DRAMA PLAYS IN MANCHESTER
DRAMA PLAYS IN MANCHESTER
Most Popular Drama Plays in Manchester
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Manchester Opera House
Tue 2 - Sat 6 Mar 2027
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Manchester Opera House
Wed 27 - Sat 30 May 2026
Murder Mystery Evening
East Lancashire Railway
Fri 29 May - Fri 18 Dec 2026
Even These Things
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
Tuesday 19 May - Monday 15 June 2026
An epic story of Manchester and Ireland by multi award-winning playwright Rory Mullarkey premieres at the Royal Exchange Theatre, 30 years after an IRA bomb devastated the heart of the city. Three centuries. Three moments in time. In 1846...The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Tuesday 19 - Saturday 23 May 2026
The Theatre Chipping Norton and Selladoor Worldwide present a new version of the West End classic - rebooted and reimagined for 2026. All 37 plays. Three actors. One wildly funny show. The worldwide comedy hit returns with a brand-new, upda...Split Ends
Contact, Manchester
Tuesday 19 - Wednesday 20 May 2026
Critically acclaimed tragi-comedy SPLIT ENDS (transferring from Brighton, Camden and Edinburgh Fringe) follows the story of a woman who falls in love with a Vacuum. Using physical theatre, puppetry and multi-media, this 'Sarah Kane Rave' ...One Breath Before The End
53two, Manchester
Wednesday 20 - Friday 22 May 2026
1912 Productions presents the second play from Stephen Leach (Can't Wait To Leave) and directed by Mimi Collins (Water Party, Snakeskin Suit, Orange Flower Water), One Breath Before The End is a moving, acutely intimate piece exploring how ...Lost Girl
Lowry, Salford
Wednesday 20 May 2026
From award-winning playwright Amy Lever comes Lost Girl - a powerful, spellbinding solo performance about family, identity and the weight of inheritance. Some secrets refuse to stay buried. Birdy is 19. Too old to fight boys in th...SMOKE + You Are Loved Community Panel
Lowry, Salford
Thursday 21 May 2026
SMOKE is the newest play from acclaimed queer theatre-maker Alexis Gregory ("Riot Act") whose work has appeared in the West End, across London, the UK, and internationally, and is directed by the award-winning filmmaker Campbell X ("Stud Li...Neddy Goes To Glasto
Lowry, Salford
Friday 22 - Saturday 23 May 2026
Neddy Goes to Glasto is a high-voltage, one-woman rollercoaster through grief, sisterhood, and the strange magic of losing - and maybe finding - yourself in a field of strangers. Thirty years after her first Glastonbury, Neddy returns to ...The Haunting of Blaine Manor
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 23 May 2026
Renowned American parapsychologist Doctor Roy Earle, famous for discrediting hauntings and exposing fake mediums, is invited to attend a seance in what is said to be the most haunted building in England, a building with a horrific history, ...Spitfire Girls
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30 May 2026
INSPIRED BY REMARKABLE TRUE EVENTS"It's built for us, isn't it? The Spitfire. Built for women." New Year's Eve, 1959. Decades after answering the call, two women separated by the war meet again as the rain hammers down on the windows of ...Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Manchester Opera House, Manchester
Wednesday 27 - Saturday 30 May 2026
Murder comes to the countryside in the theatrical world premiere of the critically acclaimed television favourite Midsomer Murders. When well-loved spinster Emily Simpson is found dead in the picturesque village of Badger's Drift, her frien...Our Public House
Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot
Thursday 28 - Saturday 30 May 2026
Your Round. Your Say. A bighearted and funny new play. With Kit Esuruoso (Tina The Musical), Chaya Gupta (EastEnders), Gabriella Leon (Casualty), Lauren Moakes (Romeo and Juliet), Fergus O Donnell (Downtown Abbey, Holby City) and Bharti Pat...The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 28 - Saturday 30 May 2026
'Stephen King meets Jimmy McGovern' Gritty, urban comedy/drama with a rich vein of the supernaturalIt?s just a bench in the park, the one by the war memorial. A thief, a fake clairvoyant, a homeless man, two burglars, a street sweeper, two ...National Theatre Live - Playboy of the Western World
HOME, Manchester
Thursday 28 - Saturday 30 May 2026
Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Eanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge's riveting play of youth and self-discovery. Pegeen Flaherty's life is turned upside down when a young m...Barbara
Gullivers, Manchester
Thursday 28 May 2026
An immersive theatrical experience that sensitively explores the subject of dementia through the lens of how we care for those we love and how we care for ourselves. Barbara and Bernard will transport you, their guests, to a bygone era ...Murder Mystery Evening
East Lancashire Railway, Bury
Friday 29 May - Friday 18 December 2026
Nothing works up an appetite like exercising those brain cells. So bring your best detective skills and join us for a night of mystery and murder on one of our stunning heritage steam trains. If you love Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes -...
Philosophy Of The World
Contact, Manchester
Friday 29 - Saturday 30 May 2026
In partnership with SICK! Festival 2026, IN BED WITH MY BROTHER take to the stage for their three-act biopic, Philosophy Of The World. Ridiculed then revered, "the best worst band of all time" 1960s American rockers The Shaggs defied cate...Creative Tiny Humans
HOME, Manchester
Friday 29 May 2026 - Friday 26 March 2027
Join us in the Creativity Corner for our baby and toddler group drop in session to enjoy crafts, chats and creativity. Expect making for tiny hands, stories and most importantly PLAY. Join artist and community facilitator Phoebe Foxtrot on ...The Good Life
Altrincham Garrick, Altrincham
Monday 1 - Sunday 7 June 2026
Altrincham Garrick's production of Jeremy Sams' stage play, based on the hugely popular sitcom by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, reunites the well-loved characters (not forgetting Geraldine the goat) as they get themselves into and out of scr...Malory Towers
HOME, Manchester
Tuesday 2 - Saturday 13 June 2026
Nostalgic, naughty, and perfect for now, Enid Blyton's Malory Towers is the original 'Girl Power' story. Get ready for high jinks, high drama and high spirits, all set to sensational live music, as Emma Rice Company's production has been de...Desperate Scousewives
Blackburn Empire Theatre, Blackburn
Wednesday 3 June 2026
Get ready for a riotous, fast-paced comedy following the lives of three loud, no-nonsense Liverpool women and one nervous newcomer, all navigating life, love, loyalty, and lipstick on a tightly knit street. Susan, Vanessa and Lily dominate ...Altrincham Garrick Play Reading Club
Altrincham Garrick, Altrincham
Friday 5 June - Friday 4 December 2026
If you like theatre... no, if you love theatre, drama, comedy, musical theatre, play reading, poetry and much more and would relish the opportunity to meet new people, then the new 'Altrincham Garrick Play Reading Club' is for you. Here is ...Playreading Sessions
HOME, Manchester
Friday 5 June - Friday 4 December 2026
HOME's popular Playreading group meets on the first Friday of most months. The sessions, which are open to all, offer an opportunity to read and discuss plays that are linked to our theatre productions, or discover new plays from local tal...We Invented The Weekend Festival
Lowry, Salford
Saturday 6 - Sunday 7 June 2026
We Invented the Weekend festival is back for 2026! Across Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026, Salford Quays and MediaCity will be buzzing with over 200 free activities in the UKs most ambitious, creative, original and fun-filled festival cel...The Archers - Live at 75
Palace Theatre, Manchester
Sunday 7 June 2026
Don your best hat, dust off your prize-winning jam recipe and join us for an unforgettable celebration of 75 glorious years of BBC Radio 4's The Archers. To mark this extraordinary milestone, The Archers is stepping out of the studio and on...The Jury Experience - Death on the Port Side
RNCM, Manchester
Sunday 7 June 2026
You've been called for jury duty. Step into a thrilling courtroom drama where the audience is the jury. Listen to testimonies, analyze evidence, and ultimately decide... guilty or not guilty? On a summer night, the son of a powerful politic...The Jury Experience - An Immersive Courtroom Case
RNCM, Manchester
Sunday 7 June 2026
Step into the heart of a high-stakes trial with The Jury Experience. In this live theatre show, YOU are the jury-the power to deliver justice is entirely in your hands. You'll examine every piece of the puzzle, from witness testimonies to ...Punk Rock
Altrincham Garrick, Altrincham
Tuesday 9 - Sunday 14 June 2026
From Manchester power-house playwright, Simon Stephens, Punk Rock is a brutal and urgent examination of contemporary adolescence. "I hate normal people. Normal people should be eviscerated." Tucked away in a library in a Stockport grammar s...The Crocodile of Sadness by John Powell Jones
Lowry, Salford
Wednesday 10 June 2026
The Crocodile of Sadness is an experimental performance exploring grief, care and shared responsibility. Presented in Lowry's Studio Theatre, the work invites audiences into an intimate, imaginative space where storytelling, digital media a...Nell Gwynn
Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot
Friday 12 June - Saturday 4 July 2026
London, 1660. The theatres are alive, the monarchy's restored, and women are finally allowed on stage. One woman is about to take it by storm. Orange-seller, wit, trailblazer, Nell Gwynn is a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid ...Desperate Scousewives
St Helens Theatre Royal, St Helens
Friday 12 June 2026
Get ready for a riotous, fast-paced comedy following the lives of three loud, no-nonsense Liverpool women and one nervous newcomer, all navigating life, love, loyalty, and lipstick on a tightly knit street. Susan, Vanessa and Lily dominate ...
Silent Struggles
53two, Manchester
Sunday 14 June 2026
A play that follows a young Black boy coming out as gay within the Black Christian community. Please note that whilst the drama explores serious and emotional themes, there are also moments of humour throughout. ...National Theatre Live - Playboy of the Western World
Altrincham Garrick, Altrincham
Sunday 14 June 2026
Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Eanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge's riveting play of youth and self-discovery. Pegeen Flaherty's life is turned upside down when a young m...The Other Neville
53two, Manchester
Thursday 18 - Saturday 20 June 2026
Imaginatively inspired by England netball legend Tracey Neville, this gripping new one-woman play steps into the shadows of success - where gold medals, grief and game plans quietly collide. It's March 2019. Months after leading the Roses t...All The Single Ladies
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Friday 19 June - Friday 16 October 2026
"All The Single Ladies" is the latest comedy from MaD Theatre Company which explores the modern phenomenon of the 'Sandwich Generation' where people find themselves looking after their adult children as well as their ailing parents. Cath ...Twelfth Night (by HER Productions)
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Wednesday 24 June - Sunday 5 July 2026
HER Productions return in 2026 with Unseemly Shakespeare, taking on the Bard's ultimate romantic comedy: 'Twelfth Night'. Shipwrecked and separated from her twin, Viola washes ashore in Illyria. Disguising herself as the suave Cesario, she...National Theatre Live - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
HOME, Manchester
Thursday 25 - Saturday 27 June 2026
Marianne Elliott directs Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in a striking new adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' classic novel. A thrilling game of love, lies and social warfare. Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equal...Romeo and Juliet (Oddsocks Production)
Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot
Friday 26 - Saturday 27 June 2026
A family fued divides the community! Violence stalks the streets. Who can see beyond the hate and dare to follow their heart? A pair of star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet! Oddsocks return with their new take on this well-loved classic, f...Life Out There
Lowry, Salford
Wednesday 1 - Saturday 4 July 2026
Written by Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Tim Foley and created by Ransack Theatre, Life Out There is a sharp, funny and quietly horrifying new sci-fi drama, exploring the ethics of space exploration, human selfishness, and the fragil...National Theatre Live - Playboy of the Western World
Stockport Plaza, Stockport
Friday 3 July 2026
Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Eanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge's riveting play of youth and self-discovery. Pegeen Flaherty's life is turned upside down when a young m...National Theatre Live - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Altrincham Garrick, Altrincham
Wednesday 8 July 2026
Marianne Elliott directs Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in a striking new adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' classic novel. A thrilling game of love, lies and social warfare. Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equal...Diane's Deli: A Tale from Paradise Heights
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 9 - Saturday 11 July 2026
Following on from the fabulous success of the award winning The Haunting of Blaine Manor and The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights, Joe O'Byrne returns with the next tale in his critically acclaimed Supernatural meets Northern Noir ser...The Tiger Who Came To Tea
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 11 - Sunday 12 July 2026
Based on Britain's best-loved picture book by Judith Kerr, the Olivier Award nominated smash hit show The Tiger Who Came to Tea returns to the West End. The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it p...Embrace presented by Glitter Bloke
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Tuesday 14 July 2026
Glitter Bloke present Embrace, an intimate, darkly tender exploration of queer connection, where desire gives way to vulnerability, and humour sits alongside unease. Five gay strangers. One orgy. A night that promises everything. They arr...The Bob Ross Effect
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Wednesday 15 July 2026
A happy little show about the big things in life. Artist, animal-lover and unlikely sex symbol Bob Ross brought art to millions through his TV phenomenon, The Joy of Painting. 30 years on from his death, The Bob Ross Effect is a...All The Single Ladies
The Met, Bury
Friday 17 July 2026
"All The Single Ladies" is the latest comedy from MaD Theatre Company which explores the modern phenomenon of the 'Sandwich Generation' where people find themselves looking after their adult children as well as their ailing parents. Cath ...
Murder, She Didn't Write
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Monday 20 - Tuesday 21 July 2026
Don your deerstalker, grab your magnifying glass and get your 'finger of suspicion' at the ready because Edinburgh Fringe favourites, Degrees of Error, are bringing back their multiple sell-out show for your sleuthing pleasure. They'll crea...Twelfth Night
Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot
Tuesday 21 - Friday 24 July 2026
The brilliantly bold Not Too Tame return with an electrifying production of Twelfth Night, starring Les Dennis as Malvolio. The company that brought you 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' return with their unique brand of high octane theatre in a ...The Spy Who Came in from The Cold
Lowry, Salford
Wednesday 22 - Saturday 25 July 2026
For the first time ever, a novel by John le Carre - the undisputed master of the modern spy genre whose works include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Night Manager - is brought to life in a thrilling stage adaptation. Starring ...Tides (An Autism Story)
53two, Manchester
Thursday 23 July 2026
Dylan Ward is autistic. He has his own way of thinking and his own way of doing things, but no one seems to understand him. How do you navigate a world which operates on a completely different wavelength to the one that you're on? Follow...National Theatre Live - Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Stockport Plaza, Stockport
Thursday 23 July 2026
Marianne Elliott directs Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in a striking new adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' classic novel. A thrilling game of love, lies and social warfare. Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equal...The Jury Experience - Diamonds, Lies and a Dead Man
