Ten of the Best - your guide to what to catch on stage around Notts in the days ahead
From riotous fun with a wildlife adventurer to tributes to top stand-up, there’s plenty to enjoy
After selling 100,000 tickets last year, including a UK arena tour and sold-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall, The London Palladium and other UK venues, the show returns to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Queen Of The Night – A Tribute to Whitney Houston is a celebration of Houston’s music and life, honouring her timeless songs with top vocalists and a full live band. It runs through three decades of all-time hits such as 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 www.majesticretford.org to book.
2 Eureka Day, Nottingham Playhouse, Saturday October 25 to Saturday November 15
The acclaimed play is set among a school and a group of parents. Friendships are challenged when an outbreak of mumps reveals that not everyone is on board with the school’s approach to public health. The executive committee of well-meaning parents and teachers at a progressive Californian elementary school fall apart, as their selfless paradise crumbles and meetings are derailed by parental hysteria. Eureka Day won a Tony Award in New York earlier this year for Best Revival of a Play.
Joining Olivier award winner Jenna Russell (whose credits include Hello, Dolly!, London Palladium; Piaf, Nottingham Playhouse) as Suzanne, founding member of the Eureka Day Elementary School, is Jonathan Coy (Noises Off, West End; Downton Abbey, ITV) as Don, the hard-pressed principal.
Visit nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or call 0115 941 9419 to book.
3 Talon - The Best Of Eagles, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Thursday October 23
Talon have risen from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful Eagles tributes in the UK. The show will once again feature the Eagles timeless back catalogue including Hotel California, Take It Easy, One Of These Nights, Take It To The Limit, Desperado, Lyin’ Eyes, Life In The Fast Lane and many more. Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.
4 Seriously Collins - A Tribute to Phil Collins and Genesis, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Friday October 24
With a frontman aiming to echo Phil Collins’ soulful sound and a band promising to recreate the energy and charisma of the original musicians, the show promises “no gimmicks, just a genuine tribute”. Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.
5 Chuckl. Retford with Ed Byrne and special guests, Majestic Theatre, Retford, Friday October 24
Headliner Ed Byrne will be familiar to millions owing to multiple high-profile television appearances. Known for his distinctive brand of observational comedy, he’s been seen on Mock The Week, the Graham Norton Show, QI, Live At The Apollo, Top Gear, Have I Got News For You, Dara & Ed’s Road to Mandalay, Comic Relief Bake Off and countless more shows. The Sunday Times called him “comedy’s holy grail.”
Also on the bill are international comic Terry Alderton, Felicity Ward with her high-energy storytelling and provocative TikTok sensation Russell Hicks. Visit majesticretford.org to book.
6 Steve Backshall: Deadly Live!, Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, Saturday October 25, 2pm
Wildlife presenter and adventurer Steve Backshall is going to much more extreme lengths than that to make sure his show is as exciting and visually spectacular as it can possibly be. Based on the hugely popular CBBC series, the show will see Steve tell the story of the world’s most formidable predators – from dinosaurs and sharks to birds of prey and big cats – with the help of huge screens, high-tech experiments and cutting-edge audio effects.
And to make sure audiences are thrilled by every second of the high-adrenaline show, Steve is planning to throw himself into the action too. “There’s going to be a giant screen filled with the most beautiful aesthetic wonders that our natural world has to offer, an amazing sound system so that you can hear and even feel the vibrations of the footsteps of a T-rex pounding over the ground, and life-sized animatronic dinosaurs striding about the stage. There's also going to be plenty of slapstick and circus skills and stunts and experiments. If I've got these dinosaurs striding about with their tails slashing around, I am probably going to be swept off the stage by that whip-like tail! I’m in the process of learning how to breathe fire, how to throw axes and daggers, how to use whips. It’ll be riotous chaos.” Visit DeadlyLiveTour.com to book.
7 Haim, Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, Friday October 24
The world-renowned rock trio’s sound has often been likened to Fleetwood Mac, while the band have also cited Joni Mitchell, Prince, Aaliyah, TLC, Destiny's Child and Spice Girls as influences. Their new album, I Quit, has received widespread praise and is the band’s first LP since the band’s 2020 album Women In Music, Pt. III, which earned them a Brit Award for International Group. Women In Music, Pt. III received two Grammy award nominations, including the Album of the Year category. With this nomination, Haim became the first all-female rock group to be included in the Grammys’ top category. Women In Music, Pt. III debuted at number 1 on the US album sales chart.
The band comprise sisters Este (bass guitar and vocals), Danielle (lead vocals, guitar, and drums), and Alana Haim (guitars, keyboards, and vocals). Their first album, Days Are Gone, released in 2013, charted in the top ten in several countries, including the number one spot in the UK, and the group had won several ‘best of’ awards by the end of 2013. It was followed in 2017 by Something to Tell You, which reached number two. I Quit, which was released in June, peaked at number 3.
Visit livenation.co.uk to book.
8 Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish It Out But Can’t Take It, Nottingham Arts Theatre, Sunday October 26
Hal is back with a new with a show that promises to “stick it to ‘The Man’, as long as ‘The Man’ doesn’t stick it back to him”. He will be pontificating on subjects like middle-aged dating, social media, the “insanity” of modern politics and “the fact that his daughters love him but don’t respect him”. He believes that, after you’ve seen the show, “you’ll feel exactly the same way”.
Hal’s last tour was extended four times and he’s one of a select number of comics to have done Live At The Apollo three times and the Royal Variety twice. TV also includes Have I Got News For You, The Apprentice You’re Fired, Bake Off Extra Slice and Would I Lie To You. Visit nottingham-theatre.co.uk or call 0115 947 6096 to book.
9 The Comedy Store, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Saturday October 25
A night of stand-up comes to Mansfield. With nearly 40 years’ experience in the business and as a leading name in comedy, The Comedy Store is renowned as a breeding ground for new comedy talent, and remains the place to see tomorrow’s stars today. Visit mansfieldpalace.co.uk or call 01623 463133 to book.
10 Rianne Downey (acoustic), Rough Trade, Nottingham, Thursday October 23
Born just outside Glasgow, Rianne grew up on a steady diet of Patsy Cline, June Carter, Townes Van Zandt, Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac. More recently she’s been influenced by Sierra Ferrel, Noah Kahan and First Aid Kit. Downey spent much of last year touring with Paul Heaton, famed as songwriter and frontman of The Beautiful South, while establishing her own fanbase with a series of solo shows. Downey said: “From busking on the streets of Glasgow to releasing this record, it almost feels like my whole life has led to this moment. The title came from one of the last songs I wrote but it captures the heart of the whole album. Each song is the product of the consequence of love.” Visit www.riannedowney.com/tour to book.