Manchester is a real hotspot for the arts, and generally none more so than theatre. With worldwide theatre productions choosing to debut right here in Manchester, our theatres are very important to us, and whether it’s the next musical blockbuster, or a small local production, we can’t get enough. Plenty of our theatres also have fascinating histories and heritage, so here’s a rundown of our best theatres here in Manchester, and a little bit about how they came about.
1. Manchester Palace Theatre
The Palace Theatre of Varieties opened on Whit Monday 1891 and cost its owners the then colossal sum of £40,500. In the late 1970s the Palace Theatre underwent a major refurbishment and re-opened in 1981 with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar and has since then retained its position as the premier provincial touring venue.
Funnily enough, when it opened in the early years of the twentieth century there was a problem getting an alcohol licence for the bars for a number of years and it was a dry variety theatre. In recent times, Manchester’s Palace Theatre has hosted everything from Hamilton and Kinky Boots, to annual pantos, and musical and comedy performances to suit every taste – the Palace Theatre is still one of the premier theatres in Manchester.
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📍 Manchester Palace Theatre, 97 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6FT.
2. Manchester Opera House
Originally The New Theatre, the Manchester Opera House opened on Boxing Day, 1912, going through several iterations, being renamed once before becoming the Opera House in 1920. It has also been used for different functions; as a cinema in WW2, then a bingo hall before reopening as a theatre again in 1984.
The impressive façade is continued inside, with gold-edged cornicing and grand-feeling design that takes the audience back to its heyday. Much like the Palace Theatre, Manchester Opera House is one of the main theatres in Manchester, hosting a variety of productions including the likes of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Rocky Horror Show, and the world premier of I Should Be So Lucky back in 2023.
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📍 Manchester Opera House, 3 Quay St, Manchester M3 3HP.
3. The Lowry, Salford
Named after beloved Manchester artist L.S. Lowry and located in the bustling MediaCity in Salford, The Lowry theatre has a highly sculptural form and is clad with stainless steel and glass, making it visible from a heck of a distance. The Lowry theatre was somewhat of a Millennium gift, being finished in April 2000, and has since been refurbished thanks to a multi-million pound Arts Council grant, keeping it ship shape and efficient.
The Lowry theatre has become the Greater Manchester home of Opera North, bringing work of the highest quality that excites, challenges and entertains – including new takes on The Magic Flute, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Flying Dutchman – to not only the people of northern England, but London and other European cities too. The Lowry is also often host to many family-friendly productions, making it a go-to for school holidays, and more offbeat shows that don’t often enter the city centre, including the likes of 2:22 – A Ghost Story, and Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera.
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📍 The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford, Manchester M50 3AZ.
4. Aviva Studios
Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International, is a landmark new cultural space for Manchester and the world – and the newest theatre space in Manchester. The multi-use space can adapt to host any kind of set-up — from intimate theatre shows and intricate exhibitions, to huge multimedia performances and warehouse-scale gigs fit for the greatest artists of our time.
Programmed and operated by Factory International, the organisation behind Manchester International Festival, Aviva Studios hosts a year-round programme of original productions and special events across all artforms, with mostly eccentric and experimental productions gracing the stage. The likes of WAKE, Where It Happened and Hamlet Hail to the Thief are all coming to Aviva Studios this spring/summer, all of which are definitely worth considering if you want something to ponder.
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📍 Aviva Studios, Water St, Manchester M3 4JQ.
5. Royal Exchange Theatre
On 20 July 1969, lunar landing module Eagle opened up onto the surface of the Moon. A few years later, on 15 September 1976, a different, rather larger module opened up on Manchester’s St Ann’s Square, making the Royal Exchange one of the more unique theatres in Manchester. The latter represented not quite so giant a leap, perhaps, but it was certainly a huge achievement and it’s come to have its own special cultural significance.
Needless to say, the Royal Exchange Theatre Company takes its name from the building that houses it. The present Exchange building isn’t the first, though. In fact, it’s the third. The original was built in 1729 in what was then known as ‘Market Place’, roughly the site of Manchester’s large Marks & Spencer store. At that time St Ann’s Square, round the corner, had only recently been developed beyond being a cornfield.
Having withstood the Industrial Revolution, uprising during the slave trade, and several wars, the Royal Exchange Theatre is a real beacon in Manchester, with its current in-the-round iteration being a beautifully unique theatre environment. The Royal Exchange is dedicated to entertaining and breath-taking theatre, and is proud to be a home for new writing and World Premieres, therefore hosting emerging productions and plenty of comedy.
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📍 Royal Exchange Theatre, Old Bank St, Manchester M2 7PE.
6. HOME
Built as part of the HOME arts complex, the HOME theatre produces, co-produces, commissions and presents theatre on the small and mid-scale. In a normal year there are over 250 performances on their stages with theatre, comedy, music, cabaret and dance presented across both spaces. HOME is constantly recruiting local and emerging talent, meaning the productions here are representative of the Manchester community and further, which is adopted amongst all the art forms it hosts.
HOME’s Theatre 1 space is at the same time both epic and intimate, whilst Theatre 2 is a flexible 130 seat space where artists and theatre-makers perform work that explores and questions contemporary society. HOME has hosted productions ranging from thought-provoking one-man shows to epic ensemble performances, and everything in between.
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📍 HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Pl, Manchester M15 4FN.
7. Contact Theatre
Inspiring creativity in young people and audiences since 1972, Contact is a charity, arts venue and theatre based in the heart of Manchester. Part of the University of Manchester, Contact Theatre provides opportunities across the organisation for those aged 13-30 to develop their skills and interests.
In this vein, productions are small scale, often interactive and inspiring, with experimental short runs being the bread and butter of Contact. This also means tickets tend to be relatively cheap, making it a great option for people wanting one of the more affordable theatres in Manchester, without skimping on quality.
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📍 Contact Theatre, The University of Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6JA.
8. Hope Mill Theatre
Hope Mill Theatre was the dream of couple Joseph Houston and William Whelton. After training and building a career in theatre and time spent living in London, they were inspired by the highly regarded Off West End Theatres and small producing venues which dominate the London theatre scene. Hope Mill Theatre officially opened its doors in November of 2015, and has become one of the most successful and reputable independent venues in England – winning Fringe Venue of The Year at The Stage awards in 2018.
Since then, Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats has staged plenty of twists on classics and brand new creations, plus using the space to create shows to be staged at The Lowry, demonstrating the quality of the art being brought to life here.
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📍 Hope Mill Theatre, AWOL Studios, 113 Pollard St, Manchester M4 7JA.
9. The Edge, Chorlton
At the beating heart of Manchester suburb Chorlton-cum-Hardy, The Edge is housed in a former church building, offering somewhere for the arts community to come together. Since opening in 2011, this beautiful venue has entertained, captivated and enthralled audiences with some of the best small scale touring theatre in the country, alongside their own productions made by the wonderful in-house creatives.
Over the years they’ve worked with hundreds of fantastic actors and musicians; many are professional, some have learning disabilities, some have experience of homelessness, some are from the local community and all of them are brilliant. As theatre makers, the team delights in creating shows which reflect the world that we live in, even if they’re set on the moon – they’re honest, relevant and always full of hope. As leaders in participation, The Edge provides a range of exciting opportunities for people to be creative – you can act, sing, dance, play the ukulele, write, paint, draw or just be.
🎭 Find what’s on here.
📍 The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre, Manchester Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9JG.