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Tony Collins

Tony Collins

The Wedding Singer, Hippodrome Theatre

TEN years on from the hit movie, The Wedding Singer is continuing to rock them in this outstanding new stage version. Read

Top Girls, Crescent Theatre

WRITTEN by a woman and consisting of an all female cast, it would be easier to regard this purely as a feminist play. Read

Arsonists start fire at youth centre

A QUANTITY of children's toys and Duke of Edinburgh Award equipment have been destroyed in a suspected arson attack on a youth centre in Birmingham. Read

The Scary Guy

School resorts to scare tactics

HE’S fearsome-looking enough to make even the most misbehaved pupil pay attention and do his homework. But the "scary" person at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College in Bournville was only interested in inspiring the youngsters to respect one another and help stamp out bullying. Read

David Sullivan: 'My shock' at corruption probe arrest

BLUES co-owner David Sullivan today spoke of his shock at being arrested along with the club's managing director Karren Brady. Read

Handsworth school holds Question Time

MOVE over David Dimbleby! Birmingham headteacher Martin Bayliss is taking on the task of chairing the panel for his secondary school's very own Question Time. Read

Lucy Moulson, Bethan Davies and Sue Lawrence with the rest of the cast

Wedding fever in the air for cast of musical

WEDDING fever is in the air at a Birmingham theatre - and not just because it is putting on popular musical Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. Read

Heavy drinkers are target of campaign

THE problems of alcohol misuse are to be tackled in a series of events in Birmingham this week. Read

Watchdog raps 'inadequate' school

AN independent Muslim girls school in Birmingham has been criticised in a report by Government inspectors who branded most aspects of teaching and learning as "inadequate". Read

The Mac in Cannon Hill Park

Mac closes for refurbishment

ONE of Birmingham’s premier theatre and entertainment venues signed off in style ahead of a multi-million pound refurbishment that will result in its closure for 18 months. Read

Members of the Con Brio Strings perform

High note for young performers

NEARLY 1,000 young singers and musicians from across the Midlands almost brought the roof down on Birmingham's Conservatoire concert hall. Read

Sean Lock, Hippodrome Theatre

THERE are few subjects that fail to escape the offbeat attentions of Sean Lock. Read

Wendy Clarke

Teenage girl gang attacks hero mum

A BIRMINGHAM mum was savagely beaten by up to 20 teenage girls after she went to the aid of an elderly man who had been set upon by the gang. Read

Lee Evans uses Birmingham as a testing groung for his jokes

SOME people just can't get enough of Birmingham's popular Glee Club The city centre comedy venue has just completed a marathon run which saw it play host to top funnyman and comedy actor Lee Evans no less than 15 times over the last two months. Read

Saeed Aehmed

Calls over 'dishonest' Birmingham Lib dem candidate Saeed Aehmed

PRESSURE was mounting today on a discredited former Liberal Democrat election candidate to resign from his senior position with the Aston Pride regeneration body. Read

For the love of Mrs Brown, Alexandra Theatre

THE comedy industry that is Agnes Brown is back for another hilarious instalment. Read

The Royal Fusiliers

Thugs attack Birmingham army cadets

AN army cadet instructor in Birmingham claims his young charges are being targeted by stone-throwing thugs who are angry at the uniform they wear. Read

Agnes Brown, aka Brendan O'Carroll

Brendan O'Carroll brings Agnes Brown back to the stage

WATCH out, she's back! Agnes Brown, alias Irish comedian and playwright Brendan O'Carroll, is returning to Birmingham for another riotous instalment in the life of the fictitious matriarch. Read

Domestic violence costing Birmingham £100m a year

DOMESTIC violence in Birmingham is costing the city's vital services nearly £100 million a year. Read

Looking up at primary

LIFE is getting better at a Solihull primary school. Read

Author Profile

Tony Collins joined the Birmingham Mail in 1980.After working in a couple of the Mail's district offices, he became Education Correspondent in 1994. Being regarded as something of a Groucho Marx lookalike, it is no surprise that he is also the Mail's 'Mr Comedy', responsible for interviews with many of our top comics.

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