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 Mon 5 Oct 2026)

TOP 10 THEATRE SHOWS

1) Legally Blonde

• Manchester Opera House
• 3 - 14 Nov 2026

• Win or Buy Tickets & More Info

2) Billy Elliot The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

3) Little Shop of Horrors

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• Until 29 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

4) Waitress

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

• Tickets & More Info

5) The Silence of the Lambs

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 6 - 10 Oct 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with JOHN PARTRIDGE

• Tickets & More Info

6) Othello

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 30 Sep - 10 Oct 2026.
• Read our ★★★★★ review

• Tickets & More Info

7) Snowstorm - A Frozen Adventure

• Trafford Centre
• 4 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027.

• Exclusive 20% Off Tickets & More Info

8) Gandey's Halloween Spooktacular

• The Trafford Centre
• 10 Oct - 1 Nov 2026

• Exclusive 20% Off Tickets & More Info

9) A Christmas Carol

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

• Tickets & More Info

10) Cats

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 10 - 21 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

11) Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 11 - 27 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

12) Dick Whittington

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

• Tickets & More Info

13) Home Alone in Concert

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

• Tickets & More Info

14) English National Ballet - Romeo & Juliet

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 21 - 25 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

15) The Mousetrap

• Manchester Opera House
• 26 - 31 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

16) King Lear

• Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
• Fri 2 Oct - Sun 15 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

17) Sylvia

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

• Tickets & More Info

18) Paranormal Activity

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

• Tickets & More Info

19) Burlesque The Musical

• Manchester Opera House
• 6 - 23 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

20) Lowry 360

• Lowry, Salford Quays
• Until 31 Dec 2026

• Free Tickets & More Info

21) The Highwayman

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

• Exclusive 20% Off Tickets & More Info

22) 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

23) Calendar Girls - The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

24) Back to The Future The Musical

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

• Tickets & More Info

25) The Sorcerer's Apprentice

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

• Tickets & More Info

26) The Picture of Dorian Gray

• Shakespeare North Playhouse
• 7 - 10 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

27) Sleeping Beauty

• Contact, Manchester
• 10 - 31 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

28) The Immortal Sisterhood Live

• Aviva Studios Social, Manchester
• 8 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

29) Matthew Bourne's Cinderella

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 24 - 28 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

30) The Littlest Yak

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 27 - 29 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

31) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

• Garrick Theatre, Altrincham
• 22 Oct - 1 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

32) Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos

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

• Tickets & More Info

33) Christmas Musical Spectacular

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

• Tickets & More Info

34) Application 39

• Aviva Studios Hall, Manchester
• 9 & 10 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

35) Fences

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 3 - 7 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

36) Christmas Carol

• Shakespeare North Playhouse
• 20 Nov 2026 - 2 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

37) Opera North - Rigoletto

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 12 - 14 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

38) Prehistoric Planet - Discovering Dinosaurs

• Aviva Studios Warehouse, Manchester
• 8 Dec 2026 - 7 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

39) David Bowie - You Are Not Alone

• Aviva Studios Warehouse, Manchester
• 8 Dec 2026 - 10 Jan 2027

• 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 OTHER COMEDY SHOWS

1) Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies

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

• Tickets & More Info

2) Jack and The Beanstalk

• Stockport Plaza
• 4 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

3) A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

• Manchester Opera House
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

4) Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

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

• Tickets & More Info

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

• Waterside, Sale + Lowry Quays Theatre, Salford Quays
• 27 & 29 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 MUSIC SHOWS

1) Art Garfunkel

• Manchester Opera House
• 14 Oct 2026.

• Win or Buy Tickets & More Info

2) Rod Stewart

• Co-op Live, Manchester
• 6 May 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Day Fever

• New Century, Manchester
• 17 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

4) The Hallé - Classical Extravaganza

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 17 Oct 2026.

• Exclusive £25 Tickets Offer & 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