Things to do in April 2016: King Lear, Glasgow International & Live at Leeds

Polly Checkland Harding
Photo of performers moving a large pink sculpture

The Creative Tourist Cultural Calendar. This month: King Lear, Glasgow International and Live at Leeds.

Live at Leeds: Digital and music festival. It’s the ten year anniversary of this award winning festival, which aims to showcase the best new and emerging artists alongside more established acts from around the world. Various venues, Leeds, 26 Apr – 2 May

The James Plays. This vividly-imagined trilogy (James I, II and III) brings to life three generations of Stewart Kings who ruled Scotland in the 15th century, and is an unprecedented co-production by the National Theatre of Scotland, the National Theatre of Great Britain and the Edinburgh International Festival. The Lowry, Salford, 23 – 24 April

¡Viva! This Spanish and Latin American festival returns, with a programme featuring a the best contemporary art, theatre, and film from Spain and across the Spanish speaking Latin American world. HOME, Manchester, 9 – 24 Apr

Glasgow International. The 2016 programme includes work by more than 228 local and international artists, and will continue to showcase Glasgow as one of the world’s most important centres for the production and display of contemporary visual art. Various venues, Glasgow, 8 – 25 April

King Lear. Following his arresting performance in All My Sons at the Royal Exchange, Don Warrington returns to perform one of the stage’s most sought after roles. Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 1 Apr – 7 May

A Girl is a Half Formed Thing. Ireland’s celebrated independent theatre company The Corn Exchange brings its acclaimed adaptation of Eimear McBride’s award winning novel about of an Irish girl trying to make sense of her fractured childhood to Liverpool. Liverpool Everyman, 5 – 9 Apr

Culture Guides

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.

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.

The Bull and the Moon at Instituto Cervantes

Families

With spring’s indecisive weather in mind, we’ve pulled together a whole load of fun indoor and outdoor family events and activities taking place in Manchester and the North.

Poet Helen Mort.

Literature

Spring is making an entrance in live literature land with some extra special festival events, writing walks, online launches and in real life readings from local writers as well as international talent.

Music

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

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.