Redbrick (University of Birmingham)

Musical theatre is, by nature, a rather melodramatic format. The best—from Les Misérables to Legally Blonde—weaponise this melodrama to tell us stories about who we are, who we’ve been, and who we could be, regardless of premise. It seems unusual, though, that one musical revolves entirely around a small American town’s spelling bee, but the more you think about it the more it makes sense; these kinds of competitions invite the fiercest competitors, with pushy parents and child geniuses galore.

Yellow and purple crocus flowers emerging from the soil are a clear sign of spring returning to campus. As sunrise shifts earlier and days get brighter, why not keep your head up and try to spot some of these campus regulars? Pied Wagtail Lukáš Kadava – Unsplash Despite being only about the length of a smartphone, these little guys won’t shy away from darting around your feet in search of beetles, flies, and meal deal scraps.

In his 1961 short story, ‘Studio 5, The Stars’, science fiction author J. G. Ballard describes a world in which the creation of poetry has been entirely outsourced to machines. So-called writers and editors were now mechanics turning dials to modify metre, rhyme and assonance, looking back on original art as a redundant curiosity. Aren’t we lucky that such a dystopia only exists in the realms of fiction. Alas, in 2020 Google released ‘Verse by Verse’, an alleged ‘AI muse’.

If you haven’t heard the name Jack Antonoff, you’ve almost certainly heard his work. The American producer’s list of collaborators reads like a laundry list of this century’s most influential artists: Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana del Rey, Sabrina Carpenter. It’s easy, then, to get the impression that Antonoff’s band Bleachers is somewhat of a passion project. Many reviews of Bleachers’ work put it that way: “Antonoff’s career is built on giving artists an emotional outlet,” the subtext often brays.

I stumbled across Daisy on a late-night live stream where she was excitedly promoting her upcoming debut headline show in Birmingham. Fast forward two weeks and we are stood outside The Sunflower Lounge, just an hour before she is due on stage. You’d think she would be nervous, but she has the aloofness of a well-versed pop star. Daisy Peacock – yes, that’s her real name – is a 21-year-old musician from Sheffield.

Life was, in fact, a happy song when Disney announced their revival of The Muppet Show in 2026, featuring Sabrina Carpenter, but like many, it’s impossible not to ask why Disney have done this now, after their impromptu, no big deal, 45-year (I mean, how did we survive?) hiatus, especially after they remove the Muppets 4D experience at Walt Disney World Florida, (which I am still incredibly salty about!) so why now?

Singapore’s Changi Airport is more a door than a liminal space. The minute you deplane, you know exactly where you are. My sister and I comment on the scent every time we arrive, some mix of lemongrass, chicken stock, and curry leaves. We can’t quite place it, but its familiarity is comforting, an anchor after a long travel day.

On February 7th, Miles Kane concluded the UK leg of his Sunlight in the Shadows tour at Birmingham’s O2 Institute in Digbeth. Bringing worlds of indie, rock, glam, and electropop together, Kane illuminated Birmingham’s music scene in the dreary winter months. The night started with Birmingham’s own Paradise Circus. With an upbeat presence, the band are new and fresh, performing in and around the city since 2019. To follow, the second opener of the evening was the up-and-coming Villanelle.

Ah, the Britcom. Generations have grown up watching the delights of the British comedy scene, from Fawlty Towers (a personal classic) to the more recent disfunctions of David Mitchell’s Ludwig. For me, though, the golden age will always be the 2000s, the turbulent era that resulted in such gems as Miranda, Peep Show, and Ab Fab.

Between lectures and deadlines, the last thing I want to do is spend time cooking. However, it can be difficult to find recipes that are easy, quick, and affordable. Whether it’s meal prep or guided meal plans, I often find that I’m missing ingredients the recipes call for, or I like to switch things up halfway through the week. So, I’ve been on a mission to find easy, cheap and quick breakfast options that are versatile and tasty.