Manchester is to show its solidarity with the people of Ukraine by celebrating their Independence Day with a whole host of “vibrant” events next week.
As 24 August 2022 marks 31 years since Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union, and as well as it being six months since the country was invaded by Russia, Manchester City Council has decided to support the Ukrainian Cultural Centre’s family fun day next Wednesday, and is inviting locals down to “immerse themselves in Ukrainian culture”.
People will get the chance to sample some authentic Ukrainian food, and dance to traditional Ukrainian music, while there’ll also be lots of entertainment for youngsters – with a special visit from children’s entertainer, Louby Lou.
On top of the family fun day, Manchester Central Library and the Tower of Light landmark are to be lit up in yellow and blue to show the city’s solidarity with the country.
Part of the ‘2022 Our Year initiative – which is all about amplifying the voices of children and young people across the city, and giving them opportunities they may missed out on due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the Council hopes the Independence Day festivities will also educate residents on the history and culture of Ukraine, as well as support the city’s international Ukrainian community.
For Independence Day of Ukraine, Manchester's Ukrainian Centre have partnered with #2022OurYear to host an extra special family fun day!
Join us on Wednesday 24 August, 12:30pm-9pm, for a day of food, dancing, music, and entertainment.
“Manchester stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian community, and our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones in the war and those still living through the conflict,” said Councillor Joanna Midgley – Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council.
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“Manchester has a large Ukrainian community, and the city is proud to stand with them.
“Over the last six months, we have shown our continued solidarity with our Ukrainian friends by opening the MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund, hosting the #stopwar concert in March and many of our residents have generously welcomed Ukrainian refugees into their homes.
“Now, with Ukrainian Independence Day this month, we will continue to stand by and celebrate the community.”
24 August 2022 marks 31 years since Ukraine declared independence from the Soviet Union / Credit: Julie Cler (via Instagram) | Yves Herman
Keen to show your support for Ukraine next week?
As well as heading on down to the family fun day, those wanting to support the Manchester Ukrainian community can donate to the ‘MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund’, which funds charities and voluntary sector groups providing assistance – such as small grants for essential items and advice – to families and individuals relocating to the city.
An impressive £68,000 has already been raised to date, and you can donate to MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund here.
Locals are invited to “immerse themselves in Ukrainian culture” / Credit: Manchester City Council
You can also join in with people from right across the UK who will be showing their solidarity with Ukraine through the #SunflowersForUkraine campaign, which encourages the public to show their solidarity with Ukraine through growing, crafting, and sharing pictures of the country’s national flower on Independence Day.
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“I’d encourage all residents to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day and support the community,” Cllr Midgely concluded.
Manchester’s new real-life Pac-Man experience is coming soon and you can grab early bird tickets
Danny Jones
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.
Blood Brothers at Palace Theatre, Manchester – a timeless classic
Greg James
Bill Kenwright’s production of Blood Brothers surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End making it one of only three musicals ever to achieve that monumental milestone – and now it’s visiting us here in Manchester.
“Oh Bright New Day”, Blood Brothers has just landed back at the Palace Theatre. This musical written by Willy Russell is a British piece of theatre that is a staple in the musical theatre tapestry of our country.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with this iconic story, it is an emotional tale of two twins who are separated at birth and grow up on opposite sides of the tracks, only to meet again with the most fateful of consequences.
The story’s central character, Mrs Johnston is the linchpin in this whole story and carries us through the show.
This role has been played by many superb women over the years including Mel C, Kiki Dee, Barbara Dickson and nearly all of the Nolan Sisters. This time, Mrs Johnston is performed by Vivienne Carlyle who provides a lovely maternal performance.
The other two lead roles are Mickey and Eddie, played by Sean Jones and Joe Sleight respectively.
These are really complex roles to play as the actors have to portray the characters from early school years to grown adults.
The cast of Blood Brothers in Manchester. Credit: Jack MerrimanSean Jones, Gemma Brodrick and Joe Slight in Blood Brothers in Manchester. Credit: Jack Merriman
Sean Jones has been playing the role of Mickey now for nearly 25 years and so he is no stranger to this character. And I must say, he still fantastically plays the part, even when playing young Mickey, and the show really takes off when he enters the stage.
Joe Sleight is someone who I had not seen in the role of Eddie before and he gave just as strong a performance as Jones. He offered a real contrast to his counterpart with a really beautiful, touching performance.
The whole ensemble did a gorgeous job of helping to carry these characters throughout the musical, showing a real flair for multi-roling and beautiful musicality in the group numbers too.
Something which elevates this already gripping story though is the music. There are many recurring musical motifs throughout the show that on the surface may come off as repetitive but they offer perspective on how things can evolve and change over time.
Of course the song though that everybody is perhaps familiar with is the power ballad, ‘Tell Me It’s Not True’. This is the climax of the show and what a climax it is. There’s not a dry eye in the house when we reach this point of the story, I can assure you!
So, whether you are returning to watch this show again, perhaps know the story from studying it in English GCSE or seeing it for the first time, it will always be an absolutely timeless classic.
Blood Brothers is on at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 30 November. Tickets are available HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
18th August 2022 
