Five of the best things to do in and around Leamington, Warwick and Kenilworth in the next seven days

From a star-studded dance extravaganza to a powerful wartime drama, there's much to enjoy...
Harry Judd, Louis Smith and Aston Merrygold are heading to Leamington with their show Rip It Up. Picture: Ryan X HowardHarry Judd, Louis Smith and Aston Merrygold are heading to Leamington with their show Rip It Up. Picture: Ryan X Howard
Harry Judd, Louis Smith and Aston Merrygold are heading to Leamington with their show Rip It Up. Picture: Ryan X Howard

1 DANCERip It Up, Spa Centre, Leamington, September 28Strictly Come Dancing champions Harry Judd and Louis Smith MBE and people’s champion Aston Merrygold are coming to Leamington as the ultimate boy band of dance in the jukebox theatre show Rip It Up. The show promises to bring the fabulous soundtrack of the 1960s to life in an explosion of song and dance. Harry, Aston and Louis dance their way through many of the defining and most everlasting hits from the decade, from Mersey Beat, Motown and Mod to West Coast and Woodstock. Details: royalspacentreandtownhall.co.uk

2 THEATREJourney’s End, Talisman Theatre, Kenilworth, October 1 to 6The First World War drama, written by R C Sheriff and directed by Steve Smith, centres on Captain Stanhope (Dave Crossfield), commander of a company ordered to hold an impossible position. Matters come to a head as Rayleigh (Laurie Weston), a boyhood friend, is sent to join the company and Osborne (Colin Ritchie), Stanhope’s confidante and best friend is ordered on one more risky mission. John Francis, who plays the Colonel, said: “This play is unremittingly dramatic, intriguing and, above all, honest. In the play, good people do monstrous things because they believe they have to. I defy anyone to watch this and say they could behave in any better way. I recommend this play as a truly magnificent piece of theatre.” The dialogue is peppered with tales of surprise, horror and gallows-humour as Hibbert (Ben Wellicome) and Trotter (Martin Donaldson) sit at the officers’ dining table. They are joined by Private Mason (Paul Sully), the Sergeant-Major (Chris Stanford), Captain Hardy (Oliver Jacques) and Harry Bowser as a German prisoner. The reality of the dugouts is brought to life in John Ellam’s design, lit by Steve Roberts with sound from Dik Thacker. The production is stage-managed by Stephen Duckham.Details: talismantheatre.co.uk

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3 THEATREWe’ll Live and Die in These Towns, Belgrade Theatre, September 29 to October 30The show takes The Enemy’s number one debut album of the same name as its soundtrack, and is led by the band’s former frontman as musical director. Penned by Coventry playwright Geoff Thompson, the play follows the journey of a young musician named Argy on the cusp of breaking into the big time. Details: belgrade.co.uk

4 THEATRERe:Production, Bridge House Theatre, Warwick, October 4Karen and Tom met and married when they were really young. They’re grown-ups now – and perhaps it’s time to join the club. Their friends are painting the box room sunset yellow and waking up before midday on Saturdays. Flexible working hours, sleepless nights, baby yoga, PTA meetings, toddler football – it’s what they want, isn’t it?Details: bridgehousetheatre.co.uk

5 FAMILY THEATREFup, Warwick ArtsCentre, October 2 to 6Audience favourites Kneehigh will be re-opening the theatre in style. Bursting with live music and puppetry, together with Kneehigh’s famous eccentricity and charm, this is a story of a web-footed, feathery son-of-a-gun duck.Details: warwickartscentre.co.uk

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