North West

Arcadia

Deborah Warner

The Global Playground

A Little Night Music

Stephen Sondheim

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson

Bloody Elle: A Gig Musical

Lauryn Redding

Vignettes

Kobie Francois, Jan McVerry, Pegeen Murphy, Joanna Nicks, Ravi Thornton and C...

Fidelio

Ludwig van Beethoven, libretto by Joseph Sonnleithner (narration by David Pou...

A Midsummer Night's Dream

William Shakespeare

See You at the Octagon

Becky Prestwich

Joe's solo show for Salford

25 July 2021

Joe Henry is putting on a show at the Salford Arts Theatre as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

Shlomo beats it back to The Lowry

25 July 2021

Beatboxer SK Shlomo is bringing his Beatbox Adventure For Kids to The Lowry, Salford.

Sun rises over Blackpool

25 July 2021

Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee was famed for discovering the pioneers of rock ’n’ roll.

Noir available in black and white

25 July 2021

Manchester’s Vertigo Theatre production Noir is on Stream Theatre from July 23.

Grand to be back!

25 July 2021

Blackpool Grand Theatre will begin to re-open from August 4.

Bushra backs return of gang plays

25 July 2021

Bushra Ahmed has become an ambassador for a play that shows the stark reality of becoming involved with gangs and guns.

Lion, Witch & Wardrobe for Salford

25 July 2021

The Leeds Playhouse production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will run over the Christmas season at The Lowry in Salford.

Millions flocked to MIF21

25 July 2021

Almost three million people experienced the 2021 Manchester International Festival.

Musical story of The Osmonds

25 July 2021

The Osmonds: A New Musical will come to Manchester in August next year.

Unity attracts big names

20 July 2021

Returning to Liverpool Unity Theatre in the autumn are several acclaimed theatre companies such as Dibby Theatre, Paines Plough and Lung.

Shakespeare acts The GOAT!

20 July 2021

Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse has partnered with The GOAT Mcr to bring a summer of live Shakespeare to the city.

Shout out for women

20 July 2021

Liverpool’s Theatre in the Rough has been awarded funding for a new digital arts festival exploring young women’s responses to the Climate Emergency and is now seeking participants.

Exchange's Leigh residency

20 July 2021

Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre takes up residency in Leigh in August.

Formidable Lizzie hits Manchester

20 July 2021

The Formidable Lizzie Boone comes to Manchester Fringe Festival in September.

Miss Donny hits Preston

20 July 2021

Live performance is back in Preston July 29, when one woman-show The Indecent Musings of Miss Doncaster 2007 comes to The Ferret.

Making Contact with a Manchester walk

20 July 2021

Manchester Contact Theatre invites audiences to explore and experience the city in a new light with an immersive sound walk, A Home for Grief.

Maxine's peak support

20 July 2021

Bolton’s Maxine Peake is supporting plans to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Britain’s biggest rights of way dispute.

Trailer Story comes to Newcastle and Keswick

17 July 2021

ETT (English Touring Theatre) is bringing its outdoor performance space to Newcastle and Keswick later this month.

'Pieces of 8' deal at Oldham Coliseum

13 July 2021

Oldham Coliseum Theatre couples its first full season since the pandemic with a season ticket offer.

Home fixture for Bolton Octagon

11 July 2021

A new co-production of Laura Wade’s comedy Home I’m Darling heads Bolton Octagon’s autumn programme.

Roger sticks his chin out for theatre charity

11 July 2021

The pandemic has proved a close shave for many venues but Blackpool’s Grand Theatre turned it into a trim way to raise much-needed funds.

Comedy silents are golden

4 July 2021

Charlie & Stan—a silent comedy about the greatest comedy duo that nearly was comes to Salford.

Manchester is Trans formed

4 July 2021

The UK's largest trans arts festival runs both digitally and live with a takeover of Manchester city centre.

Lindzi launches Mersey fest

4 July 2021

Liverpool Theatre Festival will open with a one-woman show starring Scouse actress Lindzi Germain.

Lakeside reflections on COVID

4 July 2021

Liz Stevenson, artistic director at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick, explains what it’s been like working in a whole new way—and what comes next.

Pedalling Macbeth to the region

4 July 2021

Cycling from theatre to farm, from castle to park, The HandleBards’ all-female company is touring its irreverent Macbeth across the UK until September 19.

A funny thing happens

4 July 2021

Royal Exchange Theatre’s Elders and Young Company come together exploring all things funny.

Getting to the arts of Salford

4 July 2021

The Lowry in Salford has set a crowdfunding target of £5,000 to deliver creative workshops for 700 local children.

Lekan in Wonderland

4 July 2021

Lekan Lawal has joined multi-arts venue HOME as associate creative director.

Oldham in the Shade

4 July 2021

Taking place on the streets of Oldham, Shade will be a celebration of contemporary queer culture.

Wicked Vicky back in Blackpool

4 July 2021

Vicky Entwistle is set to join the cast at Blackpool Grand Theatre for this year’s pantomime.

Secondary showcase for MIF

27 June 2021

Secondary schools from across Greater Manchester are taking part in a talent showcase as part of Manchester International Festival.

As You Like It on tour

27 June 2021

Imaginarium Theatre’s touring performance of Shakespeare’s As You Like It will tour multiple venues.

Diving back into Circus Extreme

27 June 2021

Circus Extreme is returning to the UK as part of its world tour.

Reading a Riot Act

27 June 2021

Riot Act at Oldham Coliseum July 21 is a celebration of queer activism across the decades.

Dirty summer season ahead!

27 June 2021

Dirty Dancing—The Classic Story On Stage is at the Opera House Blackpool August 3–28.

'Allo 'Allo to Bowdon

27 June 2021

Members of the original cast of the popular BBC comedy ‘Allo ‘Allo are set to reunite.

Liverpool fest line-up

27 June 2021

The first shows for the second annual Liverpool Theatre Festival in September have been announced.

Refracting on the Waterside

27 June 2021

Refract:21 from July 22 at Waterside, Sale is a 10-day event that transforms the spaces inside and outside Trafford’s arts venue.

Back Out Of Hell!

27 June 2021

Bat Out Of Hell—The Musical will be rocking into Manchester Opera House from September 11.

Bridge to connect in Liverpool and London

24 June 2021

Bridge, an outdoor experience produced by Coventry-based live events company Imagineer, is to have two residencies in 2021, in Liverpool and the London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

Royal Ballet and Imperfect Pointes sustainable activewear

24 June 2021

Stockport-based Imperfect Pointes has teamed up with The Royal Ballet for the launch of a new range of sustainable activewear.

Oldham reassures audiences

20 June 2021

Following the Government extension of the last stage of unlocking to July 19, Oldham Coliseum reassures audiences that all June and July events go ahead as planned.

Open auditions for The Wiz

20 June 2021

Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester has announced the full creative team for its new production of The Wiz plus details of open auditions in London and Manchester.

Trailer Story traces origins

20 June 2021

A tour of Trailer Story comes to Crow Park in the Lakeland town of Keswick, as well as Newcastle in July and August.

Hello and Goodbye goes worldwide

20 June 2021

A theatre company’s latest live-streamed production will see it broadcast to potentially thousands of people worldwide—including the play’s writer 8,500 miles away.

Little LTF gets under the skin

20 June 2021

The inaugural new works festival Little LTF will feature two LGBTQ-themed shows being premièred in Liverpool.

Lockdown romance for two

20 June 2021

A tender comedy-drama about a lockdown romance visits The Dukes in Lancaster.

Tatton pop-up in the Park

20 June 2021

Cheshire's Tatton Park will host 10 weeks of live, socially distanced events this summer, at the first Tatton Park Pop Up Festival.

Kenneth Alan Taylor recognised by Queen

15 June 2021

Writer, manager, director and actor Kenneth Alan Taylor has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday honours for services to theatre and pantomime.

Theatre bursaries for directors

14 June 2021

A leading theatre charity is launching new opportunities for directors.

It's Grimm up North!

13 June 2021

The Dukes walkabout theatre season is back in Lancaster this summer.

Bedknobs & Broomsticks for Manchester

13 June 2021

Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks will make its way to the Palace Theatre, Manchester in October.

Dragon act at the Dukes

13 June 2021

Families can enjoy a thoughtful and heart-warming show When Another Dragon Roars, at The Dukes in Lancaster.

Anna X at The Lowry

13 June 2021

Following performances at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Joseph Charlton’s Anna X will run at The Lowry, Salford.

World première for MIF

13 June 2021

A stage version of Notes on Grief, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s reflection on family, love and loss, will première at Manchester International Festival.

Summer of Play in Manchester

13 June 2021

Z-arts in Manchester has set up a Summer of Play.

Civic start to new-look Octagon

13 June 2021

The Octagon in Bolton marked the reopening of its brand new building.

Festival organiser honoured

13 June 2021

Kay Dunbar, founder of the Ways With Words Literature Festivals organisation which runs the festival in Keswick, has been recognised with an MBE.

Drama graduates bring back live theatre

13 June 2021

Preston’s 2021 UCLan Acting Graduate Season is open to public audiences at Preston Playhouse.

Day job in Chicago...

13 June 2021

Darren Day will play Billy Flynn in the forthcoming UK and Ireland tour of Chicago coming to the Opera House, Manchester on May 23, 2022.

Nigel Above Board for new comedy

13 June 2021

The Northern Comedy Theatre has been working with British comedy legend Nigel Planer to bring his latest play, All Above Board, to the stage.

COVID toll on theatre freelancers

13 June 2021

The impact of COVID-19 has left nearly three quarters of theatre freelancers feeling pessimistic about their futures according to Freelancers in the Dark.

Bolton's Hound cast

3 June 2021

The Octagon in Bolton has announced the cast for The Hound Of The Baskervilles.

Emergence three!

3 June 2021

Emergence, the touring company formed from MA dance students from the University of Salford, is to tour a triple bill of works.

Waterside refracts fourth festival

3 June 2021

Waterside in Sale, Greater Manchester, has outlined the programme for its annual summer arts festiva: Refract:21l.

Freedom tour heads to Manchester

3 June 2021

Strictly star Johannes Radebe brings his first UK tour to Manchester Opera House.

One Night in Bolton on air

3 June 2021

A new radio play will make its debut on Bolton FM, performed by members of the Young Octagon Company.

Judy & Liza play the region

3 June 2021

The Judy & Liza Musical brings the real-life story of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli to venues across the North West.

Bloody Elle—Exchange is back

3 June 2021

Bloody Elle—A Gig Musical reopens Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre.

More big hits for MIF

3 June 2021

Rema, Damon Albarn, Midas The Jagaban, Billy Nomates, a Laurent Garnier documentary screening and a tribute to Nina Simone join the Manchester International Festival line-up.

Planting an autumn panto

3 June 2021

Panto producer Regal Entertainments is bringing its recent online panto to the stage at St Helens Theatre Royal.

Jodie's Sunday best in Salford

3 June 2021

Jodie Prenger stars in Tell Me On A Sunday at The Lowry in Salford.

Salford musicals showcase

3 June 2021

A festival designed to give new musicals their big break is coming to The Lowry in Salford.

Not Drowning but Waving—Dancing in ‘Sea Change’

3 July 2021

After a lengthy rehearsal period, a reviewer has the chance to dance in Sea Change—the opening ceremony of the 2021 Manchester International Festival.

A Dancer Dances: taking part in ‘Sea Change’

24 June 2021

A reviewer switches from observer to participant and reports on the development of Sea Change—the opening ceremony of the 2021 Manchester International Festival.

A Chain of Moral Dilemmas

28 May 2021

Our editor's trip to Bolton has become mired in political controversy.

North West theatre in 2020

6 January 2021

David Chadderton summarises a year of both devastation and impressive innovation in North West theatre.

Popular

15 November 2020

Conservative MP Jake Berry’s remarks that northern communities prefer football to opera, ballet and theatre can be dismissed as nonsense but reflect an attitude that may deter, or limit the enjoyment of, potential theatregoers.