Birmingham
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Can You Win At Lucky Claw?
There’s a new family attraction that has opened deep in the heart of Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter on Bromsgrove Street. Lucky Claw is a bright and colourful amusement style arcade that claims to have the easiest claw machines, aka ‘grabbers’ in the UK, aiming for you to win lots and leave with a smile on your face. As someone who loves traditional amusement arcades, and also heads off to try to win cuddly toys from the grabbing machines, I was looking forward to trying Lucky Claw. It did not disappoint. It is a lovely, fun and safe environment. All the machines are really easy to use, and You have a much…
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Pride And Prejudice (Sort of)
I’m a huge fan of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’. I read the book over and over when I was a teen. I’ve watched pretty much every version, from Lawrence Olivier smouldering at Greer Garson, to Colin Firth in that wet tunic (sigh!). But, in all honesty, I have never, ever seen a version of Pride and prejudice like the one I watched at the Birmingham Rep last night. Frankly, I laughed until my sides hurt! Pride and prejudice (sort of) by Isobel McArthur is an absolute triumph. It tells the story of the Bennett sisters, and their formidable mother through the eyes of their servants, who see everything happen,…
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The Makings of A Murderer 2
If you enjoy reading about, or watching documentaries about true crime in the UK, then you will have heard all about Colin Sutton. Colin is the former head of a Metropolitan Police murder squad, the Senior Investigating Officer who caught serial killer Levi Bellfield and ‘The Night Stalker’ Delroy Grant. The story of these key investigations have been dramatised in an ITV series starring Martin Clunes. This TV series has given Colin Sutton the title Manhunter, and he is now involved in a TV documentary series called ‘The Real Manhunter’. Colin is currently touring in the UK’s top true crime theatre tour, The Makings of a Murderer 2, following on…
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A Christmas Carol Is Just Exquisite At Birmingham Rep
A Christmas Carol is the perennial Christmas classic. Many people believe that all our modern origins of Christmas stem back to this very story, written by the legendary Charles Dickens and giving us the unforgettable Ebenezer Scrooge. This year, Mark Gattiss, always the lover of a Christmas ghost story, has transferred his highly acclaimed adaptation ‘ A Christmas Carol – A ghost story’ to the stage of the Birmingham Rep for the festive season, and it has become the must see ticket this December, with the ability to delight and chill in equal measure. It’s a cold Christmas Eve and mean-spirited miser Ebenezer Scrooge has an unexpected visit from the…
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Christmas Magic From The Wizard Of Oz
Unless you want to upset the Wicked Witch of the West (Midlands) then you really need to get yourself a ticket to The Old Rep‘s Christmas offering, The Wizard of Oz. Blending the classic story with all the fun of panto, this version of the perennial favourite is funny, sweet and super entertaining. I went along on Saturday and can honestly say that I (and my family) absolutely loved it. It is exactly what Christmas entertainment is all about. The story is the classic story of Dorothy Gale, who, during a twister, is transported, with her dog Toto, from Kansas to a wonderful land called OZ. Everyone in Oz looks…