Greater Manchester Fringe 2025

Greater Manchester Fringe Festival returns this July for its 14th edition – a vibrant celebration of theatre and performance from across the North. Brilliantly accessible, we love that the festival offers a fascinating and diverse programme of performance with ticket prices that won’t break the bank.

A creative hotbed of new work, the festival brings some of the most up-and-coming writers and performers to the region – many to showcase their work ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Among this year’s highlights are three new plays supported by the Shelagh Delaney New Writing Award at Salford Arts Theatre: I Don’t Want to Play Anymore by Libby Hall (7-8 July), Adult Orphans by Becca Ashton (12-13 July), and Boys We Knew by Emilia Chinnery (19-20 July) – all directed by Roni Ellis.

Other standout productions include Precarious Theatre’s dark comedy, One Hundred Percent at The King’s Arms (3 – 5 July); Archie Jackson’s debut musical Karma at Squadhouse in Stockport (10 – 12 July); and a return from award-winning ETAL Theatre with Wink, a bold exploration of toxic masculinity in the digital age at 53two (13–17 July).

Popping up in venues across the city – from pubs and studios to arts centres and pop-ups – this year’s programme spans drama, comedy, storytelling, spoken word, mime, music, visual art, children’s theatre and more.

Fringe shows will take over familiar venues including The Kings Arms, Gullivers, Salford Arts Theatre, the Seven Oaks, Social Refuge and 53two, with performances spilling out across Greater Manchester.

We’re thrilled that Manchester Fringe audiences are the first in line to see brand-new theatre by some of the UK’s sharpest creatives. Furthermore, many of the Fringe’s past productions have gone on to be performed in some of the North’s established theatres, such as the Royal Exchange, Octagon Theatre Bolton and The Lowry.

With a show for everyone, Greater Manchester Fringe is a brilliant way to sample bold, alternative theatre – think of it as a pick ’n’ mix of creativity, ready to surprise and delight.