Ones Not to Miss at MIF25

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

A radical retelling of Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man, a genre-defying performance by Blackhaine, and a hypnotic journey through light, sculpture and sound with Germaine Kruip – Manchester International Festival 2025 is set to deliver another summer of bold, unforgettable experiences.

Running from 3 to 20 July, MIF25 brings a fresh wave of world premieres and one-of-a-kind collaborations to the city’s theatres, warehouses and newly reimagined public spaces. With its signature mix of art, performance, film and sound, this year’s festival places Greater Manchester at the centre of the global cultural conversation.

At the heart of the programme is Liberation at the Royal Exchange Theatre – a powerful political drama rooted in the city’s own radical past – while Juliet Ellis’s dreamlike film-installation Symphony of Flesh and Bones transforms Aviva Studios into a meditative exploration of identity and impermanence. Over at the Royal Northern College of Music, Kruip’s A Possibility offers a strikingly original encounter with perception and abstraction.

From live performance to evocative installations, these are works that challenge, spark new ideas and reimagine the possibilities of contemporary art. Read on for our top picks of MIF25 – and prepare to see the city differently this summer.

Our top picks

MIF25: A Single Man at Aviva Studios

A Single Man at Aviva Studios, Manchester, 2–6 July 2025, From £35.00 - Book now

For the first time ever, MIF joins forces with The Royal Ballet to present a bold new adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s seminal novel.

A Single Man at Aviva Studios (Manchester International Festival)
Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man at Aviva Studios. Image courtesy of Rick Guest.

MIF25: Liberation at the Royal Exchange Theatre

Liberation at Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 3–20 July 2025, From £20.00 - Book now

Bringing politics, power, and personal struggles to life on stage, Liberation is a bold new play inspired by real events in Black British history.

Liberation at the Royal Exchange Theatre
Image courtesy of Ali 'Komikamo’ Kamara.

MIF25: Blackhaine – And Now I Know What Love Is at Diecast

Blackhaine: And Now I Know What Love Is at DIECAST, Manchester, 8–19 July 2025, From £10.00 - Book now

Blackhaine’s world premiere performance promises to be one of the most compelling and emotionally charged experiences of MIF25.

Blackhaine: And Now I Know What Love Is at Diecast
Image courtesy of Archie Finch/ Factory International/ MIF25.

MIF25: A Symphony of Flesh and Bones at Aviva Studios

A Symphony of Flesh and Bones at Aviva Studios, Manchester, 10–13 July 2025, From £24.00 - Book now

A dreamlike film and installation by award-winning artist Juliet Ellis – a visually stunning highlight of the festival exploring identity, strength and impermanence.

A Symphony of Flesh and Bones at Aviva Studios
Image courtesy of Juliet Ellis.

MIF25: Germaine Kruip – A Possibility at RNCM

Germaine Kruip: A Possibility at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 17–20 July 2025, From £10.00 - Book now

One of the most arresting offerings at MIF25 – a haunting, meditative journey through abstraction, perception and performance.

Germaine Kruip: A Possibility at RNCM
Factory International
Image by Jonathan Schofield.
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