Updated 7:20pm 7 November 2009:

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Diane Parkes

Diane Parkes

Felicity Kendal reflects on today's sad world

IT is hard to imagine actress Felicity Kendal indignant but she is – about carrots of all things.Read

Review: Andrea Bocelli's worth the wait at the NIA

***

IT was the concert more than 10,000 people had waited for when Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli finally performed at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.Read

Happy returns for Andrea Bocelli fans

IT was third time lucky for married couple Steve and Val Share of Warwick.Read

Walsall running fanatic takes on four half-marathons in four weeks

RUNNER Steven Shaw could be forgiven for putting his feet up after successfully completing four half marathons in as many weeks.Read

Learning maths is made fun for pupils at Starbank Primary in Small Heath

THE little boy is staring at a picture of a bus containing four passengers. His teacher puts two more passengers on the picture and asks him how many people are now on the bus.Read

One in a million: The Birmingham tot suffering from an extremely rare condition

TO HER family, little Faith Solomon is one in a million, but the youngster is also one in a small group of children with a chromosome disorder which affects just a handful of people worldwide.Read

Kings Heath Kumon Study Centre send Christmas shoeboxes to families in Romania

YOUNGSTERS are taking on the role of Father Christmas by filling shoeboxes with gifts to be sent to families in Eastern Europe.Read

Richard O'Brien reveals the secret to Rocky Horror's success

WITH the Rocky Horror Show now nearly 40 years old, its creator Richard O’Brien admits he has been asked the secret of its success more times than he cares to remember.Read

Review: Dreams of Violence at the Birmingham Rep

****

STAGED in the studio space of The Door, this drama takes us into the claustrophobic world of mum, daughter, wife and social activist Hildy – a world which is falling apart around her.Read

Eating mushrooms has benefits for your health

AUTUMN is the perfect time for a funghi foray and whether you have found your mushrooms in the local woods or the local supermarket there are plenty of good reasons to eat them.Read

Academic urges Birmingham to take up education project aimed at black boys

BIRMINGHAM is being urged to take up a pioneering education project aiming to help black boys succeed in school.Read

Phil beats booze habit to turn his life around

NINE years ago, Phil O’Driscoll was living under bridges in Birmingham, spending any cash he could scrape together to feed his alcohol addiction.Read

Kickboxing champ pins her hopes on a revolutionary treatment to cure her scoliosis

YOUNG kickboxer Paige Davis risks having to give up the sport she loves after suffering spinal problems – but she is pinning her hopes on a revolutionary treatment to keep her feet in the air.Read

Theatre: Brian Conley in a woman's world for musical

HE has successfully managed a stage and television career of more than 30 years but taking a part in the musical Hairspray was the first time that actor Brian Conley has donned a dress for his job.Read

Paula Wilcox relishes Birmingham Repertory role as ageing pop star

IT is the perfect opening question. With actress Paula Wilcox, who first rose to fame playing squeaky clean roles in sitcoms such as The Lovers and Man About the House, on the end of the phone I asked the following.Read

Top tenor Bocelli back to his best for Birmingham visit

TUSCAN tenor Andrea Bocelli is promising fans an evening to remember when he returns to the city next month for a rescheduled concert.Read

Choir hope to raise £15k for heart fund

SINGERS are being asked to raise the roof at Birmingham Town Hall and raise cash for the battle against heart disease.Read

Review: The Grapes of Wrath at Birmingham Rep Theatre

**

OK, so no-one expects John Steinbeck to be a bundle of laughs but the relentless nature of this adaptation of his epic Dust Bowl novel The Grapes of Wrath is enough to batter us all into the ground.Read

Andrea Bocelli apologises for cancelling Birmingham concert

SINGER Andrea Bocelli today apologised to the thousands of fans who were left disappointed after the last minute cancellation of his Birmingham concert.Read

Birmingham pupils discover reality of life in Sierra Leone

YOUNGSTERS at a Birmingham school have been learning about life in Sierra Leone – from their counterparts in the African nation.Read

Author Profile

Diane Parkes has worked in journalism for 14 years and has been with the Birmingham Mail for ten. She is Women's Editor covering health, fitness, education, fashion and beauty features. As Dance and Theatre Editor she is also responsible for professional arts coverage across the region.

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