No.253

If you’re a fan of live performance art and having your hard earned cash pried out of your hands, then you’ll be sure to love Manchester’s eclectic Market Street. Where else could you see Predator posing for photographs, a living, breathing beatbox machine and a man sat on a skateboard trying to playing the flute — all on one street? Years ago people had to visit the theatre to witness this kind of raw talent, now it’s slap bang on our doorstep. Saying that, we have noticed the quality of the performers is slowly slipping. Take this guy — the poorly painted notice on his wooden box claims he’s the ‘North’s Finest Human Statue’, but all he does is wear grey clothes and stand slightly still. Useless. We still felt obliged to give him a quid though. He was wearing a good jacket, after all.