This July, the Royal Exchange Theatre presents the regional premiere of Fun Home, the Tony Award-winning musical that has captivated audiences around the world with its warm, insightful and deeply affecting exploration of family, identity and memory.

Based on Alison Bechdel’s groundbreaking graphic memoir, the acclaimed production follows the celebrated cartoonist as she revisits her childhood, reflecting on growing up in her family’s funeral home in rural Pennsylvania, coming out, navigating first love and piecing together the hidden truths that shaped her life. By turns candid, witty and profoundly tender, the story unfolds through a soaring score by Jeanine Tesori and a heartfelt book and lyrics by Lisa Kron.

Returning to the Royal Exchange, Jodie McNee stars as Alison alongside award-winning actor Nigel Harman as her enigmatic father Bruce, with the new production directed by Sarah Frankcom. Marking the twentieth anniversary of Bechdel’s iconic visual novel, the musical arrives in Manchester for its northern premiere following widespread acclaim, including five Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical.

Hailed by the New York Times as “a beautiful heartbreaker of a musical” and described by Rolling Stone as “one of the most important musicals of the 21st century”, Fun Home offers an uplifting and emotionally rich portrait of love, loss and the moments that define us, promising a rare opportunity to experience one of modern musical theatre’s most celebrated works on the Royal Exchange stage.

Check out the rehearsal trailer: