Free things to do this week ft. Helen Storey, Dara Screening + more

Helen Storey at Manchester School of Art
Fashion designer and academic Helen Storey comes to the Manchester School of Art for this exclusive Q&A as part of Design Manchester 2016. She’ll be talking through her rich and varied career, and some of her past collaborations. This event is one of our free picks for the festival, check out the rest here.
Wed 12 Oct, Manchester School of Art, Benzie Building, Higher Ormond Street, Manchester, M15 6BR. 3pm – 4.30pm, www.designmcr.com

Guinea Pigs Comedy at Sandbar
Manchester has no shortage of comedy nights, but Guinea Pigs at Sandbar – billed as Manchester’s most supportive comedy night – wins on value. It’s run on a Pay What You Want model, where audiences give what they can at the end of the show: In theory this means it can be free, but you’d have to be pretty stingy to not throw a little change in the bucket. This instalment features the talents of former Frankie Boyle tour-support Meryl O’Rourke, All Killa No Filla podcast host Rachel Fairburn, as well turns from newcomers Amy Vreeke and Poppy Singleton-Hoare.
Wed 12 Oct, Sandbar, 120 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, M1 7HL. 8pm -11pm, www.facebook.com

Art and Politics of Walking at People’s History Museum
This afternoon/evening at People’s History Museum asks how walking can be a political and artistic act, looking not just at how the humble stride has figured in past political struggles, but also how radical exploration of urban spaces unearths the hidden power structures underpinning those spaces. The event breaks down into two components, the first is a Show & Tell, which is free and open to everyone, and then at 6pm there’s a talk from active psychogeography. The talk is also free, but requires registration through Eventbrite.
Thu 13 Oct, People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Manchester, M3 3ER. 3pm – 7pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

Dara Screening and Panel at 70 Oxford Street (pictured)
When the play Dara was staged at the National Theatre last year, it was a landmark as the first time the theatre had staged a production from a Pakistani company. The play touches on themes of religious freedom and tolerance, wrapped around a historical tale about the lives of a Mughal dynasty. The National performance was recorded, and is being screened at 70 Oxford Street this Thursday by nonprofit culture organisation The Samosa. The screenings followed up by a talk from Samosa’s representatives Anwar Akhtar, Amina Lone and URBED director David Rudlin.
Thu 13 Oct, 70 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 5NH. 6pm – 9.15pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk