Justin SutcliffeAn immersive multimedia show exploring moon landings of the past and and those planned for the future begins in Manchester next month.
The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, opens at the city’s flagship arts venue Aviva Studios on 16 December.
Hanks, who played astronaut Jim Lovell in the film Apollo 13, narrates the audio visual account which is brought to the Factory International venue by immersive art storytellers Lightroom.
Here’s all you need to know about the show.
What is The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks?
Justin SutcliffeCo-written by Hanks and writer and filmmaker Christopher Riley, The Moonwalkers tells the story of the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s.
It blends original NASA footage with images from Andy Saunders’ Apollo Remastered, a book which reworked the US space agency’s image archive.
It also looks ahead to the next chapter with newly-filmed interviews between Hanks and astronauts from the current Artemis programme offering audiences a glimpse into the future of surface missions to the moon.
The show is narrated by Tom Hanks with an original score from Anne Nikitin.
What does Tom Hanks say about it?
Justin SutcliffeHanks has always had an interest in space. He said: “As a youth, I was deeply affected by the Apollo missions finally taking us to the moon for the first time in human history.
“I would have gone myself, given the chance.”
He added: “The extraordinary, unique production capabilities of Lightroom have allowed me, alongside writer Christopher Riley, directors Nick Corrigan and Lysander Ashton, and composer Anne Nikitin, to tell what we believe is the most visceral and enthralling version to date.”
When does it open and how much does it cost?
The show opens on 16 December and runs until 11 January.
Tickets are sold for show slots every hour, with shows taking place on most days between 09:00 GMT and 21:00 GMT.
Aviva Studios said the show is 50 minutes long and will start promptly, with latecomers only admitted at a suitable point.
Shows taking place after 18:00 GMT are for adults only.
Tickets range from £20 – £35 with affordable/concession tickets from £10.
Children under two have free entry.
A number of dog-friendly slots will also be run.
Full details are available on the event website.
Justin SutcliffeWhat other shows are coming up at Aviva Studios?
Factory InternationalAviva is also to reprise its show David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) alongside a new production Vogue: Inventing the Runway, which tells the history of the fashion runway show.
The Vogue experience was created as a collaboration between Lightroom and Vogue, including with the magazine’s former editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.
It is narrated by actor Cate Blanchett.
Ms Wintour said: “This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
Factory InternationalThe Hockney show also welcomed dogs along with their owners when it last ran in Manchester from December 2024 to January this year.
The artist painted many portraits of his two dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie, over the years.
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) covered his work from LA to Yorkshire, and up to the present day in Normandy.