BE Festival 2013 is up and running and feels even better than the previous three editions. It is packed full of great performances until late Saturday night, but after that do not grieve, all is not lost.

On Tuesday 9th Talking Birds arrive at Town Hall Birmingham with their Intergalactic Opera Troy Story, which is a collaboration with Orchestra of The Swan. It starts at 16:30, why so early? Because it is also a collaboration with a number of schools. My plan is to pick youth up from school and take them directly there for a bit of futuristic Greek Mythology.

Further Greek inspiration can be found in the latest piece by long time Stan friend Leo Kay. Only Wolves and Lions is a meal for 16 – 20 people which includes performance, storytelling and philosophizing. Each audience member brings an ingredient and something is cooked up from the results – at best it should be mouthwatering and worst ‘unusual’. Greek connection? “Only wolves and lions eat alone, you should not eat, not even a snack, on your own.” Epicurus.