What's on in Manchester in May
Waitress
Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30 May 2026
“Treat yourself to a slice of five-star musical pie” (The Times) as Carrie Hope Fletcher (Calamity Jane, Heathers, The Addams Family) stars as Jenna in hit musical comedy Waitress!Meet Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who ...
Bluey's Big Play
Tuesday 26 - Sunday 31 May 2026
When Dad feels like a little bit of Sunday afternoon time out, Bluey and Bingo have other plans! Join them as they pull out all of the games and cleverness at their disposal to get Dad off that bean bag.
Bluey's Big Play is a brand-new the...
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
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 frie...
Even These Things
Tuesday 26 May - Monday 15 Jun 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...
Clothes Swap
Wednesday 3 - Saturday 6 June 2026
Waterside presents its first in-house production - a powerful new play by emerging writer Liam Mansfield, inspired by his work as an LGBTQ+ youth worker.
This powerful new play is set inside a youth club, a space of refuge, resistance and ...
Spitfire Girls
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 th...
Our Public House
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 Pa...
Luminiscence
Tuesday 26 May - Friday 5 Jun 2026
Arriving in the UK for the first time, after dazzling over 1 Million people in Europe, the incredible immersive projection concert LUMINISCENCE transforms Manchester Cathedral into a fully immersive world of sound, story, and light.
Featur...
Bubble Planet - An Immersive Experience
Wednesday 27 May - Thursday 27 Aug 2026
Welcome to Bubble Planet, where bubbles are bigger and more magical than ever.
Let your inner child run free and follow your imagination in this spherical universe full of soap bubbles, air bubbles, and even virtual reality.
Explore every...
Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City
Wednesday 27 May - Sunday 28 Jun 2026
Machu Picchu: Journey to the Lost City transports you back 450 years ago to the heart of the ancient Inca Empire in stunning virtual reality. You'll climb the breathtaking peaks of the Andes, wander through the Temple of the Sun, walk the f...
The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
Tuesday 26 May - Sunday 28 Jun 2026
Europe's most popular Banksy exhibition lands in Manchester, opening from the 13th March 2026 at Depot Mayfield.
Step inside the mind of Banksy with an art experience for all, featuring over 200 reimagined works by the acclaimed street ar...
