/SEVEN DAYS
Clubbing / High Hoops 3rd Birthday Three years on from their debut at the now-defunct Roadhouse, house and disco session High Hoops has grown into one of the most popular, feel-good parties in town. Pulling out all the stops for their third birthday, tonight’s headliners include DJ heavyweights Palms Trax and Antal.
Hidden / hidden.club / Saturday, May 19, 11pm-4am / £13/£15/£17.50/£20 Visual arts / Chantal Joffe Regarded as one of the most distinctive and uncompromising figurative artists working today, Chantal Joffe presents her latest show – a series of works exploring transitions into adolescence and adulthood – in The Lowry’s gallery space.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0843 208 6000 / Starts Saturday, May 19, runs until September 2 / Free MONDAY Theatre / #BeMoreMartyn The life of Martyn Hett – one of the victims of last year’s Manchester Arena bombing – is remembered with this powerful piece of verbatim theatre from the Hope Theatre Company. Prepare to laugh, to cry, and – most importantly – be more like Martyn once you leave the theatre.
Hope Mill Theatre / hopemilltheatre.co.uk / 0161 275 9141 / Monday, May 21 to Saturday, May 26 / £15 TUESDAY Theatre / Fat Blokes With so much media commentary focussed on women and body image, this anarchic new show shifts the spotlight over to the blokes – particularly those of the more rotund variety. Written and performed by the controversial artist Scottee – returning to HOME after an appearance at last year’s Orbit Festival – Fat Blokes is a provocative dance show about, says its creator, “flab, double chins and getting your kit off in public”. Well worth attending for intrigue value alone.
HOME / homemcr.org / 0161 200 1500 / Tuesday, May 22 to Thursday, May 24 / £12.50 Theatre / Brighton Rock You’ve read the book, seen the film, now experience Graham Greene’s famous meditation on gangsters, justice and morality on the theatre stage. Assembled by a stellar creative team of playwright Bryony Lavery and director Esther Richardson, the acclaimed production will run over five nights as part of The Lowry’s Week 53 Festival.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0843 208 6000 / Tuesday, May 22 to Saturday, May 26 / £20 Literature / An Evening of Poetry in Georgian and English A stellar line-up of homegrown and Georgian poets has been assembled for this special event as part of Manchester Writing School International Week. Acclaimed Georgian writers Diana Anphimiadi and Salome Benidze will read their work alongside British poets Jean Sprackland and Helen Mort, before discussing the art of translation with Natalia Bukia-Peters.
International Anthony Burgess Foundation / anthonyburgess.org / 0161 235 0776 / Tuesday, May 22, 7pm / Free WEDNESDAY Comedy / Ivo Graham Eton educated Ivo Graham isn’t shy about his posh background: charming, crafty and self-aware, he turns his youthful indiscretions into stories of pure comedy gold. Catch him at this intimate Bread Shed show before he (inevitably) starts headlining massive theatres.
The Bread Shed / bread-shed. co.uk / 0161 273 1471 / Wednesday, May 23, 7.30pm / £12 Theatre / Toast One of the most-anticipated shows at The Lowry’s Week 53 Festival, food writer Nigel Slater’s acclaimed memoir Toast will be making its stage debut in a unique experimental performance. A word of advice, don’t attend this show on a full stomach: audience members will be given jam tarts and bread-and-butter pudding in a series of “eating interventions”, while the smells of boiled ham and cabbage will be wafted around the theatre in a nod to Slater’s childhood meals.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0843 208 6000 / Wednesday, May 23 to Saturday, June 2 / £20 Film / Doc’n Roll Film Festival The UK’s biggest music documentary festival arrives in Manchester, presenting an eclectic programme of films spanning local music heroes (a Badly Drawn Boy documentary, 26 May), a study of Manchester dance culture (Manchester Keeps On Dancing, 26 May), and a celebration of jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald (Pure Love, 28 May).
HOME / homemcr.org / 0161 200 1500 / Thursday, May 24 to Monday, May 28 / More info at homemcr.org/event/docn-rollfilm-fest/ THURSDAY Music / Joan Baez The queen of the protest song, Ms Joan Baez, calls into one Manchester for one last time – after 50 years and 30 albums, the 77-year-old folk legend will be retiring from playing live after this current world tour comes to an end.
Bridgewater Hall / bridgewaterhall.co.uk / 0161 907 9000 / Thursday, May 24, 7.30pm / £42 Music / Bryan Adams He’s not the hippest guy on the planet, but you can’t deny that Canadian legend Bryan Adams boasts a formidable back catalogue of hits.
Manchester Arena / manchester-arena.com / 0844 847 8000 / Thursday, May 24, 6.30pm / £37.50-£45