Monday 20th July. Arena Theatre. £15 full price and £12 concessions. Tickets available here. 7.30pm.
Rating: 18+

I GET KNOCKED DOWN is the untold story of a burnt-out middle-aged ex-pop star in search of his long-lost anarchist mojo. Part music documentary, part unflinching character study, part a punk version of ‘A Christmas Carol’ - I Get Knocked Down is the funny, surreal, and deeply human untold story of Chumbawamba and its ex-front man Dunstan Bruce. 

Bruce is 59 and he’s struggling with the fact that the world seems to be going to hell in a handcart. He’s wondering where did it all go wrong? Twenty years after his fall from grace, the former frontman of the anarchist band Chumbawamba is angry and frustrated. But how does a middle-aged, retired radical, who now feels invisible get back up again? In this punk version of Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ Dunstan is visited by the antagonistic ghost of his anarchist past. It is his alter ego, ‘Babyhead’ who forces him to question his own life, sending him on a search for his long-lost anarchist mojo. 

This is the untold and remarkable story of Chumbawamba and Dunstan’s personal redemptive voyage as well as a call to arms to those who think activism is best undertaken by someone else. An extraordinary, inspiring film for our times.

Written and directed by Emmy-winner Sophie Robinson & Dunstan Bruce, I GET KNOCKED DOWN was produced by Sophie Robinson and features Dunstan Bruce, Ken Loach, and the band members of Chumbawamba. The film received strong critical reviews from a UK and international festival run which included Sheffield Doc Fest, SXSW, the Rotterdam International Film Festival and Leeds International Film Festival.

“We never set out to make a straight-up music documentary,” said Dunstan Bruce. “We wanted to do something different with the film that didn’t just appeal to Chumbawamba fans, but that also would resonate with anyone who has faced adversity and remains resolute to get back up again.”

This evening’s event will feature a showing of I GET KNOCKED DOWN (with subtitles) followed by a Q&A session with the film’s co-directors Dunstan Bruce and Sophie Robinson.

Wednesday 22nd July. Arena Theatre. £15 full price and £12 concessions. Tickets available here. 7.30pm.
Rating: 18+

Multi award-winning 'comic genius' (Scotsman) and the new star of Taskmaster (Channel 4), Phil Ellis comes to Wolverhampton’s Midlands Fringe in advance of his return to Edinburgh on his first full national stand-up tour. Following his three big award wins at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, Phil, the very definition of funny bones, presents his show Bath Mat. Jam-packed with laugh-out-loud profound silliness, superbly crafted gags and constant surprises, Phil is bringing his Bath Mat to a city near you. 

***** (Mirror).
'Every moment he is on stage something funny, and then funnier, is happening' ***** (Scotsman). 

****½ (Chortle.co.uk).

Thursday 23rd July. Arena Theatre. £15 full price and £12 concessions. Tickets available here. 7.30pm.
Rating: 18+

Shazia Mirza is an award winning British stand up comedian and writer.

‘But what do awards mean anyway? Everyone’s got an award. You get awards these days just for leaving the house and recycling your yogurt pots.’

Shazia’s new ‘Coconut‘ show has been nominated for ‘Best Stand Up Tour’ in Channel 4’s National Comedy Awards.

Shazia’s TV appearances include; ‘QI’ (BBC), ‘The Jonathan Ross Show’ (ITV), ‘The Hit List’ (BBC), ‘House of Games’ (BBC), ‘Rhod Gilbert’s Growing Pains’ (Comedy Central), ‘Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls’ (C4), ‘Travel Man’ (C4), Top Gear (BBC), ‘The One Show (BBC), ‘Celebrities v Child Genius’ (C4), ‘Celebs In Solitary’ (C5), ‘Loose Women’ (ITV), ‘The Late Late Show’ (RTE) ‘Have I got News for You’ (BBC) and ‘The Wright Stuff’/’Jeremy Vine’ (C5) as well as the ever popular ‘F*** Off, I’m a Hairy Woman’ (BBC).

Her parents just want her to get married.

∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ EVENING STANDARD
“A fearless comedian… thoughtful and thought-provoking… funny and illuminating”

∗ ∗ ∗ ∗ THE TELEGRAPH
“Shazia Mirza is provoking laughter and large intakes of breath once again… brave and urgent”