There is free entertainment from 6pm - 7pm, cheap drinks from 5.30pm- 7pm and huge savings in the craft shop from 5.30pm- 7pm.

Guitar-toting funny man Duncan Oakley headlines another bill of stand-up when the new SFX season kicks off tonight. Guest compere Des Sharples takes the helm for a line-up which also includes lug-eared Super Hans look-alike John Goodfellow and laid-back gagster Mike Newall.

A unique fusion of Turkish and Kurdish music fills the Great Hall when Paula Darwish and the Country and Eastern Band make an appearance on Friday 11 July. The seven-piece band present a special semi- acoustic set, fusing the spirit of rock with eastern rhythms and melodies. (more…)

Potted Pirates is another cracking, compressed caper from the delightful double act Dan and Jeff.

In search of talking parrots and mysterious buried treasure, they’re swapping wizards for walking the plank and trading Hogwarts for the high seas.

On the way they’ll be collecting pieces of eight by recounting everyone’s favourite pirate legends, from Long John Silver to Jack Sparrow. But, as ever with this duo, there may be a bit of a fuss about who gets to play Johnny Depp, and who draws the short straw to be lumbered with the supporting role of ‘wooden leg’.

Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner are best known for their storytelling appearances on Blue Peter. They have also played two sell-out Edinburgh and London seasons with Potted Potter and have toured extensively in the UK. (more…)

Loaded with more glamour, fun and surprises than ever before the Lady Boys of Bangkok celebrates its record-breaking tenth successive UK touring season with a spectacular new production – ‘Devils And Angels’.

THE SHOW:
Hotter than Hades with a galaxy of heavenly bodies, it’s a paradise of glittering stylish cabaret fun and glamour performed by 16 of the world’s most stunningly beautiful representatives of the Third Sex (Kathoey) – in the unique ambiance of The Sabai Pavilion, at Sackville Street NCP Car Park (off Bloom Street) Manchester until Saturday 26th July.

‘Devils And Angels’ is an ecstasy of non-stop hits – including outstanding favourites from the past decade that the audiences have demanded to see again. It couldn’t be more fun! From the Spice Girls tribute to Broadway show stoppers from Grease to Sound of Music. From fabulous feathers to raunchy disco from Bassey to Beyonce and beyond…the fun just keeps rolling on. Painstakingly immaculate make-up… hundreds of to-die-for costumes… sparkling new choreography - the Lady Boys of Bangkok are in bubbling champagne form.

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THE GIG:
R.E.M are one of the most successful and influential bands of all time, and they look set to make 2008 their year. These not-to-be-missed shows will see Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, and Mike Mills perform songs from their new album as well as some of their classic hits.

As if R.E.M are not enough for any rock fan, they are supported by Guillemots and The Editors!

HOW TO BOOK:
R.E.M, plus support Guillemots and The Editors
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Sunday, 24th August, 2008

http://www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk (more…)

With food, petrol and the cost of living on the rise, theatre tickets might be the last thing on your shopping list.

You often read about how to get West End bargains, but never Manchester. So, here goes:

1) Have a look at lastminute.com. Many people associate this site with London theatre only. But there is a regional section and they cover many of the main theatres, such as the Palace, the Opera House and the Lowry with discounts to be had. It’s always worth a look.

2) Subscribe to websites offering discounts. The Royal Exchange have a great newsletter, which often has superb offers with tickets to be had for as little as a fiver! You can also subscribe to ticketmaster regionally which will also give you the odd special offer. The Manchester Evening News sometimes have offers on Fridays in their City Life supplement and the paper itself is free if you live or work in the City Centre! (more…)

The auditorium fills and the noise levels rise as children and adults arrive for a performance of the Terrible Tudors. The lights dim and the theatre reverberates with a scream of excitement as we strap in for a roller-coaster ride through the horrible side of history.

Originally conceived as a way of getting younger children excited by history, Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories books use a combination of cartoons, jokes and the more gruesome historical facts to bring the past to life in new and interesting ways. Building on the huge popularity of the books, these touring adaptations (the Vile Victorians alternates with the Terrible Tudors) aim to recreate this mixture of learning and fun on stage.

The cast of four - Benedict Martin, Alison Fitzjohn, Zara Plessard and Timothy Speyer - perform a minor miracle with their range of characters and the speed of the dialogue and physical interaction. The broad humour of many of the jokes wouldn’t work if delivery and timing were not perfectly honed and it is testament to their abilities that it never slips throughout the two hour show. (more…)

Lang best known for her role in 2 Point 4 Children starred with Judi Dench in the recent West End version of this Noel Coward classic.

When each member of an eccentric theatrical family invites a guest to stay with them without telling the other, the stage is set for a memorable and madcap weekend in the country.

Retired actress Judith Bliss, her novelist husband David, and their two self-indulgent children Simon and Sorel are each looking forward to a weekend in the country with a potential romantic attachment of their choice. However, as each realises that the other has invited a guest of their own, and each couple treads on the others toes, the weekend quickly descends into a mass of mishaps and misunderstandings as The Bliss’s play a game from which their hapless guests are desperate to escape. (more…)

Graham Greene’s Travels With My Aunt follows next from October 9th- 25th, which brings us to panto season and this year the Coliseum are staging Aladdin. To keep families happy before Christmas and beyond, this runs from November 22nd until January 10th next year.

North West favourite Tim Firth gets another look in, following his Calendar Girls at The Lowry, with his play Absolutely Frank which runs from January 29th- February 21st. London Classic Theatre bring their run of Charlotte Jones‘ acclaimed hit Humble Boy from October 28th until November 1st, followed by Hull Truck’s Ladies Down Under from November 4th -8th. (more…)

Since winning the first series of ITV’s reality television competition Pop Idol, the 27-year-old Young has received two Brit Awards and released three albums. His chart-topping singles include “Leave Right Now”, “Friday’s Child”, “Light My Fire” and “Evergreen”. He made his professional acting debut on screen - alongside Dame Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins and Kelly Reilly - in Stephen Frears’ 2005 film Mrs Henderson Presents.

Young attended a postgraduate course at Arts Educational, which he left early to pursue his singing career. Ahead of his Royal Exchange dates, Young last appeared on the concert circuit with his “Keep on Live” tour, in September 2006. (more…)

Take sixteen exotic ‘Kathoey,’ the so-called third sex, add hundreds of outrageous Vegas-style costumes, shake and stir and place inside an exotic pavilion, and what do you get? A total transformation of a Manchester city centre car park, and one of the best nights out you could ever hope to have!

Full credit to creators, Carol and Phillip Gandey, for the beautiful attention to detail in the realisation of their concept. From the moment you enter the Sabai Pavilion, you’re transported to a relaxed Bangkok-style floor show environment. With first-class hospitality throughout the evening, this is a total entertainment experience. (more…)