Ten of the Best - your guide to what to catch on stage around Notts in the days ahead

1 Queen of the Night – A Tribute to Whitney Houston, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Wednesday July 23

Direct from the West End, the London Palladiu and the Royal Albert Hall, Whitney – Queen of the Night is a celebration of the music and life of one of the greatest singers of all time. After selling 100,000 tickets last year, including a UK arena tour and sold-out shows across the country, Queen Of The Night – A Tribute to Whitney Houston returns to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The production that honours her timeless songs with top vocalists and a full live band. Enjoy a three decades of hits including I Wanna Dance With Somebody, One Moment In Time, I’m Every Woman, I Will Always Love You, My Love Is Your Love, So Emotional, Run To You, Saving All My Love, How Will I Know, Million Dollar Bill, The Greatest Love Of All, and many more.

Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.

2 Splendour festival, Wollaton Park, Nottingham, Saturday July 19 and Sunday July 20

Bloc Party, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis and Nottingham's own Jake Bugg headline along with Clean Bandit, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Natasha Bedingfield, Echo & The Bunnymen, Seasick Steve, The Levellers and The Fratellis. There’s loads of up-and-coming talent from Nottinghamshire, too, and Nottingham royalty Vicky McClure is going to be busy, bringing her daytime clubbing phenomenon Day Fever to the festival for the first time, and appearing on stage for a performance with Our Dementia Choir for the third time. Visit splendourfestival.com to book.

3 Tim Minchin, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, Sunday July 20

The singer-songwriter, pianist, comedian, actor, musical-theatre composer-lyricist and “soft-hearted provocateur” is thrilled to be going back on tour with his ironically titled new show, Songs The World Will Never Hear. The tour marks the 20th anniversary of his explosive arrival onto the British comedy scene in 2005.

4 Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Theatre Royal Nottingham, until Saturday August 2

The hit West End production Tina – The Tina Turner Musical comes to Nottingham as part of its first UK tour. The show continues to run in the West End at the Aldwych Theatre, where it has played for more than six years following its world premiere, receiving critical acclaim and breaking box office records at the venue. The production is also a global success, with eight productions having opened worldwide since 2018, including on Broadway.

It tells the story of the 12-time Grammy Award winning queen of rock ‘n’ roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her hits, including The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer and River Deep, Mountain High, the musical is a true story of a woman who shattered barriers and defied the bounds of age, gender and race in her rise to stardom.

Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

5 Parker Barrow, The Bodega, Nottingham, Friday July 18

Parker Barrow’s compelling vintage sound contains elements of rock, southern rock, blues and soul. They command a mix of old and new influences threaded throughout their distinctive sound, including the Allman Brothers, the Black Crowes, Blackberry Smoke, Johnny Cash, the Rolling Stones, Tedeschi-Trucks, Whiskey Myers and Led Zeppelin.The band are led by husband-and-wife duo Megan Kane (lead vocals) and Dylan Turner (drums). The band have become known for their electrifying, full-throttle live shows, with their songs often infused with extended jams. The name Parker Barrow is taken from Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the infamous American bank robbers during the Great Depression of the early 1930s.

Visit bodeganottingham.com to book.

6 Sing the Musicals, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, Saturday July 19

Enjoy songs from someof the greatest musicals of all time – including Mamma Mia, The Greatest Showman, Dirty Dancing, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, The Rocky Horror Show, Mary Poppins, Oliver and We Will Rock You – performed by a live band and character singers, with a giant screen showing singalong lyrics. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

7 The Rat Pack – Live in Concert, Nottingham Playhouse, Thursday July 17

Get ready to swing into the Golden Age of Hollywood and experience the timeless sounds of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Combining classic hits with captivating storytelling, an ensemble of vocalists and musicians will take music lovers through the smooth vocals, infectious rhythms and unforgettable melodies that made the Rat Pack a global sensation. Visit nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or call 0115 941 9419 to book.

8 Sweet and Sour - The Ultimate Tribute to Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, Friday July 18

The show promises an electrifying night of pop anthems, heartbreak hits, and fierce rival vibes. Feel the intensity of Olivia’s raw, emotional ballads like Drivers License and Vampire, and let loose to Sabrina’s unapologetic anthems like Please, Please, Please and Nonsense. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

9 The Glam Rock Show – Get It On, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, July 26

Step into the ultimate glam rock experience on a trip back to the golden age of glitter, guitars and anthems that defined a generation. A live band and powerhouse vocalists perform hits from T. Rex, Slade, Bowie, The Bay City Rollers, Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Wizzard, Mud and more. Visit

Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

10 Munch - Exhibition on Screen, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Friday July 25, 1pm

Marking the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth, the film delves into a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition featuring over 200 of his artworks across Oslo’s Munch Museum and National Gallery. Known worldwide for The Scream, Munch’s artistic legacy extends far beyond his most famous piece, with The Frieze of Life and countless other works offering profound insights into the human condition. The film takes viewers beyond the surface of Munch’s paintings, exploring the background, symbolism and reasons behind his creations. It offers a chance to learn about the artist’s unconventional methods – such as leaving his paintings exposed to nature’s elements – and his complex personality, marked by humour, strained relationships and extraordinary insight. The screening takes place in the Mansfield Palace Theatre lounge, a historic venue that began as Mansfield's first purpose-built cinema in 1910.

Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.