What's on in Manchester
What's on in Manchester
Thursday 28 May 2026
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Manchester Opera House, Manchester
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 frien...The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
A Musical Celebration of the Hollywood Hit Factory. Transporting audiences through the history of musical theatre's golden age, The MGM Story dives into the tale of how the Hollywood studio nurtured the talent of stars that were to include ...Waitress
Waitress
Palace Theatre, Manchester
"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 dreams of so...The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
Depot Mayfield, Manchester
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...Luminiscence
Luminiscence
Manchester Cathedral, Manchester
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. Featuri...Big Thief
Big Thief
Aviva Studios, Manchester
Brooklyn indie rockers with folk roots whose songs search for a deep level of self-acceptance, grounded on dried-out, cracked desert dirt. Big Thief's music, rooted in the songs of Adrianne Lenker, paints in vivid tones characters and visc...The Hallé's Season Finale - Kahchun Wong conducts Mahler's Sixth
The Hallé's Season Finale - Kahchun Wong conducts Mahler's Sixth
The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Humanity's frailty and fortitude combine in Mahler's existential Sixth Symphony, as Kahchun Wong conducts. Mahler composed his Sixth Symphony during some of the happiest times of his life. His wife, Alma, the subject of the intensely emotiv...Even These Things
Even These Things
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
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...Shechter II - IN THE BRAIN
Shechter II - IN THE BRAIN
HOME, Manchester
Hofesh Shechter's exhilarating new, full-length work for Shechter II, IN THE BRAIN, is a raw, electrifying dive into movement, rhythm, and collective energy. A pulsing, urgent journey into the depths of our consciousness - where sto...COBRAH
COBRAH
O2 Ritz, Manchester
Described as the "Lesbian Queen of Sweden's Fetish Scene", Swedish singer Clara Christensen (aka Cobrah) has gone from being a primary school teacher to making electronic pop music influenced by the BDSM scene in Stockholm. ...Skipinnish
Skipinnish
The Stoller Hall, Manchester
Skipinnish encompasses the very best of contemporary Celtic music with a unique and sublime mix of chart-topping, self-penned songs and powerful bagpipe, fiddle and accordion-led tune sets. As a result, the band has built a loyal and strong...ADMT
ADMT
Gorilla, Manchester
Rising Doncaster singer-songwriter Adam Taylor, aka ADMT, mixes R&B beats with massive pop hooks as heard on his 2023 UK Top 30 hit "Best Friend". ...Derek Mitchell
Derek Mitchell
Fairfield Social Club, Manchester
Double Dutch 2 is the brand-new live show from Dutch-American Ted Lasso actor Derek Mitchell, comedian and viral creator behind @letsdoubledutch. After hundreds of sold-out performances of his hit debut Double Dutch - seen by tens of thousa...Welcome To Night Vale - The Haunting of Night Vale
Welcome To Night Vale - The Haunting of Night Vale
Hallé St Peter's, Manchester
Welcome to Night Vale is a podcast presented as a radio show for the fictional town of Night Vale, reporting on the strange events that occur within it. The Haunting of Night Vale, starring Cecil Baldwin, Symphony Sanders, Meg Bashwiner and...Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City
Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City
Transmission House, Manchester
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...
Nation
Nation
HOME, Manchester
Written and performed by Sam Ward, Nation is a dark, brutal fable about the political power of stories, about the nation as an act of imagination, about the violence of community and those we choose to let in. Following smash-hit We were p...Bubble Planet - An Immersive Experience
Bubble Planet - An Immersive Experience
Depot Mayfield, Manchester
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 ...National Theatre Live - Playboy of the Western World (12A)
National Theatre Live - Playboy of the Western World (12A)
HOME, Manchester
Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) joins Eanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge's riveting play of youth and self-discovery. Pegeen Flaherty's life is turned upside down when a young m...Friday 29 May 2026
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Manchester Opera House, Manchester
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 frien...The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
A Musical Celebration of the Hollywood Hit Factory. Transporting audiences through the history of musical theatre's golden age, The MGM Story dives into the tale of how the Hollywood studio nurtured the talent of stars that were to include ...Waitress
Waitress
Palace Theatre, Manchester
"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 dreams of so...The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
Depot Mayfield, Manchester
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...Luminiscence
Luminiscence
Manchester Cathedral, Manchester
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. Featuri...Butt & Scholes - No Nonsense
Butt & Scholes - No Nonsense
O2 Apollo, Manchester
Hosted by James Nesbitt, Butt and Scholes: No Nonsense brings two of England and Manchester United's most straight-talking legends to the stage. Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes, key figures from one of football's most iconic eras, come togethe...Even These Things
Even These Things
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
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...Sofia Isella
Sofia Isella
Albert Hall, Manchester
Rising Californian alt visionary and musical polymath Sofia Isella rose to fame on on TikTok, before opening for the likes of Melanie Martinez, Tom Odell, Taylor Swift, and Glass Animals between 2023 and 2025. With elements of alternative ...The Big Push
The Big Push
O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester
Brighton based band The Big Push consists of three front men Ren, Romain Axisa and Gorran Kendall with drummer Glenn Chambers. Drawing elements from classic Brit-bands like The Beatles or The Police, they craft their clever modern arran...Shechter II - IN THE BRAIN
Shechter II - IN THE BRAIN
HOME, Manchester
Hofesh Shechter's exhilarating new, full-length work for Shechter II, IN THE BRAIN, is a raw, electrifying dive into movement, rhythm, and collective energy. A pulsing, urgent journey into the depths of our consciousness - where sto...NARUTO - The Symphonic Experience
NARUTO - The Symphonic Experience
Aviva Studios, Manchester
NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience is a live concert that brings the beloved anime to life on a grand scale. This two-hour event features a film montage of iconic scenes from over 220 episodes, synchronized to a live orchestra performing Tos...Rhinestone Rodeo
Rhinestone Rodeo
O2 Ritz, Manchester
Saddle up, the UK's biggest country night is coming for ya! After selling out dates all over the UK and Ireland, Rhinestone Rodeo is an unforgettable Country celebration. You can expect to hear bangers all night as DJs spin hits from lege...Sugar
Sugar
New Century, Manchester
Having already left an indelible mark on rock's evolution with Husker Du, Bob Mould formed Sugar in late 1991 with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis. Their now-classic debut, Copper Blue, was named NME's 1992 "Album of the Year...Paddy Young
Paddy Young
Fairfield Social Club, Manchester
The award-winning stand-up and star of Saturday Night Live UK's Weekend Update heads out on tour with a brand new show, Will Sir Be Laughing Alone?. You're born alone, you die alone. That's true enough. But what happened to that part in the...Tom Lawrinson
Tom Lawrinson
Fairfield Social Club, Manchester
Everything is awful but that's okay, argues Tom in his ridiculously entertaining show about family and growing up in a Spanish subterranean cave. Buried Alive (and Loving It) is a show for siblings who shared a rubbish childhood and comedy ...Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City
Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City
Transmission House, Manchester
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...Ghost UK + Sleep Broken (Tributes to Ghost + Sleep Token)
Ghost UK + Sleep Broken (Tributes to Ghost + Sleep Token)
Manchester Academy, Manchester
A double headline tribute to metal heads Ghost and Sleep Token. ...Nation
Nation
HOME, Manchester
Written and performed by Sam Ward, Nation is a dark, brutal fable about the political power of stories, about the nation as an act of imagination, about the violence of community and those we choose to let in. Following smash-hit We were p...Philosophy Of The World
Philosophy Of The World
Contact, Manchester
In partnership with SICK! Festival 2026, IN BED WITH MY BROTHER take to the stage for their three-act biopic, Philosophy Of The World. Ridiculed then revered, "the best worst band of all time" 1960s American rockers The Shaggs defied cate...Ravi Gupta
Ravi Gupta
The Stoller Hall, Manchester
Forget your "Kal Ki Chinta" and join Ravi Gupta for his super funny new stand-up show "Kal Ki Chinta Nahi Karta", performed in Hindi and English. ...
Saturday 30 May 2026
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Midsomer Murders: The Killings at Badger's Drift
Manchester Opera House, Manchester
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 frien...The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
The MGM Story - The Magic of the Musical
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
A Musical Celebration of the Hollywood Hit Factory. Transporting audiences through the history of musical theatre's golden age, The MGM Story dives into the tale of how the Hollywood studio nurtured the talent of stars that were to include ...Waitress
Waitress
Palace Theatre, Manchester
"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 dreams of so...Dermot Kennedy
Dermot Kennedy
AO Arena, Manchester
After reaching the #1 spot in the UK and Irish Official Album Charts with debut album 'Without Fear', which achieved multi-platinum status with hit top 10 single 'Outnumbered' as well as the top 20 with singles 'Power Over Me' and the hit '...The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind
Depot Mayfield, Manchester
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...Luminiscence
Luminiscence
Manchester Cathedral, Manchester
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. Featuri...MARINA
MARINA
Aviva Studios, Manchester
Chart-topping Welsh electropop singer Marina Diamandis - also known by her previous persona, Marina and the Diamonds - is an award-winning, platinum-selling artist. Revered since her breakthrough in 2009, she has scored four UK Top 10 album...Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox
The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
Renowned for their joyous, high-energy live shows, the multi-talented troupe of singers, dancers and instrumentalists will bring a brand new production to stages across the country - putting a retro spin on everything from '70s rock clas...Rachel Fairburn
Rachel Fairburn
Fairfield Social Club, Manchester
Hot on the heels of her critically acclaimed 2024 show Side Eye, co-host of international smash hit podcast All Killa No Filla, renowned Manchester stand up comedian and "rock'n'roll star of British Comedy" (Rolling Stone), Rachel F...Even These Things
