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THE ONLY WAY IS WINDSOR
Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor opens at the RSC on August 4. If the 16th century comedy didn't quite make it on to your A-Level syllabus either, listen up and listen good. Struggling along in the suburbs, Sir John Falstaff plans to trickster his way to a fully-funded retirement by taking advantage of the wives of two wealthy men. But he learns the hard way that it’s the women of Windsor who really run things, with a lot of ego-bruising along the way. This new production by the Royal Shakespeare Company comes with a very modern makeover: Essex accents, fake tan and all — a nice intro to the Stratfordites if this is your first rodeo. Guffaws guaranteed. Until Sept 22, tickets are from £16.
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FILM PICK: INCREDIBLES 2
Want to feel old? A kid who was four when The Incredibles came out can now vote. After 20 years of the superhero boom, can a sequel hope to be as fresh? The kicking-off point —another thread of superheroes being held accountable for collateral damage — may be slightly done, but all the pizzazz of the original is here in spades. A PR campaign sends Elastigirl out on her own while Mr Incredible becomes a stay-at-home dad; the resulting misadventures are the equal of anything in the first film and there’s a sequence with a racoon that’s one of Pixar’s best ever. This can’t compete with the emotion of the Toy Story sequels – what could – but wouldn’t it be great if all family entertainment was this good? Times
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Venue: Tuk Cakes, The Atrium, Resorts World Birmingham, B40 1PU; website
Choice: Malted milk macaron (three for £6) Chooser: Head Pastry Chef, Darryl
Making it all the way to last Sunday's final, Darryl Collins and Bharat Chandegra baked their ever so lovely hearts out in this year's GBBO: The Professionals. And though it didn't always go entirely to plan, something that has is the launch of a new venture by the pair called Tuk Cakes. Think handcrafted patisserie, including proper eclairs, bon bons and petits gâteaux (how much better does that sound than "little cake"??). Though traditional sounding in terms of description, the decadent cosmic-looking choccie-based bon bons caused surprise in terms of colour and flavour. A green and yellow creation turned out to be a tart orange curd and raspberry, while we'll leave you to find out what midnight blue and white equals (though spoiler alert — it's the most delicious flavour). The standout bite here though was the malted milk macaron. Rich, luscious and flavour-filled, it tasted much fresher and lighter than the macarons we've known, and was so much more than the hit of sweet that seems to have become normal in the world of treats. Good-looking, modern interpretations of French classics. Get. Menu
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TEE-RIFIC: PUNKS & CHANCERS
Life's better when you're nice. Nice to people, to animals, to the environment, your neighbour and you could even try being nice to yourself. Brand spanking new Brum clothing company Punks & Chancers has launched, and being nice is their self-proclaimed thing. In terms of adult-sized stuff, pick from their 'Brum Punk' tees (£25) or sweatshirt (£55), as well as their 'Yes Bab' range. For entirely new humans, christenings, Bar Mitzvahs and kids you just like way better than the other kids, additionally check out the bibs (£9.50) and rompers (£20) over on Le 'gram. The ethically lovely lot have got some of their gear in Hedgerow Stories in Harborne and will be at The Paperdolls Summer Market on July 21. Otherwise, get emailing hello@punksandchancers.co.uk. Their gear is screen-printed in the UK by a guy called Bill, using water-based inks in a carbon neutral workshop. Some items already have a waiting list.
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