Entertainment
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Aladdin at the Wolverhampton Grand – Fantastic Entertainment
You know when Santa is starting to pack up the sleigh when Panto season begins, and last night the Wolverhampton Grand got the season off to a flying start with a wonderfully funny version of Aladdin, starring a host of hilarious stars and absolutely delighting the audience with its sheer fun and exuberance. It is, quite frankly, the best Wolverhampton Grand panto in years and I enjoyed every single minute of it. All the key elements were in place with X Factor winner Joe McElderry showing off the amazing vocal talent that made him such a runaway winner. He is well matched with his beautiful princess, Britain’s got Talent’s Lucy…
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Treasure Island – Pirates arrive at the Birmingham Rep
Firstly, I’d like to point out that this was not quite what I expected when I arrived at the Birmingham Rep to review this year’s seasonal offering, Treasure Island. I was expecting a rip roaring yarn featuring cartoon pirates, a stage glistening with gold and treasure and ‘x’ marks the spot. In short, I was expecting a panto version of the Robert Louis Stephenson classic. What I actually got was a deliciously dark pirate and treasure story, with a healthy smattering of girl power that the Spice Girls themselves would’ve been proud of. In short, it’s a real festive treat, albeit one with not a hint of Christmas. Photo credit:…
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The Nutcracker opens and we celebrate Sir Peter Wright’s 90th Birthday
What signals the start of Christmas to you? Putting up the decorations and the tree? Starting the shop for those special gifts? The Coca Cola advert on the TV (holidays are coming, holidays are coming…). Well for me, Christmas comes when I go to see The Nutcracker staged by the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome. Last night this was made even more special and unforgettable by being both the opening night and also being the 90th birthday of the legendary Sir Peter Wright, the genius behind The Nutcracker. He chose to spend that special night in Birmingham, coming on stage for a standing ovation and a chorus of Happy Birthday. This was…
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House of Fraser are sorting out your cocktail needs
We are getting very close to the festive season, and that means that it is almost cocktail season too. On Monday night I attended a very special Christmas event at the Wolverhampton Grand, and one of the things on the menu was creating Christmas cocktails, with a Snow Queen being a particular treat (coconut cream, Malibu and blue curacao in case you’re wondering.) Forget the Eggnog and the Mulled Wine, Christmas is about cocktails, glamorous, decadent and elegant. House of Fraser are getting into the party spirit in style and have created a cocktail wheel which can help you to create a series of classic cocktails. You spin the virtual…
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The Exorcist at the Birmingham Rep – Gloriously chilling
From the moment the lights are suddenly switched off, plunging the theatre into total darkness, to the minute the final curtain goes down, the theatre version of Williams Peter Blatty’s supernatural horror ‘The Exorcist’, currently terrifying wowing audiences at the Birmingham Rep, never lets up on the uneasy tension. The story of 10 year old Regan whose body and soul is overtaken by a terrifying entity that may just be the devil, has been striking fear into movie audiences for more than 40 years. And now it has been transformed into a truly spellbinding, horrifying theatre experience that is just perfect for those who enjoy their entertainment to be on…
