Monkey- Journey Into The West- @ The Palace Theatre (Manchester International Festival)

Monkey is a hugely ambitious production; ideal then, to open a festival. Bought to the stage via the collaborative efforts of Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett and Chen Shi-Zheng, it is a smorgasboard of ideas, all jostling, like excited puppies, for your attention. At times it works, as this musical extravaganza is a visual delight. There is so much to see that your eyes will need some optrex to recover, but the beauty is not always for the ears also. Some of the music has been amplified to such an extent that you are left reelling, as opposed to feeling.

(more…)

With BBC News 24 analysing the movements of the Glasgow and London foiled attacks in such minute details, it really is worth leaving the house, otherwise you will end up going stir crazy with fear. Luckily there is lots going on within this fine city to take your mind off current, shocking events.

The Manchester Festival is now in full swing. With so much to see, it’s hard to know where to begin. But a good start is the official website which is really user friendly and full of helpful information about each piece. My tips are much like anyone elses really. But there are three productions that look like dead certs:

(more…)