With a chill in the air and darker nights ahead, we understand if the excitement for Christmas isn’t quite there yet. However, here to pull us from our Grinch-like cave and have us jingling all the way to Christmas Day are a host of shows and pantomimes taking place in Manchester. From family favourites to beautiful ballet performances, playful pantos to amazing adaptations, here’s our pick of the best shows to watch this Christmas in Manchester.
1. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Lowry
One for the big and little kids out there, the smash-hit production of childhood favourite We’re Going on a Bear Hunt comes to The Lowry for the Christmas season as part of its UK tour. From December 7 to January 7, Manc audiences can indulge in a stage play a bit different from your classic Christmas pantomime, with one of the most well-known shows to children, right here in Manchester.
Sally Cookson’s hugely inventive production set to Benji Bower’s lively musical score is a mischievous celebration of play, utilising everyday objects and materials to capture the imagination and propel audiences into the world of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s much-loved picture book. You can find tickets here.
2. Horrible Histories: Horrible Christmas
Horrible Histories proudly presents the terrific tale of Christmas at The Bridgewater Hall! When Christmas comes under threat from a jolly man dressed in red, it’s up to one young boy to save the day – but can he save Christmas? From Victorian villains to Medieval monks, Puritan parties to Tudor treats, join the wonderful cast on a hair-raising adventure through the history of Christmas in the company of Charles Dickens, Oliver Cromwell, King Henry VIII and St Nicholas, as they all join forces to save the festive season! Grab tickets here.
3. Cinderella, Contact Theatre
Lady Bushra and Misty Chance, two of the brightest stars in Manchester’s LGBTQ+ drag scene, take centre stage in this enchanting production from eight-freestyle this December. Get ready to be captivated by their charisma and creativity as Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters – Veruca and Hernia – as they bring their unique flair to the classic rags-to-riches tale.
Expect a fresh twist on the traditional storyline as Cinderella fights for her freedom from her cruel Stepsisters and their questionable fashion choices. Marvel at the inventions of Lord Stoneybroke, share laughs with Buttons, and help the Prince find true love, all set to an upbeat modern soundtrack of ballroom bangers mixed by DJ Dandini. The show stars eight-freestyle’s regular cast of all-singing, all-dancing performers, making it a treat for children of all ages – even the grown-up ones! Cinderella will be at Contact Theatre from Saturday 9 December – Sunday 31 December, and you can find tickets here.
4. Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, Waterside Sale
At the top of the world lives the Snow Queen who is supposed to control the weather. But the seasons aren’t behaving. The world is getting warmer. And it hasn’t snowed for years…. Lumi gazes up at the stars and worries about the world. The adults don’t seem to have noticed that the seasons aren’t behaving, or that it hasn’t snowed for years. This is an emergency!
So, it’s time to take the issue straight to the top (of the world) and find the Snow Queen she has heard so much about. On the long journey ahead she’ll meet a host of fabulous new friends – from an overworked elf, to a pompous polar bear – as she learns that small changes make a big difference. But first she is determined to make it snow! This vibrant musical re-telling of The Snow Queen is reimagined in an exciting adventure for the whole family, created sustainably in every possible way by Wrongsemble. The Snow Queen will be at Waterside Sale from Wednesday 29 November – Saturday 30 December, and you can find tickets for different incomes here.
5. Jack and the Beanstalk, Manchester Opera House
Comedy superstar Jason Manford is back by popular demand to lead the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk in the title role. He is joined by returning Manchester panto favourite Ben Nickless as Silly Simon, star of stage and screen Myra DuBois, and West-End performers Samara Casteallo and Emma Williams.
Doomed to sell his trusty cow, join Jack as he fights to outwit the evil giant, win riches beyond his wildest dreams and the hand of the girl he loves. Expect laughs, music, special effects, magic beans and bundles of audience participation in this giant of a pantomime! Follow Jack and climb a beanstalk of gigantic proportions to cloudland in the spectacular family panto, a classic of Christmas shows that we’re particularly happy to have here in Manchester this year. Jack and the Beanstalk is playing at Manchester Opera House from Saturday 2 – Sunday 31 December, and you can find tickets here.
6. Little Women, HOME
Published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women was an immediate critical and commercial success and is now one of the best loved novels of all time. By turns comic, dramatic, romantic, and tragic, the book was inspired by Alcott’s experiences growing up with her three sisters, and is the story of the March family: mother Marmee and her daughters, beautiful Meg, tomboy Jo, sensitive Beth, and spoilt Amy, as they struggle to survive in New England during the American Civil War.
Anne-Marie Casey’s adaptation of the classic story offers an exciting theatrical experience guaranteed to be a night (or afternoon) filled with laughter, tears, and a lifting of the spirits. One of the best Christmas shows with a difference, we’re so lucky to have a wonderful adaptation of this classic Christmas time novel in Manchester. Little Women will be playing at HOME Manchester from –
7. Swan Lake, The Bridgewater Hall
Varna International Ballet and Orchestra will return to the UK after a hugely successful debut in 2023, and this season they will bring much-loved classical ballet Swan Lake to Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall from 2 – 3 January 2024. Swan Lake will be a recreation of Tchaikovsky’s original production, that was created for the Bolshoi Ballet in 1877, the greatest romantic ballet of all time.
Brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score, Swan Lake boasts the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moon-lit lake where swans glide in perfect formation – this compelling tale of tragic romance has it all. From Odile, the temptress in black tulle as she seduces the Prince by spinning with captivating precision to the spellbound purity of the swan queen, Odette as she flutters with emotional intensity, the dual role of Odette/Odile is one of ballet’s most unmissable technical challenges. Find tickets here.