Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Seasonal Guides
Looking forward to the new year, awe-inspiring dance-circus, slapstick style Sherlock and a chilling vampire love story feature in our new theatre guide to Manchester and the North. We also bring glad tidings on a brand-new venue opening in Merseyside for Shakespeare lovers. We’ve got everything crossed for theatre in 2022.
The final wave of Leeds’ Transform Festival has recently been announced. Bold and brave, packed with a heady blend of performance, visual art, dance, conversations and adventure – it’s one of our favourite festivals and definitely worth a trip to Leeds for. Meanwhile, closer to home – the ultimate celebration of art and creativity in the LGBTQ+ community, Queer Contact Festival returns to the new Contact building this February.
Meanwhile, the stage adaptation of Fatal Attraction plays at Manchester Opera House and is tipped to be one of the hottest tickets of 2022. And while we’ve got you – we’d also recommend booking ahead for the extraordinarily beautiful The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time when it returns to Manchester in March, and The House with Chicken Legs – based on the best-selling children’s novel by Sophie Anderson – when it takes to HOME‘s stage in spring.
Read on for details of more unmissable theatre happening in Manchester and across the North over the next few months.
Here are our picks
-
1. Transform Festival 21-22
Image courtesy of The Collective/ Transform 21-22. Transform 21-22 at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds, Until 8 April 2022 - Book now
Leeds’ Transform Festival is an engine room of powerful, urgent and trailblazing performance, visual arts, dance, conversations and adventure.
-
2. Motionhouse: Nobody at the Lawrence Batley Theatre
Image courtesy of Dan Tucker. Motionhouse: Nobody at Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, 25 January 2022, from £12.00 - Book now
A thrilling dance-circus world premiere from the ever-brilliant Motionhouse – exploring the tension between our inner lives and how we make sense of the world around us.
-
3. The Hound of the Baskervilles at The Lowry
Image courtesy of Pamela Raith. -
4. Queer Contact Festival 2022
Image courtesy of House of Suarez/ Contact. Queer Contact Festival 2022 at Contact Theatre, Manchester, 11–19 February 2022 - Book now
The ultimate celebration of art and creativity in the LGBTQ+ community, Queer Contact Festival returns to Contact for 2022.
-
5. Saving Britney at the Lawrence Batley Theatre
Saving Britney at Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield, 11–12 February 2022, from £12.00 - Book now
A new show taking its inspiration from the #FreeBritney movement and the much-publicised New York Times documentary ‘Framing Britney Spears’.
-
6. Phoenix Dance Theatre 40th Birthday Celebration Gala at Leeds Playhouse
via Leeds Inspired Phoenix Dance Theatre 40th Birthday Celebration Gala at Leeds Playhouse, Leeds, 12 February 2022, from £20.00 - Book now
With a fabulous line-up of guest performers and companies, Phoenix Dance Theatre marks 40 years with a special anniversary gala showcasing a range of work from the company’s illustrious history.
-
7. Fatal Attraction at Manchester Opera House
Image courtesy of ATG Productions. Fatal Attraction at Manchester Opera House, City Centre, 22–26 February 2022, from £13.00 - Book now
The Paramount Pictures film was one of the highest-grossing movies of the 1980s, now the stage adaptation is tipped to be one of the hottest theatre tickets of 2022.
-
8. Shakespeare North Playhouse
Image courtesy of Shakespeare North Trust. -
9. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Manchester Opera House
Image courtesy of Brinkhoff Mögenberg. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at Manchester Opera House, City Centre, 8–12 March 2022, from £13.00 - Book now
An extraordinarily beautiful piece of theatre, this adaptation by Simon Stephens brings Mark Haddon’s original and poignant novel to the stage.
-
10. The House with Chicken Legs at HOME
Image courtesy of HOME. The House with Chicken Legs at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 29 March–23 April 2022 - Book now
Based on the best-selling children’s novel by Sophie Anderson, Marinka and her unusual house are brought to life in this stunning production by the award-winning theatre company, Les Enfants Terribles.
-
11. Double Murder at HOME
Image courtesy of Hofesh Shechter/ HOME. Double Murder at HOME Manchester, Manchester, 22–25 June 2022, from £10.00 - Book now
Internationally celebrated choreographer Hofesh Shechter returns to HOME with Double Murder, a thrilling new contemporary double bill of dance.
-
12. Let The Right One In at the Royal Exchange
Image courtesy of the Royal Exchange Theatre. Let The Right One In at Royal Exchange Theatre, City Centre, 22 October–19 November 2022, from £10.00 - Book now
A deeply moving piece of theatre – as enchanting as it is brutal – Let The Right One In tells a chilling and beautiful coming-of-age vampire love story.
More in Theatre
Flecky Bennett’s Ghost Walks
Meet, Flecky Bennet, your guide through the dark and demonic side of the city as he takes you on one of Manchester’s award winning ghost walks.
Shiverpool: Ghost and History Tours
Expect chilling street theatre and immersive thrills as the award winning Shiverpool return to Liverpool’s streets.
Contact Reopening Season
Following the extensive transformation of their iconic Oxford Road venue, Contact has announced a vibrant and progressive reopening programme. Read our preview of the upcoming season.
Cultural Winter For All at MediaCity and Salford Quays
MediaCity has a packed programme of festive exhibitions, light illuminations and shows, making it a cultural winter for all.
Pecs: Kings of the North at Contact
Part of Queer Contact 2022, bringing song, dance and comedy – expect a sexy, raucous and highly entertaining evening from the Kings of Pecs.
Scratch at Contact
Scratch is a day of performances exploring bisexual bliss, working-class transmasculinity, LGBTQ+ mental health and queer desire.
The Enby Show with Davina De Campo at Contact
A highlight of Queer Contact Festival 2022, The Enby Show – described as “electric, unique and vibrant” is hosted by Carrot and features special guest Divina de Campo.
Palaver Party at Contact
A fabulous family rainbow disco with music, performance, party games, DIY costume-making and a spectacular line-up of drag and cabaret performers.
Glamrou at Contact
The hilarous and exhilarating debut show from Glamrou examines the tensions between the artist’s queer identity and their Iraqi/ Islamic heritage.
Culture Guides
Exhibitions
It’s shaping up to be a wonderful year for exhibitions in Manchester and the North, and January brings with it some very exciting shows.
Literature
As we dive headlong into our reading and writing events for 2022, there’s plenty lined up – some online, some in person and some incorporating a bit of both.
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
Start the year with something special and by checking out some of the most exciting restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.
Tours and Activities
The new year is a perfect time to get creative. It’s all about fresh starts, a shift in ideas and creating space in your life for growth.
Destination Guides
Related Guides
Food and Drink in Manchester and the North
Start the year with something special and by checking out some of the most exciting restaurants and bars in Manchester and the North.
Exhibitions
It’s shaping up to be a wonderful year for exhibitions in Manchester and the North, and January brings with it some very exciting shows.
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
As we welcome in 2022, we look ahead to exciting family activities and fun days out taking place across Manchester and the North in the new year.
