Top 10 Theatre Shows to Book Now in Manchester

Spring brings a whole new host of shows to Manchester’s theatres - here is our handy list of the top ones you might want to book:

By Larry Moir | Updated Sep 5 2024

A vibrant night scene of the Opera House, illuminated with pink and yellow lights. The marquee and facade glow brightly, highlighting the classical architecture. A bustling street with pedestrians is in front of the venue, which has a modern glass building in the background. — VisitManchester.com

1. A Taste of Honey

RoyalExchange.co.uk

15th March - 13th April | Royal Exchange Theatre | St Ann's Square

Directed here by Emma Baggott, Shelagh Delaney’s iconic play is a stunning portrayal of working class life in 1950s Salford which puts women at the centre of the drama; Helen drags her daughter Jo across the flats of Salford with each fly-by-night flit with a new man, the latest one offering panoramic views of the local slaugherhouse...

Jo can feel her Mum’s restlessness, and expects that another man will appear and lure her away, leaving Jo behind to fend for herself. When Jimmie offers to stay for Christmas, Jo is swept up in his charm and the promise of escape – no matter how precarious that may be.

At Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre for nearly a month, you can book your tickets to get A Taste of Honey here

2. Sister Act

A group of nuns stands on stage in front of a large, illuminated stained glass window backdrop. They are dressed in black and white habits, with some making expressive, surprised faces and raising their hands in animated gestures. — ATGTickets.com

18 - 30th March | Palace Theatre Manchester | 97 Oxford Street

Based on the 1992 American musical crime comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act is the uplifting story of a nightclub singer placed under witness protection and forced to reside in the worst place she could image - a convent full of nuns! However, despite her misgivings, this sinner soons finds purpose directing the lovely ladies in the convent choir.

Featuring original music by Tony® and 8-time Oscar® award-winner Alan Menken (who wrote the music for Disney’s Aladdin and Enchanted) and songs inspired by Motown, soul and disco, Sister Act is a joyous must-see show which raises the spirits and warms the soul.

You can book tickets here

3. Vignettes

Two women are performing on stage. One, in a blue top and white shorts, stands barefoot with a puzzled expression. The other, in a red lace outfit, stands near a table holding a wine glass. The stage is illuminated with purple and pink lights, and there are chairs in the background. — opening-night.org

17 - 24th April | Hope Mill Theatre | 113 Pollard Street

Hope Mill Theatre is one of Manchester’s smaller theatres, beloved for supporting local productions and talent. This production is the fifth instalment of Vignettes, in association with HER Productions, a show which brings together six local female writers - some established and some emerging - to each write a short play on a subject of their choice.

Also all directed by women, this years titles include Gains, Maharani of Manchester and Birds Don’t Run, They Fly.

Click here to book tickets

4. Sweat

Two people sit at a bar, engaged in conversation. The bar is dimly lit, with a warm ambiance. Various bottles line the shelves behind them, and several taps are visible. The individuals are seated on wooden bar stools, facing each other. — RoyalExchange.co.uk

26th April - 25th May | Royal Exchange Theatre | St Ann's Square

Coming to the Royal Exchange for a month, Lynn Nottage’s 2017 Pulitzer-Prize winning drama Sweat has been called a new American classic, soon to be cited alongside the likes of Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.

This stunning drama brings the social and political tensions of small town America bubbling to the surface; Tracey and Cynthia are best friends who have worked together on the factor floor for 20 years, bonded by the sweat of shared manual labour, celebrating birthdays together, and more tears and laughter than they can remember. However, they will be pitted against one another as the factory’s fat cat capitalist owners look for ways to increase profits by seeking cheaper labour, forcing workers to fight amongst themselves.

Click here to book tickets

5. Silence

Six people stand on a stage with a backdrop featuring illuminated patterns. They are all facing forward, dressed in neutral tones, and appear to be in the middle of a performance. The lighting highlights a warm, earthy atmosphere. — homemcr.org

30th April - 4th May | HOME | 2 Tony Wilson Place

Tara Theatre’s Silence comes to Manchester after runs in London and Leicester to mark the 75th anniversary of India’s partition.

The 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan saw millions uprooted and resulted in unspeakable violence. Adapted from Kavita Puri’s acclaimed book Partition Voices: Untold British Stories, this new play focuses on communal storytelling, using the testimonies and stories of people who live with the legacy of that brutal and challenging time during the last days of the British Raj.

Click here to book tickets

6. An Officer and a Gentleman

A woman in a red dress and a man in a white tank top and pants stand closely facing each other on stage. The background features a blue, nighttime sky with stars and a large black gate. The scene appears tense and dramatic. — asmallmindatthetheatre.blogspot.com

30th April - 4st May | Opera House Manchester | 3 Quay Street

Be transported back in time with this brand new stage musical version of the iconic 1982 blockbuster movie, with music by Tony-winner Dick Scanlan featuring a score of some of the decade’s greatest hits.

A story that explores universal themes of love, duty, valour and dreams, An Officer and a Gentleman follows Zack Mayo as he enters the brutal basic training to become a US Navy Pilot in Port Rainer, a rund down mill town where young girls dream of marrying Navy officers to escape the boredom and drudgery. Local girl Paula and her best friend are two such women, and when Paula meets Zack their love proves to be real and true - a maybe just the thing to help them both realize their ambitions.

Click here to book tickets

7. Bonnie & Clyde

A man and a woman stand together in front of a dimly lit, gritty background. The woman, in a striped shirt, points a pistol forward with determined expression. The man, in a suit and hat, stands behind her, also pointing a gun forward. They appear defiant. — TheStage.co.uk

7 - 11th May | Palace Theatre Manchester | 97 Oxford Street

In the 1930s, America’s infamous bank-robbing lovers Bonnie and Clyde captured the imaginations of the nation, and the tale has been told an reworked many times. This musical version of the folk heroes’ affairs won Best New Musical at the WhatsOnStage Awards last year and, following two successful season is London’s West End, is now touring the UK and Ireland.

With rave reviews, and The Independent lauding the cast’s “triumphant vocals” over the show’s “sexy score”, it would be a crime to miss it!

Click here to book tickets

8. Frankie Goes to Bollywood

Four people are dancing joyfully in a kitchen. From left to right, a woman in a red dress, a man in a maroon suit and turban, a woman in a blue and white dress, and a woman in a beige sweater and grey sweatpants. They appear to be having fun. — TheatreRoyalWindsor.co.uk

15 - 25th May | HOME | 2 Tony Wilson Place

From the makers of Britain’s Got Bhangra, 2024 sees the world premiere of a new British musical by Pravesh Kumar MBE, founder and artistic director of Rifco Theatre Company, the UK's most successful British South Asian touring company. This is Rifco’s most ambitious musical yet, a breathtakingly colourful journey inspired by real stories of British women caught in the spotlight of the biggest film industry in the world;

Frankie never wanted to be a star, but after a chance encounter with a Bollywood director, she finds herself transported to its ruthless world. Can she climb her way to the top, stay in the Bollywood family, and still be true to herself?

This tale of being British in Bollywood is a brilliantly colourful production featuring all the heroes, villains and romance of a full-blown Bollywood film production right there on Manchester’s HOME stage.

Click here to book tickets

9. Danny Echo

Three people are in a living room with white walls and furniture. A person in orange sits cross-legged on a cushion on the left, a person in a white top and orange pants sits on a white couch in the center, and an older person sits on the right. A coffee table is in front of them. — TheLowry.com

24th May | The Lowry | Pier, 8 The Quays, Salford, Manchester M50 3AZ

The Lowry always has a diverse and programme of affordable arts events including theatre shows, and this is one to put in the diary;

In the midst of her grief a controversial scientist offers Rachael a chance to have some contact with her husband Danny, who died in a freak accident; Rachael is told that an AI can be programmed to repeat the words and actions Danny used on one day of his life. When Rachael chooses the last day of Danny’s life, she finds herself caught in the trauma again - stuck in her flat with a scarily realistic robot, Rachael can’t change anything that happened, but can the AI ‘Danny’ help her to grieve and look to the future?

Click here to book tickets

Note: the shows deals with themes of death and bereavement, and contains swearing and scenes of a sexual nature.

10. Le Gateau Chocolat's I Wish

A man wearing a red cap and beige overalls is standing in a dark setting, holding an open, glowing book. He has a surprised and delighted expression on his face. The background features small lights arranged in a circular pattern. — NewVictory.org

25th May - 1st June | HOME | 2 Tony Wilson Place

The work of internationally acclaimed theatre artist and singer Le Gateau Chocolat spans drag, cabaret, opera, musical theatre, children’s theatre and live art.

With I Wish, the colourful and accomplished star partners with Unicorn Theatre’s Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw to bring you this family-friendly show; the mysteriously magic-less Wish Giver goes on a musical quest to recover their powers, stepping into the shoes of beloved storybook characters, managing mystical messes and learning that, while life’s not always fair(ytales), love and acceptance can be more than fantasy.

Click here to book tickets