North West

Doddy Day spreads happiness

28 September 2020

Several organisations are to create a celebration of Liverpool’s famous comedy son.

A virtual return to theatre

28 September 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre stages 360° live-action and animated virtual reality show.

Fringe keeps it in the family

28 September 2020

Greater Manchester Fringe plans to return this autumn—with some shows keeping it in their families, social bubbles, households or online.

Plastic grants for two venues

28 September 2020

Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester and The Lyric Theatre, Belfast have been helped to reopen through an initiative by plastic sheeting supplier Plastic Sheets Shop.

Factory workers of the future

28 September 2020

Manchester International Festival has created a skills and training programme set to benefit up to 10,000 unemployed young people.

Noir makes online première

28 September 2020

Manchester’s Vertigo Theatre Productions is premièring its hit play Noir online.

Bombed Out Assassin Bug

28 September 2020

A COVID-safe half term Halloween panto comes to Liverpool’s Bombed Out Church.

Start of the end of the pier panto

28 September 2020

Blackpool’s North Pier is to present the first-ever Christmas Panto in its 157-year history.

Liverpool festival could become annual event

28 September 2020

Liverpool Theatre Festival attracted almost 3,000 live performance fans across nine days for its inaugural staging—with calls for it to become an annual event.

Podcast dissects play scripts

28 September 2020

Script in Hand podcast returns this autumn to dissect scripts, talk play texts and explore characters from a mix of well-known playwrights paired with lesser-known gems.

Lowry forges ahead with two seasonal shows

24 September 2020

The Lowry in Salford plans not one, but two 'socially-distanced' shows in November and December.

Extraordinary Bodies stages low-fi lockdown film

24 September 2020

Extraordinary Bodies has produced a low-fi lockdown film.

Lowry gets Court In The Act

24 September 2020

The Lowry’s intimate Quays Theatre gets Court In The Act from next Monday, to become a temporary Nightingale Court.

Beauty and a COVID-secure Beast

24 September 2020

St Helens Theatre Royal has announced the full cast for its COVID-secure Christmas pantomime.

Outdoors, and in the dark, at Lowry

24 September 2020

Digital theatre specialists imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse join forces once again to stage, outdoors, the première of Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show.

Dukes gets back on the bus

24 September 2020

The Dukes in Lancaster brings back live performance this autumn.

Rent goes up at Hope Mill!

24 September 2020

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester sees Rent take up tenancy from October 30 to December 6.

QuietManDave honoured in writing

22 September 2020

The QuietManDave Prize, in honour of Manchester critic Dave Murray who died last year, celebrates new and emerging short-form writers.

Cherry and Peaches serve Fruit Salad

13 September 2020

A new play from Selina Helliwell comes to the Manchester Fringe Redux 2020 in November.

£60,000 fillip for Manchester artists

13 September 2020

Greater Manchester Artist Hub has been awarded £60,000 to support independent artists.

Maureen's Rose for three days only

11 September 2020

Maureen Lipman stars in an online revival of Martin Sherman’s Rose from Manchester this weekend.

DriveINSIDE out to entertain

7 September 2020

A family-friendly production of live comedy and variety from Britain’s Got Talent stars comes to Manchester.

Midsummer Night's Zoom

7 September 2020

The Octagon in Bolton is teaming up with Guildford Shakespeare Company to present a live online production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

MIF strengthens artistic team

7 September 2020

Manchester International Festival has three new additions to its artistic advisory team.

Three start on new Northern plays

28 August 2020

Manchester ADP has set up long-term partnerships with three local writers to develop new plays.

Liverpool stages outdoor performance festival

28 August 2020

Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms has created a nine-day outdoor live performance festival to support the city’s devastated theatre scene.

Blackpool venue battles its way back

26 August 2020

One of the country's largest theatres, inside one of its oldest entertainment complexes, is battling back against the COVID crisis.

Octagon shapes up to future

21 August 2020

At last, one glimmer of hope for the future, as Bolton's Octagon theatre announces it will reopen—after extensive refurbishment—on December 4.

Refugees’ talents celebrated in online festival

18 August 2020

A festival that celebrates the artistic talents of refugees and asylum seekers is to present its programme of work online because of limitations on live performances due to COVID-19.

Make a Manchester theatre date with MIF

18 August 2020

Manchester International Festival is offering Thursday afternoon 'dates' for fellow creatives.

Hurry to avert climate crisis

14 August 2020

There’s less than a fortnight left to apply for this year’s Nuffield residency at Lancaster University.

DriveINSIDE for a night out

14 August 2020

A Manchester production company is bringing two singalong shows to The DriveINSIDE Theatre in the city.

Oldham's Aladdin put back a year

14 August 2020

Oldham Coliseum Theatre’s 2020 pantomime, Aladdin, has been postponed to Christmas 2021.

Action required...

14 August 2020

Action Transport Theatre in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire is after an experienced community arts practitioner.

Swapping Cinders for a Beast!

14 August 2020

The Christmas pantomime at St Helens Theatre Royal has been changed, but a show will go ahead.

Achates Philanthropy Prize adjusts to pandemic

9 August 2020

Arts support charity The Achates Philanthropy Prize remodels itself for 2020 to look at pandemic impact on culture in communities.

Unity's practical approach

7 August 2020

Unity Theatre in Liverpool plans a phased reopening for artist support, community engagement and business hire.

North West venues confront future

7 August 2020

Two major North West venues are confronting difficult choices amidst the continued COVID crisis.

Happy Days after all

7 August 2020

A production of Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days, by acclaimed director David Thacker, will now be shown online.

Theatre at home for youngsters

7 August 2020

The Dukes in Lancaster and Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield have devised a theatrical experience for 7- to 12-year-olds to enjoy at home.

Bolton's Mayor adds Octagon to charities

7 August 2020

The Mayor of Bolton has included the town’s Octagon Theatre amongst her chosen charities.

Trials and Errors in the open air

7 August 2020

The cast for Chester's Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre’s The Comedy of Errors is currently rehearsing via Zoom before performances start this Saturday.

HOME—and away!

7 August 2020

HOME in Manchester has expanded its online audience internationally.