PT BBC winter issue web links

Office
Your family theatre guide...
Birmingham Arena
B1 2AA
www.arenabham.co.uk
23 Dec – 26 Dec
Grandpas Great Escape
Various times. The first ever stage
adaptation of Grandpa’s Great
Escape, the exhilarating number
one bestselling children’s book
by actor and comedian David
Walliams, is coming to Arena
Birmingham this Christmas. The
live version of the kids’ favourite,
which has sold over two million
copies around the world is coming
to Birmingham. Many years ago,
Grandpa was a World War II flying
ace. But when he is sent to old
folk’s home Twilight Towers – run
by sinister Matron Swine – it’s up to
Grandpa and his grandson, Jack, to
plot a daring escape. Little do they
know, the wicked matron is onto
them. T: 0844 33 88 222.
16 Jan – 19 Jan
Strictly Come Dancing the Live
Tour
Various times. Clear the floor
and whip out your score cards,
because the Strictly Come Dancing
The Live Tour is back for 2020 and
will waltz its way to Birmingham in
January for six scintillating sequinfilled
shows. Fans will be delighted
to hear that Strictly favourite and
2018 TV show winner Stacey
Dooley is returning to host the tour
for the first time.
T: 0844 33 88 222.
Birmingham Hippodrome
B5 4TB
www.birminghamhippodrome.
com
21 Dec – 2 Feb
Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs
Packed with comedy and festive
fun, Birmingham Hippodrome’s
magical pantomime brings
together a galaxy of stars for
Britain’s biggest regional panto.
With Birds of a Feather’s Lesley
Joseph as The Wicked Queen,
Birmingham panto favourite
Matt Slack as Muddles, X Factor
winner Joe McElderry as The
Spirit of The Mirror, Coronation
Street’s Faye Brookes as Snow
White, joined by Britain’s Got
Talent finalists Flawless, Midlands
YouTube phenomenon Doreen
Tipton and the return of panto
dame Andrew Ryan, there really is
0231512
TICKET
0231513
Box
TICKET
no end to the talent in this year’s
panto spectacular. Age 5+. No 3s
admitted. T: 0844 338 5000.
Birmingham Repertory
Theatre
B1 2EP
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
30 Nov – 19 Jan
Peter Pan
Various times. Wendy and her
little brothers are feeling lost.
Separated from their mother,
they’ve been sent to live in a flat
high up above the city. Then one
night, a remarkable flying boy
arrives offering her an escape. The
boy’s name is Peter Pan and he
invites Wendy and her brothers
to fly away with him to a magical
world beyond their urban reality. A
world of mischievous Lost Children
and boundless dreams called
Neverland. Recommended for
ages 7+. T: 0121 236 4455.
4 Dec – 14 Dec
Penguins
Penguins is a unique and engaging
show for children about friendship,
fun, identity and the ever-changing
meaning of family. This delightful
new theatre and dance production
is inspired by a true story reported
in the New York Times that
touched hearts worldwide. For
ages 3+. T: 0121 236 4455.
19 Dec – 21 Dec
Search For The Second Star
To coincide with the Christmas
production of Peter Pan, young
people will be invited to fly with
to the second star and journey
through a colourful and interactive
environment full of beautiful
sounds and delicious smells. An
immersive theatre experience
developed in partnership between
The REP and Open Theatre
Company and designed to engage
young people,with learning
disabilities including those with
complex needs. T: 0121 236 4455.
CBSO Centre
B1 2LF
www.thsh.co.uk
6 Dec – 7 Dec
CBSO: Notelets: Christmas
Treats
11am and 1.30pm. Performed
by members of the CBSO string
section, this mini concert features
The Most Wonderful Gift in the
World by Mark Sperring and Lucy
Fleming. Each concert lasts 45
minutes: with festive tunes, craft
activities, lively presentation, and
plenty of chances to burn off all
that Christmassy excitement. Age
guidance: Suitable for children
under 5. T: 0121 780 3333.
Forest Arts Centre
WS3 1AG
www.forestartscentre.co.uk
13 Dec – 22 Dec
Mother Goose
Big hearted Mother Goose is living
her best life, with egg-cellent
daughter Lucy Goose and egg-stra
silly friend Whacky Jack by her
side. Her constant good deeds are
noticed by the magical Fairy Mary,
who rewards her with a massive
funky goose that lays golden eggs.
Egg-citing stuff. All is well until an
evil cyborg from the year 3000,
The Shellminator, comes back in
time to steal the goose and poach
some eggs. T: 0300 555 2898.
30 Jan – 1 Feb
Annie
Brave young Annie lives a life
of misery at Miss Hannigan’s
orphanage. Her luck changes
when she’s chosen to spend a
fairytale Christmas with a famous
billionaire. Meanwhile, spiteful
Miss Hannigan has other ideas
and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s
search for her true family. Add in
the unforgettable songs like It’s the
Hard-Knock Life and Easy Street
this is a show not to be missed.
T: 0300 555 2898.
Hall Green Little Theatre
B27 7RY
www.hglt.co.uk
6 Dec – 14 Dec
Jack and the Beanstalk
7.30pm and 2.30 Matinee. Join
in with adventure, laughs and
surprises this Christmas with this
wonderful family panto. Will Jack
make his fortune? Will he make his
Mum proud of him again? And will
the family ever be reunited with
poor Daisy? Find out when you
join Jack and friends for a tale as
magic as beans. Age Guidance: 4+.
T: 0333 666 3366 .
mac Midland Arts Centre
B12 9QH
www.macbirmingham.co.uk
26 Nov – 31 Dec
Slot Machine Theatre: Kipper’s
Snowy Day
Various times. Kipper and his best
friend Tiger go on an adventure
in the snow - but on the way they
lose their friend Arnold in a terrible
storm. Will they find him? And will
they find their way back home?
Filled with original songs and
music, gorgeous puppetry and
gentle humour, this warm-hearted
Christmas show is perfect for
Primary Times Birmingham
children aged 3+ and their families.
T: 0121 446 3232.
7 Dec
Colour Box: The Muppet
Christmas Carol
Film u: Brian Henson directs his
late father’s creations in the best
known (and most oft-filmed)
Christmas story of all time. Michael
Caine plays the old miser Scrooge
with Kermit as his long-suffering
but ever-hopeful employee Bob
Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Cratchit’s
wife, and a host of Muppets
(including the Great Gonzo as an
unlikely Charles Dickens) taking
other primary roles in this bright,
playful adaptation of Dickens’
festive tale. Michael Caine makes
a wonderful Scrooge, delightfully
rediscovering the meaning
of life as fantastic creations
from Henson’s Creature Shop
(developed specially for this film)
take the reins as the three ghosts.
Come along for this special Colour
Box screening, beginning with a
hands-on workshop where kids
(and adults) can make their own
Muppet, which they can then take
into the cinema and bring to life
as they sing some festive carols
before the film! T: 0121 446 3232.
New Hampton Arts
Centre
WV1 4AN
www.newhamptonarts.co.uk
14 Dec – 15 Dec
Moonbeam On A Cat’s Ear
11am and 2pm. A perfect seasonal
theatre treat for families with
younger children. This specially
adapted version of much-loved
children’s book by author and
illustrator Marie-Louise Gay,
Moonbeam on a Cat’s Ear is a not
to be missed visual journey into
an exciting world of dreams and
imagination. In the middle of the
night Rosie, Toby Toby, the cat and
the mouse sneak out to play in the
shadow of the apple tree. When
Toby Toby steals the moon from the
sky they go on an adventure across
the stars and the sea. But, was it all
just a dream? T: 01902 572 090.
The Alexandra Theatre
B5 4DS
www.atgtickets.com
20 Nov– 23 Nov
Billionaire Boy
Various times. From the awardwinning
West End producers of
Gangsta Granny and Horrible
Histories comes this amazing
new production of David
Walliams’ best-selling story.
Joe Spud is twelve years old
and the richest boy in the
country. He has his own sports
car, two crocodiles as pets and
£100,000 a week pocket money.
But what Joe doesn’t have is a
friend. So he decides to leave
his posh school and start at the
local comp. But things don’t
go as planned for Joe and life
becomes a rollercoaster as he
tries to find what money can’t
buy.
BOX OFFICE
www.primarytimes.co.uk/birmingham | WINTER 2019 17