Christmas 1 - What's On In Sutton Coldfield

A magical new illuminated Christmas experience is coming to The Belfry Hotel & Resort near Sutton Coldfield, promising families an enchanting evening of festive lights, interactive entertainment and seasonal surprises.

The Winter Light Experience opens on Friday 27 November 2026 and continues until Saturday 2 January 2027, with the attraction closed on Christmas Day.

The event will transform part of The Belfry’s famous Brabazon golf course into a spectacular illuminated trail featuring more than 30 installations.

Visitors will follow a route stretching over a mile, with the experience expected to take approximately 60 to 90 minutes.

A Christmas mystery to solve

The attraction follows a festive storyline in which Santa has accidentally scattered Christmas magic after an unexpected landing.

Families will be invited to search for clues and help recover the missing magic as they make their way through the illuminated displays.

Along the route, visitors can expect interactive features, games and characters bringing the Christmas adventure to life.

Festive food and winter treats

A Christmas Courtyard will provide a place to enjoy seasonal food and drinks before or after exploring the trail.

Entry to the courtyard itself will be free.

Visitors will also find opportunities to toast marshmallows beside fire pits, while heated winter cabins will be available to book separately.

Something for the whole family

The organisers have also planned quieter sensory sessions on 30 November and 8 December, offering an alternative experience for visitors who prefer reduced sound levels and smaller crowds.

Selected evenings will welcome dogs, while guide dogs will be permitted throughout the event.

Tickets and dates

The Winter Light Experience opens on Friday 27 November, with a special preview evening offering reduced admission prices.

Standard tickets start at £18.50 for adults and £12.50 for children aged three to 15.

Family tickets for two adults and two children start at £57.25, while children under three can attend free of charge.

Prices vary depending on the date and session selected.

The event runs daily during its advertised operating period, except Christmas Day.

For tickets and full information, visit the official Winter Light Experience website.

A Kick In The Baubles – Sutton Arts Theatre

Sutton Arts Theatre

Wednesday 28th January 2026 – Dress Rehearsal

By Nigel Gambles

Photography – Studio 55 Photography

A Kick in the Baubles is festive farce at its most relatable — a sharp, affectionate comedy that finds big laughs in the chaos, compromises and quiet catastrophes of Christmas with family.

Set across Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Bauble household, the play centres on Frank Bauble (Andy Jones), a man who would happily cancel Christmas altogether if given half the chance. Recently made redundant and utterly worn down by the season, Frank’s dream of a calm, uneventful holiday is immediately crushed by the arrival of relatives, neighbours and well-meaning disasters. His long-suffering wife Jean (Joanne James) is determined to hold everything together — even as it becomes increasingly clear that “together” is a very loose concept indeed.

Andy Jones delivers a wonderfully grounded performance as Frank, capturing both his simmering frustration and reluctant vulnerability. He is matched beautifully by Joanne James, whose Jean balances warmth, steel and perfectly timed exasperation — the emotional anchor of the household as everything spins out of control.

The extended family bring the chaos in waves. Harry and Doreen (Phil Shaw and Lynette Coffey) provide deliciously smug comedy as the superior, slightly unbearable in-laws, with Coffey in particular leaning confidently into Doreen’s sharp tongue and self-importance. Alex (Sophia Firkins) adds youthful edge and energy, playing off the older characters with ease.

The arrival of the neighbours injects the production with an extra jolt of festive madness. Gary (Dan Holyhead) and Julie (Bexs Perry) are gloriously loud, unapologetically chaotic and clearly enjoying every moment — their scenes are packed with physical comedy and bold character choices that land strongly with the audience.

Younger cast members Milly (Tilde Porter) and Darren (Daniel Charlton) round out the ensemble with charm and clarity, ensuring that even at its busiest moments the stage never feels overcrowded or unfocused.

Under the confident direction of Maureen George, who also leads on set design, the production embraces the rhythm of farce while allowing quieter, more heartfelt moments to breathe. The domestic setting works perfectly for the piece, feeling lived-in and instantly recognisable — a Christmas living room that becomes the battleground for festive tension and escalating misunderstandings.

Behind the scenes, Stage Manager Allan Lane keeps the production running smoothly, while David Ashton’s lighting and sound design supports the pacing and mood without distraction. Lighting operators Elijah Topliss and Melissa Arslan, alongside sound operator Archie Exhall, ensure technical elements remain sharp and responsive throughout.

The set is well supported by Paul Wescott as Set Building Manager, while costumes — provided by Sutton Arts Wardrobe and the cast — help clearly define character and social contrasts. Wardrobe Mistress Rachel Marshall keeps everything cohesive, and properties by Christina Townsend, Sue Atkins and Maureen George add the finishing touches that make the space feel authentically chaotic and lived-in.

Ultimately, A Kick in the Baubles succeeds because it recognises a simple truth: Christmas rarely goes to plan — and that’s exactly where the laughter lives. Warm, knowing and consistently funny, it offers audiences the chance to laugh at the madness while quietly recognising a little of their own family in the Baubles’ living room.

A festive treat that proves sometimes the best way to survive Christmas… is to laugh straight through it