Film, books and music to keep you entertained this week.

Islington Mill: something worth veering off the beaten track for?

Discover hidden waters with the Wild Swimmers movement and take a plunge into Manchester’s watery history at the Victoria Baths

This review is a response to recent complaints regarding a previously published review of Anya 17, performed at the RNCM. I was at the event, and felt as though the opera might benefit a fresh review. The concert marked the penultimate night of the North West New Music festival, with the professional musicians Ensemble 10/10, […]

If you are reading this article and thinking “what does Niagara Falls have to do with Manchester?” all that has to be said is: you can take the girl out of Manchester but you can’t take Manchester out of the girl! Even one on exchange all the way out in Canada. During my stay here, […]

Girls in long coats and guys in benaie hats pay for their tickets and move inside the venue, alongside white-haired pensioners in smart clothes and the die-hard Jazz aficionados who make up Band on The Wall’s regular crowd. This, perhaps, says something about Portico Quartet. The London-based quratet made their name as another of the new generation […]

If simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, then the performance of Marcus Roberts trio at the RNCM is a good example. The trio is composed of classical jazz-trained and Wynton Marsalis-inspired Marcus Roberts at the piano, Rodney Jordan at bass and Jason Marsalis on drums. With a stage presence that is both charismatic and discrete, Roberts […]

Everyone knows who the Monkees are, even 40 years after they were at their prime young and old alike (and celebrity sighting of the evening, Dev from Corrie,) gathered to immerse ourselves in the splendour of the flare-wearing original boy-band. It took a little while to get into the tone of the musical, wondering at […]

The Sunday Times Magazine has brought its collection of writing and photography to Manchester’s CUBE Gallery. The free exhibition celebrates the glossy magazine’s 50th year since its first publication, which was heralded by the then owner’s groans of ‘my God, this is going to be a disaster’. Of course the exhibition proves him completely wrong. […]

Roberto Fonseca, the jazz pianist from Cuba and his motley-crew of musicians succeeded in stunning the audience of Mancunians who filled the Royal Northern College of Music last month. The evening was coloured with musical variety from poignant cello solos from support act Ayanna, described as the, ‘pioneer of Black folk music’, to frenzied African-influenced […]

Vampirette is the brand-spanking new musical comedy premiering at Manchester Opera House on Friday 4th May-19th May.  Written by Jonathan Choat, Vampirette introduces the world to Vampi, a teenage vampire girl determined to be normal. The musical’s designer Amy Jackson, a graduate from Wimbledon School of Art, has designed for numerous productions over the years […]

Although most of you may be taking the Easter hols as a time to feast on the luxuries of home living, some (third years) may be living in the library only coming out for air in the evenings. Over this sparse and generally dull period of revision, let jazz into your world because Manchester seems […]

Before he wows the crowds at Owens Park on 21st March, comedian Chris Ramsey was jolly lovely enough to answer a few questions for The Mancunion. Cheers Chris. Dani Middleton: Nice obvious question first: what’s your favourite thing about being a comedian? Chris Ramsey: Has to be the performing. I love getting to make people […]

There was a surreal atmosphere with the warm sun driving in on a March day, feeling more like June (at least, June in Manchester) through Oldham’s labyrinth of roads winding around the countless construction sites which are heralding the rebranding of the town. However, the exhibition I was heading to, Charlie Meecham’s photographic Oldham Road, […]

On Wednesday 21st March be ready to wet your comedy whistles with the witty delights of Chris Ramsey and Tom Deacon. Recognise the names? Chris is a young Geordie comic who is currently on a spring tour, making huge waves in the comedy scene.  He has appeared on 8 out of 10 cats, Celebrity Juice, […]

On Monday 12th March, Manchester Opera House opens its doors to the horrors of Dr Haze’s circus, bringing with him a cast of blood-curdling, thrill inspiring dare devils. Spectacular contortionists throwing arrows from their feet, demon dwarfs, flying aerialists, gyrating jugglers, voodoo warriors, pickled people and a modern take on the traditional act of sword-swallowing, swapping the sharp pointy weapon for a lit […]

There is an eerie feel about entering the Pankhurst Centre. It is not a grand building which has been built for the purpose of holding great works of art or important historical artefacts, but a simple house, once the home of Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. Today it serves as a museum and is currently showing the […]

Chinese artist Chen Man broke into the art world with her otherworldly photography for Vision, a Shanghai-based fashion and arts magazine. Since then she has continued to work with fashion giants such as Vogue, and has also been involved in advertising for international brands. Now, a selection of her work is on display in the […]

Following Cofilmic’s launch at the end of October, the evening was another successful one for Cofilmic founder Janet Harrision. The Manchester based comedy film festival is spreading its wings and taking the short film entries around the country. On Tuesday 21st February, Cofilmic came to The Cornerhouse as part of the Exposures festival and showcased […]

D H Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law, named as his masterpiece, depicts a set of industrial unrest, elusive desires and flaming tensions erupting from a Nottinghamshire home. This portrayal of working class mining culture in 1912 is infused with the mother-in law, daughter-in-law relationship, stemming from Mrs Gascoigne’s rigid grasp of her son, Luther. The opening scene […]