WHAT'S ON AT THE OCTAGON THEATRE, BOLTON
What's On at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Octagon Theatre Bolton is an award-winning venue in the heart of Bolton that opened in 1967. The Octagon Theatre makes, shares, produces, and welcomes an array of popular theatre shows and experiences from classic plays, musicals, comedy, new work, reimagining’s, and premier events. The capacity in the main theatre is up to 390.
The Octagon Theatre Bolton was the first professional flexible theatre in the UK. It proudly works in partnership with the local community to provide numerous opportunities to get involved. With local business woman and CBE Sue Hodgkiss as a Patron and University Of Bolton as their Principal sponsor, the Octagon Theatre truly embodies all aspects of Bolton.
The Octagon has played a pivotal role in many careers, such as Danny Boyle, Vanessa Kirby, Fiona Shaw, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Es Devlin and Maxine Peake. Productions, shows and events coming up include Dracula, Pride & Prejudice, Private Lives, King Arthur, Snake in the Grass, and the festive production, A Christmas Carol. See what’s on at the Octagon Theatre Bolton below and book tickets online.
Octagon Theatre Bolton is an award-winning venue in the heart of Bolton that opened in 1967. The Octagon Theatre makes, shares, produces, and welcomes an array of popular theatre shows and experiences from classic plays, musicals, comedy, new work, reimagining’s, and premier events. The capacity in the main theatre is up to 390.
The Octagon Theatre Bolton was the first professional flexible theatre in the UK. It proudly works in partnership with the local community to provide numerous opportunities to get involved. With local business woman and CBE Sue Hodgkiss as a Patron and University Of Bolton as their Principal sponsor, the Octagon Theatre truly embodies all aspects of Bolton.
The Octagon has played a pivotal role in many careers, such as Danny Boyle, Vanessa Kirby, Fiona Shaw, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Es Devlin and Maxine Peake. Productions, shows and events coming up include Dracula, Pride & Prejudice, Private Lives, King Arthur, Snake in the Grass, and the festive production, A Christmas Carol. See what’s on at the Octagon Theatre Bolton below and book tickets online.
Most Popular Shows and Events at Octagon Theatre, Bolton
What's On at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Pride & Prejudice
The Theatre
Saturday 14 - Saturday 28 June 2025
Jane Austen's most iconic love story is brought dazzlingly to life on stage When it comes to the subject of marriage, headstrong Lizzy Bennet is determined to resist the mounting pressures and expectations from society. But can she resist l...Abstract Arabic Calligraphy Workshop
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 14 June 2025
This workshop is designed to introduce participants to the beauty of abstract Arabic Calligraphy. It combines the traditional elegance of Arabic script with a modern abstract approach to explore the fluidity, shapes and forms of the Arabic ...Eid Storytelling and Crafts Drop in Workshop
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 21 June 2025
JOIN US FOR OUR FREE EID WORKSHOP WHICH COINCIDES WITH BOLTON'S EID EXTRAVAGANZA!Join us for our FREE DROP IN family friendly Eid craft workshop where you can read Eid stories and make Eid cards and decorations. You'll also have the opportu...Family Saturdays
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 21 June - Saturday 13 December 2025
Join us at the Octagon on selected Saturday mornings for FREE family storytelling sessions, sharing stories in creative ways to spark imaginations! There will be a small soft play area for families with little ones under 4....Awaaz Writing Workshop
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Friday 27 June 2025
Are you curious about identity, self-expression and culture? This interactive workshop is designed for young creatives looking to explore more about themselves through creative writing. Through participating in writing exercises, exciting g...Theatre Club: Pride and Prejudice
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 28 June 2025
Theatre Club is a chance to chat about Octagon productions in a relaxed and informal discussion group. In our June meeting, we'll be discussing Pride and Prejudice. If you would like any further information please contact participation@octa...Awaaz Festival
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 29 June 2025
Join us for our first Awaaz Festival, our vibrant new South Asian festival celebrating the rich traditions, stories, and creativity of South Asian culture. The programme features an exciting line-up of workshops, events, performances, and c...ArtBeat
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 2 July 2025
This group is currently sold out, but please contact our Creative Engagement Department by emailing participation@octagonbolton. co. uk if you'd like to join the waiting list and get priority booking for next term!...Bridges Claymation Workshop
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 3 July 2025
Plasticine companions offers the opportunity for participants to create a tiny moveable companion, whether this be a completely imaginative creature, their favourite animal or a tiny version of themselves, the possibilities are endless!The ...The Upbeat Beatles
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Friday 4 - Saturday 5 July 2025
Did you miss The Beatles first time around? Don't miss them now!The Upbeat Beatles are a rockin' band with tight musicianship and powerhouse vocals! You'll be jumping from the word go! There isn't a band to touch them - 8 bars of Twist an...Daniel Sloss
The Theatre
Sunday 6 July 2025
 The biggest ticket selling comedian in the world for most of 2021, selling out six New York solo off-Broadway seasons, appearing on U.S TV's 'Conan' ten times, breaking box office records in Edinburgh and touring in 55 countries, Scotlan...Ryan Cullen
The Studio
Sunday 6 July 2025
If Milton Jones is the Obi wan Kenobi of one-liners then Ryan Cullen is Darth Vader. With his new show, Cullen in the Name Of, this Donegal-born comic delivers with an economy of words, an unapologetic style, and surgical precision. His nea...Phil Chapman
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 6 July 2025
With millions of views online, Phil Chapman has made his name as one of the top MCs in the country, combining killer topical jokes with his razor sharp wit. Following on from his debut tour and two sell out shows, Phil brings his new show F...Russell Kane
The Theatre
Tuesday 8 July 2025
Whirlwind, FitBit-breaking comedian, presenter, actor and author Russell Kane is out on the road again, setting it on fire with his unique recipe of sharp wit and "storming physical comedy" (Mail on Sunday). Hyperactive, his brand-new tour ...Dom Joly
The Theatre
Wednesday 9 July 2025
 Dom Joly is a multi-award-winning comedian and writer whose smash hit hidden camera series Trigger Happy TV re-defined the genre and was a primetime international smash, selling to over 80 countries around the world and had a spin-off ...
Emmanuel Sonubi
The Theatre
Thursday 10 July 2025
Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee and Best Show nominee, Emmanuel Sonubi is back on tour with his new show Life After Near Death, following sold-out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, his Curriculum Vitae European Tour, and hi...Dan Tiernan
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 10 July 2025
Dan Tiernan was nominated for best newcomer at the 2022 Chortle Awards, a year after he was named breakthrough act at the North West Comedy Awards. With a set based on being a gay, dyspraxic Mancunian who works in a care home for young asyl...Emmanuel Sonubi: Life after near death - Comedy Festival
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 10 July 2025
Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nominee and Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Show nominee,?Emmanuel?Sonubi returns to Bolton. Fresh from sold-out performances at the Melbourne and Sydney Comedy Festivals in 2025 and Edinburgh Fringe, his Eu...Lucy Porter
The Theatre
Friday 11 July 2025
 Lucy Porter has been an Edinburgh Fringe favourite for over 20 years. She's appeared on countless TV shows including QI, Live at the Apollo and Would I Lie to You, as well as being a regular on Radio 4's News Quiz, The Unbelievable Truth...Sooz Kempner
The Studio
Friday 11 July 2025
 The award-winning, Twitter sensation and BBC Radio 4 regular is back with a brand new show, Sooz Kempner is Ugly. The star of Doctor Who's Doom's Day and Amazon Prime's Dinner With the Parents takes a millennial look at ever-changing bea...Fingers on Buzzers
The Theatre
Saturday 12 July 2025
A live recording of the popular podcast Fingers on Buzzers from comedian and keen amateur quizzer Lucy Porter, alongside The Chase's very own Jenny Ryan. Whether you're a Pointless armchair aficionado, nostalgic for the days of Going for Go...Bolton Comedy Festival - Big Improv Show
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 13 July 2025
The Big Improv Show - is a brand new improvised comedy show exclusive to the Bolton Comedy Festival, starring a cast of award-winning comedic talent. Marcus Brigstocke, Suki Webster, Justin Moorhouse and Sally Hodgkiss will be joining force...ArtBeat Summer Sessions
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 16 July 2025
We are delighted to invite ArtBeat to be part of an exciting new summer project! Working with the Octagon?s Community Theatre Director, Lucie Jowett, you?ll be part of the development of a new play. This three-day project will include:? An ...A Night To Remember Motown Show
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 19 July 2025
Take a trip back to 1960s Detroit and be prepared for high energy and soulful vocal dynamics from show producer and director, Bizzi Dixon, The Voice UK finalist and West End Tour lead principal, harmoniously backed by the Motown Divas givin...Tape Face - 20
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 20 July 2025
Celebrating 20 years. TAPE FACE is back in the UK!Mime with noise, stand-up with no talking ? drama with no acting. Las Vegas headliner TAPE FACE has become a global sensation. See the critically award-winning show that started it all. Phys...That's So Macbeth Summer School 2025
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Monday 21 July 2025
SUPPORTED PLACESAs a charity, we strive to keep our fees at an affordable cost so as many people as possible can take part. We also offer installment payment options to help participants spread the cost of fees. We are sometimes able to off...Faulty Towers - The Original Dining Experience
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 23 August 2025
Interactive Theatre's globetrotting show is truly quite legendary, selling out at venues like Edinburgh Fringe, Raffles Singapore and Sydney Opera House. When the audience become diners in the 'Faulty Towers' restaurant and are served by Ba...Faulty Towers Comedy Dinner
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 23 August 2025
Join us for the world?s most sought-after show based on the iconic BBC series Fawlty Towers!This globe-trotting tour-de-force has been smashing records, and collecting accolades since its humble beginnings in 1997. The original Faulty Tower...Marco Pierre White Cookery Demo
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 23 August 2025
Marco Pierre White, renowned chef and restaurateur will be making his debut at Bolton Food and Drink Festival for our 20th anniversary!On Saturday, 23 August, the sensational chef will be hosting three very special sessions in the iconic Fe...Marco Pierre White Q&A Session with Ploughman's Lunch
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 23 August 2025
Marco Pierre White, renowned chef and restaurateur will be making his debut at Bolton Food and Drink Festival for our 20th anniversary!On Saturday, 23 August, the sensational chef will be hosting three very special sessions in the iconic Fe...
Afternoon Tea with Helen McGinn
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 24 August 2025
Join us in the Albert Bar and Caf? in the Albert Halls for a wonderful afternoon hosted by the drinks expert and international wine judge Helen McGinn! Helen will guide you through a unique experience featuring five beautiful wines and a de...Wine Tasting with Helen McGinn
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 24 August 2025
Join us in the Festival Hall in the Albert Halls for an unforgettable experience with drink experts and international wine judge Helen McGinn as she hosts a wine and cheese tasting extravaganza!Helen will guide you through five beautiful wi...James Martin Cookery Demo
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Monday 25 August 2025
Mr Food and Drink, James Martin returns to Bolton Food & Drink Festival for his 14th year to teach you some brand new recipes! James Martin made a great impact with his television debut in November '96 and has rarely been off screen since....Yen
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 3 - Saturday 13 September 2025
?There's a part of my body that's rotten and I want to cut it out?A run down flat littered with porn, rubbish and the faint smell of sweat in the air. Bobby and Hench are playing PlayStation, masturbating and smoking. Their dog, Taliban, is...Private Lives
The Theatre
Thursday 4 - Saturday 27 September 2025
LOVE AND CHAOS COLLIDE IN NOEL COWARD'S TIMELESS COMEDY Amanda and Elyot are charming, rich, utterly reckless - and divorced. When they meet unexpectedly on the first night of their honeymoons with new partners, in the balmy moonlight of th...Shaparak Khorsandi
The Theatre
Sunday 21 September 2025
 One of Britain's most beloved and most scatterbrained stand-ups lets you back into her mind! Shaparak Khorsandi is here to walk you through her life as a Scatterbrain... Having reassessed her life through the prism of an ADHD diagnosis,...Theatre Club: Private Lives
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 27 September 2025
Theatre Club is a chance to chat about Octagon productions in a relaxed and informal discussion group. In our September meeting, we'll be discussing Private Lives. If you would like any further information please contact participation@octag...Su Pollard - Still Fully Charged
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Sunday 28 September 2025
Su Pollard: Still Fully Charged celebrates Su?s 50 years in show business in a one-woman variety show packed with fabulous songs, hilarious stories, and much-loved characters. In a flurry of costumes, props, and live musical accompaniment, ...King Arthur
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Tuesday 30 September - Saturday 4 October 2025
Award-winning funny men, Le Navet Bete, return to the stage with a a brand-new laugh-out-loud show for theatre. This hilarious retelling of the Arthurian legends, suitable for the whole family, will have audiences crying with laughter and b...WiFi Wars
The Studio
Saturday 4 October 2025
WiFi Wars returns with the live comedy game show where you all play along!Log in with your smartphone or tablet and compete in a range of games, puzzles and quizzes to win the show, and prizes! Hosted by comedian Steve McNeil (team captain ...Snake in the Grass
The Theatre
Thursday 9 - Saturday 25 October 2025
A darkly comic thriller about family, secrets and manipulation. Annabel returns home after the death of her cruel father. Reunited with her sister Miriam, the siblings bicker as buried truths resurface. Tensions grow when his former nurse ...Theatre Club: Snake in the Grass
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Saturday 25 October 2025
Theatre Club is a chance to chat about Octagon productions in a relaxed and informal discussion group. In our October meeting, we'll be discussing Snake in the Grass. If you would like any further information please contact participation@oc...James Phelan - The Man Who Was Magic
The Theatre
Sunday 26 October 2025
Dare to believe in magic and step into a world where the impossible comes alive! Star of The Greatest Magician, and the BBC's most broadcast magician of the last decade - the award-winning James Phelan - is back with a completely new breath...Black Tie Ball
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 29 October - Saturday 1 November 2025
It's the glitziest night of the year, and everyone wants to be there, from the great to the good. The Bentleys are parked, the Jazz band has arrived, and the magician is magic, so pick up your invite for this fundraising frenzy. But behind ...1985 Black Ball Final 40th Anniversary
The Theatre
Sunday 2 November 2025
Come and join Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor as they recreate the match that gripped a nation - the 1985 World Snooker Final. A record-breaking 18.5m TV viewers stayed up to watch the legendary match and this is your chance to see the r...
A Christmas Carol
The Theatre
Thursday 13 November 2025 - Saturday 10 January 2026
A joyful stage adaptation of the festive classic Whilst Christmas cheer and goodwill thrive across Victorian England, tight-fisted Ebenezer Scrooge goes to bed on Christmas Eve with no compassion or love in his heart. However, that night he...Mrs Claus Saves Christmas
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 10 - Wednesday 24 December 2025
Step into Mrs Claus' kitchen for a festive bake-off like no other! As she prepares holiday treats, things spiral into a recipe-tangling disaster. With everything going wrong, she'll need help from the children in the audience! A fun-filled,...An Evening with Jeff Stelling
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Wednesday 25 February 2026
An Evening With The MAN OF FOOTBALL - Jeff Stelling. Live and in person, coming to us for an exclusive night of sports stories, banter, no-holds-barred insights and charity work updates. From the kind of football commentary straight to you,...The Rocket Man - A Celebration of Sir Elton John
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Thursday 26 February 2026
 Pack your bags, strap yourself in, for a night like no other and celebrate Sir Elton John with Jimmy Love. The Rocket Man is the world's favourite celebration to a musical icon, playing to audiences all around the world. So, catch a star...Reflections - The Musical Legacy of Diana Ross
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Friday 27 February 2026
Starring multi-award winning Tameka Jackson as Diana Ross with her world class band & backing vocalists under the direction of the renowned, Wendy Richardson? ?Reflections ~ The Musical Legacy of Diana Ross? takes you on a journey through s...Mark Simmons
The Theatre
Sunday 1 March 2026
 Winner of Dave's Funniest Joke of the Fringe Award 2024 and as Seen on Mock The Week, BT Sport and ITV, 'Master of one-liners' Mark Simmons had a groundbreaking 200+ date sell out debut tour lasting two years, spanning the UK, Ireland...How to get to the Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Octagon Theatre Frequently Asked Questions
Howell Croft South, Bolton, BL1 1SB
The nearest car park is the NCP Octagon located on Great Moor Street, BL1 1SN.
The nearest train station to the Octagon Theatre, Bolton is Bolton Station. It is approximately a 7 minute walk. Click here to view.
The capacity of the Octagon Theatre, Bolton is up to 390. Seating plans can be viewed upon booking tickets.
If you have lost your ticket for a show at The Octagon Theatre, please contact the Octagon Theatre directly so their team can assist you.
If you would like to buy a ticket in person from the Octagon Theatre Box Office, they are open Tues - Fri 11am - 5pm and Saturdays 11am - 3.30pm. On performance days, the box office stays open until the performance starts. Alternatively, you can see what's on and book online here.
When we know of a duration of a show, we add it to the description of the show on our event pages. For example, on our Wicked event page, after the description of the show we have added the duration of the show in large capital letters. If the time isn't listed, we do not have the information yet. We update our pages daily so it maybe a case of knowing closer to the performance itself, so keep checking.
Please click here for further information on Access at the Octagon Theatre, including contact details.
Whether you have positive or negative feedback you would like to feedback to the Octagon Theatre, please click here for ways to get in touch.
If you have lost an item during a visit to the Octagon Theatre, click here for ways to get in touch with the team, who will do their best to assist you.
There are plenty of great places to eat in Bolton, including the Octagon Kitchen & Bar situated in the Octagon venue for pre theatre dining.
Bolton has many bars, and the Octagon theatre has it's own pre theatre bars, so why not make a night of it there. Click here for further information.
Either use the map at the side of the FAQ section as it has all types of accomodation or click here for hotels in Bolton
If you need the Octagon Theatre team for more support, click here for ways to get in touch.
Please note that ManchesterTheatres.com isn't the venue itself. We promote what's on at the Octagon Theatre and all other venues in Manchester and the local region. Feel free to contact us if you need more help though and we'll do our best to support you.
Most Popular Shows and Events at Octagon Theatre, Bolton
