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Diane Parkes

Diane Parkes

I found my coo-ca-choo in Brum - Alvin

BIRMINGHAM has a special place in the heart of Alvin Stardust as it is the place he met his wife Julie Paton. Read

Sir Ian feels like a homecoming king

WHEN he was a youngster, Ian McKellen queued all night to see the greats at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre but these days people are queuing to see him. Read

Alvin is ready to Boogie

SEVENTIES icon Alvin Stardust is turning the clock back in his new musical Boogie Nights in which he stars alongside former Blue singer Antony Costa and former EastEnder Nick Bailey. Read

Why I've swapped the Maldives for Brum

ACTRESS Jill Halfpenny had no sooner put down her suitcase from a dream honeymoon in the Maldives than she was in the car driving to Birmingham. Read

Mummy returns to 'horrify' kids

BIRMINGHAM youngsters will be stepping back in time to the days of the Egyptians and Romans as the latest Horrible Histories hit the stage. Read

Catherine gets a real kick out of Riverdance

CATHERINE Collins had her sights set on studying accounting at Birmingham University - but the pull of Irish dancing was too strong. Read

Dancing into High Society

AFTER nearly 40 years in theatre and countless roles under his belt, it comes as a surprise to hear Wayne Sleep say that his current part as Uncle Willie in Cole Porter's High Society is his favourite. Read

Craig gets a taste of criticism

STRICTLY Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood is about to discover how it feels to be on the receiving end of the judges as he prepares to cook up a treat in Celebrity Masterchef. Read

Showmen Keane still up close and personal

IT was never going to be an easy task to equal Keane's fantastic Midland date at Wolverhampton Civic Hall last year but the lads gave this NEC show a good bash.maginative staging kept the gig as personal as possible in a venue of this size. Read

TV spotlight on Brum's naked truth

CITY women are being asked to reveal all on television by talking about themselves while naked. Read

The Killers @ NEC

TWO years is a long time in pop music. Read

Not even a bomb will keep couple apart

SOLDIER Jay Horne was today celebrating a Valentine's Day he feared he may never see after being injured in a roadside bomb in Iraq. Read

Maureen is up for a challenge

SHE has played an alien in Dr Who, has taken on the Read

Physical theatre to provoke a reaction

NEW theatre, dance and performance comes to Birmingham's arts centre mac for its five week Moving Parts festival. Read

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Birmingham Academy

IT IS as much an invitation as a band name so no surprises that the audience was keen to clap along to the quirky tunes of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Read

Sky's the limit for this nosey Parker

AFTER 13 years with Birmingham Royal Ballet and a host of world premieres under his belt, dancer Robert Parker admits that his upcoming role as Cyrano is one of the most important of his life. Read

World dance in the spotlight

DANCERS from across the globe will be appearing in Birmingham this year as the city's DanceXchange takes on an international flavour. Read

All the world's a stage

BIRMINGHAM actor Wela Frasier had only been out of drama school for two years when he landed a plum job, back near his doorstep with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Read

Bernadette's a dancing queen

WHEN Bernadette Flynn first popped on her dancing shoes at the tender age of four she never dreamed she would one day be one of the top Irish dancers in the world. Read

Much ado about the Middle East

WITH the Middle East becoming such a part of our lives, there is little surprise that the world of theatre is turning its eyes towards the region. 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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