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10 of the best theatre shows to see in Greater Manchester in 2023

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Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 29th December 2022

Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.

While the past couple of years amid and post-pandemic may have hit the theatre pretty hard, it’s a beloved industry that has now well and truly bounced-back – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions this year.

And 2023 is set to be absolutely no different.

The Greater Manchester theatre events calendar next year is already looking jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more.

Here’s our roundup of 10 of the best productions in Greater Manchester next year.

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Mamma Mia!

Opera House Manchester

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Tuesday 31 January – Saturday 11 February

Mamma Mia! / Credit: ATG Tickets

Mamma Mia! will be taking over the Opera House Manchester from Tuesday 31 January – Saturday 11 February.

Fancy grabbing tickets to see the world’s sunniest and most exhilarating smash-hit musical? Making a much-anticipated return to our city, fans of the popular films will know Mamma Mia! is set on a Greek island paradise, and cleverly tells a story of love, friendship, and identity through the timeless songs of Swedish pop group ABBA.

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Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother face to face with three men from her distant romantic past on the eve of a wedding they’ll never forget.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

The Lowry

Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 March

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Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby / Credit: The Lowry

Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby by Rambert Dance will be at The Lowry from Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 March.

Written and adapted for the stage by Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight, with choreography and direction from Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, this captivating show matches dazzling, athletic dance, and stunning dramatisation from the full Rambert Dance company.

The awe-inspiring performance will be accompanied by a live band, as well as specially-commissioned music by Roman GianArthur, and featuring iconic Peaky Blinders tracks from Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Radiohead, Anna Calvi, The Last Shadow Puppets, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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The Spongebob Musical

Opera House Manchester

Tuesday 16 May – Saturday 20 May

The Spongebob Musical / Credit: ATG Tickets

The SpongeBob Musical is coming to Opera House Manchester from Tuesday 16 May – Saturday 20 May 2023.

Written by Kyle Jarrow, conceived by Tina Landausees, and with additional music and lyrics by Jonathan Coulton and Tom Kitts, it sees the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, so SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world.

With lives hanging in the balance and all hope lost, a most unexpected hero rises up – optimism.

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The new “all-singing, all-dancing dynamic stage show” features a tidal wave of original songs by the world’s most iconic rock and pop artists – including Aerosmith, Cyndi Lauper, Sara Bareilles, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, and more.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Dirty Dancing

Palace Theatre Manchester

Tuesday 30 May – Saturday 3 June

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Dirty Dancing / Credit: ATG Tickets

Dirty Dancing returns to Palace Theatre Manchester with heart-pounding music, breathtaking emotion, and sensationally sexy dancing next year from Tuesday 30 May – Saturday 3 June.

Bringing the cult-classic film to life, and having already seen by millions across the globe, this worldwide smash-hit tells the classic story of Baby and Johnny – two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds, who come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.

The iconic story features the hit songs ‘Hungry Eyes‘, ‘Hey! Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me?’, and the heart-stopping ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, as well as an incredible cast of dancers.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Titanic The Musical

The Lowry

Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 July

Titanic The Musical / Credit: The Lowry

Titanic The Musical will be stopping off at The Lowry next year as part of its 10th anniversary UK tour from Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 July.

Based on real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world, the award-winning Titanic The Musical is described as being a “stunning and stirring production” focusing on the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of her passengers who each boarded the ship with stories and personal ambitions of their own.

All innocently unaware of the fate awaiting them, the third class immigrants dream of a better life in America, the second class imagine they too can join the lifestyles of the rich and famous, whilst the millionaire Barons of the first class anticipate legacies lasting forever.  

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You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Charlie and The Chocolate Factory – The Musical

Palace Theatre Manchester

Tuesday 11 – Sunday 30 July

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical / Credit: ATG Tickets

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical is taking over Palace Theatre Manchester next year from Tuesday 11 – Sunday 30 July.

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Based on the iconic story, this spectacular stage show follows the hit West End and Broadway productions to combine the memorable songs from the original 1970s motion picture – inlcuding ‘The Candy Man’ and ‘Pure Imagination’ – with all new numbers from the multi award-winning songwriters of Hairspray.

The weird and wonderful world of Roald Dahl is expected to “dazzle your senses” in its first ever tour of the UK and Ireland.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Winnie The Pooh

Opera House Manchester

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Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 July

Winnie the Pooh / Credit: ATG Tickets

The nostalgic magic of the Hundred Acre Wood is set to come to life on stage at Opera House Manchester from Monday 24 – Wednesday 26 July 2023.

Disney’s iconic Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, and of course, their best friends Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, and Owl (and don’t forget Tigger too) are all the stars of the show in this new beautifully-crafted musical stage adaptation that’s created by renowned family entertainment creator, Jonathan Rockefeller.

This fresh stage adaptation of a classic tale is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of the characters we all know and love, and features the Sherman Brothers’ classic Grammy Award-winning music, and along with further songs by original Winnie the Pooh author A.A. Milne.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

The Lowry

Thursday 7 – Sunday 17 September

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie / Credit: The Lowry

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is coming to The Lowry next year from Thursday 7 – Sunday 17 December.

Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, followed by a sold-out UK and Ireland Tour, and Amazon Studios award-winning film, the smash-hit and critically-acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is making a return in 2023.

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With an original score of catchy pop tunes that will “blow the roof of the theatre”, this sparking, coming-of-age musical will have everybody talking about Jamie for years to come.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Opera House Manchester

Saturday 9 – Sunday 31 December

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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Credit: ATG Tickets

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be coming to Opera House Manchester for the festive season from Saturday 9 – Sunday 31 December.

A beloved classic pantomime, the show will be spectacularly brought to life with an abundance of comedy, sensational song and dance numbers, fabulous costumes, and stunning scenery.

Then, if you throw in a magical mirror, the magnificent seven dwarfs, and plenty of audience participation, you have the perfect recipe to outwit the Wicked Queen and let love prevail in what is being described as a “glittering festive treat for all ages”.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Life of Pi

The Lowry

Tuesday 5 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024

Life of Pi / Credit: The Lowry

Closing out what has been an impressive 2023 theatre season, Life of Pi will be at The Lowry from Tuesday 5 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024.

Based on the global book phenomenon, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide, Life of Pi is the acclaimed and hugely-popular adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope. Jaw-dropping visuals, magic, and world-class puppetry all combine in a unique and breathtaking (The Times) theatrical event that critics say is “a wonder to behold”.

Winner of five Olivier Awards, this is your chance to see the West End spectacle on its first-ever UK tour next Christmas.

You can find out more and book tickets here.

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Featured Image – ATG Tickets

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Paddy McGuinness announces work-in-progress shows ahead of first stand-up tour in eight years

Danny Jones Danny Jones Paddy McGuiness work in progress show Bury tickets

Beloved British comic Paddy McGuinness is heading back out on his first live stand-up tour in eight years this year and has announced a new run of work-in-progress shows in preparation, including one right here in Greater Manchester.

McGuinness hasn’t been out on the live comedy circuit for the best part of a decade but announced his long-awaited return late last year, with the 50-year-old heading out on the road this October.

However, as he looks to get stage sharp shape ahead of his ‘Nearly There’ tour, Paddy has picked a pair of local North West venues for the WIP sets, with a trio of shows at The Met in Bury, as well as half a dozen over in Darwen, Lancashire.

Just like the tour itself, these are sure to go quickly.

The Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy star is playing nearly half a century of shows across the UK and Ireland from this fall onwards before closing out his tour in Dublin by April 2025.

His last tour, ‘Daddy McGuinness’ ran from 2015-16 and got pretty decent reviews across the board, with the focus largely revolving around his journey into parenthood, but his latest material is set to be quite the shift in tone.

Speaking ahead of the tour, the former Take Me Out and Top Gear host said: “It’s been eight years since my last tour and there’s lots of things to laugh about! I’m looking forward to getting back in front of a live audience, along with running the gauntlet of cancel culture, clickbait and fake news!”

Paddy also made a bit of a stir around these parts recently after he declared Bolton as still being part of Lancashire. No likey, no lighty on that one – sorry Paddy.

Paddy McGuinness admits he thinks Bolton is ‘still in Lancashire’ not Greater Manchester
It’s giving ‘No, Stockport is Cheshire’.

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But never mind all that, we’re glad to see him getting back to his roots. The Farnworth-born funny man was also recently given a permanent role on BBC Radio 2 after becoming a firm favourite amongst the listenership. He will now run the 11am-1pm slot on Sundays.

As for his tour, after his warm-up shows in Bury and Darwen, the household name will be heading to The Lowry in Salford in March next year, with other nearby shows in the likes of Blackburn and Blackpool.

Tickets for Paddy McGuinness’ work-in-progress dates go on sale Friday, 3 May at 10am.

You can grab yours HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images

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There’s a big listening party for Taylor Swift’s new album happening in Manchester this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant The Tortured Poets Department - a Taylor Swift listening party is happening this week in Manchester

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, popstars in the world right now will be releasing a brand-new album this Friday, and there’s a dedicated listening party happening in Manchester especially for the occasion.

Yes, we’re of course talking about Taylor Swift.

In case you aren’t a Swiftie, or you just generally weren’t aware, Taylor Swift announced back in early February that she would be unleashing her eleventh studio album, titled The Tortured Poets Department, on the world on 19 April.

Just like anything the 34-year-old singer-songwriter does, the surprise announcement of the new album – which is a follow-up to her 2022 critically-acclaimed and GRAMMY award-winning album, Midnights – pretty much broke the internet when it happened, and her dedicated fans have been counting down the days ever since.

Now, after months of eagerly waiting, the big day is finally happening this Friday, and in a bid to properly mark what a massive day it will be, one popular Manchester venue has decided to host a dedicated listening party, so that Swifties can unite under one roof and celebrate the special occasion together.

Fairfield Social Club (FSC) which has recently opened its doors in the heart of Manchester city centre, is inviting fans to “gather with your closest Swifties” and head on down to its Green Quarter venue this Friday for a night that’s “dedicated to Tay Tay and her legacy”.

Not only will you get to hear The Tortured Poets Department in full from start to finish surrounded by dozens of fellow fans, but there’ll also be a bunch of other Swift-themed activities too.

There’s a big Taylor Swift new album listening party happening in Manchester this week / Credit: FSC

These include a Taylor Swift pub quiz with questions to all about her life and groundbreaking career to test your knowledge, friendship bracelet-making sessions, and just the chance to share the love and swap stories with other Swifties.

If all of that didn’t sound brilliant enough as it is, there’s also set to be a selection of themed cocktails to sip whilst you spend time ruminating on what Taylor meant in the lyrics of her songs only released a few hours prior.

Oh, and the best bit? FSC promises there “won’t be a Scooter Braun in sight” on the night.

Read more:

The Tortured Poets Department Listening Party is taking over Fairfield Social Club this Friday 19 April from 7pm right through until 10pm – with tickets now on sale setting you back just £6 each, and already selling fast.

Grab tickets to the party here.

Featured Image – Flickr

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