5 things to do in the West Midlands this weekend

NOT sure what to do this last weekend of January? Here are a few ideas of what you can get up to across the West Midlands over the next few days.

1. The Carpenters Story
Date: Saturday January 28
Location: New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
The award-winning Carpenters Story celebrates the music of one of the most successful pop duos in music history, Richard & Karen Carpenter. With stunning vocal harmonies from acclaimed international star Claire Furley, combined with art video projection and lavish musical arrangements, Carpenters will take you on an exciting journey through the lives of the duo. Featuring timeless hits such as Close To You, We’ve Only Just Begun, Superstar, Yesterday Once More, Top of the World, Please Mr Postman, and many more, the show is set to be a great night out, especially for Carpenters fans!

2. Life drawing
Date: Saturday January 28
Location: Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Birmingham
This weekend, join professional artist Rob Conway for a creative life drawing class with a professional dancer as the inspiration. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, Rob is on hand to inspire and guide you to make memorable artwork. With the contemporary art exhibition, Night in the Museum exhibition still in place, you can be inspired by international artists while the trained ballet dancer poses and reacts to the surrounding artwork.

3. Made in India
Date: Until Sunday February 4
Location: Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
In a surrogacy clinic in Gujarat, three women meet. Londoner Eva is in motherhood’s last chance saloon. For village girl Aditi, dairy worker and single mother, surrogacy is a lifeline out of poverty. For clinic owner and businesswoman Dr Gupta, it’s all just another transaction. But set on the fault lines of profound global forces, can it possibly remain that simple.

4. Hot rods & Kool Kustoms
Date: Until Saturday May 14
Location: Coventry Transport Museum, Coventry

Fire up your engines as this weekend hot rods from the American and British custom car scene will be driving into Coventry Transport Museum for a new exhibition. With a premium line-up of cars taking centre stage, the exhibition will showcase a range of eye catching designs, thunderous engines and compelling histories.

5. What’s in a name?
Date: Until Saturday February 11
Location: Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham

Adapted by British theatre director, writer and translator Jeremy Sams from award-winning French film and stage sensation Le Prénom, What’s In A Name? is a comic piece receiving its British premiere at The REP starting from this weekend. Starring Eastenders’ Nigel Harman and Emmerdale’s Raymond Coulthard, the performance questions the meaning behind our name and whether it reflects who we truly are.