There’s never a dull month when it comes to theatre in the Midlands. Check out our selection of shows coming to venues across the region during the next few weeks...

HAMLET

Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark, struggles to come to terms with his life. Not only is he faced with the ghost of his murdered father, he must also grapple with the behaviour of  his widowed mother, who has married his conniving uncle, Claudius, in indecent haste. And things aren’t going too well with his girlfriend, Ophelia, either... 

One of the true masterpieces of world theatre, Shakespeare’s most famous play is also one of the most testing to perform. The lead role is among the largest ever written, and it's a brave actor indeed who undertakes the necessary plunge into his own psyche.

So best of luck, then, on this particular occasion, to RSC debutant Luke Thallon... Jared Harris and made-in-the-Midlands veteran actor Anton Lesser also star.

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sat 29 March

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THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW

Hook up your fishnets, tighten your corsets and prepare to ‘do The Time Warp again’... The Rocky Horror Show is returning to the Midlands! Richard O Brien’s cult production tells the tale of the straight-laced Brad and the deliciously corruptible Janet, who arrive at the castle of the alien transvestite Frank N Furter and witness the birth of the monster, Rocky.

Along the way, they take the audience through a selection of love-’em-or-loathe-’em musical numbers, including Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and The Time Warp. Great fun’s a guarantee - particularly if you get into the spirit of things and attend the show dressed in your very best stockings & suspenders (as many patrons do).

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Mon 17 - Sat 22 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Mon 7 - Sat 12 April; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Mon 5 - Sat 10 May

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​CALAMITY JANE

Calamity Jane, telling the story of the Wild West’s most notorious female outlaw, is best known from its 1953 film version, starring Doris Day and Howard Keel. In common with the movie, the stage show boasts comedy, drama, dance and music, with its playlist including such much-loved numbers as The Deadwood Stage, Black Hills Of Dakota, Windy City and Secret Love.   

“The show is so wholesome,” says West End star Carrie Hope Fletcher, who takes the title role. “It’s such a wonderful, nostalgic story. People are going to come and be immersed in the world of Deadwood City, be transported away for a while and not have to think about the state of the world right now. 

“Calamity Jane is a really fun, feelgood time, and I think our audiences will be leaving the theatre slapping their thighs and singing. That’s what we hope, anyway!”

Birmingham Hippodrome, Tues 18 - Sat 22 March; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tues 17 - Sat 21 June; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tues 9 - Sat 13 September

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LITTLE WOMEN

Adapted for the stage by Anne-Marie Casey, Louisa May Alcott’s famous tale was written in the 19th century and is widely considered to be the first US children's novel to become an enduring classic. 
The story focuses on four sisters - Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy - as they experience passion, romance, heartache and hardship during the brutal and challenging years of the American Civil War.

Belgrade Theatre, Wednesday 19 - Saturday 22 March; Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 April; The Rep, Birmingham, Tuesday 20 - Saturday 24 May

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VICI WREFORD-SINNOTT: UNRULY

A rare example of disabled-women-led theatre, Unruly is written and performed by playwright & campaigner Vici Wreford-Sinnott. Using her work to challenge societal and cultural misconceptions around the subject of disability, Vici here turns the spotlight on the character of Marina, who, having lost her best friend Suze, ‘carefully unpacks her life and slowly removes the layers of women she was expected to be by others’.

Unruly is a powerful, urgent show about refusing to be invisible in hostile environments and the power of friendship and community to get us through.

mac, Birmingham, Thurs 20 March

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NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

Highly acclaimed theatre company Imitating The Dog is the ensemble behind this fascinating and true story, which tells the tale of an extraordinary life. At its heartland is Eugene Bullard, a man who, at various points in his life, was a runaway, a circus entertainer, a boxer, a nightclub owner, one of the first black fighter pilots in World War One, a jazz drummer, a spy and a civil rights activist.

Containing themes of racism and references to racist violence, the show’s age recommendation for audience members is 12-plus.

Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, Fri 21 & Sat 22 March

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FARM BOY

For anybody who loved War Horse - whether as a book, a film, a stage production or all three - this critically acclaimed adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s compelling follow-up novel is surely a must-see work of theatre. 

Presented by Lichfield Garrick, the family-friendly production revisits War Horse’s main characters of Albert and his horse, Joey, via the story of a teenager who regularly visits his grandfather on his farm in rural Devon... 

A moving account of the changing face of the English countryside, Farm Boy was written by Morpurgo as a response to the many post-War Horse enquiries he received from readers wanting to know what happened to Joey.

Morpurgo has also stated that, of all the books he’s written, Farm Boy is his favourite. If ever there was a good reason to check out the stage version...  

Tamworth Assembly Rooms, Sat 22 & Sun 23 March; The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Mon 31 March & Tues 1 April; The Albany Theatre, Coventry, Fri 25 - Sun 27 April

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PETER JAMES: PICTURE YOU DEAD

Bestselling crime writer Peter James has scored major successes on stage as well as in print and on TV, with adaptations of his novels having played to appreciative audiences at venues across the UK. 

This latest offering sees Detective Superintendent Roy Grace - the Brighton-based policeman who’s headed up murder investigations in a number of James’ most popular works - investigating a cold case that leads him into the secretive world of fine art... Casualty’s George Rainsford returns in the role of Grace, with Peter Ash (Coronation Street) and Fiona Wade (Emmerdale) also featuring in the cast.

Malvern Theatres, Tues 25 - Sat 29 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tues 29 April - Sat 3 May; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tues 24 - Sat 28 June

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BOILER ROOM SIX: A TITANIC STORY

Boiler Room Six tells the impossible true survival story of Titanic stoker Frederick Barrett. Given the
prestigious role of lead firemen in one of the boiler rooms aboard the maiden Titanic, Barrett’s journey
began as countless had before. But on the evening of 14 April, Barrett’s boiler room suddenly ripped
apart, and the freezing Atlantic came crashing through...

Barrett's fight for survival is one of the most devastating accounts of the last few hours of Titanic.
Boiler Room Six gives a voice to the sacrifice of the working men below deck who kept the ship afloat
for as long as possible, saving hundreds of lives, whilst knowingly giving up on their own.
The play premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2024, selling out its entire run, and receiving
widespread acclaim, including being awarded the Best Overall Show of the festival by the Derek
Awards. Written and directed by Tom Foreman.

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wed 26 & Thurs 27 March

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YOU KNOW MY MUM

Marketed as ‘a cheeky comedy about life and death for all the family’, You Know My Mum is presented by Ego Arts and features a baby bird named Bluey and a 25-year-old woman with Down’s syndrome, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother.

While Bluey learns about fried chicken factories and joins a boot camp for birds, Alex battles Harry Potter monsters and dreams about life after death. As her wild imagination comes to life, she begins to realise that the love which she thought she had lost is actually all around her...

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Fri 28 & Sat 29 March; The Rep, Birmingham, Fri 27 & Sat 28 June

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 A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins has adapted and directs this stage version of the much-loved 1941 film starring David Niven.

The story’s main character is World War Two pilot Peter Carter, who thinks he’s about to meet his maker when his plane goes down just off the coast of England. Instead, he finds himself face-to-face with June, the American radio operator who kept him company on what he thought would be his final journey. Peter soon falls in love with her and looks ahead to a bright future - until, that is, a celestial entity makes contact to inform him that he should in fact have died in the plane crash...    

With an amazing live swing-band, A Matter of Life and Death seamlessly blends together romance, drama and fantasy, and will take audiences on an emotional journey, exploring what happens when love, fate and the laws of the universe collide.

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Fri 28 March - Wed 19 April

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SHARK IN THE PARK

Nick Sharratt has illustrated hundreds of books, a significant percentage of which have been his own. One of these is the hugely successful Shark In The Park!, a children’s story about a young lad named Timothy who goes to his local park to try out his new telescope. While there, he thinks he spots a shark - and not just on one occasion either, but several times in several places!... 

The popularity of the book prompted Nick to write and illustrate two follow-up offerings - Shark In The Dark! and Shark In The Park On A Windy Day!.

All three stories are featured in this much-loved stage production from the highly rated Nonsense Room theatre company. The show is suitable for children aged two-plus.

Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, Saturday 29 March - Sunday 6 April

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ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES

A major hit in the West End, the stage-musical version of long-running BBC TV comedy series Only Fools And Horses will no doubt prove itself to be a nice little earner - as Del Boy himself might say - during its early-month run in Birmingham. 
Starring much-loved Fast Show and Gone Fishing comedian Paul Whitehouse - who’s co-written the show - in the role of Grandad, the production not only features material from the television series but also boasts ‘an ingenious script and 20 hilarious songs’. 

Birmingham Hippodrome, Monday 31 March -  Saturday 12 April

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GHOST THE MUSICAL

The ever-popular stage version of the award-winning film makes a welcome return to the region. For those not in the know, the production tells the story of a ghost named Sam, who, caught between this world and the next, is desperately attempting to communicate with girlfriend Molly, to warn her that she’s in mortal danger from his murderer...

A timeless tale about the power of love - and beautifully blending the genres of romance and comedy - Ghost features The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody and numerous songs co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart. 

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 April

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DEAR EVAN HANSEN

Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen makes a welcome return this month. 
Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade, and here presented by Nottingham Playhouse, the hit show focuses on title character and high-school student Evan, a young man struggling with social anxiety disorder, who has a therapeutic and self-intended letter stolen by classmate Connor Murphy. 

When Connor later dies by suicide, Evan inserts himself into the boy’s past - a decision that soon leads to a series of lies and confrontational events... 

“Ultimately, Dear Evan Hansen is about hope,” says Ryan Kopel, who plays the title character. “No matter what you’re going through, its message is that there is always someone to talk to and reasons why you should go on. That’s what I’d like people to take away from the show.”

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 April; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tuesday 17 - Saturday 25 June

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PIG HEART BOY

Cameron wishes his life was all about having friends, going to school, and diving to the bottom of his local swimming pool. 

But it isn’t. The 13-year-old desperately needs a heart transplant, and time is running out. When he’s finally offered a new heart, he finds himself needing to choose how far he will go in order to get his life back...
 
Written by Malorie Blackman, the multi-award-winning author of Noughts And Crosses, Pig Heart Boy is here brought to life in a brand-new adaptation by Winsome Pinnock.

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wednesday 2 - Saturday 5 April; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 8 - Saturday 12 April

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STORIES IN THE DUST

Ideal for youngsters aged five to 12, Stories In The Dust follows the adventures of two travellers as they journey across a mysterious land in a contraption they’ve built themselves. As they go, they sing, play games and tell stories inspired by a collection of precious things they’ve gathered together from a time gone by. The pair are awash with ideas and full of hope - but they’re also dangerously low on baked beans... 

Wiltshire-based performers & theatre makers Iona Johnson and Anna Harriott here bring together live music and puppetry to present a play about the climate emergency. 

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Sunday 6 April; Wem Town Hall, North Shropshire, Monday 14 April; Newhampton Arts Centre, Wolverhampton, Tuesday 15 April; SpArC Theatre, Bishops Castle, Shropshire, Wednesday 16 April 

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THE BADDIES

Here’s yet another stage adaptation of a Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler story. And just like all the others, it’s proving to be hugely popular with its young target audience.

The company behind The Baddies is Freckle Productions, who’ve got plenty of form when it comes to brilliant stage adaptations of Donaldson’s terrific tales. This one focuses on a witch, a troll and an ancient ghost who love nothing more than being very, very bad... Expect your kids to laugh out loud.

Albany Theatre, Coventry, Tuesday 8 - Sunday 13 April; The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Tuesday 3 - Wednesday 4 June

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TAMBO & BONES

Slam poet & playwright Dave Harris has scored a significant hit with Tambo & Bones. A satire about America’s racial history, which also takes a peek into a wildly imaginative vision of the future, the show has not only been hailed a necessary piece of theatre but also ‘unpredictably bonkers’,’clever and prickly’ and every bit ‘as entertaining as it is unnerving’. 

The story starts in the past and follows the fortunes of the initially down-on-their-luck  title characters, a comedy double-act stuck in a minstrel show. But as time moves forward, Tambo & Bones’ fortunes radically change - and so too does the world around them... 

The Thursday performance of the production will be followed by a free-to-attend discussion hosted by theologian, broadcaster & documentary filmmaker Professor Robert Beckford.    

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wednesday 9 - Saturday 12 April

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ORDINARY DAYS: THE MUSICAL

The success eight years ago of Ordinary Days’ initial run at the Old Joint Stock Theatre no doubt played its part in the venue’s decision to make the show its latest in-house production. Hailed by its publicity as ‘a life-affirming and heartfelt musical that will leave audiences laughing one second and weeping uncontrollably the next’, the show follows the fortunes of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love... and cabs.

Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wednesday 9 - Sunday 20 April

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HORRIBLE HISTORIES: TERRIBLE TUDORS & AWFUL EGYPTIANS

If you love the Horrible Histories series - and why the heck wouldn’t you?! - then Terrible Tudors and Awful Egyptians are two shows well worth catching. 

Audience members attending the former will find out all about the fate of Henry’s headless wives and his punch-up with the Pope, while families checking out the latter will be asked whether they’re ready to rumble with Ramesses and - somewhat more alarmingly - if they dare to enter through ‘the gates of the afterlife’!... Both productions show on each of the three days - visit The Alexandra’s website to check starting times. 

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Thursday 10 - Saturday 12 April

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CABIN FEVER

The sky’s the limit for Beth Miles and Aurelia Harris-Johnstone, who this month land their airborne comedy Cabin Fever in Coventry on the back of a host of positive reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe. 
Promising to take turbulence to a whole new level, the uber-talented duo bring to life a planes-worth of passengers travelling from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, delving into various characters’ back stories along the way.  

Given Cabin Fever’s rapturous reception in the Scottish capital last summer, this could well be one flight you won’t want to miss.

Albany Theatre, Coventry, Friday 11 & Saturday 12 April

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A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS

Khaled Hosseini’s spiritual sequel to The Kite Runner finds orphaned Laila all alone in an Afghanistan ravaged by war. But then her older neighbour Rasheed takes her as his second wife and makes her pregnant. Rasheed’s decision kickstarts a rivalry between Laila and his first wife, Mariam. However, as the Taliban take over and life becomes a desperate struggle against starvation and brutality, the two women find themselves engaging in an unlikely alliance... 

Former Birmingham Rep Artistic Director Roxana Silbert returns to helm the show.

The Rep, Birmingham, Friday 11 April - Saturday 3 May

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BING'S BIRTHDAY

Bing’s Birthday’s promoters are confident that their brand-new show is a perfect ‘first theatre trip’ for pre-schoolers and their families. And why wouldn’t they be, given that the production is awash with fun, laughter, music, puppetry and dressing-up?... Based on the animated CBeebies television series, the production runs for 70 minutes, including an interval.

Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Friday 11 & Saturday 12 April; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 April; Birmingham Town Hall, Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 June; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 1 & Wednesday 2 July

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THE DETECTIVE DOG

Given the success of so many other stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson’s hugely popular stories (see, for example, The Smartest Giant In Town elsewhere on this page), it’s a real no-brainer to mount a live version of The Detective Dog.

The canine sleuth of the title is Nell, whose detective skills are certainly not in question; whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who left an unpleasant ‘surprise’ on the new gravel pathway, her ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. So when the books at her owner Peter’s school disappear one morning, it isn’t long before Nell is on the case and sniffing out the culprit!...

Created with three- to seven-year-olds in mind, the show is being presented by Bristol-based Tiny & Tall Productions. 

Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 April

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THE SMARTEST GIANT IN TOWN

Fierylight & Little Angel Theatre are the creatives behind this stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s much-loved story. 

The title character is George, a giant who decides his scruffy days are a thing of the past and buys himself some oversized clothes. But when he encounters various animals needing his assistance - and, more particularly, his newly purchased items of clothing - George soon realises that it isn’t clothes that maketh the giant but rather a gargantuan sense of generosity and a colossal warm heart...

Birmingham Town Hall, Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 April; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 April

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DINOSAURS LIVE

Dinosaurs are once again roaming the region this year, thanks to this interactive show for all the family to enjoy. 

Presented by the Natural History Museum in association with Mark Thompson Productions, Dinosaurs Live! provides youngsters with the chance to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures on a fun- and fact-filled journey through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. 

The show is suitable for children aged three-plus. 

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Sun 13 April; Lichfield Garrick, Wed 23 July; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sun 31 August; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 20 & Sun 21 September

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THERE'S A MONSTER IN YOUR SHOW

Children’s author Tom Fletcher’s critically acclaimed Who’s In Your Book? series here makes the leap from page to stage. 

The hit musical sees Little Monster being joined by friends Dragon, Alien and Unicorn for 50 minutes of comedy, chaos and high-energy fun.

Lichfield Garrick, Monday 14 & Tuesday 15 April; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 May; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 May

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KINKY BOOTS

The newly appointed manager of his late father’s shoe factory in Northampton, Charlie Price has got some tough decisions to make as he attempts to save the ailing business. After a chance meeting with drag queen Lola, Charlie identifies a potentially lucrative niche market: creating footwear to cater for men who like to dress as women... 

A topical story about diversity and acceptance, Kinky Boots is based on the 2005 film of the same name and features music & lyrics by 80s pop star Cyndi Lauper. 

Expect a feelgood evening of catchy tunes, fierce anthems and warm-hearted humour. 
Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe stars as Lola.

*Johannes Radebe will not perform at Wed 16 & Thu 17 April 2pm performances.

Birmingham Hippodrome, Tuesday 15 - Saturday 19 April 

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DRACULA

Bram Stoker’s Dracula is best known from its many and varied cinematic incarnations - but as theatrical productions like The Woman In Black have ably illustrated, a spinetingling story of horror can work just as well on the stage as on the screen... 

Cue, the critically acclaimed Blackeyed Theatre’s brand-new adaptation, a production which imaginatively blends Victorian Gothic with the contemporary... 

The company has deemed the show suitable for audience members aged 11 upwards.

Lichfield Garrick, Wednesday 16 & Thursday 17 April; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Friday 18 & Saturday 19 April

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THE FAMILY MAGIC SHOW

Those unfamiliar with The Great Baldini are advised to imagine an amalgamation of arch Bond villain Ernst Blofeld and legendary magician/comedian Tommy Cooper.

The self-proclaimed - presumably with his tongue firmly in his cheek - ‘emperor of illusion, prince of prestidigitation and maharajah of mystery’ is stopping off in the region this month to tell the story of his partnership with his faithful companion, Baldwin The Magical Dog...

Bristol-based Baldini comes complete with a host of five-star reviews and is a firm family favourite, so be sure to check him out before he disappears in the proverbial puff of smoke...

Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent, Wednesday 16 April; Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 15 June; Blue Orange Theatre, Birmingham, Sunday 22 June; Ludlow Assembly Rooms, South Shropshire, Saturday 25 October

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RUDE SCIENCE

As science shows go, BBC Gastronaut Stefan Gates is pretty darned certain that his Rude Science production is the most revolting in the whole wide world. And he could well be right, given that it involves enormous bottoms, pee-powered fireworks, fabulous fart machines and vast whoopee cushions! Science stunts and spectacular experiments abound in a show that promises to be both entertaining and educational. 
Suitable for children aged five and older.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 19 April; Malvern Theatres, Friday 25 April; Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Monday 21 July

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​AND JULIET

Premiered in 2019 and featuring a string of hits by Max Martin, & Juliet tells an alternative story of Shakespeare’s famous heroine. 
In sharp contrast to the original tale, this one sees Juliet realising that she can survive without Romeo - a revelation that prompts her to set off on her own journey, both in love and life.
The award-winning production, which has proved a massive hit across four continents, visits the Midlands this month with Wanted band member and 2015 Strictly Come Dancing winner Jay McGuiness  taking on the role of the Stratford bard himself. 
The part of Lance, meanwhile, will be played at the Hippodrome by TV presenter Dr Ranj Singh and at the Regent next month by Steps star Lee Latchford-Evans. Featured pop anthems include Britney Spears’ Baby One More Time and Katy Perry’s Roar, as well as chart toppers Since U Been Gone, It’s My Life and Can’t Stop The Feeling. 

Birmingham Hippodrome, Tuesday 22 April - Saturday 3 May; Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Monday 12 - Saturday 17 May

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MILKSHAKE! LIVE ON HOLIDAY

The Milkshake! pals are heading off on holiday - and Midlands-based families are invited to join them for a fun-packed new adventure...
If you’ve watched the TV series and/or been to a previous live production, you’ll already know what to expect from a Milkshake! show. If not, get ready for an event that promises lots of laughter, bucketloads of family fun, bags of audience participation and plenty of singing and dancing... 

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Tuesday 22 April; The Civic, Brierley Hill, Monday 26 May; Palace Theatre, Redditch, Wednesday 28 May; Malvern Theatres, Tuesday 29 July

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ROOM ON THE BROOM

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the creators of The Gruffalo and We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, are the duo behind this ‘spellbinding’ tale of a witch who makes the mistake of thinking she can fit a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog - as well as her own cat - on her broomstick without it snapping in two. And when a hungry dragon appears, things really start to hot up... Presented by Tall Stories theatre company.

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wednesday 23 - Saturday 26 April

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PIRATES LOVE UNDERPANTS

Claire Freedman certainly knows a thing or two about writing for children. And she’s no slouch on the subject of underpants either, with her picture books including Aliens Love Underpants, Aliens Love Panta Claus and Aliens In Underpants Save The World... It turns out pirates are pretty keen on underpants too, as evidenced by this stage adaptation of yet another of her publications. Theatre Severn’s legendary pantomime Dame, Brad Fitt, has written the show, which features a winning combination of ‘music, puppetry and glittering pants of gold’.

Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Wednesday 23 - Thursday 24 April; Crewe Lyceum, Monday 26 - Tuesday 27 May

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ROOM ON THE BROOM

Iggety ziggety zaggety zoom!

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the creators of The Gruffalo and We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, are the team behind this 'spellbinding' tale of a witch who makes the mistake of thinking she can fit a daft dog, a beautiful bird and a friendly frog - as well as her own cat - on her broomstick without it snapping in two. And when a hungry dragon appears, things really start to hot up...

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Wed 23 - Sat 26 April

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CINDERELLA ICE CREAM SELLER

Cinderella Ice Cream Seller’s producers - Little Seeds Music company - are promising that their imaginative retelling of the classic fairytale will capture children’s hearts and tickle their tastebuds. And well it might, courtesy of its sure-to-be-potent blend of thoughtful storytelling, ‘stunning live music and theatrical magic’. 

The show has been written and composed by Little Seeds Music’s artistic director, Dave Gibb.

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Wednesday 23 & Thursday 24 April; Macready Theatre, Rugby, Thursday 29 & Friday 30 May

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THE POCKET DREAM

Lichfield Garrick’s next in-house production is this reworking of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Written by Elly Brewer & Sandi Toksvig - and first performed by Nottingham Playhouse more than 30 years ago - The Pocket Dream tells the story of a company of strolling players whose production of the bard’s most popular comedy hangs in the balance. Can a motley crew of makeshift mechanicals possibly save the day?... 

The Garrick’s longtime pantomime favourites, Sam Rabone and Ben Thornton - here reuniting far earlier in the year than usual - are joined in the show by Joe Feeney. Joe starred alongside Sam and Ben in last Christmas’ production of Jack And The Beanstalk, playing the character of the ne’er-do-well Luke Backinanger (geddit?). 

Lichfield Garrick, Thursday 24 April - Saturday 3 May

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MINNY STYNKER

A bedroom becomes a forest and a school turns into a solar system in this Soap Soup Theatre family production. Telling the story of Kit - a child living in a strange new city - and celebrating the magic of creativity and the imagination. The show is ideal for children aged between three and eight. 

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sunday 27 April

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JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES

Mention Alan Ayckbourn and a list of brilliant observational comedies springs readily to mind, the most famous among which - think Relatively Speaking, Absurd Person Singular, The Norman Conquests, Bedroom Farce - were penned in the 1960s and 70s. This particular offering sprang from his ever-fertile imagination way back in 1976 and is widely considered to be his most emotionally charged play. 
Bringing together five birthdays with two unhappy marriages and one possessive mother, Just Between Ourselves has been hailed a masterclass in suburban comedy and heartbreak. The production is presented by London Classic Theatre and forms part of the company’s 25th-anniversary celebrations.

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Tuesday 29 April - Saturday 3 May

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AN INSPECTOR CALLS

When Inspector Goole calls unexpectedly on the prosperous Birling family, his startling revelations not only shatter the foundations of their lives but also challenge them to examine their consciences...

Anybody who’s seen a production of JB Priestley’s classic 1945 play will have no trouble understanding why it’s been such a long-time worldwide hit.

Presented by the National Theatre, Stephen Daldry’s epic production has won 19 major awards and been seen by more than five million theatregoers worldwide.

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 May

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