The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts

Shekina Rose, Families Editor
The Man who wanted to be a penguin at waterside arts

The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside, Manchester 30 November — 31 December 2022 Tickets from £12.00 — Book now

Are you ready to journey across to the coldest part of the planet (no, not Manchester!), this winter? Taking place from 30 November – 31 December, The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts, Manchester, tells the magical, heartwarming tale of a pioneering, curious explorer planning for his next adventure.

The story begins with this extraordinary man tinkering in his shed, doing something very… odd. Yes, he’s learning to speak the very special language of ‘Penguin’! This is all in preparation for his next mission to icy Antarctica, a place he has only ever imagined in his wildest dreams!

But when he sets foot on icy Antarctica, will its freezing, icy wilderness meet his expectations? And what will the penguins think when a mere human arrives in their hometown? Will they meet and greet him with open flippers, or will their reception be as cold as the ice beneath their claws?!

The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts is packed with energy, puppetry, music and adventure and is bound to keep families hooked with its humour and creativity from the beginning to end.

Presented by Stuff & Nonsense Theatre, creators of The Hare & The Tortoise, The Little Red Hen, The Enormous Turnip, The Elves and the Shoemaker, 3 Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears (to name a few!), this delightful show bursting with colour and fun is set to be another memorable event for the family to keep warm and enjoy together this festive season.

The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts is for children aged 3-11 and their grownups.

The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside, Manchester 30 November — 31 December 2022 Tickets from £12.00 Book now

Performances

Date
Time
Session Features
30 November 2022
6:00pm — 7:00pm
3 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
3 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
10 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
10 December 2022
6:00pm — 7:00pm
11 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
11 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
17 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
17 December 2022
6:00pm — 7:00pm
18 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
18 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
20 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
21 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
22 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
23 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
24 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
20 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
21 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
22 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
23 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
24 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
27 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
28 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
29 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
30 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
31 December 2022
11:00am — 12:00pm
27 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
28 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
29 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
30 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm
31 December 2022
2:00pm — 3:00pm

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

What's on at Waterside

BUFF at Waterside
TheatreManchester
BUFF at Waterside

A funny, moving solo play about body image, dating apps, and the messy road to self-acceptance, happening as part of Pride in Trafford.

from £13.00
Pride in Trafford
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

Where to go near The Man Who Wanted to be a Penguin at Waterside Arts

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Bean and Brush Art Café

Bean & Brush is a family art café in Sale which serves simple, tasty food with ingredients sourced from local suppliers. The bonus for parents is the arts and crafts studio which keeps the kids busy being creative while they can join in or relax with a coffee.

Manchester
Park
Grosvenor Square

Grosvenor Square is one of the few open spaces along Oxford Road Manchester; on sunny days, students from the nearby Manchester School of Art come out to bask.

Manchester
Park
Walkden Gardens

Walkden Gardens in the Manchester suburbs has all the makings of a fairy tale garden. As a venue, it’s hard to imagine a more magical gateway, a wonderful escape only a short(ish) stroll from the Brooklands Metrolink stop..

Sale
Restaurant
Meze & More

An intimate supper club in Sale, South Manchester, with a specialist focus on Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine.

longford park ben williams
Manchester
Park
Longford Park

Longford Park in Stretford was created in the grounds of Longford Hall, the grand entrance steps of which remain.

Manchester
Park
Wythenshawe Park

With a 17th Century hall set in 109 acres of open parkland, Wythenshawe Park makes a super day out for all ages. Explore the historic woodlands, lush grasslands and meadows; take a stroll around the many themed gardens and check out the sports and leisure facilities on offer.

What's on: Families

Two young visitors looking up at a banner in a case, holding pencils and an activity sheet.
Until
ActivityManchester
2025 Banner Bingo at PHM

Explore the People’s History Museum with your banner bingo card in hand as you navigate their galleries through the lens of craftivism.

free entry

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.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.

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.

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

Three men sit next to each other. One's head is bandaged, one holds a torch and one wears a sleepmask.
Cinema in the North

Live scores, midnight movies and the latest from Wes Anderson are just some of our upcoming film highlights.