★★★☆☆ Bronté Barbé as Carole King is truly incredible to watch, as Carole grows up Barbé’s performance blossoms into a spectacular tribute to the artist’s life. Barbé’s vocals in the show are so unique and powerful it does not fail to make a slight tear come to your eye.

★★★★☆ Spending an evening listening to sensational vocal performances, and embracing the uplifting and positive message of Hairspray is certainly beneficial. The production is not without fault, but it is still a musical worth seeing, especially when performed by such a talented cast brimming with energy.

★★★☆☆ The story takes place during the Vietnam war and revolves around the whirlwind romance between a young barmaid, Kim (Sooha Kim) and the handsome American G.I. Chris (Ashley Gilmour). When the war forces them apart all they can do is think about being reunited . . .

“Appropriate, easy to follow and enormously entertaining, Shrek The Musical is perhaps the easiest recommendation for a night out in Birmingham that anyone could give over the Easter period . . . This is a show that bursts with colour, not only in its set design and props, but in its cast of characters, which include everyone from the Fairy Godmother to the Three (Large) Little Pigs . . . Go and see this show. If a friend is going this Easter weekend and you are not, prepare to be green with envy. There are too many fantastic moments to list . . . ”

Welsh National Opera are at the Birmingham Hippodrome this week with a programme that veers from...