Four for June
9 Jun
A quick round-up of four enjoyable shenanigans, in Manchester, in June.
This month: an undiscovered Greek theatre classic, a showcase for new writing, an alternative to Heaton Park Stone Roses hysteria, and a year-long collaborative project supporting Teenage Cancer.
If you’ve got suggestions of what to cover in Four for July leave a comment here, or tweet me @elle_c_emm.
The Games, 11 June The Lowry
1. The Games
11 June (£12), 8pm The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
A lost classic discovered at last (ahem) The Games is the award-winning story of three Greek nobodies caught up in a bet between Zeus, Hera and Hercules. By Liverpool’s Spike Theatre, developed with The Met, Bury and The Unity Theatre, Liverpool, this sounds like a great, fun way to get caught up in the spirit of the games, before London 2012 starts. The Games comes with excellent reviews from A Young Theatre, What’s On Stage and The Times and is at The Lowry for one night only.
More about Spike Theatre www.spiketheatre.com/
Book tickets www.thelowry.com/event/the-games
2. CAKE
16 June (free). 12-5pm, Nexus Art Café, 2 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 1JW
CAKE is a project aimed at helping unpublished writers get their words seen by the public. The Cake gang has teamed up with friendly places in Manchester who’ve agreed to host these stories. They’re all about supporting fresh ideas and new talent. Celebrating International Short Story Day (20 June), pop along to the lovely Nexus Art Café, meet people, have cake, hear stories and enter a writing competition there and then. Submissions for issue 2 of CAKE close 10 June, look out for future issues and meet-ups coming soon.
cakeshortandsweet.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/events/310446845697233/
3. Shels + guests Cyril Snear + From the Kites of San Quentin + Tall for Jockeys
24 June (£6), 7.30pm Ruby Lounge, 32A High Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1QD
I’ll admit when I saw this listing I was intrigued by the support act, Cyril Snear, any fans of Saturday morning cartoons 20+ years ago will of course realise that’s the most evil of the Raccoons (with an odd nose and a sweet son, Cedric). Shels apparently play a different brand of post-metal – I have no idea what that means, but a quick listen reveals it’s not what I’d have imagined – and the rest of the bands all sound pretty good too. A gig with plenty of local talent which might be what you’re looking for to counteract what will surely be Stone Roses hysteria in the city at the end of the month.
More here www.therubylounge.com/index.php/shows/shels
4. 3hundredand65
Every day of 2012 (free – donations welcome!), Wherever you are in the world
3hundred65 is a graphic novel taking shape every single day of 2012, written in tweet form. That’s 140 characters from each writer, with a different writer every day. Even more incredibly, every single tweet is being stunningly illustrated by founder Dave Kirkwood. But why? All to raise money for Teenage Cancer.
As well as the likes of me (10 January, fact fans!) – and now, YOU, go onnnnn…. – the finished story will feature the combined talents of a whole host of talented tweeters including some rather famous names like Stephen Fry, Bill Bailey, Irvine Welsh, Jonathan Ross, Katy Brand, David Baddiel, Ian Rankin, Tim Burgess, Clint Boon and Lauren Laverne.
More on 3hundredand65 at www.3hundredand65.co.uk/
www.facebook.com/3hundredand65
Room for more? (ALWAYS!)
Everything We Need. 28-30 June, 7.30pm (8pm Sat), Royal Exchange Theatre, St Anns Square, Manchester, M2 7DH (£10 / £7 concessions)
A world premiere from award-winning writer and performer, Ben Mellor. Mellor performs a collection of monologues by seven different characters coming to terms with a changing world. More http://www.royalexchange.co.uk/event.aspx?id=505
Thank you so much for the shout-out! We can’t wait for Saturday.