honorary manc

Rounding up some happening highlights from Manchester and Salford

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Alfreda at The Lodge, Manchester

We start straightaway and today – the weekend isn’t over until it’s over, and this one is no exception. Alt -pop phenomenon, Alfreda, is kicking off her tour tonight, March 15, in, where else, Manchester, at The Deaf Institute – The Lodge. With new single, Punch and Judy out on March 18, this follows a set of singles from her ‘evolving, outrageous and satirical, conceptual world, TEASERAMA!., which includes Stairway to Heaven, Dolly the Sheep and Pink Elephants. Pusher of boundaries, this must-see event is ‘full of catharsis, wigs and dancing manically.’ Sunday, Shmunday. Supported by theatrical pop artist Eden Hunter, a show not to be missed.

Tickets are still available – visit  Alfreda Tickets | Sunday 15 March 2026 at 19:00 for details.

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A Constant Wife – Lowry theatre

Coming to Lowry theatre this week, Kara Tointon stars in The Constant Wife, based on the comedy by W Somerset Maugham. By Olivier Award winner Laura Wade, this production, set in 1927, tells the story of ‘very unhappy woman’, Constance, the perfect wife and mother. With a husband as devoted to her as he is to his mistress (who happens to be Constance’s best friend), her mother can’t understand what ails her -“she eats well, sleeps well, dresses well and she’s losing weight. No woman can be unhappy under those circumstances.” This sparkling new version, features original music, composed by multi-award-winning jazz artist, Jamie Cullum, and promises to be fun, fresh and very funny. Keep an eye out for my forthcoming review…

To find out more and book tickets, visit https://thelowry.com/whats-on/the-constant-wife-z8n4

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Manchester Film Festival

It’s finally (nearly) upon us, and an event I look forward to every year – Manchester Film Festival.

The festival will  begin this Thursday 19 March at Aviva with an unmissable double bill: the darkly comic psychological thriller The Good Boy, starring Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough, and the world premiere of short film Psychopomp. Plus, the audience will be joined for Q&As by Psychopomp director Kit Harington (Game of Thrones, Industry), and by the director and stars of The Good Boy.

The festival will draw to a close on 29 March on a high with California Schemin’, the electric true story of two Scots who pose as Californian hip-hop artists to score a record deal, directed by James McAvoy. The screening will also be followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew.

 In between, there’s a full program of events, including shorts, documentaries and feature films. Check out my forthcoming review and blog post on the opening night double bill and others including Frank Rothwell’s The Oldham Man and the Sea and Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.

For full details of this year’s programme, visit Manchester Film Festival

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Broken Ecologies – screening and discussion – Castlefield Gallery

Also taking place this Thursday 19 March, an evening of film and discussion, programmed by Alana Lake and Deeqa Ismail, to coincide with exhibition Broken Ecologies (15 March to 19 April). Chaired by artist and writer, Babar Suleman, award-winning Afghan filmmaker and photographer, Mohammad Ali Sheida and artist and researcher, LOkesh Ghai, will discuss and explore themes connected to the exhibition, following a screening of their work.

Broken Ecologies, is an exhibition about power, protest, memory and survival, featuring large-scale print works, film and sculpture. Exhibiting together for the first time, Lake and Ismail invite us to consider how ‘histories of erasure and survival continue to shape the present in a world marked by war, censorship and the criminalisation of protest.

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Tickets for both are free. To secure your ticket for the screening and discussion, visit Mohammad Ali Sheida and LOkesh Ghai: Film screening and in-conversation, chaired by Babar Suleman – Castlefield Gallery.

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One for the Road – Stalybridge Market Hall x the Royal Exchange theatre

Inspired by Jim Cartwright’s ROAD ( part of Homecoming, a season celebrating the theatre’s 50 year annversary), One for the Road is a community-led project, exploring ‘the people and stories that shape our communities.’

On Wednesday 18 March, and for one night only, the Market Hall in Stalybridge becomes an immersive theatre-experience and celebrates the building’s architectural heritage and voices of today’s community. With and for the people of Tameside, this promises to be ‘a moment of gathering’, Local Exchange having worked with local artists and residents to shape and produce this performance. With only a few tickets left, it’s recommended you move fast on this one.

Visit One for the Road – Royal Exchange Theatre for more information and tickets.

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