Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Is your New Year’s resolution to see more theatre and performance in 2020? Well, you’ve come to the right place. If January is anything to go by, 2020 looks set to be a cracking year for theatre in Manchester and the North.
Turn On Fest at Hope Mill Theatre and PUSH Festival at HOME Manchester are amongst our top picks of theatre in Manchester and the North this January. Bringing the best LGBTQ+ artists together, for a showcase of theatre, spoken word, music, vogue and scratch nights, Turn On Fest is a much-welcomed addition to the LGBTQ+ cultural calendar. And needless to say, we get ridiculously excited about PUSH Festival every year. There is absolutely no reason to feel at a loose end this January.
Meanwhile, our friends at The Lowry present Stephen Daldry’s radical and thrilling production of An Inspector Calls and Kevin Elyot’s award-winning dark comedy, My Night with Reg.
Following its huge success, we’re over the moon that Gypsy has had its run extended. This fabulous show will now play at the Royal Exchange until 1 February.
Read on for details of all of these and much more…
Happy New Year!
Here are our picks
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1. Gypsy at the Royal Exchange
Image courtesy of Johan Persson. Gypsy at Royal Exchange Theatre, City Centre, Until 1 February 2020, from £25.50 - Book now
Step into the world of show business, with all its grit and glamour, at the Royal Exchange. We’re thrilled that the run has been extended, don’t miss out.
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2. Turn On Fest at Hope Mill Theatre
Image courtesy of Turn On Fest/ Hope Mill Theatre. Turn On Fest at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, Until 1 February 2020 - Book now
A fabulous three-week-long showcase bringing the best Manchester-based LGBTQ+ artists – featuring performance, music, vogue and scratch nights.
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3. PUSH Festival 2020 at HOME
Laura Spark Push Festival 2020 at HOME Manchester, Manchester, Until 1 February 2020 - Book now
Shake off those January blues and check out HOME’s two-week-long showcase of the most exciting film, theatre and visual art in the North West.
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4. Night of the Living Dead – Remix at Leeds Playhouse
Image courtesy of imitating the dog Night of the Living Dead ™ - Remix at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds, Until 15 February 2020, from £14.00 - Book now
imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse bring a unique shot-for-shot stage recreation of George A. Romero’s classic 1968 zombie movie.
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5. The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel at HOME
HOME The Strange Tale of Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 4–8 February 2020, from £5.00 - Book now
Described as ‘immensely charming’ by The Stage, this hilarious homage to the masters of slapstick and silent comedy comes to HOME Manchester.
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6. Trojan Horse at Oldham Coliseum
Trojan Horse at Oldham Coliseum, Manchester, 6–7 February 2020, from £12.00 - Book now
You’ve got another chance to see this award-winner. Trojan Horse by LUNG uses real-life testimonies to examine the damage caused to Birmingham communities following the 2014 government inquiry.
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7. a little space at HOME
Tom Woollard a little space at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 12–15 February 2020, from £5.00 - Book now
Two of the UK’s leading theatre companies, Gecko and Mind the Gap, have joined forces to present this special HOME commission.
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8. Extraordinary Wall o̶f̶ ̶Si̶l̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ at HOME
Alex Brenner Extraordinary Wall o̶f̶ ̶Si̶l̶e̶n̶c̶e̶ at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 12–22 February 2020, from £5.00 - Book now
Combining stunning physicality with the beauty of British Sign Language, Ad Infinitum illuminate a pivotal time in history for the D/deaf community.
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9. Quality Street at The Viaduct Theatre
Image courtesy of Northern Broadsides Quality Street at The Viaduct Theatre, Halifax, 14–22 February 2020, from £18.00 - Book now
New year. New start. So put the tub of chocolates away and check out this rare revival of J.M Barrie’s farce by Northern Broadsides instead.
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10. Back To The Future The Musical at Manchester Opera House
Image courtesy of ATG Back To The Future The Musical at Manchester Opera House, City Centre, 20 February–17 May 2020, from £19.95 - Book now
Turn your flux capacitor on and set your destination to the Manchester Opera House. Your future depends on it.
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11. Cabaret at the Palace Theatre
The Other Richard Cabaret at Palace Theatre, Manchester, 25–29 February 2020, from £13.00 - Book now
Promising “divine decadence, darling”, this award-winning show – directed by Rufus Norris – is absolutely unmissable.
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12. House of Suarez + Contact: Vogue Ball 2020 at Manchester Academy
Image Credit FOTOCAD House of Suarez + Contact: Vogue Ball 2020 at Manchester Academy, Manchester, 29 February 2020, from £15.00 - Book now
Daring, fabulous and with a nautical twist for 2020, House of Suarez are back to host the ultimate battle for dance supremacy.
More in Theatre
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice at Waterside Arts
Imagine if your neighbour was actually a sorcerer whose house was powered entirely by magic? Would you know how to cope with a vacuum cleaner that has a mind of its own?!
Meet Me A Tree at Z-arts
With music by Schumann, Delibes and Handel, Meet Me A Tree takes little ones on a multi sensory journey through a year in the life of a tree.
The Little Prince at Z-arts
The Little Prince is an enchanting, timeless story, which has been brought right up to date at Z-arts this February half term.
RNCM Opera ‘Mansfield Park’ at RNCM
RNCM Opera presents a pioneering adaptation of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, by composer Jonathan Dove and librettist Alasdair Middleton.
Zog at Oldham Coliseum
Join Zog in his mission to win a golden star at Madam Dragon’s school, where dragons learn all the things that dragons need to know. Roaring fun for all ages.
West Side Story at the Royal Exchange
Powerful and fast-paced and heart-breaking, we’re thrilled to hear that West Side Story will return to the Royal Exchange next spring.
Week 53 Festival 2020
Fully accessible and always engaging, Week 53 celebrates bold and brilliant contemporary performance. Le Gateau Chocolat have been commissioned – we’ll bring you the full line-up once it has been announced.
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Related Guides
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Looking to eat some of the North’s finest food in January 2020? Kick the decade off with our guide to all things to eat and drink in Manchester and beyond.
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Power and conflict, rock and reggae, and rebellious acts by the over 60s all feature in this month’s pick of exhibitions from across the north.
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If you’re looking for theatre in Manchester, these are our top places to explore.
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Families
Check out our top picks for Families this month. Whether it’s art, music, theatre, science, crafts or insects (!) you’re after, we’ve got you covered…
