Shakespeare, societal commentary and religious cults: Manchester School of Theatre unveils Spring season

Tickets are now on sale for the Spring Season of productions from Manchester School of Theatre’s talented BA (Hons) Acting third-year students.

All performances are open to the public and take place in the university’s Grosvenor East Theatre, just off Oxford Road.

Kicking off the season from Thu 8 Feb – Sat 10 Feb is Mr Wroe’s Virgins — an adaptation of Jane Roger’s novel, inspired by actual events. The performance is set in 1830s Ashton-Under-Lyne and follows the story of several young women chosen by 19th-century religious cult leader, John Wroe, to assist him in bringing his prophecies to fruition. Scandal soon follows, after accusations of indecency and a subsequent trial brings their world to a dramatic conclusion.

Next up is Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Twelfth Night, which runs from Thu 7 Mar – Sat 9 Mar. A tale of humour and heartbreak, the production follows twins Viola and Sebastian who become separated in a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria. Afer Viola disguises herself as a man, mistaken identities lead to a series of muddled relationships, while Sebastian, once thought lost at sea, is in fact alive and well…

Drawing the season to a close between Thu 25 Apr – Sat 27 Apr is The Laramie Project. Created by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project, the performance presents a collage of accounts following the 1997 murder of a young gay man named Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.

Described as a moving piece of verbatim theatre, the show explores the dividing viewpoints of prejudice and intolerance and the potential for human compassion, serving as both a memorial to Matthew Shephard and a powerful, timely commentary on hate crime and acceptance in society.

Standard tickets for all shows are £12, concessions are £7.50 and students £5. For more information about any of the performances, and to book tickets, click the button below.