What’s on in Manchester – theatre, music, cinema and arts
Stepping swiftly into May, we’ve got some top cultural tit-bits for you to enjoy in Manchester this month.
Regular guest blogger Lorna is back on the blog today with her monthly look ahead at what’s coming up at the theatre and cinema, and the music and arts we’ve got to look forward to.
Theatre
Jimmy Carr, The Lowry
Acid tongued comedian and 8 out of 10 Cats presenter Jimmy Carr comes to The Lowry on Saturday 24th May.
Carr pulls no punches in his stand up and you’re bound to wince as many times as you spit your drink out laughing. A must see on the comedy front, just make sure you don’t sit ANYWHERE near the front or do so at your own risk of becoming part of the show.
For more information visit thelowry.com/jimmy-carr
Britannia Waves The Rules, Royal Exchange Theatre
The World Premiere of a Bruntwood Prize winning play, Britannia Waves The Rules, comes to the Royal Exchange Theatre between 27th May and 7th June.
Carl doesn’t fit in at home. He doesn’t fit in anywhere. When he signs up for the army, he sees it as a chance to escape the grim reality of life in his hometown. But the army takes him to Afghanistan. And when he comes home, it’s not as a war hero but as a changed man.
For more information visit royalexchange.co.uk/britannia
Cirque Du Soleil: Dralion, Phones4U Arena
One to book ahead for, I feel like everyone should get to see at least one show by Cirque Du Soleil in their lifetime. Dralion comes to Manchester between 11th and 15th June in a spectacular of acrobatics and costumes that could be high definition if they were on tv.
Dralion draws it’s inspiration from Eastern philosophy and it’s never ending quest for harmony between humans and nature, in it’s first ever UK arena tour.
For more information visit www.livenation.co.uk/dralioncirquedusoleil
Cinema
Tracks, now showing cinema wide
The unbelievable and actually true story of Aussie woman Robyn Davidson (Mia Wasikowska) who abandoned civilisation to embark on a impossible 2000 mile trek across the deserts of Australia in 1977.
Robyn travels alone accompanied only by a few camels and a dog for company, aside from the occasional visit by a National Geographic photographer called Rick (played by Adam Driver, of Girls fame).
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Transcendence, now showing cinema wide
As if a film starring Johnny Depp is not reason enough to go and see it, Transcendence is a mind bending sci fi thriller about a scientist whose consciousness is uploaded – in a world where technology is fast replacing natural evolution.
The directorial debut of ‘Inception’ director Christopher Nolan’s regular cinematographer Wally Pfister, also starring an excellent supporting cast including Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman.
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X-Men: Days of Future Past, in cinemas 22nd May
Original X-Men director Bryan Singer returns to the helm for this mind-bending, time-hopping adventure, seeing the ultimate X-Men cast (including Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence and more) unite to fight a spectacular war for survival across two time periods.
It is 2023 and mutants are on the verge of extinction, hunted by giant robotic sentinels. Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) hatch a last desperate plan. They send Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) back to 1973 on a make-or-break mission.
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Music
Echo and the Bunnymen, The Ritz
Echo and the Bunnymen bring their dark, swirling fusion of gloomy post-punk and Doors inspired psychdelia to Manchester on Wednesday 14th May ahead of the release of their new album Meteroites.
The band hail from Liverpool and had hits in the 80s and 90s with Killing Moon and Nothing Lasts Forever.
For more information visit prideofmanchester.com/echoandthebunnymen
Katy Perry, Phones4U Arena
Pop starlet extraordinaire Katy Perry will be kicking off the first leg of her Prismatic world tour in the UK and will be bringing it to Manchester on Tuesday 20th and Friday 24th May, to showcase her latest number one album Prism.
Expect spectacular costumes and staging, with Perry herself describing the show as “a feast for your eyes”.
For more information visit prideofmanchester.com/katyperry
Kings Of Leon, Phones4U Arena
Heads up to grab tickets before they go…American rockers Kings of Leon ride into Manchester on Wednesday 18th June on the back of their sixth studio album, Mechanical Bull.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past decade or so you’ll be thrilled to hear back catalogue classics Molly’s Chambers and Sex On Fire performed alongside recent hits Supersoaker and Temple.
For more information visit prideofmanchester.com/kingsofleon
Art and Exhibitions
From the War of Nature, Manchester Museum
Boxing hares, burrowing parasites, baby birds and prowling wolves are just some of the characters appearing in this story of predation, competition, co-operation and collaboration in Manchester Museum’s current exhibition.
The exhibition reveals that living things resolve conflict in many, often unexpected, ways and aims to challenge the perception that war is an inevitable outcome of conflict. From the War of Nature coincides with the nationwide commemoration of the start of World War I.
For more information visit museum.manchester.ac.uk/fromthewar
Reactions14: Second Breath with English National Ballet, IWM North
For one night only on Saturday 17th May the English National Ballet perform Second Breath, choreographed by internationally acclaimed British choreographer Russell Maliphant,within IWM North’s cavernous Main Exhibition Space.
Part of Museums at Night, the evening will also include music by Manchester’s own Vintage 78DJs and more.
For more information visit iwm.org.uk/reactions14englishnationalballet
Collider, MOSI
A look into the world’s greatest science experiment opens at MOSI on the 23rd May. Buried deep under the border between Switzerland and France is CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. This immersive exhibition blends theatre, video and sound art with real artefacts from CERN, recreating a visit to the famous particle physics laboratory.
Discover how studying the subatomic world can point the way to a fuller understanding of our universe.
For more information visit mosi.org.uk/collider
Have fun exploring our city of culture this month. If there is anything that you think should be added please leave a comment in the box below.
Lorna x
Photographs: The Royal Exchange Theatre, The Ritz, MOSI
Other articles by Lorna
Cultural preview – February 2014
Cultural preview – December 2013
Review of War Horse at The Lowry
Pantomimes and children’s shows this Christmas
Cultural preview – November 2013
Cultural preview – October 2013
Review of Glamorous Amorous – The Ladyboys of Bangkok