Events

Join us at The Coffin Works for a mid-week treat!
Go on a factory tour lead by one of our award-winning guides, followed by delicious refreshments.

The shelves and workbenches at Newman Brothers are full of original stock and tools of the trade. With the original machinery working again, you can truly experience how this old Jewellery Quarter firm once operated on a day-to-day basis, producing some of the world’s finest coffin furniture, including the fittings for the funerals of Churchill, Chamberlain and the Queen Mother.Travel back in time a few decades to experience how Newman Brothers operated during its heyday. You will enter a time capsule where the music of the 60s is piped into the building, mingled with the industrial sounds of a working factory.

After the tour, your tea and cake will be served in our cosy 60s style waiting room, which is designed to capture the atmosphere of the Newman Brothers staff cafeteria, complete with vintage china. Relax and enjoy a proper cuppa with a delicious slice of cake.

Ticket price includes tour, hot drink and a slice of cake. Guided tours last just over an hour, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the refreshments. Tickets are non-refundable. If you have any special dietary requirements, please email newmanbrothers@coffinworks.org at least 24 hours before your tour to inform us.

Lisa has been awarded the prestigious 2016 Blues Music Award for her mighty skills on the bass guitar.

Her influences run the gamut, from low down blues sisters Etta James and Koko Taylor, to singer-songwriters like Bonnie Raitt and R&B belters like Little Milton. She writes the majority of her recorded material, and her songs paint pictures of a gritty (and sometimes humorous) personal experience in life, love and the not-always-pretty music business.

Restaurant & Bars open from 6.00pm

Live Music from 9pm

Support is provided boogie-woogie style by our resident piano & drum duo. King Pleasure will be on stage just after 10pm and the DJ keeps the whole night partying until 1am!

The Project

The concept revolves around providing Year 9 and 10 students with the chance to learn about design, architecture and engineering through a two day design workshop held at a local architecture practice in Central Birmingham on 25th August. The workshop will be run by industry professionals chartered with the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).  Through the course of the day, the students will develop the design of a temporary pavilion and present their final concept to a panel of industry experts.  The winning concept will then be fully designed by our professional team and displayed at this years Timber Expo at the NEC.

The Workshop

During the workshop, students will receive a range of short presentations about architecture, engineering, sustainability, construction and drawing with the aim of informing and inspiring the next generation of design professionals.  The students will work in teams to develop their responses to the brief. Utilising the skills they will learn during the beginning of the day, they will produce conceptual sketches, plans, sections and a 3D physical model to explain their ideas. The day will culminate in the students being given the opportunity to present their final pavilion concept to a panel of academic and industry experts who will give feedback and pick a winning design to be developed into reality!

Just starting out in calligraphy or have a bit of experience? Come and develop your skills as a member of the Birmingham Scribes at the Pen Museum.
The Scribes have regular meetings throughout the year at the Pen Museum and the group’s main aim is to promote the art of calligraphy. As a member you will be able to attend these meetings, some of which will be workshops led by an experienced calligrapher and others will be more  self-help styled.   At least once a year, members will be invited to take part in an organised exhibition of their work which will be on display at the Pen Museum.
Initial membership will be £15. 00 per year with a meeting fee of £5.00 for self-help events and up to  £20.00 for tutor led events.  Come along to the Pen Museum and be a part of this exciting new group!
For this session, please  bring your basic calligraphy equipment (for beginners we have some you can borrow.)  You can do your own projects or take part in the day’s theme which will be looking at more ways to decorate your letters.
No need to reserve a place, just turn up and pay on the day.
Please get in touch if you have any questions: 0121 236 9834 / enquiries@penmuseum.org.uk

Calligraphy learning at the Pen Museum with Sheila Smith
Learning Calligraphy Sessions and Demonstrations are held in the Callicreative Room and designed for both beginners and more experienced calligraphers. Learn the key elements of calligraphy and take information away to continue developing your style at home. Some materials will be provided and calligraphy products can be purchased from the Museum shop.
12 Spaces are available for each session.
Please contact the museum with any queries: 0121 236 9834 / enquiries@penmuseum.org.uk
Session One: 13:00 – 14:30
Session Two: 14:30 – 16:00
*Refunds are only available up to 7 days prior to the event, tickets are non-transferable

Join us, once again, for this years annual LIFEST at The Actress & Bishop!
Each year, since Lifest was born, its got bigger and better with more surprises and we won’t be letting you down this year!
This years line up of live music includes:
The Cracked Actors / TheUnderclass / The Kavaliers / Dead Summers / The Peeps / Wood And Nails / Conor O’Rourke
We have street food from Big Daddies Diner & Nati’s Thai Kitchen
A LIVE FIRE SHOW!
Fancy dress stalls, Vintage Stalls and more…
And of course, it wouldn’t be Lifest without polishing it off with a cheeky SILENT DISCO!
We’re guessing you’re going to want to bag your cheaper advance tickets quick, this link will take you straight to the ticket link – https://ww2.theticketsellers.co.uk/buy-tickets/lifest/10046625
(More on the door and limited supply)
(We will also be raising money for St Giles’s Hospice on the evening. A charity close to our hearts at The Actress & Bishop.)

Join us at The Coffin Works for a mid-week treat!
Go on a factory tour lead by one of our award-winning guides, followed by delicious refreshments.

The shelves and workbenches at Newman Brothers are full of original stock and tools of the trade. With the original machinery working again, you can truly experience how this old Jewellery Quarter firm once operated on a day-to-day basis, producing some of the world’s finest coffin furniture, including the fittings for the funerals of Churchill, Chamberlain and the Queen Mother.Travel back in time a few decades to experience how Newman Brothers operated during its heyday. You will enter a time capsule where the music of the 60s is piped into the building, mingled with the industrial sounds of a working factory.

After the tour, your tea and cake will be served in our cosy 60s style waiting room, which is designed to capture the atmosphere of the Newman Brothers staff cafeteria, complete with vintage china. Relax and enjoy a proper cuppa with a delicious slice of cake.

Ticket price includes tour, hot drink and a slice of cake. Guided tours last just over an hour, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy the refreshments. Tickets are non-refundable. If you have any special dietary requirements, please email newmanbrothers@coffinworks.org at least 24 hours before your tour to inform us.

A bright new future awaited the homecoming servicemen and the newly liberated women at the end of the second world war. Or so they thought. One of the problems awaiting these thousands of heroes was where would they live? The answer came in the shape of “Those Damn Tin Cans” – a temporary solution that was loved by over 150 thousand families.

David & Pam Humphries will bring Birmingham’s Prefab story to life with anecdotes and photographs from a way of life that’s almost forgotten.

Tickets are £8.50 and include refreshments.
Call 0121 233 4790 or email newmanbrothers@coffinworks.org for more information.

On the last Thursday of every month, there is a distinct Latin vibe to the Jam House with the sounds of the popular Salsa nine-piece DEL CAMINO supported by Mauricio Reyes and his army of LatinMotion DJs & dancers

Restaurant & bars open from 6pm

Salsa taster dance workshop from 9pm. (www.latinmotion.co.uk)

Del Camino onstage after 10pm, and LatinMotion playing a mix of salsa, merengue, tango, compas, bossa nova and bachata to keep the dance floor partying ‘til 1amOn the last Thursday of every month, there is a distinct Latin vibe to the Jam House with the sounds of the popular Salsa nine-piece DEL CAMINO supported by Mauricio Reyes and his army of LatinMotion DJs & dancers

Salsa taster dance workshop from 9pm. (www.latinmotion.co.uk)

Del Camino onstage after 10pm, and LatinMotion playing a mix of salsa, merengue, tango, compas, bossa nova and bachata to keep the dance floor partying ‘til 1am

Birmingham are you ready for Dis?

Following their 2017 sold out Midlands premiere production, this year Third From The Right Productions are proud to bring the Birmingham premiere of Dennis T. Giacino’s hilarious off-Broadway hit “Disenchanted!” to the Blue Orange Theatre as part of their 2018 Sassitude Tour.

From lands far, far away, the fairy twist in the tale, fun-filled musical “Disenchanted!” introduces you to the princesses from the original fairy tales who are none too happy with the way all those ‘magical’ storybooks and ‘classic’ animated movies – not to mention their ol’ buddy Walt – portray them.

Poisoned apples. Glass slippers. Who needs ’em?! Not Snow White and her posse of Disenchanted! princesses in the hilarious hit musical that is anything but Grimm.

Forget the princesses you think you know. When these royal rebels toss off their tiaras, this hilariously subversive, not-for-the-kiddies musical cleverly reveals what happened to Snow White and her storybook princess friends *after* ‘Happily Ever After’!

**** PLEASE NOTE: Due to some adult themes and language if you’re a prince or princess under 14 then sorry but you’re too young for “Disenchanted!” ****

Here’s just a few comments from the audience of last year’s “Disenchanted!” production:

** IT’S HYSTERICAL AND NAUGHTY. GO SEE IT **

** A WONDERFULLY FUNNY BUT ALSO THOUGHT-PROVOKING MUSICAL **

** AMAZING SHOW!! LAUGHED TILL I CRIED **

** I WATCHED WITH A PERMANENT SMILE ON MY FACE **

** PRINCESSES. THANK YOU FOR TELLING US OF YOUR WOES IN SUCH A WONDERFUL WAY **

** FANTASTIC! MORE LAUGHS THAN A GAGGLE OF HYENAS HAVING A TICKLE FIGHT ON LAUGHING GAS! AN IMMENSELY PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE, LOVED EVERY MINUTE **

Performance Dates:

Friday 31st August 7.30pm

Saturday 1st September 7.30pm

Tickets Prices

Standard: £13.00

Concession: £11.00