THE MIDLANDS ESSENTIAL ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE

Theatre
The Lion King
Birmingham Hippodrome, Fri 28 June - Sat 28 September
Based on the Academy Award-winning animated movie, Julie Taymor's
stage adaptation of The Lion King brings together a huge cast
of actors, singers and dancers. A global phenomenon that's delighted
audiences young and old since its premiere on Broadway in 1997,
the show features twenty-six different types of animal, hundreds of
masks and puppets, and more than seven hundred elaborate cos-
Noises Off
New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, Mon 24 - Sat 29 June
Hit comedy Noises Off effectively presents two plays for the price of one. The audience
sees actors go onstage to perform in the play Nothing On, and come offstage to
appear in the ‘real life’ farce occurring behind the scenes. Taking place during Nothing
On’s final rehearsal and subsequent tour, things never go quite according to plan.
While fights break out backstage, on stage the actors are missing their cues, missing
their footing and missing the point altogether. Even the director ends up having to
take a role in the show! Booker Prize-winning author Michael Frayn is the man behind
this farce about a farce, which became the biggest hit in the history of Broadway
when it opened in New York. Neil Pearson and Maureen Beattie star.
tumes. It tells the compelling tale of young lion cub Simba as he journeys
through life and struggles to accept the responsibilities both of
adulthood and his future role as the King.
This touring production sees Gagwana Dlamini star as Rafiki,
Stephen Carlisle as Scar and Cleveland Cathnott as Mufasa.
Find out more about The Lion King at www.whatsonlive.co.uk.
Priscilla Queen Of The Desert
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 10 - Sat 15
June; Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton,
Mon 27 January - Sat 1 February, 2014
Based on the movie of the same name, Priscilla the
stage show has wowed both West End and Broadway
audiences, picking up a coveted Olivier Award
and an equally prestigious Tony Award along the
accolade-strewn way. At its heartland is an uplifting
story of the friendship shared between three pals,
who hop aboard a battered old bus and head off in
search of love and romance. The show originally
opened in Australia in 2006 - running there for two
years before hitting the West End stage - and comes
complete with a dazzling array of costumes and a
glorious selection of dancefloor favourites, including
It’s Raining Men, Say A Little
Prayer, Go West, Hot Stuff
and Always On My Mind...
Oh, and for this particular
Midlands run, it also has the
added benefit of Jason Donovan
reprising the role of Tick,
the part he played when the
show originally opened in the
West End.
www.whatsonlive.co.uk 29