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The Rotters Club – Teen Angst in 70s Birmingham
If you asked me to name my favourite book, I could do it quite easily. ‘The Rotters Club’ by Jonathan Coe is a coming of age novel set in 1970s Birmingham, complete with teenage crushes, ‘prog rock’, meals at the Bernie Inn, and the horror of the Birmingham Pub Bombings. The Rotters Club will make you laugh, make you cry and make you smile, and it has now been bought vividly to life by The Young Rep, the Birmingham Rep’s Youth Theatre. The action starts in 1973 and follows the high school life of Ben Trotter (or Bent Rotter as he is more commonly referred to). Ben is a pupil…
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Strada Kids Party at the Birmingham Mailbox
Half term week had a special treat for Joe and I when we were invited to a special party at Strada in the Birmingham Mailbox. It was a lot of fun, with pizza making and activity packs for the children, and Prosecco and fine food for the adults. The children also got the chance to try dishes from the Strada Squad menu, a menu that has been specially approved by a panel of children acting as taste testers. The day started with the pizza making session. Pizza bases and a range of toppings were provided and the children all had great fun designing their own pizza. Joe was really happy…
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A cocktail Masterclass at Bar Opus
I really would struggle to think of a better way to spend a very cold and windy Saturday afternoon, than mixing gorgeous cocktails in the glamorous confines of Bar Opus, based at Birmingham’s One Snowhill. One of the city’s newest destinations when it comes to cocktails, Bar Opus is in a part of the city that is currently experiencing vast changes, as the Midland Metro route is being expanded through the business district. Bar Opus has an extensive cocktail menu, and offers a one hour mixing masterclass for £15 per person, I was invited along to have a go at mixing two different cocktails, and must admit to being a…
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Strictly Come Dancing Live returns to wow the crowds
Strictly Come Dancing The Live Show returned to wow a capacity crowd at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena last night. With Mel Giedroyc as the new host, and judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood returning to the judging panel, it was a night of classic entertainment, the biggest and best Strictly show yet. The Strictly live shows are the glitziest and most glamorous events held at the Barclaycard Arena, with the arena transformed in a ballroom, complete with a huge glitterball, pink chandeliers and a series of props that turn a rather industrial auditorium into a vintage Hollywood setting for one group dance, and transports the audience to the…
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‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ is a joy at Birmingham Town Hall
If you are looking for some fun, family entertainment for the remainder of the Christmas break, or to take you into January with a bang, then look no further than the festive family fare that is currently delighting younger audiences at Birmingham Town Hall. To put it quite simply ‘we’re going on a bear hunt, we’re going to catch a big one, what a beautiful day, we’re not scared…’Although actually, maybe we are, just a little. We’re going on a bear hunt is a children’s classic that celebrated 25 years since publishing in 2014. Written by Michael Rosen and with famous watercolour illustrations by Helen Oxenbury, the story of a…
