Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

The Best of What's on in Manchester This Week

WHAT'S ON THIS WEEK CALENDAR

With over 4000 shows listed on Manchester Theatres, it can be hard to decide which show to go and see - as you will probably know if you are one of the 200,000 members who receive our Sunday night "What's on in Manchester over the next seven days" e-mails [subscribe here].

If it's any help, we have handpicked our recommended theatre shows, classical concerts and stand-up comedy acts from what's on in Manchester over the next seven days...

You can find the best music gigs listed separately, here.

Quick Links: Theatres / Comedy / Gigs / Classical / Tribute Shows

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Our Top 10 What's On in Manchester Theatre This Week

The Silence of the Lambs

Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
Tue 6 - Sat 10 Oct 2026.
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Othello

Pet Shop Boys & Manchester Camerata In Conversation

Imperial War Museum North, Salford Quays
Thu 8 Oct 2026.
Tickets & More Info

Professor Brian Cox

Gandey's Halloween Spooktacular

Little Shop of Horrors

Application 39

Calendar Girls - The Musical

Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thu 8 - Sat 31 Oct 2026.
Tickets & More Info

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Immortal Sisterhood Live

Reece Shearsmith

Albert Hall, Manchester
Sun 11 & Weds 14 Oct 2026
Tickets & More Info

Lenny Henry

King Lear

Ontroerend Goed - Thanks for Being Here

Russell T Davies & Bernardine Evaristo

Kate Atkinson

Michael Rosen

Tits Up

Based on Kimberly - Yes Person

BTID ZN

Bowler's Exhibition Centre, Old Trafford
Sat 10 Oct 2026
Tickets & More Info

What Wood Victoria Do?

Waterside, Sale
Fri 9 Oct 2026 + more dates
Tickets & More Info

Maggie O'Farrell

Sarah Hall

Deborah Frances-White

Paul Mason

Songs for an Unwritten Sky

Allo Allo Tribute Comedy Train

Stuart Maconie

Of Mice and Men

Haunted Shadows: The Gothic Tales of Edith Nesbit

Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos

Lowry 360

Smithsonian Starstruck - An Immersive Experience

Horizon of Khufu - Journey to Ancient Egypt

Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur

~ All Shows in Manchester This Week ~

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What's on in Manchester Comedy This Week

Reece Shearsmith

Albert Hall, Manchester
Sun 11 & Weds 14 Oct 2026
Tickets & More Info

Lenny Henry

Rachel Fairburn

The Frog & Bucket, Manchester
Sun 11 Oct 2026 + more dates
Tickets & More Info

Phil Ellis

Maisie Adam

Nurse Georgie Caroll

Vittorio Angelone

Aries Spears

Serena Terry

Paul Foot

Christopher Hall

HOME Theatre 2, Manchester
Sat 10 & Weds 14 Oct 2026.
Tickets & More Info

XS Malarkey - Robin Ince

Buff Bingo Drag Brunch

On Bar, Manchester
Sat 10 Oct 2026 + more dates.
Tickets & More Info

~ All Comedy Shows in Manchester This Week ~

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Our Top What's On in Manchester Classical & Choral This Week

The World of Hans Zimmer - A New Dimension

Gavin Greenaway – a long-time and trusted friend of the Hollywood composer – conjure the magic of the German legend's works in a show curated by Zimmer himself.

Pet Shop Boys & Manchester Camerata In Conversation

Pet Shop Boys and Manchester Camerata release their new Alan Turing inspired album with a listening party and conversation with Alan Turing biographer Professor Andrew Hodges.

Imperial War Museum North, Salford Quays
Thu 8 Oct 2026.
Tickets & More Info

Hallé & Pavel Kolesnikov - Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5

Nodoka Okisawa conducts the Halle with Pavel Kolesnikov joining to play Rachmaninov.

What The World Needs Now - The Burt Bacharach Songbook

Shaun Escoffery, Rumer and Ed Harcourt join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the musical direction of Rob Shirakbari for this tribute to Burt Bacharach.

Avatar The Last Airbender in Concert

A live orchestral performance with a two-hour visual journey through fan-favourite moments from the animated series.

BBC Philharmonic & Elena Urioste - Tchaikovsky's Pathétique

Yoel Gamzou conducts the Salford Quays orchestra with violinist Elena Urioste through Leonard Bernstein, Erich Korngold and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Ibiza Proms in the Cathedral

A 40 Piece Orchestra with vocalists and special guest performances takes you on a musical journey to the White Isle.

Manchester Collective & Sidiki Dembélé - Constellations

Percussionist extraordinaire Sidiki Dembélé and his band for folksong and storytelling from the Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal.

Candlelight - The Best of Bridgerton

A string quartet perform the songs from the Netflix series.

Hallé St Peter's, Manchester
Fri 9 Oct 2026 + more dates.
Tickets & More Info

Candlelight - Tribute to Ariana Grande

A string quartet perform the the songs of Ariana Grande.

Hallé St Peter's, Manchester
Fri 9 Oct 2026 + more dates.
Tickets & More Info

Vesselin Stanev

The celebrated Bulgarian pianist performs Schumann, Brahms and Liszt.

Hallé Chamber Concerts - Saint-Saens' Septet

Saint-Saëns’ Septet for trumpet, piano and strings, paired with the world premiere of John Casken's Enchant for trumpet and piano.

~ All Classical Concerts in Manchester This Week ~

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Our Top 5 Tribute Shows in Manchester This Week

What The World Needs Now - The Burt Bacharach Songbook

Shaun Escoffery, Rumer and Ed Harcourt join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the musical direction of Rob Shirakbari for this tribute to Burt Bacharach.