Chorlton Arts Festival Returns Bigger Than Before

Chorlton Arts Festival returns from the 18 May - 3 June 2018. Following the appointment of new Artistic Director, Thomas Moore, we are excited to announce this years festival.

Established in 1999, the festival has been a stalwart of the Manchester festivals calendar year in, year out. This years festival is headlined by theatre productions: The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and an adaptation of the Netflix documentary, Cowspiracy.

The full line up of the festival is as follows:

THE GOD DELUSION

18 - 26 MAY

Chorlton Arts Festival are bringing Richard Dawkins' best selling book to the stage for the first time this May.

"The only way to describe the show is a light hearted journey through the sound reasoning that the book so brilliantly details. It's somewhere between an atheist support group and watching a great stand up comedian. We hope that when people leave the show they feel changed." Thomas Moore

"I'm thrilled to see The God Delusion come to life on stage for the first time and for the message of the book to be given a new lease of life in this exciting way, it's going to be a treat for audiences" Richard Dawkins

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins

Adapted by Thomas Moore

Directed by Cat Robey

Location: Blue Box Theatre, Nell Lane, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 7SL

Tickets: From £10

CHORLTON PROMS: MOODY ELF & KAMAL ARAFA

18 MAY

Throughout the festival we are bringing you the very best talent from the region. The Chorlton Proms are a series of big gigs at Wilbraham St Ninians, featuring a wide variety of acts from blues to classical, synth-pop to folk.

MOODY ELF

Formed in 2007, Hulme-based duo Moody Elf are a husband and wife team, Debi Allen (vocals/guitar) and Dan O'Neill (bass). Citing artistic influences ranging from Curtis Mayfield to the Carpenters, from John Coltrane to Joni, their original songs -"...little gems of narrative that reward careful listening..." blend elements of soul, jazz and world folk to create a distinct and beautiful sound.

"...Expect a lead vocal sweetly reminiscent of Joan Baez... chiming Janschean acoustics... framing songs that make the hairs on the back of your legs stand up. Powerful, captivating stuff." Alex Solo, Longevity Records

The band is currently working on an album for release this summer.

KAMAL ARAFA

Manchester based singer/songwriter, Kamal Arafa made five solo albums before forming The Moonlight Band in 2007. The band gained popularity in and around Manchester and eventually played a slot on Glastonbury's Avalon stage in 2011. The band split shortly after this. Kamal continued to write and perform on his own, as well as collaborating with other local musicians. Soaring and effortless; Kamal's heart warming and sometimes bizarre tales envelope your soul. He possesses worldliness and a wry songwriting style that is both thoughtful and tender. Think Rufus Wainwright meets Beck.

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £7.50

LIVE LOUNGE: HALF TONNE SON

18 MAY

Throughout the festival we are bringing you the very best talent from the region. Head on upstairs above Dulcimer for some brilliant acoustic acts all being recorded live.

Half Tonne Son is an original songwriter who has an emphasis on finger-picked Delta guitar and a unique vocal style, drawing influences from artists such as David Bowie, Pavement and The Velvet Underground to name a few.

Location: Upstairs @ Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 0AE

Ticket: £5

NORRIS & PARKER

18 MAY

Join us for an evening of "surreal, fun and frankly pretty ridiculous" comedy.

"it calls to mind Phoebe Waller-Bridge's BBC Three hit Fleabag. There can be no bigger compliment."

The Telegraph

"a bedrock of fine, funny writing and skilful comic performance."

The Guardian

The Guardian's Top Ten Comedy of 2016 ????

Location: Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8BF

Tickets: £12

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

19 MAY

From the peaceful river bank to the Wild Wood, join Mole and Ratty on their marvellous adventures, along with Badger and Toad. A beautiful new adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's much loved classic, featuring handmade puppets, props and costume, and a charming original score.

"They are wonderful." The Times

Originally commissioned by the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham. Chorlton Arts Festival present the award winning Box Tale Soup production.

Location: Blue Box Theatre, Nell Lane, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 7SL

Tickets: £10 or £36 for family of 4

CHORLTON PROMS: HELGI

19 MAY

Helgi Clayton McClure has been writing songs for ten years often flouting traditional lyrical themes but sticking loyally to guitar-based instrumentation. Described variously as "The New Jake Thackray" and "like a brownstone step - warm but with a hard edge", his aim is always to entertain first and self-indulge later. Helgi has made close to 500 public appearances both in his own right and as a bass player and guitarist with various bands. These have included support slots with acts as diverse as Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Neville Staple and cellist Anne Müller. His finest hour came early, when in 2009 he was described live on BBC Radio 1 as 'a bit of a music mogul - the ladies love it'.

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £7.50

LIVE LOUNGE: KAMAL ARAFA

19 MAY

Throughout the festival we are bringing you the very best talent from the region. Head on upstairs above dulcimer for some brilliant acoustic acts all being recorded live.

Manchester based singer/songwriter, Kamal Arafa made five solo albums before forming The Moonlight Band in 2007. The band gained popularity in and around Manchester and eventually played a slot on Glastonbury's Avalon stage in 2011. The band split shortly after this. Kamal continued to write and perform on his own, as well as collaborating with other local musicians. Soaring and effortless; Kamal's heart warming and sometimes bizarre tales envelope your soul. He possesses worldliness and a wry songwriting style that is both thoughtful and tender. Think Rufus Wainwright meets Beck.

Location: Upstairs @ Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 0AE

Tickets: £5

GREAT BRITISH SHORTS: THE BIGGER PICTURE & OTHER FILMS

20 MAY

Having won a BAFTA and been nominated for an Oscar, The Bigger Picture comes to Chorlton Arts Festival.

'You want to put her in a home; you tell her; tell her now!' hisses one brother to the other. But Mother won't go, and their own lives quickly unravel as she clings to life. Director Daisy Jacobs uses two-metre-high painted characters in full-size sets to tell the stark and darkly humorous tale of caring for an elderly relative. The Bigger Picture is quite simply the most innovative animated short you will see this year.

More films to be announced.

Location: Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8BF

Tickets: £6

THE ART OF FOOD WITH SIMON RIMMER

25 MAY

Join us for an evening of delicious art...

Is food an art form? Here at CAF we think so. Art & food are intertwined throughout time. From feasting in the middle ages with pies shaped like swans to elegant glasses for wine in the Renaissance period when cutlery became fashionable and food and dining was stylish and polite. Leonardo de Vinci believed in inventive cooking and so, CAF is very excited to present 'The Art of Food', a 3 course dining event designed by Simon Rimmer, innovative chef who founded Greens restaurant in 1990. He has appeared in and presented numerous TV programmes but is probably most famous as the face of 'Sunday Brunch' and has lived in Chorlton for 18 years.

Come and experience the very best of vegetarian cooking with friends and be inspired by food as an art form.

Commissioned and produced by Chorlton Arts Festival and Greens Restaurant.

Included in ticket price: drink on arrival and 3 course meal, there will be a cash bar onsite

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £60

SIMON LOMAS & MIKE NEWELL

25 MAY

Join us for an evening of laughs with Simon Lomas & Mike Newall.

SIMON LOMAS

Nominee Chortle Awards Best Newcomer 2018

Nominee Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2018

Finalist English Comedian of the Year 2017

Finalist Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year 2017

"the writing is strong, efficient and offbeat, with an enviable hit rate" Chortle

"different to any act I've ever seen before" Bruce Dessau

MIKE NEWALL

"a genuine impulsive wit and keen sense of dark sarcasm" Giggle Beat

"his timing is pin sharp, his control is deft and his hair is immaculate" The Scotsman

"effortlessly likeable" The List

"Mike Newall's style is quiet, thoughtful and casual. The material is excellently timed, deceptively clever and very funny" City Life Manchester

Location: Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8BF

Tickets: £12

UTTER NONSENSE!

26 MAY & 2 JUNE

Utter Nonsense! is a brand new 30 minute show created for children and their adults. Expect a completely silly show full of timeless stories, fun songs and utter nonsense! More details to follow.

Commissioned by Chorlton Arts Festival. Created by Sam Redway.

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £4

SECRET STAND UP

26 MAY & 2 JUNE

It's pretty much what it says on the tin. You won't know who's performing but it's guaranteed to be a great night packed with laughs. We've said too much already...

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £12

GREAT BRITISH SHORTS: WONDERKID & OTHER FILMS

27 MAY

WONDERKID is a short film by Rhys Chapman which tackles one of football's biggest issues - homophobia. Starring Chris Mason and featuring Sky Sports' Martin Tyler, Alan Smith and Geoff Shreeves, the film depicts the inner turmoil of a gay professional footballer.

WONDERKID launched at the Raindance Film Festival and debuted on television with Sky Sports.

More films to be announced.

Location: Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8BF

Tickets: £6

COWSPIRACY

28 MAY - 2 JUNE

The sensational documentary that found international acclaim following it's Netflix release is coming to the stage for the first time this May at Chorlton Arts Festival.

Meet Kip, he lives a pretty standard American life. That is until once day his friend shared a post on facebook about greenhouse emissions. This sets him on a course of personal discovery that leads him into confrontation with the world's environmental organisations.

Experience the worldwide phenomenon that is Cowspiracy in this fast paced production directed by Thomas Moore.

By Kip Andersen & Keegan Kuhn

Adapted from the hit documentary seen on Netflix.

Directed by Thomas Moore

Location: Blue Box Theatre, Nell Lane, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 7SL

Tickets: From £10

CHORLTON PROMS: KOALAS & PABLO

1 JUNE

KOALAS

Following on from their downbeat summer debut 'Home Heart', Manchester synth-pop duo Koalas have just revealed their hand with a double a-side of exhilarating left-field pop, 'Lover / Two Loves'.

With Manchester's lurching music scene currently knee deep in DIY guitar bands, Koalas are part of a new vanguard of artists to come out of the Low Four studio and label, working with producer Brendan Williams (Dutch Uncles, GoGo Penguin, Makemake). The band take influence from Caribou and Boards of Canada to The Pointer Sisters and Ambitious Lovers.

Songwriter and co-producer Samuel Jones teases... "We've taken our time to pull everything together, craft and refine. The live show in particular was something we had to really think about before we could even get close to a rehearsal room, the show is about 80% analogue synths with live drums so what you're hearing is pure voltage which is hopefully pretty exciting."

PABLO

Pablo is longstanding musical partnership of husband and wife duo Simon Borkin and Hannah Newcomb, based in Chorlton, Manchester.

Pablo was first established when Hannah and Simon met over ten years ago, forging their folk sound through the haunting charms of the acoustic guitar and violin. Over the intervening years the two have been involved in numerous musical projects with Hannah notably playing violin with Manchester favourites The Travelling Band for two years, culminating in playing The Other Stage at Glastonbury Festival. They also both played in the more synth-led group Cosmos Collapse with the band getting the chance to play Green Man festival after being selected as one of the winners of their unsigned competition in 2013.

They returned to their original duo in 2015 to record their debut album while on honeymoon in Joshua Tree, California, working with a series of musicians based out in the arid surroundings of the American desert. They released the album "Take Flight" in April 2016 with a sold-out show at St Ninian's Church in Chorlton.

It's a record that is steeped in storytelling, harmony and folk-tinged instrumentation. "Some of the songs on the album were written almost ten years ago when Hannah and I were just starting out. However, it was great to introduce newer material which we think shows the evolution of our songwriting as well as our more recent experimentation with new instruments like the banjo and cello," Simon from the band explains.

However, any future musical activities were soon put on hold as they had their first child less than a month after. They are now regrouping after their shared parental leave and have written a series of new tracks that build on the sound they developed while out in California.

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £7.50

LIVE LOUNGE: SAM JEFFERSON & HELGI

1 JUNE

SAM JEFFERSON

Sam Jefferson gained his reputation as a skilled slide guitarist, songwriter and performer on the Brighton blues and folk music scenes. Drawing from legends such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, and Martin Simpson, Sam has taken his music to audiences all over the country and across Europe too. Since moving to Chorlton in September, Sam has laid out his brand of blues and folk through Manchester, including opening for Ralph McTell at his recent RNCM concert, earning Ralph's praise that 'It was a pleasure to work with a young musician of such maturity, humility, and ability'.

Featured on BBC Radio for 'The Dirty Five', a self-penned song inspired by a family photograph from the First World War, Sam has written extensively about his family's wartime history and will release his second album this Summer in time for his performance at the Imperial War Museum's exhibition launch in July and at the British Legion's Centenary commemorations in Ypres.

HELGI

Helgi Clayton McClure has been writing songs for ten years often flouting traditional lyrical themes but sticking loyally to guitar-based instrumentation. Described variously as "The New Jake Thackray" and "like a brownstone step - warm but with a hard edge", his aim is always to entertain first and self-indulge later. Helgi has made close to 500 public appearances both in his own right and as a bass player and guitarist with various bands. These have included support slots with acts as diverse as Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Neville Staple and cellist Anne Müller. His finest hour came early, when in 2009 he was described live on BBC Radio 1 as 'a bit of a music mogul - the ladies love it'.

Location: Upstairs @ Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 0AE

Tickets: £5

CHORLTON PROMS:

POLARIS & SAM JEFFERSON

POLARIS

Gillian Blair (saxophones) and Elinor Nicholson (harp) formed the Polaris Duo in 2011 whilst studying at the Royal Northern College of Music and have since been exploring an eclectic range of repertoire and possibilities for this unusual instrumentation. Whilst at the RNCM they both obtained first class Bachelors degrees and Masters degrees with distinction and were both individually selected as finalists for the prestigious RNCM Gold Medal Competition.

The Polaris Duo have featured in the Lake District Summer Music 'New Generation Artists' Concert Series and have performed at venues including the Bridgewater Hall, Buxton Opera House, Warwick University and the World Saxophone Congress as well as regularly performing for music societies throughout the UK. In addition to their work as performers, the Polaris Duo is passionate about education and outreach and are proud to be artists for Yehudi Menuhin's 'Live Music Now' Scheme.

The Polaris Duo is dedicated to presenting new music and expanding the repertoire for this uncommon pairing of instruments. They have enjoyed working closely with several composers and have given many UK, European and World premieres. Most recently, they have released their debut album 'illuminate', featuring music showcasing the versatility of this duo.

SAM JEFFERSON

Sam Jefferson gained his reputation as a skilled slide guitarist, songwriter and performer on the Brighton blues and folk music scenes. Drawing from legends such as Blind Lemon Jefferson, Robert Johnson, Ry Cooder, and Martin Simpson, Sam has taken his music to audiences all over the country and across Europe too. Since moving to Chorlton in September, Sam has laid out his brand of blues and folk through Manchester, including opening for Ralph McTell at his recent RNCM concert, earning Ralph's praise that 'It was a pleasure to work with a young musician of such maturity, humility, and ability'.

Featured on BBC Radio for 'The Dirty Five', a self-penned song inspired by a family photograph from the First World War, Sam has written extensively about his family's wartime history and will release his second album this Summer, in time for his performance at the Imperial War Museum's exhibition launch in July and at the British Legion's Centenary commemorations in Ypres.

Location: Wilbraham St Ninians, Egerton Road South, Chorlton, M21 0XJ

Tickets: £7.50

LIVE LOUNGE: PABLO

Pablo is longstanding musical partnership of husband and wife duo Simon Borkin and Hannah Newcomb, based in Chorlton, Manchester.

Pablo was first established when Hannah and Simon met over ten years ago, forging their folk sound through the haunting charms of the acoustic guitar and violin. Over the intervening years the two of them have been involved in numerous musical projects with Hannah notably playing violin with Manchester favourites The Travelling Band for two years, culminating in playing The Other Stage at Glastonbury Festival. They also both played in the more synth-led group Cosmos Collapse with the band getting the chance to play Green Man festival after being selected as one of the winners of their unsigned competition in 2013.

They returned to their original duo in 2015 to record their debut album while on honeymoon in Joshua Tree, California in November 2015, working with a series of musicians based out in the arid surroundings of the American desert. They released the album "Take Flight" in April 2016 with a sold-out show at St Ninian's Church in Chorlton.

It's a record that is steeped in storytelling, harmony and folk-tinged instrumentation. "Some of the songs on the album were written almost ten years ago when Hannah and I were just starting out. However, it was great to introduce newer material which we think shows the evolution of our songwriting as well as our more recent experimentation with new instruments like the banjo and cello," Simon from the band explains.

However, any future musical activities were soon put on hold as they had their first child less than a month after. They are now regrouping after their shared parental leave and have written a series of new tracks that build on the sound they developed while out in California.

Location: Upstairs @ Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 0AE

Tickets: £5

FESTIVAL FEAST

3 JUNE

Join us on the final day of the 2018 festival for a feast of epic proportions. We thought 'Should we have a closing party?' and then we thought, 'Wouldn't it be an awesome idea to throw a feast!'.

There will be loads of free food for everyone, some live music and a bar (that bit isn't free, but every penny you spend on it will help us keep this event free). So come and celebrate the end of CAF18 with us.

Although entry is free (and if there is enough space on the day you can just rock up), it would be great if you could pre-book so we can know how much food to make.

Location: Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 8BF

Tickets: Free

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