From global smash-hits and gripping thrillers to poignant historical explorations, Manchester’s upcoming theatre programme delivers another diverse slate of acclaimed productions to suit thespian connoisseurs and first-time audiences alike.
Here’s our pick of the best theatre shows you can book now in Manchester.
Very much an adults-only pantomime, this riotous take on the classic tale is filled with filthy innuendos and naugthy twists.
Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show combines the extreme physicality and awe-inspiring feats of Circa and the playful charm of the multi-award-winning, globally adored children’s character. Expect high-flying acrobatics and laughs that the entire family can enjoy.
Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her iconic hits, including The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer and River Deep, Mountain High, TINA dives into the heart and soul of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Presented in association with Tina Turner, the production is written by Olivier Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall (The Mountaintop) and directed by the internationally acclaimed Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!).
Arguably the most famous musical ever made, Director Raz Shaw returns to the Exchange, following his smash hit production of The Producers with Singin’ In The Rain. Seamlessly blending song and dance audiences will find themselves in the heart of the action of this much-loved musical on the Exchange’s iconic in-the-round stage.
Starring Coronation Street’s Brian Capron (Richard Hillman) as the wicked Abanazar – the original stage inspiration for Jafar – Stockport Plaza’s family-friendly pantomime spectacular whisks audiences on a magic carpet ride through the souks, streets and desert caves of Agrabah in a dazzling festive extravaganza this December.
Transforming the cavernous AO Arena into a breathtaking big top experience for one night only this Christmas, the World’s Biggest Productions presents an all-new staging of the Wicked Wizard of Oz with a show-stopping circus twist, as forty performers rework the beloved play in a whirlwind of aerial stunts and spellbinding special effects.
Led by the stars of Elf – The Arena Spectacular, the iconic pantomime collides with jaw-dropping acrobatics and incredible choreography as Dorothy, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and and the Tin Man – reimagined as a ten-foot transformer – venture over the rainbow and along a yellow brick road filled with high wires, broomstick-borne witches and flying monkeys on the way to the wicked wizard’s Emerald Circus.
Aaron Sorkin’s riveting, award-winning stage adaptation of the seminal American novel about racial injustice and childhood innocence comes to Lowry in the new year. Set in 1934 Alabama, To Kill a Mockingbird was inspired by novelist Harper Lee’s own childhood and has sold more than 45 million copies worldwide. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Literature and was long at the top of the banned book lists.
The Execution of Private Slovik is a tense and unflinching play about the human cost of obedience. Inspired by true events, it invites audiences to ask when the line between right and wrong blurs, who carries the weight of justice, and who lives with the consequences.
Inspired by the landscape and culture of West Kerry in Ireland, MÁM will see 12 incredible dancers transform Lowry’s stage into a whirlwind of myth and magic, set to a collaborative soundtrack created by virtuoso Irish traditional concertina player Cormac Begley and European classical contemporary collective s t a r g a z e, performed live on stage.
The original psychological thriller, Macbeth, is brought to life in this exciting new production about greed, fascism, war & the price of pride at the award-winning King’s Arms.
Already one of the standout productions in Manchester’s 2026 theatre calendar, Jim Cartwright’s award-winning Road, featuring Lucy Beaumont, Shobna Gulati, Lesley Joseph, Johnny Vegas, and with special guest Sir Tom Courtenay on film, comes to the Royal Exchange in February.
This revival marks the 40th anniversary of the play, and as part of the experience, audiences explore the Royal Exchange before taking their seats in the theatre.
Winner of the 2024 Olivier Award for Best New Musical and nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical on Broadway, the West End smash-hit Operation Mincemeat delivers a dynamic and razor-sharp recount of the impossible mission that secured victory in the Second World War.
- Words:
- Wire Editor
- Published on:
- Wed 10 Dec 2025
A sparkling production of the nation’s favourite yuletide novel invites audiences through the wardrobe and into the heart of the enchanting kingdom that has captivated generations. A spellbinding show that offers the perfect festive family day out.