Word of Warning — Weekly Warning

... of an early election as the Government clings on to every shred of 'good' news, and we face a seemingly endless campaign. 

This weekend, as the rest of the world is embroiled in the political hot potato that is Eurovision, closer to home Keith Khan's The Accountants continues at Aviva Studios until Sat 11 May. The Lowry has Dante or Die's Kiss Marry Kill on Fri 10 + Sat 11 May at St Peter's, Ancoats while 42 Balloons continues until 19 May.  SICK! has Ria Righteous + Rachel Shore's SAFE in Harpurhey Shopping Centre (4-31 May) while Manchester Jewish Museum's Synagogue Scratch runs until 30 May.

In Leeds, Equilibrio Dinamico's Luz is at the Riley Theatre on Sat 11 May.

Next week  (w/c 13 May) is a seriously busy one:
In North Manchester, SICK! is in Harpurhey Market with Jenny Gaskell's Sustainable Travel Agency (15-18 May) and Company Chameleon's No Us and Them on Sun 19 May; and Smug Roberts' Dementia Street at NWTAC (16-18 May); while Lauren Yvonne Townsend's Obsessed (wip) is at The Lowry on Fri 17 May.
Also at The Lowry, Arden School of Theatre's UnTaPped '24 is on 17 + 18 May.
In South Manchester, Chorlton Arts Festival (17-26 May) kicks off including Tina Tamsho-Thomas's 99 Reasons at 99 Manchester Rd on Fri 17 May.

In Leeds NASTY's 'big' girls being gross is at the Carriageworks on (13-15 May); Fresh Take is at the Riley Theatre on Tue 14 May; and Back to the Fuschia III: Fade To Black is at CLAY on Wed 15 May.
In Prescot, Daniel Kitson's Collaborator (wip) is at Shakespeare North on (15-18 May).
In Hebden Bridge, Makisig Akin  + Anya Cloud's We are (nothing) everything is at Wainsgate Chapel on Fri 17 May.
On Sat 18 May, Tuckshop Dance's Our Secret Garden is in Birkenhead Park; while in Sheffield, The Allotment Project is at the Drama Studio.
Much further afield Mayfest kicks off in Bristol (17-26 May).

The following week (w/c 20 May) Word of Warning is back in action with Works Ahead: Radiator at Manchester School of Theatre on Fri 24 May.
Before that, SICK! at the Simpson Memorial Hall in Moston has Tink Flaherty's Benched on Wed 22 May, and Louise Orwin's Fame Hungry (wip) on Thu 23 May. Igor + Moreno's Karrasekare is at The Lowry on Wed 22 May.  For some poetic discussion Manchester Minyanaires is at Manchester Jewish Museum on Sun 26 May.

In Leeds there's Slip & Score Double Bill: Phrases | Shhh on Thu 23 May and Sweet Beef's I Hate It Here on Sat 25 May at Slung Low at The Warehouse.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

In a vote of no confidence rivalling the Local Elections, artists are flying the coop of Manchester's latest super-venue and the lottery is back on for just who will end up opening the embattled Eastlands megalith - even Barry Manilow has a back-up plan. 

In more reliable territory, May brings a slew of festivals at various scales including SICK!, GIFT, Chorlton Arts Festival and Mayfest.

This weekend Keith Khan's The Accountants starts at Aviva Studios (4-11 May) or for something more traditionally theatrical 42 Balloons at The Lowry (until 19 May) is receiving high praise.  SICK! has Ria Righteous + Rachel Shore's SAFE in Harpurhey Shopping Centre (4-31 May).

In Leeds, Area Jeune Ballet's Double Bill is at the Riley Theatre tonight, Fri 3 May, while way over in Gateshead, GIFT Festival runs 3-5 May including Action Hero, Greg Wohead and more.

Next week (w/c 6 May) The Lowry has Scratch Nights X Galleries on Thu 9 May and Dante or Die's Kiss Marry Kill on Fri 10 + Sat May at St Peter's, Ancoats. Manchester Jewish Museum starts its Synagogue Scratch (9-30 May). For something discursive, there's a Bunker Talk with Chris Thorpe at the Salutation on Tue 7 May.

LEAP in Liverpool has a Triple Bill on Wed 8 May; while Equilibrio Dinamico's Luz is at the Riley Theatre Leeds on Sat 11 May.

The following week  (w/c 13 May) things suddenly come to life!
In North Manchester, SICK! is in Harpurhey Market with Jenny Gaskell's Sustainable Travel Agency (15-18 May) and Company Chameleon's No Us and Them on Sun 19 May; and Smug Roberts' Dementia Street at NWTAC (16-18 May); while Lauren Yvonne Townsend's Obsessed (wip) is at The Lowry on Fri 17 May.
Also at The Lowry, Arden School of Theatre's UnTaPped '24 is on 17 + 18 May.
In South Manchester, Chorlton Arts Festival (17-26 May) kicks off including Tina Tamsho-Thomas's 99 Reasons at 99 Manchester Rd on Fri 17 May.

In Leeds NASTY's 'big' girls being gross is at the Carriageworks on (13-15 May); Fresh Take is at the Riley Theatre on Tue 14 May; and Back to the Fuschia III: Fade To Black is at CLAY on Wed 15 May.
In Prescot, Daniel Kitson's Collaborator (wip) is at Shakespeare North on (15-18 May).
In Hebden Bridge, Makisig Akin  + Anya Cloud's We are (nothing) everything is at Wainsgate Chapel on Fri 17 May.
On Sat 18 May, Tuckshop Dance's Our Secret Garden is in Birkenhead Park; while in Sheffield, The Allotment Project is at the Drama Studio.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

Information for artists: habmcr.org

Word of Warning
Up Next… 

Fri 24 May, 5pm-7pm. FREE | MMU Grosvenor East

WORKS AHEAD: RADIATOR

A sharing of Live Art.

Ash Cox | chris brown | E.M. Parry | Heather Alice | ITZATNA | Jamil Keating | Kelvin Atmadibrata | Lauren Greer

(Participating artists subject to change.)

Sat 27 Jul, 1pm-4pm. FREE | Z-arts

HAPHAZARD 2024

An afternoon for the curious of all ages.

(Participating artists to be announced.)

As May and the Local Elections loom, rumours abound that the Govt may be about to hit the panic button and call the Big One - maybe as a distraction from the runaway horse of defeat...

This weekend on Sat 27 Apr for us, at Word of Warning, it's all about ELOINA's High Steaks at The Lowry; while David Hoyle's Still Got It is at Aviva Studios. On Sun 28 Apr Ute Lemper's Time Traveller is at the RNCM.

Further afield, tonight Fri 26 Apr there are choices to be made: in Liverpool, Habibi Funk's Berber Boy is at the Unity (part of Up Next Festival until 4 May); and LEAP Dance Festival kicks off at the Black E and runs until 10 May; while in Leeds, Jo Hauge + Nicol Parkinson's kiss&cry is at CLAY.

Also in Leeds, Rendez-vous Dance's The Monocle is at the Riley Theatre on Sat 27 Apr; while, in Lancaster Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein continues at The Duke's until Sat 27 Apr.

Next week (w/c 29 Apr) Tilly Lee Kronick's Handful of Nothing is at The Lowry on Thu 2 May; while Keith Khan's The Accountants is at Aviva Studios (4-11 May). May also brings SICK! Festival including Ria Righteous + Rachel Shore's SAFE in Harpurhey Shopping Centre (4-31 May).

In Leeds, Verve Triple Bill is at the Playhouse on Tue 30 Apr and Area Jeune Ballet's Double Bill is at the Riley Theatre on Fri 3 May. Suzy Homemaker is at the Drama Studio, Sheffield on Wed 1 May. In Lancaster on Thu 2 May, Action Hero's The Talent is at Lancaster Arts while Emergence Triple Bill is at the Duke's. Also on Thu 2 May, LEAP's Liverpool Dance Prize is at the Capstone Theatre. Much futher afield in Gateshead, GIFT Festival runs 3-5 May including Action Hero, Greg Wohead and more.

The following week (w/c 6 May) The Lowry has Scratch Nights X Galleries on Thu 9 May and Dante or Die's Kiss Marry Kill on Fri 10 + Sat May at St Peter's, Ancoats. For something discursive, there's a Bunker Talk with Chris Thorpe at the Salutation on Tue 7 May.

LEAP in Liverpool has a sold-out Triple Bill on Wed 8 May; while Equilibrio Dinamico's Luz is at the Riley Theatre Leeds on Sat 11 May.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

As Duchess Domestic's UK domain gets bought out for charitable causes and Taylor Swift continues her march to global dominance, unleashing artistic revenge on those who have wronged her - we are left to wonder if only governments could be so creative in their tactics.

This weekend HOME Young Company's We're All Just Wasps in Glass Houses is at HOME on Fri 19 + Sat 20 Apr.

In Liverpool, Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein is at the Playhouse (17-20 Apr), while the Liverpool Improv Festival runs 19-21 Apr including Rowena Gander's Freeing My Body With The Pole today, Fri 19 Apr at the Unity. In Lancaster, The Dukes plays host to Blast Fest also on Fri 19 Apr.

Next week (w/c 22 Apr) on Tue 23 + Wed 24 Apr you can see the student TAPPFEST showcase at New Adelphi, University of Salford.
On Sat 27 Apr we, at Word of Warning are back at The Lowry with ELOINA's High Steaks; while David Hoyle's Still Got It is at Aviva Studios and Ute Lemper's Time Traveller is at the RNCM on Sun 28 Apr.

In Liverpool, Up Next Festival is at the Unity (24 Apr - 4 May) including Andrew McKay/Filla Crack's WO-MAN (24 Apr) and Habibi Funk's Berber Boy (26 Apr).
In Lancaster, Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein is at The Duke's (24-27 Apr), as is An Attempt To Lose Time on Thu 25 Apr.
In Sheffield, Tom Yum Sim's A Suffocating, Choking Feeling is at Theatre Deli, Sheffield on Thu 25 + Fri 26 Apr. While in Leeds, Jo Hauge + Nicol Parkinson's kiss&cry is at CLAY on Fri 26 Apr and Rendez-vous Dance's The Monocle is at the Riley Theatre.

The following week (w/c 29 Apr) Tilly Lee Kronick's Handful of Nothing is at The Lowry on Thu 2 May; while Keith Khan's The Accountants is at Aviva Studios (4-11 May). May also brings SICK! Festival including Ria Righteous + Rachel Shore's SAFE.

In Leeds, Verve Triple Bill is at the Playhouse on Tue 30 Apr and Area Jeune Ballet's Double Bill is at the Riley Theatre on Fri 3 May.  Suzy Homemaker is at the Drama Studio, Sheffield on Wed 1 May. In Lancaster on Thu 2 May, Action Hero's The Talent is at Lancaster Arts while Emergence Triple Bill is at the Duke's. Also on Thu 2 May, LEAP's Liverpool Dance Prize is at the Capstone Theatre.  Much futher afield in Gateshead, GIFT Festival runs 3-5 May including Action Hero, Greg Wohead and more.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

In this week of planetary phenomena, only Donald Trump could inflate his (anti-)messianic ambition to suck the very light from the sky - in my mind it should be soundtracked by this devastating eclipse anthem.

This weekend everywhere seems to be erring towards plays and only NYDC's Wall at Leeds Playhouse on Sat 13 Apr jumps out.

Next week (w/c 15 Apr) on Tue 16 Apr Andy Smith + Lynsey O'Sullivan's A Citizen's Assembly is at HOME while Aakash Odedra's Mehek is at The Lowry. You could also try HOME Young Company's We're All Just Wasps in Glass Houses on Fri 19 + Sat 20 Apr.

In Liverpool, Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein is at the Playhouse (17-20 Apr), while the Liverpool Improv Festival runs 19-21 Apr including Rowena Gander's Freeing My Body With The Pole on Fri 19 Apr at the Unity. In Lancaster, The Dukes plays host to Blast Fest also on Fri 19 Apr.

The following week (w/c 22 Apr) on Sat 27 Apr we, at Word of Warning are back at The Lowry with ELOINA's High Steaks while David Hoyle's Still Got It is at Aviva Studios and Ute Lemper's Time Traveller is at the RNCM on Sun 28 Apr.

In Liverpool, Up Next Festival is at the Unity (24 Apr - 4 May) including Andrew McKay/Filla Crack's WO-MAN (24 Apr) and Habibi Funk's Berber Boy (26 Apr).
Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein is at The Duke's, Lancaster (24-27 Apr),  as is An Attempt To Lose Time on Thu 25 Apr.
Tom Yum Sim's A Suffocating, Choking Feeling is at Theatre Deli, Sheffield on Thu 25 + Fri 26 Apr; while Jo Hauge + Nicol Parkinson's kiss&cry is at CLAY in Leeds on Fri 26 Apr.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

During this damp post-Easter lull, at least we have the riveting prospect of the celebrity-filled latest episode of the great Windsor soap opera.

For something more edifying, this weekend, in Mancunia there's Alice Christina Corrigan's FADE at The Lowry tonight Fri 5 Apr.
Also tonight, Fri 5 Apr, in Warrington, Thick & Tight's Tits and Teeth is at Pyramid Arts Centre; and Richard Chappell Dance's Hot House is at Barnsley Civic. In Leeds, Fat Chance is at the Playhouse on Fri 5  + Sat 6 Apr; and Eleanor May Blackburn's Does My F**** Look Big In This? is at Slung Low on Sat 6 Apr. In Chester, Motionhouse's Starchitects is at the Storyhouse on Sun 7 Apr.

Next week, (w/c 8 Apr)  Ephemeral Ensemble's Rewind is at HOME on Wed 10 + Thu 11 Apr, while David Hoyle starts his takeover of Aviva Studios on Wed 10 Apr. In Leeds, NYDC's Wall is at Leeds Playhouse on Sat 13 Apr.

The following week (w/c 15 Apr) on Tue 16 Apr Andy Smith + Lynsey O'Sullivan's A Citizen's Assembly is at HOME while Aakash Odedra's Mehek is at The Lowry.

In Liverpol, Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein is at the Playhouse (17-20 Apr), while the Liverpool Improv Festival runs 19-21 Apr. In Lancaster, The Dukes plays host to Blast Fest on Fri 19 Apr.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

Information for artists: habmcr.org

Word of Warning
Up Next…

Sat 27 Apr, 8pm. PWYD | The Lowry
HIGH STEAKS
ELOINA

In these first days of 'spring', you may be relieved to know that I've been too buried in a dark box this week to cook up political witticism - suffice it to say focus is on:
This weekend, tonight Fri 22 Mar, Turn 2024 at Company Chameleon Studios.  Come and join us for this pay what you decide evening of North West dance with eight short pieces from chris brown, Fabiola Santana, Isaac Glenister, Jake Evans, Just_Ina, Lily Antonia, Lisa Chearles + Louiseanne Wong (programme here).

For full dance immersion, join us on Friday, then on Saturday there's Company Chameleon's Refuse in St Peter's Square, Stockport on Sat 23 Mar (11am + 2pm) and in the evening, Emergence 2024 at the New Adelphi, Salford.

Elsewhere, on Fri 22 Mar, Jenny Sealey's Self-Raising is at Leeds Playhouse; and Tom Dale Dance's Surge & Sub:Version is at Barnsley Civic.

Next week (w/c 25 Mar) - it's Easter so things are a bit sparse, but you can see Alleyne Dance's Far From Home at The Lowry on Tue 26 + Wed 27 Mar; and Robert Wilson + CocoRosie's The Jungle Book at Aviva Studios (27-31 Mar).
In Leeds there's CLAYground Spring on Fri 29 Mar.

The following week, (w/c 1 Apr) things take a turn to the theatrical with Alice Christina Corrigan's FADE at The Lowry on Thu 4 + Fri 5 Apr; and Fat Chance at Leeds Playhouse on Fri 5  + Sat 6 Apr. There's also Richard Chappell Dance's Hot House at the Civic, Barnsley on Fri 5 Apr;  Eleanor May Blackburn's Does My F**** Look Big In This? at Slung Low in Leeds on Sat 6 Apr; and Motionhouse's Starchitects at Chester Storyhouse on Sun 7 Apr.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

Between Princess Photoshop, Duchess domestic, more Tory wrongism and Louis Walsh, this week has been a beginner's guide on how *not* to PR your image - more Song Sung Blue than I Could Be Happy. Closer to home, our thoughts are turning to dance...

This weekend, Criptic Arts' Self and Other is at HOME on Fri 15 + Sat 16 Mar while The Lowry has Marisa Carnesky's Showwomen on Sat 16 Mar. The Not Quite Light Festival takes place in Swinton (15-17 Mar) - look out for Lowri Evans + Biff Roxby's These Will Vanish on 16+17 Mar).

Next week (w/c 18 Mar) for us at Word of Warning, it's all about Turn 2024 at Company Chameleon studios on Fri 22 Mar. Eight short pieces from chris brown, Fabiola Santana, Isaac Glenister, Jake Evans, Just_Ina, Lily Antonia, Lisa Chearles + Louiseanne Wong. A full evening and pay what you decide!

In a dance-heavy week, there's also Lisa Simpson + Susan Kempster's Being Human at The Lowry on Wed 20 Mar; the New Adelphi has the return of Action Hero + Deborah Pearson's The Talent on Thu 21 Mar and Emergence 2024 on Fri 22 + Sat 23 Mar; while Company Chameleon's Refuse is in St Peter's Square, Stockport on Sat 23 Mar (11am + 2pm).

Futher afield, the Arts Centre at Edgehill University has Dam Van Huynh's Exquisite Noise on Tue 19 Mar and Company Carpi's Disunited Jukebox on Thu 21 Mar. On Fri 22 Mar, Jenny Sealey's Self-Raising is at Leeds Playhouse; and Tom Dale Dance's Surge & Sub:Version is at Barnsley Civic.

The following week, (w/c 25 Mar) is Easter week, but you can see Alleyne Dance's Far From Home at The Lowry on Tue 26 + Wed 27 Mar; and Robert Wilson + CocoRosie's The Jungle Book at Aviva Studios (27-31 Mar).

In Chester, at the Live Rooms, there's The Upside Down Cabaret on Wed 27 Mar; while in Leeds there's CLAYground Spring on Fri 29 Mar.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter (X if you must) for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube

You can tell we're in the fading months of a government when that bastion of lefty wokeism, the Daily Mail, calls the Budget an 'under-nourished gerbil'. One might be forgiven for thinking it was possibly less geared to vote-winning than successor-sabotaging... or even that there's another giveaway budget yet to come? In artsworld, meanwhile, things have definitely fattened up:

This weekend, Verve are at New Adelphi, University of Salford on Sat 9 Mar; or you might want to check out Dark Noon at Aviva Studios (until Sun 10 Mar).

Izzie Major's The Bedroom is at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool while in Leeds, FlawBored's It's a Motherf*cking Pleasure is at Leeds Playhouse, both until Sat 9 Mar; or Kasra Jalilipour's Apocrypha of the Later Saints is at CLAY on Fri 8 Mar.

Next week (w/c 11 Mar) Seamas Carey's Help! I Think I'm A Nationalist is at Bolton Octagon on Mon 11 Mar.
The Lowry has Imitating the Dog's Frankenstein (12-14 Mar), Wendy Houstoun's Watch It on Thu 14 Mar and Marisa Carnesky's Showwomen on Sat 16 Mar (also in Lancaster on Thu 14 Mar). 
Jenny Baines & Anna Macdonald's Collaborative Sharing is at Pink in Stockport on Thu 14 Mar; and Criptic Arts' Self and Other is at HOME on Fri 15 + Sat 16 Mar.  The Not Quite Light Festival takes place in Swinton (15-17 Mar) - look out for Lowri Evans + Biff Roxby's These Will Vanish on 16+17 Mar).

The following week, (w/c 18 Mar) Lisa Simpson + Susan Kempster's Being Human is at The Lowry on Wed 20 Mar; Action Hero + Deborah Pearson's The Talent returns, this time to the New Adelphi on Thu 21 Mar which also has Emergence 2024 on Fri 22 + Sat 23 Mar. Word of Warning is back with Turn 2024 at Company Chameleon studios on Fri 22 Mar, so dance aficionados can join us on Friday, head to Stockport for Company Chameleon's Refuse in St Peter's Square Saturday (11am + 2pm), then head to Salford for the evening!

Futher afield, the Arts Centre at Edgehill University has Dam Van Huynh's Exquisite Noise on Tue 19 Mar and Company Carpi's isunited Jukebox on Thu 21 Mar. On Fri 22 Mar, Jenny Sealey's Self-Raising is at Leeds Playhouse; and Tom Dale Dance's Surge & Sub:Version is at Barnsley Civic.

As a footnote, if you're looking for a night out in Cheshire - check out The Upside Down Cabaret at the Live Rooms, Chester, on the last Wednesday of the month.

Keep checking our News + Information page for more pointers to opportunities and show videos online, and @WarnMcr on Twitter for short-notice performances.

Best

Tamsin

@WarnMcr: Facebook · Insta · X (Twitter) · YouTube