The best Manchester theatre this October FT Contact Theatre, HOME, Royal Exchange and more

Manchester’s Green Carnation Company is fast developing a reputation for gripping, thought-provoking theatre and has a string of sold out productions to its name. Vincent Rivers sees the company return to Hope Mill Theatre, where the journey first began in 2018. A moving, darkly-humorous thriller, Philip Ridley’s powerful play examines hate crime, loss, prejudice and sexuality against the turbulent backdrop of London’s East End. 

Fresh off the back of rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe, Learning to Fly arrives at The Edge this month for one night and one night only. Armed with nothing but a portable record player and a gift for storytelling, James Rowland mixes theatre, comedy and music as he tells the story of a remarkable friendship he made when he was a lonely, unhappy teenager with the scary old lady who lived in the spooky house on his street. An uplifting, big-hearted and hilarious tale of connection no matter the obstacles. 

Set to the powerful sounds of a multi-layered score, Blak Whyte Gray explores themes of identity, oppression and transcendence through explosive hip-hop dance. Having toured the world, Blue Boy dance company return to Manchester with messages as relevant now as they have ever been. A fierce and affecting production that challenges us to ask difficult questions and break free from a system that isn’t working. 

John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel Let the Right One In became a noughties cult classic when it was adapted for the screen by director Tomas Alfredson in 2008. Now, this oddly moving and unnerving coming-of-age story is set to bring chills to audiences at the Royal Exchange. Telling the tale of lonely, bullied Oskar and his powerful bond with Eli, a strange girl hiding a dark secret, Let the Right One In is a boy-meets-girl story with an unsettling twist. Book tickets now to watch it on Halloween — if you dare.