Theatre: Wicked, Palace Theatre, Until Saturday 16 November
Having already sold over 85,000 tickets at the Palace, organisers have had to add two extra dates to the ten-week season to meet with demand. So it may be an idea to get in there sooner rather than later to avoid disappointment, that or mug someone outside for tickets but I’ve always found that to be ethically questionable. Still, availability for the Lion King was waning. Anyway, Wicked recounts the untold story of the Witches of Oz, which, from a revisionary perspective, starts with that horrible wartish green one from Oz, not actually being that horrible at all. That’s thrown the cat amongst the pigeons hasn’t it. Or Toto amongst the winged monkeys.
Tickets £20 - £75. Book here.
The Hulk was miffed, his new batch of steroids had turned out to be estrogen
Event: Superbyte 2013: Chiptune, Retro Gaming and 8 Bit Arts Weekender, Jabez Clegg, Manchester University, Friday 13 September – Saturday 14 September
From Pong to Paperboy, Sonic to Mario, Streets of Rage to Street Fighter, as with anything falling under those now ubiquitous ‘retro’ and ‘vintage’ taglines, retro gaming is no longer solely the pursuit of hermits and the sexless. As gaming giants Microsoft and Sony prepare to wage a global war in the battle of the new consoles amongst a gaming industry now worth $70million worldwide, there has been a noticeable shift in recent years back to a simpler time. When playing video games didn’t require an R2, L1, left, up, R3, L2, right and up just to get a character to scratch his arse. When circle was go and square was stop. When collecting gold rings and jumping on mushrooms were the ultimate goals, not selling crystal meth to a prostitute then decapitating her with a chainsaw before going all Scarface on the whole of Vice City with a flame thrower (here’s looking at you GTA – every problem in the world is now your fault).
Lost track there, this weekender involves lots of playing vintage video games and hardware while listening to bleepy live ‘Chiptune’ music and artworks inspired by the games. Probably a fair bit of Sonic, Mario Kart and Golden Eye, less talking to real girls.
Tickets £13-£25. Buy your tickets here.
Sonic made a hasty reteat as Dr Robotnik dropped his balls
Circus: The Moscow State Circus, Heaton Park from Friday 13 September - Sunday 15 September, Tatton Park from Tuesday 17 September - Sunday 22 September.
The Moscow State Theatre sits alongside the Chinese and Cirque du Soleil as the best circuses in the world. It would appear that those who fall salute the hammer and sickle make quite the accomplished circus performers (except the Soleil, they’re Canadian). Perhaps it’s the fear of the whip, or the firing squad, or mobsters. Who knows? But with their largest and most grandiose performance to date, set in the mythical centre of Moscow’s cultural and artistic quarter, Park Gorkogo, there’ll be flying, back flipping, juggling, roller skating, pendulums and a clown or two guffawing about. Oh the larks.
£5 - £16. Follow @MoscowSTCircus here.
Film: £4.50 Retro Screening of Pulp Fiction, 7pm on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September at The Dancehouse Theatre, Oxford Road
With its jumping storyline, intense violence, and cast of supercool characters, Pulp Fiction was like an adrenalin shot in the heart for the 1990's film industry. The fizzing dialogue and eclectic soundtrack took it from critics' favourite to classic in no time. Re-acquaint yourself with Vincent Vega, Jules, Mia and Butch at this big screen showing of Pulp Fiction. It will be a funny, exhilarating, shocking ride.
You don't have to go to Amsterdam to order a glass of beer in a movie theatre. Hit the bar, settle down with your drink, and watch this Tarantino classic on a big screen in a retro-style theatre in Manchester city centre.
The new Confidential Film Club presents two showings of Pulp Fiction at 7pm on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September at The Dancehouse Theatre, Oxford Road.
Tickets are a steal at just £4.50 plus 50p booking fee. Click here to book yours.
Sport(ish): Roller Derby Grudge Match: Manchester vs Liverpool, Sugden Sports Centre, Saturday 14 September, 1pm-6pm
Bit of a weird one this but stay with us. Firstly, what the bloody hell is roller derby? Having seen one or two clips on Youtube the best I can do is: rugby on roller skates, but there’s no ball, fair bit of shoving, and it’s on an oval track.
Right, so what’s the point? No one knows, someone called the ‘Jammer’ tries to score points and the mean ones try to batter everyone else. Regardless of the rules, it’s likely to be like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Lots of girls whacking each other and falling over. Still, if that’s what you’re after you may aswell just stand outside the Printworks on any given Saturday night.
Tickets £7 advance, £9 on the door. Buy tickets here.
Disney's Dancing on Ice tour of Oman had been a shambles
Art: Double Indemnity, Cornerhouse, Opens Saturday 14 September until January
Contemporary artworks including new commissions by Ming Wong and Anicka Yi will feature in a new group exhibition at Cornerhouse, Double Indemnity. The exhibition will inter-weave images and text from Billy Wilder’s classic film about an insurance salesman who forges an affair and plans to off the husband, with a selection of photography, video, painting and installation artworks, which expose and subvert the distance between those who desire and are desired.
Curated by Michael Connor and staged across all three of Cornerhouse’s galleries, the show will explore questions posed by the film through recent and new work by a selection of high-profile artists - including Sophie Calle, Jenny Holzer, Ming Wong, Anicka Yi, Andrea Fraser and Frances Stark.
FREE. Visitor info here.
Dave was certain that glasses were supposed to improve vision
Comedy: Bill Bailey: Qualmpeddler, The Lowry, Saturday 14 September – Sunday 15 September
At first Bill Bailey had doubts about the modern world. But now they’re qualms, fully fledged qualms and lots of them. The weirdy beardy wonderfully witty Klingon-look-a-likey comedian will be exploring these feelings of apprehension and all round unease with his usual mixture of musical mash-ups and surreal philosophising. Expect Religious Dubstep. Apparently the new pontiff loves a bit of wobble bass.
Tickets £27. Book here.
Bill Bailey's a tad vexed
Exhibition: Bob van Persie, One Man – Full House, Richard Goodall Gallery, Thursday 12 September – Saturday 5 October
Your first thought: Is that Robin van Persie’s dad? Well, the answer is yes, yes it is. Now that’s out of the way, Bob’s art career has spanned some 40 years, including time studying at the Royal Academy, The Hague and the Arts Academy, Rotterdam.
Inspired by the many crowds and terraces he experienced while bringing up his son, Bob’s work is created from materials discarded by others (no prophylactics), bringing them alive through the creation of paper dolls which are then collated together on hard board. Much of his work is created from newspapers and magazines collected from all around the world. The paper is used to create the faceless people which are gathered to build a scene such as the stands of a pulsating stadium. Plus putting faces on hundreds of tiny little litter heads would be pretty boring.
FREE (City fans have to pay a tenner). All work is available for sale. See more about the Bob van Persie exhibiton here.
The tenth annual Stella World Headbutting Championships was the worst one yet
An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley, Bolton Octagon Theatre, Until Saturday 5 October
Lies, deceit, affairs and the stiff upper lips of the higher echelons of Victorian life. Why, they go hand in hand like Isambard Kingdom Brunel and daft long names. J B Priestley’s most famous work, An Inspector Calls, has been produced on stage, radio, TV and in film multiple times since its first performance back in 1945. The Birlings are celebrating, their daughter is engaged, but their jovial gathering is interrupted by a mysterious inspector. A young woman has committed suicide and the Birlings each know more than they’re letting on.
Tickets £9 - £24. Book here.
Classic Sleuth
