Author Archives: garylongden

Demolition Derby 4 featuring Sack Sabbath and Walkway

Demolition Derby is the creation of local Rock devotee  Georgie “Goldie Locks” and this year’s instalment is the fourth in the series. Eschewing the manufactured pap of the likes of X Factor and The Voice, this event plays to the … Continue reading

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The Cork Poets – Midlands Tour

Each year Cork and Coventry act as a staging point for a poetry exchange, swapping poets, poetry, experience and humanity. This year Rab Urquhart and Julie Field (aka Julie Goo) were Cork’s representatives for an itinerary that now includes three … Continue reading

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November & December 2013, What’s On Midlands Spoken Word

Working out which dates are on, and when, in December is no easy task, so I am publishing this a week early for December, listing only those events I am certain of. Could my loyal readership please message me with … Continue reading

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Rocky Horror Show, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

This is the 40th anniversary of the show which has toured worldwide since its inception by author Richard O’Brien. On the opening night of the Wolverhampton run it was not difficult to see why it has enjoyed such longevity. Brash, … Continue reading

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Ghost Train- Sutton Arts Theatre, Sutton Coldfield

Written in 1923, Ghost Train enjoyed significant commercial success playing to packed houses at St Martin’s Theatre London from November 1925 to March 1927, and has been reworked several times for the cinema. The author, Arnold Ridley, is better known … Continue reading

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October 2013- What’s On, Midlands Spoken Word

October boasts numerous excellent events, and two changes from the norm. “Parole Parlate” is no more and is reincarnated as “Worcester Speakeasy” which debuts in the same venue on 10th October, rebooted. Check it out, under the waspish custodianship of … Continue reading

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Bilston Voices – September 2013

This was the final time that Bilston Voices was to gather at the Metro Café. It was an evening of valediction and celebration. By chance, not only did it represent the swansong for the event, it also coincided with the … Continue reading

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Dreamboats and Petticoats – Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Dreamboats and Petticoats revels in nostalgia, swirling skirts, slicked hair and great music. A jukebox musical, the song and dance are linked by a narrative set in 1961, at St Mungo’s youth club in Essex. Song writing hopefuls Bobby and … Continue reading

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Events at Events

Two events have caught the attention of the Midlands literary chatterati this week, the schism at Worcester Literary Festival and the news that Bilston Voices is to finish. The detail for both is quite different, but both are united by … Continue reading

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Gigi, Sutton Arts Theatre, Sutton Coldfield

Gigi the stage play is based on the 1944 novella by Colette , adapted by Anita Loos. The plot follows a young Parisian girl being groomed for a career as a courtesan, and her relationship with the wealthy ,cultured , … Continue reading

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