James Acaster, Aisling Bea, and Rosie Jones are among the heavy-hitting names set to bring the laughs at a brand-new comedy festival inManchester next month.
And you’ve still got time to grab tickets.
Taking over Castlefield Bowl in the heart of Manchester city centre from 21-25 September 2022, LAUGHTERAMA is an all-new five-night festival that combines a packed lineup of some of comedy’s most famous and multi-talented names, alongside a first-class selection at the bars and some of the city’s best street-food traders.
LAUGHTERAMA is a new venture from the sibling team behind a series of successful comedy festivals that run annually across London and the South, and comedy fans in Manchester can expect a mix of the biggest names in stand-up to take to the same stage alongside some of the brightest new talents.
Now, with less than a month to go, tickets are selling fast and it’s gearing up to be “a seriously good time in the heart of the city”.
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Some of the other names on the talented lineup include the legendary Dylan Moran, Taskmaster’s Phil Wang, observational master and star of The Last Leg Josh Widdicombe, the inimitable Daniel Kitson, and so many more.
The lineup for the inaugural LAUGHTERAMA / Credit: LAUGHTERAMA
Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner Rose Matafeo will also be performing, as well as one-liner king Milton Jones, lo-fi hero David O’Doherty, the Mash Report’s Nish Kumar, Mock The Week’s whipsmart wordsmith Rhys James, and the hilarious Kiri Pritchard-McLean on the lineup too.
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Homegrown Manchester talents Stephen Bailey, and Josh Jones will also make appearances.
Alongside a lineup of local names, a handful of fast-rising newcomers on the comedy circuit will also perform, including Fatiha El-Ghorri, Huge Davies, and Celya Ab – who’s been branded the “comic shooting to fame”.
Many of the acts delighting the critics at this month’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival are also set to appear on the Castlefield Bowl stage, such as Amy Gledhill with her four-star reviewed “cartoonish flair”.
Rounding-out the jam-packed Laughterama 2022 lineup is the unflinchingly funny Jamali Maddix, podcast and rollerskate aficionado Lou Sanders, and finally, the incredible Tim Key – who is currently riding high from his critically-lauded Fringe show.
LAUGHTERAMA is an all-new five-night comedy festival coming to Castlefield Bowl next month / Credit: Supplied
For the last fifteen years, sibling duo Will Briggs and Cass Randolph have been bringing a blend of comedy programming in boutique-festival settings to sell-out crowds, and the pair are now looking forward to arriving right here in Manchester next month.
“We’ve been dreaming of bringing this festival to Manchester for a long time now,” Will said.
“The city should absolutely have a stand-out event showcasing the wealth of comedy talent around at the moment [as] there’s a golden age for comedy right now, with so many platforms to enjoy amazing content.
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“Many of our acts have their own TV or podcast series, but nothing beats live, and we can’t wait to put these acts in front of a Manchester crowd – we already know the shows are going to be electric.”
The “comic shooting to fame” Celya Ab, and the joyous Rosie Jones are on the lineup / Credit: Supplied
LAUGHTERAMA 2022 has partnered with used car dealer heycar for this year’s event, with the company’s Chief Commercial Officer Karen Hilton already singing the praises of the “truly world-class” lineup.
“It’s shaping up to be an incredible feel-good summer,” Karen said.
“We have so much laughter to catch up on after the last few years and I can’t think of a better way to do it as the lineup is truly world-class and we’re particularly looking forward to seeing the incredible James Acaster, and my personal favourite, Aisling Bea in action.
“heycar is honoured to be sponsoring this incredible event and we can’t wait to see everyone in Manchester this September.”
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The unflinchingly funny Jamali Maddix will be taking to the Castlefield Bowl stage / Credit: SuppliedThe hilarious Kiri Pritchard-McLean will also be making an appearance / Credit: Supplied
LAUGHTERAMA 2022 is landing at Castlefield Bowl from Wednesday 21 – Sunday 25 September, with tickets now on sale at £25 per person.
You can grab yours on the Laughterama website before they sell out here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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MediaCity’s massive Vue cinema has had a comfort upgrade with new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats
Emily Sergeant
Manchester cinephiles are now able to enjoy the latest movie releases in ultimate comfort.
That’s because, over at the popular MediaCity Vue cinema complex, 75 brand-new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats have been installed across seven screens, offering film fans what is, quite literally, the chance to sit in the best seats in the house.
Each seat provides the very-best view of the big screen and comes with a host of premium features.
Some of these exciting premium features include extra-wide armrests and a personal table for snacks and drinks, your very-own beverage cooler, which is ideal for films with a particularly long run-time, and even a back and legs that recline independently, so you can find the most relaxing viewing position possible.
Vue currently has 93 state-of-the-art cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, totalling more than 850 screens – and the Quayside cinema is the latest to benefit from upgraded seating.
Ultra Lux seats have arrived at Vue Quayside Manchester / Credit: Vue Gallery / Supplied
This means that anyone heading to the cinema to see some of the latest and upcoming releases like Avatar: Fire and Ash, Marty Supreme, The Housemaid, Fackham Hall, Wicked: For Good, and so many more, can experience comfort like never before.
“We have invested in bringing Vue’s best seating option to our venue and are excited for our customers to enhance their experience on their next visit,” commented Darren Tinsley, who is the General Manager at Vue Manchester Quayside.
“It is truly the best way to immerse yourself in a film and to have the most comfortable experience.”
Tickets for Vue Manchester Quayside start from £6.49, with upgrades to Ultra Lux from £3 on selected tickets.
January is a month where the temperatures are colder, the days darker, and the social batteries a little lower, so it couldn’t be a better time to lose yourself in the power of cinema – and treat yourself to an Ultra Lux experience.
You can book tickets to upcoming films online by visiting myvue.com.
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A massive home and furniture store just outside of Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale
Danny Jones
You heard: a huge home, furniture and accessories store just outside Greater Manchester is holding its biggest ever winter sale, making the festive period and the New Year the perfect time to pop in.
Rather annoyed we got mum those nice cushions for Christmas before we saw this, now, but ah well – there’s always her birthday…
Anyone who’s been to Macclesfield or on a train heading in or out of the North West will have most likely been past this place on the train, but the multi-storey emporium that is Arighi Bianchi really is a must-visit for anyone looking to upgrade their interior on a budget.
The Macclesfield home furnishings store has something for everyone, from high-end luxuries to decorative accessories, with pretty much every price range taken into account – which is why landing some seasonal discounts is such a big win for the region.
A fairly iconic sight as you pass through the Cheshire town, Macclesfield‘s Arighi Bianchi was founded way back in 1854 by two Italian immigrants – both called Antonio – whose surnames give the long-standing retail destination its title.
Well over 170 years later, and it’s more popular than ever, so the bonus of them bringing never-before-seen in-store deductions and special seasonal promotions across all departments is an even bigger win.
It doesn’t matter whether you want to shop online or visit in-store (though we would highly recommend the latter), you can get up to 30% off items in what is their biggest event of 2025.
As well as discounts on everything from sofas, sideboards and dining tables to floors, mattresses and much more, they’re doing cut-price offers on top designer brands from around Europe, including Cattelan Italia, Calligaris, Ercol, Hypnos, Tempur, Vispring and Stressless, just to name a few.
Subject to the usual terms and conditions, customers can even get early flexible finance deals (24 months 0% APR*) on their purchases; after all, they know as well as we do how tight money can be around this time of year.
Better still, their early bird offers, which are on top of the standard winter sale, will see even more cost cuttings on the likes of the Britannia Sofa, Freja Dining Bundle, the Heritage Bed Collection and other premium accessories from 27 December until 18 January.
For instance, if you spend £1,200 in-store, you will receive an extra £50 voucher for the CASA Accessories Lounge; or, beyond that, spend £2.5k and earn yourself a £100 voucher.
So, if you’re looking to get a fresh living room suite for 2026, make the most of 10% off wallpaper and fabrics or 20% off mirrors, or even get four new dining chairs for the price of three, there’s a cheeky deal to suit just about everyone.
You can see the full extent of what’s on offer during the Arighi Bianchi winter sale right HERE, or go and peruse the four floors for yourself in the flesh on the famous Silk Road.
Happy holiday season shopping, folks – maybe bump into you around Caffè AB.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd August 2022 
