Tickets to the most hotly-anticipated show on the Manchester theatre scene in recent memory officially go on sale today.
In case you missed it, it was announced to serious excitement among theatre fans at the end of last month that Hamilton – one of the most successful musicals of the 21st century – is heading out on its first-ever tour of the UK later this year.
The multi-award winning musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda has captivating and engaging audiences like no other for close to a decade, and has taken Broadway and the West End – and the world – by storm since it first hit the stage.
First premiering Off-Broadway back in February 2015, the Olivier, Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical production opened at the newly re-built and restored Victoria Palace Theatre in London in December 2017, where it continues to play to sell-out audiences, while also still drawing in record-breaking crowds on Broadway
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The smash-hit production has also transferred over to Toronto in Canada, as well as Australia, and Germany, with other international ventures also planned – but a UK tour is on the agenda first.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Hamilton 2023 UK Tour.
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What is Hamilton about?
Unfamiliar with the cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton? Well, to put it simply – “Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now.”
Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre – going on to become a musical that’s had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography, Hamilton has a book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.
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An original Broadway cast recording of the show also became a hit movie on Disney+ in 2020.
When does the UK tour start? And what cities is it heading to?
The Hamilton 2023 UK Tour starts on Saturday 11 November.
Although it’s being billed as a UK tour, the production is actually only heading to two cities – with Manchester being the first place it takes to the stage, before it heads on up to the Scottish capital of Edinburgh for a run at the Festival Theatre from Wednesday 28 February – Saturday 27 April 2024.
When is Hamilton playing in Manchester?
The Hamilton UK tour will open in Manchester on Saturday 11 November 2023 for a 15-week season until Saturday 24 February 2024.
When do tickets go on sale? And where can you buy them?
While tickets for ATG Theatrecard holders already went on sale last Friday 10 March at 10am, and other priority access sales have already been held, the question you’ve presumably all been looking for the answer to is when can you grab general sale tickets in Manchester.
General sale tickets for Hamilton at Manchester Palace Theatre officially go on sale this morning (Monday 13 March) at 10am.
You can get your hands on them exclusively from ATG Tickets here.
The Hamilton 2023 UK Tour will be at Manchester’s Palace Theatre for 15 weeks. / Credit: Manchester Palace Theatre
How much will tickets cost?
With shows happening six days a week, excluding Sundays, and two shows a day every Saturday and selected Wednesdays – including several captioned performances, and facilities catering for the deaf / or hard of hearing – tickets will be available in a range of prices.
Tickets for the cheapest seats in the venue start from just £13, or from £36 on opening night.
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What are the producers saying?
Hamilton producers Cameron Mackintosh and Jeffrey Seller are “excited” to be bringing the production to Manchester.
“Since the day the show opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London has embraced Hamilton with an enthusiasm we could never have imagined,” Jeffrey Seller explained.
“We are excited to embark on a UK tour and share this special musical with audiences in Manchester and Edinburgh first.”
The room where it happens is The Palace Theatre, Manchester!#HamiltonUKTour arrives November 2023 for 15 Weeks Only.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh added: “Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is indisputably the most brilliant, ground-breaking, contemporary musical of modern times. I feel extraordinarily fortunate that Lin and my friend Jeffrey Seller, the show’s original producer, have entrusted me with their wonderful musical in the UK and Ireland.
“The London production opened in 2017 at the Victoria Palace, a theatre I completely rebuilt to house Hamilton, where it continues to play and has proved to be as big a success as the Broadway original.
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“So, I am thrilled that it is time to put together a second British national touring company to bring this great show to our leading cities.”
General sale tickets are available from Monday 13 March at 10am / Credit: Danny Kaan (via Hamilton West End)
Find out more about the Hamilton 2023 UK Tour in Manchester here.
Featured Image – Hamilton West End
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World premiere of A Knight’s Tale The Musical to open in Manchester next year
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new stage adaptation of a beloved early 00s film is set to have its world premiere right here in Manchester.
That’s right – A Knight’s Tale has been turned into a comedy musical.
A Knight’s Tale may be one of Chaucer’s most well-known Canterbury Tales, but for most of us, we tend to be more familiar with Brian Helgeland’s iconic 2001 medieval action comedy film of the same name instead, which of course starred the late great Heath Ledger, alongside Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell, Mark Addy, and more.
And its the latter that has now been reimagined for modern day and turned into a brand-new comedy stage musical that will charge into Manchester early next year.
From the production team behind recent stage smash-hits including Disney’s Newsies, and 2:22 A Ghost Story, the brand-new A Knight’s Tale The Musical has been adapted for the stage by Irish comedy writer and actor Brona C Titley, directed by the award-winning Rachel Kavanaugh, and choreographed by Olivier Award-winning Matt Cole.
MANCHESTER: get ready for a Knight you won’t forget 💘
The brand-new comedy musical A KNIGHT’S TALE (based on the iconic 2001 film) is charging into @PalaceAndOpera for its WORLD PREMIERE from April 2025.
— A Knight’s Tale Musical (@ukknightstale) July 23, 2024
It’s gearing up to be a “rip-roaring tale of chivalry, jousting, heroes, and villains”.
Not only that, but just like the popular film, audiences in Manchester are being told to expect a “truly rockin’ soundtrack” that’s packed with chart-topping hits.
Unfamiliar with the premise of the cult-classic film? Ledger plays William Thatcher – a 14th century peasant squire who breaks all the rules when he passes himself off as a nobleman and takes the jousting world by storm. The only thing that stands between Will and his dream of becoming the World Champion of the most extreme of sports, however, is the bad boy of the sport Count Adhemar.
The two rivals then go lance to lance at the world finals, and it’s a pretty epic finale to say the least.
The world premiere of A Knight’s Tale The Musical is to open in Manchester next year / Credit: Columbia Pictures | Wikimedia Commons
Just like the film, A Knight’s Tale The Musical apparently “has it all”, so you’re invited to join Will Thatcher and his band of merry misfits for “a Knight like no other” when the show takes to the legendary Manchester Opera House stage next April.
“Over 20 years ago, I had the time of my life surrounded by a supreme cast and crew making a film we all fell in love with while we were joyfully making it,” commented Brian Helgeland ahead of the musical’s Manchester debut.
“Sitting at a recent read through of the stage version, I could feel that same joy and love emerging, and I am grateful for the new life they are creating and very eager to see it in all its fully staged glory.”
A Knight’s Tale The Musical will take to the Manchester Opera House stage on 11 April 2025, and run right through until 10 May 2025, and tickets go on general sale next Thursday 1 August at 10am – with members’ pre-sales running prior.
Stanleys announce landmark hometown gig at an iconic Wigan venue
Danny Jones
Wigan band Stanleys have just announced a landmark headline show back in their hometown at the legendary Monaco later this year.
One of the borough’s most iconic and longest-standing venues located over in the town of Hindley, The Monaco has hosted many a noteworthy name down the years, from Dusty Springfield and Lonnie Donegan back in the day, to The Lancashire Hotpots and local lads The Lathums more recently.
With live comedy, theatre, music and lots of other live entertainment (not least their regular Bongo’s Bingo events these days) contributing to the venue’s rich heritage, it’s arguably one of the most unsung venues in Greater Manchester.
Having been returned back to its original moniker in 2019 after being known as The Rose Club for a time, the rising indie stars are the latest act trying to put it back on the back by confirming one of their most momentous gigs to date.
Fresh off opening up for fellow Wigan native and Britpop veteran Richard Ashcroft during his highly-anticipated double bill of shows at Robin Park Arena this month, the fast-growing four-piece are now set to have their own homecoming moment at the much-loved art deco building.
Having already been on the road with the likes of The Libertines, Inspiral Carpets, The Lathums; Jamie Webster, The View and more, they’re coming back home a much bigger name than they left it.
From George Formby Senior and Junior to The Verve, Starsailor and The Lathums before them, they’re hoping to be the next gem to come out of Wigan, which Ashcroft himself recently said has long been overlooked.
With tunes like this coming out of the nearby town, we’d wager that’s finally starting to change:
Wigan outfit Stanleys released their latest EP, The Gallery, back in June.
The lads rock up to The Monaco on Friday, 29 November, with support acts still yet to be revealed.
We’ll make no secret of being big fans of the Stanleys and the material they’ve put out so far, having recently named them on our list of new Manchester bands we’ve been listening to just last month, so we’ll be first in line for this special hometown gig.
Tickets for the Stanleys’ headline show at The Monaco go on sale at 9am on Wednesday, 24 July – you can grab yours HERE.