The Manchester Weekender 2011 – Fri 14 October

Jonathan Schofield Posted 5 September 2011

LipService: Hysterical Historical

Due to popular demand we have added a third tour on Friday following the sell-out of both Saturday events. Audrey and Olivia, WI frontliners and stars of cult Bronte spoof Withering Looks, lead a hilarious walking tour around the city presenting the stories of the women who shaped Manchester from trailblazing suffragette Christabel Pankhurst to eminent novelist (and renowned gossip) Elizabeth Gaskell.

Time: 2pm Venue: Meet on the steps of the Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square. Cost: £30 – includes afternoon tea at The Midland Hotel. Book through quaytickets.com or 0843 208 0500.

Primitive Streak

Commissioned as part of Manchester Science Festival, this exciting exhibition marks a unique crossover between fashion and biology. The display consists of several specially designed garments telling the story of the first 1000 hours of embryonic life.

Time: Fri 9.30-7.30pm, Sat 9.30-3.30pm & Sun 11-5pm Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, window display viewable at any time at Debenhams, 123 Market Street. Cost: Free.

Adolphe Valette’s Manchester

Coinciding with the major new retrospective at The Lowry, award-winning tour guide Jonathan Schofield leads a group of artistic explorers in search of the master who made mystical landscapes of the city’s industrial skyline.

Time: 4-5.30pm Venue: Tour begins at Manchester Art Gallery, Mosley Street, M2 4JA. Cost: Ticketed, book through jonathanschofieldtours.com.

Paris on the Irwell

An intimate acoustic performance in the new Valette exhibition with Corinne Drewery of Swing out Sister performing Gallic renditions of Manchester classics from The Smiths, New Order and Joy Division – Amour will tear us apart.

Time: 6.30-8.30pm Venue: The Lowry, The Quays M50 3AZ. Cost: Free, booking essential thelowry.com.

Happy Hour with SFX

Kick start the weekend with an after work SFX happy hour and exclusive live entertainment and get a chance to see those incredible Primitive Streak gowns up close.

Time: 5.30-7pm Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square M2 7DH. Cost: Free, drop in.

Dr. Dee and the Manchester Underworld walking tour

Tour guide Jonathan Schofield exposes Deansgate’s dark underbelly, exposing the strange secrets of the area’s eccentric characters including astronomer, alchemist and magical adviser to Elizabeth I, Dr. Dee.

Time: 6-7.30pm Venue: Tour begins at Harvey Nichols, 21 New Cathedral Street M1 1AD. Cost: Ticketed, book through jonathanschofieldtours.com.

Víctor Rodríguez Núñez

One of Cuba’s most celebrated contemporary writers in conversation with poet and influential literary critic Grevel Lindop, and a perfect opportunity to see Of Ink and Light. Part of Manchester Literature Festival

Time: 6.30pm Venue: Instituto Cervantes, 326-330 Deansgate M3 4FN. Cost: Free, booking essential on 0161 661 4200.

All The Way Home

Library Theatre Company presents a new drama by Ayub Khan-Din (East is East). Warring siblings gather at the family’s Salford home under the shadow of impending loss, where long harboured resentments rise to the surface. Spiky, emotional comedy drama.

Time: Fri 7.15pm, Sat 2.30pm & 7.15pm Venue: The Lowry, The Quays M50 3AZ. Cost: £17.50-£19.50. booking via librarytheatre.com, tel 0843 208 6010.

Good

Set in 1930s Frankfurt, against a backdrop of academic wrangling and political machination, CP Taylor’s dark satire is an examination of the malleability of morality.

Time: Fri 7.30pm, Sat 4pm & 8pm Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square M2 7DH. Cost: £9-£33, book through royalexchange.org.uk.