A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the spirited, annual Spanish and Latin American festival that is ¡Viva! at HOME Mcr… Festival season hits Manchester! Not on brand, I recently left the streets paved with gold that is Manchester, for a short period to Rome. But before I flounced off, I attended the openingContinue reading “¡Viva! at HOME – Llenos de Gracia”
Category Archives: The Arts
Manchester Film Festival – North West Shorts: For Heidi
As my previous post will speak to, I love short shorts – and I love the North West. Heck, when I heard there was the chance to see the two concepts brought together as one at Manchester Film Festival, I was up those horrendous (but very pretty) stairs to The Mews as quick as myContinue reading “Manchester Film Festival – North West Shorts: For Heidi”
Manchester Film Festival – Day 2 – ‘Shorts 1’
I love short shorts, we love short shorts. What’s Manchester Film Festival?! I hear a lone voice in my head cry. Well it’s this. So Saturday morning comes, there are works on the tram line, because of course, but the inconvenience is admittedly minimal. Those pesky steps up to The Mews negotiated, again the actualContinue reading “Manchester Film Festival – Day 2 – ‘Shorts 1’”
Festival season hits Manchester!
Well I was going to start off with saying leave your wellies in the wardrobe, but given the weather this week, maybe give that directive a moment’s pause. But no matter the weather; wind, sleet or shine, today sees two fantastic festivals kick off in Manchester, namely Manchester Film Festival (MANIFF)and ¡Viva! Spanish & LatinContinue reading “Festival season hits Manchester!”
A Place Called Utopia – Aboriginal art from Australia at Saul Hay gallery
Quite often it is easy to feel that Manchester is the centre of the universe and why the heck not? But what is most exciting is when a whole other world comes to Manchester and allows us to step out of what we know and get a glimpse into another culture we don’t. In Castlefield,Continue reading “A Place Called Utopia – Aboriginal art from Australia at Saul Hay gallery”
The Ocean at the End of the Lane – The Lowry
I have a few stock phrases I’m only too conscious that I find myself rolling out time and time again. You see, I’m a bit funny with texture (context:food)I don’t like how it tastes of wet (context:also food)I’m not really into fantasy(context books, film, tv, theatre…) Just me. But I’ve realised I was when IContinue reading “The Ocean at the End of the Lane – The Lowry”
Poet Harry Baker at The Edge, Chorlton
I’ve lived in or near most places in Greater Manchester during my 22 year career of being an honorary Manc. My 8 month tenure as a Whalley Range resident led me like a magnet to enjoying the bright lights of Chorlton. And for me, the brightest light of them all was the Chinese takeaway, ‘TheContinue reading “Poet Harry Baker at The Edge, Chorlton”
Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty at The Lowry
It’s a good job the theatre recently became my new neighbour when I moved to Salford Quays in the summer, as I’ve rarely been away from the place recently. Back Wednesday night and I’ll be honest, I would kill for a 100 year nap right now. No sympathy here, my love. So the Christmas treesContinue reading “Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty at The Lowry”
Opera North’s La Traviata at The Lowry
As Opera North say, La Traviata is perfect for opera newbies as well as diehard opera fans. And I would wholly support this. I guess I would be placed in the middle lane in that I really do enjoy opera, have seen a respectable number of different productions but have yet to reach double figures.Continue reading “Opera North’s La Traviata at The Lowry”
The Cherry Orchard at HOME Mcr
I enjoy a ‘reimagining’, especially of a classic text or narrative with strong themes. It might not always ‘hit the mark’ or runs the risk of negative comparison to what an original that some might consider sacred. But it can also be enjoyed in its own right as a separate piece and do a serviceContinue reading “The Cherry Orchard at HOME Mcr”
Groove at Contact Theatre, Manchester
Wednesday night I entered a veritable dreamscape, just off Oxford Road. No, silly, not Kro. Immersive can mean different things when it comes to art and theatre. It was Wednesday night, raining hard, I had a sore throat and I had 11 work hours under my belt. I was simply a joy. I was tooContinue reading “Groove at Contact Theatre, Manchester”
Girl From the North Country at The Lowry
It’s 1934 in the heartland of America and we meet a group of wayward souls who cross paths in a time-weathered guesthouse. Standing at a turning point in their lives, they realize nothing is what it seems. But as they search for a future, and hide from the past, they find themselves facing unspoken truthsContinue reading “Girl From the North Country at The Lowry”
And Here I Find Myself at The Lowry (no kidding)
My partner and I moved recently. From suburbia to ‘urbia’. From a house to an apartment. I think like a lot of people about a lot of life choices, a penny dropped, at some point, over the pandemic. I won’t speak for my partner, Actual Manc, but have sought his blessing to light-touch invade hisContinue reading “And Here I Find Myself at The Lowry (no kidding)”
Hacienda Classical at Castlefield Bowl – name something more Manc
Did I mention that it’s 40 years since the Hacienda and all it entails was realised? Oh yes here’s where I mentioned it…Happy big 4-0 Hacienda! The night I entered Manc Mecca… Well here’s its sister from the same mister and if you haven’t heard, been or listened to Hacienda Classical, you don’t know whatContinue reading “Hacienda Classical at Castlefield Bowl – name something more Manc”
Short Play Showcase at the John Thaw Studio.
I’ll be honest from the off, it’s the course I’d like and hope to do and so it was slightly surreal but incredibly nice to be asked to this closed showcase and evening of short plays written by University of Manchester MA Playwrights, performed by Manchester-based actors. So far so my bag. I was advisedContinue reading “Short Play Showcase at the John Thaw Studio.”
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