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Manchester International Festival: Day 6

• Richard Fair
• 3 Jul 07, 11:00 AM

First up today some news for Manchester Bloggers. How do you fancy meeting up for a bit of chat and WiFi/Phone blogging this coming Monday July 9? We鈥檝e reserved a table in the from 6pm. I鈥檒l be there with Robin Hamman who can talk you through blogging on the go if you haven鈥檛 dipped your toe in that joyous pool yet. There鈥檚 free WiFi in the Pavilion and food and beer (but sadly they鈥檙e not free). Any of you who want to make a night of it may get the chance to plug your blog on 成人论坛 Radio Manchester as Phil Wood presents his first hour from the Pavilion between 10 and 11pm.

If you鈥檇 like to join us, and let鈥檚 face it, who wouldn鈥檛, then please drop us an e-mail or comment on this post so we get an idea of how many of you there will be.

But is it art?
I鈥檓 not sure if it is part of the developing Festival fringe but I noticed an interesting installation along Oxford Road. Not sure what it鈥檚 called, Shattered Dreams or something like that, but basically it鈥檚 a series of vandalised bus shelters with piles of jewel-like pieces of glass scattered on the pavement. I inadvertently removed one the pieces of glass when it stuck in the tread on my shoe. I鈥檓 not sure if I should return it or have it framed.

For All the Wrong Reasons
Last night I sat in my seat at with a mug of tea in one hand and my soggy mac in the other. is a play about 鈥榠ssues鈥� and to be honest I did worry that it鈥檚 could be some kind of school performance. Far from it.

Over the loud music the cast delivered a series of monologue-type performances that interacted from time to time with other cast members. It all seemed to take place on one of Blackpool鈥檚 piers, but you鈥檇 be forgiven for thinking that you were in Zurich in 1916.

But it wasn鈥檛 and neither was it the kind of stuff you鈥檇 see during a summer season at Blackpool, or at The Royal Exchange or Library Theatre and not the sort of thing you鈥檇 take your granny to or anyone on their first date or鈥�

I had to keep reminding myself that this was the Contact and that the production was in collaboration with the Belgian Victoria theatre who鈥檚 work is best described as experimental 鈥� so that鈥檚 why that guy was dressed as a rabbit. Not for the feint hearted, a strong cast presented language and imagery to match and after my ears adjusted to the sound I found myself enjoying it, but perhaps for all the wrong reasons.

Monkey business
I heard something interesting last night. 鈥淎pparently Monkey are using the wrong kind of bamboo鈥�. I鈥檝e not idea what that means and part of me doesn鈥檛 want to know, but in the interests of having nothing else to write, I鈥檒l do my best to find out.

Tonight
I鈥檓 off to see Johnny Vegas in . I鈥檝e been told nothing about it, including where it is. Should be an interesting evening.

Blogs
Julia at has posted an interesting account of one of the Festival Debates. 鈥淲hilst the name of the debate was 'do art and politics mix?', the debate itself would better go under the question 'should art and politics mix?' .
also reports on the debate .