One of the most successful musicals of the 21st century is heading out on its first-ever UK tour, and it’s stopping off in Manchester.
After taking Broadway and the West End – and the world – the multi-award winning musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda that has been captivating and engaging audiences like no other for close to a decade is about to head out on a tour of the UK for the first time ever later this year.
And Manchester’s Palace Theatre has been chosen as one of the lucky destinations.
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.
The smash-hit production is also still drawing in record-breaking crowds on Broadway, as well as on stage in Toronto, Australia, and Germany – with an international tour also planned.
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#HamiltonMusical will tour the UK for the very first time from November 2023.
Unfamiliar with the cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton?
Well, to put it simply – “Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now.”
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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.
An original Broadway cast recording of the show also became a hit movie on Disney+ in 2020.
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Smash-hit musical Hamilton to stop off in Manchester on first-ever UK tour / Credit: Hamilton West End
“Since the day the show opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London has embraced Hamilton with an enthusiasm we could never have imagined,” explained Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller.
“We are excited to embark on a UK tour and share this special musical with audiences in Manchester and Edinburgh first.”
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.
“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.”
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📣 MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT 📣
Coming to the greatest city in the world. #HamiltonUKTour arrives in MANCHESTER, November 2023 for 15 Weeks Only.
The Hamilton UK tour will open at Manchester Palace Theatre on Saturday 11 November 2023 for a 15-week season until Saturday 24 February 2024, before it heads off to the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from Wednesday 28 February – Saturday 27 April 2024.
You can sign-up for updates and access to priority tickets here.
Featured Image – Hamilton West End
Theatre
An ‘extraordinary’ new Live Aid musical is coming to Manchester on its UK tour
Emily Sergeant
An ‘extraordinary’ new musical based on Live Aid is coming to Manchester as part of an upcoming UK and Ireland tour.
Producers Jamie Wilson Productions say they’re ‘thrilled’ to announce that Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical will head out on a big UK and Ireland tour starting out in March 2027, and visiting loads of major cities along the way – including Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Nottingham, and plenty more.
The production take us back to 13 July 1985 – the day music united the world.
Live Aid was an unprecedented global music event that brought 1.5 billion people together, and they all have a story to tell about ‘the day rock ‘n’ roll changed the world’.
Now, more than 40 years on from that famous day, audiences in Manchester will get to discover the behind-the-scenes story of Live Aid in a whole new way, as Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical is the story behind the greatest gig in music history.
What makes Just For One Day special? Nostalgia, relevance to today and a message for the new generation 🤘 pic.twitter.com/wRBV4Ar1Hv
— Just For One Day | The Live Aid Musical (@liveaidmusical) June 9, 2025
With hit songs by Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Madonna, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, and more all featuring, these iconic artists made history at simultaneous charitable concerts in London and Philadelphia.
The musical is written by John O’Farrell and directed by Luke Sheppard, with musical supervision, arrangements and orchestration by Matthew Brind, choreography by Ebony Molina, and casting by Stuart Burt.
“Just For One Day brilliantly reimagines why Live Aid worked then and why the humanity of that day still matters now,” commented Bob Geldoff.
“I’m delighted that more of the UK and Ireland will finally get to see this extraordinary and compelling musical. The reaction the show gets continually surprises and amazes me, standing ovations and people come back time and again, introducing the Live Aid story to new generations.”
Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical will arrive at Manchester Opera House in May 2027.
Tickets went on general sale this morning (Wednesday 17 December) at 10am, and you can get your hands on them via ATG Tickets here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Theatre
Manchester Film Festival returns for 2026 and early bird passes are live NOW
Danny Jones
Cinephiles, prepare yourselves, because the Manchester Film Festival is back for 2026, and you can grab discounted early bird tickets right now.
Taking place over the course of 10 days next spring, the annual event will be spread across multiple much-loved cinemas and is a must-not miss if you’re a movie buff or just love going to the pictures.
Serving as a celebration of both international cinema and local filmmakers, highlighting a diverse range of films from both established and emerging talent, the Manchester Film Festival has been going for over a decade now, and 2026 is set to be the biggest yet.
You can see how last year went down below.
Having earned nods from both BAFTA and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), there’s already plenty of pedigree and excitement behind it, especially with the discounted early bird offers available.
You can see the prices of Manchester Film Festival (MFF) early bird passes here:
6 Film Pass – £36 (normally £45)
10 Film Pass – £52 (normally £65)
Full Festival Pass – £71.95 (normally £89.95)
As you can see in the clips from the 11th edition of MFF back in March 2025, the showcase featured everything from the indie up-and-comers to well-established famous faces.
For instance, standout showings included The Penguin Lessons, starring Steve Coogan, and Y2K, which featured Disney star and singer Rachel Zegler, as well as Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst.
As for the latest instalment, whether you’re most interested in the movie screenings themselves, the panels and Q&As, or just the taste of some red carpet glamour, there’s something for all film lovers.
MFF’s full programme is set to be announced in January, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this time.
This year, they’ve also had a Salford student design the official 2026 festival poster, as Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Charlie Cunliffe has shared his striking visuals.
Commenting on this continued collaboration with the further education institution, Festival Director Neil Jeram Croft said: “This is the third year we have worked with Pendleton Sixth Form design students, and once again the work they all put in was exceptional.
“It was really tough to choose a winner, but we felt that Charlie’s design really stood out with its simplicity and use of colour. We think it’s going to look fantastic all over Manchester this spring.”
As for the venues taking part in MCR Film Fest 2026, the likes of Aviva Studios, HOME, Odeon Great Northern, Flix at Treehouse Hotel, and CULTPLEX over in Cheetham Hill will be helping host.
Next year’s festival runs from 19-29 March and, once again, passes currently start at £36 – reduced from the standard cost of £45.
If you’re interested in trying it out this year, you can grab your tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
21st February 2023 
