Entertainment News

Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s free Friday lunchtime performances by talented musicians from across the city are back. The concerts are organised by the Wolverhampton Music Education Hub to give young musicians the chance to perform in spectacular spaces away from their schools. Each show at the Lichfield Street gallery features a range of music from classical to contemporary - and most stops in between.

This Valentine’s Day, Stratford-upon-Avon based Orchestra of the Swan (OOTS) invites you to delve into the world of the ‘considerable talent’* of renowned composer Joanna Lee’s ‘Blue Blaze – Dance Suite’. This feast for the ears is the third of four pieces commissioned to celebrate OOTS 21st Anniversary season. ‘Blue Blaze - Dance Suite’ is a work for solo oboe, clarinet, bassoon and horn accompanied by string orchestra and consists of four movements inspired by four different dance styles - ballet, hip-hop, dirge and rumpus.

Hush Heath Estate in Kent, one of the top premium wine producers in England and a hospitality business born out of the winery in Staplehurst, Kent, is championing the best suppliers of food in the county at the company's local pubs. Located in West Farleigh, The Tickled Trout is the newest addition to the Hush Heath Estate group having opened its doors in December 2015. 

On Thursday 2nd, Uganda Tourism Board is bringing an amazing Mountain Gorilla to London's Trafalgar Square...but don't panic its an animatronic version, not a real great ape! To highlight that Uganda is the best place on the planet to see these amazing creatures, we'll be introducing our gorilla to the public on the northern edge of the square (in front of the National Gallery) at the times shown below.

Birmingham’s Chinese community is preparing to welcome in the Year of the Rooster today with an afternoon of celebrations aimed at the whole family. Organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee in conjunction with Southside Business Improvement District (BID) and supported by Birmingham City Council, the event will include Chinese music, food and stalls plus colourful dance and martial arts performances.

This half term prepare to be fascinated and repulsed by Birdland, Park & Gardens' Disgusting Birds Week! From Saturday 11 Feb – Sunday 19 Feb, 2017 the Gloucestershire attraction will be revealing the most revolting birds that inhabit the Park. Discover the Spectacled Owl; this disgusting bird eats its food whole then later regurgitates the fur and bone in a pellet.

A celebrated contemporary music festival comes to Birmingham for the first time this month. Emulsion will take place on Friday 27 January at mac Birmingham, following three successful events in London, and one in collaboration with Cheltenham Music Festival. The brainchild of saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes, Emulsion V will be hosted by BBC Radio 3 presenter Fiona Talkington. As a multi-genre event, Emulsion provides a platform for contemporary composition and improvisation, and fosters collaboration between like-minded musicians.

Olympic champion Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill and double Paralympic gold medallist Richard Whitehead MBE teamed up with iconic BBC children’s television show Blue Peter to launch the official mascot design competition for this summer’s World Para Athletics Championships and IAAF World Championships London 2017. The two will run the rule over all entries as part of a judging panel with representatives from London 2017 Ltd, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and IAAF and Blue Peter on the lookout for two mascot designs – one for each Championships.

This week, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre celebrates the welcome addition of a Baby Grand Piano to the Encore Lounge – the venue’s new alternative performance space. Until now, the Encore Lounge has played host to a number of live stand up comedy evenings, and a brand new season of comedy has just gone on sale. The lounge has also seen two popular evenings of jazz music courtesy of the Brian Humpherson Trio.

Birmingham’s Broadway Casino will be opening its doors to guests for a night to mark the Chinese New Year as the community celebrates the Year of the Rooster for 2017 with a special colourful and exciting event this Sunday. The casino is delighted to be hosting a fabulous free evening for guests to enjoy great food, fantastic company and unrivalled entertainment in contemporary surroundings as the celebrations kick off, at 7pm, where partygoers can buy raffle tickets to try and win one of the £100, £250 and £500 cash prizes or a meal for either two or four in The Restaurant – the casino’s latest addition. The winner of each prize will be announced during the event.

Grease is the word as the full casting is announced for the hit 70s musical, which returns this year to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from November 27 – Saturday December 2. Casting includes Tom Parker who makes his musical theatre debut playing Danny Zuko, Danielle Hope who plays Sandy and Louisa Lytton who plays Rizzo. Completing the cast are Tom Senior as Kenickie, Michael Cortez as Sonny, Oliver Jacobson as Roger, Ryan Heenan as Doody, Callum Evans as Eugene, Lauren Atkins as Marty, Rosanna Harris as Jan, Rhiannon Chesterman as Frenchy, Gabriella Williams as Patty and Ailsa Davidson as Lynch.

Spanning 20 years, Lost Languages and other voices brings together 16 bodies of work exploring race, history and gender, encompassing a wide range of photographic media, from digital video installations to Victorian printing techniques. Joy Gregory was included in a recent group exhibition Liberties and this solo show, on tour from Impressions Gallery in Bradford, expands on those ideas while introducing new ones.

The Treasure Houses of England, a series of fine stately homes, castles and palaces have a wealth of activities, exhibitions and days out for all the family to enjoy. Discover living history and exciting cultural heritage Be inspired to visit the stunning Treasure Houses of England and discover what's new for 2017. From new historical exhibitions to family fun events, there's something for everyone.

Aladdin panto stars Joe McElderry and Lucy Kay enjoyed some free time meeting the animals at Dudley Zoological Gardens (DZG). The musical pair who are currently appearing in ALADDIN had a fun morning touring the zoo site and feeding some of the animals alongside dancer Katrina Ridley, before they headed back for the matinee performance. Joe and Lucy, who play Aladdin and Princess Jasmine in Wolverhampton’s biggest ever pantomime, helped keepers to feed some of the zoo’s resident animals.

Waddle with the penguins at Birdland, Park & Gardens, Gloucestershire today as they celebrate Penguin Awareness Day.  Keepers will be putting your penguin know-how to the test with a special quiz about the mischievous piscivores, plus enter the competition to be in with a chance to feed the penguins. Discover the parcel of penguins living in Penguin Shore and learn all about the quirky personalities of the colony of King Penguins and comical Humboldts. Meet film stars, TV personalities and one of the World's oldest penguins!

A fleet of articulated lorries, harnessing the equivalent power of 4000 horses, is set to roll out of Birmingham this month as Birmingham Royal Ballet begins its UK tour of Cinderella on a scale comparable to any major rock band's road trip. Broadcast by the BBC as the 2010 Christmas Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet's version of Cinderella won the Best Classical Choreography at the prestigious 2011 Critic's Circle National Dance Awards for David Bintley's elegant choreographic work.