1914 Local News - The Blue Orange Theatre

Performed by Tell Tale Theatre

Rating *****

A very well executed minimalist production mixing truth and fictionalised stories from the Midlands and the Front Line this day 1914. Combining quotes from newspaper reports from "this day" meaning each show is unique.

The story loosely follows several different stories showing how people are affected in all walks of life.

We see a 35 year old self employed builder who is too old to conscript despite wanting to until the Army becomes desperate enough to change its requirements. He gives us a glimpse of Midlands war life.

The lives of women left behind and the "white feather" campaign where men who weren't fighting were given white feathers as a symbol of their "cowardice". We see this through one of the main ringleaders, poet and Daily Mail contributor Jessie Pope.

We also follow Lady Dorothie Feilding who having shunned her aristocratic background is working as a stretcher bearer, driving her own limousine converted into an ambulance as her chauffeur is too scared to drive for her.

We see Indian soldiers struggling with England's weather, horrid tea and ham and beef sandwiches whilst training in the trenches dug into the estates of aristocrat's manors.

The plight of aliens who were patriotic to Britain but treated like the enemy is also explored, including the Mayor of Coventry Siegfried Bettmann and his British wife, Annie, and some poor unfortunates shot dead in an internment camp.

All the scenes were interspersed with news and sports reports and adverts that were taken from local newspapers of the day.

The audience were given plenty of chance to participate as the intimate matinée performance we attended meant that all of the audience with given chance to get involved. We were given training with Annie Bettman in first aid and other skills. Several men were taken to war and we all waved them off on the train. We all stood for a moments silence to remember the pigeons who died in battle.

Three very skilful actors brought all these characters to life, with the two men and one woman cast all swapping sex, accent and nationality. The female actor even swapped between two characters of different sexes in the same scene - something she has also done in a previous performance of Macbeth at the same theatre.

Britannia Hotel, Wolverhampton

Lichfield St, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV1 1DD

Rating *

The first thing that I noticed was checking in. The breakfast had been sold for £15 on line which I had decided to skip for that cost but there is a board up behind the reception desk offering breakfast for £7. If I had already paid for breakfast I would not have been impressed with this price drop.

Moving up to my room I had to raise an eyebrow at the location they had given me. I had made sure that my booking request had stated I was a disabled guest using crutches. My room was the very next one to some steps.

As I entered the room I felt like I had entered a 1990s time warp. I'm informed that the hotel was bought by Britannia from Victoria Park Hotel in the mid-90s and I don't think anything has been done, to my room at least, since then. From the décor and curtains, to the portable TV-VHS combi that that was so far away from the bed it was impossible to watch, to the phone that had a Victoria Park Hotel logo, a pre-phONEday (1995) phone number (I've been trying to find out when the 10th digit was added) and a 1989 date stamp on it!

As I drew the curtains before I went to shower I found that two nets were hanging from the rail and the windows were so filthy you could barely see out. Someone had also written "I woz ere August 2014" in pencil which no one had thought to wipe off in 3 months.

I then went to get a shower and was rather horrified with the state of the bathroom. Everything was mouldy, dirty, rusty or generally falling apart. More water was coming from the join of the shower head than through the shower itself.

As I went back into the bedroom I looked around and realised how the whole room was in a bad state. Wood was chipped, the lampshades over the bed weren't on properly, it was filthy. When I went to get into bed I thought the duvet had been put on the wrong way around but it was actually that the seam had come undone.

Before I went to bed I called for an extra pillow which I was told someone would bring up. This never materialised.

I have to say this is not a hotel I would recommend to visitors to the area unless a lot of work is done to it. When I told friends I had stayed in the hotel they sent their commiserations without even asking how bad it was. This is a hotel with a bad reputation and I can fully understand why.

Below are a few more pictures to demonstrate further the state of the room, what I don't have is a picture of the pornographic drawing in the hall. I don't have a problem with nudes but a detailed drawing from foot end is not what I expect to see in a public area.

The top of the wardrobe thick with dust and rubbish:

The radiator:

And more of the window:

And the door:

Jivan's Balti

Jivan's Balti, 14 Broad Street,  Wolverhampton,  WV1 1HP

Rating ****

Although not easy to spot - with an A4 piece of paper as the only signage - from the outside on a street full of Carribbean takeaways, this place really is a hidden gem that doesn't break the bank, with the bill for a party of four to £50 including alcohol.

Positive points include the massive naan breads for under £2 and the waiters asking how hot you would like your main course so you can choose nearly anything on the menu without worrying about if you handle the spice.  The restaurant is also open gone midnight on Friday and Saturday - a welcome change from the post-boozing kebab house trip and yet the restaurant could easily be a café or bistro so you can just drop by randomly.

Blood Brothers - Birmingham Hippodrome

Stars *****

I have a long history with Blood Brothers the tale of twins separated at birth and brought up in different classes as I studied it for my GCSEs. I've been to see it twice before with school at the Phoenix its home in the West End for 21 years, and later on when it came to Birmingham. So I was quite sad to see it closed at the Phoenix recently, but rather pleased to see it return to Birmingham.

Blood Brothers has always been my favourite musical the simplicity of the show in its set and cast in a way makes it more real in a way because it makes you think and use your imagination.

Maureen Nolan becomes the fourth Nolan to take the part of Mrs Johnstone and did an exceptional job of bringing the role and emotions to life. A couple of times something made her laugh out of character which caught the others too but it was good to see that she and the cast enjoy their roles.

The "children" did an amazing if somewhat unnerving job of playing children that made you forget that they were really grown up actors until you saw them with an adult character. The journey of Mickey from innocent 7  - sorry, nearly  8 - year old boy playing games and complaining about the lot of being the youngest to his depression and despair was masterfully executed by Sean Jones.

The Narrator (Kristopher Harding) managed to keep the creepiness level up all the way through the play seeming to drive Mrs Lyons to madness by himself.

I particularly appreciated Kate Jarman's interpretation of Mrs Lyons, I have seen her played as quite strong and controlling by other actresses whereas Kate's Mrs Lyons came off more vulnerable and desperate.

Blood Brothers is known for it's standing ovations and this was no different. It is well worth seeing, although this is not a play that will make you come out feeling good, don't forget the hankies!

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story - Wolverhampton Grand

Rating *****

Buddy Holly is seen as one of the most important players in the history of music, his contribution to rock and rock changed the face of pop music forever. For someone with such an important roll to play Buddy was only working professionally for less than two years and died at age 22 in a tragic plane crash between concerts that also took the lives of Richie Valens and The Big Bopper.

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, which is on it's 25th anniversary tour follows Buddy's rise to fame and his career until his death, in the original and most successful jukebox musical.

Buddy is performed by an incredibly talented cast led by Glen Joseph as Buddy with Jason Blackwater as the Big Bopper and Will Pearce as Valens. It includes all the Buddy favourites such as Peggy Sue, Oh Boy, Why Do Fools Fall In Love and Chantilly Lace.

Buddy once said that he did not wish to be rich, he just wanted people to remember his name. As this play shows the Buddy legacy means that his name will never be forgotten.

Sister Act - Wolverhampton Grand

Performed by West Bromwich Operatic Society

Rating ****

If you're going to see this expecting to see a stage version of the film, you'll be disappointed. However it was such an amazing show and I forgot that this was an amatuer production. I was honestly surprised at how many people seemed to be disappointed that it wasn't a remake of the jukebox musical missing how good it was in both its own right and the production.

Local mother of two Tasheka Coe, who is known to many from the 2010 series Over the Rainbow where hopefuls auditioned for Andrew Lloyd-Webber's version of The Wizard of Oz, plays nun on the run Deloris Van Cartier.

Despite Curtis, and his henchmen Joey and Pablo being the baddies they got a lot of laughs and cheers.

Nicholas Sullivan’s depiction of Monsignor O’Hara was brilliantly funny, with a performance that could be straight out of your favourite comedy.

‘Sweaty’ Eddie was very sweet and lovable and you really felt for him during "I Could Be That Guy"

The choir's transformation from tone deaf to beautiful singers was done very well, it's never easy for someone who can sing to sing badly.

Well done WBOS can't wait to see what you come up with next!

The Play That Goes Wrong - Wolverhampton Grand

Stars *****

It sounds like a complicated concept - it is a play about a play that goes wrong, actors playing actors - but it actually works. From the moment it started we were in tears of laughter and I can honestly say I have never known a play that has had the audience laughing constantly all the way through before. I am still aching today!

The fictional amdram group is called Cornley Polytechnic and they happily admit they're not that good but they enjoy what they do and you can see that they throw themselves fully into their roles.

The real cast are from Mischief Theatre Ltd a comedy improvisement company and it shows through at their responses to heckling and audience participation, and even Cecil's surprise when he gets laughs and applause when he stops to take a bow.

The "play" is a murder mystery although very little investigation manages to happen. If something can go wrong it will do: The stretcher they carried the body away with wasn't attached to the poles so he was left behind; the shelves collapsed and needed a "stage hand" to hold the candlesticks up; the door jammed and, as you can see in the picture, everyone fell through the door; cast members were knocked out; the upper stage collapsed; pictures fell...

During the interval the "director", who had spent a lot of the play on his phone, was running around the theatre calling for a dog which wasn't found until curtain call and required an empty lead being carried around stage when the dog was supposed to be on stage.

I highly recommend that you go and visit this play if you get a chance!