Warwick Arts Centre

Joint headline tour by Welsh singer Aled Jones and tenor Russell Watson, ahead of the release of their new album In Harmony.

• more info

In his revealing new one man show, All Mouth and Some Trousers, Alexander Armstrong will be baring all. Expect candid stories, laughter, music and some relief that ‘baring all' is just a figurative expression. Known from Armstrong & Miller to Pointless, from Hey Duggee to Classic FM, find out what lurks behind the mere noise.

There will be songs.

There will be stories.

There will be trousers…

With any luck “

Please note there is a £2 ticket commission fee included in the price of the ticket.

• more info

The journalist sets out on his first-ever tour to discuss the many fascinating adventures he has undertaken.

• more info

Inoffensive sounds from this south London indie four-piece.

• more info

The legendary comedian, author and playwright heads out on a stand-up tour for the first time in 15 years.

• more info

The ninth studio album from Calexico, The Thread That Keeps Us is a timely snapshot of the Arizona-bred band: a family portrait capturing their stylistic variety and unpredictability while still findingsolace in limitless creativity. In bringing the album to life, vocalist/guitarist Joey Burns and drummerJohn Convertino found a spiritual home in unusual surroundings-not in Arizona, but on theNorthern California coast in a home-turned-studio called the Panoramic House. Built from debrisand shipyard-salvaged timber-and dubbed "The Phantom Ship" by the band-the grandiose houseand its edge-of-the-world-like ambience soon made their way into the songs. The specter of California also had a powerful effect: as both dream state and nightmare, its infinite duality ismirrored in the music, giving Calexico a new direction and new edge. With less polish and more gritthan ever before, The Thread That Keeps Us both honors enduring traditions and reveals Calexico's confidence in songwriting, ultimately setting a whole new standard for the band.

As heard on the album's lead single and opening track, the drama of the landscape directly impactedthe making of The Thread That Keeps Us. Driven by sing-song melody and galloping rhythms, "End ofthe World with You" discovers an unlikely romanticism in volatile times. With its lyrics illuminating"Love in the age of the extremes," the track is the perfect intro to an album that endlessly exploresthe contrast between bright and dark, hope and fear.

Working with their longtime engineer Craig Schumacher, Calexico co-produced The Thread ThatKeeps Us, gathering musicians from across the globe to dream up an earthy yet expansive soundspiked with jagged guitar tones and flashes of distortion. "There's a little more chaos and noise inthe mix than what we've done in the past," Burns points out. Although that chaos has much to dowith "where we're at right now as a planet," it also echoes Calexico's dedication to constant experimentation. "Whenever we're writing and we come up with something that feels too familiar, someone will end up saying, 'That feels good, but let's keep going and see what else we canuncover,'" Burns says. "It's been really important to the arc of this band's evolution for us to alwayskeep on trying new things."

Like "End of the World with You," much of The Thread That Keeps Us captures the anxieties and unease of living in tumultuous times. But while the album draws a kinetic energy from all that uncertainty, its lyrics unfold with a literary nuance and sense of setting and character. "Instead of writing straight-up protest songs, I want to tell stories," Burns says. Largely inspired by his wanderings around Northern California during the album's production, the narratives embedded inThe Thread That Keeps Us reflect on displacement, transitory existence, and-in Burns's words-"returning to your home after being gone for some time and seeing how things have changed, andmaybe not in the best way."

As the exact embodiment of that theme, "Thrown to the Wild" delivers one of the most mesmerizing moments on The Thread That Keeps Us. With its gritty but poetic storytelling, the song opens on a downtown bus station late at night, its sleepy rhythms and atmospheric haze intensifyingthe bleakness of the scene (sample lyric: "Home's waiting like a motherless child"). From there,"Thrown to the Wild" slips into a glorious frenzy of hummed harmonies, sprawling guitar lines, andJacob Valenzuela's sorrowful trumpet playing, the effect both hypnotic and jarring. "We wanted thesecond part of the song to just open into this sea of chaos," says Burns, adding: "Sometimes chaos can be a good thing."

Eclectic in sound and feeling, The Thread That Keeps Us also offers the measured fury of "Bridge to Nowhere," the triumphant grooves of the Spanish-sung "Flores y Tamales," the meditative rhythms and jangly guitar riffs of "Another Space." On "The Town & Miss Lorraine," shimmering tones anddelicate mandolin melodies play against the darkly cinematic mood of the lyrics ("Sliding into the sea/With cynicism and rum/Watching Miss Lorraine/Smoking alone with the moon"). The mostbrutal track on The Thread That Keeps Us, "Dead in the Water" builds a thrilling menace from itssnarling guitar riffs, frantic piano rhythms, and piercing lyrics penned for what Burns describes as"the antagonist to the story of the album-a kind of monster" ("Don't try to look away or stop me in my path/I make the law and I decree a new kind of wrath"). And woven throughout The Thread That Keeps Us are a series of instrumental interludes, including the lilting folk of "Unconditional Waltz" and the dreamy psychedelia of "Spinball." "Going into making the album, the only thing Ireally knew for sure was that I wanted there to be moments that felt free and spontaneous-just these moments of no time, no lyrics, no agenda," says Burns.

One of the most stirring tracks on The Thread That Keeps Us, "Girl in the Forest" spins a gentle fable from its near despair over the state of the planet ("Well the world was spinning so fast, nobody took the time"). "That song wouldn't have been written unless I was sitting next to my daughter Twyla,who was humming along as I was making up this melody," says Burns. "For months we tried finishing the lyrics together; I was leading with this idea about environmentalism and protesters inthe forest, and I thought there could be some sort of spirit who appears. And then my daughter told me, 'Yeah, that's cool-but maybe it's just a girl who's friends with all the animals.'"

With "Girl in the Forest," The Thread That Keeps Us displays a sensibility that's long informed Calexico's songwriting: a transcendentalist infatuation with the wild beauty of nature, a fascination deepened during their time at Panoramic House. "Being up there on the mountain and taking walkson the shore, and even swimming in the cold water, we couldn't help but be inspired by nature,"says Convertino. "Our love for our earth, our home, and the future of our children came into focuseven more, giving the inspiration and desire to give back something that's positive and beautiful andlife-affirming."

In that life-affirming spirit, Calexico decided to end The Thread That Keeps Us with a moment of fragile optimism. Described by Burns as "a love song for my kids," the piano-laced, sweetly swaying"Music Box" speaks to preserving dreams in a troubled reality. "Right now we're at the edge of another potential crisis unfolding, and it's haunting every night as you put your kids to sleep," says Burns. "But at the same time, you look into a child's eyes and you see something hopeful, even if they've maybe heard little pieces of what's going on in the news. I think that's pretty much the case with this band: we still have hope, and we're still so excited to be making this music together."

CALEXICO ARE: Joey Burns, John Convertino, Martin Wenk, Jacob Valenzuela, Sergio Mendoza,Jairo Zavala Ruiz, and Scott Colberg.

• more info

Students! Are you tired of your studies or just looking for a way to express yourself? Join our friendly team to make and create. It doesn’t matter if you are an artist or just looking for a chat. We’ll provide the materials, tea and snacks you just need to bring yourself and maybe a friend.

• more info

Having been born in Canada, raised in South Africa and then moving to the UK, Chaponda is able to blend a world of cultural influences and observations in to his stand-up material, which saw him achieve third place on Britain's Got Talent in 2017.

• more info

Having recently turned 30, Best Newcomer Nominee Darren Harriott questions why he's never been in love.

• read review
• more info

The legendary Mancunian punk poet, who is a spiritual godfather to the likes of Mike Skinner and Plan B hauls his insatiable laconic wit on tour.

• more info & trailer

The comic discusses whether he has any traits worthy of being inherited by his progeny.

• read review
• more info

Snow is dancing – and when winter arrives, classical music pulls on its coat and woollens, pours itself a mug of mulled wine, and dives straight into a world of frosty magic. In this tune-packed concert for the whole family, the Orchestra of the Swan wanders down a snowy lane with Tchaikovsky, dances in the pine forests with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, glides across the ice with Waldteufel, and takes a trip to the land of the Northern Lights with Edvard Grieg. Mozart throws a party in a snowy Salzburg, while Vivaldi watches icicles form – and although Winter from The Four Seasons needs no introduction, we don’t think you’ll have heard it played quite like this!

So hold tight, as Prokofiev takes you on an ever-so-slightly tipsy sleigh-ride, and try not to overindulge, as we fly to the Kingdom of Sweets in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Or actually…go right ahead. It’s Christmas, after all!

• more info

Our hugely popular Family Day returns this summer, and will feature FREE arts and craft workshops, sport activities and a delicious food and drink offer.

Full details will be announced nearer the time so keep checking warwickfamilydays.co.uk

• more info

Frank Skinner embarks on his first stand-up tour in four years.

• more info

Acerbic wit and dark, deadpan one-liners from familiar telly face Carr.

• more info

The comedian and 'London's saddest DJ' plumbs the hilarity to be found in even our bleakest moments.

• read review
• more info

Jonathan Pie provides more scathing take-downs of politicos and journalists alike.

• read review
• more info

The comedian and TV presenter returns.

• more info & trailer

These days Justins not certain about anything apart from his uncertainty Brexit looms, it appears the Cold War is being rebooted and thats before we begin to worry about whats happening in America..closer to home hes starting to feel redundant as a parent. One kid is leaving home, the dog is getting older and doesnt need much walking, and the youngest kid hits thirteen and cancels the family subscription to The Beano.On top of this the golden age of the Northern straight white male comedian has gone the way of the dinosaurs. How will he adapt if he wants to survive? What next for this Northern Joker? What can he talk to his daughter about now she cares little for Dennis the Menace and the Bash St Kids? Hang on. Perhaps nothing has changed that much. When he was thirteen, the Russians were scary, the White House was a madhouse and hed never been to Europe anyhow. Thinking back this was when his reading habits changed too, more Dark Knight than Desperate Dan, more Catwoman than Minnie the Minx. Perhaps our heroes never went away.they just waited for us to pick them up again. Perhaps she just needs a different type of comic.He charms the pants off the crowd…Sunday TimesComedic tour-de-force.brought a tear to a critical glass eye…The HeraldSimultaneously down-to-earth and out of this world…The ListThe amount of first-rate comic craft that goes into his deceptively simple routines is worthy of admiration…GuardianAge guidance: 14+

• more info

Blink. Blink again. What do you see?

Day by day your world is filling up with colour, little one.

Reds and blues, yellows and greens. Twinkling lights that glisten and gleam.

Your reflection is staring back at you, wide eyed and full of hope. Mirrors, lights, colours and sounds. The world is your kaleidoscope.

Inspired by research into how a baby’s sense of sight develops and how they instinctively begin to categorise colour, watch as a multi-coloured kaleidoscope is brought to life for you and your baby.

• more info

Comedian Lenny Henry recounts his experiences of growing up in the Black Country and his experiences of racism.

• more info

Interested in moving images and digital arts and looking for a place to enhance your existing skills and develop new ones? As part of Moving Image Lab (MI:Lab), explore and interpret a variety of sources while developing skills, including video capture, virtual reality, online apps and animation, amongst many others. The Lab will be led by Dom Breadmore of Ludic Rooms, with guest artist slots to broaden opportunities and skill development. At the end of each term there will be the chance to share what is created at a joint city-wide MI:Lab event.

• more info

English comedian as seen on Mock the Week and heard on BBC Radio 4.

• more info

***The Nutcracker and I*** by Alexandra Dariescu is a new and innovative live performance based on the magical Christmas story, for anyone who dares to dream.

Dariescu inspires the audience by telling us her own story as Clara: from little girl to concert pianist. She invites us to use our own imagination, to hope, work hard and never give up.

On stage will be a grand piano, played by Dariescu herself, with a professional ballerina performing behind a transparent screen. Projected onto the screen and bringing the story to life are exquisite digital animations, all hand drawn and created in advance by digital company Yeast Culture. The animations follow the music and engage live with the pianist and ballerina as they ‘dance’ together.

The audience will feel like they are actually part of The Nutcracker story, and they will hear many favourite melodies along the way, including Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Flower Waltz.

• more info

Join Santa as he awakes from a dream of sun, sea and sand only to find it is the busiest day of the year: Christmas Eve.

Watch as he prepares his Christmas deliveries, feeds his reindeer and finally takes flight into the snowy night.

This heart-warming adaptation is full of merry touches with plenty of live music, songs and playful puppetry. It’s a perfect introduction to theatre for young children who won’t be able to look away as secret doors and hidden hatches are revealed in this beautifully visual show.

• more info

The Receipts Podcast is hitting the road with their first-ever LIVE show: The Receipts Uncut. With all the best bits, they're bringing its trademark honesty and unfiltered chat to a live audience, along with a whole array of new situations, issues and dilemmas. Expect frank conversations, tackled headfirst with wit and wisdom, live dilemmas, games and some audience participation. Basically, a great night out. This is an 18+ event.

• more info

Join London Sinfonietta musicians and presenter, Patrick Bailey as they delve into the mesmerising world of minimalist music in a family concert, featuring music by composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. Discover how repeating musical patterns can create incredible soundworlds, make music with the musicians and take home some tricks to nurture those budding composers in the family.

• more info

Rick Wakeman reinterprets some of his hits in piano form.

• more info

Observational and high-energy new material from the award-winning stand-up.

• read review
• more info

Ross Noble's newest hour.

• more info

Every Saturday and selected dates in the school holidays, families are invited to pick up a specially designed Explorer backpack and embark on a self-led art and history trail around campus. The backpacks contain arts materials and binoculars amongst other things encouraging all explorers to get involved. Visit warwickartscentre.co.uk for more details.

• more info

Singalonga Productions, producers of Singalonga Sound of Music and Singalonga GREASE brings you their newest show, the smash hit film musical that everyone can’t stop singing - The Greatest Showman!

Look out ‘cause here it comes….

Cheer on Hugh Jackman, lust after Zac Efron and hiss Rebecca Ferguson (…or maybe not) as you experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible - with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud as you want.

And it’s marching on to the beat we drum

Our live host will teach you a unique set of dance moves that will truly make you come alive. As they show you how to use our interactive prop bags, you also get to practice your cheers, your boos and even a few wolf whistles. Then you can sit back and relax and sing and dance along to the lyrics on screen. YOU the audience will rewrite the stars!

It couldn’t be easier or more fun! The first rule of Sing-a-long-a is THERE ARE NO RULES! Fancy dress is strongly encouraged and full audience participation essential.

Please note this is a screening of the movie not a live stage show

• more info

The story of Soonchild and her life north of the Arctic Circle.

• more info

***There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly*** comes to the stage for the first time at Warwick Arts Centre.

From your five a day to the latest weight loss advice, consumers have been presented with some remarkable nutrition plans down the years but none so delightful and memorable as the one enjoyed by the old lady in the nursery rhyme There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly.

First written as a song in 1953 it was a chart topping hit for singer, actor and all round good guy Burl Ives before being adapted into a best selling book by Pam Adams a few years later. This version, found in schools, nurseries and homes across the world is celebrating its forty fifth anniversary and to mark the occasion popular Children’s author Steven Lee (How The Koala Learnt To Hug, Don't Dribble On The Dragon) has turned this much loved tale into a magical musical stage show written especially for children to enjoy with their parents.

With a feast of fun filled games, colourful animal characters and heart warming fun it’s the perfect family treat you can enjoy between meals without ruining your appetite!

• more info

A show about time, age and the stories we tell ourselves from the award winning circus theatre company *Ockham's Razor. *

With a cast ranging in age from 13 to 60 ***This Time*** looks at perceptions of strength and ability: how we are strong in different ways at different times in our lives. It is a show about transformation, about what changes within us and what remains. And it is a show about bearings - about looking up and seeing where we are, the power of that awareness and whether we can use it to help each other.

Featuring a series of aerial frames which are raised from floor to ceiling the four performers lift, push and cradle each other through a world of windows, thresholds and ledges. Bodies are suspended high in the air and swung close to the ground in an innovative new take on doubles trapeze.

This Time uses the imagery of circus to create genuine theatre; ground-breaking design alongside compelling stories.

“a miracle of co-operation” ***The Guardian*

“Britain’s most innovative aerial theatre group” ***Total Theatre*

“There's something magical about Ockham's Razor” - ***Evening Standard*

• “an engaging and always intelligent balance between playful and poetic - this is a class act.” ***The Times**

• more info

Lyngo Theatre presents

***TOM THUMB***

A show by *Marcello Chiarenza *

Adapted by Patrick Lynch

Original music by Carlo Cialdo Capelli

Assistant director Gianni Bissaca

Design assistant Elena Marini

Ages 3+

One night tiny Tom overhears Mum and Dad talking - there's nothing left to eat so they are going to leave him and his six brothers in the forest! Outwitting his parents and the ogre Tom shows everybody that even though he is small he is still mighty as he protects his brothers, finds the treasure and makes sure they'll never be hungry again. Performed entirely on and under a kitchen table this classic story is brought to life in a playful and fascinating show full of Lyngo's magic with feathery spinning birds, a flying house and a portable forest. Come and join tiny Tom on his very big adventure!

• more info

Do you want to improve your drama skills?

Would you like to perform at Warwick Arts Centre?

The sessions cover a wide range of skills including text, improvisation, ensemble work, and of course lots of games, all based around a termly theme or stimulus. It also gives you the opportunity to increase confidence, make new friends and improve team work.

The youth theatre see a professional show at Warwick Arts Centre each term and create original performances at the end of each term. In the Summer term, it's all hands on deck to perform in one of Warwick Arts Centre's professional venues.

• more info