MANCHESTER THEATRES - drama plays and shows in Manchester
 
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check out what's on and when in manchester theatres
What's on at the Opera House Manchester
What's on at the Palace Theatre Manchester
What's on at The Lowry - Salford Quays
What's on at The Bridgewater Hall Manchester
What's on at the Royal Exchange
What's on at the Library Theatre
Other theatres in Manchester and the North West
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Drama productions and plays in Manchester
 
The Glass Menagerie at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
THE GLASS MENAGERIE at the Royal Exchange Theatre
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Wednesday 9th April to Saturday 24th May 2008 - 7.30pm
Starring Brenda Blethyn who is a BAFTA-award winner, a Golden Globe winner, and a two-time Oscar nominee. When her troubled son finally invites a workmate round for dinner, an overbearing mother sees a potential suitor for her shy daughter, and salvation for them all ... Amanda Wingfield (Brenda Blethyn) was the most popular girl in town with her pick of eligible bachelors – but she chose the wrong one. Now, years later, she is desperate for her two grown-up children to avoid her own mistakes. Dreaming of ways to improve the lot of a son who’s rarely home and a daughter who rarely isn’t, Amanda longs for a gentleman caller who can transform everything, in Tennessee Williams’ lyrical, tender and shattering masterpiece. (back to top)
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royal exchange theatre
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0161 833 9833

Spies at The Lowry
SPIES at the Lowry Theatre (Quays Theatre)
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Tuesday 6th to Saturday 10th May 2008
Theatre Alibi returns to The Lowry (The Crowstarver, 2006) with Spies, a bittersweet evocation of childhood with a gripping mystery at its heart. Set during the Second World War in a quiet suburban cul-de-sac where gardens – and dark secrets – lie behind neatly trimmed privet hedges, Stephen and his friend Keith play at detectives, spying on their neighbours. But the game changes gear when Keith announces that his own mother is a German spy. The hunt is on in deadly earnest but the boys are completely unprepared for the truths they eventually uncover and nothing will ever be the same again… Michael Frayn is an award-winning playwright and novelist whose numerous stage triumphs include Donkeys’ Years, Noises Off, Copenhagen and Democracy. His novels include Spies, which won the Whitbread Novel of the Year award, Headlong and Towards the End of the Morning. Most suitable for ages 14+. Performance times: Tues - 7pm, Wed - 2pm & 7pm, Thu - 7pm, Fri - 8pm, Sat - 3pm & 8pm. (back to list)
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quays theatre
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0870 787 5780

New Connections at The Lowry
NEW CONNECTIONS 2008 at the Lowry (The Studio)
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Tuesday 6th to Saturday 10th May 2008 - 6.30pm & 8.15pm
The Lowry as Regional Partner bring you National Theatres New Connections, supported by Bank of America is the National Theatre’s celebrated Youth Theatre Programme. Major playwrights have written a tantalizing collection of new plays for young actors to perform. Youth Theatre companies from across the country will perform a selection of the new works. There is also an additional performance at 4.30pm on the Saturday. (back to top)
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the lowry
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0870 787 5780

Black Watch at The Lowry
BLACK WATCH at the Pie Factory
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Wednesday 7th to Saturday 10th May 2008 - 8pm
Following its sell-out run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performances in New York, Los Angeles and Australia, unanimous critical acclaim and a stunning audience response, the multi-award-winning Black Watch comes to Salford as part of a world tour. Hurtling from a pool room in Fife to an armoured wagon in Iraq, Black Watch is based on recent interviews conducted by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in the Black Watch Regiment. Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the ‘war on terror’ and what it means to make the journey home again. John Tiffany’s production makes powerful and inventive use of movement, music and song to create a visceral, complex and urgent piece of theatre. Contains strong language, loud explosions and strobe lighting. Most suitable for ages 16+. There is also a 2pm performance on the Saturday. (back to top)
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the lowry
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0870 787 5780

Not With That Hand at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
NOT WITH THAT HAND at the Royal Exchange (Studio)
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Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th May 2008
A dark and disturbing tale told in a physical style and shot throught with a black and unsettling humour. Two former school teachers are living in isolation. Banned from working with children following an event that took placd years earlier; they live in fear of the authotrities. Holed up in their filthy flat, they follow a bizarre timetable that includes study of the Arthur Miller play The Crucible. (back to top)
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royal exchange theatre
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0161 833 9833

Our House at the Lowry Theatre
OUR HOUSE at the Lowry Theatre (Quays Theatre)
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Monday 12th to Saturday 17th May 2008 - 8pm
Hull Truck Theatre Company returns to The Lowry following the huge success of Perfect Pitch (The Lowry, 2007) with another hit play by their Artistic Director John Godber. Join May - widow, mother and grandmother - as she packs up her Northern council house and heads off for a life in the sun. She’s trading her neighbourhood nightmares for the Costa del Calm…but moving out is hard work - and moving on is even harder. Forced to look forward without her husband Ted, as the van is loaded and the furniture and ornaments are boxed and sealed piece by piece, May remembers the hardship, laughter, sorrow and joy of the past 45 years one last time. A tapestry of memories unfolds in this tale of changing times; a touchingly funny journey through life’s ups and downs, birthdays and Christmases. There is a 2pm matinee on the Wednesday and Saturday. (back to top)
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quays theatre
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0844 847 2277

Losing It at The Lowry
LOSING IT at the Lowry Theatre (The Studio)
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Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May 2008 - 7.45pm
Fed up with weekly visits to cold, miserable school halls and being weighed in front of groups of strangers, Joanne sets up a class of her own. When young mum Stephanie and divorcee Judith turn up, the three soon become firm friends sharing an obsession with losing weight and desiring the perfect body. However, it becomes clear that there is more to their unhappiness than shifting a few pounds and they must look further than the scales to solve their problems.  (back to top)
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the lowry
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Rock at the Library Theatre, Manchester
ROCK at the Library Theatre
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Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th May 2008
Rock Hudson was the biggest screen idol in 1950’s Hollywood – the ultimate Tinseltown hunk. But his career was perpetually under threat from Confidential Magazine, every queer actor’s nemesis: and only one man stood between stardom and oblivion. Rock is the story of Henry Willson, the man who made stars of Rock Hudson, Tab Hunter, Troy Donaghue and several other oddly-name men; the most unscrupulous agent in Los Angeles; the man who would do anything to protect his money-spinning protégé… Starring the incomparable Bette Bourne and written by Tim Fountain, the team behind Resident Alien, Library Theatre’s hit play about Quentin Crisp, Rock is a brand new play that brings the seamy world of 1950s Hollywood to vivid life. Rock is commissioned by Homotopia & Glasgay! Performance times: Tuesday to Thursday - 7.30pm, Friday - 8pm, Saturday - 3pm & 8pm.  (back to top)

 The Dark Room at The Lowry
THE DARK ROOM (The Studio)
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Wednesday 21st May 2008 - 7.30pm
Against the backdrop of a pristine Victorian photographer’s studio, The Dark Room allows us to glimpse the blossoming love affair between William and Rose. William illustrates children’s fairytale books with beautiful, yet haunting, photographs. But who are the ladies in these photos? And can Rose resist temptation, or will she sneak a peek inside the forbidden Dark Room? This unique story for adults blends Ullaloom’s taste for horror with their love of dark fairytales and explores the often unpleasant fate of women in such fables.   (back to top)
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the lowry
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0870 787 5780

Feist at the Palace Theatre
SHAADI@BARBADI.COM at the Palace Theatre
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Saturday 24th May 2008 - 7.30pm
A veteran of 100 films with a career spanning across 3 decades, director and lead actor Paresh Rawal, along with talented co-stars, bring alive this play by the minute. Marriage is no laughing matter or is it? If the answer is yes, if you happen to be watching Paresh Rawal in Shaadi@barbadi.com. An uproariously entertaining comedy on the lighter side of matrimony…. A tribute to Paresh Rawal's immense acting talent. The Hindi play, which was originally produced in Marathi, is about couple whose marriage is tested by husband's conniving mother. The husband is the scapegoat in the war of attrition between the wife and mother-in-law. Through ups and downs, the play provides insightful commentary on relationships and the importance of compromising by the narrators. Apart from Paresh Rawal who plays Manoj Dudhwala, the cast of the play includes renowned television and theatre actress Hetal Patel as the wife, Vaishalee Thakkar as mother and Umesh Shukla as a father. Shaadi@barbaaadi.com is a wonderful treat for those who have bitten, or are about to bite into the proverbial 'shaadi ka laddu'.Its something that they will remember for a long time to come. The significance of the title is to bring contemporary flavour to the play while making fun of relationships. (back to top)
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palace theatre
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0844 847 2277

Blackbird at The Lowry
BLACKBIRD at the Lowry Theatre (Quays Theatre)
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Tuesday 27th to Saturday 31st May 2008 - 8pm
The first UK tour of David Harrower’s electrifying, dark and explosive drama, starring Robert Daws (The Royal) and Dawn Steele (Monarch of the Glen). Fifteen years before the action begins, Ray had an affair with Una, a twelve-year-old girl. He was in his forties. The couple ran away together, but Ray was caught and sentenced to six years in jail. Since then, Ray has made a new life for himself, adopting a new name and a fresh identity, obtaining a position with a dental and pharmaceutical company, and forming a relationship with a woman his own age. He didn’t think he could ever be found. Una has thought of nothing else since, and on finding a photo of him sets out to find Ray with shattering consequences. Contains some strong language and nudity. There is a 2pm matinee on the Wednesday and a 3pm matinee on the Saturday. (back to top)
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quays theatre
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0844 847 2277

The Revenger's Tragedy at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
THE REVENGER'S TRAGEDY at the Royal Exchange
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Wednesday 28th May to Saturday 28th June 2008 - 7.30pm
Starring Stephen Tompkinson. Seeking vengeance for the murder of his fiancée and the death of his father, a man attempts to bring down the Duke he holds responsible and the order that sustains him. Some years ago, a Duke poisoned Vindice's betrothed for rejecting his advances, and now Vindice also blames the Duke for the recent death of his father. Determined to avenge both, Vindice manoeuvres himself into the lives of the Duke's family and, one by one, sets them against each other in this biting, powerful and darkly comic Jacobean thriller. The Royal Exchange are delighted to announce that Stephen Tompkinson has just been confirmed to play the part of Vindice. Director, Jonathan Moore, has a long association with the Royal Exchange as a director, writer and actor, as well as many other credits to his name. (back to top)
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royal exchange theatre
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0161 833 9833

The 39 Steps at The Lowry
THE 39 STEPS at the Lowry Theatre (Lyric Theatre)
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Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th June 2008 - 7.30pm
Direct from the West End and prior to Broadway comes Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller, The 39 Steps, brilliantly and hilariously recreated as the smash hit Olivier Award-winning Best New Comedy. This blissfully funny show follows the incredible adventures of our handsome hero Richard Hannay, complete with stiff-upper-lip, British gung-ho and pencil moustache as he encounters dastardly murders, double-crossing secret agents, and, of course, devastatingly beautiful women. Embroiled in a sinister conspiracy and with the police and a killer on his trail, it’s a race against time for Richard who must unravel the mystery of the 39 Steps and prove his innocence. This wonderfully inventive and gripping comedy thriller features four fearless actors, playing 139 roles in 100 minutes of fast-paced fun and thrilling action. There is a 2.30pm matinee on the Thursday and Saturday. (back to top)
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lyric theatre
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0844 847 2277

Romeo and Juliet at The Lowry
ROMEO AND JULIET at the Lowry Theatre (Quays Theatre)
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Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th June 2008 - 7pm
A chance meeting brings together two youngsters from rival families. Determined to pursue their forbidden love they risk all to be together and then fall victim to a cruel destiny, paying the ultimate price for their devotion. Romeo and Juliet is a heart-rending love story of tragic proportions, filled with passion, tenderness and bitter recriminations. Multi-award-winning company, Northern Broadsides (Wars of the Roses, The Man with Two Gaffers), bring their inimitable warmth, charisma and energy to this timeless romantic tragedy, and demonstrate once more why they are one of the best loved champions of Shakespeare’s work in the UK. This production includes a brief scene with nudity. Evening shows begin at 7pm. There are matinees on the following days: Wed (1.30pm), Thu (1.30pm), Sat (2pm). (back to top)
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quays theatre
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0844 847 2277

Dr Korczak's Example at the Royal Exchange, Manchester
DR KORCZAK'S EXAMPLE at the Royal Exchange
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Wednesday 4th to Saturday 21st June 2008
Based on a true story, DR KORCZAK'S EXAMPLE recounts the remarkable last days of Janusz Korczak, a children's author and paediatrician who founded a Jewish Orphanage in the shadow of the Warsaw Ghetto. Dr.Korczak created a radical environment for the young people in his care; a democratic utopia where children had rights and were treated as equals. As the summer of 1942 advances, the days of the Ghetto and the orphanage are numbered, pushing Korczak's pacifist ideals to the limit. But the doctor's principles are challenged not only by the advancing Nazi regime but by the arrival of Adzio, a young Jewish boy who believes in fighting back. (back to top)
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royal exchange theatre
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0161 833 9833

Come On, Jeeves at The Lowry
COME ON, JEEVES at the Lowry Theatre (Quays Theatre)