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 6 Sep 2026)

TOP 10 THEATRE SHOWS

1) High School Musical

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• Until 19 Sep 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with JASON DONOVAN
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with WILL WHELTON & JOSEPH HOUSTON
• Read our ★★★★★ review

• Tickets & More Info

2) Billy Elliot The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

3) Jersey Boys

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 7 - 19 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

4) Dirty Dancing

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

• Tickets & More Info

5) High Society

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

• Tickets & More Info

6) Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 11 - 27 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

7) East is East

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• Until Sat 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

8) Little Shop of Horrors

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

• Tickets & More Info

9) Smithsonian Starstruck - An Immersive Experience

• Transmission House, Manchester
• Until Sun 27 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

10) Dick Whittington

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

• Tickets & More Info

11) Phil Mealey - Early Doors: Behind The Bar & Beyond

• Waterside, Sale
• 27 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

12) Cats

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 10 - 21 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

13) Heathers The Musical

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 2 - 6 Mar 2027

• Tickets & More Info

14) A Christmas Carol

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

• Tickets & More Info

15) Macbeth

• Shakespeare North Playhouse
• 11 Sep - 3 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

16) Home Alone in Concert

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

• Tickets & More Info

17) Sylvia

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

• Tickets & More Info

18) Lowry 360

• Lowry, Salford Quays
• Until 30 Sep 2026

• Free Tickets & More Info

19) Pretty Woman - The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

20) Cinderella - A Fairytale

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

• Tickets & More Info

21) Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies

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

• Tickets & More Info

22) Legally Blonde

• Manchester Opera House
• 3 - 14 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

23) Paranormal Activity

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

• Tickets & More Info

24) The Haunting of Hill House

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 27 - 31 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

25) Back to The Future The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

26) Anthony Scaramucci

• Aviva Studios Hall, Manchester
• 16 Sep 2026.

• Tickets + Book Offer & More Info

27) Disney Princess - The Concert

• Manchester Opera House
• 4 Apr 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

28) Burlesque - The Musical

• Manchester Opera House
• 6 - 23 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

29) Come From Away

• Garrick Theatre, Altrincham
• 10 - 19 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

30) A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

• Manchester Opera House
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

31) The Sorcerer's Apprentice

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

• Tickets & More Info

32) Waitress

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 27 - Sat 31 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

33) Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos

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

• Tickets & More Info

34) Jack and The Beanstalk

• Stockport Plaza
• 4 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

35) Othello

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 30 Sep - 10 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

36) 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

37) Calendar Girls - The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

38) Christmas Musical Spectacular

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

• Tickets & More Info

39) The Highwayman

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

• Tickets & More Info

40) The Signalman - Victorian Illusions and Ghost Stories

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 10 - 14 Mar 2027

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 COMEDY SHOWS

1) Sleeping with Beauty - One Little Prick

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

• Tickets & More Info

2) Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

• The Albert Halls, Bolton
• 1 - 31 Dec 2026

• Tickets & More Info

3) Buff Bingo Drag Brunch

• On Bar, Manchester
• 12 Sep - 19 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

4) Faulty Towers - The Original Dining Experience

• St Mary's Chambers, Rossendale
• 6 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

5) Allo Allo Tribute Comedy Train

• East Lancashire Railway, Bury
• 9 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 MUSIC SHOWS

1) Day Fever

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

• Tickets & More Info

2) Elbow

• O2 Ritz, Manchester
• 20 Nov - 22 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Celebrating 40 Years of Paul Simon's Graceland

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 13 Apr 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

4) The Music of Fleetwood Mac by Candlelight

• Manchester Opera House
• 27 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

5) The Bootleg Beatles

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 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