Award-winning singer, Hannah Rarity, has made a lasting impression since being warmly embraced by the folk world, winning BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year (2018) and recording and touring with top acts Blazinâ Fiddles, Rura, Niteworks and Cherish the Ladies.
03.04.24 Kitchen Garden Cafe, BirminghamThereâs teenage angst, and then thereâs #queenage angst. After 500 years of being known as âBloody Mary,â Mary Tudor takes to the mic to rehab her so-called "bloody" legacy in a gleefully vicious stand-up comedy special. In this highly theatrical and interactive set, Mary tackles the drama every #queenager deals with: divorced parents, sibling rivalry, and religious purges.
06.04.24 Mac, BirminghamDrawing on the wealth of peculiar episodes from both Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Box Tale Soup invite you down the rabbit hole into a timeless world of wondrous fantasy.
07.04.24 Mac, BirminghamAfter a triumphant 2022 reunion tour with folk big-band Bellowhead (including a sold-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall) founder-members John Spiers and Jon Boden return as their original duo Spiers & Boden for an evening of summer-infused English folk song and dance music.
12.05.24 The Y Theatre, LeicestershireCALYPSO MOON are a UK-based vintage jazz band with a passion for the music of the 1920s, 30s and 40s, made famous by stars such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Doris Day.
19.04.24 Temperance, Leamington SpaTarren is a collaboration between three forward thinking interpreters and writers of English folk music: Bristol-based artists Sid Goldsmith (Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith, Awake Arise), Alex Garden (The Drystones, Harriet Riley & Alex Garden) and Danny Pedler (Pedler // Russell). They combine cittern and concertina, fiddle, and accordion to create new, dynamic folk music.
18.04.24 Kitchen Garden Cafe, BirminghamJoin the Funny Mummy for this hilarious one women comedy show, all about the bonkers world of parenting. From pregnancy to playdates, WhatsApp groups to school runs â if youâre a parent, and you need a laugh, then this show is for you!
25.04.24 The Everyman, CheltenhamInspired by the life of community hero Trevor Prince, Community Service is an emotional and uplifting theatre show, full of live music and wit. It is set against a backdrop of Thatcherâs Britain, the Handsworth Riots, minerâs strikes and casual racism. Meanwhile, in the Pentecostal Church a schism is being questioned by children who are listening to secular music on the radio and rebelling against the strict rules of their immigrant parents.
02-04.05.24 Derby TheatreTwo actors, two microphones, over twenty-five characters - and lots of sound effects! The Dadâs Army Radio Show brings Perry and Croftâs classic BBC comedy to life in this highly acclaimed stage production. The nationâs favourite sitcom returns! The boys are delighted to head to Derby Theatre with three new episodes.
09.05.24 Derby TheatreBeautiful Evil Things is a high-energy one-woman show from Ad Infinitum, combining physical storytelling with cut-throat wit. Coming hot on the heels of their multi award-winning hit Odyssey, this acerbically comic, thrilling and poignant show âbrings tears to your eyes and raises your heart rateâ â â â â The Guardian.
10.05.24 Attenborough Arts Centre, LeicesterA night of high-energy 1950s music from Malvern's Queen of Rockabilly, Miss Pearl (Jo Hurrell). Singing Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly and Country Jump Blues, in her own barnstorming style and backed by the Rough Diamonds led by lead guitarist, husband Steve.
11.05.24 Malvern CubeThe star of BBC Radio 4âs hit comedy 6.5 Children takes to the road in a new stand-up show, based on the best-selling book of the same name, about the joys of raising children with special needs.
16.05.24 Mac, BirminghamWith exceptional musicianship and boundless energy, Grannyâs Attic are going from strength to strength. Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne (melodeon, anglo concertina, vocals), George Sansome (guitar, vocals) and Lewis Wood (violin, vocals) have honed their skills touring the UK and Europe since 2009. They are much loved by audiences up and down the country, with bookings everywhere from Cambridge Folk Festival to Cecil Sharp House.
17.05.24 Huntingdon Hall, WorcesterFrankie Howerd was one of Britainâs most loved comedians for half a century. But he had a secret. And the secretâs name was Dennis. This hugely acclaimed play by Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, Jarman) takes you to the heart of Frankie and Dennisâ clandestine relationship, which lasted from the 1950s until Frankieâs death in 1992.
24.05.24 Upstairs at The Western, LeicesterThe Jazz Apples are one of the Midlandâs most in-demand Jazz acts. Known for their smooth harmonies, their playful re-interpretations of Jazz classics, and their ever-creative improvisations.
26.05.24 Temperance, Leamington SpaAn ageing film producer has the chance to resurrect his past cinematic successes by revitalising the Carry On franchise with a brand new film. Saucy seaside humour, double entendre and cheeky sexual innuendo. Just what a millennial audience wants, right? Haunted by past successes, and friends and colleagues long since gone, he determines to secure his legacy and pull off one of the biggest cinematic comebacks of all time â a brand new Carry On film!
30.05.24 The Albany Theatre, CoventryFrequently heard on BBC Radio 2, including its Pick of the Week show, and described by countless audience members and reviewers as âupliftingâ and âinspirationalâ, Mark Harrison is a totally original songwriter, a stunning guitarist, and a master storyteller. His highly individual music takes him and his brilliant band to some of the top venues and festivals in the UK, attracting acclaim wherever they go.
04.06.24 Roses Theatre, TewksburySister duo Charm of Finches from Melbourne, Australia, makes haunted tunes about love, grief and whispering trees; indie folk with many stringed things, awash with seamless blood harmonies traversing melancholy and wonder in equal measure. Support comes from Mia Kelly, a singer-songwriter from Quebec, Canada who is swiftly gaining recognition as a poetic lyricist with her powerful vocals and versatile voice.
11.06.24 The Kitchen Garden, BirminghamDespite being an unsigned artist, Sam Lyon boasts an array of impressive accolades, including playing a live concert on Sky TV in 2021, placing 2nd in The Best In Music Awards 2019, reaching #1 on the Tradiio Global Charts, Australiaâs Banks Radio, and Liverpoolâs Round Sound Radio, as well as achieving airplay on radio stations internationally, all before releasing her debut album, âWhat It Is To Know Colourâ, in October 2023.
30.06.24 Mama Liz Voodoo Lounge, StamfordArtist Engagement Officer
Part-time (Usual working days: Mon, Tue, Wed)
Steve is responsible for supporting and developing artists who are both in the scheme or are interested in being part of it.
Contact Steve if you are an artist/arts organisation and need advice or support regarding what we do or how you can be part of our work.
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