Your weekly Midlands and Shropshire am dram round-up

Based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion, My Fair Lady is set in Edwardian London and follows the fortunes of a working-class flower girl who wants to better herself.

Enter phonetics teacher, Henry Higgins who places a bet with his friend Colonel Pickering that he can pass Eliza off as a fine lady at the embassy ball.

Sian Kyle, who plays Eliza says: “I feel very privileged to be taking this role, especially due to the fact that there is a high level of talent within TADLOP. I’m particularly looking forward to the reveal of Eliza at the ball.”

Director Rich Kee says: “No two productions are the same and no two people feel the same way about the leading characters.

“My Fair Lady is more complex and rewarding than the average musical and my aim is to create a version of the show which embraces its origins, whilst also reframing its conflicts for a modern audience.”

The score is of course legendary and includes, I’m Getting Married in the Morning, Just You Wait Henry Higgins, On the Street Where You Live and the wonderful soprano ballad, I Could Have Danced All Night, which is by no means an easy number to perform. No pressure Sian!

l For tickets priced at £15 each visit www.theplacetelford.com or www.tadlop.com or call 01952 382382.

And speaking of Pygmalion, Horsehay Amateur Dramatic Society will be presenting the play from October 11-13 at Horsehay Village Hall.

Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote more than 60 plays during his lifetime and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.

Born 1856, in Dublin, George moved to London in 1876 where like many playwrights of his era, he wrote regularly but struggled financially. He later became a theatre critic for the Saturday Review and began writing plays of his own.

Pygmalion is completely unmissable.

l For tickets visit www.horsehayamdram.co.uk or call 01952 610555.

From the classic to the crazy now, as Worcester Operatic and Dramatic Society presents Monty Python’s hilarious comedy musical, Spamalot from October 16-20 at the Swan Theatre in the city.

The Python’s tell us that Spamalot is lovingly ripped off from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, following the adventures of King Arthur and his tribe of hapless knights as they search in vain for the illusive artefact!

This show is a complete riot from start to finish and includes the songs, He is Not Dead Yet!, Come with Me, Knights of the Round Table, Find Your Grail and everybody’s favourite comedy tune, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life! What great advice.

If you fancy a really good laugh, don’t miss it!

l For tickets call 07464818381 or visit www.WODS.co.uk

Closer to home here in Wolverhampton, local dance school, Linzi G School of Dance will be presenting their annual dance show at Coppice Performing Arts School on October 13-14 at 7pm and 3pm respectively.

The show is entitled Make Your Own Kind of Music and will feature young performers singing and dancing to Good Morning Baltimore from Hairspray, Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz, When I Grow Up from Matilda, No Matter What from Whistle Down the Wind and Any Dream Will Do from Joseph to name but a few.

Pure entertainment from these talented children and young adults.

l For tickets call Lindsey on 07581252684 or email linzig@outlook.com

If you would like your youngsters to get involved in theatre here is the perfect group for them to join.

Inspire is an independent performing arts school, which offers an innovative range of experiences for children aged four to 18. Developing key skills in dance, singing and acting, the group promotes confidence, concentration and physical awareness learning whilst having fun.

The group is held at The Royal Wolverhampton School each Friday between 5pm-8pm and is run by qualified professional, Deb Brook.

There is no audition, no previous experience is needed and everyone is welcome.

At the end of each term, the group showcases what they have learned to parents and friends. They are currently working on Our House, the Madness musical, which is just perfect for youngsters to cut their theatrical teeth on.

l For more information, call Deb on 07824552431 or email deb.inspire@outlook.com

And finally this week, we end our am dram news on a sad note as we remember a member of All Saints Players from West Bromwich, Sharon Cooper who sadly passed away earlier this year, aged just 59 years old.

Her friends from the group described Sharon as ‘a stalwart who was a brilliant actress, director and company secretary’.

Sharon designed and printed programmes, posters and tickets for their plays as well as appearing on stage in a huge variety of roles, playing everything from a ghost to a maid to an old lady.

Her last performance was as Fiona in Fred Carmichael’s play Out of Sight, Out of Murder.

Performers like Sharon really are the backbone and life blood of amateur theatre. Prepared to have a go at any job and any role and without whom am dram would simply not exist.

Rest in Peace Sharon, knowing that you are sorely missed by your friends at All Saints Players, but fondly remembered.

l Well that’s all for this week. Please keep all your news and good quality colour photos coming to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 319662 or follow me on Twitter @AlisonNorton