honorary manc

Rounding up some happening highlights from Manchester this month

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Soul Safari – Macharia at Contact theatre

Coming to Contact this Friday 17 April, artist Macharia blends her own music with Kenya coastal and Kikuyu folk traditions. The show, performed in Swahili, Kikuyu and English, combines music, storytelling and audience interaction, exploring themes of home, belonging, self-discovery following a recent period of research and travelling in Kenya by the artist.

Machari says,

“Soul Safari is about returning to yourself, to your culture, your voice, your sense of home. It’s an invitation to reflect, to connect, and to celebrate where we come from. 

This work is about reconnecting with yourself, with culture, with voice, with a sense of home.

I wanted to create something that feels shared, not performed at a distance.”

Promising a performance which is ‘reflective and celebratory’, the Manchester-based artist’s work bridges cultures, bringing Kenyan stories and musical traditions to wider audiences. 

To find out more and book tickets, visit Soul Safari – Macharia | Contact Theatre.

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The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) – Hope Mill theatre

No, there isn’t a glitch in the system. That really is the title. And so with most of the self-imposed word count for this section taken already (and because I’lm thrilled to say I’ll bringing more from the show itself next week), I’ll keep it brief.

Set in the gloriously ridiculous mythical land of Swedonia, it’s a loving send-up of the Netflix and Hallmark rom-coms we all love to cringe at. The show also features original music by Golden Globe–nominated songwriter Leland (Troye Sivan, Charli XCX, RuPaul’s Drag Race), plus digital cameos from Grammy nominated Tove Lo and stars of Heartstopper and Young Royals.

On from 21 – 26 April, visit The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) – Hope Mill Theatre for tickets and more details.

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The Britpop Show – Waterside Theatre

Now this is interesting. This multimedia comedy show, with comedian and music journalist Marc Burrows, is heading for Sale on Friday 24 April.

Equal parts love letter and send-up, The Britpop Show is sharp, silly and surprisingly moving. It explores the legacy of the era, from middle-class pretension vs working-class grit to the way British music tried to reinvent itself in the ’90s, to what happened when cocaine, commercialisation and culture wars kicked in. 

On bringing the show to Sale, Marc says, “Sale is in Greater Manchester, which means I could sit here for about four hours listing Britpop facts about this area and still not be done. This is ground zero. The Stone Roses (the John the Baptists of Britpop – they popped up early to spread the word and then messed up the second coming). The Inspiral Carpets, for whom a young Noel Gallagher was a roadie. The Haçienda. Factory Records. Oasis, who formed in Burnage, about three miles from Waterside Arts, where we’re doing the show. Noel Gallagher has said Oasis wanted to “finish what The La’s started”, but what they actually finished was the argument about whether guitar music could still be the biggest thing in the country. They settled it. 4% of the entire population applied for tickets to Knebworth. Two hundred and fifty thousand people in a field in Hertfordshire, and it all started in a rehearsal room down the road from where the show is happening. If Britpop has a spiritual home, you’re sitting in it. So no pressure on me then.”

No pressure at all Marc.

For further details and tickets, visit The Britpop Hour | What’s On | Waterside.

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I, Daniel Blake – HOME

Critically acclaimed stage adaptation of I, Daniel Blakecomes to HOME Manchester as part of its UK tour this April. The award-winning production returns following its 2023 premiere, with original director Mark Calvert and lead actor David Nellist reprising their roles

A powerful and timely story exploring poverty, the welfare system and modern Britain, inspired by I, Daniel Blake

First produced in 2023 I, DANIEL BLAKE, an adaptation of Ken Loach’s Palme d’Or and BAFTA award-winning film by actor, comedian and the original Daniel Blake, Dave Johns, depicted a chilling and very real narrative of life at the sharp end of an inflexible social system.

The show runs at HOME from 21-25 April.

Visit I, Daniel Blake — A stage adaptation of the acclaimed Ken Loach film | HOME for more information and tickets.

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Visit katieobriensirishtaverns.com/manchester  for details.