A huge circus tent will be installed onto the roof of Depot Mayfield in Manchester next month, when the world-leading cabaret La Clique comes to town.
The trailblazing show will visit the city for a limited six-week run, featuring the best circus and cabaret acts in the world.
A beautiful 1920s Spiegeltent is set to be installed onto the rooftop ready for La Clique’s launch from Thursday 25 May.
Presented by live entertainment company Underbelly, La Clique will be wowing audiences with its genre-defining cabaret show.
It’s toured across the globe, with runs in London’s Leicester Square, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, in New York, Singapore, Melbourne and Montreal.
ADVERTISEMENT
For its Manchester stint, performers will include tension strap artist LJ Marles, singer Chastity Belt, aerial contortion artist Miranda Menzies, comedy and stunt performer Sam Goodburn, and more artists to be announced very soon.
La Clique. Credit: Craig Sugden
The spectacular Spiegeltent is a type of travelling entertainment venue, otherwise known as a ‘mirror tent’, built in Belgium in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Inside, there’s a central circular stage with multiple seating options, including private booths for up to eight adults, each table coming with a bottle of prosecco.
ADVERTISEMENT
There’ll be a beautiful outdoor bar and local street food traders beside the Spiegeltent ready for La Clique’s run in May and June.
Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood, Co-Directors of Underbelly, said: “We’re beyond thrilled to finally bring Underbelly to Manchester this Summer, and we can’t think of a show more perfect than La Clique.
“La Clique is all about audiences having the most incredible time in the majestic Spiegeltent, being entertained by the world’s best circus, cabaret and comedy performers – your jaw will be on the floor one minute, and your stomach in pains from laughing the next.
“Surrounding the Spiegeltent, we’re bringing our famous Underbelly pop-up flair, taking over the incredible rooftop of Depot Mayfield with a beautiful outdoor bar and delicious street food. Join us for the event of the Summer, we promise it won’t disappoint.”
David Bates, Creative Director and Originating Producer of La Clique, said: “La Clique has been described as: ‘Over the Head, Under the Skin and Below the Belt…’ – it is the original circus cabaret that has taken the world by storm from Paris to New York, and everywhere in between.
“It’s sexy, it’s funny, it’s dangerous… Manchester, strap yourself in, it’s your turn now to feel the thrill and we couldn’t be more excited!”
Laura Percy, Development Director for Mayfield, said: “Manchester’s cultural credentials are second to none and we are thrilled and excited to welcome the pioneering and eclectic brilliance of La Clique to Mayfield this summer.
“At Mayfield we’ve re-imagined the iconic Depot as an ever-evolving and atmospheric cultural space fit for world- class artists like La Clique. Huge credit to our partners at Broadwick for their passion and creativity in bringing outstanding new shows like this here.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Natalie Lea, Head of Venue, Depot Mayfield, said: “We are delighted to be hosting La Clique at Depot Mayfield this Summer which will showcase the world’s best circus and cabaret acts.
“We are so proud to be enhancing our leisure offering and bringing the Spiegeltent venue, an original mirror tent that will illuminate La Clique’s dazzling performances, to the Depot Mayfield rooftop. We cannot wait to welcome you to Manchester this Summer.”
La Clique runs every evening from Tuesday to Sunday (from Thursday 25 May), starting times vary between 7pm and 9.45pm. Running time for the show is 100 minutes including an interval.
To celebrate its opening, La Clique is offering limited early bird tickets for the first two weeks where stalls tickets are reduced to £25 per person. Tickets are automatically discounted via the website.
A local Manc content creator is looking to set a world record by running around Old Trafford
Danny Jones
A local content creator, who specialises in running/hiking content (and sandwiches), is looking to raise money and potentially set a world record by jogging around Old Trafford.
Oh, and by jogging, we mean running – for a really, REALLY long time…
If you’ve never come across his channel before, let us introduce you to local influencer and videographer Sam Matthew, a.k.a. ‘Peaks and Pubs‘.
Boasting plenty of fans on both Instagram and TikTok within the world of trail running, the outdoors community and beyond, he’s set to toastreaching a very specific achievement by “turning a milestone into a mission” and doing laps around Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United Football Club.
As explained in the video, he’s now surpassed 74,310 followers, i.e. the same capacity of supporters you can fit inside the Theatre of Dreams itself.
We know, it’s distance running and feats of endurance aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they are a great way of raising money and awareness, not to mention possibly getting yourself in the official Guinness Book of World Records.
Explaining the challenge in the caption of the video, Sam writes: “There’s now enough of you lot following this daft account of mine on here to fill a stadium I’ve adored since I was a little boy. And that genuinely means so much to me.
“So why not celebrate the occasion by punishing my legs and raising money for good causes along the way? Donations are, of course, the aim, but I understand that not everybody is in the position to do that, so any engagement on this post is hugely appreciated.
“I mean it from the bottom of my heart that you lot genuinely make this all happen for me, and I couldn’t be more grateful that I get to do silly stuff like this on a random Wednesday [29 October]. Giving off pure ‘your unemployed friend on a Wednesday’ vibes, but I love it!”
Raising money for the club’s in-house Manchester United Foundation, which has already shown its support for the upcoming ultra-marathon distance event, they are also looking to generate crucial funds with the return of another annual charity event too.
The Foundation does some incredible work all year-round, if you’d rather swap running around Old Trafford for sleeping.
Once again, Sam will be kicking off the serious step-count from approximately 9am this Wednesday (28 Oct), he’s estimating it’ll take him around a whopping nine and a half hours, “with plenty of breaks for food and fluids”, thank god.
As the man behind most of the Bada Bing videos, we expect plenty of butties to fuel the running.
Furthermore, although he’s set to take on the distance solo for the morning, he’s invited as many people who fancy getting involved to come and join him for a lap or two from 12 noon onwards; hopefully, he’ll see the Guinness people popping along to see if he registers a world record while he’s at it, too.
We hope there are a few pints at the pub waiting for you at the end, as always, Sam.
Featured Images — Peaks and Pubs (supplied)/The Manc Group
What's On
A live Shaun the Sheep stage show and circus is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Brace yourselves, because one of the best fun-for-all-ages events is coming to Manchester: the official Shaun the Sheep stage and circus show is coming to Factory International.
This isn’t just one to keep the children entertained; we already know plenty of big kids who grew up on Shaun, Shirley, and the rest of the sheep are already thinking about grabbing tickets.
Created by Nick Park, the same man responsible for Wallace and Gromit, this live stage production and incredibly practical circus show of the beloved British cartoon is already critically acclaimed.
Now set to make its full European debut right here in our city, Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show teams up with leading performance company Circa to bring the TV show to life this winter.
‘It’s gonna be un-BAAA-leivable’.
Conceived not only by the award-winning minds at Aardman Animation, but the experienced performers at Circa, this ‘in the flesh’ (and wool) interpretation of the slapstick CBBC classic will not only delight younger audiences, but bring plenty of energy to keep the adults entertained too.
Promising a “live circus performance, simultaneously blurring the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus for a visual spectacle packed with wit”, you can expect acrobatics and circus skills.
Stunts will include the likes of tumbling, juggling, aerial hoop, aerial silks, trapeze, Spanish web and Chinese pole, just to name a few.
And, of course, there’ll be plenty of Aardman’s signature heartwarming comedy in W&G, Chicken Run, Arthur Christmas, Flushed Away and more.
Naturally, all the usual suspects will be on show to: Shaun, Bitzer, The Farmer and the rest of the Flock – and yes, in case the trailer didn’t give it away, they are people who are not just dressed up as adorable real-life lambs but bouncing, flipping and flying all over the stage.
Coming to Aviva Studios this festive period, it’ll be taking place in The Hall: one of the venue’s largest and most dynamic rooms, with the state-of-the-art building famously able to alter the size of individual stages and spaces depending on the event.
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Factory International, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Circa and Aardman to present the European premiere of this fun-filled show at our home in Aviva Studios.
“Circa presents award-winning circus performances to audiences across the globe, and their collaboration with Aardman Studios creates a unique offering for families, circus fans and everyone who loves Shaun the Sheep“
Running from Tuesday, 11 December 2025 until Sunday, 4 January 2026, they’ve also ensured affordable admission from just £10; you can grab your tickets now.
Daisy Jackson -
14th April 2023 
