The course will run during February half term, with sessions on Monday 13th, 10am – 3pm, Tuesday 14th, 10am – 3pm, and Wednesday 15th, 2pm – 6pm at The Safehaven, Broadway School, The Broadway, Birmingham B20 3DP

A performance will take place on Wednesday 15th February 2012, Featuring Shaista Aziz and local young people from Aston and Perry Barr, hosted by Mrs Barbara Nice.At The Drama Studio, Broadway School, The Broadway, Birmingham, B20 3DP
Free!

Come and join us for this great local night out, featuring stand up from a group young people of Christian and Muslim faith who have been taking part in a comedy course with Mrs Barbara Nice (of Coronation Street and Phoenix Nights fame). Support them as they share their newfound skills in a night guaranteed to be full of laughs!

This project has been funded through the Near Neighbours Fund

Make, Do and Mend is an interactive partipatory show, exploring ways to make ends meet in the current challenging financial climate. There will eb songs and tips and a chance to discuss and contribute ideas.

For more info please click here”>

Highgate Community Comedy Evening
Local people from Highgate performing their own stand-up comedy
Hosted by Mrs Barbara Nice, and featuring Jo Enright
Wednesday 30th March, 7.30pm
At Stanhope Hall Community Centre, Ketley Croft, Highgate, B12 0XG
Free curry and refreshments
Free, for Age 16+

Have a laugh at this great local night out! This special comedy evening features stand-up from a group of Highgate residents who have been taking part in a comedy course with Mrs Barbara Nice (of Coronation Street and Phoenix Nights fame.) Come and support them as they share their newfound skills alongside Barbara Nice and headlining act Jo Enright.

“I had cramp in my belly, was laughing so much.”
“Very funny. Can’t wait till there is another one. Thanks for a great evening and a great curry!”

This project has been funded through the Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust’s Mental Health Grants Programme 2009-10 and suported by the Digbeth Trust.

Friday 11^th March at 3pm
Lecture Theatre, Uffculme Centre

Join us for a special International Women’s Day event, where we revisit some of our most well loved work.  Women & Theatre members Janice Connolly and Terina Talbot will perform alongside staff and service users of Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, to present extracts from The Cervical Monologues. A popular play that takes a holistic look at ‘the whole woman’; touching on love, sexuality, sexuality, relationships, body images and our general lives.

This will be an uplifting, celebratory event marking the power of the female voice and the importance of talking honestly about the things that matter, approaches that have stood Women & Theatre in good stead over the years.

Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact info@womenandtheatre.co.uk

If you would like to learn more about International Women’s Day, head over to http://internationalwomensday.com/

Other events happening across Birmingham include:

5th March 2011:

• “Celebrating the Past, Planning our Future”
  Mayfield School.
  Heathfield Road, Handsworth, Birmingham , B19 1HJ
  10am – 1pm
  
  International Women’s Day takes place in March, each year and is celebrated around the world to mark women’s struggle for equal rights, justice, peace and progress. The theme for the International Women’s Day event is Celebrating the Past, Planning our Future. The event will celebrate the 100th celebration of the International Women’s Day by promoting different services and products for women and their families with a variety of stalls and activities.   We will also provide pampering sessions for the women such as nail art, massages, etc.   If you would like to attend with a free stall, or if there is a group / organisation that you feel could attend with a stall, please feel free to inform them of the event and pass on their details to kingswayproject@yahoo.co.uk

8th March 2011:

• “Come join us for a day of fun and pampering.”
  Balsall Heath Church Centre
  100 Mary Street, Balsall Heath, B12 9JU
  10:00am til 2:00pm
  Including guest speakers, awards to community women, stalls, free hot lunch, entertainment, Mehndi and lots more. Creche also available (booked in advance only)

• Majils – Women Unplugged
  6pm – 9pm, £2 entry on the door
  Coffee Lounge, 10/11 Navigation Street, B’ham City Centre
  An open mic night, showcasing an eclectic mix of   women performers from across Birmingham, in celebration of International Women’s Day. A unique gathering of women with a shared passion for the arts, poetry, writing & music.  Whether you want to spin us a yarn, spit your bars, hit us with your punch line, wax us lyrical with your prowess, or simply sway us with your sultry sounds…Majlis is the place for you. Join us for a great night – all women welcome!

10th March 2011:

• Women’s Voices Against Global Poverty
  18:00 – 21:00
  West Midlands Fire Service HQ Vauxhall Rd, Nechells, Birmingham, B7 4HW
  Jubilee Debt Campaign Multifaith Project (JDC)
  Leading women from the different faith groups in the West Midlands will be taking part in fast moving entertainment, story telling, music, to raise awareness on the subject of Global Poverty. Keynote speaker: Shabana Mahmood MP.
  http://www.jdcmultifaith.org/

31st March 2011:

• Still… No Limits (£5 / £3)
  7:30pm @ The Drum
  An emotionally charged evening of dance and song, which embraces the challenges and aspirations women are experiencing as mothers, leaders, sisters and friends. The event marks International Women’s Day (IWD).
  http://www.the-drum.org.uk/event/stil-no-limits

Free Comedy Course with Mrs Barbara Nice

• Create your own stand-up comedy routine
• Develop your skills on the microphone
• Build your confidence
• Make your voice heard
• Have a laugh with new mates!

Come and join popular local comedian Mrs Barbara Nice, a stand-up comedy star with TV credits including Phoenix Nights and Coronation Street, on a comedy course that will make stand up comics out of total beginners.  You also get the chance to perform at a Community Comedy Evening at the end.  There are only 15 places, so book now!

Course held on Wednesday Evenings, 7pm – 9pm

From 2^nd March – 30^th March 2011

At Stanhope Hall Community Centre, Ketley Croft, Highgate, B12 0XG

Free for all 16+ living in or around Highgate

For more information or to join the course call Pippa at Women & Theatre on 0121 449 7117 or email pippafrith@womenandtheatre.co.uk

This project has been funded through the Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust’s Mental Health Grants Programme 2009-10 and suported by the Digbeth Trust.

Join us for the launch of the exciting new “Gay Birmingham Back to Back” LGBT History Project, as part of LGBT History Month 2011. Featuring talks, a film screening, poetry and debate.

25th February 2011, 7-8.30pm
Hexagon Theatre, mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham
£3 with free drink
Booking: 0121 446 3232 or www.macarts.co.uk

The Palace of Wasted Dreams
Thurs 3rd – Sat 5th & Wed 9th – Sat 12th February, 8pm
mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
Tickets & Information:0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk
Tickets £12 (£8) (Suitable for ages 14+)

It’s here, it’s arrived. Come on in! The Palace of Wasted Dreams.

Licensed for laughing, crying, dancing, singing, surprising and thinking on.
A place where anything can happen, and something always does…
Whether you’ve been before or it’s your very first time, come on down to the Palace!

The Palace of Wasted Dreams is the culmination of a two-year project called Wasted, a new participatory musical theatre project exploring and giving voice to women’s relationship with alcohol.
An essential night out, an intoxicating total live theatre experience. Dress for a night out. Non-drinkers very welcome!

The Palace of Wasted Dreams has been devised by Women & Theatre from materials gathered through research. It is performed by Women & Theatre and a cast of local people and directed by Gwenda Hughes. Music has been composed by Gurdan Thomas and The Company, with musical direction by Clare Edwards. Production Design is by Andrew Purvin, Lighting Design by Simon Bond, and Stage Management by Sara Crathorne.

The Palace of Wasted Dreams is a co-production with mac and is supported by Arts Council England, Aquarius, Sir Barry Jackson Trust, Bryant Trust, AERC, John Feeney Charitable Trust, Birmingham City Council, the Harry Payne Trust, The Grimmitt Trust and The Cole Charitable Trust.

Women and Theatre are sad to announce that after 27 years based at The Friends Institute we have moved to new premises. We have relocated to The Old Lodge within the Uffculme premises – the home of Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust. We would like thank the Friends Institute, and all its staff, tenants and supporters both past and present, we had a fantastic time there and will always value the relationships developed over the years. We would also like to thank everyone at Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust and the Uffculme Centre for the warm welcome, and new friendships and partnerships to come!