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What's on

Watch Starsailor and Tina Turner (pictured) in concert, see Amir Khan's latest fight, attend a Spanish and Latin American film festival, plus the usual concerts, exhibitions and sporting events. Read March's event listings below.

Festivals

!Viva! 15th Spanish & Latin American Film Festival

Manchester's annual !Viva! returns with nine days of great contemporary films from Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin America. This year, the festival has a special focus on Cuban cinema, with films commemorating 50 years since the Cuban revolution, including the classic Memorias del Subdesarrollo. Other highlights include the award-winning Argentine film El Nido Vacio, Mexican sci-fi Sleep Dealer and Columbian thriller Perro Come Perro.

Cornerhouse, March 6 - 14. www.cornerhouse.org

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Festivals

Manchester Irish Festival

Manchester celebrates its 14th Irish festival with a two-week extravaganza featuring a host of music, dance, theatre and comedy events throughout the city-region. Highlights include the Young, Gifted & Green show at Gorton Monastery on March 7 and the St Patrick's festival parade (March 15), which sees floats, bands and walking groups wind their way through the city.

Various venues in Greater Manchester, March 6 - 21. www.manchesteririshfestival.com

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Theatre

Future Me

Rupert Hill (Family Affairs, Coronation Street) makes his Manchester theatre debut as Peter, a young barrister with a dark secret, in Stephen Brown's moving story of ordinary monsters, Future Me.

The Lowry, March 2 - 3. £10. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Theatre

Calendar Girls

The stage version of the hit 2003 Miramax film Calendar Girls, by Tim Firth, returns to The Lowry following its hugely successful run last October. Featuring an all-star cast, including Lynda Bellingham, Patricia Hodge and Sian Phillips, the play tells the story of a group of women, members of a very ordinary Yorkshire WI, who decide to pose for a charity calendar with a difference.

The Lowry, March 16 - 21. £15 - £27. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Theatre

For the Love of Mrs Brown

Brendan O'Carroll returns as the hilarious Dublin matriarch Agnes Brown. Having discovered the internet, Mrs Brown accidentally sets up a date with a man she knows only as HairyHarry 25, and despite her family's objections, she is determined to go through with it.

Opera House, March 17 - 21. £13.50 - £22.50. Tel: 0844 847 2295.

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Theatre

Macbeth

A contemporary take on William Shakespeare's gripping tragedy Macbeth launches the Royal Exchange Theatre's new season. Played out against the backdrop of a war-torn state, the drama unfolds as a triumphant Macbeth discovers he is destined to become the next King of Scotland.

The Royal Exchange Theatre, until April 11. £8.50 - £29.00. Tel: 0161 833 9833.

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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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Comedy

Jason Manford

The award-winning comedian from Salford embarks on his first national tour.

The Lowry, March 8. £17.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Comedy

Ed Byrne

Irish comedian Ed Byrne returns with his critically acclaimed one-man show about marriage, class and the youth of today.

The Lowry, March 14. £15. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Music

Kaiser Chiefs

Leeds indie rockers Kaiser Chiefs pop into the M.E.N Arena to promote their latest album, Off With Their Heads.

M.E.N Arena, March 2. £25.45. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Franz Ferdinand

Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand embark on a UK tour following the recent release of their third album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.

Academy, March 6. £20. Tel: 0161 275 2930.

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Music

Snow Patrol

Scottish indie rockers Snow Patrol storm Manchester to perform tracks from their new album, A Hundred Million Suns.

M.E.N Arena, March 7. £29.36. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Chetham's School of Music

The renowned Chetham's celebrates 40 years as a specialist music school with a gala concert this month. Chetham's Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are joined by two conductors and four international soloists from the school's illustrious list of alumni, plus guest narrator Timothy West.

The Bridgewater Hall, March 8. £9 - £27. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

The Killers

Las Vegas indie rockers The Killers end their UK tour in Manchester. The quartet will perform tracks from their latest hit album, Day & Age.

M.E.N Arena, March 9 & 10. £31.81. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Noisettes

Two years on from their debut album, London trio Noisettes make their return with the adventurous Wild Young Hearts, a set of sleek pop songs harking back to the days of blues and jazz greats. They perform in Manchester this month as part of a UK tour.

Ruby Lounge, March 14. £7. Tel: 0161 832 1111.

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Music

Lily Allen

Cheeky pop singer Lily Allen is on the road to promote her new album, It's Not Me, It's You.

Academy, March 15. £19.50. Tel: 0161 832 1111.

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Music

Lionel Richie

The legendary Lionel Richie makes Manchester the first stop on his new UK tour. The multi-award-winning singer, songwriter and producer will perform hits from his amazing 30-year back catalogue.

M.E.N Arena, March 20 & 21. £35 - £75. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Halle Family Concert

The Halle presents Roald Dahl's imaginative version of Little Red Riding Hood and other stories, in a magical evening of puppetry and music.

The Bridgewater Hall, March 22. £8 - £15. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Music

Starsailor

Wigan rockers Starsailor mark the release of their new single, Tell Me it's not Over, and new album, All the Plans, with a UK tour that brings them to Manchester this month.

The Ritz, March 27. £16. Tel: 0871 2200 260.

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Music

Tina Turner

The queen of rock 'n' roll is back for her first M.E.N Arena shows in over a decade. Expect all the hits, including What's Love Got To Do With It, We Don't Need Another Hero and The Best.

M.E.N Arena, March 30 & 31. £50 - £100. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Music

Rossini's The Barber of Seville

The Armonico Consort returns to Manchester with Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville. When Count Almaviva enlists the help of resourceful barber Figaro in his quest for the love of Rosina, chaos ensues.

The Bridgewater Hall, March 31. £12 - £36. Tel: 0161 907 9000.

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Dance

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo

Founded in 1974, The Trocks have established themselves as a major dance phenomenon throughout the world, having appeared in more than 500 cities worldwide. This March, they return to The Lowry with their inimitable brand of high art and high camp. Sixteen professional male dancers perform en pointe in glittering tutus, combining a loving knowledge of dance with a wicked sense of fun.

The Lowry, March 6 & 7. £16 - £32. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Dance

Richard Alston Dance Company

Two of Alston's most celebrated works, Blow Over (2008) and Movements from Petrushka (1994), are performed in this mixed bill by one of the UK's most celebrated contemporary dance companies. The programme also includes a new work from Martin Lawrance.

The Lowry, March 10. £10 - £18. Tel: 0870 787 5793.

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Circus

Cirque du Soleil's Quidam

A stunning spectacle, featuring more than 50 performers from 14 countries. Expect gravity defying acrobats, awe-inspiring aerial acts, contortionists, rope-jumpers, a balancing duo and the acclaimed crazy clowns.

M.E.N Arena, March 25 - 27. £50. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Sport

Boxing: Khan V Barrera

Former world champion Marco Antonio Barrera fights up-and-coming Bolton boxer Amir Khan.

M.E.N Arena, March 14. £40 - £300. Tel: 0844 847 8000.

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Exhibitions

Manuel Saiz: Private Party. Keep Out

Castlefield Gallery, in collaboration with Instituto Cervantes Manchester, hosts a solo show of new and existing work by London-based artist Manuel Saiz, featuring video, performance and sculpture.

Castlefield Gallery, Feb 6 - March 22. Free. Tel: 0161 832 8034.

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Exhibitions

Witness: Women War Artists

An exhibition featuring more than 100 works by various female war artists, including Anna Airy, Dame Laura Knight and Linda Kitson, capturing and interpreting key moments in history, from the First World War to the Kosovo conflict.

Imperial War Museum North, Feb 7 - April 19. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.

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Exhibitions

Subversive Spaces: Surrealism and Contemporary Art

From unsettling domestic interiors to the disused wastelands of the city, Subversive Spaces studies the continued influence of Surrealism in contemporary art. One of the highlights is Kinderzimmer, a new commission from award-winning artist Gregor Schneider.

Whitworth Art Gallery, Feb 7 - May 4. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.

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Exhibitions

Ten Drawings by Leonardo da Vinci

Ten drawings by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci go on display at Manchester Art Gallery this month, as part of a touring Royal Collection exhibition celebrating the 60th birthday of the Prince of Wales.

Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 14 - May 4. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.

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Exhibitions

Reality Hack: Hidden Manchester

A series of newly commissioned works from experimental photographer Andrew Paul Brooks, documenting Manchester's concealed spaces.

Urbis, until May. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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Exhibitions

Paul Morrison

Manchester Art Gallery hosts the first solo show in the North of England of contemporary British artist Paul Morrison. Best-known for his monochromatic landscape imagery, the internationally renowned artist reinvents the genre of landscape painting for contemporary audiences.

Manchester Art Gallery, Feb 14 - May 31. Free. Tel: 0161 235 8888.

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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

Black Panther: Emory Douglas and the Art of Revolution

The first UK exhibition by US graphic artist Emory Douglas - the official artist of the Black Panther Party and an unsung hero of the modern civil rights movement. Black Panther shows how Douglas's visual messages helped to encourage a largely illiterate community in the late 60s to challenge the police brutality, economic inequality and social injustice it was experiencing, against a backdrop of growing civil unrest.

Urbis, until April 19, 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8200.

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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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Exhibition

Lindow Man: a Bog Body Mystery

The naturally preserved body of an Iron Age man is going on display at The Manchester Museum, on loan from the British Museum. Known as Lindow Man, the mummified body was discovered in a peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, in 1984. Thought to have died between AD20 and 90, he is notable for the savage way in which he was killed, which is suggestive of ritual sacrifice.

The Manchester Museum, April 19, 2008 - April 19, 2009. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.

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Theatre

Mary Poppins

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's award-winning family show Mary Poppins flies into Manchester this month, starring Lisa O'Hare as the magical nanny and Daniel Crossley as Bert. The musical extravaganza includes many of the original songs from the 1964 film, with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman.

Palace Theatre, Dec 11, 2008 - March 7, 2009. £12.50 - £42.50. Tel: 0844 847 2403.

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Theatre

Rock 'n' Roll

The Library Theatre stages the regional premiere of Tom Stoppard's critically acclaimed drama, Rock 'n' Roll. Set over a period of 22 years, the play opens with Soviet tanks rolling into Czechoslovakia in 1968 and ends with a concert by the Rolling Stones in a newly free Prague in 1990. The plot centres around two different worlds - a group of Czechoslovakian dissidents battling against the totalitarian regime in their country, and a Cambridge University professor who is powerless to influence a changing world.

Library Theatre, Feb 13 - March 14. £7.35 - £18.10. Tel: 0161 236 7110.

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