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Northern Theatre News
October - Week 3
Anthony Cawood
October 14, 2025
October - Week 3
Welcome to Northern Theatre News!
This week sees the announcement of the winners of the UK Theatre Awards 2025, and it was a great night for northern venues - check the news section for more details - congrats to all the nominees and our winners!
Plus we have the usual mix of news, listings, offers, competitions and so much more in another jam packed edition.
I’d love to hear your feedback. So let me know what you’d like to see featured (or not!) in future editions of your newsletter.
Enjoy, and see you in the stalls!
News roundup
News just in on a couple of new appointments at National Theatre, hopefully this will lead to more work on tour in our venues.
A strong showing at the UK Theatre Awards for our northern venues including a double win for Chester’s Storyhouse and a pair for Sheffield Theatres too. Massive congrats! Storyhouse Chief Executive Annabel Turpin said today: "We're absolutely delighted Storyhouse has been recognised with the UK Theatre Award for Excellence in Inclusivity. Inclusivity is not an add-on for us; it's at the heart of everything we do. There were wins for Theatre By The Lake and Leeds Playhouse too. |  Chester’s Storyhouse winning the Award for Excellence in Inclusivity  Unicorn Theatre winning for Pig Heart Boy - co-produced with Children’s Theatre Partnership and Sheffield Theatres |
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I do love to see a venue open/re-open, so I was delighted when a subscriber sent me this piece for the newsletter!
In new show news…
A bold new reimagining of Virginia Woolf's masterpiece Mrs Dalloway is set to receive its world premiere at Storyhouse Chester next spring.
The unmissable production will be staged from 29 May to 6 June 2026 before embarking on a UK tour - tour details to follow.
Leeds Playhouse has today announced casting for the upcoming co-production of its magical new production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
A production by Leeds Playhouse, Shakespeare's Globe and Headlong with Bristol Old Vic.
It plays Shakespeare North Playhouse (3 - 7 Feb 2026), and Leeds Playhouse (14 - 28 Feb 2026)
The cast includes Hedydd Dylan as Hippolyta/Titania, Jack Humphrey in his professional debut as Quince/Egeus, Lou Jackson in his professional debut as Demetrius/Cobweb, Pria Kalsi as Flute/Child, Danny Kirrane as Bottom, Tiwa Lade as Hermia/Mustardseed, Michael Marcus as Theseus/Oberon, David Olaniregun as Lysander/Moth, Tara Tijani as Helena/Peaseblossom, and Sergo Vares as Puck.
Lastly I wanted to give a shout out to the Skipton Puppet Festival, running 16 - 19 Oct, with multiple shows and events for all, seeing War Horse earlier in the year reminded me of just how great puppetry can be!
Subscriber giveaway
£50 monthly prize giveaway
Every month we give away a £50 Theatre Token to one of our subscribers, usable at over 250 venues across the UK (including loads in the North). Just stay subscribed and you’ll be in the draw!
Last month’s winner is verb.man - check your inbox and get back to me please.
What’s on over the coming weeks
North East
Newcastle’s Live Theatre has Mother Courage and her Children 23 Oct - 1 Nov..
Newcastle’s Theatre Royal has the brand new adaptation of Miss Saigon 4 - 25 Oct, followed by the new STEPS musical Here & Now 28 Oct - 2 Nov.
Sunderland Empire has the always incredible Mary Poppins 1 - 25 Oct. The pic is from Mary’s recent visit to Beamish Museum!
Over at the Middlesbrough Theatre we have 42nd Street, 28th Oct - 1st Nov.
North West
Liverpool’s Playhouse has Lost Atoms 14 - 18 Oct. Check out our review from the York Theatre Royal performance. That’s followed by Breaking the Code 21 - 25 Oct.
Liverpool Empire has the side-splitting Book of Mormon 30 Sept - 18 Oct followed by English National Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty 23 - 25 Oct
Liverpool’s Royal Court has Derby Days, a brand new comedy that’s more than just a game, 12 Sept - 18 Oct.
Opera House Manchester has Inside No 9/Stage Fright 14 - 18 Oct.
Palace Theatre in Manchester has the amazing Kinks musical, Sunny Afternoon 11 - 18 Oct and then the classic Fiddler on the Roof 21 Oct - 1 Nov.
Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has Dancing at Lughnasa 10 Oct - 8 Nov
Home in Manchester has Going Out Out 16 Oct - 1 Nov
Still in Manchester, Hope Mill Theatre has a musical comedy treat! Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein 10 Oct - 30 Nov, scroll down for details of a 25% off ticket offer… and check out our Theatre Spotlight for an overview of this amazing venue which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year!
Over in Blackpool and the Grand Theatre has Noel & Gertie 15 - 18 Oct
Still in Blackpool, over at the Winter Gardens and we have a Cirque version of Wizard of Oz, 25 Oct - 1 Nov.
The Lowry, in Salford, has Black Power Desk arriving on 16 Oct for a limited run in the Quays. That’s followed by Myra’s Story, 20 - 22 Oct and then Black is the Colour of my Voice 23 - 25 Oct
Storyhouse in Chester has the classic Little Women 14 - 18 Oct.
Octagon Bolton has Ayckbourn’s classic Snake in the Grass 9 - 25 Oct.
Theatre by the Lake in Keswick has Black Tie Ball 21 - 24 Oct.
Yorkshire & Humberside
Leeds Grand Theatre has a range of Opera North shows on over the next few weeks.
Bradford’s St George’s Hall has the ever popular Calendar Girls 16 - 18 Oct.
Over at Bingley Little Theatre we have Agnes of God 20 - 25 Oct.
York Theatre Royal has The Signal-Man 16 - 28 Oct.
The Grand Opera House in York has the sell-out SIX 14 - 18 Oct
Also in York we have Party Piece written by award winning British playwright Richard Harris. This fast paced and comical play runs at the Theatre 41 28 Oct - 1 Nov. |  |
East Riding Theatre has Wolf Country, 28 Oct - 1 Nov.
Hull Truck Theatre has Black Tie Ball, 14 - 18 Oct.
Hull New Theatre has The Shawshank Redemption 21 - 25 Oct.
Sheffield’s Playhouse has Gwenda’s Garage set in Thatcher’s 80s Sheffield, running 15 - 25 Oct.
Continuing in Sheffield at the Lyceum we have The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 14 - 18 Oct, which is followed by Dear England 21 - 25 Oct.
Northern Theatre News reviews
When we’re lucky enough to be invited to press nights we add the review to the very next newsletter!
Here are the shows we’ve seen recently.
Excerpt - ‘I turned to my companion at the interval and half-jokingly asked “Can we skip the second half?“ I sensed the conclusion was going to break me.’
Ticket offers not to miss!
I’ll try and bring you any ticket deals and offers I can find… speaking of which!
Hope Mill Theatre have a deal running on Young Frankenstein. All you have to do is book before midnight on 18 October to get 25% off when you book two or more tickets, for performances between 10 - 19 October, just use code YF25 when booking. |  Use code YF25 when booking. |
Other News
We are rapidly approaching Halloween so I thought I’d take a look at some of the special events our northern venues are running over spooky season! If you know of any others let us know and we’ll include in a future edition!
Theatre competitions
They’re not all northern, but when they’re not they do involve a hotel stay too, good luck! All are free to enter and run by 3rd parties (not me!), and I will keep them in each newsletter whilst the entry date is still valid.
Theatre spotlight
I was listening to the ever excellent WhatsOnStage podcast at the weekend and they were interviewing William Whelton and Joseph Houston from Hope Mill Theatre… all the excuse I needed to pick their wonderful venue for this weeks spotlight! It’s their 10th anniversary year too!
Hope Mill TheatreAll images are credit Hope Mill Theatre unless stated otherwise.  Textile origins  Intimate auditorium  Restaurant and bar space  Studio space available for hire  Entrance  Amazing wedding venue  Joseph Houston - Artistic Director  William Whelton - Executive Director | Tucked away in a former cotton mill dating back to 1824, Hope Mill Theatre has quickly become one of Manchester’s cultural gems. It only opened its doors in November 2015, but walk inside and you’ll feel the history in its very walls. Hope Mill Theatre was the brainchild of two young theatre-makers, Joseph Houston and William Whelton, who left London’s theatre scene to build something special up north. So, ten years ago they threw caution and their bank balances to the wind and opened their own indie theatre in this converted mill, modeling it on the intimate Off-West End playhouses they loved. Audiences flocked to the mill for vibrant revivals and new musicals that you wouldn’t normally find outside London. By 2018 Hope Mill had already won Fringe Theatre of the Year at The Stage Awards, a remarkable feat for a venue of such intimate size - c145 seats dependent on configuration. Not too shabby for a brand new theatre tucked behind an old chimney! What really makes Hope Mill special is its fearless programming and community spirit. This is the place that staged cult musicals like Hair (on its 50th anniversary) and the stirring civil-rights musical Parade in an intimate setting, allowing audiences to experience these shows up-close and personal. It’s also where new works and UK premieres have found a nurturing home, from the transgender-positive musical The Regulars to an all-drag panto that had Manchester chattering. If not clear from above, Hope Mill is proudly LGBTQ+ led and you feel that welcome the moment you walk in. From its annual Turn On Fest to year round queer storytelling and open community projects, the team’s aim is a safe and inclusive home for artists and audiences. Despite its growing national profile, the theatre retains a warm, community feel. The front-of-house team greets you like an old friend (most are enthusiastic volunteers from the local community). The cosy Engine Room bar buzzes with audiences and artists mingling together at the interval, drinks in hand, sharing the collective excitement this space generates. Perhaps that’s why some couples even choose Hope Mill for their weddings! Yes, you can actually get married on stage here, and a handful of lucky couples do so every year. And if all that isn’t enough… they’ve just been accredited to offer an onsite BA Honours degree in Musical Theatre Performance next year. In just a decade, this humble theatre has proven that you don’t need a massive West End hall to create world-class theatre. With its bold programming, heartfelt artistic charm, and that distinctive old mill ambiance, Hope Mill Theatre has become a powerhouse of northern culture and creativity. |
Theatre index
I’ve collated an index of all the northern venues I could find, it’s broken down by region so you can find the ones nearest you.
Do let me know if I’ve missed any.
Courses & training
I’ve had a few reader requests to add theatre related courses/training to the newsletter, so when/if I find any I’ll feature them here.
Liverpool's Royal Court is looking for new voices to join its Stage Write programme, which works to develop writing skills and guide writers to developing a full-length script for the stage,
Meeting two evenings a month for nine months, the programme is completely free and is open to writers living or studying in Liverpool City Region. The deadline for applications is 5pm Monday 3 November.
If you know of any more just let me know and I’ll include them
That’s it for this week
I’d love to know what you think about this newsletter, what we could do to make it better, and what else you’d like to see.
Thanks for reading and subscribing and please do spread the word.
Thanks for reading and subscribing, and please spread the news.
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