Do something less boring instead.

Creative Tourist

We’re all grown ups, right? We all know we’re supposed to eat our five a day, get down the gym and watch our stress levels/blood pressure/weight/overdraft (delete as applicable). It’s just that being so good takes up the kind of valuable time we could spend watching re-runs on 40D, wittering on Twitter or aimlessly checking eBay.

Still, a new show at CUBE should perk up the couch potatoes among you. Featuring parkour, street football and a new form of martial art developed specifically for city dwellers, it offers a window onto an altogether more active world.

DuellistsShootTheMoonThe Duellists is a case in point. Shot inside a shopping centre, this award winning film features two dubious-looking lads who at first glance appear to be casing the joint. But instead of rabble-rousing, a graceful (almost balletic) chase ensues: the duo are freerunning, and they jump and swing off escalators, stairwells and shop fronts with effortless grace. The film, made by free media pioneers, MediaShed, was shot in the Arndale entirely on CCTV cameras, subverting Big Brother for this worthy artistic-athletic cause. Inspiring, energetic and quite possibly illegal, this is the kind of exercise that’s worth getting up off the sofa for.

City as Gymnasium, CUBE. Until 3 October. Watch The Duellists here. The Duellists was commissioned by Futuresonic. City as Gymnasium also features Peter Liversidge, Neville Gabie and Tsui Kuang-Yu, and includes a new commission from Lottie Child (a street training manual that can be picked up in the gallery).

Culture Guides

Cinema

Northern flicks, sci-fi masterpieces and some brand new film festivals feature in this month’s cinema preview.

Exhibitions

Spring weather might be dragging its feet a little, but the world of exhibitions isn’t slowing down with new shows popping up everywhere to greet the new season.

Families

With two weeks off school and the sun finally rearing it’s head, April is the month to have fun with family and friends and make some amazing memories in readiness for summer term!

Jen Calleja

Literature

Books are most definitely back, with a whole host of live events by writers local as well as international, from pop-up performances to regular reading series, plus some hybrid festival specials and online launches allowing access wherever you happen to be.

Music

From Father John Misty to The Flaming Lips, The Waeve to Big Thief, here are the gigs on our radar for early spring.

Theatre in Manchester and the North

Theatre

You’ll find everything from work-in-progress scratch nights to multi-award winning musicals in this month’s theatre guide.

Classical Music

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Food and Drink

Get ready for spring and summer with the best restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.

Tours and Activities

From indie markets to bit-sized meditation, spoon carving workshops to gallery tours, here are the headlines in the world of tours and activities.