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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.

Outdoor event

BP Summer Screens - The Royal Ballet's Ondine

The BP Summer Screens bring live screenings of world-class ballet to al fresco surroundings, starting this month with The Royal Ballet's Ondine. A mortal falls in love with a water sprite in this tale about love, jealousy, conflict, devotion and heartbreak.

Exchange Square, June 3. Free. www.roh.org.uk/bpbigscreens

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Outdoor event

Feast! Picnic by the Lake

A weekend of free outdoor family shows from Britain and abroad, including circus from India, comedy from France and pop music from Germany, alongside local community performances, games, workshops and dreamy evening illuminations.

Platt Fields Park, Rusholme, June 5 - 7. Free. www.streetsahead.org.uk

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Outdoor event

The wind in the willows

Kenneth Grahame's classic is brought to life by Heartbreak Productions. Let Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger take you on a journey of mysticism, adventure, morality and camaraderie.

Wythenshawe Park, June 5 - 7. Adults £10 - £12.50, children £6 - £8.50. Tel: 0161 236 7110. www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk

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Outdoor event

Mad Ferret Festival

Returning for a second successive year, Mad Ferret is a diverse music and arts showcase, featuring The Streets, Roots Manuva, Finley Quaye, Pendulum (DJ set), Stanton Warriors and Claude Von Stroke among other headline performers.

Platt Fields Park, Rusholme, June 12 & 13. £55 for both days. www.madferretfestival.com

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Outdoor event

The Comedy of Errors

The world-renowned Globe Theatre returns to Manchester to perform Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors at Heaton Park. The versatile troupe of actors will entertain the outdoor crowds with a stripped down version of the comedy, which unfolds during one manic day of hilarious misadventures.

Heaton Park, June 23 - 28. Adults £15, children £10. Tel: 0870 428 0785. www.shakespeares-globe.org

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Outdoor event

BP Summer Screens - The Royal Opera's La Traviata

Another free screening of a live performance. Bring a box of Kleenex and watch Renee Fleming and Joseph Calleja in an all-star line-up for Verdi's La Traviata - one of the most famous operas of all time.

Exchange Square, June 30. Free. www.roh.org.uk/bpbigscreens

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Exhibition

Lindow Moss: a place of finding

A fascinating new photographic exhibition by Stephen Vaughan, documenting the landscape at Lindow Moss, Cheshire - the mysterious place where the preserved body of an Iron Age man, known as Lindow Man, was found in 1984.

The Manchester Museum, until July 12. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.

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Exhibition

Videogame Nation

An in-depth and fully interactive exhibition charting the meteoric rise of British videogaming from the sacred realm of the bedroom programmer to a multi-billion pound industry.

Urbis, until Sept 20. £3. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Exhibition

Express Yourself

Get into the groove with The Lowry's first family dance exhibition, which takes youngsters and their families on a fun journey through the world of dance - from ballet to breakdancing and line dancing. This hands-on exhibition will teach you everything you should know before you hit the dance floor.

The Lowry, until Sept 27. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5794.

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Theatre

Haunted

Two-time Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn stars in the world premiere of Edna O'Brien's poignant new play, Haunted. The play tells the story of the quixotic Mr Berry, his formidable wife and his desperate passion for a captivating young woman.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, until June 13. £8.50 - £29. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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Exhibition

Relatively Speaking

Alan Ayckbourn's 1960s comedy about relationships and misunderstandings, Relatively Speaking focuses around a new young couple, Greg and Ginny, who are making plans to get married. When a number of odd and unexpected happenings start occurring at home, a suspicious Greg starts to think that there is more to Ginny than meets the eye.

Library Theatre, until June 20. £9.80 - £18.10. Tel: 0161 236 7110.

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Exhibition

Quadrophenia

Set in London and Brighton at the height of the Mod era, Quadrophenia is the original stage adaptation of the legendary 1973 album by The Who. It tells the coming-of-age story of Jimmy, a hedonistic, style-conscious teenager searching for a place to belong and a girl to love.

Opera House, June 16 - 20. £13.50 - £28.50. Tel: 0844 847 2484.

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Exhibition

The Pianist

Best known as an Oscar-winning film by Roman Polanski, The Pianist is the evocative story of one man's time in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Nazi occupation, first seen as part of the inaugural Manchester International Festival in 2007.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, June 17 - 27. £8.50 - £27. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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Exhibition

Cabaret

Samantha Barks stars as the legendary Sally Bowles, who performs nightly at the infamous Kit Kat Klub in this sassy, award-winning musical. She joins world-renowned dancer Wayne Sleep, who reprises his role as the notorious Emcee.

The Lowry, June 22 - 27. £20 - £32.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Exhibition

Women on the Verge of HRT

Two of television's most recognisable faces, Louise Jameson (Eastenders, Dr. Who) and Janet Dibley (Fat Friends, Where the Heart Is), star in a comedy about two friends on the 'wrong' side of 40. Follow their journey as they confront their fears and begin to realise that life doesn't have to end when HRT begins.

The Lowry, June 22 - 27. £14 - £20. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Comedy

Bill Bailey Live

One of the country's top comedians, Bill Bailey provides the masses with his comedic take on evolution.

The Lowry, June 9 - 14. £25 - £27.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Music

Oasis

Manchester rock superstars Oasis kick off their biggest ever tour of open-air venues in the UK and Ireland with three hotly anticipated homecoming shows at Heaton Park.

Heaton Park, June 4, 6 & 7. £45. Tel: 0844 412 4638.

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Music

Wayne Marshall & Jennifer Micallef

Oldham-born organist Wayne Marshall teams up with Maltese pianist Jennifer Micallef to perform a programme of special arrangements for organ and piano with a French flavour.

The Bridgewater Hall, June 10. £15. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Morning Serenades

Manchester-born violinist Jennifer Pike and pianist Martin Roscoe present two morning concerts offering highly virtuosic programmes, with a focus on Beethoven.

The Bridgewater Hall, June 14 & 21. £12. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Britney Spears

Chart-topping superstar Britney Spears brings her new show, The Circus Starring Britney Spears, to Manchester.

M.E.N Arena, June 17. £49.50. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Zappa Plays Zappa

Guitarist Dweezil Zappa and a hand-picked band of up-and-coming musicians perform the songs of Frank Zappa.

The Bridgewater Hall, June 17. £22 & £27. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Boyzone

One of Ireland's best-selling bands, Boyzone burst into town with their Better 2009 Tour, which sees all five original members back on stage.

M.E.N Arena, June 19 & 20. £32.50. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Kings Of Leon

The Tennessee rock siblings are back following their sold out show last December, to perform tracks from their latest album, Only By The Night.

M.E.N Arena, June 22 & 23. £31.81. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

B.B. King

Now in his ninth decade, the King of Blues returns to Manchester to perform classic tracks, including Lucille, The Thrill Is Gone and Three O'Clock Blues. He is joined by Macclesfield-born blues singer-songwriter John Mayall.

M.E.N Arena, June 24. £39 & £45. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Neil Sedaka

Legendary American singer, songwriter and pianist Neil Sedaka has a career stretching over 50 years. Don't miss his Manchester concert.

The Bridgewater Hall, June 25. £38.50 & £42.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Take That

Britain's best-loved pop stars hit the road for a string of stadium dates around the UK, including three nights in their hometown of Manchester.

Old Trafford Cricket Ground, June 26 - 28. £45.00 & £55.00. Tel: 0871 2200 260.

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Music

Cara Dillon

Irish folk singer Cara Dillon pops into The Lowry to perform tracks from her fourth studio album, Hill of Thieves.

The Lowry, May 28. £16.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Music

Seal

Grammy Award-winning and multi-platinum artist Seal is on a UK tour to support the release of his chart-topping new album, Soul.

Apollo, June 29. £32.50 - £40. Tel: 0871 2200 260.

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Dance

Subitango

Four of the UK's leading tango dancers perform classic tangos, milongas, valses and contemporary tango pieces, while live music is performed by Tango Siempre and the outstanding Argentinean vocalist Guillermo Rozenthuler.

The Lowry, June 20. £14. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Dance

Black Umfolosi 5

The world-famous a cappella and dance group returns to Manchester with its unique brand of energy-driven show, featuring fresh music, intricate rhythms and unusual harmonies.

The Lowry, June 30. £16. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Sport

The Standard Bank Cup - Argentina v England

International Rugby Union returns to Manchester for the first time in over a decade when the Argentina Pumas take on England at Old Trafford. The Pumas, who rank one place higher than England, promise a tough challenge for Martin Johnson and his men.

Old Trafford, June 6. £10 - £40. Tel: 0844 847 2492. www.rfu.com

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Sport

Manchester Midnight Walk

Join Shaun Wright Phillips, Justin Moorhouse and a host of other local celebs in this year's night-time trek in support of St Ann's Hospice. The event, which starts at Manchester Central and follows a 10km route around the city centre, aims to raise funds to support people living with life-threatening illnesses in Manchester.

Manchester Central, June 12, midnight. Adult registration fee: £15. www.manchestermidnightwalk.org.uk

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Exhibitions

Express Yourself

Get into the groove with The Lowry’s first family dance exhibition, which takes youngsters and their families on a fun journey through the world of dance - from ballet to breakdancing and line dancing.

The Lowry, until Sept 27. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5794.

BACK TO TOP

Theatre

Haunted

Two-time Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn stars in the world premiere of Edna O’Brien’s poignant new play, Haunted. The play tells the story of the quixotic Mr Berry, his formidable wife and his desperate passion for a captivating young woman.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, May 13 - June 13. £8.50 - £29. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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Exhibition

365 - Ghislaine Howard

Every day since October 2006, critically acclaimed artist Ghislaine Howard has been producing a single 8 x 6 inch painting responding to a news image featured in The Guardian newspaper as it arrives through her door. Brought together for the first time on public display, the paintings question whether we are over-exposed to images of conflict, and if the way images are produced and published changes our way of looking at them.

The WaterWay, Imperial War Museum North, until June 21. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.

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Exhibition

Man's Ruin

An exhibition by photographer Richard Heeps showcasing the sights and kitsch Americana of Arizona, California and Nevada alongside comparable images from Europe and East Anglia.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery, April 18 - July 19. Free. Tel: 0161 778 0800.

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Exhibition

State of the Art: New York

Urbis hosts an exhibition of new and specially commissioned work from 16 up-and-coming New York artists. Their responses to the shifting political, economic and cultural landscape in America will be displayed in a range of media, including installation, drawing, video, painting and performance.

Urbis, April 9 - Sept 6. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Theatre

We will rock you

The international tour of West End musical We Will Rock You rolls into town. Penned by comedy writer Ben Elton, this worldwide smash hit 'rock theatrical' features more than 24 of the biggest hits of legendary rock band Queen.

Palace Theatre, March 21 - June 6. £14.50 - £40. Tel: 0844 847 2275.

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Exhibitions

Southern Voices: Weaving Stories

Explore the global impact of Manchester's cotton and textile industry in this new exhibition. Featuring objects and stories of individuals and communities from the southern hemisphere, Southern Voices shows how the textile industry directly shaped their lives and the legacy it has left to all of us.

Museum of Science and Industry, Feb 13 - Aug. Free. Tel: 0161 832 2244.

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Exhibitions

Putting on the Glitz

Whitworth Art Gallery showcases luxurious, metallic wallpapers from its rare collection.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Nov 8, 2008 - Oct 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.

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