Bouncers at Shakespeare North Playhouse

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Book now

Bouncers

13-14 February 2024

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Bouncers at Shakespeare North Playhouse
Image courtesy of Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Book now

This February, the John Godber Company will transport audiences back to the ‘80s for an iconic production of the classic play, Bouncers. This new production, at Shakespeare North Playhouse offers a trip back to the heyday of nightclubs; the glorious highs when disco was king, and everyone lived for the weekend.

Told through the eyes of the ever-watching doormen Les, Raph, Judd and Lucky Eric, the show dramatises the goings-on of one night in a Yorkshire disco. A hilarious parody of Saturday Night Fever, all of the familiar characters feature in this modern classic: the girls, the boys, the DJ, those who don’t get in and the local fish and chip van.

Perfectly capturing the sense of excitement, possibility, danger and romance, the play has become an international sensation, gathering awards from around the world. Colourful, frenetic and highly physical – with a pumping ‘80s soundtrack – Bouncers is packed with jaw-achingly funny moments, and is as striking now as it ever was.

Written by John Godber, Bouncers originally premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival back in 1977 and is still one of the most performed plays in the UK today. Named as one of The National Theatre’s ‘Plays of the Century’, Bouncers offers an outrageous, and hugely entertaining, celebration of the Northern nightlife scene.

Where to go near Bouncers at Shakespeare North Playhouse

Family 1
Liverpool
Park
Knowsley Safari Park

Have a wild adventure at the Knowsley Safari Park, and get up close to lions, rhinos, camels and more from the comfort of your car.

Knowsley
Tourist Attraction
Knowsley Hall

Situated on a private walled estate, Knowsley Hall has been in The Earl of Derby’s family for over 600 years and is usually reserved exclusively for private events and filming.

Alexandra Park, St. Helens

The 1960’s, grade II listed Alexandra Park is the former home of Pilkingtons Glass Head Quarters in St. Helens. 

St. Helens
Dream
at St Helens

Dream is a 20 metre high sculpture located on the former site of Sutton Manor Colliery in St Helens, designed by world-renowned and award-winning artist, Jaume Plensa.

library
Shop
The Reader, Calderstones Park

The Reader brings people together through a shared love of literature and their home is in the beautiful Calderstones Park in Liverpool.

family 3
Liverpool
Imagine That

Imagine That is a children’s play centre in Liverpool, with art, science and imagination zones to encourage creative fun and free play.

What's on: Theatre

Pride in Trafford
Until
FestivalsManchester
Pride in Trafford 2025

Trafford’s six-day celebration of LGBTQ+ arts is back with performance, comedy, conversation and family fun across Sale and Altrincham.

From £0.00
Free Activity at Aviva Studios
Until
ComedyManchester
Free Activity at Aviva Studios

From comedy nights to drop-in family craft sessions, Factory International bring an accessible and inclusive programme of events this spring – the best thing, it’s all free.

Free entry
Myra's Story at Lowry
TheatreSalford
Myra’s Story at Lowry

Direct from London’s West End, a critically acclaimed play shining a light on homelessness, addiction and resilience through one woman’s unforgettable story.  

From £28.50

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.

Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Exhibitions in the North

Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month

portrait of Lorsung in a dark shirt with dark hair and dark round glasses
Literature Events in the North

We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.

Sextile
Music in the North

Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring. 

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.