Hedda at Contact

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Hedda at Contact
Image courtesy of Samuel Legge/ Here to There Productions.

Hedda at Contact Theatre, Manchester 2 — 6 April 2024 Tickets from £20.00 — Book now

Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, a complex tale of power, jealousy and manipulation has been reimagined by the Shropshire-based theatre company Here to There Productions.

Following a near sell-out run at the Coach House Theatre, Malvern in 2023, Hedda will play at venues across the UK this spring. Luckily for Mancunian theatre lovers, this fascinating new version stops off at Contact Theatre for six performances this April.

We love that such a relatively small theatre company has taken on one of Ibsen’s dramatic masterpieces with such aplomb. Written by Here to There Productions’ Company Director, Andrew Whittle, the company’s inaugural production of Hedda was hailed a triumph by both critics and audiences; the play’s themes – power and influence, patriarchy and the desire for control – feeling as resonant now as when it was first performed in the 1890s.

Arriving home after a long honeymoon, Hedda finds herself trapped in a marriage she does not want. Wedding for financial security, not love, and living in a new home that they cannot afford, she feels stifled.

Brought up in a sheltered environment by a single parent, Hedda has yearned for years to grasp life by the throat and embrace every opportunity. However, now she feels confined; buried alive knowing she has years of tedious, intolerable life ahead of her. Battling to break free, she manipulates those closest to her. However, in a world ruled by men, there can be no victory for Hedda.

Most pleasingly, Andrew Whittle has adapted Ibsen’s original piece to incorporate contemporary language – meaning a modern-day audience can access Ibsen’s work with fresh eyes. Captivating. Beautiful. Powerful.

Hedda at Contact Theatre, Manchester 2 — 6 April 2024 Tickets from £20.00 Book now

Performances

Date
Time
Session Features
2 April 2024
7:00pm
3 April 2024
7:00pm
4 April 2024
7:00pm
5 April 2024
7:00pm
6 April 2024
2:00pm
6 April 2024
7:00pm

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

Where to go near Hedda at Contact

Manchester
Music venue
The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is a vibrant gig venue and nightclub for which it is well worth taking a jaunt out of the Northern Quarter.

Manchester
Catalog Bookshop

Find Peter and his Christiania cargo bike around All Saints Park, a hop, skip and a bunnyhop from Manchester Poetry Library.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Sandbar

Sandbar, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, is a well-loved watering hole, with a great selection of ales and some eccentric seating.

Johnny Roadhouse store
Manchester
Shop
Johnny Roadhouse

Buffeted by fried chicken outlets, legendary musical instrument emporium Johnny Roadhouse has been serving the local music community for over 50 years.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Eighth Day

Eighth Day is a co-operative shop that sells ethically-sourced food, wine and cosmetics. There’s also café that serves hearty, healthy meals in the basement.

Manchester
Event venue
The Proud Place

Based in the heart of Manchester on Sidney Street, The Proud Place houses The Proud Trust and serves as a community hub for the wider LGBT+ population across Greater Manchester and beyond.

What's on: Theatre

Culture Guides

Good Fridaze Family Social at Freight Island
Family things to do in the North

As we edge towards spring we take a look at the best events and activities for families, from theatre to festivals, dinosaur adventures to family raves.

Poet Evan Jones
Literature Events in the North

Some of our favourite leftfield live literature regulars are back with their first events of the year – we’ve picked a weird and wonderful heap we think you’ll love.

NEXT: A Primer on Urban Painting production still
Cinema in the North

Street art, LGBTQ+ History Month, and the first film festivals of the year are amongst our cinema highlights this month.

A painting of a young child being bathed in a sink of a 197s style kitchen. Around the sink are a rubber duck, a bottle of  washing up liquid, a jug, a kettle and a mug.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Feminist farce, a magical circus show and Oldham Coliseum return with a brand-new off-site show. All in our latest theatre guide.

FKA TWIGS
Music in the North

Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.