Month: March 2024

Wicked is based on a novel by Gregory Maguire which regales the incredible untold story of The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the witches: Glinda, the Witch of the North, and Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West.

Winner of more than 100 global awards, Wicked has already been seen by 65 million people worldwide and recently celebrated its 20^th anniversary of its Broadway premiere.

It’s a show of two halves in every sense. The first half is an origins story of how Elphaba and Galinda became witches at a school of sorcery akin to Hogwarts. The second half follows the plot of The Wizard of Oz from the witches’ perspective.

Such was the anticipation of the opening night at Birmingham, a half-hour delay to curtain up due to ‘technical issues’ didn’t detract from the excitement – and there was much relief when it was confirmed ‘the show will go on!’

Central to the story is the unlikely friendship between our two main characters, the misunderstood Elphaba and popular girl Glinda, who, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a spoiler to say, go on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North respectively.

What a powerhouse pairing this is. Laura Pick and Sarah O’Connor deliver West End quality performances on the Birmingham Hippodrome stage, more than ably supported by a talented cast and ensemble. The duo also share a believable chemistry that underpins the story and its deliciously saccharine sentiment.

And as for their vocals, there’s so much to admire. From O’Connor’s beautiful operatic tones to Pick’s rousing rendition of Gravity at the end of the first act.

The show’s staging, choreography, technical effects and costumes also played their parts in ensuring that wow factor was there throughout and the earlier gremlins were very quickly forgiven and forgotten.

Whether or not you’re one of the lucky 65 million people to have already seen Wicked, be sure to book your seat during this latest five-week run. As a first night standing ovation demonstrated, It’s a show that is continuing to cast its spell over audiences.

Wicked plays at The Birmingham Hippodrome until April 7^th, but with over 60,000 tickets already sold, you’ll need to be quick if you want to be part of the magic. Visit here

One year ago Chef Krishnapal Negi stepped into the kitchen of The Falcon in Warwick and decided to make a bold change to the gastro pub vibe it’s become known for.

Now, with an Indian menu added into the mix, the restaurant can claim to offer the best of both worlds. But does it?

Krishna’s Indian menu is drawn from recipes that he loved as a child growing up in the Indian Himalayas, focusing on light and healthful dishes.

Vibrant with flavour and colour, aromatic with precisely balanced spices and herbs, Krishna’s menu is an introduction to authentic Indian cuisine.

Krishna first made his name when he launched Tangawizi in Richmond Upon Thames in 2004, recognised at the time as ground-breaking for its innovative menus.

From Tangawizi, where he achieved a Michelin award, Krishna went on to work under Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia who spotted Krishna’s raw talent and harnessed it. Until early 2022 Krishna was executive chef at acclaimed London Fitzrovia restaurant ‘1947 London’ where he found full expression for his unique style eventually hailed as one of the capital’s foremost chefs by leading food critics across the UK.

Deciding to step away from London for his next challenge, we are now lucky enough to have Krishna’s culinary expertise on our doorstep in Warwick. But what of his concept of having authentic Indian cuisine sitting alongside traditional pub classics, all under one roof?

Perfect for family and friends with cravings for different nationalities. Three of our party went down the Indian route while one took a fancy to the Pan-fried Sea Bass on the Pub Classics menu. Served with Sicilian tomato, capers and olive sauce with herb crushed new potatoes, this was a flavoursome dish that delivered on all levels – but arguably the most interesting option on this menu. Other fare being the usual steak, gammon, chicken and burgers, which I’m sure were very tasty, but nothing I haven’t seen before.

This led us however to the Indian Menu where I feel this restaurant’s true strength lies and where Krishna’s creativity can really shine. Chef’s version of Chicken Jalfrezi was delicious and packed a punch, so beware if, like me, your palate is on the less mature side when it comes to spices. Despite this, I polished it off, along with some naan bread and rice.

The menu is deliberately limited as the ethos here is of quality over quantity is something I’m definitely in favour of. Main options include Krishna’s twist on such favourites as Butter Chicken, Chicken Biryani, Lamb Rogan Josh, Yellow Dal Tadka (yellow split lentils cooked with fresh onion, tomato and tempered with cumin and garlic) and Pindi Chole (to the uninitiated – chickpeas cooked with onion, garlic and spices.)

My son was tempted to go for something different in the form of The Falcon’s ‘Chicken 65’ – Chicken Breast pieces in spices and fried and tossed with garlic tomato chilli sauce – and gave it a huge thumbs up.

I had no regrets either with my less adventurous option of Onion Bhaji which had the most incredible crispy texture and flavour. But it was perhaps a tad too hefty a plate of food for a Starter. Unless you have starved yourself especially for the occasion, I would advise sharing either a Starter or Dessert in order to be able appreciate all three courses.

Mango Paneer Shaslik (Indian cheese and bell pepper marinated, grilled in tandoor and served with a hint of mango sweet chutney); Fish Amritsari (a popular fish starter in India, mixed with gram flour, ginger and carom seed) and Lamb Chop (lamb cutlets marinated in homemade roasted and powdered spices and yoghurt) are among the other stand-out Starters on the Indian menu.

While I was tempted by the sound of the Indian Menu dessert – Gulab Jamun (warm milk-based dumplings with flavours of cardamom and saffron served with vanilla ice cream), it was the Pub Classics Menu which tempted me back with its Cheesecake of The Moment. Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate Brownie also feature. It is called Pub Classics for a reason so don’t look for innovation here, although I’m sure they are as tasty as they looked on neighbouring tables.

Prices are largely in-keeping with those of other restaurants in the area at £8-£15 for a Starter and £16-£19 for a main course.

There’s also a Specials of the Month Menu that usually offers some interesting dishes. The Sriracha Flaming Salmon (busted with sweet and spicy flavours and finished with seeds and chilli flakes) certainly created some theatre when it was flamed on a skillet at our table!

There’s a lot to like about The Falcon but, in a town rich with choice for increasingly more discerning foodies, it’s Krishna’s Indian Menu that’s more likely to stand out.

Visit: https://thefalconathatton.com/

I was invited to review The Falcon via Richa Grover of Globbal Ltd.