Elmer and Friends: The Colourful World of David McKee

In partnership with the Royal Opera House and the Voices Foundation, pupils from the David Ross Education Trust (Bobby Moore Academy Primary, Briar Hill Primary School, Cedar Road Primary School, Eastfield Academy, Kings Heath Primary Academy, Malcolm Arnold Preparatory School, The Arbours Primary Academy) will perform a 60-minute version of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Directed by Jonathan Ainscough, and conducted by Simon Toyne, the pupils join with professional singers and instrumentalists to bring to life Humperdinck’s enchanting fairy tale masterpiece. The opera depicts the famous Grimm fairy tale of two children who venture into the forest to forage for berries and encounter the Sandman, the Dew Fairy, and a Witch who lives in a house made of gingerbread, on their adventure. Full of great tunes, including the famous ‘Evening Prayer’ and ‘Witch’s Ride’, this production is perfect for audiences young and old.

Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation is proud to present the world’s largest youth drama festival.  Join us this March for an exhilarating evening of live theatre, featuring a series of unique abridged Shakespeare productions by local schools.  See Shakespeare’s timeless stories brought to life like never before, and support young people from your community as they take to the stage.

Since Miles’ last tour finished at The London Palladium in 2017, he’s been in The Full Monty on Disney Plus, The Durrells and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITV, as well as a heap of episodes of Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Have I Got News For You. He’s made an award-winning radio series and he’s published a novel. But for Covid, he would have played a lead at the RSC. Hey ho. Nevertheless he’s done a play in the West End and played the Emperor of Austria and Europe in a Ridley Scott film. Yet one sunny day in the middle of all this, he suddenly suffered a brain seizure. This led to the discovery of a tumour the size of a cherry tomato, and a rather pressing need to undergo major neurosurgery. Obviously, one doesn’t wish to make a big deal of it, but the experience has left him with a story to tell and a few things that he’d like to share with the room. So that’s exactly what he’s doing in his new show On I Bang – a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified medical practitioners.

After a sell-out run in Spring 2022, Professor Alice Roberts is returning in Spring 2024 to launch her new book, Crypt. This final instalment of her highly-acclaimed trilogy explores the experience of life, death and disease in the Middle Ages and beyond. Alice looks at the archaeological evidence for terrible brutality directed at an ethnic minority in medieval England, she explores the impact of incurable epidemics sweeping through Europe and looks at how modern science is unlocking secrets from the watery grave of the Mary Rose shipwreck. She also reveals how archaeogenetic research is uncovering cryptic clues and shedding new light on diseases such as leprosy, syphilis and the plague. Professor Alice Roberts’ charismatic and engaging style has captivated audiences from all backgrounds for over two decades. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to join her for a fascinating evening, learn more about her latest book and even bag yourself a signed copy!