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Northern Theatre News
October - Week 2
Anthony Cawood
October 08, 2025
October - Week 2
Welcome to Northern Theatre News!
This week saw us back at York Theatre Royal for the Frantic Assembly production of Lost Atoms - read our review - their 30th anniversary production.
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 the Mean Girls cast for the upcoming tour, as fetch as ever!
“Lorne Michaels, Crossroads Live and Sonia Friedman Productions are delighted to announce initial casting for the 2026/2027 UK and Ireland tour of the award-winning MEAN GIRLS THE MUSICAL. Emily Lane will star as Cady Heron, alongside Vivian Panka as Regina George, Sophie Pourret as Karen Smith, Georgie Buckland as Janis Sarkisian, Max Gill as Damian Hubbard, Karim Zeroual as Kevin Ganatra and Joshua Elmore as Mr Duvall.”
This production will be hitting northern venues including Bradford Alhambra, Blackpool Winter Gardens, Hull New Theatre, Liverpool Empire, Manchester Opera House, Newcastle Theatre Royal, and Sunderland Empire.
Tickets on sale NOW!
One of these weeks for tour announcements… next up is Waitress!
“Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live are delighted to announce that the smash hit romantic musical comedy WAITRESS will return to tour the UK and Ireland in 2026.”
Carrie Hope Fletcher will star at certain venues - denoted with an *
The tour will visit Blackpool Opera House, Bradford Alhambra*, Hull New Theatre, Liverpool Empire, Manchester Palace Theatre*, Salford Lowry, Sheffield Lyceum, Sunderland Empire.
Tickets on sale in most venues right now.
And finally another tour… The Choir of Man is on the road in 2026…
Cast still to be announced for the tour but dates and venues have been released with five northern venues announced so far. Chester Storyhouse, Manchester Opera House, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Sunderland Empire, York Grand Opera House.
Tickets on sale in most venues right now.
Did I say finally, I meant punultimately… as we have late news just in of another tour, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold!
Liverpool Playhouse, Newcastle Theatre Royal, Salford Lowry, Sheffield Lyceum, York Grand Opera House.
Tickets on sale soon!
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 next few weeks
North East
Newcastle’s Live Theatre has the harrowing Bad Lads, brand new and based on real testimonies from boys held in Medomsley Youth Detention Centre, runs 2 - 11 Oct, and with a post show discussion on 9 Oct.
Newcastle’s Theatre Royal has the brand new adaptation of Miss Saigon 4 - 25 Oct
Sunderland Empire has the always incredible Mary Poppins 1 - 25 Oct. The pic is from Mary’s recent visit to Beamish Museum!
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.
Liverpool’s Royal Court has Derby Days, a brand new comedy that’s more than just a game, 12 Sept - 18 Oct.
Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre has Shake It Up Baby running 26 Sept - 11 Oct. Read our review - quick, go see it before the run finishes!
Opera House Manchester has 13 Going On 30 - The Musical, based on the hit film and running 21 Sept - 12 Oct. That’s followed by Inside No 9/Stage Fright 14 - 18 Oct.
Palace Theatre in Manchester has the amazing Kinks musical, Sunny Afternoon 11 - 18 Oct
Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has Dancing at Lughnasa 10 Oct - 8 Nov
Home in Manchester has The Shawshank Redemption 7 - 11 Oct
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.
Over in Blackpool and the Grand Theatre has Noel & Gertie 15 - 18 Oct
The Lowry, in Salford, has Black Sabbath - The Ballet 8 - 11 Oct in the Lyric, and Far Gone in the Aldridge Studio 8 - 10 Oct. Black Power Desk arrives on 16 Oct for a limited run in the Quays.
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 Di, Viv and Rose 19 Sept - 11 Oct, followed by Godber’s classic Black Tie Ball 21 - 24 Oct.
Last chance to catch Silent Approach, based on police officer Rebecca House’s harrowing real-life experience of a drug-induced psychotic episode and psychiatric detention.
Oak Theatre, Scarisbrick - 11 Oct - Tickets
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.
Touring Bradford from 23 Sept - 16 Oct is Otherhood, a new play created for Bradford 2025 - UK City of Culture.
Over at Bingley Little Theatre we have Agnes of God 20 - 25 Oct.
York Theatre Royal has Lost Atoms from Frantic Assembly 7 - 11 Oct, read our review. Then, for spooky season, they have The Signal-Man 16 - 28 Oct.
The Grand Opera House in York has the sell-out SIX 14 - 18 Oct
Stephen Joseph Theatre has Earth Angel, the new play from Alan Ayckbourn, runs until 11 Oct.
East Riding Theatre has Beverly Does Broadway 7 - 11 Oct
Hull Truck Theatre has Pride & Prejudice 18 Sept - 11 Oct.
Hull New Theatre has The Shawshank Redemption 21 - 25 Oct.
Sheffield’s Playhouse has the twisted black-comedy Consumed, check out this insightful interview with the award winning playwright Karis Kelly - running 24 Sept - 11 Oct.
That’s followed by Gwenda’s Garage set in 80s Sheffield, running 15 - 25 Oct.
Continuing in Sheffield at the Lyceum we have the Austen classic Emma, 7 - 11 Oct. That’s followed by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 14 - 18 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.’
Excerpt - ‘I watched Shake It Up Baby! yesterday, and it fast became one of the best jukebox musicals I have seen in my life.’
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
As we were there to see Lost Atoms this week, we are also shining a light on York Theatre Royal, a repeat venue spotlight but one of our personal favourites.
York Theatre RoyalAll images are credit York Theatre Royal or NTN unless stated otherwise.  Beautiful venue exterior  Bathed in sunshine  Contemporary entrance  Stunning architecture  Mix of new and old  Amazing auditorium  Recent coup, Gary Oldman brought ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ earlier this year | Welcome to York Theatre Royal, a truly historic gem nestled in the heart of equally historic York. This theatre has been thrilling audiences since first raising its curtain in 1744. This makes it one of the oldest continuously operating theatres in the world, and the moment you walk in you sense that heritage in every nook and cranny of the place. The story begins with a bold idea. Back in 1734, actor Thomas Keregan opened York’s first permanent playhouse in a converted tennis court. It was a modest start, but York’s appetite for theatre outgrew that venue. By 1744, a brand new theatre opened on the present site, on land that had once been part of a medieval hospital. Parts of the old St Leonard’s Hospital are literally built into the theatre’s structure - there are medieval stone archways and even an old well under the stage that could date back as far as Roman times. How’s that for stage history? In 1769, manager Tate Wilkinson acquired a Royal Patent for £500 and with it a new name for the venue, Theatre Royal. Under Wilkinson’s leadership the theatre became a shining star on the provincial circuit - still is, attracting some of the finest actors of the day - still does, including the famous Kemble siblings and Sarah Siddons - or Gary Oldman more recently. In the 1960s the theatre boldly embraced the contemporary, with architect Patrick Gwynne designing a striking modernist front extension in 1967, all glass walls and sweeping concrete curves. The incredible foyer is one of York’s finest examples of modern architecture mixing medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern design under one roof. Thanks to a major refurbishment in 2016, the building also has the comforts of today, from a refreshed auditorium to improved accessibility, all while keeping its heritage charm intact. Now one of the UK’s leading producing theatres, what truly makes York Theatre Royal special is its people - staff, performers, and audiences. This theatre isn’t just an elegant old building, it is the comfortable living room of York’s theatre community. The annual panto is the stuff of local legend, led for 40 years by hometown hero Berwick Kaler, whose slapstick and ad-libs made it a beloved York tradition for generations. But the community connection runs deeper than just Yuletide cheer. During the pandemic the theatre turned outward, supporting its city in creative ways and taking productions onto the streets to serve communities that were temporarily unable to visit the theatre. Today its thriving youth theatre, outreach programmes, and welcome for local amateur companies sit proudly alongside the annual panto and visiting stars - a reminder that world-class talent and local voices can shine together in the glow of the same footlights. Steeped in history yet always evolving, it truly is the healthy pulse of York’s theatre scene – a place where heritage, imagination, and community come together, and everyone who walks in becomes a character in its ongoing story. |
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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