What's on
There are tonnes of great musical, cultural and sports events taking place in Manchester this month. Check out our event listings below.
Exhibitions
Anderson & Low: Circus
Fine art photographers Anderson & Low capture a circus troupe working at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in a photography exhibition studying the relationship between body, performance, costume and identity.
The Lowry, until April 11. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Facing East
An exhibition of major contemporary works from China, India and Japan, from the Frank Cohen Collection.
Manchester Art Gallery, until April 11. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
Takhti: A Modern Iranian Hero
The centrepiece of this exhibition is a large assemblage portrait of Gholamreza Takhti, one of Iran's national heroes, by Iranian artist Khosrow Hassanzadeh.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until April 25. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
Walls Are Talking: Wallpaper, Art and Culture
The first ever major UK exhibition of artists' wallpapers, including work by Damien Hirst, Thomas Demand and Anya Gallaccio.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until May 3. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
Women Like You
Manchester Art Gallery exhibits a specially commissioned portrait of Manchester-born suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. The photo mosaic portrait, created by artist Charlotte Newson, is made up of hundreds of photographs of inspirational women from Manchester and beyond.
Manchester Art Gallery, until May 9. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin
The largest ever UK exhibition about the life and work of Don McCullin - one of the world's most acclaimed photographers.
Imperial War Museum North, until June 13. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.
Da Vinci - The Genius
Giant original colour and infra-red versions of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, as well as his visionary inventions, such as the helicopter, parachute and military tank, take centre stage in MOSI's exhibition.
MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry), until June 13. £7.50. Tel: 0844 847 2261.
Heroes and Kings: The Shahnama of Ferdowsi
The John Rylands Library marks the millennium of the Shahnama - the national epic poem of Iran, written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi - with an exhibition exploring the poem's languages, art, history and mythology.
The John Rylands Library, until June 27. Free. Tel: 0161 306 0555.
A World Observed 1940 - 2010: Photographs by Dorothy Bohm
The first major retrospective of photographer Dorothy Bohm, bringing together more than 200 photographic images from a career spanning almost seven decades and several continents.
Manchester Art Gallery, April 24 - August 30. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.
Theatre
The 39 Steps
Alfred Hitchcock's classic spy thriller is transformed into a fast and wickedly funny play. The 39 Steps follows the adventures of the dashing Richard Hannay, as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents and devastatingly beautiful women.
Opera House, April 12 - 17. £9 - £24. Tel: 0844 847 2295.
Medea
Northern Broadsides presents Tom Paulin's gripping new version of ancient Greek tragedy Medea, about a woman's horrific vengeance on the husband who abandons her.
The Lowry, April 13 - 17. £16 - £18. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
The Comedy of Errors
The Royal Exchange Theatre stages William Shakespeare's famous tale of mistaken identity, The Comedy of Errors. When two sets of identical twins accidentally separated at birth find themselves in the same town, misunderstanding and chaos ensue.
Royal Exchange Theatre, until May 8. £8.50 - £29.50. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
Crying In The Chapel
In April 1990, Her Majesty's Prison Manchester - aka Strangeways - erupted into a 25-day siege that was to become a watershed in British penal history. Crying In The Chapel presents an inside account of the riot, marking its 20th anniversary.
Contact, April 26 - May 8. £10. Tel: 0161 274 0600.
Beautiful House
Library Theatre Company hosts a new production of Beautiful House by Cathy Crabb. Ronnie and Bridgette vacate their dream house in Delph for a tiny flat in a Salford tower block, to allow their terminally ill daughter to live out her last days with her husband in her childhood home. But will young couple Otis and Paula, in the flat below, turn out to be the neighbours from hell?
Library Theatre, April 22 - May 8. £10.50 - £18. Tel: 0161 236 7110.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The smash hit musical, based on the book by Ian Fleming, returns to Manchester to thrill audiences with its action-packed story of good and evil and, of course, its flying car.
Palace Theatre, April 27 - May 15. £15 - £39.50. Tel: 0844 847 2295.
Comedy
Sean Lock - Lockipedia
Lockipedia is a new stand-up show from acclaimed comedian Sean Lock - star of BBC2's QI and team captain on Channel 4's 8 Out Of 10 Cats. It introduces the audience to a new, very unreliable but deliciously hilarious information resource.
The Lowry, April 11. £16.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Lucy Porter - Fool's Gold
Comedienne Lucy Porter's latest stand-up show explores people's fascinating obsession with gold.
The Lowry, April 29. £14. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Music
Django Bates' Beloved Bird
Composer and virtuoso multi-instrumentalist Django Bates, who rose to prominence in jazz band Loose Tubes, returns to Manchester with his first piano trio tour in years.
Band on the Wall, April 8. £15. Tel: 0845 2500 500.
Debbie Reynolds: Alive & Fabulous
MGM legend Debbie Reynolds celebrates her 50-year career in show business with a critically acclaimed one-woman show.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 9. £28 - £32. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
N-Dubz
MOBO Award-winning British hip hop group N-Dubz hit the road to promote their new album, Against all Odds.
Apollo, April 9. £20. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Whitney Houston
Legendary singer Whitney Houston embarks on her first tour since 1999. She will be performing songs from her new album, I Look to You, along with her biggest hits.
M.E.N Arena, April 9. £50 - £100. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
Kenyan Boys' Choir
Discovered by President Barack Obama, the Kenyan Boys' Choir came to worldwide fame when they performed at his inauguration in 2008 and have gone from strength to strength since. This month, the boys bring their exhilarating brand of African music to Manchester, as part of a tour.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 11. £17 - £22. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
Laura Marling
It's been a busy couple of years for singer-songwriter Laura Marling, whose debut album, Alas I Cannot Swim, was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Prize. Her UK tour coincides with the release of a new album, I Speak Because I Can, while her third album is due out this autumn.
The Lowry, April 12. £15 - £16. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
The Eblana String Trio & Juba do Leao
Classical musicians The Eblana String Trio, who are students at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), join forces with Samba band Juba do Leao in a charity concert to raise money for Christian Aid.
RNCM, April 15. £10. Tel: 01925 573 769.
The Halle: West End Spectacular
Nick Davies conducts the Halle in a concert of music from West End shows, including Oliver, The Phantom of the Opera and Mamma Mia.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 17. £9.50 - £37. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
An Evening With Rufus Wainwright
Celebrated singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright returns to Manchester to perform tracks from his hotly anticipated new album, All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu.
Apollo, April 22. £20 - £45. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
Alphabeat
The Danish six-piece play a 10-date headline tour of the UK this month.
Academy 2, April 24. £12. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
1990s
The indie rockers from Glasgow perform tracks from their recently released album, Kicks.
Roadhouse, April 24. £7.50. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic performs the world premiere of David Matthews's Symphony No. 7 and Mahler's Symphony No. 7.
The Bridgewater Hall, April 25. £9.50 - £36. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
Dance
Ballet Nacional de Cuba's Magia de la Danza
Founded by ballet legend Alicia Alonso, Ballet Nacional de Cuba is one of the world's most prestigious dance companies. Its Magia de la Danza comprises extracts from seven of the company's most famous classical ballets.
The Lowry, April 14 & 15. £18 - £42.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
Cinderella
English National Ballet presents everyone's favourite rags-to-riches story. Tormented by her spiteful sisters, Cinderella is the only one not going to the Prince's ball - until her fairy godmother transforms her into a glittering princess.
Palace Theatre, April 21 - 24. £11 - £36. Tel: 0844 847 2275.
Sport
WBA Heavyweight Championship of the World
Current champion David Haye makes his first defence of his title against former champion John Ruiz.
M.E.N Arena, April 3. £25 - £600. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
Yonex European Badminton Championships
The cream of Europe's badminton talent compete for the coveted title.
M.E.N Arena, April 14 - 18. £12 - £22. Tel: 0844 847 8000.