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This month we bring our picks of the best theatre happening in Manchester and across the North. You’ll find a selection of outdoor performances alongside online works and some of the live shows we’re most looking forward to.
Although Greater Manchester theatres remain closed at this time, many venues are continuing to adapt to the ongoing pandemic – pulling out all the stops to deliver a theatrical experience for audiences to enjoy.
As restrictions are gradually lifted and we crawl cautiously out of the nth lockdown, many organisations and venues are taking their performances outside. HOME have recently announced performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland at a whopping new temporary outdoor venue next to their existing building on First Street. Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre in Chester are gearing up for a summer season of Covid-safe open air performance too – The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Jungle Book and Pride and Prejudice will play in the wonderful surroundings of Grosvenor Park.
In the meantime, there’s a wealth of online performance available to experience at home too. Sound Stage offers a unique online in-theatre experience and Oldham Coliseum have created a nifty murder mystery for audiences to enjoy at home. Additionally, our friends at SICK! Festival have developed MINDSCAPES, a collection of five brand new commissions that can be experienced online and around Manchester for free.
Do check back soon – we’re updating our guide to theatre in Manchester and the North frequently, and while you’re here be sure to cast your eyes over our guide to open air theatre in the North too.
Here are our picks
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1. Hidden Winter
Image courtesy of SBC Theatre. -
2. PUSH Festival 2021 at HOME
Image courtesy of HOME Manchester. Push Festival 2020 at HOME Manchester, Manchester, Until 31 December 2021 - Book now
Thrilling and challenging, HOME’s annual festival is a glimmering reminder that new performance continues to be developed, despite ‘you-know-what’.
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3. Sound Stage
Image courtesy of Naked Productions. -
4. MINDSCAPES: //OUTSIDEIN// – Theater DEGASTEN
Image courtesy of Theater DEGASTEN/SICK! Festival. -
5. Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North
Image courtesy of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North, 18 May–12 August 2021
Open air theatre shows are happening across the north over the next few months – we’ve collated our top picks into a neat guide for you.
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6. One In, One Out: Leeds’ Smallest Gay Bar at Wharf Street
Image courtesy of Lizzie Coombes/ Compass Festival. One in, One Out: Leeds’s Smallest Gay Bar, 28–30 May 2021, free entry - Find Out More
Created by artist Lucy Hayhoe, One In, One Out: Leeds’ Smallest Gay Bar is a playful installation for an audience of one. Happening as part of Compass Festival 2021.
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7. A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Homeground
Image courtesy of Tristram Kenton. A Midsummer Night’s Dream at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 3–26 June 2021 - Book now
Experience this riotous reworking of the Shakespearean comedy at HOME’s new brilliant outdoor cultural venue.
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8. The Merry Wives of Windsor at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Image courtesy of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre Merry Wives of Windsor at Grosvenor Park, Chester, 4 June–30 August 2021, from £30 - Book now
Enjoy the Shakespearean comedy in the wonderful open-air surroundings of Grosvenor Park.
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9. Northern Ballet: Swan Lake at Leeds Grand Theatre
Image courtesy of Lauren Godfrey. Northern Ballet's Swan Lake at Leeds Grand Theatre, Leeds, 17–26 June 2021, from £20.00 - Book now
Set to Tchaikovsky’s electrifying score, Swan Lake is ballet’s greatest love story and adored by audiences all over the world.
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10. The Great Gatsby at Walkden Gardens
Image courtesy of Heartbreak Productions. The Great Gatsby at Walkden Gardens, Manchester, 20 June 2021, from £13 - Book now
Open-air theatre aficionados Heartbreak Productions bring a live performance of F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic to Sale this summer.
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11. MIF21: The Walk
Image courtesy of Bevan Ross/ MIF21. The Walk - Venue TBC, 4 July 2021, free entry - Find Out More
An epic and extraordinary travelling artwork will set off from the Turkish – Syrian border for Manchester this April. Adventurous and inventive, this is the first event to be announced for MIF21.
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12. Pride and Prejudice at Sheffield Botanical Gardens
Image courtesy of The Pantaloons/ Ipswich Regent. Pride and Prejudice at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Broomhill and Crookes, 12 August 2021, from £8.50 - Book now
Join The Pantaloons for a comic adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic in the beautiful open-air surroundings of Sheffield Botanical Gardens.
More in Theatre
Homemakers
NOW EXTENDED: HOME have invited theatre and live art makers to create new works at home, for an audience who are also at home.
Everything that rises must dance with HOME
Produced by Complicité for Homemakers: Join a virtual gathering of women for an online dance project celebrating female movement throughout history.
Hamilton – Streaming on Disney Plus
Politically charged with a hip-hop soundtrack, there is no doubt that this filmed performance is one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of 2020.
Don’t Touch My Hair with HOME
Fearless social activism meets unapologetic hip hop. A concentrated dose of Hot Brown Honey is just what we all need right now.
Closed Hands with HOME
An interactive, experimental and political video game exploring the complex effects of extremism and radicalisation.
The Earth Asleep at HOME, Manchester
The Earth Asleep, a new film and original live score from creative duo Clara Casian and Robin Richards, premieres this spring at HOME.
Elders Mondays with the Royal Exchange
Feel connected and stay creative with a group of like minded older people with Elders Mondays from the Royal Exchange.
MINDSCAPES
Created by SICK! Festival, MINDSCAPES is a collection of five inspirational brand-new artworks and online events happening in Manchester for free this spring.
C-o-n-t-a-c-t at Salford Quays
Hailed a “gripping thriller” and “pacy outdoor odyssey” – here’s an inventive outdoor performance we can all look forward to in 2021.
Culture Guides
Cinema in Manchester and the North
We look at online festivals, new streaming releases and some newly announced outdoor cinema screenings.
Exhibitions
A floating festival, an LSD-inspired journey across space and time, an exhibition curated by GCHQ – there’s plenty to look forward to this month.
Literature
As the land of live literature tentatively opens the door a crack, we have some talks and walks IRL to flag up and a whole host of online dates for your diary this May, a jam-packed month of festival readings, digital book launches and spoken word showcases…
Classical Music in Manchester and the North
We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
It’s the March edition of the Food and Drink Guide to Manchester and the North and things are slowly starting to feel more promising. Spring is here, the weather is mostly warming up and in just a few weeks we’ll be allowed to eat and drink outside at venues with outside space.
Online events
Discover the best things to do online from the organisations we love in Manchester and the North.
Tours and Activities
The days are getting longer, the sun is shining brighter and the flowers of spring have truly sprung. We’re welcoming in the new season with a guide of Tours and Activities that will inspire you to make, learn and move.
Related Guides
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
It’s the March edition of the Food and Drink Guide to Manchester and the North and things are slowly starting to feel more promising. Spring is here, the weather is mostly warming up and in just a few weeks we’ll be allowed to eat and drink outside at venues with outside space.
Exhibitions
A floating festival, an LSD-inspired journey across space and time, an exhibition curated by GCHQ – there’s plenty to look forward to this month.
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
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.
Things to do right now
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