Entertainment
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Aladdin Weaves A Magic Spell at the Birmingham Hippodrome
I think that even adults need the magic of fairy tales in their lives, and last night I was transported to the land of beautiful Princesses, handsome heroes and magic lamps when I attended the press preview of Aladdin by the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome. This production by David Bintley is an exquisite triumph, perfect entertainment for the whole family, with scenes that amuse, romantic sequences that charm, and an wholly engaging cast that keep you entertained throughout. The story is kept thankfully familiar, Mathias Dingman is wonderful as Aladdin, playing the role as a likeable cheeky chappy who gets himself into troubles that almost cost him…
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Reviewed: Penguin Cafe Mixed Programme
The Autumn season of the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome began last night with the Penguin Cafe mixed programme, an eclectic collection of three short ballets headlined by the sublime ‘Still Life’ at the Penguin Cafe. The triple hander showed the diversity of ballet, from the Ragtime dancing of Elite Syncopations, to the Morris dancing of ‘Penguin Cafe’, right through to the paired back, beautiful simplicity of Concerto. Concerto A bare stage, plain rehearsal style costumes and the stirring music of Shostakovich, Concerto is a ballet that definitely has two moods. The first and third act are upbeat and lively, but it is the second act dance that…
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La La Land Live in Concert At Birmingham Symphony Hall
This weekend saw the Birmingham Weekender, a weekend dedicated to bringing the arts to the masses with a series of free and ticketed events. The city’s beautiful Symphony Hall, one of the most glorious concert venues in the country was the setting for one of the most anticipated events, a live screening of the Oscar Winning movie La La Land, complete with a full orchestra. It was a stunning event, with the music, setting and movie just perfect. Before the screening, there was a chance to chill in the Heineken bar with an Absolut La La Land cocktail, a mix of vodka, cranberry juice and pomegranate juice with a hint…
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Birmingham Hippodrome Launch Cinderella at Villa Park
Wednesday saw Villa Park turned into a pantomime wonderland (not for the first time this season it has to be said – Baggies fan Joke!). The Birmingham Hippodrome were launching this year’s panto, Cinderella, with an all star cast. Beverly Knight, Suzanne Shaw, Matt Slack, Ceri Dupree and Phil Randall were all there, in their best panto finery, talking to this year’s panto producer and director Michael Harrison. It was a funny, happy occasion and certainly wet the appetite for what looks set to be another astounding success for the Hippodrome. Suzanne Shaw,Ceri Dupree and Phil Randall For Suzanne, this is the third time playing Cinderella, although the first time…
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Getting out and about this Autumn
For many people, Autumn is the best season. It it a time of great natural beauty, the leaves change and fall from the trees as temperatures start to fall, but we still have gloriously sunny days and blue skies that hold off the bay of Winter just that little bit longer. These lovely days (and if we’re really lucky, a touch of an Indian Summer) make Autumn a season where we really should be getting out and about and enjoying some fresh air and outdoor pursuits. There really is no reason to be staying inside. Children need to be turfed out, away from their computer screens, and instead given a…
