Aardman in Concert

Aardman in Concert comes to Manchester Central on Friday 23 October, a show marking 50 years of the Aardman animation studio. It's five decades of British clay animation, comedy and creativity, and the night is built around the music that goes with it. Carrot Productions put the show together in partnership with Aardman, following Wallace & Gromit's Musical Marvels, a 38-show tour in 2019 that won Best Licensed Live Event at the 2020 Licensing Excellence Awards.

The evening is split into two halves. The first pairs classic film moments with a live orchestra, drawing on Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Timmy Time and Morph. The second half is a full screening of A Matter of Loaf and Death, played along by the orchestra. There's also a special on-stage appearance by Shaun the Sheep.

On the music is Carrot Productions' Picture House Orchestra, which draws its musicians from top UK ensembles including the Hallé, Manchester Camerata and the BBC Philharmonic. The show is suitable for ages 3 and up, and it's touring the country with stops in Birmingham, London, Salisbury, Guildford, Bristol, York, Newcastle, Leicester, Nottingham and Chester.

It runs from 7:00pm to 8:30pm in the Exchange Foyer at Manchester Central, Windmill St, Manchester M2 3GX. Tickets are from £25 for adults and £21 for children, both plus booking fee.