“I’d love to start the crisp sandwich revolution,” extols Matthew Rawcliffe as he lays out the concept behind his new crisp sandwich cafe show, which lands in Manchester next week.
The award-winning contemporary dancer has put together a heart-warming ‘crisp sandwich cafe’ show that will take place at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel next week.
Set inside a crisp butty venue, the show tells a story about the current state of our planet through the lens of crisp sandwiches – and it’s all designed to be autism-friendly.
The ‘crisp sandwich cafe’ show will take place at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel
Throughout the performance, issues like the climate crisis and Brexit are tackled through the medium of crisps; so guests will hear Boris Johnson talk about what Brexit means for the future of cheese and onion crisps, and learn about the climate crisis through an imaginary ‘crisis crackers’ crisp brand.
Adjacent to the performance there will also be a quiet breakout space for autistic attendees if they need a second away. There’ll be some sensory activities to take part in, too – including the chance to make your very own crisp sandwich.
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Speaking on the idea for the show and the crisp sandwich theme, Matthew explains: “It was just something that feels very nostalgic and northern and also a really unusual setting to stage a contemporary dance show which looks at the climate crisis – and I hope that’s a great thing, I’d love to start the crisp sandwich revolution.”
Matthew Rawcliffe says he would “love to start the crisp sandwich revolution”.
The 22-year-old has worked with autistic people in the creation of The Crisp Sandwich Café, including autistic contemporary dancer Paul Davidson Natt from the National Youth Dance Company – a former student at the National Autistic Society’s Sybil Elgar School.
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Featuring autism-friendly dance performances and costumes made from recycled plastic waste, courtesy of Manchester-based sustainable dancewear brand, Imperfect Pointes, the show is suitable for autistic people aged 14 to 24.
Hosted at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, there will be five shows running from Monday 9 August to Wednesday 11 August.
These will take place on Monday 9 August at 2pm or 4pm, Tuesday 10 August at 2pm or 4pm, and Wednesday 11 August, at 7pm.
Curious kids can meet star of hit CBBC show Operation Ouch! in Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Got a curious kid on your hands? You can take them to meet the star of one of their favourite TV shows at the Science and Industry Museum next month.
In case you hadn’t heard, Operation Ouch! is back in Manchester again with a fresh new experience for 2025, and this time around, visitors can journey through an ear canal covered in gooey wax, squeeze past sticky snot, and delve deeper into how our brains interpret the world.
Thousands of families from across Greater Manchester and beyond have already visited the city centre museum make the most of the new exhibition, and get stuck into the wide range of immersive and interactive activities it has on offer.
But for those who haven’t been able to pay a visit yet, this summer couldn’t be a more ideal opportunity to do so.
Operation Ouch! star Dr Chris Van Tulleken will be at the Science and Industry Museum next month / Credit: Science Museum Group
That’s because Dr Chris Van Tulleken – who is one of the presenters of the BBC showOperation Ouch! – will be at the museum in a couple of weeks time to meet visitors as part of his myth-busting mission to answer some of the public’s deepest questions about our senses.
Dr Chris will be at the Science and Industry Museum for one day only, and will not only join mini medics on their voyage through the senses, but will also be on-hand to answer brain teasers from the audience during a series of live Q&As.
Whether it’s banging on a super-sized eardrum, venturing into a massive eyeball, or even taking a whiff of a ‘smell library’, this world-premiere exhibition dives into the science behind hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell – and Dr Chris will be there every step of the way.
Also to celebrate Dr Chris’ visit, the museum is introducing additional sense-themed activities that very same weekend, where sight and sound will be examined during an interactive experience led by the museum’s expert Explainers.
Book your tickets to visit Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You on Sunday 9 November, for any of the time slots between 11:30am – 1pm, and 2:45 – 4:15pm for the opportunity to grab a selfie with Dr Chris from inside the exhibition.
Tickets will cost visitors £10 each, with those under three going free, and a range of family discounts available.
Council announces Manchester’s Remembrance Sunday 2025 parade plans and road closures
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to remember the fallen during this year’s annual Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
With Remembrance Day only a few weeks away now, just as it does each year, Manchester City Council has now revealed the details of how the city will mark this important occasion, and has confirmed all the details of the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade on 9 November.
Proceedings will start on John Dalton Street at 10:30am, and run right through until midday – with the service itself being held at 11am.
Veterans, military personnel and cadets, all led by Greater Manchester Police‘s Band, will march from John Dalton Street to the Cenotaph St. Peter’s Square.
This will be followed by a short return march to Mount Street across St Peter’s Square.
Manchester’s Remembrance Sunday 2025 parade plans and road closures have been announced / Credit: Manchester City Council
Civic dignitaries, servicemen and women, service and ex-service organisations, faith leaders, emergency services, and other uniformed organisations, have all been invited to lay traditional poppy wreaths and pay their respects at the Cenotaph, along with members of the public.
As always, a two-minute silence will be observed at 11am, with the start and finish of this silence marked by the firing of a maroon.
In order for necessary security checks and safeguards to be carried out, Manchester City Council has confirmed that a series of road closures will be implemented on Remembrance Sunday itself between 7am and 1pm.
The following road closures will be in place:
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Princess Street (Cross St to Portland St) with a ‘hard closure’ at Back George St
Cross Street (Princess Street to King Street)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Watson Street
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Portland Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Hale Street
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Bootle Street (Deansgate to Mount Street)
Lloyd Street (Deansgate to Southmill)
Jackson’s Row (Deansgate to Southmill)
Central Street (Southmill to Mount Street)
Cooper Street (Kennedy Street to Princess Street)
West Mosely Street (Booth Street to Princess Street)
Clarence Street (Princess Street to Kennedy Street)
Bow Lane (Clarence Street to Princess Street)
St James’s Square (South King Street to John Dalton Street)
Ridgefield (Mulberry Street to John Dalton Street)
A number of other parking suspensions, tram suspensions, taxi rank, and bus lane suspensions will also be in place from as early as 6pm on Saturday 8 November.
You can find out more information about these suspensions on the Council website.
Georgina Pellant -
4th August 2021 
