The Cat and the Canary at Manchester Opera House
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Set in a creaking mansion, this creepy whodunnit makes its way into Manchester Opera House just in time for Halloween. Guaranteed to make you jump and belly laugh, The Cat and the Canary is a perfect comedy thriller that will keep you guessing right to the end.
With plenty of jumps, bumps and plot twists along the way…
John Willard’s 1922 stage play has inspired three classic movies starring the likes of Paulette Goddard, Honor Blackman, Olivia Hussey, Bob Hope and Edward Fox. Now, this new theatre adaptation by Carl Grose (until recently, Co-artistic Director of Kneehigh) brings a star-studded cast to build on the success of this macabre, though hilarious, murder mystery.

This riotous and chilling play is the fifth production by Bill Kenwright’s Classic Thriller Theatre Company – the company have previously presented Rehearsal for Murder, Judgement in Stone, The Case of the Frightened Lady and The Lady Vanishes.
The play centres around six distant relatives of Cyrus West, who died two decades earlier, as they meet up for a reading of his will. Set to find out who will inherit his fortune – heritage hunters turn into prey – and a night of murder, mystery, intrigue and suspense ensues.

Set in a remote haunted house on a stormy night, the play has all of the signature tropes you’d expect from a good thriller. Throw in that a homicidal maniac – dubbed The Cat – is on the loose, and you’ve got the perfect concoction for a spectacular Halloween theatre show.
The Cat and the Canary has all of the signature tropes you’d expect from a good thriller.
The Cat and the Canary’s all-star cast features silver screen sensation Bond actress Britt Ekland, pop band Blue’s Antony Costa, West End star Marti Webb, Coronations Street’s Tracy Shaw and Gary Webster from British comedy-drama Minder.
With plenty of jumps, bumps and plot twists along the way – perfectly timed for Halloween hi-jinks – The Cat and the Canary offers a spectacular evening of spine-tingling murder mystery.