What's on in Manchester
What's on in Manchester
Wednesday 27 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...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...Calum Scott
Calum Scott
AO Arena, Manchester
After rising to fame on the 2015 season of Britain's Got Talent, singer/songwriter Calum Scott was able to parlay his success into a recording career as a soulful pop artist. The Hull-bred musician's compelling version of Robyn's "Danci...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...Ray LaMontagne
Ray LaMontagne
O2 Apollo, Manchester
Celebrated Grammy award-winner Ray LaMontagne commemorates the 20th anniversary of the release of his seminal debut album, Trouble, in 2025 with a special remastered vinyl edition and tour performing the album in its entirety for the first ...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...My Leonard Cohen performed by Stewart D’Arrietta
My Leonard Cohen performed by Stewart D’Arrietta
O2 Ritz, Manchester
Stewart D'Arrietta and his band perform stirring interpretations of the great, late Leonard Cohen's powerful works, framed by a personal narrative. The stories give an insight into Cohen's life and the motivations behind the songs, with a...Toots and The Maytals Featuring Leba Hibbert
Toots and The Maytals Featuring Leba Hibbert
New Century, Manchester
Jamaican ska and rocksteady legends The Maytals, were not only key figures in popularising reggae music with their frontman Toots Hibbert, who died in 2020, considered a reggae pioneer on par with Bob Marley, but they also coined the name...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...Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong
The Stoller Hall, Manchester
Tickets for May 2026 tour include a pre-signed paperback copy of The Emperor of Gladness. Ocean Vuong celebrates the paperback release of The Emperor of Gladness. The acclaimed author of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous weaves an inno...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 ...Elio Mei
Elio Mei
Manchester Academy, Manchester
Arizona indie-folk and indie-pop singer whose whimsical, fantasy-themed music first gained traction on TikTok and YouTube in the early 2020s. ...Northern Soul: Still Burning (15)
Northern Soul: Still Burning (15)
HOME, Manchester
A new documentary charting the history of Northern Soul from its birth at the world-famous Wigan Casino. Following on from 2012 documentary Keep on Burning - The Story of Northern Soul, this new film further explores the cultural phenomeno...The Library of Enchantment
The Library of Enchantment
Z-arts, Manchester
Ever wanted to step inside a story? The Library of Enchantment is a fun-filled thrilling family-friendly escape room, full of seafaring adventures, time travelling tricks and a pesky old bookworm who's always up to meddlesome mischief! Can ...Horizon of Khufu - Journey to Ancient Egypt
Horizon of Khufu - Journey to Ancient Egypt
Transmission House, Manchester
The Pyramids of Egypt have arrived in the UK for the first time! This immersive and groundbreaking expedition takes you back to the golden age of ancient Egypt, allowing you to explore the depths of the iconic pyramids, meet the goddess Bas...Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos
Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos
Science & Industry Museum, Manchester
An out-of-this-world premiere exhibition, now open at the Science and Industry Museum. Blast off into the solar system and embark on a cosmic adventure guided by familiar characters from the brand-new BBC Horrible Science TV series. Walk in...StreetHunt Games: Outdoor scavenger hunt
StreetHunt Games: Outdoor scavenger hunt
Great Northern Square, Manchester
Will you crack the case? Whether you're planning a day out or a team event with a difference, this is Manchester as you've never experienced it. Friends, couples & families - Something fun, surprising and story-driven. Corporate & group boo...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
