Entertainment News

Jurassic World has been chosen by nearly a quarter of people in Birmingham as the ultimate IMAX film, in a survey that sees local cinema-goers vote for the IMAX blockbusters they most want to see back on the big screen. The top voted IMAX film, Jurassic World, will return to Cineworld Birmingham NEC and Cineworld Birmingham Broad Street for the first-ever IMAX Film Festival on Saturday 27^th February 2016.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre and Dudley Zoological Gardens have announced a pantomime sponsorship that will see both companies work together in the run up to this year’s magical pantomime adventure – Aladdin. The Grand Theatre pantomime attracts thousands of families to Wolverhampton each year, as does a collection of the world’s rarest animals who find their home in the grounds of an 11^th Century castle at Dudley Zoological Gardens.

Geoffrey Barraclough believes that there cannot be many mature people on Earth who have not thought about, even, if only fleetingly, who they really are and why they are who they are. “Who Am I? What Am I? Why Am I here?” helps people answer the questions that they may have and ultimately lead them to enlightenment.

After India's top film producer, Karan Johar, finished a film shot in Innsbruck, Austria, tourism officials in this country are confident it created a new magnet for Indian visitors. The movie, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, with stars Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma draw a picture of Austria needed to interest travelers to eye Innsbruck as an Indian travel destination. Ms. C. Mukerji, who heads the Austria National Tourist Office in India, said that ANTO Austria is also launching a new website and a new campaign soon.

A ground-breaking exhibition of the works of sculptor, engraver and painter Salvador Dali will open on Saturday 27 February 2016 in the museum space of Liège's Guillemins Railway station. It will be the largest exhibition devoted to the Spanish artist ever organised in Belgium. 

The Dutch theme park Efteling, located in the southern Netherlands, is to open its new attraction 'Symbolica: Palace of Fantasy' in summer 2017.  It will be the largest and most expensive Efteling attraction ever.  Symbolica will be a 'dark ride', an indoor attraction for the whole family, and similar to other Efteling attractions such as 'Droomvlucht', Fata Morgana and Carnaval Festival.  The new attraction will revolve around the interplay of reality, dream and fantasy.  

The 10th anniversary of Slam Dunk Festival has just announced a further eight bands to the line-up. Yellowcard will be playing the festival for the first time and will play their huge album 'Ocean Avenue' in full, in a world exclusive. "I think we owe so much of the success we have been so lucky to have to Ocean Avenue." says Ryan Key. "We have built an incredible touring career on six continents over the last 15 years.

Due to overwhelming public demand, master magician Dynamo has added a final 11 extra shows to his critically acclaimed UK tour, Seeing Is Believing. The new dates will see the show return to cities across the country including Birmingham on the 26 and 27 March 2016 for three incredible performances.  By the final show on 2 April, Dynamo will have performed a spectacular 111 shows, spellbinding more than 400,000 fans across the country.

The artistic force has been with a resourceful Birmingham citizen – who has used other people’s unwanted items to help build a replica of one of the world’s most famous droids. R2JUNK2 was created by artist Paul Chancellor, a creative customer of The ReUsers, a social enterprise managed by city charity The Jericho Foundation at the city’s Norris Way Household Recycling Centre.

Children can ditch their 21sth century gadgets and have a go at making old-fashioned toys when Haden Hill House Museum puts on half-term activities. Toys that Grandma used to Make, on Tuesday 16 February, gives children the chance to make simple knitted toys, peg dolls and peg doll superheroes. Sessions cost £2 and the fun is from 11am-3pm.

A new website showcasing events and activities for children and young people in Wolverhampton is being launched with a free family fun day at Molineux Stadium. About Youth has been developed by Wolverhampton Police and includes details of everything from sports and youth club sessions to arts, crafts and music.

City of Wolverhampton Council has been honoured with an Employer Engagement Recognition Silver Award at the Armed Forces awards. The Military paid tribute to businesses and organisations from across the West Midlands at a special awards dinner held at the Cold War Museum in Cosford. More than 100 representatives from both the Armed Forces and leaders from the business community attended the dinner as the military rewarded West Midlands employers for their support and commitment to Defence across the region.

The Drum Arts/Theatre Centre in Birmingham is very pleased to announce the appointment of Tennexa Freeman as Writer and Producer in Residence. At the tender age of just 15 Tennexa began writing her first pieces of work using experiences from her every day life enabling her to create socially relevant, captivating plays touching on crucial topics that were seen as taboo.

The West End’s long-running show – the Olivier Award-Winning comedy, 'The 39 Steps,' will visit Birmingham Repertory Theatre from February 29 to March 5, on a special 10th anniversary tour. Based on Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 movie and John Buchan’s 1914 spy thriller 'The Thirty Nine Steps,' the hilarious show follows dashing hero Richard Hannay - complete with stiff upper lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache - in a dangerous tale of cat-and-mouse from London to the Scottish Highlands, in which four actors play over 130 characters in 100 minutes.

The blossoming relationship between Benefit Cosmetics and Starbucks is there for all to see, from a friendship that started on Twitter, now no one could deny their instant chemistry. The brands are now best friends and have decided to launch an exclusive partnership. During February - The Month of Love - customers, and customers’ besties, can enjoy complimentary makeovers and coffee.

Leading shopping centers, retailers, shopping districts and outlets throughout the USA are welcoming China Lunar New Year with special events and gifts with purchase. The Year of the Monkey began on February 8, 2016 and promises good fortune and playful fun!