Ten of the best things to do in and around Milton Keynes this month

1 THEATRE

The Girl on the Train, Milton Keynes Theatre, January 23 to 26

Adapted from Paula Hawkins’ novel of the same name and starring Samantha Womack and Oliver Farnworth, this gripping new play will keep audiences guessing until the final moment.

Details: atgtickets.com

2 MUSIC

Milton Keynes City Orchestra with Craig Ogden, The Venue MK, January 11

Internationally renowned classical guitarist Craig Ogden will play the Rodrigo piece Fantasia para un Gentilhombre. Under the baton of Damian Iorio, MKCO will open the programme with Mozart’s Overture from Don Giovanni and close with Schubert’s Symphony No.2.

Details: www.mkco.org

3 BALLET

Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Milton Keynes Theatre, January 29 to February 2

Thrilling, audacious, witty and emotive, this Swan Lake is perhaps still best known for replacing the female corps-de-ballet with a menacing male ensemble, which shattered convention and took the dance world by storm.

Details: atgtickets.com

4 MUSIC

Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy, The Stables, Wavendon, January 28

Carl Palmer will present bold new arrangements of the best-loved instrumental music of ELP. A multi-media experience combining music and video projection, the show promises to be among the most musically compelling tours of the year.

Details: stables.org

5 MUSIC AND FILM

Sing-A-Long-A The Greatest Showman, Milton Keynes Theatre, January 20

Singalonga Productions present their newest show, the smash hit film musical that gets everyone singing.

Details: atgtickets.com

6 MUSIC

James Taylor Quartet, The Stables, Wavendon, January 24

One of the great British instrumentalists of his generation, Taylor has taken his trademark Hammond sound to the masses for more than 25 years. The band’s relentlessly entertaining tunes take inspiration from the rare-groove style and boogaloo funk of the 1960s and 70s.

Details: stables.org

7 MUSIC

Judy Collins: A Sondheim & Hits Show, The Stables, Wavendon, January 30

Since the 1960s, Judy Collins has inspired audiences with sublime vocals, boldly vulnerable songwriting, personal life triumphs and a firm commitment to social activism.

Details: stables.org

8 COMEDY

Lee Nelson: Serious Joker, The Stables, Wavendon, January 17

You’ve seen him sneaking into places he shouldn’t be, now come and see him where he most definitely should be: live on stage with his stand-up show.

Details: stables.org

9 MUSIC

Rolling Stones Story, Milton Keynes Theatre, January 17

It’s a high-energy concert celebrating the music of the

world’s greatest rock ‘n’ roll band.

Details: atgtickets.com

10 FAMILY

Morgan & West’s Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Magic Show For Kids (And Childish Grown-ups), Stantonbury Theatre, January 27

Witness a mountain of mysterious magic, a hatful of hyper-reality and, of course, a trunk full of tricks and tea in jaw-dropping style.

Details: stantonburytheatre.co.uk