One of the best-loved musicals of all time is set to return to the stage in Manchester on its UK tour next year.
Two decades after the world premiere in Bristol, and subsequent record-breaking run of productions around the world ever since, it’s now been announced that Mary Poppins is set to fly back to Manchester next April.
Direct from the West End and stopping off in our city as part of a UK-wide tour, the classic multi award-winning musical will be landing on stage at the iconic Palace Theatre from 9 April – 17 May 2025.
Australian stars, Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers, are both set to reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert in the 2024/25 UK and Ireland tour, after having both received critical acclaim and nightly standing ovations for their performances in the recent Australian production.
Someone magical is RETURNING… ✨
Direct from the West End, #MaryPoppinsMusical will embark on 2024/2025 UK & Ireland Tour. ☂️
— Palace & Opera Mcr (@PalaceAndOpera) March 7, 2024
This award-winning West End musical comes from the legendary theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh, and the Disney Theatrical Group.
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In case you’re somehow unfamiliar with Mary Poppins, this production is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, and tells the beloved story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane.
The show is set to be “more magical than ever before”, and will feature dazzling choreography, incredible effects, and all the unforgettable songs we know and love.
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Award-winning classic musical Mary Poppins is returning to Manchester next year / Credit: Daniel Boud (via Supplied)
The production has original music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, with new songs and additional music and lyrics also featuring too.
The book comes from Julian Fellowes, dance and vocal arrangements are by George Stiles, co-choreography is by Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, sound design is by Paul Gatehouse, lighting is by Hugh Vanstone, and the set and costume designs are by Bob Crowley.
Mary Poppins will be live at the Palace Theatre Manchester from 9 April – 17 May 2025, and tickets are set to go on general sale next Monday (18 March) at 10am.
Legendary funk and soul act Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester
Danny Jones
In case you hadn’t heard already, iconic funk, soul, and R’n’B artist Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester after far too long away from our musical city for a massive arena gig later this year.
Coming back to 0161 ‘For One Night Only’, the award-winning US supergroup and industry giants are set to make their first appearance here in over 15 years.
With a rich back catalogue and a career spanning six decades, not to mention multiple genres including funk, soul, disco, jazz (how they first began as an ensemble) and more, it’s only fitting they be given the top billing at the one and only AO Arena.
After Manc fans have had to wait for long, this is sure to be a night of ‘Summertime Madness’.
Though they need no real introduction if you know your music history, specifically African-American and Black music culture, Kool and the Gang are arguably one of the most influential acts to ever make it.
Having performed together longer than other R’n’B outfit on the planet, stood as one of the most sampled artists of all time and released a staggering 34 studio albums to date, they’re nothing short of foundational.
While, sadly, there is only founding member Robert ‘Kool’ Bell left from the original lineup formed back in 1964, the various iterations of the surviving live band have captured that same effortless cool, charisma, and effortless control of a crowd on the road that made the OG Gang such a toue de force.
As well as touring with everyone from Elton John and the Dave Matthews Band to The Roots and even a 50-city tour alongside equally legendary rock group, Van Halen, they have no shortage of accolades to their name.
How does two Grammys, seven American Music Awards (AMAs), a BET Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine top ten hits in the pop charts, as well as 31 gold and platinum albums, strike you?
— Melodies & Masterpieces (@SVG__Collection) May 27, 2025
Best known for beloved tracks like ‘Celebration’, ‘Get Down On It’, ‘Cherish’ and ‘Jungle Boogie’, just to name a very small few (again, their discography is huge), you’ve most likely heard their songs or at least one of their serially sampled beats more times than its possible to count.
Yep, if there’s anyone that deserves the ‘icon’ moniker, it’s these lot.
Kool and the Gang come to the AO Arena in Manchester next month on Friday, 11 July and will have fellow British soul counterparts, The Real Thing, who looked to mirror their success throughout the ’70s, along for the ride.
General admission tickets are already on sale as we speak – you can grab yours HERE.
Pulp at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Britpop band Pulp is heading over to Manchester for a night of singing along right through to ‘Sunrise’ or until Co-op Live’s curfew.
Jarvis Cocker and co., known more famously as UK cult classic band Pulp, are heading on the road, stopping off at various arenas up and down the country.
Their latest discography addition, their comeback LP, More, just debuted on the UK’s Official Album Charts and in pole position, no less: a very impressive feat that makes that a total of three number ones in their career.
Their eighth album is remarkable in more ways than one, as not only has it become a talking point in the music world, it’s also the band’s first new release in 24 years – an absolute banger as well, by the way.
Cocker and his bandmates are no strangers to the North either, much like our friends over at The Sheff, the Pulp frontman and several members of the lineup, both past and present, are Steel City natives.
As Britpop lovers and fans of the band ourselves, we’re buzzing about their chart-topping return, but no way as proud as their home city.
Pulp gig guide – all the key info you need to know
Pulp’s last visit to Manchester took place at Castlefield Bowl when they played a show as part of the impressive summer music series, Sounds of the City. Fast forward to 2025, and now they’re taking on the region’s biggest indoor entertainment and live music arena.
Let’s all imagine this picture of Jarvis is him checking the road signs on his way to Manchester
Are there tickets left for Pulp at Co-op Live?
If you’re suffering from ‘The Fear’ of not getting your seat ahead of Pulp’s ‘You Deserve More’ tour, there are limited seats for the Co-op Live show in Manchester HERE.
Don’t wait around, though; these won’t be around for long.
And if you fancy feeling all special and setting yourself apart from the rest of the ‘Common People’ for once (not that the mixer isn’t still the best place to be), why not treat yourself to a luxury concert experience thanks to SeatUnique, where you have access to your own private lounge?
Pulp 2025 ‘You Deserve More’ tour setlist
Spike Island
Grown Ups
Slow Jam
Sorted for E’s & Wizz
Disco 2000
F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E
Tina
Farmers Market
This Is Hardcore
Sunrise
Something Changed
The Fear
O.U (Gone, Gone)
59 Lyndhurst Grove
Acrylic Afternoons
Do You Remember the First Time?
Mis-Shapes
Got to Have Love
Babies
Common People
A Sunset
What are the stage times for Pulp in Manchester?
Pulp are set to perform at Co-op Live, Manchester on 21 June.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning everyone can stay for the final ‘Slow Jam’ or two without worrying about getting home too late.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7:30pm, which gives you an hour to turn to your friend and ask, “‘Do You Remember the First Time’…we watched Pulp?”
Pulp x Co-op Live afterparty
If you’re not ready go home after the encore and you really do think ‘You Deserve More’, you can always cop yourself a ticket to the afterparty inside Co-op Live’s Backstage Club’ too.
With a DJ set to play indie favourites straight after the show and until late, the party doesn’t stop until you say it does. Tickets are available now.
We recently got to experience it ourselves on our last visit to the arena to watch the one and only Lionel Richie, and it certainly left an impression on us.
We didn’t meet him backstage, but he did call us his ‘cousins’…
How to get to the venue
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre, and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
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You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
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Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes via the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Emily Sergeant -
11th March 2024 
