Culture Guides
Destination Guides
We love the summer, not least for the warm weather, it is also the time of year when performance begins to spill out of theatres and into the outdoors. There are a whole host of shows for those wanting theatre and fresh air at the same time. We’ve been scouring the north for the best open-air performance we can find. Pack up a picnic and head out to Chester’s Grosvenor Park Open-Air Theatre for a trio of starry performances: Twelfth Night, The Borrowers and Henry V are running in rep over the summer. Closer to home, Heartbreak productions play at Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden with a super-glam production of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Wuthering Heights and Noel Coward’s Private Lives will also play out under the stars in Didsbury this summer. Do check back for more of the best open-air performances this summer.
Trafford’s flagship arts festival, REFRACT launches at Waterside this week – a brilliant and eclectic event offering a superb ten-day programme of performance, comedy, live music and family activities.
Happening elsewhere – you’ll find us at Manchester Opera House for the beautiful and inspiring stage adaptation of Amélie The Musical.
We’re also championing Kandinsky’s There is a Light That Never Goes Out at the Royal Exchange – a timely and relevant performance, happening just in time for the bicentenary of Peterloo. Check out our full guide to the programme of events happening across the city to mark the 200-year anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre.
Cast your eyes over our full theatre guide for all the best performances happening this summer, and in the new season.
Enjoy!
Here are our picks
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1. Twelfth Night at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Mark Carline Twelfth Night at Grosvenor Park, 5 July–24 August 2019, from £19.50 - Book now
Don’t miss Shakespeare’s most outrageous romantic comedy Twelfth Night when it comes to Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre this summer.
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2. REFRACT:19 at Waterside Arts
REFRACT:19 at Waterside Arts, Manchester, 18–27 July 2019 - Book now
Back with an even bigger bang – Trafford’s flagship arts festival returns to Waterside for ten-days of experiential performance and cultural delight.
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3. There is a Light That Never Goes Out at the Royal Exchange
There is a Light That Never Goes Out: Scenes from the Luddite Rebellion at Royal Exchange Theatre, City Centre, 25 July–10 August 2019, from £10.00 - Book now
Just in time for the bicentenary of Peterloo, Kandinsky shine a light on our city’s political identity and the legacy of Luddism in the modern world.
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4. Amélie The Musical at Manchester Opera House
Pamela Raith Amélie The Musical at Manchester Opera House, City Centre, 6–10 August 2019, from £13.00 - Book now
Enchanting, witty and gorgeous, boasting huge public and critical acclaim, the story of Amélie translates beautifully for the stage.
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5. Jerry Springer – The Opera at Hope Mill Theatre
Jerry Springer - The Opera at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, 8–31 August 2019, from £20.00 - Book now
Not for the faint-hearted or easily offended, expect chaos and debauchery to ensue in this smash hit musical based on the infamous talk show. Coming to Hope Mill Theatre this August.
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6. Romeo and Juliet at Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens
Romeo and Juliet at Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden, Manchester, 17–18 August 2019, from £11.50 - Book now
Join Heartbreak Productions for this super glam outdoor adaptation of Shakespeare’s star crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet.
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7. Nigel Slater’s Toast at the Lawrence Batley Theatre
Image courtesy of Target Live Nigel Slater's Toast at Lawrence Batley Theatre, 19 August–24 July 2019, from £10.00 - Book now
Guaranteed to warm your cockles like a freshly baked jam tart, Nigel Slater’s Toast launches its UK tour in Huddersfield.
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8. Hive City Legacy at HOME
Image courtesy of Helen Murray Hive City Legacy at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 3–7 September 2019, from £10.50 - Book now
From the creators of the fabulous Hot Brown Honey and following a sell-out success at London’s Roundhouse, comes the riotous Hive City Legacy.
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9. Roundabout at Albert Park
Image courtesy of Rebecca-Need-Menear -
10. Red Dust Road at HOME
Image courtesy of HOME Red Dust Road at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 11–21 September 2019, from £10.00 - Book now
Balancing warmth with a straight-talking honesty, Jackie Kay’s Red Dust Road receives its world premiere in a new stage adaptation by Tanika Gupta.
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11. Beryl at Bolton Library Theatre
Image courtesy of Bolton Octagon Beryl at Octagon Theatre, Manchester, 19 September–19 October 2019, from £14.00 - Book now
The true story of one of the world’s greatest unsung sporting heroes will be brought to life in the intimate setting of Bolton’s Library Theatre.
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12. Trojan Horse at Leeds Playhouse
Image courtesy of Graeme Braidwood Trojan Horse at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds, 3–5 October 2019, from £14 - Book now
In this vital verbatim show, using real-life testimonies, LUNG examine the damage caused to Birmingham communities following the 2014 government inquiry.
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13. Out of Order at HOME
Image courtesy of Hugo Glendinning Out of Order at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 13–15 November 2019, from £10.00 - Book now
Earlier this month Forced Entertainment announced that they would be taking their new work on a UK Tour later this year. Luckily for us, Out of Order stops off at HOME this autumn.
More in Theatre
First Time at Waterside
Recipient of the Making Waves bursary, you’ve got another chance to see this sell-out show before it takes the world (and Edinburgh Fringe) by storm.
Peterloo 2019
Manchester Histories prepares to launch a major programme of over 150 events to commemorate the 200-year anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre. All of the essential Peterloo events in one place.
The Borrowers at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
In a new adaptation by Bryony Lavery, The Borrowers is brought to the magical Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre this summer.
Catching Comets at Waterside
Catching Comets, by award-winning Ransack Theatre, asks how we’re supposed to be big and strong when we are nothing like the heroes we grew up with on our screens.
Beach Body Ready at Waterside
The time has come. It’s the season of cutting carbs and hitting it hard at the gym – The Roaring Girls are getting Beach Body Ready. Are you?
Henry V at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Shakespeare’s history play, Henry V explores England’s relationship with its European neighbours. A timely open-air performance in Grosvenor Park.
Wuthering Heights at Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden
Escape to the beautiful setting of the Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden to experience this timeless tale of intrigue and passion.
Private Lives at Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden
Bring your own chair and sit in the open-air: Heartbreak productions bring outdoor theatre shenanigans to Didsbury Village.
24 Hours of Peace at the Royal Exchange
What do you get if you add 24 hours to 48 performers and two hundred thousand words? Neil Bartlett’s extraordinary new national public artwork.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
Like the 58th Venice Biennale which opened earlier this May, our latest pick of exhibitions across the north also has a strong ecological bent.
Literature
We’re in full festival swing with both Manchester International Festival and Refract festival’s first focus on live literature, the welcome return of some old favourites, and plenty of poetry and prose.
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
Discover the best food and drink that the North has to offer in our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and beyond.
Tours and Activities
Challenge yourself to try something different this summer with our guide of Manchester based tours and activities. You’re bound to find something new to do in the city.
Related Guides
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
Discover the best food and drink that the North has to offer in our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and beyond.
Exhibitions
Like the 58th Venice Biennale which opened earlier this May, our latest pick of exhibitions across the north also has a strong ecological bent.
Vegetarian Food in Manchester
We’ve gathered together a handpicked list of some of our favourite vegetarian places in Manchester – meaning you need never suffer a stuffed pepper ever again.
Theatres in Manchester
If you’re looking for theatre in Manchester, these are our top places to explore.
Theatres in Liverpool
You’ll find a varied programme across our guide to Liverpool’s best theatres.
Families
We can smell the summer and have sniffed out the best family things to do in Manchester and across the North.
