NHS staff are to be given free tickets to the opening night of this year’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty at Manchester Opera House this Christmas.
As a thank you to healthcare staff for all their hard work during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic this year, the arts venue has announced NHS staff will be entitled to enter a ballot to win tickets for the first night of the pantomime.
The opening night for Sleeping Beauty is Saturday 12th December.
This year’s production – which has been created especially for Manchester Opera House in this unprecedented year – will be “a riotously funny, one-act celebration of pantomime” and it’s set to be packed full of comedy and laughter to allow audience members the opportunity to come safely together and enjoy the magic of the much-loved and unique art form this festive season.
Funding from The National Lottery has helped panto return to the Opera House Manchester this year.
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Sleeping Beauty stars Salford-born Jason Manford as Muddles, with comic legend Billy Pearce as King Billy, musical theatre leading lady Jodie Prenger as the Enchantress, and Eric Potts as the Queen in this year’s “unmissable family production”.
We're so proud to announce we are gifting all tickets to the opening night of our 2020 pantomime Sleeping Beauty to NHS workers and their families!
Announcing the well-deserved perk for NHS staff, Sheena Wrigley – Theatre Director at Manchester Palace and Opera House, said: “We are thrilled at the prospect of working with Qdos Pantomimes and reopening the historic Manchester Opera House with this festive family show.
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“It’s especially important that we can play our part in keeping one of the city’s great Christmas traditions alive after what has been an especially challenging time for communities in Greater Manchester.
“Our wonderful NHS staff can enter a ballot for free tickets for their families – our way of saying a huge ‘thank you’ for everything they’ve done this year.”
Opera House Manchester
Sleeping Beauty is running at the Opera House Manchester from 12th December 2020 – 3rd January 2021, with a relaxed performance on Thursday 31st December, and NHS workers will need to head to healthservicediscounts.com to register for the ballot between now and 29th November.
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Just type ATG/Sleeping Beauty/Opera House in the search bar, and winners will be notified by 7th December.
Ticket prices otherwise start from £13, and can be booked in bubbles of up to six.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Opera House Manchester’s capacity is being reduced by 50%, there’ll be staggered arrival times and one way systems in place, with sanitising stations placed around the venue, and deep cleaning taking place between every performance.
Trafford Centre announces HUGE summer festival with K-pop, West End, and country music stars
Emily Sergeant
Performances from K-pop, West End, and country music stars are on the lineup at the Trafford Centre this summer.
With the days getting lighter and the temperatures warming up, Trafford Centre has now announced that a whole new festival and events lineup is coming this summer, as Live@TC is set to transform the shopping centre’s outside space with a series of high-energy live shows and family-friendly entertainment.
Taking place in a supersized big top on the overflow car park (opposite John Lewis), Live@TC is aiming to offer ‘a fresh twist’ on traditional festival lineups – with acts including K-pop Superstars, performers from the West End, and country music stars.
The festival event – taking place across to weekends in June – promises a packed programme of amazing acts, fairground rides, face painting, a silent disco, character appearances, and so much more.
Let’s break down this lineup a little bit then – first up, K‑pop Superstars will bring the infectious energy of Korea’s biggest pop icons, paying tribute to global K‑pop heavyweights such as K‑pop Demon Hunters, BTS, and BLACKPINK.
Then, prepare to be dazzled by some of the biggest West End stars for a show‑stopping celebration of musical theatre, featuring unforgettable songs from Wicked, SIX, The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, and many more iconic productions.
Finally, it’s time to dust off your boots and shine up those belt buckles, as the one-day country extravaganza promises unforgettable live music from the hottest acts – including Nathan Carter, Kezia Gill, Twinnie, Janet Devlin, Harleymoon Kemp, and more.
Away from musical performances, you can also expect star-studded lineup of children’s TV stars, like Bluey, Bingo, and more, to make appearances, and Jurassic Earth – the UK’s original and best live dinosaur show – will also be stopping by, so you can meet a spectacular cast of jaw-droppingly-realistic dinosaurs and learn a thing or two while you’re at it.
The Trafford Centre has announced a HUGE summer festival with K-pop, West End, and country music stars performing / Credit: Supplied | Gary Lake
And as always, there’ll also be plenty of delicious food and drink options to choose from across the two weekends too.
Live@TC will take place from 13-14 and 20-21 June, with two live shows on 13, 14, and 20 June, and one mega show on 21 June.
Tickets are free for under twos, and £40 (+ booking fee) per person for general entry.
This includes live performances, fairground rides, face painting, character appearances, and much more to be announced. VIP tickets are also available for £80 (+ booking fee) per person and will include fast-track entry, private seating, waited service, and a private bar.
Find out more and get tickets here.
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 2 – 8 March 2026
Emily Sergeant
A new month is here, and we’re starting to see the first signs of spring popping up.
March is here, and as the days get lighter and the temperatures a little warmer, we’re really not short of exciting events and activities to be getting up to right across Greater Manchester this week – with everything from world-class theatre shows, family science festivals, and so much more happening this week.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 2 March – onwards
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos / Credit: Science Museum Group | BBC
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos has made its world premiere at the Science and Industry Museum, and is inviting visitors to explore our wondrous Solar System.
Fresh off-the-back of the new BBC Children’s and Education TV show, Horrible Science, the ‘thrilling’ new exhibition encouraging visitors to ‘do science the horrible way’, and join both scientists and supervillains to unveil the secrets of space.
The new exhibition propels families up into space where mystery, intrigue, and rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. You’ll get to venture through a series of cosmic zones, walk in the shoes of astronauts, explore the life-giving energy of the sun, marvel at mysterious moons, and discover far-off weird worlds.
Looking to escape the elements and have your mind boggled this spring? Sounds like a trip to Museum of Illusions is on the cards then.
It’s time to let your competitive side out – get ready to experience the city’s most unique attraction like never before. Race through the vortex, create the best mirror image, and complete the brain gym the fastest to win the dazzling trophy at the end.
Whether you’re team building with your work lot, or taking your mates for a bit of healthy competition, it’s a great one to have a go at.
Mean Girls The Musical has arrived in Manchester, kicking off its UK tour in our city and landing on the legendary Manchester Opera House stage last week.
Just like the film, the musical follows Regina, Gretchen, and Karen, otherwise known as ‘The Plastics’ of North Shore High, as they meet homeschooled new girl, Cady Heron, as finds out that high school is a whole new level of savage.
When Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a queen bee without getting stung.
Expect iconic characters, razor-sharp wit, and killer songs.
L.S. Lowry’s iconic masterpiece ‘Going to the Match’ is being brought to life right before your eyes in this brand-new exhibition now open at The Lowry.
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LOWRY 360 is an immersive experience forming part of the legendary The Lowry theatre’s 25th anniversary programme, and it means that, for the first time ever, you can see one of Manchester’s most famous paintings by, arguably, the city’s most famous artist come to life through sight and sound.
Better yet, after you’ve immersed yourself in this incredible experience, then you can then see the actual painting in the full gallery – Modern Life: The LS Lowry Exhibition.
Ski season is officially here, the Winter Olympics have well and truly entertained us, and people are jetting off to the slopes left, right, and centre. But if you’ve never been skiing before, and you’re heading on your first ski holiday, luckily you can learn the ropes here at Manchester’s very-own Snow Centre first.
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Over a two-hour beginner lesson here, you can learn everything from how to get your skis on, to snow ploughing… and even getting back up again after falling over.
Our Amy’s currently on her first-ever ski holiday this week, so we took her for her initial lesson👇
NEW OPENING – Le Coq Boutique / Credit: The Manc Group
Le Coq Boutique has just landed in the Northern Quarter, and it’s doing one thing and one thing properly.
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And that ‘thing’ is 24-hour brined, butter-basted roast chicken, cooked to perfection and finished with your choice of sauce.
Our personal favourite was the Buffalo, but there’s everything from chicken jus, to herby butter, and so much more to pick from. And then for sides, think crispy, fluffy hash browns topped with pecorino foam, labneh carrots. Divine.
And yes… you can wash it all down with chicken wine, because they’ve got bottles of the stuff. If you’re bored of basic roasts and dry chicken, then this is your upgrade.
A huge jacuzzi pool, sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and lounge pods – and all a five-minute walk from Manchester Victoria? Jayde Spa has just opened to the public for the first time, so you can quite literally float away from your daily grind.
There aren’t a whole lot of spa spaces in Manchester city centre, but this one is a real escape from the madness of town.
If you’re ready to relax, get yourself booked in here.
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Bubble Planet Experience
Depot Mayfield
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Monday 2 March – onwards
Manchester has welcomed a ‘dreamlike world’ filled with giant colourful bubbles, as Bubble Planet Experience is now open.
Bubble Planet Experience has already been visited by more than four million people in cities across the globe, but now it’s time for its first trip to Manchester, where it has now popped up inside Depot Mayfield, so visitors can explore 10 themed rooms, each one offering a different surreal landscape that will ‘blur the boundaries between dream and reality’.
Here we go again… one of the most iconic stage musicals of all time, Mamma Mia!, is coming back to Manchester this week, and it’s taking to the Manchester Palace Theatre stage for an extended stay throughout the month.
There’s absolutely no denying that Mamma Mia! has millions of fans right across the globe, after all, when you take all of ABBA’s greatest hits and put them into one all-singing all-dancing show, it’s no wonder it’s so popular.
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Going from the West End to becoming a global phenomenon, this irresistibly funny show has been thrilling audiences all around the world for more than two decades.
Find out more and get your last-minute tickets here.
Families are invited to enjoy a free fun-filled weekend full of different interactive and hands-on science activities, as FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre this weekend to mark the launch of British Science Week.
The weekend-long celebration is hosted by the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester.
You can expect robots, dinosaurs, experiments, and interactive activities to be brought to life for visitors of all ages, and for completely free of charge.
Emily Sergeant -
17th November 2020 
