New theatre: FLARE17 at HOME, The Lowry & more

Flare, the international festival of new theatre, will light up Manchester stages again in July. FLARE17 showcases 60 theatre artists over five days, all with a distinctly European flavour. Early-bird festival passes are on sale now, so we went inter-railing through the festival programme and brought you back these highlights.

Charlie and the Bukowskies (Sat 8 Jul, HOME, 8pm, £12)
Enjoy a fictitious Charles Bukowski tribute band as four young performers pay homage to the great beat poet. Amsterdam’s Nineties Productions present an evening of misfit music and theatrical set-pieces using electronic beats, a keytar and a cello. This is presented as a double-bill alongside the award-winning Belgian body art show Moore Bacon!, making this an evening which is sure to challenge the stuffy establishment.

Blind Cinema (Wed 5 & Thurs 6 Jul, No 70, 1pm, £6)
Ever been annoyed by people talking in the cinema? For two afternoons, this becomes a whole new sensory experience as you sit blindfolded while whispering children describe a film behind your back. The film has been specifically made for this performance, and each hushed-voiced child (pictured) will be seeing it for the first time. Britt Hatzius’s strange cinematic installation takes place at the new Flare Hub at No 70, otherwise known as the old Cornerhouse.

Someone Loves You Drive With Care (Fri 7 Jul, The Lowry, 8pm, £12)
Tom Cassini is a liar. He is also a performance artist who uses his skill in sleight-of-hand to expose techniques of deception. The UK performer will also ask the million-dollar question: what do we chose to believe in theatre? As with several evenings at Flare, this is a double-bill. Tom’s show is paired with Alicia Jane Turner’s study in sound-design Breathe (Everything Is Going To Be Okay).

Tue 4 – Sat 8 Jul, various venues, various times, festival passes £40-£64, single tickets £4-£12, www.flarefestival.com