Bloc magazine spring 25.

25 Boy Blue's Cycles. Birmingham Rep. 7th - 8th March. Winners of the 2024 Sky Arts Award for Dance, Boy Blue are the UK's most celebrat- ed hip-hop dance theatre company. Since the company was founded in east London, 2001, by composer Michael 'Mikey J' Asante MBE and choreographer Kenrick 'H2O' Sandy MBE, they have been a radical force, break- ing boundaries and creating "choreographic gold" (The Guardian). Cycles is movement at its most fluid, distilled and skilled. Resolute and unapologetic, Boy Blue's latest production is a tenacious explo- ration of hip-hop dance in all its forms. Cycles was nominated for the 2024 Black British The- atre Awards. birmingham-rep.co.uk All England Open Badminton Championship. Utilita Arena. 11th - 16th Mar. The All England Open Badminton Champi- onships, or simply All England, is the world’s oldest and most prestigious badminton tour- nament. Played annually, since 1899, athletes from around the world compete for a chance to win the title of champion. With 155 matches, and 50 hours of live badminton over 6 days, this is an event not to be missed. Badminton is one of the most exciting, exhilarating and dynamic sports to watch live. Whether you’re a sports fan inspired to sample badminton for the first time or a social player who enjoys time on court every week and wants to see how the professionals do it, this is a capti- vating experience the whole family can enjoy. allenglandbadminton.com The Smartest Giant in Town. Birmingham Town Hall. 12th - 13th April. Based on the bestselling book by Julia Don- aldson and Axel Scheffler. George wishes he wasn’t the scruffiest giant in town. So when he sees a new shop sell- ing giant-sized clothes, he decides it’s time for a new look: smart trousers, smart shirt, stripy tie, shiny shoes. Now he’s the smartest giant in town . . . until he bumps into some animals who desperately need his help – and his clothes! This heart-warming tale about friendship and helping those in need is brought to life in a musical, puppet-filled adventure. bmusic.co.uk Horrible Histories. Alexandra Theatre. 10th - 12th Apr. So it’s time to prepare yourselves for two amazing shows with Horrible Histories live on stage! Using actors and eye-popping 3D special effects, these astounding shows are guaranteed to thrill you and your children. Historical figures and events will come alive on stage and hover at your fingertips! AWFUL EGYPTIANS: From the fascinating Pharaohs to the power of the pyramids, dis- cover the foul facts of death and decay with the meanest mummies in Egypt. TERRIBLE TUDORS: From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear the legends (and the lies!) about the torturing Tudors. Find out the fate of Henry’s headless wives and his punch up with the Pope. atgtickets.com Earth Day at Thinktank. Thinktank Science Museum. 22nd Apr. Thinktank will host the incredible Autin Dance Theatre Company to perform the spectacular Out in The Deep Blue - a moving tale about our earth's climate emergency told through dance, movement and mas- terful puppeteering. This outdoor spectacle features 'Eko', a 13-foot-tall SeaGiant Puppet and 5 world-class performers. There will be extra under to the sea activities to celebrate the day including Under the Sea Object Handling - get hands-on with marine wonders. Ichthyosaur Make and Take - dis- cover what our skeleton specimen might have looked like! birminghammuseums.org.uk/thinktank Mike Peters, The Alarm: Love Hope Strength. Birmingham Town Hall. 25th May. It’s been a remarkable career. Mike Peters, frontman of The Alarm , created one of Britain’s best-loved rock bands at the turn of the 1980s. He filled arenas, enjoyed hits with Sixty Eight Guns Spirit Of ’76, and Absolute Reality, and opened for U2 and Bob Dylan. There’s always been much, much more to the man who was awarded an MBE in 2019. Mike’s a multiple-cancer survivor, whose life story is truly inspiring and extraordinary. To coincide with the publication of his self- penned, multi-edition autobiography – also called Love Hope Strength – Mike is coming to Town Hall. Expect acoustic hits, remarka- ble stories, and an intimate evening with one of rock’s great survivors. bmusic.co.uk