SEVEN DAYS

Since it first opened five years ago, Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre has played host to a number of wonderful LGBTQthemed productions – from 2018’s revival of Alexi Kaye Campbell’s The Pride to last year’s stunning production of Kathrine Smith’s All I See Is You.

How fitting, then, that Hope Mill’s first major festival, Turn On Fest, should be a full-scale celebration of LGBTQ+ arts. Launching on Tuesday, the inaugural Turn On Fest is the result of an exciting collaboration between Hope Mill Theatre, Superbia, the cultural programmers behind Manchester Pride, and theatre company Mother’s Ruin.

Provide a terrific kickstart to Manchester’s 2020 cultural calendar, the event – which lasts for three weeks – offers a vibrant, eclectic programme of theatre, spoken word, music, vogue, scratch nights and much more.

New commissions for the festival include Twisted Bollywood, a ‘pay what you feel’ devised performance focusing on LGBT marriage; As British as a Watermelon, by spoken word artist Mandla Rae, examines the lasting effects of trauma and displacement; Jason Andrew Guest’s Mind Games is an exploration of what happens behind closed doors, through music and movement; while Nobody’s Watching is a dance spectacular featuring five artists from Manchester’s LGBT community.

Highlights also include Manc faves Mother’s Ruin, bringing their glorious mix of cabaret and performance; plus local company Qweerdog Theatre, who will revive their first ever show, the acclaimed comingof-age story Absolute Certainty.

Hope Mill Theatre, Ancoats / 0161 275 9141 / Tuesday, until Saturday, February 1 / Full line-up and ticket info at – hopemilltheatre.co.uk