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...

COMING TO ENGLAND
“I was 10 years old,” recalls television personality Baroness Floella Benjamin, in talking about her arrival in the UK in 1960. “When we got to England, we lived in one room in London. There were eight people in that one room, but my mum said, ‘Don’t cry, because this room is full of love.’

The story of Floella’s journey from her home in Trinidad to begin a new life in the UK is here being told on stage, returning to the Midlands with a new look. “This show is so joyful,” she says, “the music, the sets, the colour; it’s like a cauldron of excitement. It’s a rich tapestry of sadness, frustration, laughter and joy, all coming together as the big H - hope.”

Birmingham Rep, Wednesday 19 - Saturday 22 February

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ROMEO & JULIET
This brand-new adaptation of Romeo And Juliet, featuring an original score that contains rap, R&B and soul music, is here receiving its world premiere. 

One of the Belgrade’s flagship in-house productions, the show is part of a new strand of work which sees the venue collaborate with the local community, reinforcing its stated commitment to the process of co-creation.

“The production will follow and respect Shakespeare’s text,” explains the theatre’s creative director, Corey Campbell, “but the songs will add a layer of context, to ground it in a world that is recognisable for today’s young people...

“There’s a layer of politics that’s already there, and we’re exploiting it. This is where we’ll continue co-creating with audiences every night. They will be able to vote for which of the ‘dignified’ households they’d like to see take charge.”

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Friday 21 February - Saturday 8 March

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EDWARD II
Edward II is perhaps best known for a scene in which the king is assassinated by having a red-hot poker thrust up his backside. But Christopher Marlowe’s classic tale of love, lust and ambition has plenty to offer besides an eye-watering dose of fatal anal trauma. Here being presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company, it tells the story of a young monarch who lets his passion for another man influence his every decision - even those which are concerned with the gravest matters of state...

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Friday 21 February - Saturday 5 April

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DRIFTWOOD
Long-established Midlands theatre company Pentabus here team up with Wigan-located theatrical ensemble ThickSkin to present a play by former Bruntwood Prize winner Tim Foley.

The story unfolds around the characters of Mark and Tiny, two estranged brothers who reunite on the shores of Seaton Carew in the North East of England to plan their dying father’s funeral. A difficult-enough meeting is made all the trickier by Tiny’s somewhat disturbing desire to gather driftwood to build a Viking funeral pyre for their dad...

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tuesday 11 March

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BOY ON THE ROOF
Vamos Theatre has an impressive reputation for presenting shows which tackle difficult subject matter - and they’re at it again here. The Worcester-based company uses full masks to tell its stories without words - and having previously turned the spotlight on dementia, the health service, post-traumatic stress and death, they’re here returning with a show that tells the tale of an unlikely friendship between a young man struggling with ADHD and a lonely pensioner. 

Boy on the Roof is accessible to deaf audiences without BSL interpretation.

Suitable for 12+, this production contains references to drugs.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Wednesday 26 - Thursday 27 February; mac, Birmingham, Friday 28 February; The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sunday 9 March

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FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Thomas Hardy’s classic novel features spirited heroine Bathsheba Everdene and three suitors competing for her hand. Will she go for steady shepherd Gabriel Oak, wealthy farmer William Boldwood, or dashing sergeant Francis Troy? And will she choose the right man?... Conn Artists Theatre Company are the ensemble behind this latest version of Hardy’s memorable tale. The production comes complete with songs of the period.

Lichfield Garrick, Thursday 20 February; Albany Theatre, Coventry, Saturday 5 April

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GOOD FOR A GIRL
As Queensgate Football Club advances to the later stages of the Women’s FA Cup for the first time in its history, its record-breaking players find themselves faced with challenges both on and off the pitch... 

The real-life experiences of women in football provides the subject matter for Becky Deeks’ Lucy Wild-directed play, a production which promises to be dynamic, comedic and hard-hitting in equal measure.

Birmingham REP, Wednesday 19 - Sunday 22 February; Malvern Theatres, Wednesday 26 February; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tuesday 4 March

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FLUFF
This critically acclaimed show aims to provide its audience with a first-hand experience of dementia via the device of a non-linear plotline.

Standing squarely in the play’s spotlight is title character Fluff, a woman attempting to navigate her way through her most treasured and darkest memories as she tries to piece together the story of her life, event by event and person by person.

Supported by, among other organisations, Arts Council England and the Alzheimer’s Society, the show was the winner of the best theatre production award at last year’s Buxton Fringe, having previously picked up glittering prizes at Birmingham Fringe.

The Swan Theatre, Worcester, Friday 28 February

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HANDBAGGED
An Olivier Award nominee in the Best New Comedy category, Handbagged speculates about the relationship between Her Majesty The Queen and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, two powerful and iconic women who were born in the same year. But what did the pair really talk about behind closed palace doors?

The play was written by Moira Buffini in 2010 and memorably described by the Metro as ‘a mischievous pleasure, with the sharp teeth of a kicked corgi’.

Originally intended to be a one-act show, Buffini expanded Handbagged in 2013, since which time it’s garnered plenty of praise from theatre critics and audiences alike.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Thursday 27 February - Saturday 1 March; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Tuesday 29 April - Saturday 3 May

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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’.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Monday 17 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 11 - Friday 14 March; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Wednesday 23 - Thursday 24 April; Crewe Lyceum, Monday 26 - Tuesday 27 May

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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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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*SORT OF)
A unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story, Pride And Prejudice*(*sort of) has proved a winner with critics and audiences alike. Indeed, celebrity fan Stephen Fry has described it as an evening of “hilarity, romance, madness and utter theatrical joy”.

Alongside the raucously irreverent but admirably affectionate retelling of Austen’s rollercoaster romance, the 2022 Olivier Award winner also boasts a host of pop classics, including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain. 

Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic

The Rep, Birmingham, Monday 3 - Saturday 8 February; Lichfield Garrick, Tuesday 13 - Saturday 17 May

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THE SHARK IS BROKEN
Jaws - Steven Spielberg’s breakthrough big-screen offering - opened in cinemas a half century ago this year and caused a major splash. 

Based on the same-named bestselling novel by Peter Benchley and starring theatre veteran Robert Shaw alongside two young Hollywood hotshots, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider, the film told the story of a summer resort town being terrorised by a great white shark. 

Jaws may have become an immediate classic, but the cast and crew were certainly swimming in choppy waters during the making of the movie... This Olivier Award-nominated play is set in 1974 and takes a look behind the scenes of one of Hollywood’s best loved and most famous blockbusters. Robert Shaw’s son, Ian, stars as his own dad in a show that’s described by its publicity as 95 minutes of ‘short tempers and short circuits, with no intermission’. 

The Rep, Birmingham, Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 May

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HAIRSPRAY
Theatre-goers looking for a memorable night of singalong fun should definitely catch this high-energy bubblegum musical when it stops off in the region this month.

A show which has retained its popularity despite doing the rounds for many a year now, Hairspray is set in 1960s Baltimore and follows the trials and tribulations of the lovable Tracy Turnblad, a young girl whose dreams of dancing on national TV lead her somewhat unexpectedly to fighting a battle against racial segregation.

Boasting hit numbers including Welcome To The 60s, You Can’t Stop The Beat and Good Morning Baltimore, this latest touring version of the show features former Strictly Come Dancing star Joanne Clifton as Velma von Tussle and is directed by Hairspray veteran Brenda Edwards.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Monday 3 - Saturday 8 February

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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.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 4 - Saturday 8 February; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 4 - Saturday 8 March; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Tuesday 6 - Saturday 10 May

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CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG
Everybody's favourite flying car makes a welcome return to the region, complete with the Sherman Brothers’ memorable score and a high-energy cast headed by Adam Garcia and Liam Fox.

When eccentric inventor Caractacus Potts creates an amazing flying automobile, he uses it to take his family to the fictional country of Vulgaria. But all is not well in the European barony, where the sinister Baron Bomburst has decided to make children illegal...

Truly Scrumptious, Toot Sweets, Hushabye Mountain and the Oscar-nominated title song feature among the show’s best-known musical numbers.

Birmingham Hippodrome, Tuesday 4 - Sunday 9 March

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ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES THE MUSICAL
Become reacquainted with loveable rogue Del Boy in this touring version of the hit West End musical. Based on John Sullivan’s classic BBC TV sitcom, the stage show is co-written by comedy legend Paul Whitehouse and John’s son, Jim. Much-loved characters Rodney, Cassandra, Grandad, Boycie and Marlene are all present and correct, as are more than 20 'hilarious' songs and a re-worked version of Chas & Dave’s iconic theme tune. 

Birmingham Hippodrome, Monday 31 March - Saturday 12 April

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DEAR EVAN HANSEN
Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen makes a welcome return to the Midlands. The 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 leads to a series of lies and confrontational events...

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 April   

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GHOST THE MUSICAL
The ever-popular stage version of the award-winning film makes a welcome return to the Midlands. For those not in the know, the production tells the story of a ghost named Sam, who, caught between this world and the next, desperately attempts to communicate with girlfriend Molly and 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 cast includes Les Dennis. 

The Alexandra, Brimingham, Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 April

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THE BADDIES
Given the success of so many other stage adaptations of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’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 Baddies.

The company behind the show 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

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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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DINOSAUR WORLD LIVE
Dinosaurs are once again roaming the Midlands this autumn, thanks to this interactive show for all the family to enjoy. Youngsters get to meet a host of impressive prehistoric creatures - including, of course, every child's favourite flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. A special meet & greet after the show provides the perfect opportunity to make a new dinosaur friend. 

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Tuesday 22 - Thursday 24 April

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CHICAGO
Featuring formation dancing, vaudeville influence and no shortage of fishnet tights, Broadway and West End hit Chicago delves into the dark and decidedly murky underbelly of the Windy City during the Jazz Age.

Kander & Ebb’s legendary musical, based on real-life events in the Roaring ’20s, centres on the character of Roxie Hart, a nightclub singer who shoots her lover. Together with her cell-block rival, double murderess Velma Kelly, Roxie battles to stay off Death Row - an endeavour in which she is ably assisted by smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn...

Coronation Street’s Faye Brookes and former Strictly Come Dancing favourite Kevin Clifton take the lead roles. 

The Alexandra, Birmingham, Monday 14 - Saturday 19 April; Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Monday 23 - Saturday 28 June

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& 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 former X Factor winner Matt Cardle taking on the role of the Stratford bard himself.

“People will have assumptions because the show is about Juliet,” says Matt. “If you like Shakespeare and his plays, then great, you’ll come along. But if you have any fear that it might be Shakespearean and you’re not into that, that’s fine, because it’s not anything to do with Shakespeare. It’s spawned from one of his plays, but that’s as far as it goes. There’s a mention of it at the beginning, but the rest is absolutely brand new.

“This is one of the most joyous two hours you’ll spend in a long time. It will have you laughing, it will have you crying, it will have you up dancing. The message that runs through the show is that love is love - you can love whoever you want, you can be whoever you want - set to the most iconic pop tunes of the last 20 years. I defy anyone not to have the best time ever.”     

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