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Northern Theatre News
January 2026 - Week 3
Anthony Cawood
January 13, 2026
In partnership with
January 2026 - Week 3
Welcome to Northern Theatre News!
We’re well and truly into January now and the pantos and seasonal shows are dropping off the calendar in droves ;-(
Fortunately we have a ton of new shows hitting the schedules for you to get your theatre fix with - enjoy!
And as always we have the usual mix of news, listings, competitions and more. 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!
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!
The December winner will be announced next edition.
What’s on over the coming weeks
North East
Alnwick Playhouse have Aladdin 20 - 24 Jan.
Newcastle’s Theatre Royal has Aladdin 25 Nov - 18 Jan.
Whitley Bay Playhouse has moves from one panto to another with Robin Hood on 13 - 18 Jan.
Sunderland Empire has The Rocky Horror Show coming 19 - 24 Jan.
Up in Hexham at the Queen’s Hall Arts Centre they’ve followed their two seasonal shows with an extra one Hansel and Gretel running 15 - 17 Jan.
Arts Centre Washington have Beauty and the Beast 16 - 31 Jan
And over at the Empire Consett, we have Robin Hood 12 - 17 Jan.
North West
Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse has The Rock 'n' Roll Panto 2025: Jack and the Beanstalk 15 Nov - 17 Jan. Inspector Morse - House of Ghosts arrives 13 - 17 Jan.
Liverpool Empire has the timeless Mary Poppins 14 - 31 Jan.
Still in Liverpool and over at the Royal Court we have The Scouse Christmas Carol 7 Nov - 17 Jan - correction, it has been extended by an extra week, now runs to 24 Jan.
Over at The Atkinson in Southport we have Peter Pan 15 - 25 Jan.
Palace Theatre in Manchester has SIX 13 - 17 Jan, followed by The Bodyguard 19 - 31 Jan.
Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has Singin’ In The Rain 29 Nov - 18 Jan… hot off the press, this has been extended through to 25 Jan!
Home in Manchester has The Home We Made 28 - 31 Jan
Still in Manchester, Hope Mill Theatre has Noel Coward’s Private Lives 28 Jan - 8 Feb.
Over to Blackpool and the Grand Theatre has the very first performances of the touring version of The Constant Wife starring Kara Tointon 16 - 17 Jan followed by Murder at Midnight 28 - 31 Jan
The Lowry, in Salford has the amazing adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird 13 - 24 Jan - check out our review from Leeds dates.
Storyhouse in Chester has The Ghost of Graves End 21 - 24 Jan.
Over in Crewe, The Lyceum Theatre has Blood Brothers 20 -24 Jan
Octagon Bolton has The Memory of Water 29 Jan - 21 Feb.
Yorkshire & Humberside
Leeds Grand Theatre has Opera North’s The Marriage of Figaro 30 Jan - 20 Feb.
Leeds Playhouse have their amazing production of A Christmas Carol 20 Nov - 17 Jan, followed by Uncanny: Fear of the Dark 27 - 29 Jan.
Bradford’s Alhambra has Snow White 6 Dec - 18 Jan. Check out our review! and that’s followed by FRIENDS! The Musical Parody 27 - 31 Jan
Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield has Jack and the Beanstalk 10 - 17 Jan.
York Theatre Royal has The Constant Wife as it starts its UK tour 26 - 31 Jan.
The Grand Opera House in York has The Woman in Black 13 - 17 Jan followed by The Talented Mr Ripley 19 - 24 Jan.
Harrogate Theatre has Jack and the Beanstalk 26 Nov - 18 Jan.
Hull New Theatre has Miss Saigon 20 - 24 Jan, followed by The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical 28 Jan - 1 Feb
Rotherham Civic Theatre has The Incident Room 19 - 23 Jan.
Over in Sheffield at the Lyceum we have The Rocky Horror Show 12 - 17 Jan with Top Hat playing 20 - 24 Jan
The Playhouse has My Brother’s A Genius 28 Jan - 14 Feb.
The Crucible has Crown of Blood 2 - 7 Feb.
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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.
Ticket offers not to miss!
Not so much of a ticket offer this time, but an offer to get an additional theatre fix from home with Marquee TV. They have a ton of theatre, opera, concerts and ballet, and they are running a new offer where your first month is subscription is just £1.
Also with a Jan offer we have The Theatre Channel at just £1.99 a month for 6 months! (Before it reverts to £5.99 a month)
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
This week we are the Lyceum in Sheffield.
Sheffield LyceumAll images are credit Sheffield Theatres or Northern Theatre News.  Stunning external  At night  Incredible auditorium  Face on  Part of Sheffield Theatres group of venues  Incredible design  Circular corner | Sheffield’s Lyceum is one of those theatres that feels like it’s always been part of the city’s story. Tucked next to the Crucible in Tudor Square, it’s got that grand, late Victorian elegance that makes you straighten your back the moment you near it. The theatre is resplendent with plush red seats, golden swirls overhead, and a dome that looks like it belongs in a Wes Anderson film. But don’t be fooled by the glamour. This place has northern grit, or perhaps steel would be a better term here. Built in 1897, the Lyceum was designed by W.G.R. Sprague, yes, that Sprague, who stamped his name on West End venues like the Aldwych and the Gielgud. The Sheffield Lyceum is his only surviving theatre outside London, which makes it something of a northern rarity. It rose from the ashes, quite literally. A fire had destroyed the earlier City Theatre on the site, and the Lyceum was built atop its charred remains, rebuilt with flair and no shortage of ambition. Opening night was pure Sheffield swagger. The Carl Rosa Opera Company performed Carmen, there were cheers for the architect, and Sir Henry Irving (Victorian theatre royalty) sent a telegram of congratulations. Not bad for a city more famous at the time for metal than sopranos. In the early 20th century, everyone who was anyone took to the Lyceum stage. Touring opera companies, variety stars, and music hall giants. But the Lyceum’s most enduring legacy? Pantomime. From the 1930s through to the 1960s, the Lyceum was the place for a festive panto, often stretching into March. Picture glittering costumes, a chorus line of dancing dames, and snappy dialogue. It wasn’t Christmas in Sheffield until the Lyceum curtain rose. Like many old theatres, the Lyceum had a rough patch. By the late ’60s, audiences had dwindled, bingo had moved in, and there were whispers of demolition. Thankfully, the people of Sheffield weren’t having it. Locals rallied, the building was listed, and eventually it was rescued from the brink. A full restoration came in the late 1980s, and it was worth the wait. Every gilded detail was brought back to life, the stage was rebuilt, and the theatre reopened in 1990 to much fanfare and, crucially, the return of the beloved panto. Today, the Lyceum is the jewel in Sheffield Theatres’ crown. It hosts national tours, opera, drama, and of course the city’s big annual pantomime. You’d be hard pressed to find a theatre with more heart, history, or stamina. So next time you're in Sheffield, swing by. You might be coming for the show, but it's the theatre itself that'll leave you clapping. |
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.
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 spread the news.
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