Five of the best things to do in and around Luton and Dunstable in the next seven days

1 MAGICLance Cpl Richard Jones: The Power of Imagination, Luton Library Theatre, August 4The first and only Magician to win Britain’s Got Talent, Lance Cpl Richard Jones has had a busy year. Richard starred in his own prime-time ITV Special – Operation Magic in April 2017. On the show audiences watched as he went back to where his army career began while entertaining the troops. Richard enlisted the help of Katherine Jenkins and even returned to the Britain’s Got Talent set, paying a visit to the judges and showing them tricks along the way. His show combines magic, comedy and mind-reading, taking the audience on a journey through their own imagination and uncovering the unsolved mysteries of the mind. Richard wowed the Britain’s Got Talent judges and public with his skills, one of which centred around Amanda’s biography, caused Simon Cowell to call him a “wizard” and Amanda herself proclaiming it “the best magic trick in ten years that we’ve seen on this show”.Details: www.lutonculture.com

2 MUSICDebbie Bond and ‘Radiator’ Rick, The Bear Club, Luton, August 4From Alabama, USA, Debbie and Rick drop in to make sure we’re doing this blues thing right. Prepare for an authentic dose of the real thing.Details: www.the-bear.club

3 THEATRETwelfth Night, Harlington Manor, August 5 and 6Award-winning Shooting Stars Theatre Company come to Harlington Manor this weekend with a fresh interpretation of Twelfth Night, which is a play about love in all its excess and one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies. Twins Viola and Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck. Both eventually land on different shores of a country called Illyria, each one assuming the other has drowned. A young girl alone in the world, Viola decides to don male clothing and present herself to Duke Orsino, the ruler of Illyria, as a young man. Soon, under the name of Cesario, she is his most trusted servant, and is sent to woo Olivia, a countess he is madly in love with, on his behalf. Viola does her duty but in her heart realises that she herself has fallen in love with Orsino. There follows confused identity, cross-dressing, cross-garters and comedy. The audience are invited to stay on after the show to be entertained by local bands and performances into the evening.Details: eventbrite.co.uk

4 THEATREHigh School Rocks!, Radlett Centre, August 8Music lovers are invited to join a high-energy show featuring hits from High School Musical, School of Rock and Glee in Radlett next week.High School Rocks! gives audiences the chance to rock out to the likes We’re All in This Together, Don’t Stop Believing, Breaking Free, Stick it to the Man and Fabulous.It celebrates the music from quadruple platinum-selling albums, a theatre production that’s broken box office records both sides of the Atlantic and a TV phenomenon that’s generated 36 million single sales. Those behind the show stress that it is not affiliated to, nor representative of, any Disney production.Details: radlettcentre.co.uk

5 THEATRELa Cage Aux Folles, Milton Keynes Theatre, August 8 to 12Bill Kenwright presents the highly anticipated first ever UK tour of the Tony and Olivier award winning La Cage Aux Folles. It stars one of the West End’s most revered leading ladies, TV star and recording artist Marti Webb. Written by Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman, and based on the 1973 French play by Jean Poiret of the same name, La Cage Aux Folles follows the story of Georges, the manager of a Saint Tropez nightclub, and partner, Albin, a drag artiste and the club’s star attraction. They live an idyllic existence in the south of France but behind the curtains of this sparkling extravaganza, all may be about to change when Georges’ son Jean-Michel announces his engagement to the daughter of a notorious right-wing politician determined to close down the local colourful night-life. Drama and hilarity ensue when a meeting of the parents forces them to cover up their vibrant lifestyle. The show promises to be a lavishly funny tale of unconditional love and family values.Details: atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes