Greater Manchester Fringe 2023
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
This July, Greater Manchester Fringe Festival returns for its 12th year. A huge celebration of theatre and performance in the North, we love that the festival offers a fascinating and diverse programme of performance with ticket prices that won’t break the bank.
A 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.
Springing up in a number of venues across the city, festival-goers will find an eclectic programme of drama, comedy, music, mime, children’s shows, storytelling, visual arts, spoken word and tours on offer. Most pleasingly, the festival comes with affordable ticket prices too – and some of the shows are completely free, offering access to a non-traditional theatre-going audience.
Spilling out across Greater Manchester, performances are taking place in a number of different venues including Salford Arts Theatre, Sonata Piano & Cabaret Lounge, the Art Garden at The Whitworth, The Fitzgerald, International Antony Burgess Foundation, The Squad House and The King’s Arms.
Highlights of the 2023 festival include Bolton-born Joe Leather’s drag-comedy performance – Wasteman – telling a real-life story of a bin man who swaps his steel-toed boots for stilettos in pursuit of becoming a drag queen. We’re also championing Oriente Plus/ Power Cut, a stunning Caribbean Gothic outdoor show in The Whitworth’s Art Garden with poetry, movement, song, live music, and BSL fully embedded within the performance. Meanwhile, Izzy Searle’s Baggy Bra also caught our eye – a female-led body-positive show with a lot of heart – it recently debuted in London to a sell-out house.
Manchester Fringe audiences are the first in line to see brand-new theatre by some of the UK’s sharpest creatives.
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, HOME, Octagon Theatre Bolton and The Lowry.
A delightful chocolate box of performance with something for everyone.
Manchester Fringe Festival offers a delightful chocolate box of performance – there really is something for everyone.
