill, 22 from West Bromwich, studied for a degree in Music and graduated in 2020. She is currently studying for a Master’s degree in Music in the University’s School of Performing Arts based at the University’s Walsall Campus. 

Jazzlines is a unique programme of creative jazz music and Talent Development initiatives based within Performances Birmingham Limited (PBL), the charity that runs Town Hall and Symphony Hall (THSH).  

It offers performance opportunities to emerging and established contemporary jazz musicians as part of a thriving, artistically excellent programme in venues across the city and commissions cutting-edge new work, providing support to ensure future performances and a legacy for new projects.  

The programme is supported by the grant made to THSH by Arts Council England under the National Portfolio Organisation scheme. 

Rise–Up is the brand new, free to access, all female jazz ensemble, a project designed to take a positive step towards achieving a 50/50 gender split in the jazz sector by engaging with talented female musicians at the crucial stage in their careers by offering them high-profile mentorship from world renowned jazz musicians, giving them access to rehearsal spaces in the iconic Symphony Hall and also providing them with a platform to showcase their musical and compositional talent through concerts and access to recording studios.  

Following a successful recruitment process with a panel of experts including jazz artists Trish Clowes, Alica Gardener-Trejo and Yazz Ahmed seven exciting musicians from the region were selected. 

Scarlett said: “I was accepted into the Jazzlines Rise-Up ensemble after auditioning in 2020.  It’s an all-female jazz ensemble and aims to unite like-minded women in music and allow us to perform together.  

“The musicians are amazingly talented and it is a privilege to be able to drum for this project.  

“Performing at such a prestigious venue like the Symphony Hall is a dream, and I am excited to see what else may come from being a part of this fantastic project.  

“Before University I hadn't really played Jazz before, so I am now very glad that I joined the University Jazz ensemble as it has given me the confidence and experience that I needed to join the Rise-Up project.” 

Richard Glover, Reader in Music in the University’s School of Performing Arts, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Scarlett and I’m thrilled that her talent has been supported by Jazzlines in this way. 

“To a university like Wolverhampton which has a proud record of serving its communities going back over 180 years, the issues of Equality and Diversity are of paramount importance and we are supportive of any initiatives that promote women positively in the music industry.  Our degree courses are designed to equip students with a wide range of networking and entrepreneurial skills as well as developing their musical talent and hopefully this will open doors for Scarlett as she continues to progress in her career.” 

The group was the first to rehearse in the new state-of-the-art performance facilities at Symphony Hall in early February ahead of opening to the public later this year. Current government guidelines allow for the group of musicians to rehearse and perform for broadcast or recording purposes.  

The ensemble was selected by a panel of experts including jazz artists Trish Clowes, Alica Gardener-Trejo and Yazz Ahmed and is supported by Ian Reaves and the PRS Foundation, the UK’s leading funder of new music and talent development. 

Anyone interested in studying in the University’s School of Performing Arts should register for one of the University’s forthcoming Virtual Open Days. 

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has released full details of its Summer 2021 programme which includes an artists’ impression of the newly conceived Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Garden Theatre. This specially constructed outdoor performance space is located in the Swan Theatre Gardens, flanked by the River Avon and overlooked by the Swan Theatre.
Gregory Doran, Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, said: “As nations all over the world emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, and the UK theatre industry prepares to welcome in-person audiences, the RSC is re-opening by sharing our work in new, creative and surprising ways. We want to respond to our changing world and the needs of our audiences with performances and experiences outdoors and online – opening up our rehearsal rooms for the first time.
“By creating an outdoor theatre space for The Comedy of Errors we hope audiences will feel safe to return to the theatre with confidence. Our buildings will gradually come back to life during the summer through our café and restaurant, and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre will be ready for indoor performances in the autumn.
“The last year has taught us many things and we know that we can reach new audiences around the world through our work online. We want to build on this by inviting the public to join our rehearsal process for the first time and working in collaboration with the BBC to adapt The Winter’s Tale specifically for the screen. We know there is an appetite from those who can’t join us in Stratford, and we want to welcome them to the RSC.
“Throughout the pandemic we have continued to support and work alongside the thousands of young people and adults in the RSC community. Arts and culture are vital to help people to reconnect after lockdown, and our work continues across the UK with our partner theatres to support the recovery of our towns and cities. Many of those young people will join us at our Playmaking Festival, on our Garden Theatre stage and in their classrooms for the Live Schools’ Broadcast of Macbeth.
“As our thoughts turn to new beginnings, we cannot wait to work again with our freelance colleagues and to welcome audiences back to the place where, for so many, their love of live theatre first began.”
The Comedy of Errors
As previously announced, the Summer 2021 programme begins with an outdoor production of The Comedy of Errors, directed by Phillip Breen running in the Garden Theatre from Tuesday 13 July – Sunday 26 September 2021.
Phillip Breen’s previous RSC directorial credits include The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Provoked Wife and The Hypocrite. The production is designed by Max Jones with Lighting by Tina MacHugh, Music by Paddy Cunneen, Sound by Dyfan Jones, Movement by Charlotte Broom and Fights by Renny Krupinski. The 2021 production of The Comedy of Errors is sponsored by Darwin Escapes.
The Comedy of Errors and The Winter’s Tale were both due to begin performances in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Spring 2020 and were preparing to open when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold.
The previously announced screen adaptation of The Winter’s Tale, directed by Erica Whyman, RSC Deputy Artistic Director, will be broadcast on BBC Four on Sunday 25 April at 7pm as part of BBC Lights Up, an unprecedented season of plays for BBC TV and radio, produced in partnership with theatres across the UK and continuing BBC Arts’ Culture in Quarantine initiative. A BSL signed version of the production will be broadcast on Thursday 29 April at 1.10am. Both versions will subsequently be available on iPlayer.
The RSC will also stream the production to Subscribers, Members and Patrons based outside the UK following the BBC broadcast. The streaming will be available for 24 hours on 25 April 2021 at 9pm BST and on 8 May 2021 at 6pm BST.
Following its Stratford run, The Comedy of Errors will tour to partner theatres around the nation including The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury from Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 October 2021. Additional dates and venues to be announced.
Henry VI Part One; Open Rehearsal Project
For the first time in the RSC’s history, Artistic Director Gregory Doran will invite audiences inside the full rehearsal process for three weeks this Summer, culminating in a complete rehearsal room performance of Henry VI Part One broadcast online on Wednesday 23 June at 7pm.
Running from Tuesday 1 – Friday 25 June, Henry VI Part One; Open Rehearsal Project will see directors Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley re-unite to reinvent the Henry VI plays afresh.

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.
The Henry VI Part One; Open Rehearsal Project will be co-directed by RSC Artistic Director Gregory Doran and Owen Horsley, who last worked alongside each other between 2013-2015 on the critically acclaimed King and Country cycle featuring Richard II, Henry IV Parts I and II and Henry V.
A Summer of Play & Playmaking
As children and young people start to reconnect with each other, their wider families and school communities, it is more important than ever that we continue to champion the role that arts and cultural learning can play in supporting wellbeing, developing young people’s skills and talents and getting them ready to learn for the next academic year.
The Royal Shakespeare Company will therefore play host to a Summer of Reconnection which celebrates the creativity and resilience of our Royal Shakespeare Community of young people, children and adults, creating opportunities for people of all ages to make and share Shakespeare’s work with friends, within schools and with their local communities.
The Royal Shakespeare Community incorporates 1,000 schools, 1,500 adults and over half a million young people across the nation, enabling them to learn about, participate in, challenge, and make performances of Shakespeare’s plays.
Intergenerational Online Playmaking Festival
The summer of reconnection opens with a week-long online celebration of playmaking from Mon 5 July featuring 20 original digital commissions involving 600 young people aged 5 to 18 from the RSC’s national Associate Schools network and adults from the Shakespeare Nation community programme. All delivered in collaboration with regional theatre partners. Composer Tarek Merchant and Movement Director Tanushka Marah will be providing creative inspiration for students as they make short films based on a range of Shakespeare’s plays. A team of freelance directors will work with teachers, students and adults in the development of their work.
In previous summers, pupils from across the country have followed in the footsteps of some of the world’s best-known actors by performing on stage in Stratford-upon-Avon as part of the RSC’s Playmaking Festival.
This year’s Playmaking Festival goes online via a specially designed new website. It features an interactive map with three themed zones that audiences can click on and visit. Each zone contains footage of young people and adult community group members from across the country performing their versions of edited scenes or speeches from a Shakespeare play of their choice.
Accompanying the microsite will be wraparound activities throughout the week, including online workshops and creative challenges.
Next Generation Act: All Mirth and No Matter
The Summer of Reconnection includes an original performance from the RSC’s Next Generation ACT young company inspired by William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing directed by Sameena Hussain, with Keiren Hamilton-Amos as Movement Director.
The RSC’s Next Generation ACT company will resume in-person performances on Friday 23 July with All Mirth and No Matter, a fusion of new writing and Shakespeare’s text. The production will run in the Garden Theatre for two public performances following a week-long rehearsal residency in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Taking inspiration from the wedding of Claudio and Hero, this fresh response to Shakespeare’s most problematic of nuptial celebrations brings together movement, original music and spoken word to shed new light on the story of the slandered Hero.
Made up of 24 young people aged between 13 and 18 from across the country, Next Generation Act is one strand of the RSC Next Generation programme, a unique talent development scheme that provides gifted young people from backgrounds currently under-represented in the theatre industry with the opportunity to gain experience in acting, directing or backstage roles and explore whether a career in the theatre is for them.
Learning in Schools, Online and for life
Meanwhile, the RSC continues to work alongside regional theatre partners supporting a nationwide network of over 250 Associate Schools to develop new and innovative ways to transform how students learn about and through Shakespeare’s plays, in their classrooms or at home.
Upcoming highlights include the 2021 Schools’ Broadcast of Macbeth (2018), directed by Polly Findlay with Christopher Eccleston in the title role, which will be available on demand for a week from Mon 17 May.
2021 will also see the return of the RSC’s annual Summer School for lifelong learners, which will run online from Monday 23 – Friday 27 August with an inspiring mix of sessions soon to be announced.
Free family activities on the Bancroft Terrace
As Stratford-upon-Avon re-opens its doors to visitors and residents, the RSC will be celebrating the arrival of Summer with a series of free pop-up performances, interactive workshops and outdoor performances for families running for four weeks from Tuesday 27 July – Friday 20 August on the Bancroft Terrace and across the newly installed Garden Theatre.
On Tuesdays, visitors can brush up on their stand-up with a programme of fun, interactive sessions inspired by comedy and clowning.
On Wednesdays, twice-daily pop-up performances inspired by the RSC’s own history of costume-making, accompanied by a free making workshop in which participants will be invited to make their own item of costume. There will also be a separate craft workshop inspired by The Comedy of Errors where you will be able to create giant chains to funny disguises.
On Thursdays free musical performances open to all.
Would-be crafters can also put their skills to the test with free making-workshops lead by RSC Costume Practitioners.
Bringing the weekly programme of activity to a close on Friday mornings, visitors are invited to join RSC workshop leaders for a weekly Community Warm Up in the Garden Theatre. Open to all ages at a cost of £5 per ticket, with family ticket offers available, these fun, interactive sessions are the perfect excuse to get on their feet and join in the fun with family and friends, whether taking your place centre stage or joining in from the comfort of your seat.
On Friday 20 August we will celebrate our costume making heritage with a Costume Day; featuring a series of free pop-up performances, workshops and family-friendly activities taking place across the town with further details soon to be confirmed. These activities are part of THREADS, a programme of events that celebrate the heritage of costume making in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Riverside Cafe and Rooftop Restaurant Re-opening
Elsewhere at the RSC, the Riverside Cafe will resume its popular takeaway service from Wednesday 21 April if restrictions allow.
Visitors can also take advantage of the ‘Rocket’ ice cream van located at the front of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on selected days throughout the Summer.
Both outlets will serve a selection of drinks, sandwiches, ice cream, crisps and delicious cakes plus a full range of fair-trade tea and coffee.
The Riverside Cafe will be open at 10am, six days a week, Tuesday – Sunday.
From Tuesday 13 July, in line with government guidelines, the Rooftop Restaurant will re-open its doors with a reduced menu, available from Tuesday - Sunday.
The restaurant will operate with reduced capacity so pre-booking is essential. The outdoor terraces will be open, overlooking the RSC’s picturesque landscape.
A picnic offer will be available to purchase via click and collect as well as drinks for pre theatre and interval via a new online ordering service for Garden Theatre audiences.

The music charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall (THSH) have announce that their Jazzlines Summer School returns later this year, as they look forward to opening their doors once again to young musicians from Birmingham and the surrounding areas. This year’s free, non-residential course will run from Monday 23 to Friday 27 August for young people aged between 11 and 19 and takes place at the world-renowned Symphony Hall in the heart of Birmingham.

The Jazzlines Summer School offers a comprehensive and broad-ranging programme aimed at emerging talent with a range of abilities, from beginners to advanced, who wish to expand their horizons and playing capability. The course is designed to develop key skills in aural training, ensemble musicianship, jazz repertoire and harmony and is suitable for those who aspire to further their music studies as well as those who simply wish to learn new skills in an atmosphere which is fun, supportive and encouraging.

The Jazzlines Summer School is led by professional trumpet and bass player Percy Pursglove and professional vocalist and songwriter Sara Colman, both experts in helping young musicians build their skills in way that is best suited to each individual. They are supported by an experienced group of Jazzlines tutors, music educators and specialist jazz performers. 

Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Jazz Programme Manager, Mary Wakelam Sloan says, “In August 2012, Jazzlines built on previous work to launch a free-to-access Summer School, consisting of a week-long course at Symphony Hall led by professional jazz musicians including Royal Birmingham Conservatoire tutors. This flagship project has taken place every year since and forms the basis for the year-round opportunities for young musicians via the Jazz and Gospel ensembles. Due to the pandemic, the Summer School in 2020 was cancelled and so we are thrilled that this year we can offer this unique provision to 11–19-year-olds in partnership with Jazz FM for the first time. This year, the young musicians will be some of the first to enjoy Symphony Hall’s brand-new state-of-the-art facilities. Combining the Summer School with the Festival means that we can offer the chance for the young musicians to see and hear some of the best British talent in action, as well as learning alongside them.”

This year, with a range of guest tutors in the city, the Summer School will run in conjunction with a Jazz Festival, in partnership with Jazz FM, where audiences will be able to enjoy free and low-cost performances at The Spotted Dog in Digbeth, on stage at Symphony Hall and in Symphony Hall’s new Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space. Like the UK’s leading national commercial radio service for jazz, soul and blues, the week of music from Monday 23 to Saturday 28 August will showcase the full spectrum of jazz and includes performances from international touring artists to local community bands. Performers for this celebration of jazz include Yazz Ahmed (Jazz FM’s UK Jazz Act of the Year 2020), Warmer Than Blood and highly acclaimed, Birmingham-born jazz pianist Reuben James.

Jazz FM’s Content Director Nick Pitts says, “This already looks like it’s going to be a fantastic celebration of Birmingham’s young and vibrant jazz scene, especially after a year of lockdowns. Jazz FM has always been a passionate supporter of UK jazz education, and we are delighted to work with the brilliant THSH to help spread the good word on this project, including a number of music and interview specials on our nationwide platform.”

Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Jazzlines Summer School is in partnership with Jazz FM and is very kindly supported by PRS Foundation, Arts Council England, George Henry Collins Charity, Grantham Yorke Trust, Michael Marsh Charitable Trust and Ronnie Scott’s Charitable Foundation as Talent Development Partners, supporting and inspiring the next generation of the city’s musical talent.

Almost a third of UK car owners said they would buy electric as their next car, according to a survey by LeaseLoco, the UK’s largest car leasing comparison website.

LeaseLoco polled more than 2,000 car owners and asked them about their next car purchase - 31% said they would consider switching to electric in the next 2-3 years. 

This shows that demand for pure electric cars is there. And if we extrapolate - of the 35,168,259 registered car owners in the UK, that could mean almost 11 million are ready to switch to electric.

According to SMMT figures*, there are just over 750,000 low, ultra low and zero emissions cars on UK roads. Of these, less than 100,000 are pure electric cars. The low number of electric cars currently on UK roads compared to the latent demand for zero emissions motoring, shows the challenge facing the Government and car manufacturers to meet this demand, but also the opportunity.

The problem is that many car owners still have major concerns that might prevent them switching to electric in the next few years even though the desire to do so is there. Survey respondents said they would only consider switching if there were more attractive incentives to buy electric, a greater range of cars and more affordable models, and the nationwide charging infrastructure was improved.

Almost half of respondents (46%) said more attractive incentives would help make their decision to switch, while 33% said improving the charging infrastructure would give them the confidence to buy an electric car.

LeaseLoco polled motorists across different age groups and locations on their car buying plans and whether they would buy electric. There was little difference in attitudes between older and younger car owners towards electric car ownership - 30% of car owners aged 18-34 would consider buying electric for their next car, compared to 33% of 45-54 year olds.

Across the regions there was more disparity - almost half (46%) of respondents living in Greater London would consider buying electric for their next car, compared to just 15% in Wales. Almost half (48%) of car owners living in Bristol would consider buying electric next, compared to just 17% of registered car owners in Cardiff.

John Wilmot, CEO of LeaseLoco, comments: “Our survey shows that demand for electric cars is soaring and that the UK public are ready to make the leap to electric en masse. If the chief concerns around price and charging infrastructure were alleviated, take-up could be much more rapid than many expect.

“The Government needs to take advantage of the growing popularity of zero emissions motoring, but the worry is that without more focus, investment and education, this latent demand will not translate into sales and momentum will be lost. With the sale of new diesel and petrol cars banned from 2030, the next two to three years will be critical in ensuring that the switch to greener motoring stays on track.”

One of the biggest problems we face today is the impact of man-made materials on the environment. For example, if you look at pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, 95% of the waste in its waters is plastic. Similar problems are being experienced all around the planet, and the only way these problems can be solved is by implementing real change.

To create lasting change, its vital that we educate children and show them how to look after the environment. They will then become advocates of a major shift in how we treat our planet and help to create an eco-friendly future. It is with this idea in mind that Mondo has launched two new green projects: BioBall and ReNewToys.

The new BioBall is the only ball made with a new bio-based formula, which replaces 50% of fossil-derived substances with a renewable sourced plant derivative. The new formula not only makes it the first green ball, but also contributes to improving its flexibility and, consequently, its playability.

Available in many varieties the new BioBall has been certified “OK Bio-Based” by TÜV Austria, the leading European organic certification body that guarantees the high quality of the renewability of raw materials used. Mondo is also pleased to announce ReNewToys, a brand-new set of beach products (buckets, rakes, spades and more) built using recycled materials coming from the pre-consumer food chain. Food grade plastics cannot contain dyes or other additives deemed harmful to humans, therefore enhancing the chemical safety of Mondo toys which are often used by toddlers.

ReNewToys is the ideal choice for playing outdoors and learning to play while taking care of our coastlines. Mondo is a multinational group with over 70 years of experience in the toys market, investing heavily in research and development and committing itself proactively to find concrete and useful solutions to substitute plastic materials with environmentally sustainable options.

Both projects represent Mondo’s new corporate policy, which sets a serious of environmental sustainability goals aimed at reducing waste and reusing it as raw material, as well as improving the energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Through its products and its choices, Mondo communicates its respect for nature: a real commitment to effectively contribute to awareness, growth and education of new generations to help the children of today become more aware adults tomorrow.

A round of the Ultimate Fighting Championship should be staged in Africa by the end of next year, UFC president Dana White has said.

Speaking ahead of Kamaru Usman's fight with Jorge Masvidal in Jacksonville, Florida, White - who runs the mixed martial arts organisation - said that while he did not know in which country it would happen, the fact that there are three UFC champions from the continent meant it was now time. Since UFC 001 was held in Denver, Colorado, in 1993, events have been held in countries including the Czech Republic, South Korea, Brazil and Abu Dhabi - but never anywhere in Africa.

"If I had to guess when a round in Africa will happen, I'd say 2022," White said. "I don't know which country yet. I don't even know where we're going in the States yet - how this whole Covid-19 thing plays out, what opens up, what doesn't - but that's my game plan."

Welterweight champion Usman is known as the Nigerian Nightmare. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was also born in Nigeria, while heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou comes from Cameroon.

White said: "When you have champions from certain countries, they ignite that country.

"Growing up, I was a huge boxing and Muhammad Ali fan. One of the things that I've always wanted is to do my big 'Rumble in the Jungle'. I've not done it yet, but now that we have three African champions, I really believe it's going to happen." He also praised Usman, who is ranked second in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings.

"I love Kamaru Usman," he said. "I think he's well-rounded, I love the way he goes in, the way he fights, his mentality - he'll fight anybody.

"He's a great champion!"