Book tickets: Big Imaginations – children’s theatre festival at Z-Arts & more

The Big Imaginations Festival is a theatre showcase for children and their families. It takes place from late October to early November at 15 venues across the North West, the nearest being Z-arts in Hulme. There are nine performances, aimed at kids 12 and under, including plays, light shows, music, and puppetry. Everything kicks off with the regional premiere of Child of the Divide, a drama that marks the 70th anniversary of the partition of India. It is 1947, and millions of people are on the move to the newly-formed Pakistan. Amid the disorder, Pali lets go of his father’s hand, and his life changes forever. Other standouts include Fairy Tales Gone Bad, from performance poet Joseph Coelho. He will unravel familiar tales to find the true stories behind the happy-ever-afters, which may not be quite as charming as you remember.

Thu 19 Oct – Sun 5 Nov, Z-arts, Big Imaginations, 335 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5ZA, Tel: 0161 226 1912, Show times and prices vary, www.z-arts.org