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An award-winning interactive stage play is coming to Manchester’s new neighbourhood

'Mates' will celebrate the culture and lifestyle of both Manchester and Salford.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 4th November 2021

Get Living and Hope Mill Theatre are teaming up to bring an award-winning interactive stage play celebrating Mancunian friendship and community to New Maker Yards.

Normally you’d find the actors of Ancoats’ very-own Hope Mill Theatre company appearing in packed-out productions of an all-female Shakespeare, or even starring in an acclaimed musical such as RENT or the upcoming revival of The Wiz – but their newest immersive play has a very different setting.

The play is taking place across three apartments at New Maker Yards, in Middlewood Locks – a neighbourhood that’s between Salford and Manchester city centres.

To celebrate the launch of a further 500 homes for rent at New Maker Yards, Get Living – the neighbourhood operator – is inviting Mancunians and Salfordians to experience its newest living spaces like never before, where audience members will begin their interactive theatre experience at apartment 114, and will be welcomed into the lives of three friends to explore the bonds of friendship.

Titled ‘Mates’, the play will celebrate the cities’ culture and lifestyle, and feature immersive mediations, spoken word recitals, and a house party complete with live music and a photo booth.

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After the performance, audiences will also be able to enjoy a free pint or burger at Seven Bro7thers beerhouse in the neighbourhood. 

The play is celebrating the launch of a further 500 homes for rent at New Maker Yards / Credit: Get Living

Speaking ahead of the play’s arrival next week, Eoin Thomas – Community and Events Lead at Get Living – said: “New Maker Yards’ has such a distinctive, vibrant community, and with 500 more new homes available to rent this autumn, we wanted to showcase what living at New Maker Yards is all about.

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“We’re delighted to be working with the incredible Hope Mill Theatre to take this immersive play out of the theatre and into our living rooms.”

Joseph Houston – Co-Founder and Artistic Director at Hope Mill Theatre – added: “We love creating art, and specifically, art that resonates so strongly with the local community [so] this immersive theatre show at Get Living’s New Maker Yards neighbourhood is so special as we get to celebrate Manchester and the people who live here in a way that lets us connect with both residents and those living nearby.”

‘Mates’ is running between 13 – 21 November 2021, and you can grab tickets for free here.

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For more information on the new, fully-furnished homes available to rent with Get Living – with no deposits, no fees, and WiFi included – the New Maker Yards website here, or call 0161 826 5961 to speak to a member of the team. 

Featured Image – Get Living

Things To Do

Manchester’s new real-life Pac-Man experience is coming soon and you can grab early bird tickets

Danny Jones Danny Jones Real-life Pac-Man experience Manchester

Manchester already boasts a whole host of interactive games bars and activity destinations to boast, but we feel pretty confident in saying that there are very places on the planet where you can find a place to play a real-life version of Pac-Man.

First announced back in October and now scheduled to debut in March 2025, the Pac-Man Live Experience is the newest addition to Manchester’s growing entertainment scene and it’s promising to be a popular one too.

This brand-new life-sized immersive experience plunges players into the nostalgic world of the iconic video game we all know and love, only instead of using joysticks on an old-school arcade machine, they’ll physically sprint, dodge, and chomp their way through a maze.

Although the launch itself is still a few months away, the team behind this ingenious idea are getting ready for the frenzy and putting early bird tickets on sale ahead of opening day.

Credit: Concept Image (supplied)

So how does it work?

Good question: participants can gear up in a PAC vest and step into the role of the instantly recognisable yellow chomper, collecting power pellets, dodging the classic ghost characters – BLINKY, PINKY, INKY, and CLYDE – and racking up points on their way to victory.

Guided through an epic 12-level adventure, players will be led by the ‘PAC-MASTER’: a lively gameshow host who serves as commentator and referee; players will also be accompanied by immersive in-game effects like sound bites, lighting, and haptic (vibration) feedback to elevate the experience. Cool, right?

The striking Arcade Arena will feature two massive PAC-MAN courts projected onto the floor, while dynamic visuals transform the walls, fully immersing participants in the retro arcade universe. There’s no need for headsets either, so players can embark on a multi-sensory adventure, seamlessly blending the real world with augmented reality.

Created by Tom Lionetti-Maguire, the CEO and Founder of Little Lion Entertainment – the same team behind The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Tomb Raider, and Chaos Karts to the likes of London and more recently Manchester –

The whole thing has been brought to life in partnership with Bandai Namco Entertainment, lending the proper licensing to make the experience feel both fun and authentic. It’s the real deal.

Credit: Supplied

Early bird tickets for Pac-Man Live Manchester

If you’re not sold on playing a human-sized, real-life game of Pac-Man in a huge augmented-reality arena right here in Manchester then we don’t know what to tell you, to be honest – all we know is that we’ll be first in line when it arrives.

The Pac-Man Live Experience comes to the Arcade Arena on 22 March next year in line with the game’s 40th anniversary, and they’re inviting players of all ages and providing engaging gameplay for younger participants while delivering a nostalgic throwback that parents and grandparents will cherish.

Better yet, if you book during the early bird window, you can access discount ticket prices from just £25 per person too.

Early bird tickets go on sale at 12 noon today (Thursday, 21 November) – you can grab yours HERE.

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Featured Images — Supplied

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Greater Manchester cinemas are screening loads of classic Christmas films throughout December

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Cinemas across the UK will be screening loads of classic festive films in the run-up to Christmas, and you can already book tickets.

With the nights drawing in, the temperatures dropping by the day, and the most wonderful time of the year now firmly in our sights, film fans looking for some wholesome festive fun in the run-up to the big day itself will soon be able to head on down to their nearest Greater Manchester cinema to catch a classic on the big screen.

Vue, Odeon, and The Light are among the cinema chains set to screen a handful of beloved Christmas films throughout December.

Although there may already be a TV channel showing Christmas films 24/7 now on air in the UK, if you fancy seeing the festivities in full screen instead, then you can watch showings of fan-favourites like Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, and more over the next few weeks.

Greater Manchester cinemas are screening loads of classic Christmas films throughout December / Credit: 20th Century Studios | Universal Pictures

You can also see seasonal screenings of live ballet, theatre, and concert performances too.

Undoubtably one of the highlights on the lineup this year, however, has to be The Polar Express, with several cinema chains scheduled to screen the 2004 animated Christmas gem to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release.

Starring Tom Hanks alongside a talented supporting cast of voice actors, The Polar Express is based on the beloved children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg and tells the story of a young boy who boards a powerful magical train to visit Santa Claus’ home on Christmas Eve, learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas along the way.

Elf, Home Alone, and Love Actually are among the films on the lineup / Credit: Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)

Looking for a more intimate festive film experience this Christmas?

Well you can also get yourself down to one of Manchester’s most popular hotels, King Street Townhouse, where a jam-packed lineup of classics will be screened in its very-own exclusive cinema over the next two months.

Here you can also complete your seasonal experience with festive-themed cocktails, popcorn, pick n mix, and a whole host of other treats too.

Read more:

Head to your local cinema’s website to check when your favourite festive flicks are being screened.

Featured Image – Warner Bros.

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