Bingo Play Set For Manchester Festival Appearance

Audience members become bingo players in new Manchester play.

A play set in a bingo hall is set to be one of the highlights of this summer's Manchester International Festival.

With tickets now on sale, the full programme of events for the 17-day festival was unveiled yesterday (March 19th) ahead of the opening day on July 2nd.

Taking place at the city's iconic Royal Exchange Theatre, Everybody Loves a Winner is a new bingo-themed play written and directed by Neil Bartlett, with music by Simon Deacon.

In one of the most keenly-anticipated events of the festival, the Royal Exchange will be temporarily transformed into a bingo venue to add realism to the performance.

"Everybody Loves a Winner combines drama, comedy, music and choreography to take a searching and sideways look at a much loved pastime," festival director Alex Poots told City Life.

Audience members will also have the chance to play for a cash prize in a real bingo game as part of the proceedings.

The festival will also include musical performances from Elbow, Kraftwerk and De La Soul.