Theatre round up: 15 of the best plays coming in September

This unapologetic satire brings together intersecting tales, redefined narratives, and social activism to explore the experiences of women of colour. Confronting issues such as sexuality and mental health, it features a mash-up of beatboxing, aerial acrobatics, spoken word and body-popping.

Developed by actors aged 16–25, the show is an honest exploration of life as a young adult in 2019. The cast combine open personal stories with theatre, as they look at topics such as identity, gender, and relationships.

Manchester Contemporary Youth Opera will present six brand new operas in 6000 seconds (that’s 100 minutes). Each work is written by a different young composer and librettist. The aim is to showcase the next generation of operatic talent.

The most famous love story of all time gets a remix. What if Juliet’s famous ending was really just her beginning? Join her on a journey of self-discovery and second chances, told with the help of some iconic pop anthems.

Created in collaboration with inmates at HMP Wandsworth, the play explores the resilience of people behind bars. It’s presented by a cast of young men aged 18–25, whose lives have all been affected in some way by the criminal justice system.

Fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, this show centres on an art curator who discovers that her daughter has gained thousands of followers on Instagram by posing semi-naked. Fusing theatre and aerial work, the piece looks at shifting generational attitudes to empowerment, feminism, and sexuality.

Its subtitle, A Play About Joy Division and Manchester, should tell you most of what you need to know. Tony Wilson leads the audience through the history of the city and the band. This ‘special cut’ celebrates 40 years since the release of Unknown Pleasures.

Written when she was only 19, Shelagh Delaney’s career defining play comes to Salford – the city in which it’s set. One of the great taboo-breaking works of its era, it’s an intimate depiction of a young woman’s life, and of the working-class in post-war Britain.

The Immortal Bard’s grittiest drama gets a highly charged adaptation from director Christopher Haydon. Lucy Ellinson takes on the title role of the war hero turned usurper of the crown. Expect an emphasis on the more psychological aspects of this time-honoured tragedy.

‘Gorgeous’ George O’Connell is a bare-knuckle fighter and Traveller who enters the world of professional boxing. In the opposite corner, the gay boxer Dane ‘The Pain’ Samson is fighting his own battles, which leads to a tragedy which neither could predict.

The happily childless Jude loses the plot in a café full of young mums and kicks a pram. She then gets arrested and sent to anger management. Her broody sister Susie goes along for the ride and uses the opportunity to confess a secret.

This is not just one play, but an entire festival which looks at the complexities of mental and physical health. Taking place at venues and public spaces across Greater Manchester, the issues are explored through many art forms: dance, theatre, film, spoken word, and debate.

In a working-class town, five creatives struggle to make a living out of their chosen careers. Against a backdrop of scorching heat and the 2018 World Cup, they battle societal and financial hurdles as they try to find ways to get by.

Based on real life interviews, this is a look at the world of sex work and webcamming. Join Aurora as she navigates the often-blurred landscape of mixing clientele, personal relationships, and modern life – probing the line between fact and fantasy.

This story tells of the difficulties of navigating mental health services on behalf of a loved one, whilst occasionally being mistaken for a patient yourself. Somewhere between a seance and a recital, it draws on epic poetry, classical mythology, and modernist LGBT literature.