Birmingham Hippodrome and QDOS Entertainment present all-new, socially distanced production of Robin Hood at The Alexandra

Birmingham Hippodrome and Qdos Entertainment, producers of the city’s annual festive production, have announced that pantomime will be going ahead with an all-new production of ‘Robin Hood’ staged, for the first time in 20 years, at the nearby Alexandra. 

Starring Strictly judge the nation loves to hate, the fab-u-lous Craig Revel Horwood as The Sheriff of Nottingham, alongside the Hippodrome’s pantomime superstar Matt Slack, the legendary pairing of Richard Cadell & Sooty and the Black Country’s funniest matriarch Doreen Tipton, Robin Hood will play from 15 to 31 January 2021 for a Strictly limited run.

The socially distanced, one-act production will temporarily change venues due to Birmingham Hippodrome’s hosting of the critically acclaimed Van Gogh Alive experience.

The production is able to go ahead thanks to the support of The National Lottery, which will give thousands of theatregoers, in Birmingham and across the country, the chance to enjoy socially distanced pantomime this Christmas. The show is being staged as a result of an initiative between The National Lottery and Qdos Entertainment which is providing financial support for theatres to stage socially distanced, live pantomimes this festive season. This will make it viable for venues to open their doors to the general public, generating vital income for the theatres and helping to restore jobs while providing much-needed cheer for pantomime lovers. 

Fresh from the ballroom, Craig Revel Horwood will star as the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham and show Birmingham his real mettle as he tries to outwit Robin Hood and win the hand of the beautiful Maid Marion. Craig is a well-known face on television in the UK and now all over the world, as a judge on all 18 series of BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing.

In 2013, Craig wrote and directed a brand-new show, Strictly Confidential that toured the UK starring familiar faces from Strictly Come Dancing. He has directed and choreographed the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour, as well as appearing as a judge.

He recently returned to his roots as a performer in musical theatre, starring as Miss Hannigan in the West End and UK touring production of Annie. Craig also choreographed and directed the UK tour of Sister Act and the Dusty Springfield musical, Son of a Preacher Man. Craig has also published three autobiographies; All Balls and Glitter, Tales from the Dance Floor and In Strictest Confidence. This autumn he released his first novel, Dances and Dreams on Diamond Street. Robin Hood marks Craig’s 12^th consecutive pantomime for producers Qdos Entertainment having starred as a Wicked Queen, a Wicked Stepmother and Captain Hook in Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan respectively.

He will be joined by hilarious Hippodrome funny man, Matt Slack as Robin Hood. His television credits include Casualty, Doctors and EastEnders for the BBC, ITV’s Law and Order and the feature film The Rise of the Krays. On stage he has appeared in Boogie Nights and Hot Flush on their UK tours, and in Blood Brothers in London’s West End. Matt has entertained and delighted audiences at the Hippodrome pantomime for the last seven years in roles which have won him, amongst others, the Best Comic accolade at the Great British Pantomime Awards.

Craig and Matt will be joined by television icons Richard Cadell as Will Scarlet, with his mischievous sidekick, Sooty. A star of television, stage, comics, animation and movies, Sooty made his screen debut almost 70 years ago and in that time has delighted audiences of millions worldwide with his cheeky sense of humour, jaw-dropping magic tricks and hilarious mishaps, despite not ageing whatsoever. First supported by his original owner and friend Harry Corbett (and later his son Matthew) Sooty became a regular on the BBC’s Saturday Special, and fronted his own programmes The Sooty Show and Sooty & Co.

Richard has presented Sooty on stage and television for over 20 years following Matthew’s retirement, with their programmes remaining ITVs most popular children’s show.

Joining them as Mrs Tuck is Doreen Tipton, back for her second consecutive Hippodrome pantomime, following her star turn in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs last year. In her own inimitable style, the Black Country star will showcase her dry wit, penchant for doing as little as possible and helping Robin and his Merry Men as they rob from the rich and give to the poor.

Joining them will be hilarious pantomime dame and Hippodrome regular Andrew Ryan and west end musical leading ladies Landi Oshinowo, Nicola Meehan and Lauren Chia.

Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, Fiona Allan and Managing Director of Qdos Entertainment Michael Harrison, who has directed the Hippodrome pantomime for the past 10 years, said: “We’re delighted to be working together to make sure that our loyal audiences in Birmingham don’t miss out on the magic of pantomime this year.

Presenting Robin Hood at The Alexandra allows us to see two of the city’s key cultural institutions open with social distancing in place. Although on a different stage, this year’s show will be designed and created by the usual Hippodrome panto creative team, and will feature all the comedy and laughter our audiences have come to expect”.

This new production will be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation and all the unmissable magic that Hippodrome audiences know and love from their annual festive pantomime in their temporary theatrical home at The Alexandra for this year only.

Lisa Mart, Theatre Director at The Alexandra added: “Words can’t quite express how thrilled we are to be working with Qdos Entertainment and our friends at Birmingham Hippodrome to bring this much loved annual tradition back to the city this festive season! This cross-venue collaboration is one of many examples of cultural organisations in Birmingham working together to provide audiences with entertainment during what has been a challenging time for the sector. We are incredibly grateful to the National Lottery for their support, without which we would not have been able to proceed. The opportunity to bring our team back to the venue to prepare for this special socially-distanced experience is the Christmas present we have all been dreaming of!”

The previously advertised production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears starring Jason Donovan and Matt Slack will be staged back at the Hippodrome in December 2021 and existing bookers have already been contacted with details of their new tickets.

The support of The National Lottery will ensure that socially distanced panto can take place this year in Birmingham, and other theatres across the UK. Up to 20,000 free tickets to pantomimes across the country, will be made available to National Lottery players to thank them for making it possible for this Christmas tradition to go ahead. National Lottery players raise on average £30M each week for Good Causes. 

This year has seen up to £600M in National Lottery funding being used by charities and organisations affected by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak across the arts, community and charity, heritage, education, environment and sport sectors.

Grace Moore, a 12-year old girl from New York, has made history as one of the youngest composers to join the New York City Philharmonic Orchestra.

Moore, who is a seventh-grade student at Poly Prep in Dyker Heights, is also enrolled in the organization’s Very Young Composers program. There, participants from the age of 8 are taught to create music.

The composition that Moore created for the program made a world premiere in a live performance by the NY Philharmonic in October.

Moore, who started showing her passion for music at the age of 2 when her mother gave her a piano, has showcased extraordinary talent.

Moreover, Moore hopes that as a woman of color, she can inspire others to create and appreciate music.

“I hope everyone follows their hobbies and do what they love,” Moore said.

Amnesty International UK is inviting entries for its 29th annual Media Awards, a prestigious set of awards that recognise the vital role journalists play and the serious risks they face in highlighting human rights abuses around the world. The closing date for entries is Thursday 21 January 2021 and the award ceremony will take place on Wednesday 28 April 2021.

Entries must be from a media outlet based in the UK and published or broadcast for the first time in the UK between 1 January and 31 December 2020.

Award categories:

Written News - A written word news report on a current and/or breaking story relating to a human rights issue. This can be print, online or multimedia.

Broadcast News - A film news report on a current and/or breaking story relating to a human rights issue. This can be TV or online. The entry should be no longer than 20 minutes.

Investigation - An outstanding piece of investigative journalism relating to human rights issues across all media. This can be print, broadcast, online or multimedia and may be a single report or a number of items covering the same story.

Features - A written word newspaper, magazine, online or multimedia piece that creatively explores topics, issues or stories relating to human rights.

Documentaries (TV & Film) - A full-length documentary or film that observes or reports on human rights issues. The entry should be between 20 – 120 minutes duration. These must have been broadcast or available online.

Radio & Podcasts - This can be either excerpts from a series, a full-length radio documentary or podcast, a news report or compilations from a magazine programme which observe and report on human rights issues. The whole entry (including compilations) should be between 15 – 60 minutes duration. These must have been broadcast or available online.

Photojournalism - An excellent piece of photojournalism that has been published in UK media (newspapers, magazines or online) or on a third-party website. A photograph or a series of up to 12 photographs to be submitted as a portfolio, in addition to a copy of the piece in which the pictures were originally published. This category is free to enter.

Student Journalist - For students in full-time education at a UK university, higher education or further education college at the time of publication or broadcast of their entry. Entries may have been published in print, online or broadcast, either via a student or commercial outlet.

Alternatively, it may have been produced as course work as part of media or journalism studies.

Entrants should submit one piece but may also provide links to three further pieces of work to support their entry. Personal blog posts are not eligible for entry. Finalists will be asked for evidence that they were a student at the time of publication (eg: via a reference from a tutor). This category is free to enter.

Regional Media - This category recognises excellent local reporting of global human rights stories as well as those from closer to home. It is open to print, online or broadcast entries from UK regional media outlets. This category is free to enter.

Best Use of Digital Media - For innovative/creative presentations of human rights stories using digital tools and/or multimedia techniques to creatively uncover or engage people in a human rights story or issue. Entrants must have been published for the first time or have had substantial fresh content published during 2020.

The Gaby Rado Award for New Journalist - For journalists reporting on human rights issues who have been working for five years or less in paid employment as a journalist. This award was established with the help of the family, friends and colleagues of the journalist Gaby Rado, who died in Iraq in 2003.

Entrants should submit one piece but may also provide links to three further pieces of work to support their entry. Finalists will be asked for evidence of their eligibility. This category is free to enter.

For more information on how to enter, the entry criteria and fees, visit: https://amnesty-media-awards.org.uk/

To encourage a wide range of entries, a sponsorship fund to support a limited number of entries from freelance journalists and filmmakers has established, as well as small digital and broadcast outlets. See the website for more details.

Entries to Regional Media, Photojournalism, Gaby Rado and Student Journalist categories are free and can now be submitted at: https://amnesty-media-awards.org.uk/

Comedian, singer and TV host Des O'Connor died following a fall at his home in Buckinghamshire, in England.

A former schoolboy footballer at Northampton Town, he became known for hosting his own chat show, as well as Take Your Pick and Countdown he was also known for his friendship with Morecambe and Wise after completing his national service in the Royal Air Force.

London-born O'Connor presented his own prime-time TV shows for more than 45 years but also had success as a singer. His friendship with comedy duo Morecambe and Wise saw him mocked for his singing ability in sketches despite a successful career which included four Top 10 hits and more than 30 albums.

O'Connor appeared on stages around the world including hundreds of shows at the London Palladium.

His fame soared when he was hired to host The Des O'Connor Show, which ran on ITV from 1963 to 1971. In 1977 he began hosting Des O'Connor tonight, which started on BBC Two before moving to ITV, where it stayed until it ended in 2002.

He later hosted the Channel 4 quiz show Countdown alongside Carol Vorderman, with the pair bowing out together in 2008, and was made a CBE for his services to entertainment and broadcasting in that year's birthday honours.

Melanie Sykes, who hosted TV show ‘Today With Des And Mel’ alongside O'Connor, said it was an "education and a privilege to work with him". She wrote on Instagram: "He had talent in every fibre of his being and was stubborn as a mule. He was the full ticket as a friend and colleague."

Broadcaster Tony Blackburn said "he was a great entertainer and more importantly a very nice person", and TV presenter Gyles Brandreth described him as "the ultimate professional".

Speaking about his sketches with Morecambe and Wise, comedian David Baddiel said: "RIP Des O' Connor. It's worth remembering how brilliant he is at his own expense in these sketches."

Northampton Town Football Club also joined the tributes to their former reserve player saying: "We are very sorry to learn of the passing of Des O'Connor. Des famously played for our reserve team on a few occasions just after World War Two. Our thoughts are with all who knew Des."

Married four times, he had four daughters, Karin, TJ, Samantha and Kristina from his previous marriages, in 2007, he married long-term girlfriend Jodie Brooke Wilson, who was 37 years his junior and gave birth to their son Adam when O'Connor was 72.

He was 88.

British musical icon Liam Gallagher is set to make a biblical return to performing with the announcement of ‘Down By The River Thames’. The one-of-a-kind virtual event will be streamed globally on Saturday, December 5, exclusively on MelodyVR.
 
Down By The River Thames will see Liam accompanied by his full band for a set broadcast from a barge travelling along the Thames. The show will include iconic songs, fan favourites and a few surprises, spanning both his all-conquering solo career and his legendary time with Oasis – some of which he hasn’t performed in years.
 
Echoing unforgettable moments from the Sex Pistols and The Clash, the explosive performance will ring out as the barge sails past some of London’s most famous landmarks. MelodyVR’s groundbreaking technology will put an international at-home audience at the heart of the action, offering a stunning visual and audio experience.
 
Liam commented: "To all my brothers and sisters around the world. I'm performing a one-off celestial live performance for you to stream, 'Down By The River Thames', on 5th December 2020. I'll be performing tracks from my two number 1 solo albums as well as some stone cold Oasis classics, some of which you haven't heard me sing for a long, long time. C'mon you know. LG x”.
 
‘Down By The River Thames’ will commence at 8pm local time via MelodyVR’s web player around the world to enable as many fans as possible to see the show.
 
Stream 1 – Saturday 5 December 8pm GMT for UK, Ireland and Europe
Stream 2 - Saturday 5 December 8pm ET for East Coast North America and South America
Stream 3 - Saturday 5 December 8pm PT for West Coast North America and Central America
Stream 4 - Sunday 6 December 8pm AEST for Australia, New Zealand and Asia

Confirmation of the ‘Down By The River Thames’ stream follows the news that a Collector Edition of Liam’s critically acclaimed #1 album ‘Why Me? Why Not’ will be released on November 27 via Warner Records. The box is a must-have collector’s edition that compiles fourteen 7” inch singles in an exquisitely designed package. It’s available to pre-order exclusively from Liam’s official store.
 
Released last year, ‘Why Me? Why Not’ fired straight to #1 to prove that Liam Gallagher’s star quality remains undeniable. The album’s biblical success included 68,000 first week sales as it outsold the remainder of the Top 5 and became 2019’s fastest selling vinyl release. It was subsequently certified Gold.
 
Earlier this year, Liam released ‘MTV Unplugged’ as he completed a hat-trick of solo UK #1 albums. Between his compelling solo career and his iconic time with Oasis, Liam has topped the Official Album Chart with eleven different records from 1994 to 2020.
 

Two years ago, Ivorian Doll was telling outrageous stories and talking about scandalous topics on her YouTube channel. Now, with the same cheeky energy and quick wit, she's bulldozed her way into the drill music scene.

Real name Vanessa Mahi, the 22-year-old artist talks about the "mad transition". The Ivorian Doll YouTube channel contained unfiltered stories about being cheated on or having fights.

It was "the kind of stuff people talk about with their friends" and brought her hundreds of thousands of viewers. But it wasn't without drama. Vanessa was always involved in some sort of high-profile argument.

"I would always cause controversy on YouTube because anything I'd say would be all over Twitter."

But it just so happens that heated feuds can lead to the best drill tracks.

Vanessa's first song, The Situation, was a tongue-in-cheek send released as part of a duo with fellow rapper, Abigail Asante. After she proceeded in her own lane, things started to accelerate.

It's important to Vanessa that her personality shines through in her music.

She says: "I needed people to know I'm the same person (from the YouTube videos)”.

Her single Rumours came out in April. "Everyone was saying to me that song was going to be big, but I didn't believe it," she explains.

The teaser posted online before the song release went viral, but Vanessa was still dubious. She told herself "social media hype isn't real", and that the views on the full song wouldn't match up.

Almost 5 million YouTube views and 4 million Spotify streams later, she realised she could "really do this.

"I thought 'I can't take this as a joke anymore'." Although she kept her raffish charm and outrageous cheek, the song was an effort to shake off the drama that seemed to follow her.

"Even though it might sound hard to believe, I always try to run away from drama," she says. "I decided I'd leave it after Rumours. That's why at the end of it I say 'I said what I said'."

The song addressed rumours people had thrown at her. On it, she raps with a unique flow and clever lyricism - confronting accusations about her personal and sex life head on.

"Boys always get to say how they feel; I want to be the girl to do it as well. If a boy said 'I had sex with four girls' everyone would just be like 'wow, you get girls'.

"If I say it, it's 'oh my God! How could she?'." Vanessa's quick to declare she's a feminist.

"I'm for the females. We're going to be equal by force. I think some men feel intimidated by that."

This headstrong attitude is needed in a genre sparsely populated by women. She's only the second female artist to have appeared on Link Up TV's Daily Duppy freestyle in the past seven years. The video amassed one million views in just one week But Vanessa's used to holding her ground.

"In school, we were always going back and forth rapping with the boys," she says. "I was always the one writing everyone's lyrics for them." She was not only rapping in the playground at school, but an A* English student too.

"I love Shakespeare. I've always loved writing and rhymes."

You can see how she ended up landing a feature on Headie One's chart topping album Edna.

"I was just minding my business and he DMed me and said 'let's do a song'. I couldn't believe it, I've always supported Headie.

"I don't even know if he knows this but I was at his first headline show." She's grateful for the "huge co-sign", being featured among names including Drake and Skepta, on the album, which came out in October.

"I tell him all the time. I think he's a bit annoyed with me always thanking him now, but I don't care." Although Vanessa admits her quick rise to success "doesn't make sense" to her, she has no plans to slow down.

Despite live music being very limited at the moment, she lights up as she speaks about performances being her next focus. She sees it as an opportunity to prove herself, "where people judge if you're an actual artist".

"And that's another thing where girls have to go harder than boys," she says, referring to choreography and stage presence. I see the way female artists perform - they would never just stand there. So I know I need to do that.

"I want to be an international artist."