Theatre in Manchester and the North

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Last Updated 13 October 2020

Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, our usual recommendations for theatre in Manchester and the North are a little different.

We most certainly cannot wait to be back in the stalls again…until then our theatre guide brings online theatre, dance and interactive performance for you to enjoy at home.

We are so grateful to National Lottery players, The National Lottery, DCMS and Arts Council England for supporting our freelance writers during this crisis. This means that, although venues remain shut and campaigns cancelled, our writers can be reengaged to help arts organisations and artists across the North of England share their online content with our culture-hungry readers.

Make sure to check back often – we’re adding more good cultural stuff as we find it.

Stay well.

Here are our picks

1. Black Gold Arts Festival 2020 with Contact

Image courtesy of Black Gold Arts.

Black Gold Arts Festival at Contact Theatre, Manchester and online, Until 25 October 2020, from £5.00 - Book now

This October Contact present an all-digital version of the Black Gold Arts Festival featuring workshops, discussions, talks and performances.

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2. Ur Favourite Scary Movie with HOME

HOME

Ur Favourite Scary Movie at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 26–31 October 2020 - Book now

An indulgent and unique Halloween experience that you don’t even need to leave the house for.

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3. Rent at Hope Mill Theatre

Image courtesy of Hope Mill Theatre.

Rent at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester and online, 30 October–6 December 2020, from £20.00 - Book now

Missed out on tickets the first time around? You’ve got another chance to watch this sell-out show online. But be quick.

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4. Petrichor at Oldham Coliseum

Image courtesy of Ray Chan.

Petrichor at Oldham Coliseum, Manchester, 20–21 November 2020, from £6 - Book now

This intriguing production blends VR with live-action theatre and animation to explore the hopes and fears of our current (and future) existence.

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5. User Not Found: A Video Podcast with HOME

HOME

User Not Found: A Video Podcast, online, Until 10 March 2021 - Book now

Exploring digital legacy and online identity, acclaimed theatre-makers Dante or Die are back with a video podcast version of their hugely successful show.

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6. Contact Theatre

Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6JA - Visit now

We’re pleased to announce that a £7m refurbishment of Contact has recently been completed, gearing up for performances to restart in early 2021. At such a difficult time for the arts industry, news like this really lifts the heart.

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7. Homemakers

Bryony Kimmings in I am falling in love with you and its making me do stupid things

Homemakers, online, Until 31 December 2020 - Book now

HOME have invited theatre and live art makers to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home.

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8. The Believers Are But Brothers at HOME

HOME

The Believers Are But Brothers at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 3–5 November 2020, from £10.00 - Book now

Created by Alipoor, this award-winning performance uses WhatsApp to take audiences on a journey into a world of fantasy, violence and radicalisation.

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9. A Christmas Carol at Storyhouse

Image courtesy of Peter Cook - Storyhouse.

A Christmas Carol at Storyhouse, Chester, 7 November 2020–17 January 2021, from £23.00 - Book now

You will go to a Christmas show this year…packed with song, laughter and festive joy, head to Chester for a cracking adaptation of Dickens’ timeless tale.

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Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

I Don’t Love You Anymore, But I Don’t Love You Any Less with HOME

A Young Identity and Homemakers commission, this is an audio poem exploring universal uncertainty at a time of great change.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

Chasing On A Dream with HOME

Fusing music and spoken word, Young identity present this new work by Saf Elsenoss as part of Homemakers.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

Memories of a Moss Sidian with HOME

Presented by Young Identity, this collection of 4 poems examines the ethereal qualities of our lived experiences, once we look back on them as memories.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

They keep telling me that my house is on fire with HOME

Using soundscape and film, this Young Identity Homemakers commission explores the burning house analogy often given as an explanation to those who say ‘all lives matter’.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

The Very Error Of The Moon with HOME

Shot entirely on a smartphone and GoPro throughout lockdown, this perceptive short film examines the costs of being ‘othered’ in a radicalised world.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

I am all the Rooms of the House with HOME

Exploring love, loss and reclamation, a house is vividly brought to life in this metaphorical poem by writer-performer Hester Ullyart.

Literature Until 31 December 2020, FREE

Poetry Health Service with Oldham Coliseum

Offering contemporary poetry as a tool for healing and connection, PHS is a brand-new online literary cure-all.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

My Darling Christopher with HOME

Innovative, visual and inclusive, this short film uses unique theatrical language to shine a light on a Deaf person’s experience of war.

Theatre Until 31 December 2020,

Absent Tense with HOME

Inspired by the first 12 weeks of lockdown and presented in 12 parts, Absent Tense is an audio essay and accompanying publication that reflects the presence of absence in our lives right now.

Culture Guides

Cinema in Manchester and the North

Both in-person and online, there are film festivals galore in this month’s Cinema Guide.

Exhibitions

With galleries finally back open, there’s an abundance of stellar offline exhibitions to satisfy those keen to get back to seeing art in the flesh.

Families

Need some inspiration for online activities and creative family fun? Look no further than our top picks online for families across Manchester and the North.

Literature

From book launches to festival readings and open mics to creative writing workshops, activities and events in Live Literature Land continue virtually as mochas and pints have to accompany substantial meals, not just a garibaldi or a bag of Monster Munch.