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20.05.2019 - 24.05.2019.

Free things to do in Manchester this week ft. David Olusoga + more.

24.05.2019.

Book £14 tickets: Dot To Dot Festival 2019 ft. Crystal Fighters, Jordan Rakei & more..

22.05.2019 - 08.06.2019.

New shows at HOME: Grand Finale, BINGE and dressed.

HOME’s new theatre season is in full swing, with a host of new plays and collaborations popping up all the time. Here’s three of the best that are coming in the next couple of weeks… Grand Finale Returning after a sell-out run in January is this ambitious work featuring 10 dancers and six musicians. ‘Grand Finale’ is at once comic and bleak, evoking a world at odds with itself. Part gig, part dance, and part theatre, it aims to create the feel of a culture in freefall. The show comes from choreographer Hofesh Shechter's boundary-breaking dance company. Founded in 2008, the group has a residency at Brighton Dome, and performs in cities throughout the world. Grand Finale has received rave reviews from The Stage, The Guardian and even The Financial Times. It’s presented as part of HOME's Theatre Studies and English programme, and is recommended for GCSE, A-Level, and equivalent level Dance. Wed 22 May 2019 – Sat 25 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, homemcr.org/grand-finale BINGE This performance installation consists of several one-to-one and intimate drop-in performances, all taking place over the Spring Bank Holiday Weekend. The curator, artist Brian Lobel, aims to create a space in which people slow down and connect with strangers through the very 21st century phenomenon of binge-watching. To help him, Brian has drawn together a group of eight artists with a diverse taste in television. The performers will be wearing pyjamas or bathrobes, and be tucked up in a duvet, silently bingeing on their favourite show. Visitors are invited to join them, and are encouraged to dress likewise, making it difficult to tell who is performing and who is a visitor. Fri 24 May – Sun 26 May, Address and contact number as above, 12pm - 8pm, FREE, homemcr.org/brian-lobel-binge dressed After a tragic ordeal where she was stripped at gunpoint, Lydia Higginson sought to redress herself in a unique way. A seamstress and costume designer by trade, she gave herself a year to make all her own clothes, after which she gave away all the clothes she had ever bought. Along with three friends, who appear as her co-stars, she used this experience to as the basis for 'dressed'. This intimate show uses storytelling, live sewing, music, dance, and clowning to turn a traumatic experience art. It is a show about reclaiming one’s body, female friendship, and clothing's link to identity. It premiered at the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to critical acclaim, winning the Scotsman Fringe First Award. The show explores some very serious themes, so discretion is advised. Tue 4 Jun – Sat 8 Jun, Address and contact number as above, 7.45pm, £5 - £12.50, homemcr.org/dressed

18.05.2019.

Spring & summer menu: Meze & More Supper Club coming to a home near you.

A cross between a dinner party and a restaurant, supper clubs are becoming more and more popular as people look for something a little different from their dining experiences. Sophie at Meze and More is a passionate home cook who hosts regular private dinners and supper clubs for friends, family and local Manchester residents. Located in Sale, South Manchester, Sophie creates menus that are inspired by her love of Middle Eastern and Greek cuisines, and rotate quarterly in line with the seasons. Her menu for this spring supper club will see a welcome cocktail of grapefruit spritz before a series of meze-style sharing meals inspired by the mediterranean. For the main 'bigger meze' you'll find Greek style chicken (or chickpeas - vegetarian option) and new potatoes, harissa roasted cauliflower with lemon & toasted almonds, tabbouleh with feta, spring greens & asparagus with a garlic crumb, followwed by a sweet meze of a rhubarb cheesecake and orange polenta cake for desert. Her menu for the summer supper club will see a welcome cocktail of a nectarine and strawberry bellini, before a summery series of meze style sharing meals. For the main ‘bigger meze’ you can expect dishes such as lamb kofta, harissa roast potatoes with confit garlic, and a feta, pea and mint broad bean salad. To finish, the sweet meze will be an apricot frangipane and a white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake. Don't meze around, book now. Sat 18 May, location TBC in Sale, M33, 7pm, £21.91, www.eventbrite.co.uk Sat 20 Jul, www.eventbrite.co.uk

04.07.2019 - 25.08.2019.

Full line up revealed: David Lynch takes over HOME for MIF19.

Tickets go on sale midday tomorrow for a very special film, music and art summer showcase at HOME. David Lynch at HOME is an extensive selection of art and experimentation from the American auteur, accessible all summer long, including everything from lesser known works to cult classics. The season of screenings, live concerts and talks is curated by Sarah Perks and Omar Kholeif with Mary Anne Hobbs and Jason Wood, and runs alongside Lynch’s first major UK exhibition of visual art as part of Manchester International Festival. Part of the project is the film season, It’s a Great Big Wonderful World (runs 6 July-25 Aug) which includes the classics from Eraserhead to Twin Peaks plus the films that inspired him. Also showing are rare screenings of Lynch’s short films including Bug Crawls (2008), The Grandmother (1970), Six Men Getting Sick (1966), and The Alphabet (1968) and a showing of the acclaimed 2016 experimental documentary The Art Life, which documents Lynch’s creative birth. David Lynch himself will join Manchester audiences via video link for a panel discussion in partnership with Guardian Live, for the screening of The Power of Transcendental Meditation (Sat 13 July), with musician Tim Burgess and the executive director of the David Lynch Foundation UK, Deirdre Parsons. Musical highlights includes a rare solo set from Anna Calvi which opens David Lynch Presents, a three-night stand of performances from musical innovators and creatives presenting work inspired by Lynch. Plus These New Puritans perform a specially devised set of reimagined pieces from David Lynch films, including music by Angelo Badalamenti and David Bowie, in dialogue with tracks from their own back catalogue. They’ll be joined for this triple-header by Manchester’s psych-rockers Whyte Horses, performing a set inspired by the mythical Roadhouse in Lynch’s Twin Peaks, following a set from musician, actress and longtime Lynch collaborator Chrysta Bell. Film and music run alongside David Lynch’s first major UK visual art exhibition, My Head is Disconnected, which opens on 6 July at HOME. Featuring large-scale paintings, drawings and sculptures, this major exhibition promises a rare and fascinating insight into the weird and wonderful mind of Lynch. Manchester International Festival runs 4th-21st July 2019, but David Lynch at HOME will be sticking around all summer. Don’t miss out on tickets, they go live on 10th May at midday. View complete listings and book tickets here. HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, M15 4FN, 0333 320 2890 www.mif.co.uk

30.07.2019.

Book now: Best selling author Mark Manson coming to HOME.

New York Times best-selling author Mark Manson has announced two UK tour dates for this summer, including a first performance in Manchester on July 30th at HOME. After rising to international prominence with his massively successful ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck’, Manson returns with a new book ‘Everything is Fucked: A Book About Hope’. This tour, in support of that will mix Manson’s wisdom and humour as well as his demands to become more connected to ourselves and the world, and to challenge and question it. Tickets go on sale on Friday for the show from one of the foremost critics on modern life - both the positives and the negatives and with a fan base in thrall to Manson’s thoughts, cultural commentary, and life advice, it’s best you give a f*ck if you want to get a ticket. VIP ticketholders can even get to meet the man himself and get a signed copy of the book. Tue 30 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN. 8pm, on sale Fri 3 May at 9am, www.gigsandtours.com

09.04.2019 - 13.04.2019.

Theatre now on: Kingdom at HOME.

Handily coinciding with Lionel Messi & Co's trip to the city to face Manchester United, Barcelona theatre company Señor Serrano brings its show Kingdom to HOME this week, to headline 2019's ¡Viva! Festival. The 60-minute-long performance tells the story of the capitalism through footage from various King Kong films, as well as live performance, music and dance on the stage itself. Delivered in Spanish, English and Chinese, with English surtitles, Kingdom runs for five nights in HOME's Theatre 1. Its final night, on Sat 13 Apr, is the closing night of this year's ¡Viva! Festival - read our festival preview here. Tue 9 - Sat 13 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £15 (concessions from £5), www.homemcr.org

16.02.2019 - 15.04.2019.

Art exhibition about teenage life: Sixteen at Home, University of Salford & more.

Recently, a group of documentary photographers joined forces to explore what it’s like to be 16 years old in Britain today. The resulting exhibition, titled simply Sixteen, opens in mid-February at the New Adelphi Building, the home of the School of Arts and Media at Salford University with associated exhibitions at HOME, Manchester Central Library, and 42nd Street – a mental health charity in Ancoats. Working with photography, film, social media, audio recordings and writing, the exhibition brings together the faces and voices of more than 100 young people from diverse communities across the UK. To create visual vox pops, the photographers opened up conversations with the teens about what sustains and inspires them. The project explores how social, ethnic, and economic factors might influence people’s during this transitional time in their lives. Fri 15 Feb – Sun 14 Apr, New Adelphi Exhibition Gallery & Atrium, University of Salford, University Road, Salford, M5 4BR, Opening times vary, FREE, www.salford.ac.uk/newadelphi Sat 16 Feb – Sun 17 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Opening times vary, FREE, homemcr.org/exhibition/sixteen/ Sat 16 Feb – Mon 15 Apr, Manchester Central Library, St Peter's Square, Manchester, M2 5PD, Opening times vary, FREE, www.librarylive.co.uk/event/sixteen Sat 16 Feb – Fri 8 Mar, 42nd Street & Horsfall Space, 87-91 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 5AG, Opening times vary, FREE, 42ndstreet.org.uk/horsfall

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29.03.2019 - 30.03.2019.

Theatre review: The Funeral Director at Home Manchester.

The Funeral Director, arrives at HOME as a lauded piece of theatre known for tackling contemporary issues of race, religion, and rights in a sensitive and thoughtful way. Ayesha and Zeyd are a married couple who run a Muslim funeral directors in a Northern town - the seemingly happy couple have undercurrents of tensions brought about by different views on whether to become a family but it is the appearance of a white non-Muslim that proves to be the catalyst for the unravelling of their happiness. Whilst running at just 90 minutes, the play manages to pack a whole heap of relevant topical issues such as the where human rights begin, and religious freedom ends and the tension between integration and multiculturalism. Unexpectedly, the most heart is brought about by questions of sexual identity and its place within conservative religious models. Whilst a couple of suggestions of London and capitalism as the cure to racism and religious intolerance sound off-key, and slightly dampens the effect of the final scene, The Funeral Director is a powerful insight into tensions not always so evident on mainstream stages. The growing tension and movement into a angry defence of his religion from Zeyd (Assad Zaman) is a particular standout. Until Sat 30 Mar, The Funeral Director, HOME, Tony Wilson Place. Tickets £12.50 www.homemcr.org

Free things to do in Manchester - Underwater

26.04.2019 - 28.04.2019.

Free things to do in Manchester this weekend ft. yoga at Yes, film at Home + more.

Tour: Peterloo Perspectives Tour at John Rylands Library Just one of an ongoing series of events marking 100 years since the Peterloo Massacre, this special tour at the The John Rylands Library on Friday offers some insight not just into to the massacre itself, but the politics and social context behind it. Fri 26 Apr, The John Rylands Library, 150 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3EH, 11am - 11.30am, www.eventbrite.co.uk Film: Underwater Screening at HOME HOME hosts this screening of new short film Underwater, before its festival run and eventual placement on the Sky Arts channel. It’s a new film from actor/director Michael Keogh and stars a number of established British actors - including Waterloo Road’s Jason Done - alongside some newer faces. The screening is followed by a short Q&A At the time of writing, the 11am screening has sold out, but there are still tickets available for 10am. Sat 27 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, 10am - 11am, www.eventbrite.co.uk Yoga at Yes Manchester Every Saturday, yoga guru Josie Maya runs these yoga sessions at Charles Street venue YES. The venue’s Pink Room, usually reserved for gigs and club nights, is turned into a karmic retreat for an hour over Saturday lunchtime as you’re invited to take part in this free session pitched at all abilities. Mats are provided, but you are of course welcome to bring your own. Sat 27 Apr, YES, 38 Charles Street, Manchester, M1 7DB, 12.30pm - 1.30pm, www.josiemayayoga.co.uk Shop local: Levenshulme Market Also this Saturday is the latest instalment of Levenshulme Market, one of the city’s best artisan markets. Taking place in the train station car park, they offer all the crafts, trinkets and vintage accessories you could desire, along with a great range of street food vendors including Kitchenette Corsica and traditional pizzeria Mio Pizza. Stalls aside, they’re also welcoming singer-songwriter Clare Stokes for a live performance in the afternoon. Sat 27 Apr, Levenshulme Market, Manchester, M19 3AB, 10am - 4pm, www.facebook.com

23.04.2019 - 27.04.2019.

Book tickets: West End hit Home, I'm Darling comes to The Lowry.

Fresh from an acclaimed and sold-out run at the National Theatre, Home, I’m Darling, heads to Salford after a limited West End pitstop. Laura Wade’s play has received rapturous reviews from the national press, with Katherine Parkinson being noted for her performance. The actor, know for her roles in The IT Crowd and Humans amongst others, plays Judy a modern day woman aiming to be the perfect 1950s housewife. Winner of the Best New Comedy Award at The Olivier Awards this year, the play raises questions of what it means to be a couple in the modern day, and how the dated view of a housewife ties in with that. A ‘sharp, funny, and sad’ production that analyses and questions the idea of being a wife and the way the past can be overly nostalgised by the present. Tue 23 - Sat 27 Apr, The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ. Tickets from £24.50, www.thelowry.com

30.04.2019 - 04.05.2019.

Book now: Headlong's Richard III at HOME.

Following on from 2017's People, Places & Things, Headlong Theatre returns to HOME this spring with its production of Shakespeare's Richard III. Starring Tom Mothersdale - described by The Stage as 'a star in the making' and by the Guardian as 'a grim pleasure to watch' - and directed by John Haidar, the play tells the story of Richard, Duke of Gloucester's murderous and bloody power play for the crown. Set here in a mirrored dungeon, designed by Chiara Stephenson, it promises to be a suitably moody and dramatic interpretation of the Bard's classic. Tue 30 Apr - Sat 4 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus 2pm Thu & Sat matinees), £10 - £24, www.homemcr.org

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16.04.2019 - 18.04.2019.

Comedy of the week ft. Sophie Willan, Amy Gledhill and a new home for the Balloon.

Sophie Willan | Tue 16 Apr | The Bread Shed | 7.30pm | £5/3 Back in the North for one night only, comedic whirlwind Sophie Willan headlines a pretty special evening at XS Malarkey. Even by their high standards. Alongside the Boltonian comic they have sketch duo The Delightful Sausage, plus up and comers Josh Pugh and Lindsey Davies. A packed bill for a Tuesday night pick me up. www.wegottickets.com Comedy Balloon | Wed 17 Apr | The Old Monkey | 8.30pm | FREE Whilst their usual home of the Ape and Apple undergoes a little face lift, long running free comedy night Comedy Balloon has moved to the home of Tony Basnett's Trapdoor Comedy for the night in The Old Monkey. Expect some primate based fun with a huge lineup of the best rising stand-ups on the Manchester scene. www.facebook.com Blizzard Comedy | Thu 18 Apr | Gullivers | 7.30pm | FREE Another free night of stand-up, this time a new venture from Jonny Collins who hopes to reclaim the 'snowflake' label tossed casually at anyone who seems to care about other people's wellbeing. No Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, Transphobia, Classism, Ablism, etc. is the order of the day. What there will be is plenty of laughs with headline act Amy Gledhill (one half of the aforementioned The Delightful Sausage), Red Redmond, Tony Wright and Brandon Craig all serving up thoughtful comedy for the night. www.ticketweb.uk

26.02.2019 - 30.03.2019.

Top 3: Home Manchester's 2019 theatre season ft. Scottee & Iman Quereshi.

Home Manchester's early 2019 theatre season includes some return favourites (like Scottee) and hyped adaptations, such as Angela Carter's Wise Children. We've rounded up three of our favourites below. Adaptation: Wise Children Rowdy, raucous and full of flirtatious fun. Angela Carter’s final novel Wise Children is set in Brixton, twins Nora and Dora Chance celebrate their 70th birthday, reminiscing about their time on stage. Over in Chelsea, their alleged father, Melchoir, the best actor of his generation, is celebrating his 100th birthday, but his twin brother Peregrine is missing for the celebrations. Sordid and scandalous, this play combines Shakespeare with showgirls, teetering on the edge between legitimate and illegitimate theatre, and in turn questioning the categorisation of each. Sex, mistaken identity and numerous sets of twins, Wise Children has all the ingredients of a Shakespearean comedy, but it also contemplates the tragedy of lost youth. Wise Children has been met with critical acclaim at its previous venues and it will be one to catch; full of carnivalesque extravagance, but with a raw story underneath. Tue 26 Feb – Sat 2 Mar, £10-29, www.homemcr.org Storytelling: Scottee's 'Fat Blokes' (pictured) This is an act of ‘fat rebellion’. A celebratory and angry cabaret show full of flab, double chins and thick thighs. Following its sell out run at Home in May, Fat Blokes returns, exploring why fat men are never sexy but always funny, always the ‘before’ but never the ‘after’ shot. Forward thinking and self-proclaimed ‘fatso’ Scottee created this piece has been created in collaboration with Lea Anderson, an out-of-the-box choreographer, with the hope of flaunting the fat we a too often told to conceal. Four plus-size men take their turn to tell their stories, of heart-breaking humiliations, of being victims of violence. In the end, despite the struggles, this show hopes to spread delight, self-love and acceptance as they dance unashamed on the stage. Fat Blokes is an admirable and brave act of defiance, as the performers jiggle their bodies with joy. Tue 19 Mar – Sat 23 Mar, £5-12.50, www.homemcr.org Award-winning new writing: The Funeral Director “I just thought it would be a secret I’d have to die with. And now – I think it’ll be what kills me.” Ayesha is a funeral director at a Muslim parlour, and whilst the work is understandably difficult, she still feels like she has it all with Zeyd; a loving husband, respectful co-worker and partner for life. Their world is interrupted however, when a grieving white man shows up at their parlour, asking for them to organise the burial of his boyfriend. The pressures of their community and faith forces them to make a snap moral decision, with consequences that affect their lives profoundly. Iman Quereshi’s play won the 2018 Papatango New Writing prize and it is an honest and tentative consideration of the complicated relationship between sexuality and Islam. The Funeral Director is a topical piece of new writing that sensitively depicts the intricate lives and prejudices of people in 21st century Britain. Wed 27 Mar – Sat 30 Mar, £5-12.50, www.homemcr.org

26.01.2019 - 17.03.2019.

Art exhibition: David Bethell's Fleeting Flights at Home Manchester.

In a clearing in an isolated forest, a man tries in vain to escape his ramshackle cabin through the use of a wooden balloon. No, this isn’t some fever dream; it’s the new solo exhibition from artist David Bethell at Home Manchester. Titled Fleeting Flights, it charts the story of a man’s struggle to escape his own self-induced purgatory. Staffordshire-based Bethell is known for his functional sculptures of machinery, and this mixed media exhibition includes many elaborate wooden contraptions designed and built by the artist. It also features the debut of a short film – Bethell’s first foray into using this medium along with his sculptural and performative pieces. Sat 26 Jan – Sun 17 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 228 7621, 12pm - 8pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org

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10.03.2019.

Book tickets: Vintage Home Show returns to Manchester Victoria Baths.

The ever excellent Vintage Home Show returns to Victoria Baths on Sunday 10 March - and it's essential viewing for fans of vintage, Midcentury and retro furniture. This is your one-stop shop for amazingly preserved sideboards, chairs, tables, display units and lighting from 1950 to 1970. Brands on show include Ercol and G-Plan alongside ceramics, glass, kitchenaila and textiles from specialist dealers. It really is a quality day out - and really busy - so be sure to get down early if you really have your heart set on something special. Entry is £3 from 11am or £5 from 10.30am. Victoria Baths is the perfect setting for this vintage event too; goods and finds are tucked away in old steam rooms and bathing rooms. It's a labyrinthine palace, and one which has been lodged firmly in the hearts of Mancunians since it opened in 1906. Keep an eye out for period features such as stained glass, terracotta, tiles and mosaic floors. Where better to celebrate the glory of old design and pick up something that will make your home feel like new again? Sun 10 Mar, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0FE. Tel: 0161 224 2020, 11am-4pm, £3 on the door, earlybird 10.30am £5, www.tickettailor.com For more great things to do in Manchester, click here.

22.03.2019 - 13.04.2019.

Book now: ¡Viva! - Spanish & Latin American Festival at Home Manchester.

¡Viva!, the UK’s largest festival dedicated to all things Spanish and Latin American celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019. Launching later this month at Home, the festival includes screenings of 21 movies, including nine UK premieres. Opening the event is the premiere of 'Tiempo después' ('Some Time After'). Packed with satire and Python-esque humour, it kicks off the theme for this year's festival, ‘Serious Fun’, inspired by the cultural tradition of Esperpento, which uses dark humour to skewer contemporary society. The screening is followed by a free birthday party in the Home bar. Female talent features strongly across the programme, with 19 of the films having women in the roles of director, writer, producer, or star. It's not all about film; in Theatre 1, there will be the play Kingdom, which uses the story of King Kong to bring the history of capitalism and bananas together. Also on stage is a special up-close performance, in association with Manchester Camerata, with violin soloist Francesca Dego. Fri 22 Mar – Sat 13 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Show times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

24.06.2019 - 30.06.2019.

HOME presents: New theatre talent showcase The Incoming Festival.

Proving once again that HOME is where the art is, the venue recently announced the full line-up for the Incoming Festival, which takes place in June. A multi-city event, its aim is to showcase up-and-coming theatre companies from the UK and Ireland. Returning favourites include Sh!t Theatre, with the new show 'Sh!t Theatre Drinks Rum with Expats.' This offbeat production is a look at what makes a home a home when you live on a small island. Another fav is Police Cops, who will present their new black comedy ‘Badass Be Thy Name’, a gritty drama which turns into a horror epic about vampire slaying. A standout among festival first timers is Strictly Arts, who will be presenting ‘Freeman’, a play which examines the link between mental health and systemic racism, which was a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe. Several of the companies will also be hosting public workshops. Mon 24 Jun – Sun 30 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Show times vary, £5 (shows) / £3 (workshops), homemcr.org/incoming-festival-2019

26.02.2019 - 02.03.2019.

Theatre premiere: Angela Carter's Wise Children at HOME Manchester.

New theatre company, Wise Children, have teamed up with The Old Vic to bring their adaptation of the Angela Carter novel that has leant them their name to HOME at the end of February. Wise Children (the novel) has been adapted by Wise Children’s (the theatre company) founder Emma Rice who also be directing as the premiere the play in Manchester. Carter’s story is one celebrating show business, family, forgiveness in a mass ball of theatrical salaciousness and sadness. On Shakespeare’s birthday, twins celebrate their 75th whilst their father celebrates his century across London as does his twin brother, wherever he is. With sex, scandal, music, mischief and show girls promised this shapes up to be a wise move for Emma Rice’s company’s debut production. Tue 26 Feb - Sat 2 Mar, HOME, Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN. 7.30pm (Thu & Sat matinee at 2pm) Tickets £10-£29 www.homemcr.org For more arts and culture events click here.

06.02.2019 - 16.02.2019.

Last chance: The Animals and Children took to the Streets at HOME.

Theatre company 1927 returns to HOME this month with its latest production, The Animals and Children took to the Streets. The multi-award-winning company previously brought Golem to HOME in 2015 - and this new work employs similar use of large-scale projection to dazzling effect. Delivered largely through song and voiceovers, the narrative tells the tale of the Bayou Mansions - a crumbling tenement block over-run by vermin - and children. With playful acting from its cast of three, music for fans of the Amélie soundtrack and a distinctive Tim Burton-esque aesthetic, it's a production that's sure to stick with you. Wed 6 - Sat 16 Feb, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus 2pm Sat matinee), £18 – £20 (concessions available), homemcr.org

11.01.2019 - 26.01.2019.

Ending soon: New work focused PUSH Festival 2019 at HOME Manchester.

The fine folks at HOME recently announced the programme for the PUSH Festival, a two-week long arts showcase taking place in January. It will feature five specially-commissioned performances, and also screenings and exhibitions. The launch party will be a sampler of the festival to come, with dance and spoken word performances, followed by a DJ set. Among the new commissions is Cuts of the Cloth, which centres on a Muslim woman who has been archived in a museum in the not-too-distant future, to speak to visitors about her relationship with the veil. Dance Away the Spiders, is a physical piece exploring trauma and resistance, and Unpacking is an exhibition of oil paintings which aim to shed light on the emotional complexities of migration. There will also be workshops and informal seminars for creative professionals, including: a session with documentary filmmaker Aaron Dunleavy; a talk by photographer Paul Herrmann; and a talk from actor/director Cheryl Martin. Fri 11 – Sat 26 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Event times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org For more arts and culture in Manchester click here.

16.11.2018 - 01.12.2018.

Book tickets: Jean Genet's dark new play The Maids comes to HOME.

The Maids invites you into a twisted world of sadistic role play, ritualistic games and rubber gloves. Jean Genet’s deliciously dark play promises to be mysterious, murderous and utterly engrossing in this new retelling, directed by Lily Sykes and performed at the wonderful HOME theatre. A gruesome game of make believe teeters dangerously on the boundary between fantasy and reality, as murderous siblings Clare and Solange playfully plot their mistresses demise. Whilst this starts as harmless pretending, it soon becomes clear their intentions are more sinister as they inch closer to committing actual murder. To add to this thrilling theatrical experience, HOME has ripped out its current seating and transformed the space into an in-the-round auditorium. Now audiences can feel fully immersed in all this murderous fun. There will be chance to watch from either on or off the stage, so you can feel right in the middle of the action, if you dare. Fri 16 Nov – Sat 1 Dec, HOME Theatre, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. 2.00pm/7.30pm, £10-26.50. www.homemcr.org

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29.11.2018.

Free: Cinema Paradiso - HOME's Artist Film Weekender Launch at Paradise Works.

Cinema Paradiso' - an apt title for an evening of expanded film, video and experimental sound performances at Paradise Works. The event opens HOME’s Artist Film Weekender 2018 with short films, live performances, sound installations and... free soup. Opening night showcases work from international and Manchester-based artists, activating Paradise Works’ dedicated gallery and screening spaces - home to single channel video works, double-screen 16mm film projections and multi-format AV performances. Highlights include a new performance work by Paradise Works studio member Andrew James Brooks with impaTV, combining analogue projection, live film, video synthesis, found sound, kinetic sculpture and electronic music. Paradise Works, established in 2017, is home to a proactive community of 36 contemporary artists, functioning as an independent artist-led initiative providing studio and project space, makes the perfect host for the opening night of HOME’s fourth annual celebration of the wild, inventive world of artist film. The weekender includes screenings at HOME include Rachel Maclean’s subversive, feminist sci-fi debut feature, theatrical eccentricity from Pauline Curnier Jardin, and the eye-watering adventures of Cousin Wonderlette (filmmaker Brian Benson). Tickets for the launch are available on the door, or by phone via HOME Box Office (0161 200 1500). A full line up for the night can be found at paradise-works.com. For more arts and culture events in Manchester click here. Thu 29 Nov, Paradise Works, East Philip Street, Salford, M3 7LE, 6.30pm (doors), 7pm - 9pm (screening), £3, www.homemcr.org

05.06.2019 - 06.06.2019.

One man show: Sir Ian McKellen's 80th birthday tour at Home Manchester.

Sir Ian McKellen has decided to celebrate his 80th birthday with a national tour, raising money to support British theatre on route. His one-man show is a fun montage of various monologues, scenes and comedy sketches. Gandalf will be making an appearance along with some Shakespearean classics, and apparently the performance will end with an invitation for the audience to join him on stage! Sir Ian is an iconic actor, national treasure and lover of live theatre. He simply wants to give something back, and as a proud northerner claims he is excited to return to Manchester, where he saw his first professional production (Peter Pan at The Palace Theatre). All the money he raises for Home will go towards their initiatives with local communities, such as the inspire £1 ticket scheme, providing subsidised tickets to people who otherwise might not be able to attend the theatre. This performance is bound to be hilarious, witty and charming; a masterclass with the master himself. Wed 5 & Thu 6 Jun, HOME theatre, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M154FN. £40-95, 7.30pm, www.homemcr.org

18.11.2018.

Museum of Homelessness presents Man on Bench, a free opera at Manchester's Mayfield.

Five years ago, artist David Tovey was sitting on a park bench, homeless and suicidal. The man who sat down next to him saved his life. Several years on, David is recounting this story in the form of an opera. Man on Bench is a fairy tale that places high fashion in the hands of society’s most downtrodden people. Featuring models, poets, actors and musicians, this free performance aims to challenge stereotypes about those who have been homeless and show the joy of second chances. The venue is an appropriately spartan one: Mayfield Depot near Piccadilly Station. The opera was developed with the Museum of Homelessness, and other people who have lived on the streets. The opera rounds off With One Voice's international summit and festival – a week of events taking place around Manchester that celebrate the power of art in tackling this issue. Sun 18 Nov, Mayfield Depot, Fairfield Street, Manchester, M1 2QF, 3pm - 4pm, FREE, www.eventbrite.co.uk/man-on-bench

24.11.2018 - 25.11.2018.

Book tickets: The London Korean Film Festival at HOME.

The London Korean Film Festival stops off at HOME on the 24th and 25th November with some of Korea's best temporary cinema. This year's focus celebrates the familiar yet poetic nature of ordinary lives, unveiling the richness of everyday existence. Microhabitat screens on the Saturday - a timely film from director Jeon Go-woon, about a downtrodden woman facing the realities of adulthood and battling maintaining dignity. The story of Miso (played by Lee ‘Esom’ Som) speaks to Korea’s class system with absurdity and sadness, evoking the realities of a lonely dignity of one woman living hand to mouth. Sunday’s tranquil feature Little Forrest strikes a different cord. Director Yim Soon-rye Sun, based the film on a Manga series about a young woman, seeking shelter from the pleasures and disappointments of life, returns to the countryside of her youth and rekindles her passion for food. This patient work tells of the clearing of a cluttered mind - the perfect change of pace for a Sunday film. The festival will also be stopping off at Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Nottingham and Sheffield between 16-25 Nov. Sat 24 Nov - Sun 25 Nov, HOME Mcr, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, 13.20 & 15.50, from £3.00, koreanfilm.co.uk, homemcr.org

11.11.2018 - 16.11.2018.

Top 4: Manchester Animation Festival 2018 at Home.

The Manchester Animation festival returns to HOME in November 2018, showcasing the year's most innovative animation. Top picks include the UK premiere of Santiago Caicedo's Virus Tropical on Wednesday 14 November. Paola is a young Latin-American girl fighting for independence and struggling to fit in against a world shaped by crisis. Enticing visuals are inspired by a graphic novel memoir by Colombian-Ecuadorian cartoonist Powerpaola and boasts a uniquely feminine perspective. You can also catch This Magnificent Cake! (Tue 13 Nov - pictured), a collection of tales about the colonisation of Africa at the end of the 19th Century. Perspectives of a king, a pygmy, a ruined businessman, a lost porter, and a young deserter are conveyed in stunning minimal, yet refined, stop-motion. The film is followed by Q&A with co-director Marc James Roels, the man behind award-winning shorts Mompelaar and A Gentle Creature. Wes Anderson’s tender eccentricism is an unmissable addition to any animation fest this year. The wide-screen wacko’s recent return to stop-motion with Isle of Dogs screens on Thursday 15 November. You’d be barking mad to miss the epic story of Atari Kobayashi and his search for this bodyguard-dog - and this sessions includes a 'behind the scenes' talk with some of the film's animators. Finally, we recommend the whole Family Fun Day on Sunday 11 November - which includes the chance to make your own Lego stop motion film. Sun 11 - Fri 16 Nov, HOME Mcr, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, times and prices vary, www.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk

23.10.2018 - 03.11.2018.

Book now: Orbit Festival of new theatre at Home Manchester ft. Lemn Sissay.

HOME’s Orbit Festival 2018 showcases the best in creative and radical theatre from around the globe. This year's theme is 'How We Face the World' and seeks to ask what makes 'us' - if anything. The season explores choices, friendships, the concept of home, and self-expression. Highlights include a series of readings from poet and playwright Lemn Sissay and Windows of Displacement, a play and interrogation into our collective responsibility. User Not Found is another highlight; a love letter to our dependence on screens in the modern world and the art of letting the digital go. Find out we are facing the world and attend one of the many provocative events - full festival passes can be purchased or alternatively single event tickets are available. Click on the link below for more. Tue 23 Oct - Sat 3 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500 (and other venues), various time and prices, homemcr.org

26.10.2018 - 31.10.2018.

Book now: Film Fear season at HOME Manchester ft. Evil Dead & more.

Head to HOME this Halloween where they will be screening some of the spookiest flicks ever to hit the silver screen in their annual season Film Fear. From sneak previews - like Mandy (Sat 27) - to horror classics returning to the big screen, like The Fog (Tue 30) and The Evil Dead (Wed 31), this is six nights of fearful fun not to be missed. Highlights include an audio only performance of Nigel Kneale’s ghostly investigation story The Road, starring Mark Gatiss and Adrian Scarborough, followed by a Q&A with actor, writer and comedian Toby Hadoke. Other stand-outs include a preview of the nostalgic mystery-thriller Videoman, showing on Monday 29 October - a real treat for collectors of analogue media and retro horror fans. Multi-booking discounts are available - so book now to avoid disappointment. Fri 26 Oct - Wed 31 Oct, HOME Mcr, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, various times & prices, www.homemcr.org

A Modernist's dream: Columbus film screening at HOME + intro by Eddy Rhead.

Landscape becomes a character in Columbus, a gentle, quietly assertive film from director Kogonada about the relationship between the son of a renowned architecture scholar and a young architecture student - portrayed by John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson respectively - as they explore both the town of Columbus, Indiana, and their conflicted emotions. Its celebration of Columbus’ striking modernist architecture makes the film both bold and subtle, and it’s stunning cinematography captivates a conversation between human and environment. Aptly, the screening on Thursday 18 October is due to be introduced by Eddy Rhead, the co-founder of Manchester's own The Modernist Society, a creative project dedicated to celebrating mid-20th Century architecture and design. Thu 18 Oct, HOME Mcr, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, 6.20pm, www.homemcr.org

10.11.2018.

DOC/FEST: Shakedown and Q&A at HOME.

A stand out from Sheffield’s DOC/FEST in June comes to HOME for a one-off performance and a post-film Q&A with the films debut director Leilah Wineraub. Shakedown chronicles explicit performances in an underground black lesbian strip club in Los Angeles - The Shakedown - and is a carefully crafted selection of 400 hours of archived footage taken by Weinraub during her time as the club’s resident videographer. The film is about a club made exclusively by lesbians, for lesbians, and tells of a rare haven of liberation at the hands of queer black women. This is a provocative cultural highlight in HOME’s Autumn calendar. Sat 10 Nov, HOME Mcr, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, 4pm, www.homemcr.org

03.10.2018 - 13.10.2018.

New play: Unlimited Theatre brings science fact/fiction show 'Future Bodies' to HOME.

Unlimited Theatre collaborate with HOME to question what it means to have a body in this new play, 'Future Bodies'. Fusing spoken word, live music, and movement to provoke questions on where the human ends and techonology begins, this is the first play produced specifically for HOME's Theater 2 space. Sure to be of interest to anyone kept captivated or horrified by Black Mirror, the show has brought together researchers, scientists and artists to tell the stories of where our future is headed and what our bodies will be and mean in the years to come. Wed 3 - Sat 13 Oct (not Sun & Mon), HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500. 7.45pm (2.15pm on Sat) £12.50 www.homemcr.org

10.10.2018.

Theatre, film & music: A Different Light marks World Mental Health Day at Home Manchester.

Every two hours, a man in the UK kills himself, making suicide the biggest killer of males under 45. To raise awareness of this issue, the local art collective We Are Willow is teaming up with the charity Manchester Mind for a special event at HOME. This multimedia show takes place in early October, coinciding with World Mental Health Day. Titled ‘A Different Light’, the night features film commissions, spoken word performances, and the launch of an exclusive 12 track album. The starting point for the show was four songs by We Are Willow. Emerging and established artists were invited to respond to the music, resulting in spoken works that encourage the audience to think about how to challenge misconceptions around mental health. Tickets includes exclusive gift box, a limited-edition handmade sculpture, and an album download code. 40 percent of the proceeds will go to Manchester Mind – to help them in their ongoing support of 5000 young people and adults. Wed 10 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 8.30pm, £9/£7, www.homemcr.org

14.09.2018 - 29.09.2018.

Theatre: othellomacbeth at HOME.

HOME welcomes a new staging of two of Shakespeare's best-loved tragedies in one production this September. Co-produced with Lyric Hammersmith, othellomacbeth is a condensed, two-hour-long performance of Othello and Macbeth, told by an ensemble company of nine actors who play roles in both plays. The production - which will have its world premiere in Manchester, before continuing in London - is directed by Jude Christian, who directed Parliament Square at the Royal Exchange last year, as well as co-directing (with Vicky Featherstone) the sell-out production of My Mum’s a Twat at the Royal Court earlier this year. othellomacbeth is designed by Basia Binkowska, who won last year's Linbury Prize for Stage Design. Preview performances take place on 14, 15, 17 and 18 September, while the 27 September performance will be followed by a post-show discussion with the cast and creative team. Fri 14 - Sat 29 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, £10-£26.50, homemcr.org

07.07.2018 - 16.09.2018.

Ends Sunday: Can’t Do Right... by Phil Collins at HOME Manchester.

A major exhibition from Turner-nominated artist Phil Collins is coming to HOME from July. Can’t Do Right for Doing Wrong puts politics front and centre and invites audiences to engage with the voices of the homeless. It features three large-scale installations which use both digital and analogue technologies. My heart’s in my hand… is a project developed using anonymised recordings of phone calls from a homeless shelter in Cologne. The recordings were sent to a number of musicians, including Scritti Politti and David Sylvian, who used them as the starting point for original music. The songs are presented here as seven-inch records in specially-designed listening booths. Ceremony is a multi-faceted project that explores the work and legacy of Friedrich Engels. Delete Beach is an anime which tells the story of a schoolgirl who joins a resistance group in a future society in which carbon-based energy is outlawed. There is an exhibition preview and panel discussion from 5pm on Friday 6 July, with a club night to follow, from 11pm at the White Hotel. Exhibition & preview: Fri 6 Jul (preview), then Sat 7 Jul - Sun 16 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, FREE, www.homemcr.org Club night: Fri 6 Jul, Dickinson Street, Manchester M3 1ND, 11pm-late, £5, www.homemcr.org

31.01.2018 - 19.12.2018.

Pub quiz: New homes for Quizimodo in Chorlton and the Northern Quarter.

With the demise of the Odd group of bars trivia fans were left wondering where they might get their weekly pub quiz fix as cult favourites Quizimodo now left without a home. Thankfully both the Odd and Oddest multimedia quizzes have found new venues to ply their inimitable nights of head scratching and they're both right down the road from their original homes. Chorlton's Quizimodo takes the short trip along Wilbraham Road to craft beer and pizza haven Brewski starting a weekly quiz on Wed 31 Jan, whilst the NQ incarnation follows a fortnight later on Thomas Street at Trof. New locations but no doubt the same pub quizzes with a difference. Every Wed from 31 Jan, Brewski, 537-539 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 0UE. Tel: 0161 222 0600 www.brewskibar.co.uk Every Wed from 14 Feb, Trof NQ, 8 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1EU. Tel: 0161 833 3197 www.trofnq.co.uk For more wild and wonderful events in Manchester click here.

19.07.2018 - 28.07.2018.

World premiere: Chigozie Obioma's The Fishermen now on at HOME.

This July sees HOME present the world premiere of ‘The Fishermen’ before it travels up for a month at the Edinburgh Festival followed by a national tour. Set in a small Nigerian town, the story follows two brothers who fish at a forbidden river until the prophecy of a madman changes the course of their future, Chigozie Obioma’s 2015 novel was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and is hailed as ‘a powerful allegory of brotherhood’. Michael Ajao plays Ben, and will have been spotted previously in ‘Attack The Block’ whilst Obembe is played by Valentine Olukoga, who has appeared in ITV’s ‘Unforgotten’. Regarded as one of Africa’s major new literary voices, Obioma’s novel should provide itself a strong backing for the latest production from Nottingham’s New Perspectives theatre group. Thu 19 - Sat 28 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, £12.50, 7.45pm, www.homemcr.org

16.06.2018 - 21.07.2018.

African Summer: free live music by Amani Creatives at Home, Oldham Library & in Salford.

African music collective, Amani Creatives, are playing three free shows in Greater Manchester this summer. Showcasing live music by African musicians from Manchester and the North West, the events take place at Home, Manchester (Sat 16 Jun), Oldham Library (Thu 21 Jun) and Sacred Trinity Church in Salford (Sat 21 Jul), with more to follow later in the year. Amani Creatives is an African-led, not-for-profit organisation based in Manchester which celebrates and promotes traditional and contemporary cultures of local African communities - click here to find out more about them. Show details as follows: Mama Jo & Emmanuela Yogolelo live + drumming & dance workshops Turn up for these free drumming and dance workshops between 2-3pm, where visitors can participate followed by with live African music between 9 & 10pm. Artists performing include Mama Jo who interprets traditional and performs her own material. Expect thrilling afro r&b with traditional Congolese elements. She is joined by Emmanuela Yogolelo, a Congolese singer-songwriter who performs African world music. In her own words: “the base is traditional African, but the spices are from all over the world”. Listen to Yogolelo’s Soundcloud. Sat 16 Jun, Home, 2, Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 2pm & 9pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org Mama Jo, Robert Maseko and Muntu Valdo live Enjoy live music by Mama Jo (see above), Robert Maseka, a talented drummer, who has been described as ‘the Congolose rhythm king of the North of England’. Originally from Kinshasa, he among the UK’s finest ambassadors of African music. Muntu Valdo is a leading jazz guitarist, harmonica player and singer from Doula, Cameroon who has played with, among others, Ali Farka Toure and Manu Dibango. Watch Valdo live at the BBC: www.youtube.com Thu 21 Jun, Oldham Library, Cultural Quarter, Greaves Street, Oldham OL1 1AL. Tel: 0161 770 8000, 7pm, FREE, www.oldham-council.co.uk Rumba - Community Sharing Day where Cuban & Congolese culture meet The two performances above are followed by a day of collaboration and cultural sharing called ‘Rumba’ which seeks to showcase the parallels between Congolese and Cuban music and culture. This event includes a performance by Tagne Tebu. Born and raised in Cameroon, Tebu is a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist musician; his music blends African melodies and grooves with jazz harmony and is based on African storytelling on the themes of love, war and peace. Listen to Tebu's Soundcloud. Sat 21 Jul, Sacred Trinity Church, Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5DW. Tel: 0161 839 1180, noon-8pm, www.amanicreatives.wordpress.com

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11.07.2018.

It's coming home: The top 3 places to watch England's semi-final ft. Albert Hall and Common.

It's been a crazy summer so far, first we've been able to have a long term relationship with that hot, ball of light and heat in the sky and now England are defying the odds by entering their first World Cup semi-final for the first time since 1990. Only six members of the current England squad were born when that happened last so it's quite the feat. If you fancy watching the game against Croatia (kick off 7.30pm) with some right minded crowds, singing 'Three Lions' and Atomic Kitten parodies to your heart's content then here are some of our top picks for your viewing pleasure. 1. Albert Hall If football is your religion then where better to watch the game and say a prayer than in the old methodist church of Albert Hall. It's free entry so make sure you get there early for what will prove to be a huge night no matter which way it swings. Doors 5pm, Albert Hall, 27 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QR. Tel: 0844 858 8521. www.facebook.com 2. Fairfield Social Club The good folk at Grub have also had quite the summer since they moved back outside to the Mayfield Depot so it feels timely to show their winter home of Fairfield Social Club some love for the biggest sporting event of the year so far. Typically their bar will be stocked full of delicious craft beer and there's even talk of getting some food traders in for the night. Expect a more laid back atmosphere than most but if the result goes the way we hope then all bets are off. Doors 5.30pm, Fairfield Social Club, Archway 6 Temperance Street, Manchester, M12 6HR. www.facebook.com 3. Common The original hipster hide out has been fully embracing the fact that it is indeed coming home. Common have been showing all the games so far and the wide open windows and the Flensburger towers have been a big success in the Northern Quarter's best place to watch a live match. Just don't expect this kind of footy infiltration again when the Premier League season starts in August! Open from 10am (kick off 7pm), Common, 39-41 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HW. Tel: 0161 832 9245. www.facebook.com

Free things to do in Manchester - Hatch BBQ

06.07.2018 - 08.07.2018.

Free things to do in Manchester this weekend ft. exhibitions at Home, Mcr Art Gallery & more.

Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong Preview at HOME Our first pick of free things to do in Manchester this weekend is a Friday-night preview of the latest exhibition at HOME. Artist Phil Collins (not that one) presents Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong, a new multi-installation project that gives a voice to the homeless, which will run until the middle of September. See our full preview for more details. Fri 6 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 6pm - 9pm, www.homemcr.org Nordic Craft and Design at Manchester Art Gallery Also on Friday, Manchester Art Gallery launches a two-day exhibition of Nordic Art and Design, featuring furniture, fashion, ceramics, and more from the past 90 years. Check out our full preview for more information. Fri 6 Jul 2018 – Sun 7 Jul 2019, Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3JL. Tel: 0161 235 8888, 10am – 5pm, www.manchesterartgallery.org PENALTY Film Premiere at HOME Charity project Acting on Impulse was created in 2007, to give an artistic outlet to the city’s homeless residents and build their confidence and skills through theatrical training. PENALTY is the project’s 11th production: A murder mystery film, drawing from the horror and thriller genres, which was developed through a series of workshops with the cast. All of the cast have been kept in the dark about the whodunnit reveal, so they’ll be finding out in the cinema along with you. The premiere screening is accompanied by a Q&A from cast and crew, and there'll be plenty of opportunities to find out more about Acting on Impulse. Sat 7 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 11am - 12.30pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk Summer BBQ at Hatch (pictured) Oxford Road’s very best jumble of storage containers - Hatch - hosts its summer BBQ this Saturday afternoon. The flexible pop-up space will be laying on some of the city’s best street food vendors, including seafood supremos Holy Crab and steak sandwich fiends Well Hung, who will be firing up the charcoal for the authentic taste of summer. All this, alongside a live performance form busker Zacc Rogers and a DJ set from Pasta Paul. There also going to be screening the England match at 3pm, making this the perfect place to ride out this scorcher of a weekend. Sat 7 Jul, Hatch, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7ED. 12pm - 10pm, www.facebook.com Sophie Willan at Portico Library Comedian and mental health activist Sophie Willan comes to Portico Library for a family-friendly reading of two new short stories from her book Tales of The Weird, The Wild and The Wonderful. Willan was brought up in the care system and the stories are drawn from the experiences of care leavers, who participated in the Stories of Care project. As well as readings, there will also be activities and, fittingly, some stand-up. Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase on the day. Sat 7 Jul, The Portico Library, 57 Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3HY. 12pm - 2pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk Rowan McCabe at Bridgewater Canal The Bridgewater Canal hosts the Bridgewater Weekender this weekend, and one of the events you can attend for absolutely zilch is this performance from door-to-door poet Rowan McCabe, assembled from interviews he conducted with residents living along the canal banks. For more information about this, and the rest of the festival, check out our full preview. Sun 8 Jul, Dukes Drive, Bridgewater canal, Parrin Lane, Monton. 12pm - 6pm, www.evensi.uk

15.06.2018.

Italian cinema: Martin Scorsese produced 'The Ciambra' playing at HOME.

For fans of Italian gritty crime drama Gomorrah and those who long for the days when Scorsese documented the lives of scrappy gangsters and hustlers comes 'The Ciambra'. Executively produced by Scorsese it harks back to the auteur's early work as an authentic drama focusing on the crime world's blurring of lines between childhood and adulthood. A tense crime thriller set in Southern Italy's marginalised Romani community, the story follows 14 year old Pio. A young boy desperate to grow up and eager to prove himself on the streets of his hometown of Calabria but soon finds himself faced with an impossible decision that will show if he is truly ready to become a man. The showings at HOME are part of a limited release nationwide so make sure you grab a chance to see this gripping Euro-cinema. There will also be a couple of special pre-screening events Sat 16th at 3.10pm with artists for a spoken word performance and on Tues 19th at 8.20pm the film will be introduced by Maggie Hoffgen, freelance film educator. From Fri 15 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, prices and times vary, www.homemcr.org

20.06.2018.

Refugee Week: This Is Who I Am performance at HOME Manchester.

For one night only, HOME is hosting a live performance inspired by the challenges faced by LGBT people going through the UK asylum process. The event is presented by Amnesty International and the charity Ice & Fire. This Is Who I Am is based on the actual testimonies of asylum seekers talking about their real life experiences. The subject matter can be hopeful, touching on themes of love and freedom of expression, as well as including honest descriptions of sexual violence and other experiences. The performance is be followed by a Q&A with speakers from Asylum Matters, Amnesty International and the LGBTI Network. The event is part of Refugee Week, a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution refugees make to the UK, and encourage better understanding between communities. Wed 20 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7pm - 8.30pm, £10/£7, www.homemcr.org

11.06.2018 - 13.06.2018.

60 years of LGBT history: One-man show ‘Diamond’ from David Hoyle at HOME.

Looking back at 60 years of LGBT history is a new show from performance artist David Hoyle titled ‘Diamond’, that will have a short run at HOME in early June. David, who has been at the heart of the Manchester gay scene for decades, will weave together intimate personal stories and key moments from his event-filled life. The show charts his adolescence in Blackpool, through to his days as an “anti-drag queen”, to his appearance on the cult TV show ‘Nathan Barley’. He also revisits historic events such as the 1957 Wolfenden Report, which recommended the decriminalisation of homosexuality; and Margaret Thatcher’s Clause 28, which prohibited local authorities from ‘promoting’ homosexuality. ‘Diamond’ also looks at the lives of prominent gay figures such as Alan Turing, and more recent political activists. Throughout the performance, you will find moments of reflection about British attitudes, counter cultures, and the ongoing struggle for equality. Mon 11 - Wed 13 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.45pm, £12.50/£10.50, www.homemcr.org For more art in the city click here.

16.05.2018 - 19.05.2018.

Theatre: Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train at HOME.

HOME hosts a four-day run of American playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Jesus Hopped The ‘A’ Train this May. The play premiered in New York in 2000, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and has since been performed at the Donmar Warehouse and Trafalgar Studios in London. Its darkly comic, political storyline focuses on Angel Cruz, who is standing trial for shooting a reverend, and Lucius Jenkins, who is trying to avoid the death penalty for the murder of eight people. The pair begin to talk as they share adjacent cages on Rikers Island in New York for an hour each day. This is the first time one of Pulitzer Prize-winner Guirgis' works has been performed in Manchester, with the play directed at HOME by Manchester-raised Jake Murray and staged by his Elysium Theatre Company. Its northern premiere will feature Elysium's lead actor Danny Solomon as Cruz and Faz Singhateh as Jenkins, as well as Alice Frankham, Garth Williams and Alistair Gillies. Murray previously spent several years at the Royal Exchange, where his 2005 production of Romeo and Juliet starred a young Andrew Garfield and broke records for first-time viewers and young audiences. Wed 16 - Sat 19 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.45pm (plus 2.45pm Sat), £12.50 (£10 concessions), homemcr.org

18.05.2018 - 22.05.2018.

French political activism film season ft. Goddard Mon Amour at HOME.

Fifty years on from the Uprisings in Paris, HOME is putting on a series of films highlighting resistance and political activism in film. With a focus, but not exclusive eye, on French cinema, the series will look at the political issues of the time, and the way they relate to our modern world. Highlights include If, Linsey Anderson’s anarchic vision of a British boarding school with a tremendously dark pre-Clockwork Orange Malcolm McDowell. Unsurprisingly given the themes, four Goddard films make an appearance in this series, as well as biopic Redoubtable which focuses on the period leading up to the Uprising, and Goddard’s filming of La Chinoise with his love Anee Wiazemsky. Playing on the myth of Goddard as well as the fact, the film is directed by Michel Hazanavicius, of The Artist Fame. Fri 18- Tue 22 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Various times, www.homemcr.org

02.03.2018 - 17.03.2018.

Last chance: Pulitzer winning play Circle Mirror Transformation at Home.

Beijan Sheibani directs the first major production of Circle Mirror Transformation in five years at HOME in March. Written by Pulitzer prize winner Annie Baker, the play is set in Vermont where five strangers come together for a creative drama class for adults. As the unlikely fivesome take part in six weeks of exercises and games, their lives become entwined and changed in heartbreaking and humorous ways. Described as a ‘Chekhov of the 21st century’ Baker’s play focuses on the connections between individuals and the way their interactions relate to each other. Featuring a cast of distinguished UK actors, as well as a director gaining increasing plaudits, this is a well fitting and important production in a season including People, Places, and Things and Uncle Vanya. Fri 2 - Sat 17 Mar, HOME, 2, Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org For more events at HOME click here.

11.03.2018.

This Sunday: Vintage Home Show Manchester at Victoria Baths this Sunday.

Vintage Home Show Manchester at Victoria Baths is the perfect place to find all things vintage for your home. This one-stop shop for midcentury and retro home furnishings includes a massive range from the 1950-1970 including sideboards, ceramics, sofas, dining tables and lampshades. Cult brands on sale include Ercol and G-Plan, with coffee, cake and various other treats served in truly historic surrounds. With early bird entry not starting until 10.30am, its not exactly a crack of dawn start. So enjoy a lie-in, grab a coffee and redecorate your home in unique style. Sun 11 Mar, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE, 11am-4pm, usual entry £3, early bird (from 10.30am) £5, Facebook event page: www.facebook.com Advance tickets: www.tickettailor.com

13.02.2018 - 17.02.2018.

Book now: German comedy drama Winter Solstice at HOME.

Following rave reviews and sold-out shows, Actor’s Touring Company stage the English language version of Winter Solstice at HOME. Starting the company’s 40th Anniversary year, the comedy shows a supposedly normal middle class Western family ready to celebrate Christmas in Germany. The tensions at the heart of the family are highlighted in Roland Schimmelpfennig’s play, translated from the original German. The drama unfolds as the mother meets a charismatic and persuasive man who seems to bring a new discourse that harks back to an older time. With a changing political landscape and changes in the political discourse happening around the world, Winter Solstice is a timely production from Germany’s most performed playwright that touches on family, politics, and the tensions between groups. Tue 13 Feb - Sat 17 Feb, HOME, 2, Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org For more arts & culture events click here.

12.01.2018 - 27.01.2018.

Top 3: PUSH Festival 2018 ft. the best poetry, visual art & film in the NW at HOME.

Contemporary arts centre HOME continues to assert its authority on the Manchester arts scene as it welcomes PUSH festival back for another feast of contemporary cinema, theatre and visual art from the North West's leading creatives. The festival takes place over 14 days in January 2018: here are our three picks of shows not to miss. See the full programme here: homemcr.org Performance: Forrest (pictured) Dealing with addiction, and the related themes of compulsion and guilt, Forrest is a conversational performance from Salford University graduate James Monaghan. As one half of the enigmatic Sheep Knuckle, Monaghan made art out of computers and code with humanity and compassion, and his solo venture Forrest promises to be just as ambitious. Sat 13 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500 (box office), 2:30pm, £3/£10 (day ticket), www.homemcr.org Poetry: Young Identity present Hatch Home showcase Manchester spoken word collective Young Identity bring a showcase of fiercely original new poets to PUSH. Young Identity have collaborated with such diverse artists as Lemn Sissay and Kate Tempest, and acclaimed dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson. Hatch Home captures the essence of Manchester in verbal form through performances that are both tragic and comic. A “microcosm of the human experience”. Mon 15 Jan & Fri 19 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500 (box office), times vary, £12.50/£10, www.homemcr.org Dance, music & installation: 20 Minutes of Action One half of MAS productions, musician and multidisciplinary artist Nwando Ebizie’s latest dizzying performance piece brings together dance, electronic music and a gallery installation. Through the psychodrama of African and European folklore, Ebizie explores the rare neurological condition of "visual snow" and memory. Sat 20 Jan & Sun 21 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500 (box office), 1pm/6pm, £5.50/£4, homemcr.org

09.11.2018 - 06.01.2019.

Last chance: Darren Nixon's Coming soon... at HOME Manchester.

Darren Nixon brings his site responsive work Coming soon to your screen to HOME; a vast painting that occupies two walls and will dance across them over the course of eight weeks. This immersive exhibit explores the relationship between movement and stillness within painting and animation, performance and film, wall and screen. The outcome of this piece will become the basis of a short-animated film for the Manchester Animation Festival, which will be shown in the HOME cinema as part of Push Festival in the new year. Nixon approaches painting in a unique way, choosing to emphasise the areas the artwork is missing, considering what the piece lacks as important to his process. This site responsive piece is part painting part performance as it shifts and moves across the walls. Come and watch the images unfold around you, somehow teetering between continuous movement and moments of still suspension. Fri 9 Nov – Sun 6 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M154FN, Free entry. www.homemcr.org

21.10.2017 - 07.01.2018.

Last chance: Art exhibition The Return of Memory at HOME.

Think you know Russia? A new group exhibition at HOME takes a fresh look at the ‘New East’ to mark the centenary of the Russian Revolution. ‘The Return of Memory’, curated by Anya Harrison, Sarah Perks and Olya Sova, aims to revive suppressed memories and stories of resistance. Works include a multi-disciplinary project on the St Petersburg plant industry and the future of food security and a video installation reassessing the 1913 Futuristic opera ‘Victory Over the Sun’. Sat 21 Oct 2017 – Sun 7 Jan 2018, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Tue–Sat 12pm–8pm, Sun 12pm–6pm, www.homemcr.org

04.03.2017 - 07.01.2018.

Mumbai photography exhibition: Sooni Taraporevala's Home in the City at the Whitworth.

Exploring everyday life in India, Home in the City is the first solo exhibition from Sooni Taraporevala, who you may know from her work as a screenwriter, for films such as The Namesake and Mississippi Masala. Since 1976, alongside her career in movies, Taraporevala has been photographing the city in which she grew up: then known as Bombay, now called Mumbai. Through a series of black and white images, she presents a personal document of the city's landscapes, children, elderly, and eccentrics. Her street-style work explores how the metropolis has changed over four decades to become one of the most populous and diverse cities in the world. The exhibition launches the New North and South festival, Manchester University’s three-year-long programme of events that celebrate the shared heritage of Northern England and South Asia. Sat 4 March 2017 – early 2018, The Whitworth, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER, Tel: 0161 275 7450, 10am – 5pm, FREE, www.manchester.ac.uk

08.12.2017 - 30.12.2017.

Family show: Little Angel Theatre's Red Riding Hood and the Wolf at HOME Manchester.

Little Angel Theatre's new family show at HOME Manchester turns the story of Red Riding Hood on its head by taking the wolf's point of view. But rather than being the fierce and hungry wolf every child knows, the star of the show is actually a rather gentle kind of wolf, with a broken heart. The production company, Little Angel Theatre, will be familiar to those who saw Wow! Said the Owl at HOME last year. Theatre goers can expect more of the same, gentle fun this time around with a show punctuated by the inventive use of props, puppets and flights of fancy. Recommended for ages 6+, Red Riding Hood and the Wolf is around an hour long, with no interval. Star of the show is accomplished physical theatre performer and puppeteer, Charlotte Croft. We’re lucky enough to have a set of family tickets (two adults, two children) to give away to the performance of your choice (depending on what's available as a number of performances have sold out) and extra tickets for other children can be bought at a cost of £6.50 per ticket. To be in with a chance of winning, simply sign up to our mailing list in the top right hand corner of our homepage and send an email to competitions [at] manchesterwire [dot] co [dot] uk, with your name, age and Twitter handle. Competition closes at midnight on Thursday 14 December 2017. We will notify the winners by Twitter and email the following day. For more Christmas show ideas, read our guide to the city's best shows here. Fri 8 Dec - Sat 30 Dec, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £8.50 adult, £6.50 child, www.homemcr.org

29.04.2017 - 27.11.2017.

Spike Lee film season: Jungle Fever & Red Hook at Home Manchester.

Spike Is 60 is a series of screenings and events running from April to November in Manchester and London which aims to be the most comprehensive UK retrospective of Spike Lee work to date. Jungle Fever (1991), explores the complications of an interracial relationship between co-workers Flipper (Wesley Snipes) and Angie (Annabella Sciorra). A typically interesting mix of romcom and social statement, the film has cracking supporting performancess from John Turturro as Paulie, Angie's spurned and embattled fiancee, and Samuel L Jackson as Gator, Flipper's crack addicted brother. Mon 20 Nov, time and tickets to be announced. Red Hook (2012) follows Flick (Jules Brown), unceremoniously dumped in Brooklyn for the summer with a grandfather he has never met: Bishop Enoch Rouse (Clarke Peters), whose sparsely attended church is in financial difficulty. What starts as a fairly loose What-I-Did-On-My-Holidays teen film changes radically with a revelation in the second act that , like all the best Spike Lee joints, will have you talking long after the film has ended. Mon 27 Nov, time and tickets to be announced. Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First St, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500 homemcr.org

24.11.2017 - 25.11.2017.

Book now: Pen:Chant's cabaret weekender at HOME ft. Rosie Carrick.

Nomadic cabaret and spoken word night, Pen:Chant, presents at two-night takeover of HOME, headlined by Rosie Carrick. Carrick is well versed in the history of the Russian revolution, the centenary of which is bring celebrated by HOME’s current A Revolution Betrayed season. Leading the charge with Carrick will be Pen:Chant's award-winning host Ben Mellor. They will be joined on the Friday by Jerusalem-born multi-instrumentalist Avital Raz, while Saturday support comes from world-record-breaking beatboxer and playwright, Testament. Whether your skill is spoken word or soulful songs, show your talent at the open mic each night. Raising a rabble of riotous sounds throughout the weekend's wordsmithery will be equality DJ collective English Disco Lovers, proclaiming one world, one race, one disco. And if this has scratched an itch, explore further with Rosie Carrick’s free Saturday afternoon workshop ‘The Language of Dissent’. Fri 24 & Sat 25 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 9pm, £10, www.homemcr.org Workshop: Sat 25 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 4pm-6pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org

18.11.2017.

Book now: Queer Media Festival 2017 at HOME.

Celebrate LGBTQ lives in the digital age when the Queer Media Festival returns to HOME. The festival is now in its fourth year and is packed with speakers and sessions telling a rainbow of stories through the eyes of virtual reality, interactive games and mobile film-making. The one-day festival includes a keynote workshop from BBC journalism trainer Deirdre Mulcahy, who will show how to use a smartphone to tell tales of marginalised people. Hold onto your cobbles for the interactive television battle ‘Hilda vs Deirdre: Queer Corrie Spectacular’ hosted by Manchester drag queens. And don’t miss ‘Queering Animation’ with lashings of LGBTQ animated short films. There are many more digital delights too, alongside discussions and workshops. Last year’s Queer Media Festival sold out, so it’s worth booking tickets early. Sat 18 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, from 11am, £10 - £15, www.homemcr.org

28.10.2017 - 29.10.2017.

Take it home: Buy Art Fair ft. works by LS Lowry, Banksy, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst & more.

The top ten most adored modern artists in the world will lead this year’s Buy Art Fair, including Lowry, Banksy and Damien Hirst. The fair is the largest of its kind in the north, and gives a voice to new talent alongside established names. For its tenth birthday in its brand new home of Manchester Central, the Buy Art Fair has announced ten star artworks bound to bring in the crowds. Fancy something special for your home? The Royal Academy of Arts will present two big hitters: Tracey Emin’s etching ‘So I Left You’ and Cornelia Parker’s photographic transfer ‘Beautiful Glass (Broken)’. Among the artists brought by local exhibitor Papa’s Print Shop are LS Lowry and his iconic ‘The Football Match’, Antony Gormley’s stark ‘Horizon Field’ and the instantly recognisable child’s play Banksy graffito ‘No Ball Games’. You’ll also get to see pieces by Damien Hirst, David Shrigley, Barbara Hepworth, Peter Blake and Yoko Ono’s little-known ink experiment ‘Franklin Summer’. The Buy Art Fair features plenty of rising talent too, and runs alongside galleries from across the UK exhibiting for The Manchester Contemporary. This grand art celebration kicks off with a VIP preview on Friday 27 October before opening to the public the following day. Sat 28 – Sun 29 Oct (VIP preview Fri 27 Oct), Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill Street, Manchester M2 3GX. Tel: 01457 851151, VIP preview Fri 5pm-9pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-5pm, £5 (VIP preview £12), www.buyartfair.co.uk

22.10.2017.

Win tickets & £25 voucher for Vintage Home Show at Victoria Baths.

Let your interior designer loose by winning free entry to this year’s Vintage Home Show at Victoria Baths. Read on to find out how to bag tickets to the ever-popular fair packed with retro furniture, lighting, textiles and more. Not only that, we’ll even give you £25 spending money. The Vintage Home Show is all about discovering classic mid-20th century brands such as G-Plan and Ercol, famous for their heritage sofas and sideboards. Expect functional finds like cushions and footstools alongside collectible homewares and inspiring artwork. This all takes place in Manchester's historic Victoria Baths, extending from the balcony right through to the Turkish baths. There’s even a cake shop. We have two early-bird entries worth £10 to give away to one Wire reader, which gets you in half an hour before regular ticket holders. This comes with a £25 voucher to spend at the show, which will be waiting for you when you arrive. All you need to do is sign up to our mailing list in the top right hand corner of our home page, then send an email headed ‘Vintage Home Show competition’ including your name, age and Twitter handle to competitions [at] manchesterwire [dot] co [dot] uk. This competition closes at midnight on Wednesday 18 October. Winners will be notified via Twitter and email the following day. Sun 22 Oct, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0FE. Tel: 07880 910361, 11am – 4pm (10.30am early-bird), £3-£5, www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

10.06.2017 - 08.10.2017.

Photography exhibition: Rare images of LS Lowry at home at The Lowry.

Now this is a rather unusual kind of homecoming. A new exhibition centred on LS Lowry opens this Saturday at (you guessed it) The Lowry. It features rare photographs of the celebrated artist which have never been on display before. The photographs were taken by Clive Arrowsmith, who is world renowned for his portraits of celebrities. In 1966, he was commissioned by a magazine to document Salford, and he began the assignment at LS Lowry’s house. The artist was a very private man, but Arrowsmith gained his trust, and photographed him at home and on the streets which were the setting for many of his iconic paintings. The pictures provide a unique look at the domestic and private life of one of Britain’s most popular artists. This weekend, Arrowsmith will be giving visitors to the exhibition the opportunity to have their portrait taken – in return for a donation to The Lowry Centre Trust. Sat 10 Jun – Sun 8 Oct, The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AZ, Tel: 0843 208 6000, 11am – 5pm, FREE (Donations welcome), www.thelowry.com

02.10.2017 - 15.10.2017.

Refugee stories: Journeys Festival International at HOME.

Astonishing asylum seekers and irrepressible refugees are the themes of Journeys Festival International, back at HOME for a second year running. The festival takes place over two weeks in many Manchester venues, with artworks, plays, workshops and discussions designed to inspire and challenge. HOME will play host to a mixed bag of festival events, some of which are free, and all of which share stories of the refugee experience. Here’s what to look out for. Rekrei VR Installation The HOME foyer will have a high-tech treat. The Rekrei VR experience will show you monuments and museums damaged by natural disasters or human intervention. The 3D data has been pulled from crowd-sourced photos, and will plunge you into a world of lost heritage around the globe. No admission fee – just drop by. Mon 2 – Wed 4 Oct, HOME, 12pm–9pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org In Another Life + Q&A Manchester director Jason Wingard went to the Calais jungle to shoot this docu-drama about Syrian war refugees. The story follows Adnan and Bana as they leave their camp for a risky journey to the UK. Wingard has scooped many awards for his animations and documentaries, and he will host a Q&A after this screening of ‘In Another Life’. Tue 3 Oct, HOME, 6.10pm, £9, www.homemcr.org Palmyra & Post show discussion Theatre duo Bert & Nasi follow up their debut show ‘Eurohouse’ with a tense political stage drama. ‘Palmyra’ explores what it’s like to be a barbarian. The show is part of the Orbit 2017 festival – and as part of Journeys Festival International, stick around after the Wednesday performance to see the show’s stars in discussion with humanitarian expert Dr Gemma Sou and Rekrei creator Matthew Vincent. Tue 3 & Wed 4 Oct, HOME, Tue 9pm, Wed 7pm & Q&A, £12.50, www.homemcr.org Telling the History of Journeys Much of the Journeys Festival is about home – and being far from home. Artist and performer Selina Thompson will join historian Peter Gatrell to discuss the history of journeys, and how those stories can be retold through art. This free drop-in conversation will open with an excerpt from Selina Thompson’s theatre piece ‘salt’, in which artists retrace Atlantic slave trade routes. Check HOME for full ‘salt’ performance times. Sat 7 Oct, HOME, 5.30pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org Lemn Sissay: Something Dark Manchester’s legendary wordsmith Lemn Sissay will revive his one-man play ‘Something Dark’ for the Journeys Festival. The work has been performed across the world and was adapted for BBC Radio. His monologue tells the tale of his childhood in care, and his search for his true identity. The piece was originally commissioned by Battersea Arts Centre and Manchester’s Contact Theatre. Fri 13 Oct, HOME, 7.30pm, £15, www.homemcr.org Mon 2 – Sun 15 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

14.09.2017 - 30.09.2017.

Indian Film Festival: Not Just Bollywood at HOME Manchester.

Aiming to prove that there’s more to Indian cinema than dance routines and improbable plots, HOME is hosting Not Just Bollywood. This season of screenings, taking place in September, will showcase the Hindie (Hindi/independent) movie scene which has flourished over the past decade. The programme includes popular favourites and some films that have never been seen in UK cinemas before. Standouts include the recent hit The Lunchbox, starring Jurassic World's Irrfan Khan. Shot entirely on location in Mumbai, this romance centres on Dabbawalas, the army of people who deliver lunches to workers. Ankhon Dekhi is a philosophical comedy inspired by Fellini and Bergman, which will be followed by a Q+A with the film’s director, writer, and co-star, Rajat Kapoor. The socio-political satire Newton scooped a major prize at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, and tells the story of a government clerk railing against electioneering in rural central India. Thu 14 – Sat 30 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Show times and prices vary, homemcr.org

22.09.2017 - 07.10.2017.

Award-winning theatre: People, Places & Things at Home Manchester.

Fresh from an award-winning, sell-out run at London's National Theatre and the West End, People, Places & Things arrives at Home as an intoxicating play about surviving in the modern world. The play is writen by Duncan Macmillan, of Every Brilliant Thing and Lungs fame, and tells of Emma who has gone from having the time of her life to ending up in rehab. The only thing is, Emma doesn’t feel she is the one with the problem – it’s everything else that has the problem. The only way to survive the modern world for her is to make sure she’s not sober – so why should she sober up? The Jeremy Herrin directed play challenges what we think of as addiction and sobriety and the pressures created by the modern world. Fri 22 Sep - Sat 7 Oct, Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times & prices vary, www.homemcr.org

09.11.2017 - 12.11.2017.

Book now: Ideal Home Show at Christmas ft. Gino D’Acampo, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen & Eat & Drink Festival.

Santa has his grotto – and now you can have the best home ever thanks to the Ideal Home Show at Christmas. The inspirational four-day festival features star chefs Gino D’Acampo, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Candice Brown and Gregg Wallace alongside Saturday Kitchen wine expert Olly Smith and Real Housewives personality Dawn Ward. Even Calum Best will be popping in to sign his new memoir about his famous footballer father. See inspirational interiors, the coolest Christmas decorations, kitchenware for that perfect roast, and plenty of New Year DIY tips. Beyond the indoor snowy forest, discover the live bandstand and the brand new Alpine Ski Bar. The Christmas Arcade is full of games and gadgets, or you can pamper the four-legged members of your family with treats from the Pet Pavilion – you even get to hug a pug. Full live demo and guest appearance details can be found on the website. Tickets to the Christmas Ideal Home Show include free entry to the Cake & Bake Show and the UK's newest food fair, the Eat & Drink Festival. Expect spices and garnishes galore in The Larder, a Foodie Stage including an unmissable Christmas turkey masterclass, and ample artisan and street food flavours from burgers to bavarois – and perhaps the occasional mince pie. There are 250 free tickets to be given away for the Eat & Drink Fest which you can redeem at www.eatanddrinkfestival.com with the code COMP30. Thu 9 – Sun 12 Nov, EventCity, Phoenix Way, Off Barton Dock Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 7TB. Tel: 0844 209 7366, 10am–5pm, £16, www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk

09.09.2017 - 11.10.2017.

Book tickets: UpClose ft. Manchester Camerata plus Aziz Ibrahim & Sven Helbig at HOME.

Acclaimed chamber orchestra Manchester Camerata ecclectic series of UpClose concerts return to HOME this Autumn. The first is in September, in the venue's gallery. Performing will be Sven Helbig, a producer and arranger who has worked with Snoop Dogg and the Pet Shop Boys. He has distilled a number of classical works in a new show called Pocket Symphonies. Visual artist, Chris Paul Daniels, will be providing motion graphics to compliment the music. Coming to HOME’s main theatre in October is former guitarist for the Stone Roses, Aziz Ibrahim. Backed by Manchester Camerata and special guests, he will play compositions from his as-yet unreleased album Lahore to Longsight. These highly personal songs chart his father’s journey during Indian Partition, and his immigration to the UK. Sven Helbig: Sat 9 Sep, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.00pm, £6-£13, www.homemcr.org Aziz Ibrahim: Wed 11 Oct, Address and phone number as above, 7.30pm, £6-£13, www.homemcr.org

22.10.2017.

Book now: The Vintage Home Show at Victoria Baths.

Lovers of vintage, collectables and beautiful homewares should make a beeline for the Vintage Home Show in October. Taking place in the appropriately historic venue of Victoria Baths, the hugely popular fair feature 50+ exhibitors selling furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles, artwork and more. The fair specialises in goods from the mid 20th century, specifically the 1930s - 1970s. Expect everything from mass market produce, right through to artisan designed pieces alongside collectable brands such as Ercol and G-Plan. Since launching in 2012, the Fair visits Manchester three times a year. Early bird tickets give you a half hour head start on the rest of the bargain-hungry punters and there's the chance to make a day of it with excellent coffee, tea, cakes, and street food galore. Sun 22 Oct, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE, Tel: 0788 0910361, 10.30am (early bird), 11am - 4pm, £3-£5, www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

01.09.2017 - 29.10.2017.

Eyewear exhibition: Strelnikov’s Glasses and Other Stories at HOME.

Filmmakers from across the globe are celebrating the humble eyeglasses in a new exhibition at HOME. Two dozen creatives were challenged to present a film in response to a pair of glasses – or its wearer. Although most participants come from the Manchester School of Art, the exhibition's spec-focused artists come from such far-sited places as Yorkshire, Panama, Chicago and California. It's brought to HOME by research group The Society of the Spectacles in a new partnership with London eyewear company – and optician to the stars – General Eyewear. ‘Strelnikov’s Glasses and Other Stories’ takes its name from the spectacles of Tom Courtenay’s Russian soldier in Dr Zhivago, with their distinctive wire-rimmed design. Expect many more designs celebrated in this unusual exhibition. Fri 1 Sep – Sun 29 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 11am–8pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org

12.09.2017 - 16.09.2017.

Book tickets: The Wedding by physical theatre co. Gecko at HOME Manchester.

Combining movement, imagery, and a provocative narrative is The Wedding, which comes to HOME in September. This new play was created by Gecko, an award-winning physical theatre company. The ensemble of nine guide audiences through a strange, dystopian world where life is a blur of wedding dresses and contractual obligations, where everyone is a bride, married to society. But what are the terms of this relationship, and can people get a divorce? Gecko’s most ambitious play to date, was developed over a two-year period under the guidance of Artistic Director Amit Lahav. The company was established in 2001, and since then has created six full-length theatre shows, and run numerous youth projects and workshops. They first visited HOME last autumn with the universally hyped Institute. Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £10-£24, www.homemcr.org

11.08.2017 - 26.08.2017.

Art exhibition & more: This is Human ft. giant puppets at HOME.

An interactive programme of events and art exhibition, entitled This Is Human, takes over HOME during August. Curated by Project X, a team of 11 young creatives from the local area, and the programme features happenings in the theatres, cinemas, and gallery. Standout events include ReTreat, a sensory installation which uses sounds, lights, and projections to create a place of peace and contemplation. Occupy is an installation in the gallery featuring a large-scale, interactive puppet. On Thursdays, there will be mindfulness sessions, yoga, and free late-night events – including music and performance. This Is Human also features a curated film season, with screenings of cult classics including Little Miss Sunshine and Blue is the Warmest Colour. Closing event, In Motion, is a night of VJ’ing, music, and choreographed movement. Until Sat 26 Aug, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Event times vary, FREE (except for film screenings), homemcr.org

05.07.2017.

Subversive cinema: 24 Hour Party People Redux at HOME.

The Manchester music docudrama 24 Hour Party People will be rebuilt at HOME by irreverent broadcaster Richard DeDomenici. His Redux Project revisits locations to create budget shot-for-shot copies of films – including The Matrix, The Bourne Supremacy and, in Manchester last year, Queer As Folk. DeDomenici adapted Redux for BBC4 in a programme that included cultural references to Five Star and the pooping elephant on Blue Peter. The film elements of the 24 Hour Party People: Redux show, co-commissioned by HOME and hÅb, were shot across several Manchester locations in early June 2017. Tickets are on sale now. Wed 5 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 6.30pm, £7, www.homemcr.org

04.07.2017 - 08.07.2017.

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

23.06.2017 - 24.06.2017.

Book tickets: Mobile - a new play performed in a caravan at HOME Manchester.

An inventive new theatre show is coming to Bury this Friday and Saturday. Performed in a caravan, ‘Mobile’ is a 40-minute work that is part play, part installation. Touching on the themes of class and family, the show is based on personal testimonies collected in community workshops. Because of the unique ‘venue’, the audience can be a maximum of only eight people. If that sounds insanely exclusive, don't worry: there will be 20 performances over the two days. On Friday, it will be performed in a car park in Ramsbottom, and on Saturday, it moves to Library Gardens in Bury town. The show was created by the Paper Birds Theatre Company, who have been towing the ‘Mobile’ caravan around the country and performing for the last couple of months. Along the way, they have garnered good reviews from the likes of The Guardian. Tickets for some performances have begun to sell out, so act fast. UPDATE: Mobile returns to the city in October with a run at HOME - see listings below for more information. Fri 23 Jun, The Grant Arms car park, 11 Market Place, Ramsbottom, Bury, BL0 9AJ, 10 timeslots throughout the day, £10, themet.biz Sat 24 Jun, Library Gardens, Manchester Road, Bury, BL9 0DN, Other details as above. Wed 11 - Sun 15 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN, £10 (£8 conc), various times, homemcr.org

25.05.2017 - 10.06.2017.

Book theatre tickets: Martin Sherman's Rose at Home ft. Janet Suzman.

In a topical choice, HOME Manchester is putting on the first revival of Martin Sherman’s Rose since its 1999 premiere at The National Theatre. The play focuses on the titular character Rose, an 80-year-old woman whose life traces the fate of European Jews from the Second World War through to the start of the current millennium. As well as the displacement of Jews during the war, the play deals with situations in Palestine, America and, ultimately, Israel. As the world faces growing refugee crises and the USA becomes a place potentially less welcoming of the displaced, this play's revival may be timely. Directed by Richard Beechman, Rose stars Oscar nominee Janet Suzman in a rare stage appearance. Previews from May 25. Thu 25 May – Sat 10 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £10 - £26.50, www.homemcr.org

07.06.2017 - 17.06.2017.

Immersive theatre: Blast Theory & Hydrocracker's Operation Black Antler at HOME.

Become a new person as HOME's immersive theatre production Operation Black Antler takes you to secret locations across Manchester. Producers Hydrocracker and the multi-BAFTA nominated artists group Blast Theory explore surveillance and spying as audience teams are sent out on an undercover operation, prompted by an SMS message revealing a top secret location. You will be given a new identity for the duration of the two-hour show, as you make moral judgements in the shadow of Wikileaks and Snowden scandals. Operation Black Antler made its debut last year at Brighton Festival. The HOME production includes discounts for group bookings. Wed 7 – Sat 17 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £20, www.homemcr.org.

07.06.2017.

New talent: Manchester School of Art Film Festival at HOME.

Love films? Love art? A new film festival by the Manchester School of Art as part of their final Degree Show season combines the two, showcasing subjects as diverse as climate change and pets in space. The MSA (Manchester School of Art) Film Festival at HOME on Wednesday (7 Jun) features work by over 30 third-year filmmaking students, with single and collaborative pieces spanning science-fiction, contemporary cinema, period drama and animation. Highlights include I Am Flesh, a story of a woman hooked up to a factory out at sea, Molly and Lexi’s Multiverse Odyssey, an animation about a cat and dog caught in alternative dimensions, and an abstract climate change film called My Synthetic Excuse. There are two screening times: 4pm and 6pm, so settle in for an evening of entertainment. Festival tickets are on general release now via the link below. The MSA Film Festival leads up to 2017's Manchester School of Art Degree Show, a multi-gallery end-of-year exhibition running from Sat 10 Jun to Wed 21 Jun that's a key date in Manchester's calendar of key art events. This year's is even bigger than ever, and includes the work of over a 1000 student artists. Read our full preview. Wed 7 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 4pm–8pm, see site for ticket details, www.msafilmproductions.com

18.05.2017 - 20.05.2017.

New theatre: Kieran Hurley's Fringe First-winning Heads Up at HOME.

Rising British writer and performer Kieran Hurley brings his play Heads Up to present different characters at the moment of destruction. Designed to question what we would do at the end of the world as we know it, the piece was written as a reaction to anxiety when hearing world news and won a prestigious Fringe First at the Edinburgh Festival in 2016. Hurley promises there are some jokes, too. And if you're looking for a bargain, you can pick up a double-bill ticket for this and Jack Rooke's Good Grief for just £20. Thu 18 May - Sat 20 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Various times, £12.50 (£20 for double bill ticket), www.homemcr.org

08.06.2017 - 11.06.2017.

Limited FREE ticket giveaway: Ideal Home Show 2017 at EventCity Manchester.

Fancy a 1,000-ticket giveaway for the Ideal Home Show 2017 at EventCity Manchester? From dazzling décor to great garden gadgets, the Ideal Home Show (Thu 8 Jun – Sun 11 Jun) is bigger and better than before. The four-day celebration of latest home trends features interactive home improvement ideas, fine fixtures and fittings, food and this year's latest garden tips. Added to the ultimate shopping experience is a brand new Eat & Drink Festival, showcasing a pioneering live experience with innovative artisan vendors. Pop in to see the newest trends in modern cuisine, mixology, extraordinary tipples and street food. The Ideal Home Show has an extra trick up its sleeve – it will feature The Rotating Home, a revolving house as seen on the Channel 4 show Amazing Spaces. And don’t miss special guest appearances from Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Katie Piper, Gregg Wallace, Olly Smith, Ortis Deley and Clive Holland. The free tickets to the Ideal Home Show 2017 are available on a first come first served basis. To book yours, visit www.idealhomeshowmanchester.com now and quote ILOVEMCR* when booking your tickets. *Offer valid until Sunday 11 June. Max of 2 free tickets per transaction. Tickets valid any day between 8th – 11th June. First come first served. Thu 8 - Sun 11 Jun, EventCity, Phoenix Way, Stretford, Manchester M41 . Tel: 0844 209 7366, 10am-5pm, £12.50, www.idealhomeshowmanchester.com A Manchester Wire partnership post.

06.05.2017.

Book tickets: The Unfilmables at HOME.

HOME will move into non-existent films when it launches Live Cinema UK's The Unfilmables. This new series challenges composers to create soundtracks for films that never reached the screens, with the first Unfilmables on May 6 featuring electronic supergroup Wrangler and Oscar nominated producer Mica Levi. Wrangler (pictured), which features Cabaret Voltaire co-founder Stephen Mallinder, will create a live electronic soundtrack that attempts to recreate The Tourist, a much-lauded sci-fi script that was canned despite interest from Francis Ford Coppola and Quadrophenia’s Franc Roddam. Levi will team up with her sister for The Colour of Chips, a British take on the 1969 film The Colour of Pomegranates by Soviet director Sergei Parajanov. The two performances on HOME's Theatre 1 stage will run with an intermission. Sat 6 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £10 - £19, www.homemcr.org

03.05.2017 - 04.05.2017.

Book now: Adam Curtis & Rosie Kay Dance Company's MK Ultra at HOME.

Rosie Kay Dance Company returns to HOME with new show, MK Ultra, created in collaboration with cult documentary filmmaker, Adam Curtis (The Power of Nightmares, HyperNormalisation). Expect a supercharged, high energy reflection of pop culture. As the political environment gets more stormy both here and across the pond, with talk of fake news and alternative facts, this production’s portrayal of mind control conspiracies, surveillance and Illuminati imagery seems more relevant than ever. In fact, the title of the play is a CIA code word for a real LSD-fuelled brainwashing technique used by the US military. Rosie Kay is renowned for tackling challenging issues, frequently looking at hidden messages and subverting the subversive and was choreographer on the hit film, Sunshine on Leith. Wed 3 - Thu 4 May ,HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £16.50, www.homemcr.org https://vimeo.com/180853877

22.04.2017.

Book film tickets: William Oldroyd's Lady Macbeth at HOME.

Fresh from the international film circuit, Lady Macbeth comes to HOME on Saturday 22 April. Director William Oldroyd is known for his theatre work and was placed on the Guardian’s ‘Rising Stars of 2017’ list, thanks to the snowballing success of this feature film debut. Moving Nikolai Leskov’s novel from Russia to north eastern England, the story follows a young woman (Florence Pugh, tragic star of Carol Morley’s The Falling) as she is sold into a passionless marriage with a middle-aged man. Expect maelstrom of murder and mayhem on a country estate. Oldroyd and Pugh will take part in a Q&A after this preview screening, in advance of its wider release on Friday 28 April. Sat 22 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 6.20pm, £5 – £9, www.homemcr.org

19.04.2017 - 21.04.2017.

Book now: Sh!t Theatre's Letters to Windsor House at HOME.

Sh!t Theatre return to HOME following last autumn’s sold-out Women’s Hour with the critically acclaimed theatre production Letters to Windsor House. The Fringe First award-winning duo Louise Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit amalgamate comedy, theatre, song, performance art, and investigative journalism. Sitting in their rented council flat, the two delve into unopened letters of previous tenants to reveal a legacy of dodgy landlords, mounting debt, and a revelation about their own status that affects their friendship. Expect punk-edged songs to go with the politics. Letters to Windsor House is a chilling yet comedic reflection that has been called a “twenty-first-century Withnail & I”. Wed 19 Apr- Fri 21 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £10.50 – 12.50, www.homemcr.org

10.04.2017.

Book now: I Am Not Your Negro special HOME screening.

Raoul Peck’s new documentary I Am Not Your Negro explores American novelist James Baldwin’s accounts of the assassinations of his friends Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers. Although looking at race relations in the USA in the 1950s and 1960s, when Baldwin was at the height of his writing powers, the work sits alongside more recent documentaries such as Ava DuVernay’s 13th. The film opens at HOME on Friday 7 April - and the 6.10pm screening on Monday 10 April features a special introduction and post-screening discussion by Douglas Field, Manchester lecturer and author of All Those Strangers: The Art and Lives of James Baldwin. Mon 10 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 6.10pm, £5 - £10, www.homemcr.org

17.05.2017 - 19.05.2017.

Book now: Jack Rooke's Good Grief at HOME.

Writer and comedian Jack Rooke brings his critically acclaimed show Good Grief to HOME in May. Looking at how we treat the bereaved and the state of welfare for grieving families, Rooke’s style blends comedy, storytelling and film to navigate the audience through these complex ideas. It has received wide praise and was nominated for Best Show by an Emerging Artist in the Total Theatre Awards in 2015. Good Grief was subsequently commissioned by BBC Comedy for a Radio 4 adaptation, and it was recently announced that Jack will soon have his own three-part documentary series on BBC3 entitled 'How to Be Male and Happy', as part of the channel's season of mental health programming. Wed 17 May - Fri 19 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £12.50, www.homemcr.org

31.03.2017 - 17.04.2017.

Book film tickets: ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival at HOME.

After another successful outing last year, ¡Viva! once again returns to HOME. However, differing from previous years, this year’s celebrations will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of the abolishment of censorship in Spain. Focusing on the film side of the festival (there are theatre and art strands too), 29 films and 15 UK premieres will be screened across 18 days from countries like Chile, Colombia, Mexica, et al. ¡Viva! opens with Cien años de perdón (To Steal from a Thief) along with a special Q&A on the Friday night (Fri 31 Mar, Mon 3 Apr). Amongst the busy schedule of premieres, talks surrounding the Transition in Spain and Spanish Cinema with Professor Rob Stone (Sat 1 Apr) and one-hour introduction into the Transition in Spain into Democracy through film with Dr Andy Willis from the University of Salford, alongside Dr Carmen Herrero from Manchester Metropolitan University (Wed 5 Apr) will work as a soothing antidote to the exciting schedule. Further Q+A’s include Pasaje de vida (Safe Passage) (Sun 2 Apr) with director Diego Corsini, La Puerta abierta (The Open Door) + La Boda (Tue 4 Apr) with director Marina Seresesky and producer Álvaro Lavín. Lastly, closing out ¡Viva! is Eloy de la Iglesia’s 1983 neo-realist El Pico (Overdose). Accompanying these screenings, right across the festival, Spanish-based drinks and foods will be served to get you into the head space of Spanish life and culture. Fri 31 Mar - Mon 17 Apr HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 2500, times and price vary, www.homemcr.org

26.03.2017.

Top 4: Manchester Mother's Day lunch ideas inc. Home, ITR & Iberica.

Left your Mother's Day reservation a little late? Here are four places we like in Manchester with a few spaces left (at the time of going to press...). 1. Home Manchester Eat in Home art centre's airy cafe on the first floor and make mum happy. We like the wide-reaching menu with a middle eastern twang. The pizzas are very popular too. 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org 2. Indian Tiffin Room Manchester's best Indian restaurant? Maybe so. The lunchtime thali, comprised of a selection of curries, breads, chutneys and yoghurts, is good value - and there's an Indian wine and whiskey menu to explore. Isabella Banks Street, First Street, Manchester M15 4RL. Tel: 0161 228 1000, www.indiantiffinroom.com 3. Chop Houses Choose from Sam's, Tom's or Albert Square. They're all centrally located and serve the kind of Sunday roast dinners you'd make at home if you had the time. Memorial Hall, 14 Albert Square, Manchester M2 5PF. Tel: 0161 834 1866 www.albertsquarechophouse.com 4. Iberica Love Spanish food? Look no further than this elegant new build for authentic ham, croquetas, pork and baked rice. The Avenue, Spinningfields, 3 Hardman Street, Manchester, M3 3HS. Tel: 0161 358 1350 www.ibericarestaurants.com

12.03.2017.

Book now: Vintage Home Show at Manchester Victoria Baths.

Every seen a former swimming pool filled with finest mid-century furnishings, ceramics, light fittings, collectables and fabrics? Head down to Victoria Baths this weekend for just that. Expect the best in vintage home wares in one place. Be warned: it gets VERY busy, so early arrival is recommended. Entry from 10.30am costs a couple of pounds more but it's worth it for the bargains to be claimed. Pick up street food and coffee to keep you going while browsing immaculately preserved examples of G-Plan, Eames, West German pottery, macrame and much more. Sun 12 Mar, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE, 10.30am-11am, £5 entry, 11am-4pm £3, www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

04.03.2017 - 18.03.2017.

Theatre: Paul Auster's City of Glass at Home Manchester.

HOME and Lyrics Hammersmith bring the first UK theatre adaptation of a Paul Auster novel to Manchester. As Auster turns 70 and his New York Trilogy hits three decades, it seems an apt time to bring the first part of the Trilogy, City of Glass, to the stage. A co-production with HOME, Lyric Hammersmith and Tony Award-winning 59 Productions, the adaptation of Auster’s meta-crime fiction novel sees crime writer Daniel Quinn becomes entangled in a real life thriller. The inventive and experimental take on noir fiction will be matched by an original and compelling production starring Vivienne Acheampong, Mark Edel-Hunt and Chris New. While City of Glass starts off as a traditional New York noir detective novel, Auster turns it into a study of the protagonists fragile state of mind and begins one of the 20th Century’s great masterpieces of city fiction. Directed by Leo Warner, who has headed 59 Productions through works on the 2012 London Olympics and a whole host of live events, the production will be tasked with bringing an inventive novel about cities and an individual’s failing grasp of reality to life. Hopefully there will be the jazz soundtrack I vividly heard as I read this the first time. Either way, expect moody looks, smoke and one of the great masterpieces of American literature. Sat 4 - Sat 18 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, from £10, www.homemcr.org

The Scar by Noor Afshan Mirza and Brad Butler

10.02.2018 - 02.04.2018.

Art: Noor Afshan Mirza & Brad Butler's film installation at HOME.

The Scar is a new, three-part film installation taking over Home's main gallery space in February 2018. The exhibition is the first UK solo exhibition from Noor Afshan Mirza and Brad Butler. Inspired by a 1996 car crash in Turkey, Noor Afshan Mirza and Brad Butler's version of events, sees this tragic event spirals into a surreal and political psychological drama. The film incorporates modern theoretical debates around gender and inequality into the noir-ish tendencies of gangster flicks. As such, the work contributes to the ongoing cultural conversation around patriarchy and masculinity. Mancunian spoken word and poetry collective, Young Identity, join the exhibition on its opening night (Fri 9 Feb) with their new spoken word piece inspired by the film. For more arts events in and around Manchester, click here. Sat 10 Feb - Sun 2 Apr 2018 (preview Fri 9 Feb, 6-8pm, free), Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, FREE, www.homemcr.org

04.02.2017 - 29.03.2017.

Rock Art: a new exhibition by John Hyatt at HOME Manchester.

Coming in February to HOME is Rock Art, a new solo exhibition from John Hyatt, an artist, musician, and ‘Punk Professor’. Hyatt first hit the scene in the early 1980s, as the vocalist and lyricist of the cult indie band The Three Johns. He later became a Professor at the Liverpool School of Art and Design. With this new exhibition, he brings together works focussing on a wide array of topics, including post-death, magic, and metamorphosis. The centrepiece of the event is Club BIG, a pop-up music club and debating chamber. It will also have a live art space which will host an alternative art history, and regular free events, including extra special events on Friday nights. As Master of Ceremonies for the club, Hyatt will present live music and performance. Other elements of the exhibition include a collection of sculptures that are not quite what they seem, a collaborative album, and a library with reading room. Sat 4 Feb – Wed 29 Mar, Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, FREE, homemcr.org

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09.02.2017 - 11.02.2017.

Dance: Boy Blue's Blak Whyte Gray at Home Manchester.

Known for working with some of the country’s most highly sought after hip hop artists, a dance bill from Olivier award-winning Boy Blue Entertainment is treat enough. But a piece based on ‘the world in flux, a mood for change’ is as timely as it gets. Choreographed and directed by the same team behind HOME’s production of Romeo and Juliet, this dance piece explores the inner tension of a system that isn’t working, while looking to an awakening with ‘a return to roots and a celebration of culture’. Fusing hip hop and African dance, the abstract style looks at the socio-political climate, inequality in society and the role of social media within those things. Co-commissioned and co-produced by London venue the Barbican, this triple bill will balance music and dance with creativity. Expect to be challenged and thrilled. Thu 9-Sat 11 Feb, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

14.01.2017.

Exhibition: Maurice Carlin's Temporary Custodians of Islington Mill 2018-2028 at HOME.

Multi-layered CMYK relief-prints taken directly from the derelict 5th floor surface of Salford’s Islington Mill result in these vivid textured rectangles by artist Maurice Carlin. Lifted from their site of production and exhibited in the main gallery at HOME for one day only, the work simultaneously tells the story of Islington Mill as a home for out-there creativity and the development of Carlin himself as artist and director of the Mill – as well as the grand plans that are afoot to expand the Mill, renovate the atmospheric 5th floor itself, and secure its place as a flagship for artistic innovation in the North. All works are for sale and each buyer becomes a ‘Custodian’ of the whole, embarking on a decade-long journey with Islington Mill – the nature of which the buyers themselves will decide. Open for viewings from 2pm with an evening event including artist meet and greet from 5pm till 8pm. Free. Sat 14 Jan, Home, 2, Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Free, www.homemcr.org

15.01.2017.

Book tickets: Vogue dance workshop at HOME Manchester with Darren Pritchard.

Madonna's dance routines, documentary Paris is Burning and the Vogue Balls which have sprung up across the north west in recent years all have vogueing in common; a style of dance which is characterised by angular movements which reference fashion catwalk moves and couture styling. Dancers typically take turns at solo 'walks' interspersed with dance moves, which are then voted on by the audience in the form of applause. However, the moves can form part of your usual Saturday night out, or any other situation you see fit. If you'd like to give vogueing it a whirl, a workshop is taking place at HOME this January as part of the Push Festival (full preview to follow). Dance tutor is Darren Pritchard, choreographer, star and writer of of Quarantine's theatre piece, Susan & Darren and Mother of Manchester's vogue collective, House of Ghetto. Absolute beginners welcome. Sun 15 Jan 2017, Home Manchester, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 2pm, from £8, www.homemcr.org

07.12.2016 - 18.12.2016.

Daily online Christmas deals from tattoo artwork & homeware store Stag & Raven.

In need of Christmas present inspiration? Look no further than tattoo artwork and homeware store, Stag & Raven in Afflecks - a shop which celebrates the art of tattoos, by commissioning original pieces and working with more then 50 acclaimed tattoo artists and creatives from the UK and beyond. Prices start from £10 and under - so we're talking about affordable and unique works of art here - plus this independent boutique is offering different online deals each day in the run up to Christmas. Special web offers include the chance to buy limited edition prints like this bold whale by Cameron Hay at Oldham's Kameeleon Tattoo (pictured), a free tote bag, 25% off A3 prints and free shipping. Click here for the full list and bag yourself a bargain. In the meantime, why not browse the Stag & Raven Instagram to whet your appetite? Daily deals online until Sun 18 Dec, Stag & Raven, Afflecks Palace, Manchester M4 1PW. Tel: 0161 745 9712. open, Mon-Fri 10.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 11am-5pm. www.stagandraven.com A Manchester Wire partnership post.

11.11.2016 - 22.01.2017.

Bearded Brutes: Mark Leeming photography exhibition at HOME.

Lovers of pop-art should head to HOME from November for new exhibition Bearded Brutes, which features kitsch photographic portraits full of colour, glitter, and – perhaps unsurprisingly – beards. The pictures combine the masculinity of the bearded blokes with the camp flamboyance of heavy make-up and theatrical poses. The show is the brainchild of artist Mark Leeming, who is the sole photographer, make-up artist, art director, and stylist. His aim is to explore the feminine in the masculine (and vice-a-versa) and to provide an offbeat look into the duality of the modern man. On the first day of the exhibition there will be a preview night in HOME’s ground floor bar. You might even see some of the titular brutes there, possible hitting the dance floor. Bearded Brutes is part of HOME Projects, an ongoing series of exhibitions that focus on supporting emerging local artists and independent curators and celebrate some of the lesser explored areas of the creative world. Fri 11 Nov - Sun 22 Jan, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 12pm – 8pm, FREE, homemcr.org

15.11.2016 - 24.12.2016.

Stag & Raven: tattoo artwork & homeware store in Afflecks Palace.

Affleck's recently opened artwork and homeware store Stag and Raven is the perfect destination for the tattoo lover in your life. The female-run shop offers a platform for tattoo artists artwork, commissioning and selling individual pieces and limited edition prints. They also sell Stag and Raven branded homeware in collaboration with illustrators such as Manchester-based Jon Turner. The first store of its kind in the UK, tattoo fans can now build a collection of unique artworks with 50 artists work to choose from - such as the Beetopia image (pictured) designed by Tattoo Artist and illustrator DieMonde (aka Sarah March). An alternative destination for festive shopping, with plenty of surprises in store. We've teamed up with Stag & Raven to offer a special discount for Manchester Wire readers: simply enter MANCHESTERWIRE at the online check out for free shipping. Now open: Stag & Raven, Afflecks Palace, Manchester M4 1PW. Tel: 0161 745 9712. open daily, Mon-Fri 10.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm and Sun 11am-5pm. www.stagandraven.com A Manchester Wire partnership post.

10.12.2016.

Make A Scene: Interactive Home Alone film screening at Texture.

Christmas wouldn't be the same without the obligatory screening of Home Alone and Manchester’s most interactive LGBT film club, Make a Scene, are hosting a special screening of the film in the run up to Christmas. Described as 'way too interactive', extras on offer include booby traps, gifts, and pizza from Crazy Pedro's (which has just opened in the NQ - read our story here). Tickets are £10 and include a donation to the George House Trust. Hosts include performance artists, Grace Oni Smith (who will be playing mom) and Violet Blonde, as Kevin. Sat 10 Dec, Texture, 67 Lever Street, Manchester, M1 1FL. Tel: 0161 236 5144, 8pm, £10, www.skiddle.com

09.12.2016.

Free Fishy Disco: Enchantment Under the Sea at Home Manchester.

This Christmas season, HOME plan to teleport you back to the glory days of fishnet stocks, neon, and Bruce Springsteen. Holding a free disco (yes, free), inspired by the disco sequence in Back to the Future, 50s Rockefeller will be playing from 6pm onwards. However, when the clock strikes 10:04- the moment that the clock tower in the movie is struck by lightning- the disco will turn new romantic and 1980s pop until late. Home are also hosting a screening of Back to the Future - booking essential here - film itself will be playing and booking is advised. Lastly, Undersea Bar Tropical will be serving a wide variety of themed food and drink including mac’ n’ cheese and diner style hotdogs. For all those avid Back to the Future fans, the event will also include the iconic DeLorean itself outside in Tony Wilson Place. Simply magical stuff. Fri 9 Dec, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, film screening 6pm, various prices, disco 8pm-late, FREE, www.homemcr.org

18.11.2016 - 03.12.2016.

Ibsen's Ghosts ft. Niamh Cusack at Home Manchester.

As Black Mirror returns to our screens with its well known tropes of black humour and dark portrayals of human existence it is always good to note that pre-technology, art has been dealing with emotional humour and the effects of a lived life. Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts, in an important new version by David Watson, shows the difficulty of attempting to keep the allusion of a happy family and the eventual toll it takes on a family as the truth unravels. With direction by Polly Findlay, who has multiple credits at The National Theatre and the RSC, the after-effects of adultery and reckless alcoholism are brought into sharp relief when the son, Oswald, returns to the family home with his mother, Helen, played by Niamh Cusack (pictured). This is a play that highlights the ghosts that live with us and possibly never leave us. An always important message in a world that can seem to leave constant ghosts around us. Fri 18 Nov - Sat 3 Dec, Home, 2, Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times & prices vary, http://homemcr.org/production/ghosts/

27.11.2016.

Poetry festival: Daydreaming and the City ft. Helen Mort at HOME Manchester.

Daydreaming and flights of imaginative fancy fit closely with literature and spoken word so it makes sense to see a festival combining the two. Or rather a micro-festival. Daydreaming In The City will take place on a Sunday afternoon at Home featuring talks, poetry readings, music, film and In The Dark Radio’s return to Manchester with another audio experience. Kicking off what promises to be a laid-back but engaging Sunday festival, will be Professor Felicity Callard discussing the history of daydreaming whilst poets Emma Bennet and James Wilkes perform work that shows how useful daydreaming and imaginative wandering can be. Also at the festival is one of Britain’s most exciting and well regarded poets, Helen Mort. Her new collection, No Map Could Show Them, a Poetry Book Society Recommendation, explores the connection between the poets two keen interested – running and poetry, and the routes and paths they take one on. The festival also features performances from Siddartha Bowes, exploring the role of the poet in the automated world; a sonic journey from In The Dark Radio before a screening of Cocteau’s Orphee; and an event delving into the ways we can use imagination and daydreaming to explore our cities in alternative ways. It’s cold walking or running around the city in November, so why not do it by daydreaming in from the warmth of a comfy seat at Home. Sun 27 Nov, Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, from 1.30pm, prices vary, www.homemcr.org

05.11.2016.

Book now: Queer Media Festival 2016 at Home Manchester.

Now in its third year, the Queer Media Festival moves to HOME with a diverse and inventive line-up that continues to pack in a smorgasbord of film and media delights aimed at uplifting LGBT stories for a media-savvy audience. Billed as a ‘celebration of media made by and for the queer community’, the day-long programme includes panel speakers from Channel 4, BBC, Gay Star News and UK Black Pride, while workshops will teach participants how to make 60 second short documentaries using just their smart phones. Film screenings include LGBT shorts curated by young people, the groundbreaking disco documentary Jewel's Catch One, while the icing on the cake is arguably the showing of Strike A Pose (pictured), the documentary that follows the lives of Madonna’s iconic Blonde Ambition tour dancers, including live vogue performances and after-party with DJs from HomoElectric and Black Angel. Sat 5 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN, all day from noon, prices vary, www.queermedia.org.uk

24.10.2016 - 28.10.2016.

Free things to do this week ft. King Lear, Homeless Sculpture + more.

King Lear Screening at HOME Actor Don Warrington - perhaps best known to older readers for his turn in the sitcom Rising Damp - attracted rave reviews for portrayal of King Lear during the play’s run at The Royal Exchange earlier this year. If you missed his barnstorming performance, you’ve got another chance this Wednesday, as HOME presents a special screening of the full cast recording. The screening is followed by a panel discussion with Shreela Ghosh from the British Council, director Michael Buffong, actor Shreela Ghosh and Warrington himself. The afternoon is capped off with a drinks reception. Wed 26 Oct, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. 12.30pm - 7pm, www.shakespearelives.org Comedy Balloon Women in Comedy Special at Ape & Apple Celebrating its 17th birthday party last month, The Comedy Balloon is one of Manchester’s oldest comedy institutions, and its tried-and-tested formula has barely changed in the past two decades: Free entry with short sets from new acts, and new material from more-established acts. With Manchester’s annual Women in Comedy Festival running through this week, the Balloon are shaking things up with all-female lineup providing small snippets of the best of the festival, including Karen Hobbs, who’ll be delivering a taster of her show Tumour Has It. Wed 26 Oct, Ape & Apple, 28-30 John Dalton Street, Manchester, M2 6HQ. 7.30pm - 11pm, www.facebook.com Homeless Sculpture Study Day at The Whitworth This day-long series of talks and panel discussions looks at the subject of Homeless Sculpture: This isn’t to say sculpture made by homeless people, or depicting homeless people, but sculpture that is itself homeless. Throughout the sessions, contributing academics and critics will be discussing the practice of sculpture and its divorce from a sense of place, as well as many other topics surrounding the medium. Thu 27 Oct, The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER. 10am -5pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk Rainbow Makers at The Whitworth (pictured) If you stick around at The Whitworth for the evening, you’ll be able to take advantage of this fun event. Danish artist Tine Bech is bringing Rainbow Makers to the gallery for one night only: It’s a grown-ups only treasure hunt through the darkened museum wearing specially constructed light-up vests. This one isn’t totally free, but is very reasonably priced at £2.75 a head. Hunting slots are 45 minutes long, and can be booked through Eventbrite using the link below. Thu 27 Oct, The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER. 6.30pm - 10.30pm, www.eventbrite.co.uk

27.10.2016 - 31.10.2016.

Horror film season: Film4's FilmFear at Home Manchester ft. Nosferatu.

As that time of year rolls around again, where all the ghosts and ghouls come out, what better way to spend it than with FilmFear? HOME's curators are joining forces with Film4 to present a 10-film fright fest of horror previews, shorts, special guests and monster classics over the long Halloween weekend. Whether that be such exclusive previews like Alice Lowe’s writing-directing debut Prevenge (27 Oct), Julia Ducournau’s first feature debut of cannibalism tonality, Raw (28 Oct), or the dark and eerie We are the Flesh (28 Oct), FilmFear is not short of highlights from the cinematic calendar. However, if you prefer something more classical then screenings of Michael Mann’s stylish horror The Keep (29 Oct) and a live score accompaniment of Nosferatu (30 Oct, pictured), presented by HarmonieBand, should fill anyone's hungry for classic film. Finishing the weekend of horrors is The Void (30 Oct), which is hot out of the BFI London Festival, and is preceded here by the short Moments of Fear. Additionally, closing out the mini season is the iconic 1931 Spanish version of Dracula (31 Oct). This closing screening will be introduced by HOME’s senior visiting curator, Andy Willis. Whether it is fresh meat you're crave or a more canonical approach to horror cinema, FilmFear is certainly serving up a treat this autumn. Thu 27 - Mon 31 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 2500, www.homemcr.org

23.10.2016.

Book now: Vintage Home Show at Victoria Baths.

This Vintage Home Show to Victoria Baths this weekend. The show is a haven for vintage, mid-century and retro furniture, and the biggest of its kind outside London. It features dealers from across the country and boasts a dedicated following. For anyone out there who’s just moved into their new pad, or if you fancy something that’s not from IKEA for your home, there’ll be sideboards, chairs, tables and display units from 1950 through to 1970. You can find everything from the finest ceramics, glassware, kitchen paraphernalia and textiles to give your home an injection of character. Sun 23 Oct, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0FE, Tel: 0161 224 2020, 11am - 4pm, £3, www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

17.10.2016.

Hitchcock's Vertigo screening and intro at HOME.

The process of re-watching and re-engaging with classic films on the big screen in nothing new. Yet, when such opportunities arise to revisit Alfred Hitchcock’s phenomenal Vertigo - recently voted Sight & Sounds' greatest film of all time - on the big screen, it's hard to resist. With a special introduction from design writer Alice Rawsthorn, who will be discussing the Saul Bass’ opening title sequence of the film, this one-off screening will surely appeal to both new viewers and hardcore veterans alike. Accompanied by arguably one of greatest films scores ever composed, by Bernard Herrmann, James Stewart and Kim Novak’s electric chemistry should surely cement your purchase of a ticket. Mon 17 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 2500, 6pm, £9, www.homemcr.org

28.09.2016 - 08.10.2016.

Last chance: Kathryn Hunter returns to HOME for The Emperor.

The new play The Emperor by Colin Teevan arrives at HOME this month for a 12-day run. The production is heading our way following a sold-out run at the Young Vic in London, where it received hugely positive reviews. Set in Ethiopia in the 1970s, the play is an exposé of the excesses of the country’s leader, Haile Selassie. Actor Kathryn Hunter plays the entire cast of characters, all of whom are loyal servants of the despotic ruler. Using tiny alterations to costume, stance and accent, she creates distinct personalities for each character. Over the course of the hour-long performance, these characters tell a story of corruption, avarice and the collapse of absolute power. Hunter’s performance was singled out for praise by the critics, while Ethiopian musician Temesgen Zeleke provides live music throughout the show. The Emperor is produced by the team behind Kafka’s Monkey, which was a huge hit at HOME and also starred Hunter. Wed 28 Sep – Sat 8 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel. 0161 200 1500, Show times vary, £10 - £26.50, homemcr.org

30.09.2016 - 07.10.2016.

Birdsong: Stories from Pripyat screenings at HOME + more.

This year is the 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, and a new mixed-media creative piece marks this solemn occasion. Birdsong: Stories from Pripyat is a 40-minute film accompanied by a live score by a chamber ensemble. It will be screened/performed at HOME later this month, and at the Plaza in Stockport and Peel Hall in Salford in October . In creating this piece, filmmaker Clara Casian, and composer Robin Richards spent several days in the town of Pripyat, inside the Chernobyl evacuation zone. Here they filmed in the still-abandoned buildings and met with Belarusian artists and historians. The narrative of the resulting film follows the people with first-hand experience of the disaster, including the evacuees themselves. Personal records and testimonies are mixed with archival material and found footage. Robin Richards is best known as the bass player from the band Dutch Uncles, but he used his formal training to create a contemporary classical score. Fri 30 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 8.30pm, £8 - £12, homemcr.org Thu 6 Oct, The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport, SK1 1SP. Tel: 0161 477 7779, 7pm, £9.25 - £11.25, stockportplaza.co.uk Fri 7 Oct, Peel Hall, Peel Building, Salford, M5 4WT. 7pm, £5 - £10, www.eventbrite.co.uk

30.09.2016 - 02.10.2016.

Book tickets: Artist Film weekend at Home Manchester ft. Luther Price & La Distancia.

HOME's Artist Film Weekend is a foray into the wild and wonderful world of films, both long, short, documentary and otherwise made outside of typical convention by artists from around the world. The programme includes a screening of artist Clara Casian and musician Robin Richard’s new collaboration, Birdsong – Stories from Pripyat (pictured, Fri 30 Sep, 8.30pm, www.homemcr.org) which uses iconic images from Chernobyl and archive footage to immerse viewers in the stories. Saturday (1 Oct. 6pm, www.homemcr.org ) sees a retrospective of Boston-based video artist Luther Price works which explore the dark side of domestic life, through its detritus, and the bodies that inhabit our domestic spaces. There's also the North West premiere of director Sergio Caballero's idiosyncratic La Distancia with a Q&A. This film is a heist movie that follows the adventures of three telepathic dwarves attempt to rob a power station in Siberia - among other things. Caballero somehow found time to direct this movie as well as being co-director of Sonar, Barcelona's future-facing music and art festival. Fri 30 Sep – Sun 2 October, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org

02.10.2016.

In conversation: Lemn Sissay & Dave Haslam at HOME Manchester.

Dave Haslam is in conversation with Lancashire's own Lemn Sissay, discussing Gold from the Stone, an anthology made up of Lemn's newest works as well as his best-loved poems. Lemn will give readings from his latest publication and will also be discussing his lifeworks and the trajectory that has led him to his current successes. As the Chancellor at the University of Manchester and as a writer whose poems have been written along the pavements of Tib Street, Lemn Sissay is both metaphorically and literally embedded into the cultural tapestry of Manchester. Beyond the city, Lemn has garnered fame as the official poet of the London Olympics and is the patron of the Letterbox charity. The event promises to be an evening of entertainment, creativity as well as insight into one of Britain's most acclaimed poets and cultural figures. After, there will be the opportunities for audience questions and booking signings. Sun 2 Oct, Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £7, www.homemcr.org

20.09.2016 - 24.09.2016.

World premiere: Complicite + National Theatre's A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer at HOME Manchester.

As a co-production between Complicite and the National Theatre, the world premiere of A Pacifist’s Guide to the War on Cancer is a highlight of HOME Manchester's Autumn 2016 season. Directed by artist Bryony Kimmings (previous work includes tracing an STI to source) this theatrical work is based on Kimming's book of the same name and explores the realities of an illness which despite affecting many lives, remains taboo and shrouded in secrecy. Offering an unconventional exploration into living with cancer, the production follows five stories, each confronting the highs and lows of living with the disease. Tue 20 Sep - Sat 24 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus 2pm Sat matinee) £20-£10, www.homemcr.org

22.07.2016 - 25.09.2016.

New Brazilian art: Behind the Sun at HOME Manchester.

Behind the Sun: Prêmio Marcantônio Vilaça CNI Sesi Senai, is an exhibition of the five prize winners of the largest contemporary art competition in Brazil. The exhibition is a taster of diverse work by artists across the country experimenting with a variety of media including film, performance, sculpture and photography. Artist involved include Berna Reale (work pictured), Gê Orthof, Grupo EmpreZa, Virginia de Medeiros and Nicolas Robbio. Fri 22 Jul - Sun 25 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, FREE. www.homemcr.org

08.09.2016 - 11.09.2016.

Top 10: Manchester Heritage Open Days 2016 ft. eco homes & tin tabernacles.

Manchester's museums and religious buildings are opening their doors this week for explorations, conversations and discoveries. From Ukrainian folk art to learning more about sikhism, the events we've picked out below will give a flavour of the diversity on offer. 1. Behind the Scenes at the Working Class Movement Library Get to know what this unique institution has to offer with a 'behind-the-scenes' tour. Thu 8 & Fri 9 Sep, WCML, 51 Crescent, Salford M5 4WX, 2-3pm, FREE, www.wcml.org.uk 2. Cheetham Heritage Coach Tour Lead by Blue Badge tour guide, Jonathan Schofield, this coach trip with a differnce takes in five religious institutions in the area, catering to Muslim, Jewish, Sikh and Christian communities. Sun 11 Sep, meet 12.30pm Victoria Station or 1pm Jewish museum, FREE, booking essential, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 3. Visit an Arts and Crafts house turned Chorlton Eco Home Explore this fully restored arts and crafts house that's packed with 100s of eco-design features, technologies and systems. Chat to the Ecospheric team during your visit about what might work in your home. Fri 9 - Sun 11 Sep, 3 The Thorns, Chorltonville, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M21 8GB, 11am-5pm, FREE, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 4. Failsworth Cemetry Tour Explore this historic Cemetery with tour guide Les Garner. Sun 11 Sep, Failsworth Cemetery , Cemetery Road, Failsworth, Manchester, M35 0RS, 2pm, FREE, no booking required, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 5. Climb St Clement's Tower and ring the bells in Urmston Explore this wonderful example of a Victorian parish church and tackle the 95ft tower. Have a go at bell ringing and enjoy views of the surrounding area from the clock tower and in a photography exhibition. Fri 9 & Sat 10 Sep, St Clement's Church, 24 Stretford Road, Urmston, Manchester M41 9JZ. Fri 10am-noon, Sat 10-3pm, FREE, no booking required, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 6. 1920s cinema experience at Theatre Organ Heritage Centre Among the most unusual open days on offer, visit the Theatre Organ Heritage Centre to learn more about these historic instruments which were traditionally played as accompaniment to silent films between 1900 and 1930 (before the advent of the 'talkies'). Enjoy the real-life sound of a Wurlitzer Organ which was originally housed in the Trocadero Cinema in Liverpool and a 1920s cinema experience. Sat 10 Sep, Theatre Organ Heritage Centre, 2A Alexandra Road, Eccles, Manchester, M30 7HJ, 10am-4pm, FREE, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 7. Trafford Park’s Tin Tabernacle (pictured) Unusual churches have great allure and this beautiful corrugated iron construction dating back to 1904 in the industrial surrounds of Trafford Park is no exception. Fri 9 Sep, St. Antony's Church & Centre, Eleventh Street, Trafford Park, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M17 1JF, 10am-4pm, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 8. A walk in the park - Victoria Park in the 1890s Just turn up for this walking tour of Victoria Park and learn about its history and former residents. Sun 11 Sep, St Chrysostom's Church, 4A, Anson Road, Victoria Park, Manchester, M14 5BG, 2.30pm, FREE, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 9. Alla Horska - Ukrainian Folk Art Museum Tours The museum is not usually open to the public, so this is a chance to see exquisite folk art in a special setting. Sat 10 Sep, Manchester Ukrainian Cultural Centre 'Dnipro' - 31 Smedley Lane, Manchester, M8 8XB, times vary, FREE but booking required, www.heritageopendays.org.uk 10. Learn about Sikhism and share a vegetarian meal at Central Gurdwara in Cheetham Hill Learn more about this religion and take part in a shared vegetarian meal called langar. Sun 11 Sep, Central Gurdwara, 32 Derby St, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M8 4RY, 11am-2pm, FREE, www.heritageopendays.org.uk

03.09.2016 - 19.09.2016.

Film season: Almodóvar at HOME Manchester ft. Matador & Dark Habits.

Spanish cinema’s most notable auteur, Pedro Almodóvar, needs little introduction, and Home are screening five choices from his body of work this September as part of a devoted Almodóvar season. Kicking off the season is a hour-long special hosted by Carmen Herrero, Head of Spanish at Manchester Metropolitan University, in which Almodóvar’s filmmaking is centrally explored through clips and insights (Sat 3 Sep). Following directly on from this appetiser is Dark Habits (Sat 3 Sep), a romance fuelled surrealist comedy drama that showcases the director's love of screwball comedy. What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Mon 5 Sep) is another highlight in which the conventional family unit turns anarchic. Matador (Tue 13 Sep, pictured), meanwhile, stars a young Antonio Banderas with anti-social behavioural issues and includes impressive cinematography by Ángel Luis Fernández. Law of Desire (Sat 17 Sep) and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (19 Sep) close out this must-see Spanish odyssey. Sat 3 Sep - Mon 19 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org

05.08.2016 - 31.08.2016.

Soundtrack: Barry Adamson's (Lost Highway) film music season at HOME.

Mancunian and internationally renowned musician, filmmaker and composer Barry Adamson brings a feast of film and music to HOME as part of a season called Soundtrack. Opener is David Lynch’s Lost Highway (Fri 5 Aug). Adamson himself worked on the soundtrack, alongside Angelo Badalamenti, and a live Q&A will take place after the film’s screening with HOME’s Artistic Director of Film, Jason Woods. As with any Lynchian piece, the music submerges the viewer in a dreamlike state, so a fitting follow up is the mesmeric Under the Skin (Sat 6 Aug). Starring Scarlett Johansson in a metamorphic role that helps transform Mica Levi’s debut soundtrack into a masterpiece. Under the Skin is followed by Anatomy of a Murder (Sun 7 Aug), Touch of Evil (Wed 10 Aug), Performance (Sat 13 Aug), Psycho (Fri 26 Aug), Cape Fear (Mon 29 Aug), and finally Shadows (Wed 31 Aug) to be part of his season. From classical to modern, European to American and Scorsese to Welles, Soundtrack Season follows a long catalogue of a critical and vital relationships of culture- that between film and music. Fri 5 Aug - Wed 31 Aug, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, homemcr.org

28.09.2016 - 08.10.2016.

Coming soon: The Emperor ft. Kathryn Hunter at HOME.

As a part of its autumn season, HOME hosts the world premiere of The Emperor. Actor Kathryn Hunter, director Walter Meierjohann and playwright Colin Teevan will be collaborating once again for this production, following their success with Kafka’s Monkey, which garnered both critical and popular praise last summer. The Emperor is a co-production between HOME, the Young Vic and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, and is based on Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuściński’s remarkable 1978 account of the collapse of Haile Selassie's rule, who was monarch of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. Accompanied by live music performed by Temesgen Zeleke, leader of London-based Ethiopian three-piece Krar Collective, the performance features Hunter as a master of storytelling. In a kingdom obsessed with title and tradition, everyone from the lowly to the loyal have mesmerising stories to tell. Creating a captivating cast of characters, the award-winning actress and director narrates the tales of servants to a despotic ruler on the brink of downfall and explores the themes of corruption, greed and unbridled power. Wed 28 Aug - Sat 8 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus 2pm Sat matinee), £10 - £26.50, homemcr.org

17.07.2016 - 31.07.2016.

Manchester Jazz Festival's Jazz on Film at HOME ft. Miles Davis & Spike Lee.

As part of the Manchester Jazz Festival, HOME MCR are screening eight specially selected films that cover a wide range of the diversity at hand in jazz. Whether these films cover Miles Davis’s music in Lift to the Scaffold’s score, the pioneering Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood’s Bird, a 35mm screening of Spike Lee’s Mo’ Better Blues or the Oscar -nominated ‘Round Midnight, all reflect the multiplicity nature of jazz. Additionally, The Connection, Tubby Haynes: A Man in a Hurry & Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser further help to support the scope found in the genre. Giving further insight into both the music and film on offer will be a number of experts and members of the Manchester Jazz Community, specific to each film screening. Miles Davis himself referred to jazz as ‘social music’- engaging with all levels and classes of society. Like the flowing notes of his music help to suture the listener into human emotion, so, perhaps, do to the films on offer. Sun 17 - Sun 31 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org

23.07.2016.

This Saturday: Linton Kwesi Johnson live at HOME.

This Saturday, HOME hosts an evening celebrating Jamaican poetry. Linton Kwesi Johnson will be appearing live on stage to pay tribute the late Michael “Mikey” Smith, an erstwhile friend and fellow poet. Smith was known for his politically-charged poems that focussed on the struggles of everyday people. Johnston will be giving an introduction to Smith’s work, as well as reading some of his own work. He will also present the evening’s main event: a screening of the documentary Upon Westminster Bridge. Produced in 1982 for the BBC’s Arena series, the film focuses on Smith’s first visit to the UK, where he performed at many iconic London locations. Here, his work resonated with the political ranting poets of the era, as well as punk and reggae musicians. The event is part of Stand Up and Spit, a series of concerts, exhibitions, and talks which celebrate the ranting poetry scene. Sat 23 July, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm, £10/£9 (conc.), homemcr.org

13.07.2016 - 16.07.2016.

New theatre: Alexander Zeldin’s Beyond Caring at HOME.

HOME hosts Alexander Zeldin’s darkly humorous play about zero-hours contracts later this month. Beyond Caring arrives at HOME following successful runs at London's The Yard Theatre and the National Theatre, with the New York Times describing it as 'beyond praise'. Zeldin, the Associate Director at Birmingham Rep, wrote the production - featuring a cast of five - through investigation, first-hand experience and with the participation of individuals in low-paid jobs. Wed 13 - Sat 16 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, 7.45pm, £12, homemcr.org

08.07.2016 - 17.07.2016.

Film: The Neon Demon by Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) at HOME Manchester.

Danish auteur Nicolas Winding Refn appeared at HOME Manchester last month alongside a preview screening of his new horror film, The Neon Demon - which formally opens this July. The film, whose scenes of necrophilia and cannabalism provoked outrage at the Cannes Film Festival, marks Refn's return to US-based filmmaking following 2011's Drive. The director has a taste for ultraviolence, great music and a strong visual look - and The Neon Demon ticks all the right boxes... and then some. This time, the narrative explores the dark side of beauty obsession in LA following the tale of an aspiring model played by Elle Fanning. The film includes a score by Cliff Martinez (Drive, Solaris, Traffic) and stars turns by Keanu Reeves and Jena Malone. Thu 8 Jul - Sun 17 Jul (TBC), Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 8pm, sold out, homemcr.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cipOTUO0CmU

06.07.2016 - 20.07.2016.

Film season: Nicolas Winding Refn presents ft. Mad Max + Only God Forgives at HOME.

Whether you think that Nicolas Winding Refn is a maverick, genius or perplexing film-maker, he knows his film. Curating a season with HOME, Refn has selected six films for screening - including his most controversial film to date, the Bangkok-set Only God Forgives (20 Jul) which closes the season. It opens with Rainer Werner's masterpiece, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (6 July) which nods towards Refn's forthcoming horror, The Neon Demon, with human desire playing a pivotal role. The season also includes George Miller’s Mad Max (9 July). Recently gaining a reboot of sorts, Miller’s original sees Mel Gibson taking the iconic role of Max Rockatansky. Pete Walker’s Man of Violence (15 July) is an homage to the great American gangster films of Hollywood’s golden generation while Planet of the Vampires (16 July) has influenced contemporary sci-fi classics, such as Ridley Scott’s Alien. Wed 6 - Wed 20 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org

07.07.2016 - 09.07.2016.

Comedy theatre: Now Listen To Me Very Carefully at HOME.

Bootworks Theatre’s production of Now Listen To Me Very Carefully, a semi-autobiographical piece about one man’s obsession with Terminator 2, arrives at HOME this July. The comedic stage show is a homage to James Cameron’s 1991 sci-fi classic, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger - delivered via stand-up comedy, storytelling and participation. Now Listen To Me Very Carefully, which was nominated for a Total Theatre Award in 2015, is preceded by a one-off screening of The Terminator - the 1984 original - on Saturday 9 July. Thu 7 - Sat 9 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Thu & Fri 7.45pm, Sat 6.30pm, £12 (£17.50 with The Terminator screening), homemcr.org Phoot: Alex Brenner

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30.04.2016 - 03.07.2016.

Last chance: Imitation of Life - Melodrama & Race in the 21st Century at HOME.

As part of HOME’s new season, Imitation of Life: Melodrama and Race in the 21st Century is a new group exhibition at HOME that explores race in contemporary society. The 12 selected artists create a visual map of the last 15 years of racial politics in the US and Europe, bringing together a range of mediums: painting, sculpture, storytelling, theatre, and cinema. The show is inspired by a film of the same name directed by Douglas Sirk in 1959 about motherhood and racial segregation, a film charged with subtext and double meaning. Included will be a new commission from Sophia Al-Maria and work from Larry Achiampong, Michael Armitage (work pictured), Kevin Beasley, Jordan Casteel, Loulou Cherinet, Loretta Fahrenholz, Lauren Halsey, Tony Lewis, Jayson Musson, Jacolby Satterwhite and Martine Syms. Fri 29 Apr (preview 6 - 9pm), Sat 30 Apr - Sun 3 Jul, HOME, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Open Tue-Sat 12pm - 8pm, Sun 12pm - 6om, Mon closed (except for bank holidays), FREE, www.homemcr.org

10.06.2016 - 25.06.2016.

Last chance: ANU theatre's On Corporation Street at HOME Manchester.

Marking 20 years since the IRA bomb detonated on Corporation Street in 1996, this co-production between Manchester's HOME and leading Irish theatre company, ANU, follows their last collaboration, 2014's critically acclaimed Angel Meadow. Created in the same immersive style, and using real life stories as a foundation for the performance, this new collaboration is likely to challenge historical preconceptions and explore the limits of one-to-one theatre. Expect in your face storytelling and atmospheric sets, in a show that will appeal to fans of Punch Drunk's style of immersive theatre. Several performances have sold out already. Fri 10-Sat 25 Jun, HOME (promenade performance), 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, www.homemcr.org

02.06.2016 - 05.06.2016.

This weekend: Ideal Home Show 2016 at EventCity Manchester.

Bursting with inspiration, awesome gadgets, TV personalities, room sets and fine food, the Ideal Home Show 2016 returns to EventCity Manchester this weekend. Over four days filled with top brands, industry experts and hundreds of products, there's something to brighten up every corner of the home. More than 300 exhibitors are located across seven show areas which take in themes like interiors, gardens and fashion with special offers and show exclusives part of the draw. Browse the Show Home, explore inspirational room sets and enjoy glass of bubbly in the restaurant and Champagne bar. The Ideal Super Theatre has a programme of talks and demonstrations from the likes of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Diarmuid Gavin, Gregg Wallace, Katie Piper, Suzi Perry and Martin Lewis. Thu 2 - Sun 5 Jun, EventCity, Phoenix Way, Manchester M41 7TB, Tel: 0844 209 7366, £12/£11, www.idealhomeshowmanchester.com A Manchester Wire partnership post

02.06.2016.

Hip-hop homecoming: Mouse Outfit at Band on the Wall.

A surefire sellout after December's raucous jive, Mouse Outfit's live hip-hop homecoming is due for a repeat performance in June. Fronted by the mainstay vocal duo of Syntax and Sparkz, the nine-piece have been wowing Manchester audiences since before their 2013 debut LP, Escape Music, set critics purring with its who's who of cherry-picked guest MCs from the area. Last year's follow-up, Step Steadier, delivered their horn-heavy dose of live jazz, funk and soul far and wide, but this Band on the Wall show sees them back in the city where it all began. Thu 2 Jun, Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 5JZ, 7.30pm, £10, www.bandonthewall.org

02.06.2016 - 05.06.2016.

Limited FREE ticket giveaway: Ideal Home Show 2016 at EventCity Manchester.

We’re giving away 500 free tickets to the Ideal Home Show 2016 at EventCity Manchester. Running from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June, the Ideal Home Show 2016 is full of inspiring ideas for the whole home, from kitchens and bathrooms to bedrooms, basements, fixtures and fittings and gardens. The four day spectacular includes leading brands, talks by industry experts and products to transform your home - not forgetting all the latest gadgets. This year's event is sponsored by Express Bi-folding Doors and offers both a proper day out and a unique shopping experience, with something for the whole family to enjoy. Look out for over 300 exhibitors across seven areas. Alongside show offers and exclusives, highlights include fully furnished room sets and show homes to explore, the Gregg Wallace restaurant, Champagne bar and a comprehensive programme of talks in the Ideal Super Theatre. Guests include George Clarke, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Diarmuid Gavin, Gregg Wallace, Katie Piper, Suzi Perry and Martin Lewis - to name but a few. Free tickets to the Ideal Home Show 2016 are available on a first come first served basis. To book yours, visit www.idealhomeshowmanchester.com and quote MCRWIRE* *Offer closes at 23:59 on Thursday 26 May 2016. A maximum of 2 free adult tickets (weekdays and limited weekend) per household. Children 15 and under go FREE (maximum 1 child per adult ticket) please request these at the Box Office. Entry valid for the day requested between 2-5 June 2016. Tickets will be on a first-come first-serve basis and will be print at home tickets only. Tickets will be sent via email between 1-5 days after application. Tickets are non-transferable, non-assignable and there are no cash alternatives. All tickets will be scanned upon entry. Multiple applications will be refused entry onsite. Open to UK residents only. A Manchester Wire partnership post.

20.05.2016 - 22.05.2016.

Free things to do this weekend ft. HOME Birthday, Under the Sea + more.

HOME’s First Birthday It’s hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since HOME opened its doors, but here we are celebrating the arts hub’s first birthday. There’s plenty going on over the weekend with screenings, live music and DJs, all of which can be found detailed in our full preview. Of particular interest is What Would Billie Do, a project from musician Najia Baji that stitches together real life love stories she’s accumulated over the past few months and turns the patchwork into unique compositions. Fri 20 – Sun 22 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times & prices vary, www.homemcr.org Under The Sea Party at RedbankCo This is a weird little event taking place on Saturday: Professional caterers Holy Crab present their Under the Sea Party at archway bar RedbankCo in the Green Quarter. Early on, they’ll be serving up a range of seafood snacks for your delectation and later you’ll be treated to Business Fish Disco (pictured). Business Fish Disco are a pair of pop-heavy DJs who, as you can see, dress like fish. If that doesn’t reel you in, I’m not sure what will Sat 21 May, RedbankCo, 22 Redbank Parade, Manchester, M4 4HF. 4pm - late, www.facebook.com Last Chance to See Ben Rivers at The Whitworth Video artist Ben Rivers has had his documentary-cum-installation The Two Eyes Are Not Brothers at The Whitworth since February, and it draws to a close this weekend. Centred around a pseudodocumentary shot by Rivers, the installation also features old repurposed film sets. Check out our full preview. Until Sun 22 May, The Whitworth, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER. Tel: 0161 275 7450, 10am -5pm, www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk Fat Roland Podcast Recording at Gullivers One of the key minds behind spoken word behemoth Bad Language, writer/performer Fat Roland is launching his brand new thing: A live podcast. Hey Fat Roland promises games, wittering and comic prose, and could be the start of something genuinely special. It’s also a great opportunity to check out one of the titans of the local live literature scene. Sun 22 May, Gullivers, 109 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LW. 4pm, www.facebook.com Euro Tunnel Installation at PHM Next month, we’ll all be taking part in one of the most important political decisions of this young century: The referendum on EU membership. With aggressive campaigns from both sides of the debate, this one could come down to the wire as voters struggle to grasp the issues at stake. This immersive art project at the People’s History Museum aims to shed light on some of the arguments for and against membership of the Union all presented in the form of a tunnel. This is an excellent one to check out whether you’re looking to get clued up for the referendum, or just looking for a potted history of postwar Europe. Until Tue 28 Jun, People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Manchester, M3 3ER. Tel: 0161 838 9190, 10am - 5pm, www.phm.org.uk

20.05.2016 - 22.05.2016.

Free events: HOME's first birthday weekender.

It may be hard to believe, but HOME has now been open for a full year. With one million visits, and over 200,000 tickets sold, the venue appears to be doing okay. So, HOME’s creative team are celebrating with three days of special events from Friday (20 May) until Sunday (22 May). There are dozens of things planned, including: art installations, performances, film previews, and workshops. On Saturday, there will be a rooftop festival featuring live music and DJs, whilst on the square outside, bands will be performing. The Studio Ghibli film ‘When Marnie Was There’, the final release by the animation house before its hiatus, is being screened. As one year is the ‘paper’ anniversary, artist Nicola Dale is creating a giant paper sculpture that will span all floors, and she is inviting visitors to collaborate with her. On a more serious theme, there is also ‘Imitation of Life’, a major new exhibition exploring racial politics, featuring oral histories and storytelling - read our preview. Fri 20 - Sun 22 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times & prices vary, www.homemcr.org

01.02.2016 - 30.04.2016.

Top 3: Films at HOME's CRIME: Hong Kong Style festival.

From February until April, HOME is hosting CRIME: Hong Kong Style, a major film festival. It will showcase 20 movies, including big hits, cult favourites, and some forgotten gems. Described as the UK’s biggest celebration of Hong Kong cinema, HOME will welcome leading figures from the films for Q+As, introductions, and other events. Three of the best movies are outlined below… Infernal Affairs (2002) Infernal Affairs (you might have read that wrong) was massively popular in Asia and became a cult hit in the West. It focuses on a cop who goes undercover with the Triads, and a mobster who infiltrates the police force. If that sounds a wee bit familiar, that’s because it was remade by Martin Scorsese as The Departed. Despite winning many awards, including the Best Director Oscar for Scorsese, many feel that the original is superior. The film features two of Asia’s biggest stars in the lead roles: Andy Lau and Tony Leung. It's really good. Police Story (1985) Of course, no such festival would be complete without a Jackie Chan film, and this is surely one of his best. In the early 1980s, Chan was trying hard to break into the Western market, with films like ‘The Big Brawl’ and ‘The Protector’. Unhappy with those films’ lack of success, he took it upon himself to direct and co-write ‘Police Story’. He also plays the lead – a maverick cop who tries to take down a mob boss. It features the signature Jackie Chan blend of action and comedy. The movie is a cult favourite, and was hugely influential for filmmakers such as Edgar Wright. Wild City (2015) The festival isn’t just about established favourites; this is a UK premiere. Wild City is directed by Ringo Lam, who helmed one of Hong Kong’s most influential crime films, City on Fire. Here, he returns to the crime genre with this stylish neo-noir. Wild City centres on a former police officer and his wayward brother. They try to take on a ruthless group of Taiwanese gangsters, but soon find themselves out of their depths. Feb - Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Times and prices vary, homemcr.org

07.04.2016 - 24.04.2016.

Last chance: ¡Viva! Spanish + Latin American Festival at HOME.

Taking over HOME for most of April is ¡Viva!, a major arts festival celebrating the culture of Spain and Latin America. It is returning bigger than ever, with screenings of 20 films from 10 countries, including four UK premieres. The visual arts will also be celebrated with the launch of an experimental moving image platform. And for the first time, the festival will include a theatre programme, featuring existing works and new commissions. Three the standouts of the festival are outlined below: Theatre showcase: Abel González Melo ¡Viva! will feature a very special residency and showcase by the renowned Cuban playwright Abel González Melo. He is famed for his plays about his home country’s society and its harsh realities. His breakthrough work ‘Chamaco’ will have its UK premiere here. This will be a ‘scratch’ performance, meaning it will have a work-in-progress and collaborative feel. Also presented will be a reading of Melo’s newly-commissioned work ‘Weathered’. Don’t worry: both pieces will be presented in English. Film screening: El Abrazo de la serpiente (‘Embrace of the Serpent’) This adventure drama was filmed deep in the rainforests of Colombia. Taking place in 1909 and 1940, the film tells two stories, both featuring an Amazonian shaman who is the last member of his tribe. Accompanied by scientists, he travels through the jungle to look for a rare, sacred plant. The film was universally praised by critics for its black and white cinematography, and its portrayals of colonialism and survivor’s guilt. It won an award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Oscars. Film screening: Mi Gran Noche (‘My Big Night’) Something of a change of pace from the above, ‘My Big Night’, which hails from Spain, is a comedic satire of the entertainment industry. It centres on a New Year’s Eve TV special which is being pre-taped months in advance. During the disastrous shoot, an extra is accidentally killed and José, a hapless everyman, is hired as the replacement. Along with hundreds of other extras, he is essentially trapped in a TV studio for days, surrounded by egomaniacs. He becomes involved in various backstage shenanigans, including backstabbing, fights and even an assassination attempt. Thu 7 Apr – Sun 24 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Price and show times vary, homemcr.org

08.04.2016.

Film screening + Q&A: I Am Belfast with dir. Mark Cousins at HOME.

After truly establishing himself in the insightful behemoth 15-hour documentary, The Story of Film, Mark Cousins once again returns to our screens with I Am Belfast. Although critically respected as a writer, critic and filmmaker, Cousins latest cinematic outing delves into the history surrounding his home town. The city itself is close to director’s heart evidently, even if he left during the height of its own troubles. Clearly, the film is a love letter to a beloved and highly problematic place. However, continuing their recent success in holding Q&A’s with Danny Boyle, to name but a few, HOME MCR are staging another glorious night for any cinephile and culture lover to query one of Britain’s most prominent filmic figures. Expect a powerfully aesthetic and heightened visceral experience rarely witnessed. One that will combine the past, the present and the future of a city into unity. Fri 8 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4F, 8.30pm, £9, www.homemcr.org

01.04.2016 - 07.04.2016.

Restored film screening: Akira Kurosawa's Ran at HOME.

The 1985 Japanese classic Ran is coming to the screens of Mancunian arts hub HOME at the start of April as part of a series of national screenings showcasing a new 4K remastered cut of the film. Directed by celebrated filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, it’s a certified masterpiece of world cinema that frequently finds its way into critics’ top ten lists - even thirty years since its original release. It’s a retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear set in feudal Japan - with a healthy dollop of Japanese legend thrown into the mix - told in bright, glorious colour, full of fire and grit. Restored in 4K, the huge battle scenes - Kurosawa famously employed over 1400 extras for the film - look as big and brutal as ever, with every every sword swipe and flaming arrow captured crystal clear. This re-release marks not only the thirtieth anniversary of the film’s European release, but is also conveniently aligned with the 400th anniversary of the bard’s death. Whether you’re a fan of Shakespeare, Japanese cinema - or just a filmgoer looking for an epic take on a classic tale - this is a screening you absolutely must not miss. Fri 1 Apr - Thu 7 Apr, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4F, Various times, £9, www.homemcr.org https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwP_kXyd-Rw&feature=youtu.be

15.03.2016 - 29.03.2016.

Win a £50 Deliveroo voucher & enjoy restaurant food at home.

Deliveroo brings food straight from your favourite restaurants to your home or office. The range of restaurant meals you can choose from include everything from off-beat Asian options at Oishi Q and Asha's to sweet pancakes from Home Sweet Home, Filthy Cow burgers or a romantic meal for two from Albert's Shed. And there's no waiting around for a table with an average delivery time of 32 minutes. If you'd like to try Deliveroo for size, why not enter our competition? To be in with a chance of winning a £50 Deliveroo voucher, simply send the answer to the question below to competitions at manchesterwire dot co dot uk, including your name, age, Twitter handle and phone number. Please write 'Deliveroo competition' in the subject line. Competition closes on Tuesday 29 March at midnight. Deliveroo's logo is a picture of a... 1. Camel 2. Kangaroo 3. Chihuahua For more information, full restaurant listings and estimated delivery times for your postcode, visit deliveroo.co.uk A Manchester Wire partnership post.

26.03.2016.

Film: This Is Not a Cartoon animation showcase at HOME Manchester.

This Saturday, HOME is hosting ‘This Is Not a Cartoon’, which – somewhat counterintuitively – is a showcase of animated short films. Aimed at the over 18s, the programme features an eclectic mix of eight movies, both dramas and comedies, all of which were favourites on the international festival circuit. Somewhere Down the Line is a look at a man’s loves and losses as seen through exchanges he has with the passengers in his car. Cookie-tin Banjo is a music video to song about a boy and his first musical instrument. In The Air Is Christopher Gray will be followed by a Q+A session with the director, the BAFTA-nominated Felix Massie. Sat 26 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 3.40pm, £6 (£4 conc.), homemcr.org

19.03.2016.

Vintage and Homemade Fair: The Village Haul in Prestwich.

The Village Haul is a regular vintage and handmade fair which is held in Prestwich. Taking place this Saturday is the Haul’s grand Spring Fair. Spring doesn’t technically begin until Sunday, but let’s not ruin the fun. You’ll find a plethora of traders with all sorts of retro goods from the mid-twentieth century, including: homeware, art prints, and clothing. Also on sale will be contemporary crafts, such as jewellery, soft toys, and beauty products. KIOSK will be on hand with light refreshments, and Chef Wendy Swetnam will be presenting her signature dish: Gin & tonic cake. Throughout the day, there will be workshops for children, where little ‘uns can create an outfit for their favourite toy, or make their own sock bunny. Entry to the fair is free, but the workshops cost £5 per child. Please see the website below for more details. Sat 19 Mar, Church Lane Community Centre, Church Lane, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AJ, 11am – 5pm, FREE entry, thevillagehaul.co.uk

13.03.2016.

Vintage Home Show: mid-century housewares at Victoria Baths.

Lovers of all things retro and kitsch should head to Victoria Baths in March, for the Vintage Home Show. Taking place in a grandiose setting, the event is a haven for mid-century housewares with 50 of the region’s best traders showcasing furniture, artwork, lighting, kitchenalia, and ceramics. You’ll find many classic brands from the 1930s to the 1970s on sale, such as Ercol and G-Plan. This is a regular event which takes place in both Manchester and Leeds, and it always attracts many hundreds of visitors. So be sure to arrive early before all the best sideboards have been bought up by people in flares and platform shoes. Tickets are available via the link below, or you can pay on the door. Sun 13 Mar, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 OFE. Tel: 0161 224 2020, 11am – 4pm, £5 (early bird) - £3 (regular), www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

07.03.2016.

Talk: Russian music critic & activist Artemy Troitsky at HOME Manchester.

HOME presents an evening with Artemy Troitsky, the Russian music writer and cultural critic. Troitsky made his name during the communist era and has been described as 'the leading Soviet rock critic', by the New York Times. In 1986, he organised a huge benefit concert after the Chernobyl disaster, which was modelled after Live Aid. Now, as an activist in post-Soviet times, he has been critical of the country’s ruling elite. He is coming our way to promote his new book, which looks at youth movements and subcultures in Russia. An alternative social and cultural history, it highlights the underground music and art movements that have helped shape the post-USSR era. He will be in conversation with the journalist and broadcaster John Robb at this event. The evening is presented by The New Social, a collective that organises live events aimed at rethinking 'the new east'. Mon 7 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.15pm, £5 (£4 conc.), homemcr.org

03.03.2016 - 06.03.2016.

Top 3: Manchester Film Festival 2016 at HOME, AMC & more.

Manchester Film Festival (formerly known as Manchester International Film Festival if we are not mistaken) will be making a return in early March. This four-day event has a packed programme of narrative, documentary, and short movies. The festival opens with a gala event at HOME, and expands to several venues in the city centre. The Odeon at the Printworks will be host to Music Saturday - a programme of films relating to, you guess it, music, while Sunday will see a range of films on the topic of sport at the AMC Great Northern including the international premiere of a documentary about 'Busby babe' Dennis Viollet, directed by his daughter Rachel Viollet. Sunday also sees the Odeon showing a selection of films directed by and/or centred on inspiring women. Here are three films that we particularly like the look of:- Big Bang in Pyongyang The AMC will be hosting the Manchester premiere of Big Bang in Pyongyang. This documentary follows the eccentric American basketball player Dennis Rodman on his visit to North Korea. Here, he forms an unlikely friendship with supreme leader Kim Jong-un. These two very different men (if only in terms of height) aim to improve the relations between their two countries with a basketball game. Hounded by the press and denounced by The Whitehouse, can Rodman make the most controversial game in history happen? The film was directed by the Mancunian filmmaker, Colin Offland. Sun 6 Mar, AMC, The Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN, 5pm, Price TBC, www.maniff.com Despite the Falling Snow Another standout is the UK premiere of Despite the Falling Snow. A spy thriller, the film centres on Katya, a young Russian Woman who is secretly a spy for the USA. She is given a huge spying assignment: stealing secrets from a rising government star, but her feelings for him complicate the mission. British filmmaker Shamim Sarif directs this adaptation of her own bestselling novel. The movie stars Rebecca Ferguson and Charles Dance and is part of Manchester’s Wonder Woman 2016 programme. Fri 4 Mar and Sun 6 Mar, The Odeon, Printworks, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester, M4 2BS, 7.15pm (Fri) – 12pm (Sun), Price TBC, www.maniff.com There Should Be Rules The closing night gala will feature the international premiere of There Should Be Rules (Det borde finnas Regler). This Scandinavian coming-of-age drama was directed by Linda-Maria Birbeck. The film centres on Mia and Mirjam, two teenage best friends who are torn apart when Mirjam is seduced by an older, married man. Sun 6 Mar, The Odeon, Printworks, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester, M4 2BS, Time and price TBD, www.maniff.com

25.02.2016 - 12.03.2016.

Theatre: Beckett's Endgame at HOME.

Arguably one of Samuel Beckett's most important works, Endgame comes to HOME in collaboration with Citizens Theatre, Glasgow. In typically claustrophobic and painful style, the play explores a difficult relationship, with Artistic Director Dominic Hill applying his talent of reinterpreting classic texts in contemporary style. A one-act play with four characters, there's nowhere for the audience or actors to hide as they verbally taunt and struggle with one another. Chris Gascoyne and David Neilson may have graced Coronation Street's cobbles for many years, but they've also got a wealth of theatre experience as two of the North West's acting stalwarts. They take to the stage to depict the complex duo. Thu 25 Feb – Sat 12 Mar, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

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02.02.2016 - 06.02.2016.

Young Vic's acclaimed Macbeth comes to HOME Manchester.

For the first time, one of Shakespeare's plays is to be staged as a HOME, Young Vic and Birmingham Repertory Theatre co-production in association with Lucy Guerin Inc. This performance offers the expected unease, betrayal, power struggles and suspicion with choreography from Guerin designed to further unsettle the senses. Described by The Guardian as, 'A viscerally exciting production', what better way to mark the 400th year since the death of William than with a performance of such wide acclaim. As part of the impressive Drama, Theatre Studies & English season at HOME, tickets are on sale now. Answer the witches question - soon, that's when you should all come and meet again. Tues 2 – Sat 6 Feb, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, from £15, www.homemcr.org Image: Richard Hubert Smith

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06.02.2016.

North West Film Premiere: Icarus at the Edge of Time at HOME.

This February, HOME will be hosting the North West premiere of the film Icarus at the Edge of Time. Directed by acclaimed filmmakers AL and AL, this is a futuristic reimagining of the classic Greek myth. The story centres a young boy who foolishly challenges the awesome power of a black hole. It is based on a book by the world renowned theoretical physicist Brian Greene, who will be providing narration on the night. The score, which was written by none other than Philip Glass, will be performed live by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. There will also be a screening of Georges Méliès’ influential sci-fi short film Le Voyage dans la lune (1902), complete with a new piano score. This event is part of Incidents of Travel in the Multiverse, a major new exhibition of AL and AL’s work, which will be held at HOME’s galleries from February until April. Sat 6 Feb, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 8.00pm, £15 (£12 conc.), homemcr.org

14.01.2017 - 28.01.2017.

PUSH Festival 2017: North West Art, Theatre & Film at HOME.

PUSH Festival returns this January, showcasing the work of artists working across various media in the North West. The two-week long festival includes performances, screenings, panel discussions, workshops and an exhibition. Highlights include People Zoo Productions's new take on The Trial, Franz Kafka’s darkly comic tale of one man’s struggle against unchecked power. There will also be a screening of The Crossing, the first feature by Manchester-based filmmaker Jason Wingard: A mix of documentary and fictional drama, the film was shot over the course of a year in the Calais Jungle. In addition to screenings and performances, there's several panel discussions aimed at people trying to get ahead in creative industries, and have subjects such as funding short films, digital marketing and getting ahead in VFX. Sat 14 Jan – Sat 28 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, Times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

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28.01.2016 - 30.01.2016.

Hofesh Shechter's Barbarians at HOME.

Following the hugely successful performance tHE bAD earlier this year at HOME, Israeli dancer Hofesh Shechter is back. As ever, his choreography relies upon the elegance and uncomfortableness of intimacy, but this time, there is no set. Brave. A lighting design will carve through the space as the dancers combine through baroque-inspired choreography to trance-like underground groove. The performance seamlessly brings together these varying styles through the three very different elements to the trilogy: the barbarians in love, a reprise of tHE bAD, with two completely different angles of the same fucking thing concluding the evening. Hofesh Shechter's reputation precedes him. His work receives critical acclaim, the previous visit to HOME was one of my personal cultural highlights of last year. Being performed over only three nights, this is one not to be missed. Thu 28 – Sat 30 Jan, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

23.01.2016.

Suede: Night Thoughts film screening w/ Brett Anderson & Mat Osman Q&A at HOME.

Suede fans: book tickets for a screening of new music film, Night Thoughts, at HOME with a live Q&A with singer Brett Anderson and bassist Mat Osman later this month. The film follows thoughts of a drowning man with music from the band's seventh full length album, also called Night Thoughts. Director Roger Sargent has been lauded by the NME as one of the planet's most important music photographers. He's worked with everyone from AC/DC to the Libertines, while Suede's new album, produced by long-term collaborator Ed Buller, promises a return to sumptuous form. Sat 23 Jan, HOME, Tony Wilson Place, 2 First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 9pm, £7.50, homemcr.org

25.11.2016 - 08.01.2017.

Top 6: Family Christmas shows ft. Wow! Said the Owl at Home Manchester.

When it comes to family festive shows there's more on offer in Manchester than cheesy pantos. We've picked out a few of the best, including a number of shows for very small children. Venues like the Lowry and Waterside offer relaxed performances for children with special needs too, so everyone can join the fun. Click on the links below for more details. Wow! Said the Owl at Home Manchester Little Angel Theatre present this family friendly show based on the book by Tim Hopgood. Join little owl on a mission to stay away all night to see what daylight brings, in a colourful show that includes story-telling, puppetry and music. Suitable for ages 2-5. Wed 14 - Fri 30 Dec, Home, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org Elf at the Lowry There are a number of places to meet Will Ferrell's famous character, Elf, this year including the Albert Hall's Christmas party and film screening. Those seeking something for the whole family should plump for this West End musical version. Suitable for ages 7+ Sat 25 Nov 2016 - Sat 7 Jan 2017, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ. Tel: 0843 208 6000, times and prices vary, www.thelowry.com The Wizard of Oz at Z-Arts A locally produced take on the family classic by Meighan Youth Theatre (MYT) theatre. Suitable for all ages. Wed 14 - Sat 17 Dec, Z-Arts, 335 Stretford Road, Manchester M15 5ZA. Tel: 0161 226 1912, times & prices vary, www.z-arts.org Sorry Christmas is cancelled.. Katie Saves the Day at the Lowry (pictured) Topsy Turvy theatre present this sweet show riffing on the popular 'let's save Christmas!' theme. Expect more storytelling, puppets and music plus cool sets. Suitable for ages 2-7. Tue 22 Dec 2016 - Sat 7 Jan 2017, The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays M50 3AZ. Tel: 0843 208 6000, times and prices vary, www.thelowry.com Underneath a Magical Moon at Waterside Arts Centre Tutti Frutti and York Theatre Royal present a re-imagining of Peter Pan as told by Wendy Darling. Expect singing, dancing, wonderful sets and a gripping tale. Suitable for ages 3+. Thu 8-Sat 31 Dec, Waterside Arts Centre, 1 Waterside, Sale M33 7ZF. Tel: 0161 912 5616, times and prices vary, www.watersideartscentre.co.uk Peter Pan at Stockport Plaza John Altman (Eastender's Nasty Nick) takes the lead as evil Captain Hook in this pantomine take on J.M. Barrie's fantastic tale. Suitable for all the family. Fri 2 Dec - Sun 8 Jan, Stockport Plaza, The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport SK1 1SP. Tel: 0161 477 7779, times and prices vary, www.stockportplaza.co.uk

17.12.2015.

Screening: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night at Chorlton Film Institute.

Chorlton Film Institute hosts a screening of Iranian vampire movie, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night at St Clements Church this Thursday (17 Dec). This wonderful, indie, offbeat film is big screen directorial debut of Ana Lily Amirpour, a British-Iranian woman who grew up in the USA. It's deep, amusing, haunting and lighthearted in equal measure, bringing to mind such modern standards as Jim Jarmusch's Only Lovers Left Alive. A highlight is music by the Iranian band, Kiosk yet this gentle exploration of life in a dust-filled town, where people-less factories take the place of saloon bars, has many visual highlights too. More screenings at the Chorlton Film Institute include serial killer tale, London Road (Thu 21 Jan) and one of the strangest films of recent times, The Duke of Burgundy (Thu 18 Feb), which explores lesbian sexual submission in a Portmerion-esque town inhabited by female moth experts. Plenty to please film fans in 2016 and beyond. Thu 17 Dec, St Clements Church, Chorlton, 8.10pm for 8.30pm start, £5 (no membership or pre-booking required), www.chorltonfi.pbworks.com Explore the soundtrack on Spotify here: open.spotify.com

14.11.2015 - 03.01.2016.

Art exhibition: Safe at Home Manchester.

Are you allergic to the 21st Century? - is the tag line for this exhibition now running at HOME which is part of a series of shows that respond to classic cinema in a modern day context. Safe - which is inspired by Todd Haynes’ 1995 film about a disillusioned housewife - explores the film’s recurrent themes such as: environmental issues, the AIDS epidemic, sexual politics, and suburban disillusionment. For this exhibition, nine artists, including Claire Makhlouf Carter, Sunil Gupta, and Turner Prize nominee James Richards, are showing work across the mediums of writing, performance, sculpture, print and moving image. Together they present a unique view on new-age thinking in an age of disenchantment and the subsequent self-help language that feeds into this market. Given that its Christmas in the middle of this exhibition's run, it might be worth popping in before the big day to give you plenty of time to explore the ideas on display. Sat 14 Nov - Sun 3 Jan, HOME, 2, Tony Wilson Place, 2 First Street, Manchester M15 4FN, Mon closed (except for bank holidays), Tue - Sat noon-8pm, Sun noon-6pm, FREE, www.homemcr.org

04.12.2015 - 13.12.2015.

Sketch-O-Matic: £1 portraits in a photo booth artist residency at HOME.

If you’re planning to visit HOME in December, an added bonus to the film, theatre and art programme is Sketch-O-Matic, the venue’s revived art residency that has proved wildly popular on previous appearances. It's easy to understand why. You’ll find a full-sized photo booth, but instead of camera, there is roster of real-life artists inside who will be there creating caricatures, portraits and other works of art all day, every day. All you have to do is sit down, and put a donation in the slot - but be warned you may well have to queue. The minimum suggested amount is £1 per person, but more will be gladly accepted. Wait for around about five minutes, and a unique portrait, poem, or even a collage will appear in the dispensing tray, with an authentic gust of warm air. Sketch-O-Matic had two successful residences back during the Cornerhouse days, and it’s predicted to be a hit at the new venue. Lunchtimes and weekends are likely to be busiest. Fri 4 – Sun 13 Dec, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 228 7621, 12pm – 10pm, £1 (minimum donation), homemcr.org

11.12.2015 - 13.12.2015.

HOME presents: Silent horror Häxan with live score.

Later this month, HOME is set to continue its innovative series Music & Film, which sees musicians perform live scores to movies. There will be two screenings of Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1927), with music by Josephine Oniyama and her band. An early example of Scandinavian noir, Häxan is a macabre classic which is still visually stunning even after so many decades. The film begins as a documentary, looking at the hysteria surrounding witch trials in the middle ages. It soon becomes an out-and-out horror movie, with scenes of grave robbing, demonic possession, and satanic rituals which were considered highly shocking upon release. The main music performer, Josephine Oniyama, is a Manchester-born singer and guitarist who is known for mixing gospel and soul. Joining her will be a group of musicians from Salford University, who will be adding to the atmosphere with synthesisers, drum machines and samplers. Fri 11 Dec and Sun 13 Dec, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 8.15pm (Fri); 6.00pm (Sun), £11 (£9 conc.), homemcr.org

31.10.2015 - 19.11.2015.

Top 6: Eventbrite events ft Louder than Words, Homeless Film Festival, supper clubs + more.

Fancy trying something new? Check out Eventbrite’s latest crop of events, festivals and supper clubs. From Malaysian meals to an indie disco in a ball pool, and a screening of Wasteland (pictured), a film about art and homelessness in Brazil as part of the Homeless Film Festival at the Whitworth, there's something for everyone. Forever Manchester Halloween Spooktacular ball at Great Northern Hosted by Forever Manchester's regular party master (and hairdresser to the stars), Andrew Trott-Barn, the Halloween Spooktacular returns with more ghouls, spooks and local celebs than ever before. Dress to impress at this fancy dress spectacular. Sat 31 Oct, Great Northern Warehouse, Unit 5, Deansgate, Manchester. Tel: 0161 832 8136, 7.30pm - 3.30am, £20, www.eventbrite.co.uk Underachievers Ball Pool indie disco at Museum of Science and Industry Having retired after five years and 99 club nights in 2013, Underachievers return for a special party this Halloween. On the penultimate night of Manchester Science Festival, the cult indie club night will serve up an experiment in art and science encouraging playfulness and creativity, including a giant adult ball pool featuring 81, 000 white balls. Music will include alt classics, and new materials. Big kids particularly welcome. Sat 31 Oct, Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road, Manchester M3 4FP. Tel: 0161 832 2244, 9pm – 2am, £5, currently sold out, although we understand more tickets will be released. www.eventbrite.co.uk The Homeless Film Festival at the Whitworth Catch a screening of the award-winning documentary, Wasteland, at the Whitworth as part of the Homeless Film Festival. The setting is not as strange as it seems. Filmed over nearly three years, Wasteland (dir. Lucy Walker) follows artist Vik Muniz from his home in Brooklyn to native Brazil where he visits the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Muniz collaborates with the catadores (rubbish-pickers) to create artistic portraits that reveal hope and despair. In collaboration with a local homeless charity and inspired by the film itself, on the night a 'one-off' art piece will be created using recycled materials and will be donated to a local charity. Thu 12 Nov, The Whitworth, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6ER. Tel: 0161 275 7450, 5-7pm, screening 7.30pm, FREE. www.eventbrite.co.uk Louder Than Words Festival at the Palace Hotel Louder Than Words literary festival celebrates words – oral, written or published - associated with the music industry. Authors, artists, poets, performers, journalists, DJs and publishers of music and popular culture are all involved in the three-day-long festival. Performances include the tales of ‘getting high with Oasis’ by Paolo Hewitt, one of the many ‘in conversation with’ sessions, poetry readings and workshops. Fri 13 – Sun 15 Nov, The Palace Hotel, Manchester M60 7HA. Tel: 0161 288 1111 £15-60, www.eventbrite.co.uk The art of climate change: Continent Chop Chop at The Burgess Foundation Exploring stories from, by and created in association with refugees and migrants this touring multi-media production is both unusual and compelling. Presented by Platforma, an organisation and refugee network that seeks to support creative practices by those from marginalised communities who are refugees or migrants, Continent Chop Chop is a poltically-charged, artistic exploration of climate change and how it relates to poverty, race and social justice. Expect film, music, poetry and projected imagery that cuts to the heart of the matter, including work by environment activist Nnimmo Bassey and London-based poet Zena Edwards. Sat 14 Nov, International Anthony Burgess Foundation, 3 Cambridge Street, Chorlton Mill, M1 5BY Manchester. Tel: 0161 235 0776, 7.30-10.30pm, £3, www.eventbrite.co.uk Malaysian supper club with Nasi Lemak at 7 Park Street Café, Stockport Malaysian pop-up food merchants, Nasi Lemak, are hosting an intimate supper club at 7 Park Street Café in Stockport. The menu includes crispy Kum Heong mussels, which sees fresh seafood served in a sauce made with dried shrimp, crab tom yum soup, Penang chicken (chicken laid over balanced beansprouts drizzled with dark soy served with chicken stock favoured rice accompanied with a clear chicken soup) with crispy iceberg in oyster glaze with pork floss topping. Vegetarian options include Taukua Sumbat (fried beancurd pockets stuffed with cucumber served with peanut dip). This vintage-themed café looks a bit like The Art of Tea to us and should make an ideal setting for a night to remember. Thu 19 Nov, 7 Park Street Café, Stockport SK1 1EZ. Tel: 0161 425 1810, 7pm, £22.10 www.eventbrite.co.uk For more ideas like these, visit Eventbrite.co.uk and search 'Manchester'. A Manchester Wire partnership post.

17.11.2015 - 19.11.2015.

Top Three: Manchester Animation Festival at HOME.

The Manchester Animation Festival is a major celebration of the art form which is taking place at HOME in mid-November. The full programme of events has just been announced, and it’s three packed days featuring screenings of both short and feature length animated films from around the world. There’s also many other events, including workshops, networking events, and masterclasses. We've outlined our top three picks - including prices - below, but full festival passes are still available for £85 (£70 concessions). Masterclass: Will Belcher The animator Will Belcher will be hosting a masterclass in which he will be talking about his career at the award-winning studio Aardman Animations. He first joined the company as a lowly trainee assistant animator for the Wallace & Gromit movie. Since then, he has risen through the ranks to become one of Aardman’s top talents. He was the lead animator on The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, and the recent Shaun the Sheep movie, which currently holds a whopping 99% fresh rating on RottenTomatoes. Wed 18 Nov, Cinema 1 at HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN, 2pm – 3.15pm, £12 (Conc. £10), www.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk Making It in Manchester Manchester is considered to be one of the hotbeds of animation in the UK, with over 100 studios operating in the city. This panel discussion will feature representatives from three prestigious local companies: Factory, Flix Facilities, and Mackinnon & Saunders. Together these firms employ hundreds of people and have created major advertising, television and film projects. The panel members will be outlining the past, present and future of animation in the city and wider region. Wed 18 Nov, Cinema 1 @ HOME, 8pm – 9.15pm, £8.50 (£6.50 Conc.), www.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk The Re-Making of Danger Mouse In the eighties and early nineties, Danger Mouse was one of the UK’s most popular and acclaimed cartoon series. The show was revived this year by a new creative team, and now a voice cast that includes Alexander Armstrong and Stephen Fry. Some of the key folks behind the reboot, including Director Robert Cullen and writer Ben Ward, will be discussing how they brought the show back, and how they aim to appeal to young viewers whilst remaining true to the spirit of the original show. There will also be an exclusive look at a new Danger Mouse episode which hasn’t yet aired. Thu 19 Nov, Cinema 1 @ HOME, 2pm – 3.15pm, £8.50 (£6.50 Conc.), www.manchesteranimationfestival.co.uk

23.10.2015 - 14.11.2015.

Last chance: The Oresteia at HOME.

Blanche McIntyre’s portrayal of The Oresteia premieres at HOME. Aeschylus’ trilogy of Greek tragedies, The Oresteia, exhibits motifs of ruthless betrayal and bloody revenge which remain as relevant today as when the plays were first written, nearly two and a half thousand years ago, making them among the oldest surviving plays in human history. Director, McIntyre herself holds considerable acclaim, rising to prominence with a host of eclectic productions including Chekov’s The Seagull and Coward’s Tonight at 8:30, leading to best newcomer awards. This particular production uses Ted Hughes’ 1999 adaptation of this classic text. With lead performances include from Lindsay Marshal (The Hours, HBO’s Rome and Garrow’s Law), Simon Trinder (The Duel, Midwinter of the Spirit), and a Manchester Community Chorus shaped by local composer Michael Betteridge, expect a stripped back, simmering incarnation of this ancient classic. Fri 23 Oct – Sat 14 Nov, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, £10-£29.50, www.homemcr.org

12.11.2015.

Homeless Film Festival screens Waste Land at The Whitworth + an art workshop.

The Homeless Film Festival, a touring event which aims to tackle global destitution, comes the Whitworth gallery in November. For one night only there will be a screening of the acclaimed documentary, Waste Land, which centres on Vik Muniz, a Brazilian artist. Muniz travels to Rio to investigate the largest landfill site in the world. Here, he meets a group of 'catadores' – people who earn a living from salvaging reusable waste – and collaborates with them. During the course of the film, they transform waste into contemporary artworks and present them for auction, as well as revealing much about their lives, hopes and dreams. The film was nominated for Best Documentary at the Oscars and is directed by Lucy Walker. Prior to the screening, there will be a workshop inspired by the film where designer Laura Jane Atkinson will collaborate with a local homelessness charity to create a one-off piece of art. Thu 12 Nov, the Whitworth, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER, Tel: 0161 275 4750, 5pm - 7pm (workshop), 7.30pm - 9pm (screening), FREE, www.eventbrite.co.uk

11.09.2015 - 01.11.2015.

New HOME art show: Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige: I must first apologise....

I Must First Apologise... is the forthcoming exhibition at Manchester’s new cultural hub, HOME. The artistic concept of Beirut-based artists Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, the show will explore the history of the online spam and scamming craze through film, sculpture, photography and installation. Constructing an exhibition on the basis of virtual ideologies and internet junk, Hadjithomas and Joreige will pose the question: how do we develop intimacy and proximity with individuals whom we have never met? And, how are systems of belief valued? Working collaboratively for the past 15 years, Hadjithomas and Joreige present this subject as both a scary insight into our contemporary online world, and a fascinating commentary on the paradoxical relationship between the victim and the scammer. It is co-produced by HOME, Nice's Villa Arson and MIT Lit Visual Arts Centre in Cambridge, USA. Preview Fri 11 Sep 6pm - 9 pm, then Sat 12 Sep – Sun 1 Nov, HOME, First Street, M15 4FN, Mon closed, except for Bank Holidays, Tue – Sat 12pm - 8pm, Sun 12pm - 6pm FREE, homemcr.org

21.10.2015 - 29.10.2015.

The Time is Now: Pioneering women film season at HOME.

The Time is Now, a season of films that celebrate women who bring about social change, is on now at HOME. Coming up this Thursday (22 Oct, 6.10pm, info) is a screening of the satirical drama Offside, which centres on Iran’s participation in the 2006 World Cup. Women are banned from attending matches, so a group of female footy fans dress as men to beat the system. Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion about women in sport, and the rise in popularity of women’s football. Later in the month is Make More Noise! (Thu 29 Oct, 6.30pm, info), an evening of short silent films, including newsreels and anarchic comedies, that deal with women’s suffrage. This screening will feature a specially commissioned score performed live by Lillian Henley. The festival coincides with the release of Suffragette (pictured, info), a new movie starring Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Meryl Streep. The film is being shown four times a day at HOME until the end of the month. Until Thu 29 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN, Show times and prices vary, homemcr.org

13.10.2015 - 17.10.2015.

HOME 2015 programme announced inc hybrid theatre from 1927's Golem.

HOME, the new 'home' of Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre company, has announced its opening programme from April 2015. A bounty of events have been revealed, with highlights that include acclaimed theatre piece, Golem. This production brings together wild sounds and Tim Burton-ish animation. It's described as 'a graphic novel, bursting into life' by the 1927 theatre company and tickets are available for the October run here. We also like the sound of the Music and Film programme that sees early 20th Century films presented with new and often live new scores by Mancunian musical talent. The first shows in this year-long series includes a screening of 1928 silent masterpiece Lonesome, with music imagined by Dutch Uncles' Robin Richards (Sun 24 & Mon 25 May, 8pm). For a bit of fun, Kneehigh theatre's bright and beautiful, Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love stories) sounds like a safe bet for September. HOME's opening theatre production is an original take on Ödön von Horváth's Kasimir and Karoline called The Funfair, using big dippers and freak shows as the setting for a broken love story. Directed by HOME's Artistic Director of Theatre, Walter Meierjohann (the talent behind 2014's Romeo & Juliet at Victoria Baths), expect something special. Later in the year, a new exhibition Safe is inspired by the Todd Haynes film of the same name featuring Julianne Moore (pictured). It is set to include work by Turner Prize 2014 nominee, James Richards. Official opening: Thu 21 May, HOME, First Street, M15 4FN, www.homemcr.org Golem: Until Sat 17 Oct, times and prices vary, book here: www.homemcr.org

04.10.2015 - 28.10.2015.

Weimar Cinema at HOME: Nosferatu, Cabinet of Dr. Caligari + more.

During October, HOME is presenting a season of films made in Germany during the Weimar era. This period, following WWI but before Hitler's rise, was a troubled but culturally-fertile period in the country’s history. It spawned major artistic talents and even new styles of filmmaking. If the subject sounds rather inaccessible, then fear not: The season begins with a one-hour introduction to Weimar cinema, hosted by the film educator Maggie Hoffgen. The first screening is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a psychological drama and masterpiece of Expressionism. Later in the month, there is Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, the hugely influential vampire movie (pictured). Der Golem is another horror, this one inspired by Jewish folklore. Diary of a Lost Girl is a drama of redemption about an unwed mother. There is also a screening of From Caligari to Hitler, an acclaimed documentary about this period. The film season coincides with a stage production of Der Golem, performed in HOME’s Theatre 1 space. Sun 4 Oct – Wed 28 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, M15 4FN, Screening times and prices vary, www.homemcr.org

09.10.2015 - 10.10.2015.

Music & Film: Koyaanisqatsi with live score by GoGo Penguin at HOME.

In October, HOME is set to continue its innovative series Music & Film, which sees musicians perform live scores to classic films. Manchester's own GoGo Penguin will be creating a new soundtrack to Koyaanisqatsi - the unpronounceable, but very enjoyable, documentary about ‘life out of balance’. It features no dialogue or narration, just time-lapse footage of cities and landscapes. Despite its eccentric nature, Koyaanisqatsi has been a cult hit since its release in 1982. A big part of its success was the score, written by composer Philip Glass. So, GoGo Penguin have big shoes to fill with their new soundtrack. The result will certainly be very different, as the band are an acoustic/electronica trio whose music incorporates a mix of jazz, trip hop and rock. They were nominated for last year’s Mercury Prize, and have since signed to the legendary jazz label Blue Note. Fri 9 & Sat 10 Oct, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN, 8.45pm, £12 (£9 conc), homemcr.org

11.09.2015 - 26.09.2015.

Now on: Dead Dog In A Suitcase (and other love songs) at HOME.

HOME’s impressive schedule of touring productions continues with Dead Dog In A Suitcase (and other love songs), a twisted morality tale full of the kind of weirdness that Cornish production company Kneehigh specialise in. A reworking of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera, the play has earned rave reviews in the national press and has been described as a ‘fabulous piece of entertainment’ by the British Theatre Guide. Music director Charles Hazelwood pinpoints the problem with producing a version of the 1728 opera, as the songs lose the urgency and bite they once had, so he aims to ‘give them back their bite’ with a modern overhaul and bastardisation. Taking aim at corporate greed and the end of civilisation as we know it, writer Carl Grose says that this combines to create a portrait of a world hanging by a thread - with the result intended to be shocking, hilarious, heartfelt and absurd. A dead dog that should hopefully still give enough bite to highlight the essential injustices in the world the original was noted for. Fri 11 - Sat 26 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus Wed 2.30pm matinees), £15 - £29.50 (preview £10), homemcr.org

03.09.2015.

45 Years screening + Q&A w author, David Constantine, at HOME.

45 YEARS, an award-winning film directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Charlotte Rampling (pictured) and Tom Courtenay, is based upon a short story by the award-winning Salford-born author, David Constantine. In celebration of the film’s UK release, in conjunction with Manchester Literature Festival, Constantine will be engaging in a Q&A, ‘The Art of the Short Story’, and signing a recently released selection of his stories from the past 20 years (Comma Press). This will be followed by a film screening of 45 YEARS, the film hailed as ‘a modern classic of British Cinema’, that won 2 awards at the Berlinale and achieved the Michael Powell Award for Best British Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. A subtle yet powerful portrayal of a marriage threatened by a potentially devastating revelation, both the original story and its film adaptation work together in unison, providing a prime example of how the short story form transcends so fluently onto the screen. Thu 3 Sep, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel:0161 200 1500, 6.30pm, The Art of the Short Story £6/£4, 8.10pm 45 Years screening, £7.50/£4, www.manchesterliteraturefestival.co.uk

10.08.2015 - 31.08.2015.

POUTfest 2015: LGBTQ film season at HOME.

Taking place at HOME throughout August is POUTfest 2015, a showcase of new LGBTQ cinema. The festival is presented by Peccadillo Pictures, in association with Manchester University’s Sexuality Summer School, and Manchester Pride. The event has a different theme each year - and this time round it is ‘Family’. Many of the movies on the programme centre on existing families where one member embraces a new sexual identity, or on people who forge a new kind of domestic situation. The Korean film A Girl at My Door (Sun 16 Aug, 6pm) tells the story of a lesbian police officer who tries to protect a young woman from her abusive parents. Weekend (Mon 31 Aug, 6pm) is a sensitive and realistic portrayal of a drunken one-night stand that ends up meaning much more. The documentary Dressed as a Girl (pictured, Thu 27 Aug, 6.10pm) follows a group of drag performers in the clubs of the East End. Several of the screenings are introduced by lecturers from the University, and in some cases by the filmmakers themselves. Until Mon 31 Aug, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, M15 4FN, Screening times and prices vary, homemcr.org

22.05.2015 - 26.07.2015.

Home Manchester opening art show: The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things.

The heart is deceitful above all things is the inaugural exhibition at HOME, Manchester’s new and improved centre for international contemporary art, theatre and film. Curated by Sarah Perks and Omar Kholeif, this exhibition explores the notion of love lost or love turned sour, in a daunting fusion of regret, desire, and downright heartbreak. Featuring six new remarkable commissions alongside the significant existing works, it will include eleven internationally recognized artists, including: Jeremy Bailey, Declan Clarke, Douglas Coupland, Irina Gheorghe, Flaka Haliti, Ragnar Kjartansson, Basim Magdy, Gemma Parker, Zina Saro-Wiwa, Jessey Tsang and Wu-Tsang. Expect regret tattoos, spy-era stalking and phone-based apps. Fri 22 May - Sun 26 July, HOME, 2, Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm -11pm (Fri 22 only, then times vary), FREE, www.homemcr.org

Kathryn Hunter in Kafka's Monkey at the Young Vic. Photograph Tristram Kenton

17.06.2015 - 27.06.2015.

Kafka's Monkey ft. Kathryn Hunter at HOME.

The Young Vic’s production of Kafka’s Monkey begins its 10-day run at HOME this Wednesday (17 Jun). The one-woman show stars Olivier Award winner Kathryn Hunter, reprising her role playing a monkey playing a man, and is directed by Walter Meierjohann, HOME’s artistic director of theatre who recently directed the venue's opening production, The Funfair. Kafka's Monkey is derived from Franz Kafka's 1917 story A Report to an Academy, with writer Colin Teevan’s adaptation first seen at the Young Vic in 2009, and again in 2011. Kathryn Hunter won an Olivier Award for her role as the millionairess in National Theatre’s The Visit, and has also appeared in Peter Brook’s Fragments, Mike Leigh’s All or Nothing, plus Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Wed 17 - Sat 27 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN, Tel: 0161 200 1500, 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm Sat matinees), £15 - £29.50, homemcr.org Photo: Tristram Kenton

18.06.2015 - 22.06.2015.

¡Viva! Spanish and Latin American Film Festival at HOME.

HOME, taking up the baton from Cornerhouse without breaking step, is set to continue ¡Viva!, the Spanish and Latin American film festival. Starting Thursday 18 June, the event will focus on the best new cinema from Mexico. Kicking off the five-day festival is En El Ultimo Trago (One More for the Road, pictured), a road trip movie about three octogenarians. The film’s director, Jack Zagha Kababie, will be in attendance to introduce the film. Mexico’s race, class, and gender issues will be explored in Hilda, a tense drama with some black comedy thrown into the mix. The festival concludes with the new-wave drama Güeros, which deals with the student unrest in the capital in 1999. Non-Spanish speakers need not fear, as all the films are subtitled unless stated otherwise. For full listings, check the out the link to the full programme below. Thu 18 – Mon 22 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4 FN, Times and prices vary, homemcr.org

14.05.2015 - 13.06.2015.

New theatre: The Funfair at HOME.

HOME’s opening theatre production is an original take on Ödön von Horváth’s Kasimir and Karoline called The Funfair, using big dippers and freak shows as the setting for a broken love story. Directed by HOME’s Artistic Director of Theatre, Walter Meierjohann (the talent behind 2014’s Romeo & Juliet at Victoria Baths), expect something special. Thu 14 May - Sat 13 Jun, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, M15 4FN. Tel: 0161 200 1500, times vary, from £15, www.homemcr.org

25.05.2015 - 28.05.2015.

Free things to do this week ft HOME + Kids' Disco.

The kids are off school, so whether you're looking to keep your own entertained, or merely looking for a safe haven away from the screaming hordes, we've got you covered with our rundown of free picks for this week. First Exhibitions at HOME After an endless build up, HOME finally opened its doors at the weekend and as well as an impressive programme of film and theatre, they’ve kicked off with a couple of interesting little exhibitions. The first, The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things (pictured), tackles modern love and heartbreak with work from a number of artists and writers. The second exhibition, entitled #givemeeverythingandnothingbaby is a showcase of work from printmaker Magda Archer, who riffs on all things pop culture. Fri 22 May - Sun 26 Jul (Heart is Deceitful), Fri 22 May - Sun 31 Aug (Magda Archer), HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place First Street, M15 4FN, www.homemcr.org Kids’ Silent Disco at MOSI Running daily over the half term is this, a silent disco aimed at Children. A world away from the shooters and sticky floors student union affairs that we’re all familiar with, this family-friendly disco plays a range of music for all different age groups: From your pre-teens (Taylor Swift, probably) to your toddlers (a series of discordant noises, probably). An excellent distraction for a wet afternoon. Sat 23 May - Sun 31 May, Museum of Science and Industry, Liverpool Road, M3 4FP, 11.20am - 3pm, www.mosi.org.uk Mézières-Manchester Exhibition at Central Library The town of Mézières in France was levelled by the First World War, and it was only through the efforts of some plucky Mancunians that it got adopted and rebuilt. This exhibition, marking the centenary of the rebuild, looks at both the construction and the longstanding relationship between Mézières and Manchester. This exhibition ends at the weekends, so it’s worth jumping on before it’s too late. Mon 13 Apr - Sat 30 May, Central Library, St. Peters Square, M2 5PD, www.librarylive.co.uk

22.05.2015 - 25.05.2015.

Free things to do this bank holiday weekend ft. HOME, Blackjack Brewtap, MOSI, Chorlton Arts Fest + more.

ANOTHER bank holiday weekend. It's our last for a while now, though, so lap up these freebies whilst you've still got the extra time to do so. HOMEwarming weekend ft. First Street Party and HOME's first exhibition If you haven't bobbed down to the reincarnation of Cornerhouse, HOME, yet, then this weekend marks your best opportunity to do precisely that. As part of the HOMEwarming festivities, there's a First Street Party that welcomes all of the neighbourhood's newest names to the area with a day of theatre, street food, DJs and more. From Friday you'll also find HOME's first exhibition, The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, tying in with the inaugural visual art programme theme of Transactions of Desire through new commissions and existing art works, all exploring heartache, desire, devotion, lust, desperation, denial, longing, devastation, discipline, temptation, sex, obsession, passion, intimacy... Exhibition: Fri 22 May 2015 – Sun 26 Jul, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, M15 4FN, 12 - 8pm (Sun 12 - 6pm), FREE, www.homemcr.org First Street Party: Sun 24 May, First Street, Whitworth Street West, M15 4FN, 11am - 8pm, FREE, www.facebook.com Blackjack Brewtap Blackjack Brewery gets its party on once again with another Brewtap bash, spanning the weekend with music, food curated by GRUB and above all else: beer. Sunday's where the free entry ends and MCR Brew Expo begins - may cost you a bob or two in but certainly looking like a fine shout. Fri 22 - Sun 24 May, Blackjack Beers, 36 Gould Street, M4 4RN, Fri: 6 - 11pm, Sat - Sun: 12 - 11pm, Fri - Sat FREE, www.facebook.com #HookedOnMusic at MOSI A rave for all ages, MOSI's #HookedOnMusic Silent Disco lets you strut your stuff in the name of science. With each set of headphones programmed with three different channels of catchy tunes for different age brackets, the experiment records your reactions and responses to what your hear, and explores the reasons for you switching the channels. As a result, you and your dancing shoes can help researchers and scientists gain a better understanding of what makes various musical features so damn catchy. Sat 23 - Sun 31 May, MOSI, Liverpool Road, M3 4FP, Silent disco starts at 11.20am, 12.20pm, 1.20pm and 2.20pm, FREE, www.mosi.org.uk The Turkish Art of Paper Marbling Workshop We're throwing a wildcard in now with a creative, hands-on workshop in Ebru (paper marbling), a method of aqueous surface design that produces patterns similar to smooth marble or other types of stone. In this session you'll get to try your hand at something a little different, whilst also learning more about the legacy behind Ebru with an introductory talk on the history of Ebru art by Professor Salim Ayduz. Sat 23 May, British Muslim Heritage Centre, College road, Whalley Range, M16 8BP, 1 - 5pm, FREE, www.eventbrite.com Chorlton Arts Festival The suburban Manchester festival bows out this weekend - but not without a few fireworks. Whilst many of the events are ticketed, there's also a bounty of great freebies to look out for, including a free performance from Hidden Track Theatre, who work to their strength with making new theatre outside of traditional spaces with Scavengers, a playful experience taking place on Chorlton Green on Saturday and Sunday at 6pm. As well as this, there's an acoustic night at Mono on Friday from 8.30pm, the CAF All Dayer at Dulcimer throughout Sunday afternoon featuring psychedelic blues from Hey Bulldog, soulful quartet The Yellhounds, London-based four piece Mama Moonshine and Vinny Peculiar. The official festival closing party is also free - head to The Beagle for an Eighty Six takeover. Until Sun 24 May, Various venues and times, www.chorltonartsfestival.com Elsewhere there's also a free birthday party for Deaf Institute (the big 7, toot toot!), a Dot to Dot takeover at Guerrilla Eats, and green-fingered fun at Levy Market. Know of any good freebies coming up? Email jess at manchesterwire dot co dot uk with the deets.

21.05.2015 - 25.05.2015.

Opening weekend at Home Manchester ft Danny Boyle, Josephine & new art.

Home (art gallery, cinema, theatre and general hub of all things creative) launches this weekend, with free events galore. A highlight for many will an appearance by film director Danny Boyle (Thu 21 May, 5pm, free), while Sunday sees the whole of First Street turned over to a fun, family friendly day out (see full preview). The line up over the weekend includes the UK premiere of Michael Fassbender's latest outing, heading up a Western set in New Zealand in Slow West (sold out). There are tickets available, however, for the UK premiere of Don't Go Back to Sleep on Saturday (23 May, 4pm, from £5), a feature length experimental film shot almost entirely on location in Kansas. There will be a q&a with director, Stanya Kahn, included in the ticket price, On Monday, delightfully quirky folk singer, Josephine (pictured) performs as part of a multi-media show that includes footage from the North West Film Archive (Mon 25 May, 6pm, from £5). The art gallery's inaugural group show, The Heart is Deceitful Above all Things, opens at 6pm on Friday (22 May, until 11pm, other times vary, free) as well. For full details of what's happening when, click on the link below. Thu 21 - Mon 25 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place M15 4FN. Times & prices vary, www.homemcr.org

14.03.2015 - 30.05.2015.

Guerrilla Eats returns – with new home on Shudehill.

Street food promoter Guerrilla Eats will move to a new home in March. Following its award-winning pop-up series in Ancoats last year, the weekly events restart on Saturday 14 March at 29 Shudehill. The new building is a three-floor Grade II-listed former warehouse, found just next to the Shudehill tram stop on the edge of the Northern Quarter. Over the course of 12 Saturdays, Guerrilla Eats will offer six independent street food traders in rotation, including the likes of Mei Mei’s Street Cart, Big Grillie Style, Beastys, Dirty Food Revolution, Yakumama, Cow Boys, Nasi Lemak, Dirty Dogs, Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, Mumma Schnitzel, Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza, Fat Annies, Love From The Streets, Madame Francoise, Ginger Tart and Barnhouse Bistro. The Chef’s Table, by Bangers & Bacon, will also be available for those who book ahead. Local craft ales, meanwhile, will feature alongside wine, cocktails and soft drinks. Guerrilla Eats will continue to be family friendly, with children welcome before 9pm. Saturdays from Sat 14 Mar, 29 Shudehill,M4 2AF, 5pm - 12am, www.guerrillaeats.co.uk

30.04.2015 - 02.05.2015.

Dance your own way: Hofesh Shechter & Friends at HOME.

Darling of the contemporary choreography scene, Hofesh Shechter has been invited to be the inaugural performer at Manchester’s new arts venue HOME, which came to life following the merger of Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company. He will curate the first look at his new piece, tHE bAD, which is the second instalment of a trilogy. The work incorporates Shechter’s trademark electronica alongside a dark and groovy dubstep-infused soundtrack. The second part of the evening will feature two members of Shechter's apprentice company, Shechter Junior. The newbies will be performing the earliest work of Shechter’s, entitled Fragments. As the night progresses, music will be the focus of the evening: instrumental band 72% Morrissey will take to the stage and, for those lucky enough to be attending the opening night, there will be a DJ set by dancer Maeva Berthelot. Thu 30 Apr - Sat 2 May, HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, M154FN, 7.30pm, £12–£18, homemcr.org

19.03.2015.

One-off concert film: Drake: Homecoming at Odeon Printworks.

For one of the highest-grossing, most commercially and critically acclaimed artists out there, Drake is still a marmite figure. He’s been mocked for his acting career as well as his softer, more feminine side and sappy love songs. Pusha T disses the Cosby sweaters, Beanie Sigel even threatened violence – but haters gonna hate. 'If I die, all I know is I'm a mothafuckin' legend' Drake points out. Drake: Homecoming – The Lost Footage is exactly as labelled. Believed to have been destroyed, this concert film is being show worldwide for one night only. It could be emotional for Drake fans, watching this homecoming gig, shot just before he signed to Lil’ Wayne’s Young Money records. Just to make sure it’s as evocative as it can be, there are additional interviews and footage from Rap-a-Lot Records CEO James Prince and his son Jas Prince. The hits are there too including Best I Ever Had and Successful. Thur 19 Mar, Odeon, The Printworks 27 Withy Grove, Manchester, M4 2BS. 8.30pm, from £6.80, www.odeon.co.uk

19.12.2014 - 24.12.2014.

Christmas Drive-In ft. Die Hard, Home Alone & more at Old Trafford.

Drive-ins are quite often seen as an iconic American past-time - but this Christmas the Manchester Magical Drive In Movie Spectacular is bringing the world's largest LED screen (measuring 100m square and costing £1.2million, to be precise) to Old Trafford for some festive film viewing. No Scrooges are welcome- Christmas fancy dress is encouraged and there will be live appearances from popular children's characters. Classics such as Die Hard, Home Alone and The Nightmare Before Christmas plus some newcomers are on the bill - plus a Frozen sing-along - and punters have the option to bring their own in-car picnic (no booze), though refreshments will be available in their street food market. Sink into the comforts of your mobile seating, tune your radio into Santa FM (where the film's sound will be broadcasted from) and embrace the joyous season. Fri 19 - Wed 24 Dec, Manchester United Football Club, Old Trafford, M16 0RA, Various times, £26 per car, www.christmasmovies.co.uk

15.11.2014.

Home is in the North craft and interiors fair in Hallė St Peter’s, Ancoats.

After a successful event earlier this year, the independent craft and interiors fair Home is in the North returns this November. The venue will be Hallė St Peter’s, a former church turned community space in Ancoats. An eclectic mix of designers from the North West and further afield will be exhibiting work from a variety of design areas, including textiles, ceramics, and glass. Visitors will be able to invest in some unique collectables, bought straight from the makers themselves. The event’s theme is ‘Make a house a home’, and will focus on restored traditional crafts and unusual materials. Those with an appetite for learning more about the subject can take part in master classes, workshops and talks from industry experts. Sat 15 Nov, Hallė St Peter’s, 40 Blossom Street, Ancoats, M4 6BF, 11am – 4pm, £3.50, www.eventbrite.co.uk

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10.12.2014 - 12.12.2014.

Homeless Film Festival Fundraiser at Antwerp Mansion.

The Homeless Film Festival is a long-running project that tours the country screening films made by homeless people, or that tackle the issue of homelessness head-on. This December, Antwerp Mansion in Rusholme is holding a fundraiser for the Festival. The famously wild venue will host a night of boozing and partying, which will bring together a host of local talent, including bands and DJs. Performing will be Mancheska, a horn-fronted band known for their ‘Northentic’ Jamaican music, and Skinny Living, an indie band from Wakefield. There will also be exhibition displaying the work of up and coming local artists, including Rosemary Booth, the winner of this year’s MMU’s Graduate Award. Wed 10 Dec, Antwerp Mansion, Rusholme Grove, Rusholme, Manchester, M14 5AG, 9pm – 3am, £2.50 - £4, www.skiddle.com

06.11.2014 - 07.11.2014.

HOME Manchester's Autumn programme ft dance-theatre Insomnia.

HOME, the new arts centre and future of Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre company isn't due to open properly until Spring 2015, but in the spirit of the precocious young artist they're already programming events during this, the venue's embryonic stage. The first event is The Best of BE Festival. Be Festival is Birmingham annual festival of international theatre, one of the biggest theatre festivals in the country. The event at home provides a sample palette of four of the festival's crowning glories, featuring plays from Belgium, Austria, Hungary and the UK. All the plays have a large focus on the visual and physical aspects of performance, an area often-neglected in more writer-led festivals. Next up is new theatre piece The Events (pictured). Presented by the Actors' Touring Company, the play delves deeply into questions of faith and morality. Heavy stuff that prompted the Guardian to name it the best new play of 2013. Lastly, we have the lengthy monikered Insomnia, a pas de deux drama for two girls and a piano man. This entrancing piece of dance theatre looks nakedly at the afflicted sleepless with captivating irony and childlike humour. Its accompanied by a live score presented by Macendonian composer Nikola Kodjabashia as the piano man. Ticket prices for this show include entry to a one-hour masterclass with the creative team, as well as a post-show discussion on the subject of cross-art theatre. Best of BE Festival, Fri 17 Oct – Sat 18 Oct, 7.30pm, £15/£13 conc The Events, Wed 22 Oct – Sat 25 Oct, 7.30pm, £17/£10 conc Insomnia, Thu 6 Nov – Fri 7 Nov, 7.30pm, £12/£10 conc Insomnia Masterclass, Fri 7 Nov, 4.30pm, free with ticket HOME, 1 First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN, www.homemcr.org

10.06.2014 - 29.06.2014.

Angel Meadow - HOME's debut theatre production - in Ancoats.

The mysterious and murky history of Ancoats is set to be uncovered in the first theatre production from Manchester's brand new arts organisation HOME. Angel Meadow promises to be an explosive and searing theatrical performance held in a secret location deep within Manchester’s own ‘dark continent’ - an area famed for its role in the industrial revolution and the violence of the scuttling gangs of working class Manchester. Produced by ANU Productions, the event is a promenade performance that promises to immersive in nature and encompassing all senses. As a result, the gritty, underground tales of the displaced Irish, fearsome youth cults and desperate girl rippers will demand comfortable clothes - plus nerves of steel. The multi-sensory nature of the production is common to ANU, the Dublin-based company that has won multiple awards for their cross-pollination of visual art installations, physical theatre and dance in order to create unconventional and intense performances. Angel Meadow runs for just under two weeks this June with several performances each day. Tickets are selling fast - with the first few days already sold out - but fear not as new dates have just been added. Prepare yourself for a raw encounter with Ancoats’ history, fuelled by adrenaline, the divine and total immersion. Tue 10 – Sun 29 Jun, Meet at the Cutting Room Square in Ancoats, Tel: 0161 200 1500, Various times, £15 - £22 (£10 conc and 10 Jun preview), homemcr.org

10.06.2014 - 25.10.2014.

HOME reveals site-specific theatre season ft. Angel Meadow, Romeo and Juliet + more.

Just announced: HOME - the new arts organisation incorporating Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre Company - will present a season of exciting site-specific performances between June and October, ahead of the opening of its new venue in spring 2015. Overseen by artistic director Walter Meierjohann, the season will see a new name in the Manchester theatre scene take over several locations around the city to put on some hugely acclaimed productions. The season will open with Angel Meadow (10 June - 29 June) - a brand new immersive piece from the multi-award-winning ANU Production, which is set in the Victorian-era Irish slum that once occupied Ancoats. Described as ‘a sordid hell on earth at the centre of the industrial world', the interactive performance brings the area into a contemporary context where past and present collide. The programme then continues in September with Meierjohann’s own contemporary production of Romeo and Juliet (10 September - 4 October), taking place in three empty swimming pools within Victoria Baths (pictured), before The Guardian critics’ Best Play of 2013, The Events (trailer below), takes over HOME’s temporary space in Number 1 First Street in October (22 October - 25 October). With highlights of Birmingham European (BE) Festival and the return of re:play Festival also forming part of its inaugural season, the programme looks to be an exciting taster of what’s to come when HOME officially opens next year. Full ticket and performance details available here. Tue 10 Jun – Sat 25 Oct, various locations, times and prices, Tel: 0161 200 1500, homemcr.org Photo: Jon Parker Lee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKFJzmrzKQY

06.06.2014 - 08.06.2014.

The Ideal Home Show at EventCity.

For the first time in its 100-year history, the Ideal Home Show is coming to Manchester. Over three days this weekend, EventCity in Trafford will play host to 300 exhibitors presenting the best wares for house and garden. Experts will also be on hand to give practical DIY advice. There will be presentations from leading industry figures and TV personalities such as Diarmuid Gavin, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Melinda Messenger. New to the show is Ideal Woman, which features stalls from top fashion and beauty brands. Ideal Woman also has a champagne bar and a lounge offering free manicures and mini-massages. Gents will have to make do with the free samples in Ideal Food. The centrepiece of the exhibition is the collection of show houses - all of which are bound to turn homeowners green with envy. Fri 6 - Sun 8 Jun, EventCity, Trafford, M41 7TB, £12 per day, seetickets.com

30.04.2015 - 25.05.2015.

HOME announces opening weekend plans ft. theatre, art, film & music.

HOME - the new arts venue formed from the merger of Cornerhouse and the Library Theatre - has revealed plans for its opening weekend. The long weekend, which runs from Thursday 21 to bank holiday Monday 25 May 2015, will include the world premiere of a new theatre production, a group visual arts show, and a film and music project featuring acclaimed local musicians. The Funfair, a new version of Ödön von Horváth's classic play Kasimir and Kardoline, is written by Simon Stephens and directed by HOME's artistic director of theatre Walter Meierjohann. The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, meanwhile, is a group art show co-curated by HOME's Sarah Perks and Omar Kholeif, and featuring new work by the likes of Jeremy Bailey, Declan Clarke, Basim Magdy and Jessey Tsang, as well as existing work from Douglas Coupland and Wu Tsang. The Music and Film project completes the opening programme, with original scores for artist film, archive footage and silent film performed by Dutch Uncles' Robin Richards, Mercury Prize nominees GoGo Penguin and singer-songwriter Josephine. HOME's opening weekend will be preceded by the world premiere of The Bad (a working title) - a performance in the First Street venue's largest theatre space by award-winning choreographer Hofesh Shechter, which will take place each evening between Thursday 30 April and Saturday 2 May. HOME's full programme will be announced in January 2015. From Thu 30 Apr 2015, HOME, First Street, M15 4FN, homemcr.org

06.04.2014.

Discover Vintage home and fashion fair at Victoria Baths.

Victoria Baths steps back in time this weekend as it plays host to Discover Vintage’s home and fashion fair. Packed with vintage goods from the 1920s through to the 1970s, the best vintage dealers from across the UK will gather together, bringing with them a whole mix of clothes, accessories, textiles, ceramics and furniture to rummage through – from Art Deco to 1960s chic. Traders to look out for include: RetroGirl’s jewellery and clothing; Vintage Treat’s china and ornaments; and retro garments from Vintage Belle; while the Baths’ own gift shop and café will also be open, offering books, handmade crafts and homemade cakes to accompany your browsing. Guided tours of the baths will be running between 12pm and 3pm - with all proceeds from the fair will go towards the restoration of the Grade II-listed building. Sun 6 Apr, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, M13 0FE. Tel: 0161 224 2020, 11am – 4pm, £2.50, discovervintage.co.uk

21.01.2014.

XS Malarkey ft. Rob Deering at new home The Pub/Zoo.

Over the past two months there has been something missing from our weekly comedy picks: a notable omission on a Tuesday that would usually provide a banker for a great night of live stand-up. Much to the lamentation of their loyal fans, XS Malarkey had to take an enforced sabbatical from comedy after its home at Jabez Clegg was abruptly shut late last year. But those who have followed the good ship Malarkey knew that it wouldn’t be long before they rose again, especially since they have had five venues in the past 16 years of operations. Comedy finds a home wherever XS Malarkey lays its hat. So they now lay it on Grosvenor Street at The Zoo and, to relaunch, they have of course laid on a great spread of comedy for you. MC Toby Hadoke returns to guide the audience through this transition to a new venue with headliner Rob Deering (pictured) delivering pitch-perfect musical comedy, and support from the always hilarious Rob Rouse, Andrew McBurney and Bobby Murdock. A welcome return from a comedy stalwart of the North West scene, which proves once again you can’t keep a good gig down. Tue 21 Jan, The Pub/Zoo, 126 Grosvenor Street, M1 7HL, 7.30pm, £5/£3, www.facebook.com

23.12.2013.

Xmas Movie Marathon ft. It's A Wonderful Life, Home Alone & more at Odd.

The true meaning of Christmas has been lost in the last few years, with people looking towards what advert will define their year, putting their faith in a cover of a Keane song and a hare that has no times for the laws of nature when a fancy tree is involved. But the true meaning can of course be found in the humble Christmas movie. Recent offerings to the art of the Christmas have left most feeling hollow so Odd in the Northern Quarter has attempted to redress the balance with a day-long marathon of films all about the festive period. It has lined up four of their favourites (It’s A Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Muppet Christmas Carol and Die Hard) as well as a fifth film to be voted for on the facebook event page. So what’s your pick? Elf, Scrooged or Santa with Muscles starring Hulk Hogan? Probably the third one. Whatever you the choice, enjoy a host of merry movies with some mulled wine and mince pies in the comfort of a warm bar. Mon 23 Dec, Odd Bar, 30-32 Thomas Street, M4 1ER. Tel: 0161 8330070, 1pm - 11pm, FREE, facebook.com

01.11.2013.

Knit and Natter for the homeless at Nexus.

With the clocks having now gone back and the dark nights swiftly drawing in, it can’t be too long until the warm coats, scarves and gloves start making an appearance. For those who don’t have that luxury, this year the Knit and Natter group are at hand. Beginning on Friday 1 November, Nexus are hosting a knitting group with a difference, with all hats, scarves and gloves made during the sessions going to the homeless. Whether you’re a knitting pro or simply have an hour to kill during your lunch break, this is a great opportunity to put your needles together, try a new craft project and help keep the homeless warm this winter. Fri 1 Nov, Nexus Art Café, 2 Dale Street, M1 1JW, Tel: 0161 236 0100, 11am – 1pm, FREE, www.facebook.com Photo: Siona Karen @Flickr

19.08.2013.

Remake Remodel announces new home at Soup Kitchen.

Remake Remodel has enjoyed a few homes in Manchester, but none more prominent than its regular Monday slot at South. However, in the spirit of moving on to pastures new, Manchester's popular alternative rock 'n' roll night is moving its weekly night to Soup Kitchen, another of Manchester's clubs hosted in an impressive basement perfect for dirty dancing and anarchic antics. The move will take place on 16 September - just in time for the influx of freshers - but rather than sending pleasantries scribbled into a 'New Home' card, show the love by simply rocking out to the likes of Bowie, Hendrix, Nirvana, The Velvet Underground, Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin. www.clubremakeremodel.com

Fine Dining: Laurence Tottingham launches Aumbry at Home service.

Having people round for dinner can be an absolute chore - in fact, cooking for yourself can be a bit of a headache sometimes, too, especially if you've got used to the bright lights of the best restaurants. Laurence Tottingham - head chef at Aumbry and protege of Heston Blumenthal, don't you know - has launched his new 'Aumbry at Home' service with these first world problems in mind. Far from being a take-away, Tottingham actually comes round to your house to cook you something up - and he can bring along front-of-house staff and a wine-matching service with him if you'd like, too. Going from fine-dining for two through to corporate events and dinner parties, Laurence will work with the hosts to craft a menu to their tastes. We imagine it's going to cost a little bit more than ordering in from the local curry house, but trust us - it'll be worth it. For booking, phone or email enquiries@aumbryrestaurant.co.uk or phone Siobhan Tel: 0161 798 5841

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12.07.2013.

It's coming home (maybe): watch England vs Spain women's football at MediaCity.

After the success of their Wimbledon screenings a few weeks back, the folks at MediaCity are back at it again, this time hoping to cheer on England Women's football team to glory at the European Championships in Sweden. With the opening game being shown on BBC One, it will be relayed to the big screen at the sun-soaked piazza, where the Women's Super League Roadshow will be providing entertainment from 4pm onwards. Though the men's team may be kings of the world, Hope Powell's ladies will be hoping that Spain won't quite reach the tiki-taka heights of their male equivalents. With the Premier League not back for another month or so, this should be a real chance for the nation to finally get fully behind our consistently excellent female football team. Fri 12 Jul, Piazza at MediaCity, 4pm start, Kickoff at 7.30pm, FREE, @MediaCityUK

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17.03.2013.

Vintage Home show at Victoria Baths.

Vintage homeware fans and inspired homemakers put your redecorating ideas to action this Sunday as Vintage Home show returns to Manchester with its retro collections. With top quality furniture, textiles art - and more - dating back to the 1940s, this is the perfect excuse to channel your inner interior designer and freshen up your home with classic pieces. From chairs and coffee tables to cushions and footstalls, there’s plenty to choose from, while the souvenir shop will be packed with books and crafts to inspire you further. Set within the grand surroundings of Victoria Baths, guided tours will also be running between 12pm and 2pm, so you can explore the baths themselves in between bagging your vintage steals. Sun 17 Mar, Victoria Baths, Hathersage Road, M13 0FE. Tel: 0113 3458699, 11am – 4pm, £3, www.vintagehomeshow.co.uk

03.02.2013.

Pint? Manchester Homebrew at Port Street Beer House.

Ever fancied brewing your own pint, be it porter or pilsner? Manchester Homebrew is a group of like-minded folk who meet up every few months - with the next event scheduled for this Sunday. Hosted by Port Street Beer House - where else? - it will offer local homebrewers the chance to share their experiences and ideas. Attendees are also encouraged to bring their own creations to share and discuss. Sunday's meeting will focus on beers made with a single variety of hop. The group has previously met at BrewDog, where a brewer from Thornbridge was on hand to discuss the technicalities of water in brewing. All levels of homebrewers are welcome - from small pan-on-hob operations through to full set-ups almost rivalling commercial breweries! The group meets quarterly, on the first Sunday of the month. Sun 3 Feb, Port Street Beer House, 39-41 Port Street, M1 2EQ, 3pm, FREE, @mancshomebrew Photo: charboremy

24.10.2012.

Ribs and beer night at Home Sweet Home.

Riding the wave of Deep Southern-style American grub, Home Sweet Home (part of the Almost Famous family) are offering a moreish selection of meaty ribs served three ways at a special party. Look out for signature sticky Dr Pepper ribs and a Creole style-rib. Lip-smacking sides include coleslaw and freshly baked cornbread at what is set to become a monthly chow down. Savour the taste of the Deep South with two pints of bespoke Home Sweet Home brew created for the occasion by award-winning Thornbridge brewery included in the price. This being the city's premier dessert bar, there are likely to be a few tasty treats for afters too. Wed 24 Oct, Home Sweet Home, Edge Street, Northern Quarter, M4 1HE. Tel: 0161 833 1248, 6pm, £15, cheeseburgertoastie.co.uk

22.10.2012.

Jeanette Winterson & The L Word's AM Homes.

One of the highlights of Manchester Literature Festival (alongside talks by Mark Haddon and Zadie Smith) is a discussion between Oranges are Not the Only Fruit author, Jeanette Winterson, and The L Word screen-writer, and best-selling novellist, AM Homes. For this special event, audience members can take part in a discussion of gender and imagination in modern literature and wider society. With novels that focus heavily on sexuality, personal identity and gender roles, Winterson has become one of the foremost British novelists. She now finds herself back in her hometown of Manchester as head of Creative Writing at The University of Manchester. The huge, international success of US TV series, The L Word, scripted in part by Homes, highlights our ongoing interest in gender roles and sexuality in Western society. The result looks set to be one of the most lively debates at this year's festival. Mon 22 Oct, Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama, Bridgeford Street, off Oxford Road, M13 9PL, 6.30pm, £12/£7. Tel: 0843 208 0500, www.arts.manchester.ac.uk/martinharriscentre

18.08.2012.

Photographing the home debate at the Whitworth.

The Whitworth's 'Alternative Camera Club' offers budding snappers and lens aficionados the chance to explore the gallery’s collection through discussions and debates led by guest speakers. Home to one of Europe’s finest collection of textiles, you’ll be able to these with your camera and the current showcase of West African art including works by Nii Obodai. This weekend, Manchester-based photographer Mark Page leads a discussion. His work explores themes of locality (akin to Obodai’s) and debate will focus on the concept of 'home'. Sat 18 Aug, Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Road, M15 6ER. Tel: 0161 275 7450, 1-3pm, free, www.manchesterphotography.blogspot.co.uk Image: Mark Page

08.07.2012.

ET phone home: Join a Modernist cycle ride to Jodrell Bank.

Architecture and astronomy fans: time to get on your bike! The Manchester Modernist Society Cycle Club (yep, it’s a real thing) invites you on a cosmic cycle ride through the Cheshire countryside to Jodrell Bank Observatory. The Society celebrates 20th century architecture and design in the North West and beyond via events, trips and publications and this is a great destination for them. The Observatory is home to the huge 1955 Lovell Telescope, one of only a few Grade 1 listed post-war structures, which looms over the surrounding landscape. A tourist attraction in its own right, the Jodrell Bank Visitor Centre provides hours of interactive, hands-on fun, including demonstration sound mirrors to put the science to the test, galactic artworks and space and astronomy-inspired gardens. Refresh with hearty local food and drink in the Modern Caterer’s Jodrell Bank Cafe before going back down to earth for the ride home. Stretch your legs, socialise and experience genuinely awe-inspiring architecture: the scale of the Telescope is out of the world, with the bowl alone having a surface area of 1.3 acres. NB: sightings of TV’s Prof Brian Cox, are not guaranteed. Sun 8 Jul, “My God It’s Full of Stars!” cycle ride to Jodrell Bank. Leave from Withington Green (opposite the Christie Hospital), Wilmslow Road, M20 4BX. 10.30am, Cycle ride free/Admission to visitor centre £6.50, http://manchestermodernists.wordpress.com

29.06.2012.

Salford Zine Library finds a new home at Nexus.

Salford Zine Library unveils its new home at the Northern Quarter’s Nexus Art Cafe with a special preview event. Since 2010 the Library’s founder, illustrator Craig John Barr, has been amassing an impressive archive of self-published reading material from all over the world, inspired by similar projects in cities such as LA and Toronto. Whether you’re a seasoned self-publisher, curious about how to make your first foray into fanzines or simply looking for something to browse over cake and a cuppa, there’s something here for everyone. The Library’s collection brings together over 1,500 independent publications, from football fanzines and science fiction pamphlets to photocopied free sheets and hardbound artists' books which sell for £50 a copy. All material was donated by self-publishers and collectors from zine scenes in Manchester and the UK and as far afield as Brazil, Chile, India, Taiwan and Japan. After a visit to Salford Zine Library, maybe you’ll even be inspired to go away and make your own zine – which will then be welcomed as a donation to this genuine labour of love. Nexus Art Cafe, 2 Dale Street M1 1JW. Tel: 0161 236 0100, Mon-Sat, 10am-7pm, Sun noon-6pm, free, salfordzinelibrary.blogspot.co.uk

08.06.2019.

Book tickets: Manchester Rum Festival 2019 at Barton Arcade.

Manchester Rum Festival returns in 2019 for its third year - and tickets have just gone on sale. With previous festivals selling out months in advance, the festival has expanded this year to include both afternoon and evening sessions (choose from noon-5pm or 6-11pm) as well as a new seminar room with expert talks from rum aficionados and creators. The 2019 festival takes place in Barton Arcade's Brickworks event space. If you're anything like us, it's something to look forward to as you stare out at grey skies for the foreseeable future. Furthermore, ticket prices have been frozen at £20, despite the new and expanded festival programme. Event sponsors include a returning Mancunian favourite, Revolución de Cuba, as the festival bar supporter, offering a variety of rum cocktails through their Cuban bar experience. Home of excellent steak, Alston Bar and Beef, return as one of the festival’s food vendors and the festival shop is hosted by Altrincham's new Marigot Bay Bar and Café, run by festival organiser, Dave Marsland. Sat 8 Jun 2019, Manchester Rum Festival 2019, Brickworks, Barton Arcade, 48 Barton Square, Manchester, M3 2BH. noon-5pm, 6-11pm, £20, www.eventbrite.co.uk For more food and drink in Manchester, click here.

27.05.2019.

Book now: Back to Mein #32 w/ High Hoops at Alberts Schloss.

High Hoops - the Utopian Manchester homegrown club night - head to Alberts Schloss for their Monday DJ takeover night. This “New Monday Pleasures” series sees fresh DJs and producers the brighten up the first evening of the working week to shake up your after-work drinks. These are “laid-back, intimate and exclusive evenings” featuring Manchester’s most diverse and exciting entrants and their beloved vinyl collections, best suited to those who enjoy slow sipping and fine sounds. The end of the month sees local promoters and club night High Hoops join the billing, set to play a hedonistic blend of house, disco, techno, electro and everything in between. Since they first grouped in 2015 HH have worked with the likes of DJ Sprinkles, I-F and Honey Dijon, taking some of the best names in the biz to play alongside local talent. Enjoy great live musical vibes in the unique Albert’s Schloss bar and try the range of smooth cocktails they have on offer. The event is non-ticketed but you might like to book a table. Plus get full listings of these mellow Monday's here. Mon 27 May, 9pm-late. | Albert's Schloss, 27 Peter Street, Manchester M2 5QR. www.albertsschloss.co.uk

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17.05.2019.

Make peace: New bakery and lifestyle concept Peacemeal to open in Ancoats.

Peacemeal, a social enterprise lifestyle space, will open in a former Ancoats warehouse this summer with a mission to end homelessness across Greater Manchester. Set across three floors, the space will include an artisan bakery and restaurant, studio space and a late-night music venue. The brainchild of Oliver Wilson, son of the late Factory Records founder and Manchester icon, Anthony Wilson, Peacemeal is recruiting staff who have experienced homelessness, providing a platform for individuals to reconnect with a normal life. The multi-functional ground floor will feature an all-day eatery, transforming into a late-night venue, seeing DJs take over the space spinning their record collections curated by Unabombers' Luke Cowdrey. The second floor will provide a studio space dedicated entirely to wellness offering yoga and meditation classes free of charge. The rooftop space will be transformed into an urban farm, working with rehabilitated prison leavers and homeless, who will assist in growing produce for the kitchen - part of a study into the psychological benefits of urban farming. Coming later in 2019, Ancoats, Manchester. Follow @peacemeal3 for up to date info.

12.11.2019 - 13.11.2019.

Dance trip: Choreographer Gary Charles stages new dance production Wasteland in Huddersfield.

Acclaimed chorographer Gary Clarke returns to the stage with new dance production Wasteland, created to mark the 25th anniversary of the demolition of Grimethorpe Colliery and 30 years since the birth of UK rave culture. After a 1994 study announced Clarke’s South Yorkshire home village of Grimethorpe as one of the poorest in Europe, he wanted to produce a dance piece to convey the bleakness facing a generation through the collapse of Britain’s mining industry, whilst showing how rave simultaneously provided hope, escapism and welcome belonging within the subculture. On the back of previous production COAL’s success, dancer Alistair Goldsmith leads the dance trope which will feature brass musicians on stage, specially selected to be local to the tour venues. To read about the background of the production in more detail and for ticket information, check out the link below. Tue 12 and Wed 13 Nov, The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Queen’s Square, Queen Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP, 7.30pm, tickets on sale soon, www.wastelandtour.co.uk

25.05.2019.

Bring a thing: First annual experimental barter market at Sadler's Yard.

Fancy taking a trip back to a simpler time when money was irrelevant? This month Sadler's Yard host the first annual Stock Exchange, where a new 'off the books' market will see cashless barter system installed for a day's trading. Attendees are encouraged to come with handheld, trade-able objects, spanning pieces of art, books, food, drink and raw materials, with the value of your item dictated by your haggling skills. DJs will be on hand to soundtrack the day, along with beer stalls and the good folk from Old Bank Residency and Easy Peel Studio. The event will also offer talks exploring the sharing economy and the ideas explored across the afternoon. So, pack your bags and approach all encounters with an "open-minded sense of possibility", though don't expect to come home with a Ferrari in exchange for a few magic beans. Events get underway at 12pm, with doors expecting to shut when all goods are swapped around 6pm. Sat 25 May, Sadler’s Yard, NOMA, Manchester M60 0AB, 12pm - 6pm, www.standardpractice.studio

20.05.2019 - 26.05.2019.

Gigs of the week ft. Chai, Big Thief, Max Cooper + more.

Chai | Mon 20 May | Yes | £8 Raucous dance pop/punk from a Japanese four-piece touring in support of second release Punk. They have a reputation for givign bizarre, unmissable live performances. www.seetickets.com King Champion Sounds | Tue 21 May | The Castle Hotel | £7.50 Blending krautrock and post punk to deliver a sound reminiscent of The Fall, Captain Beefheart and King Tubby, they released their second album For A Lark last year. www.thecastlehotel.info Big Thief | Wed 22 May | O2 Ritz | £15 The folk Brooklyn quartet recently released their third album U.F.O.F. to critical acclaim, and are playing shows that are fast selling out around the UK. www.seetickets.com Skinny Pelembe | Thu 23 May | Yes | £10 Johannesburg via Doncaster, this producer, singer, guitarist and MC delivers a sound that weaves together soulful beats, dub and R&B. www.seetickets.com Dot to Dot Festival | Fri 24 May | Various venues | £14 Featuring Jordan Rakei, Dream Wife, The Orielles and lots, lots more. See our full preview here. www.seetickets.com A Certain Ratio | Fri 24 - Sat 25 May | Yes | £20-40 A two-day celebration of 40 years of ACR inviting Sink Ya Teeth, Gabe Gurnsey, Shadowparty and lots more. www.facebook.com Max Cooper | Sat 25 May | Gorilla | £16.50 The ambient producer who has built himself a reputation for sound design and visuals brings his AV show to Manchester. His last album, 'One Hundred Billion Sparks' is a beautiful display of intimate, emotional electronic sounds. www.seetickets.com Yes Fest | Sun 26 May | Yes | £20 An all-dayer featuring Homeshake, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Willie J Healey + more. www.seetickets.com

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15.05.2019 - 15.06.2019.

Exhibition Opening: 33 Oldham Street hosts Kendal Calling photo exhibit.

A new addition to the Northern Quarter's excellent bar scene, 33 Oldham Street hosts a special photography exhibition this month, showcasing the weird and wonderful that makes up one of the UK’s most vibrant music festivals, Kendal Calling. Featuring previously unseen work taken over three years by One Eye In photographers Scott M Salt and Jody Hartley, the exhibition will run for a month, opening on 15 May and closing 15 June. All of the original A2 prints will be auctioned off on the final day to raise money for homelessness charity Big Change, a part of Manchester Homelessness Charter, bringing together people experiencing homelessness, charities, grassroots groups, the council, businesses and individuals to end homelessness in Manchester. Opening night will see Kendal Calling organisers From The Fields host a drinks reception from 6pm, along with a live set from festival resident DJ Andy Hunt from 7pm. All attendees will also be entered into a draw to win 2 x VIP weekend tickets for the festival, held at Lowther Deer Park, The Lake District, from 25 – 28 July 2019. Wed 15 May - Sat 15 Jun, 33 Oldham Street, Northern Quarter Manchester, Manchester M1 1JG. Tel: 0161 832 1299, www.33oldhamstreet.com

16.05.2019 - 19.05.2019.

Top 3: Pilot Light TV Festival returns ft. RuPaul retrospective, Sean Lock & more.

Film festivals are ten a penny these days so it's always a treat to see the return of Manchester's celebration of telly 'Pilot Light TV Festival'. Now in its fourth year of operation and showing no signs of slowing down during this golden age of television they have another excellent line up of premieres, talks and workshops for four nights at HOME and 70 Oxford Road. Here are our top picks... 1. Drag Race Double Bill RuPaul's Drag Race celebrates ten years on the air this year and there is a double pronged attack to mark the occasion with a retrospective lead by Grace Barber-Plentie at HOME followed by a full on Ru Eleganza at Gorilla. Fri 17 May, 10 Years of RuPaul's Drag Race, HOME, 7.30pm, £10/8, www.homemcr.org Drag Race Eleganza Extravaganza, Gorilla, 11pm, £5-12, www.seetickets.com 2. 15 Storeys High retrospective Now a cult comedy classic, Sean Lock's 15 Storeys High will be discussed and dissected in the festival's In Memoriam section as they look at shows culled before their time. Writer and actor Lock will be on hand for a Q&A with writer Martin Trenaman and producer Phil Bowker. Sat 18 May, HOME, 3.15pm, £10/8, www.homemcr.org 3. Game of Thrones: The Final Night The night is long and full of terrors as Game of Thrones comes to an end, and so there's no better time for a look back at the series as a whole with a special guest panel. The discussion will be followed by an exclusive screening of the penultimate episode of the show's 8th season. Sun 19 May, HOME, 6.30pm, £10/8, www.homemcr.org Thu 16 - Sun 19 May, Home and 70 Oxford Road. Times and prices vary. www.pilotlightfestival.co.uk

01.05.2019.

Now open: The Modernist Society's new gallery/exhibition space/shop on Port Street.

The Modernist Society has long been a force for good in the Manchester design community and now thanks to a very successful crowdfunding campaign they have been able to open their own 'small but perfectly formed' shop on Port Street. Currently showcasing a comprehensive exhibition chronicling some of the projects they have undertaken over the past ten years, they also stock a selection of handpicked homewares and books. They are the exclusive stockists of iconic cutlery designer David Mellor's home and tableware as well as the funky Dutch brand Mepal and their bowls, plates, lunch boxes and more. The book selection covers all sorts of Modernist architecture and design (of course), alongside some of their own products such as magazines, badges, tote bags and t-shirts. Now open, Modernist HQ, 58 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ. Wed-Sat 11am-5pm, www.facebook.com

04.06.2019.

Return ticket: Opera North present Aida at Bridgewater Hall.

Leeds-based Opera North makes a long-awaited return to the Bridgewater Hall this June, with, unusually for the venue, a concert staging (not just sung performance) of Verdi’s opera Aida. Including some of the composer’s finest arias, such as Celeste Aida and O Patria Mia, the Egyptian epic tells the story of love versus duty as the doomed lovers Aida and Radamès – a general in the army fighting Aida’s country in a bloody war – are forced to choose between betraying their homelands and betraying their hearts. Last performed by the Company over two decades ago, this production comprises an international cast, with the title role filled by Colombian soprano Alexandra Zabala, while Rafael Volpe takes on the role of the enemy Egyptian general. It also reunites the creative team behind ON’s critically acclaimed Turandot from 2017, including director Annabel Arden, conductor Sir Richard Armstrong and set and costume designer Joanna Parker. Tue 4 Jun, The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3WS, Tel: 0161 907 9000, 7.30pm, £14-43.50, bridgewater-hall.co.uk

06.05.2019 - 12.05.2019.

Gigs of the week ft. The Unthanks, Afghan Sand Gang, Kiefer + more.

Retiree | Mon 6 May | Soup Kitchen | £10 Australian trio delivering melodic dream pop with swirling synths and wistful vocals. www.ticketweb.uk The Unthanks | Tue 7 May | St Philip's Church | £22 Folk group with critically acclaimed output goes back to basics with a tour that sees the Unthank sisters and Niopha Keegan explore singing in unaccompanied harmony, which will be recorded for an upcoming album. www.seetickets.com Kiran Leonard | Wed 8 May | Gullivers | £8 Originally a staple of Greater Manchester's experimental rock scene, Leonard tours in support of last year's album 'Western Culture'; which sees a return to post-punk sounds. www.gulliversnq.info Kiefer | Thu 9 May | Yes | £9.50 Jazz pianist whose experience as a beatmaker gives his sound a soulful, hip hop vibe. He recently released third album 'Bridges'. www.seetickets.com Soak | Fri 10 May | Band on the Wall | £12.50 Mercury prize-nominated indie folk singer songwriter tours in support of second album 'Grim Town', charting her journey from teenager to young adult with references to her hometown Derry. www.seetickets.com Afghan Sand Gang | Sat 11 May | £7 The homegrown group, who have been recently supporting Cabbage, will play their blend of krautrock and electronic shoegaze to mark their upcoming release. www.seetickets.com Drugdealer + Hand Habits | Sun 12 May | Yes | £11 The dream pop/folk group often who often employ a '70s sound, play a headline show with the indie rock singer songwriter. www.seetickets.com