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FIND YOUR ANGLE
Whether you’re an aspiring Instagram demagogue, an SLR 4eva sort, or maybe just a little bit fascinated by photojournalism (*raises hand*), The Photography Show is ready to open your lenses. Included in your ticket (£14.95), join sessions about how to build a social following with talks focussing on everything from food photography to vlogging. There’s an entire stage dedicated to capturing the great outdoors, as well as practical demos on key techniques around using light and freezing motion. The three-dayer also features visual history makers like Pete Souza, the former White House photographer who had almost unfettered access to Obama and his Oval Office. It’s £12 to hear from Souza, who'll share stories behind his most memorable shots from the more than two million he captured. At the NEC from March 16 to 19. Tickets
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YOU NOSE
THE STORY
Edmund de Bergerac: detective John Nettles tootles around Jersey in a 1949 Triumph, looking for clues between pints. Wait… let’s start again. Playwright Edmond Rostand suffers stifling writer’s block in 18th century Paris, so uses his skills to send love letters to Jeanne on behalf of his best mate, Leo. Big noses and belly laughs ensue, forming the backdrop for Rostand to pen the classic play, Cyrano de Bergerac, later brought to the big screen by Steve Martin and *assumes French accent* Gerard Depardieu. Starring Freddie Fox from the BBC’s The Three Musketeers and comedy ledge Josie Lawrence, Edmond de Bergerac is the biggest of deals in France, with five Molière Awards to prove it. See the untold story behind the classic, performed in English for the first time at The Rep from March 15 to 30, tickets (from £15).
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50% OFF PANCAKES
We tackle life’s big questions, head on. So let’s talk pancake fillings: lemon and sugar? Splodge of Nutella? Deluge of blueberries? Whatever your pancakey poison, you’re not wrong. But how’s about some crispy duck, shredded spring onion and a hefty helping of hoisin sauce to mix things up this year? Take that, Lent. Better still, you can get said duck pancakes for half price, saving you a tenner, at both Chung Ying Central and Chung Ying Cantonese from Pancake Day on Tuesday right through to March 10. Just mention the deal when you order.
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YOU HAD ME AT BEER
TAPS’ raison d’être is simple: Beer, street food, music. And we’re here for it. More than 25 breweries will be bringing bold new craft beers and intriguing little ales to the Custard Factory on March 29 and 30. Dig Brew Co’s blueberry milkshake IPA went down a treat at the last edition and if you’re into Siren, Beavertown, Moor Beer, Purity or Tiny Rebel give us a whoop, because they’re all there too. Grub-wise, Döner Summer brings the vegan kebabs you won’t want to spill on the way home. Whilst Dick’s Smokehouse don’t do ribs, they do cajun pork belly ribs, with pineapple salsa–slaw and a rum BBQ sauce. Hopefully with a napkin. From £11
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FILM: FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY
It was always fairly clear that Stephen Merchant was the unshowy superior in his partnership with Ricky Gervais, and his good-natured comedy about a British wrestler heading stateside is further confirmation. Based on a true story, it follows Florence Pugh as she flourishes in the WWE – leaving her brother behind to pick drawing pins out of his back in old Blighty. Think a glossier, cheekier version of The Wrestler spliced with Bend It Like Beckham – a nice bit of fun for a date, this. One thing: despite his prominence in the trailers, The Rock is in it for about 30 seconds. Times & trailer
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THE GREAT BARBER HOUSE GIVEAWAY
Birmingham's beautiful but pint-sized Barber House has switched to equally beautiful but significantly bigger premises, and they're offering a helluva prize to mark the move. Squeezing out of their Bennett's Hill spot and moving 100 metres around the corner to Waterloo Street (near Adam's restaurant) they've more than doubled in size. Great news being as it was insanely in demand in its previous home. The same trademark lightbulb encircled mirrors, crisp white walls and even crisper beard trims, shaves and hair cuts now come with a complimentary shoe shine area and double the work stations, and no more waiting around if you don't fancy it — you can now book. Five winners will receive free hair cuts for a year (a total of eight cuts per winner) while a further 20 entrants will win shave or beard kits worth £25. To enter you either need to walk in for a cut, beard trim or shave between now and March 31, or book yourself in for an appointment within the same period. Do that, mention I Choose Birmingham, and your name will (literally) go into a top hat for the draw. Prices start from £23.50 and every booking comes with a comped shoe shine and drink from the now far better-equipped bar area. Call 0121 2367507 to book
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Venue: @Pizza, Unit 33 Grand Central, B2 4BF 577; website
Choice: Mean Greens (£9.95) Chooser: Louis, General Manager
It'll take you 64,000 visits to try every topping combination at Grand Central newbie @Pizza. At a rate of one pizza a day, that's over 175 years worth of variations. Or you can get the skinny in the next two minutes. Go! Everyone gets a 48-hour proofed sourdough base, then you pick a sauce, like tomato or smoky BBQ, a cheese, like Italian mozzarella pearls, and then, a bit like the classiest, friendliest, freshest Subway you can conjur, you load up your base with meats, veggies, and finishes, like olives or dressings. Every combo is the same price (£9.95) and every pizza cooks in 90 seconds. And fortunately for our availability for the next couple of centuries, the "You Choose" concept exists, so it was for GM, Louis, to decide what we ate when visiting. We're alot of things, and we're definitely meat feast sort of pizza people, so Louis's selection of Eat Meat Repeat, complete with four types of the good stuff was met with an unprofessional level of grinning. Bravely then, he persisted with his second choice of Mean Greens AKA The One with a Salad on Top. And how right he was. While the subtle kick of the basilica picante (Italian sausage) next to some properly charred pepperoni was happy-making, it was the basil pesto base, salad, grilled veg and mozzarella that had the more wicked way with our mouth. The speed at which the pizza comes out after it's ready means the fresh ingredients stay crisp and distinct and suddenly, it felt like summer. Menu
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