Last Chance to See: Peter Pan, Until 13 January
This finishes on Sunday 13 January and is brilliant. David Hasselhoff delivers the role of Hook beautifully and Tam Ryan as Smee is a joy as the joker and funny man. If you love panto and will pine for it until November 2013 then get along to this fabulously funny piece of barney bedlam. The Twelve Days of Christmas will have you laughing so hard your eyes pop out. Click here.
Captain Hasselhoff
Music: Juicy January Sale, Deaf Institute: 11 January
Juicy DJs will push it on the wheels of steel for top billin’ at their January sale this weekend. They’ll be playing some classic hip-hop as well as some lost ones because they ain’t sucker MC’s. There’ll be big pimpin’ all round and best of all it takes two pounds paid in full to get in and lose yourself. Right, that’s ten hip-hop references right there counted by me, myself and I. Eleven… Tickets available on the door and online.
Notorious B.I.G
Food: Pasta Dishes, Italia
Pasta dishes can be the worst and the best of Italian cooking. They can be so boring they make people collapse with ennui. But they can also be light, clever, imaginative and exciting. The re-invented Pizzeria Italia, now simply called Italia, is cooking pasta beautifully right now. As our reviewer and editor Jonathan Schofield found out the ravioli lobster was a revelation of textured flesh, good sauce and cracking pasta. Click here for the Confidential review.
Pasta joy
Art: Christine Wong Yap’s Pop-up Art, Chinese Arts Centre: 11 January-13 February
‘Pop-up’ seemed to be the entrepreneurial word of 2012 with pop-up bars, shops, restaurants, dentists and banks briefly appearing and retreating in the blink of an eye. Now New York based artist Christine Wong Yap has transformed the interior of the Chinese Arts Centre into her own pop-up shop to show her take on consumer culture. Exploring the pursuit of happiness through material consumption Yap’s installation began life in 2009 at a previous Manchester residency. Entry to the event is free until the run comes to an end on 13 February.
Christine Wong Yap
Music: Brown Brogues Album Launch, Roadhouse: 12 January
Brown brogues usually sound like the alternating slap of leather soles on whatever underfoot surface their wearer finds themselves trodding upon. Come Saturday at The Roadhouse that sound will be replaced by one of popping blood vessels in the ears as two lads from Wigan who, also known as Brown Brogues, loudly unveil their debut album. Mark and Ben, who make up the pair of Brogues, have been around for some time now slowly breaking in their eponymous footwear and raucous lo-fi tunes. Now the well-worn and much lauded Brogues are ready to launch their album ‘Born To Lose’ after a handful of superb early singles. Support comes from Queer’d Science with the Underachievers DJs taking over from 11pm-3am. Doors open at 9pm with tickets priced at £4/£3with a flyer or £5 after midnight.
Brown Brogues
Tour: Haunted Underworld, St Ann’s Sqaure: 12 January
In a dark and mysterious undercroft of the city centre old stories are coming alive. Tales might include those of dead artists, sinister magicians, tragic lovers and body snatcher. Expect the unexpected and also lots of laughs. People who are brave enough to come on the tour should try not to faint (something that happened last time). The tour costs £8 per person and last just over an hour. Minimum age is 10 years old but if the child is very sensitive, best not to bring the under 12s. Tickets can be booked here.
Haunted Underworld Tour
Music: Delia Derbyshire Day 2013, Band On The Wall: 12 January
Delia Derbyshire Day 2013 is the celebration of an electronic music pioneer you may not be familiar with by name but will certainly have heard her ground breaking work. Derbyshire is responsible for creating the original wobbly Dr Who theme tune in 1963 using all electronic production. The now iconic piece of music helped become a member of the innovative BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Her often forgotten role as a forerunner in electronic music production is now being championed by a Manchester-based group calling themselves ‘Delia Darlings’. Two events will take place on the day, a mini-symposium featuring a screening of documentary ‘The Delian Mode’ will take place 3pm-6pm, whilst the evening event starting from 8pm-10.30pm features audio and visual performances inspired by Derbyshire. Tickets are available from here.
Delia Derbyshire
Antiques: Dickinsons Real Deal, Stockport Town Hall: 12 January
That’s right, ITV’s flagship daytime TV programme is coming to Stockport. So, dust off that old lamp that was in the attic when you moved in and get in line to show it to a man who looks like he’s been dipped in tea to see if it’s worth selling. The free to enter auction will give you the chance to sell any potential antiques on the spot to a dealer or take your chances with the bidders. All the while the mahogany man will be floating around offering his sage advice on your wares.
Dickinson's Real Deal
Meditation: Learn To Meditate Introductory Class: Friends Meeting House 12 January
As much fun as Christmas and New Year can be it’s a stressful time. Then comes January which is just another month yet seems to weigh heavily on everyone and induces Sales based panic and chronic moaning and this year the dreaded Norovirus concern. You’re back in work and off the booze and the Christmas high is behind. It’s these grey and sobering times when a reflective, calming influence can work wonders. ‘Turn off your mind relax and float downstream’ was once declared by a bespectacled Beatle. This Saturday The Friends Meeting House is hosting a free introductory talk on meditation for the inquisitive and sceptical alike. The talk takes place from 10.50am-12pm and is followed by more in-depth weekly classes for those whose transcendental thirst has been whetted. More information can be found here.
Meditation
