The clocks change at the end of this week, marking the real shift into winter. Daylight hours may be increasingly limited but fortunately, there’s still plenty going on in Manchester to entertain both during the day and in the evening (and indeed, at home and out and about). We’ve picked out the best free things to do in Manchester this week, including a discussion of 20th-century Taiwanese cinema, GRUB’s 6th birthday party, and loads more…
In the absence of coffee mornings and typical recitals, tune in to this virtual coffee concert on Wednesday morning and relax with a hot drink and some music. This recital from soprano Charlotte Hoather, accompanied by pianist George Todiaca, raises funds for the Methodist Relief and Development Charity All We Can.
This imaginative sculpture puppet installation invites you to step into the mind of the artist, as it bridges the space between art and theatre to explore the theme of this artist’s dream in the work of 19th century painters like Goya and Henry Fuseli. Advance booking is required in order to visit the installation, in order that social distancing measures can be properly maintained – it’s open to visitors daily from 4pm to 6pm for the rest of this month (excluding Sundays). The supernatural themes and sometimes nightmarish manifestations make this the perfect exhibition to check out in October.
Amazing Manchester street food venue GRUB is celebrating their 6th birthday this weekend, with food from GRUB favourites like What’s Your Beef, Seitan Kebabs and Bakeorama, the very best craft beer from local breweries, and tunes all day to get into the party spirit. There’s plenty of seating both indoors and outdoors — and GRUB is helping those who missed their birthdays due to lockdown with birthday party packs for the table. As always at GRUB, Sunday’s food lineup will be entirely plant-powered. Don’t miss this celebration from one of Manchester’s best spots…
Historic Smithills Hall in Bolton is open again for visitors to explore — you can look around both inside the house and the extensive gardens. One of the oldest and best-preserved manor houses in the North West, you can see the original Medieval Hall with the Tudor and Victorian wings that were added throughout time, making it an incredible time capsule. Advance booking is necessary so that numbers can be controlled, and strict safety and sanitary measures are in place.
- Words:
- Amy Callaghan
- Published on:
- Mon 19 Oct 2020
Director Hou Hsiao-hsien is often associated with the Taiwan New Cinema movement, but his films from before the New Cinema period are often overlooked. This event from the Manchester China Insitute will review Cheerful Wind, one of Hou’s pre-New Cinema works, and attempt to reframe the conversation around the perceived dissonance between his earlier and later work. You can watch the film beforehand via the link provided, and then join in with the virtual discussion this Tuesday afternoon.