The best: Theatre shows to book now in Manchester

Narrated by Richard Armitage, audiences are invited to experience the thrill of launch, the challenges of life in space and cutting-edge NASA tech in this spectacular dome show at the iconic UNESCO heritage site, Jodrell Bank, throughout January.

Returning to The Lowry once again following another series of sell-out tours on the West End, Broadway and beyond, the smash-hit Tudor satire Six brings ‘pure entertainment’ (The New York Times) to Lowry with an irresistible pop-infused recount of England’s worst husband, as told by Henry VIII’s wives.

Divorced, Beheaded, Live – one by one, the problematic King’s spouses take to the mic to remix five centuries of heartbreak into a single evening of defiantly rebellious girl power, as these unsung icons of history deliver a breathtakingly imaginative original score with infectious melodies and ingenious lyricism.

To save their home, the unconventional sisters of St. Magdaline’s are planning the ultimate “holy” heist. Facing a future of shopping centres and student flats, this misfit family of “last chance” nuns must band together to “borrow” their way to salvation by targeting the Church’s own coffers.

Celebrating the 20^th anniversary of High School Musical, the new production, co-directed by Hope Mill founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton, comes to Lowry for a bumper month-long run starting this August. An undoubtedly joyous nostalgia trip, the show features classic songs like Breaking Free, We’re All In This Together, Get’cha Head in the Game, Stick to the Status Quo and many more.

53two will present the UK premiere of Maria by acclaimed Manchester playwright Simon Stephens this September, directed by Sadie Mears in her debut production at the venue.

Set in the North, in a once-thriving port town now surviving on the scraps of yesterday’s industry, Maria follows a pregnant 18-year-old searching for connection, trust and hope in the digital 21st century. As Maria “ping-pongs” through life the play takes an unflinching look at social neglect and isolation, combining youthful resistance with enforced resilience.

The original Tony Award-winning sensation returns to Manchester as Jersey Boys embarks on its 20th anniversary tour, telling the extraordinary true story behind one of the biggest names in music history.

Charting the rise of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons from the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the smash-hit musical reveals the tensions, triumphs and personal struggles that unfolded behind the group’s unmistakable harmonies. Alongside the drama, audiences can expect a soundtrack packed with era-defining hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, Beggin’ and Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.

Having won 65 major awards and entertained more than 27 million people worldwide, Jersey Boys returns with a cast led by Luke Baker as Frankie Valli, promising another electrifying run at the Palace Theatre this autumn.

Nominated for the New Writing Award at the Buxton Fringe in 2025, Eli Yim’s The Easy Way Out is a poignant and eye-opening exploration of the harsh realities of failing mental health systems. Eli shares a range of personal experiences covering generational trauma, religion, and queer identity through original songs, accompanied by their keyboard, and, sometimes, an inappropriately timed kazoo.

Moving Stories brings Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s Olivier Award-winning play, The Wasp, to The Edge in Chorlton this October. The gripping, comedy-laced psychological thriller explores how childhood trauma lingers and mutates over time; decades after their last encounter, Heather, successful and seemingly perfect, reconnects with Carla, who has nothing left to lose. What begins as a tentative reunion quickly spirals into something far more dangerous.

Still as thrilling as ever, Agatha Christie’s record-breaking murder mystery, The Mousetrap, embarks on its 75th anniversary tour this year, including a run at Manchester’s Opera House in October.

The best-selling novel turned Netflix hit, The Haunting of Hill House, emerges in its latest iteration, this time reimagined for the stage.

Based on the book by Shirley Jackson, adapted for the stage by Olivier and BAFTA winner Stef Smith and directed by Sky Arts Award winner Martin Constantine, the new stage adaptation is ‘tense, unsettling and darkly playful’, promising heart-thumping supernatural suspense.

Renowned contemporary dance company Rambert has announced a major new dance work inspired by the award-winning Channel 4 series, It’s A Sin, in partnership with Factory International, set to make its premiere at Aviva Studios in the new year. The show sees original series creator Russell T Davies (Queer As Folk, Doctor Who) serving as Executive Producer, alongside legendary pop duo Pet Shop Boys and Glyn Fussell (Sink the Pink, Mighty Hoopla festival).

Lowry has announced that as part of a landmark partnership with the National Theatre, a brand-new production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, will come to Saford in February 2027, following a run at the National Theatre in London.

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice will be the first National Theatre production to tour as part of NT Nationwide, supported by funding from Arts Council England. Jim Cartwright’s modern classic, which will be directed by Deputy Artistic Director, Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), is a joyful, tender and bittersweet celebration of music, ambition and the courage it takes to be heard featuring iconic music from the likes of Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and more.

The Chichester Festival Theatre, Stage Entertainment and Sheffield Theatres smash-hit production of Singin’ in the Rain will come to Lowry as part of a major new tour and following a summer season at Sadler’s Wells in London.

Journey back to the glamour of Hollywood in the roaring 20’s with high-energy choreography and sumptuous set designs (including over 14,000 litres of water on stage), combined with all the romance and wit of one of the world’s best- loved films.