Exploring the 'sacred' number seven

LIVE PERFORMANCE

MID-DAY MANTRA SPRING SERIES FINALE: SWATI NATEKAR

When: Saturday March 26

Where: Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, 8 Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EA

What: Acclaimed singer Swati Natekar will present a special collection of songs celebrating Holi, ranging from semiclassical to film songs. She will be accompanied by top UK-based musicians.

www.bmusic.co.uk

RAHEN NA RAHEN HUM MAHEKA KARENGE

When: Saturday March 26

Where: Elliot Hall in Harrow Arts Centre, 171 Uxbridge Road, Middlesex HA5 4EA

What: Concert with full band, headlined by talented singer Anila Gohil, which will be a musical tribute to legends of the Indian music industry.

www.harrowarts.com

KHIYO

Khiyo

When: Saturday March 26

Where: Grand Junction, Rowington Close, London W2 5TF

What: The London-based Bengali fusion band will deliver a musically rich concert that draws upon diverse influences, as part of this year’s Women In The Arts festival.

www.grandjunction.org.uk

NITIN SAWHNEY

When: Sunday March 27

Where: The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1 8EH

What: The critically acclaimed composer and musician will deliver his greatest hits, including songs from his latest album Immigrants.

www.roundhouse.org.uk

SEVENS

When: Wednesday March 30

Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH

What: An ensemble cast of UK-based Indian classical dancers and musicians share the stage in this triple bill show conceptualised by award-winning Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Nina Rajarani MBE, which explores the sacred, and sometimes sinful, significance of the number seven.

www.macbirmingham.co.uk

SAMPAD ASIAN SPRING 2022

When: Sunday April 10

Where: Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ

What: After a hugely successful digital version of the event in 2021, the celebration of dance diversity returns, featuring styles such as Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Bollywood and raas garba.

www.bmusic.co.uk

THEATRE

LIFE OF PI

When: Until Sunday July 24

Where: Wyndham’s Theatre, 32-36 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA

What: Theatre play based on Yann Martel’s Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name, which revolves around the sole human survivor of a shipwreck stuck on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, as they battle to survive an epic voyage across the ocean.

www.londontheatre.co.uk

ABIGAIL’S PARTY

When: Until Saturday April 2

Where: Watford Palace Theatre, 20 Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 1JZ

What: A new adaptation of the classic Mike Leigh play directed by Pravesh Kumar set against the backdrop of an evolving Britain of the 1970s. The cast of the comedy about marriage and class includes Goldy Notay.

www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk

BROKEN WINGS

When: Until Saturday March 26

Where: Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL

What: New theatre production based on Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, which takes audiences on a musical voyage, exploring issues of gender equality, immigration, the freedom to love who we love, and what ‘home’ really means.

www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk

QUEEN OF HEARTS

When: Friday March 25 – Monday March 28

Where: Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH

What: Story of a fading Bollywood actress struggling to reconcile how she sees herself versus how the world perceives her.

www.macbirmingham.co.uk

JUNGLE BOOK REIMAGINED

When: Saturday April 2 – Saturday April 9

Where: Curve Theatre, 60 Rutland Street, Leicester LE1 1SB

What: Akram Khan’s new dance-theatre production based on Rudyard Kipling’s family classic, with Mowgli reinvented through the eyes of a climate refugee. The show includes an original score, 10 international dancers and state-of-the-art animation and visuals.

www.curveonline.co.uk

MRS KAPOOR’S DAUGHTER’S WEDDING (REBOOT)

When: Sunday April 17 and Saturday April 30

Where: Beck Theatre, Grange Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB3 2UE

What: The acclaimed stage comedy continues the tour of its reboot and invites audiences into an Asian household preparing for a wedding, but this time with social distancing, Zoom events and adapting to the new normal.

www.becktheatre.org.uk

EXHIBITION

INDIAN SUN: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE RAVI SHANKAR ARCHIVE 

When: Until Sunday May 15

Where: Archive Studio, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX

What: A free exhibition exploring the life and legacy of a global musical icon Pandit Ravi Shankar through the lens of his family archives. The display includes rare archive pieces, film footage and an installation of paper flowers.

www.southbankcentre.co.uk

COMEDY

NISH KUMAR - YOUR POWER, YOUR CONTROL

When: Sunday March 27 and Thursday March 31

Where: The Anvil, Churchill Way E, Basingstoke RG21 7QR and Theatre Severn, Frankwell Quay, Frankwell, Shrewsbury SY3 8FT

What: The popular stand-up comedian embarks on a brand-new stand-up show that tackles important subjects like political upheaval, Covid, current uncertainty and why he is taking it personally. Check website for tour dates.

www.nishkumar.co.uk

PAUL CHOWDHRY - FAMILYFRIENDLY COMEDIAN

When: Sunday March 27 and Wednesday March 30

Where: Symphony Hall, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EA and Town Hall, Imperial Square, Cheltenham GL50 1QA

What: The funny man returns with a brand-new stand-up show about UK’s handling of the pandemic, why the rules of six only worked for white people, fame, England football fans and Tom Cruise landing his helicopter in someone’s garden.

www.paulchowdhry.com

THE MUSLIMS ARE COMING

When: Sunday March 27

Where: Monkey Barrel Comedy, 9-12 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR and The Glee Club, 11 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G2 3AB

What: Two comedy shows on one day in different cities featuring top standup talents delivering their own brand of unique humour.

www.luventertainment.co.uk

DESI CENTRAL COMEDY SHOW

When: Sunday March 27

Where: The Glee Club, Bullingdon House, 162 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UE

What: Comedy show featuring acclaimed talents Jay Sodagar, Sukh Ojla, Nabil Abdulrashid and Imran Yusuf.

www.luventertainment.co.uk

CLASSES

FREE BHARATNATYAM CLASSES

When: Wednesday March 30 and Thursday 31

Where: Gamgee House, 2 Darnley Road, Birmingham B16 8TE

What: The Consulate General of India in Birmingham is organising regular free weekly dance classes on its premises. Participants need to register beforehand and will be allocated places on first come first serve basis.

www.eventbrite.com

ANGLO INDIAN COOKERY MASTERCLASS

When: Sunday March 27

Where: Memsahib Gin and Tea Bar, 47- 49 Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1PJ

What: Culinary masterclass to learn how to make delicious Anglo-Indian cuisine at home, followed by a delicious sweet and savoury afternoon tea, inspired by the British Raj period.

www.eventbrite.com

FULL DAY SIMPLE INDIAN COOKERY COURSE

When: Saturday April 23

Where: Hounslow, London

What: A trip to the local Indian shop to learn about ingredients will be followed by a practical hands-on cooking course learning how to make a variety of Indian dishes, along with learning how to use spices to add a depth of flavour.

www.cookingwithmonisha.com