Want to know what's hot at the theatre in Manchester at the moment?

Well, these are the Top 10 most sought after theatre shows, plus the most popular comedy gigs and music concerts on ManchesterTheatres.com right now...

(week ending Sun 9 Aug 2026)

TOP 10 THEATRE SHOWS

1) Six

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 1 - 15 Aug 2026
• Read our ★★★★★ review

• Tickets & More Info

2) High School Musical

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 21 Aug - 19 Sep 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with JASON DONOVAN

• Tickets & More Info

3) President Barack Obama

• Co-op Live, Manchester
• 15 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

4) Billy Elliot The Musical

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 2 Dec 2026 - 9 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

5) Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 11 - 27 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

6) Peppa Pig Big Family Show

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 14 & 15 Aug 2026

• Exclusive Offer & More Info

7) Grindr The Opera

• 53two, Manchester
• Until 29 Aug 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

8) Smithsonian Starstruck - An Immersive Experience

• Transmission House, Manchester
• Until Sun 27 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

9) Back to The Future The Musical

• Manchester Opera House
•  13 Jul - 21 Aug 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

10) Dirty Dancing

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 29 Sep - 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

11) Lowry 360

• Lowry, Salford Quays
• Until 30 Sep 2026

• Free Tickets & More Info

12) Cats

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 10 - 21 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

13) Flop - The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 4 - 6 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

14) Michael Palin in the Philippines

• Parr Hall, Warrington
• 13 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

15) DroneArt Show: Harry Potter

• Haydock Park
• 21 & 22 Aug 2026

• Tickets & More Info

16) Jersey Boys

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 7 - 19 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

17) Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies

• Manchester Opera House
• 26 Jan - Sat 6 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

18) East is East

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 4 Sep - 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

19) An Audience with Danny Beard

• Albert Hall, Manchester
• 18 Sep 2026.

• Exclusive 10% Off Offer & More Info

20) Little Shop of Horrors

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 25 Sep - 29 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

21) Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos

• Science & Industry Museum, Manchester
• Until 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

22) Bubble Planet

• Depot Mayfield, Manchester
• Until 29 Aug 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

23) A Christmas Carol

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 11 Dec 2026 - 10 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

24) Home Alone in Concert

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 2 & 3 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

25) Pretty Woman - The Musical

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 23 Mar - 3 Apr 2027

• Tickets & More Info

26) Disney Princess - The Concert

• Manchester Opera House
• 4 Apr 2027

• Tickets & More Info

27) Dick Whittington

• Manchester Opera House
• 5 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

28) Calendar Girls - The Musical

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 8 - 31 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

29) Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City

• Transmission House, Manchester
• Extended until 27 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

30) Summer Fair

• The Trafford Centre
• Until 31 Aug 2026

• Tickets & More Info

31) Legally Blonde

• Manchester Opera House
• 3 - 14 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

32) Cinderella - A Fairytale

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 20 Nov 2026 - 9 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

33) The Jury Experience - Death on the Port Side

• Stoller Hall, Manchester
• Weds 12 Aug 2026 + more dates.

• Tickets & More Info

34) Sylvia

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 19 - 24 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

35) Paranormal Activity

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

36) High Society

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 22 Sep - Sat 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

37) The Highwayman

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 3 - 7 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

38) The Choir of Man

• The Lowry, Salford Quays
• 13 - 16 Oct 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with NIMI OWOYEMI
• Read our ★★★★★ review

• Tickets & More Info

39) Christmas Musical Spectacular

• AO Arena, Manchester
• 22 & 23 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

40) The Sorcerer's Apprentice

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 27 Nov 2026 - 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 COMEDY SHOWS

1) A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

• Manchester Opera House
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

2) Myra DuBois

• Lowry, Salford Quays
• 25 Apr 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Sleeping with Beauty - One Little Prick

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 3 - 23 Dec 2026

• Tickets & More Info

4) Comedy Circus

• Stage and Radio, Manchester
• 19 Aug 2026 + more dates

• Free Tickets & More Info

5) Austentatious - An Improvised Jane Austen Novel

• Manchester Opera House
• 4 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 MUSIC SHOWS

1) Day Fever

• New Century, Manchester
• 19 Sep & 17 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

2) The Music of Fleetwood Mac by Candlelight

• Manchester Opera House
• 27 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Lang Lang

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 28 Jul 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

4) Blossoms

• Co-op Live, Manchester
• 28 Nov & 11 Dec 2026

• Tickets & More Info

5) The Bootleg Beatles

• Gorilla + The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 6 Sep & 10 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

Also See:

The Best of What's On in Manchester This Week

The Top 10 Most Popular Shows in Liverpool

The Top 10 Most Popular Shows in London