11 Best Theatres in Manchester

The Royal Exchange Theatre is an award-winning culture and arts venue that showcases a wide variety of modern performance art. Located in central Manchester, it occupies a stunning building that's weathered The Blitz and bombings, set right on St Ann's Square.

Inside the Royal Exchange Theatre is arguably one of the most unique stages in the whole of England. It's a modern recreation of a Shakespearean arena theatre, where the seats swirl around a central stage, bringing the audience ever closer and upping the feeling of immersion. Here, the in-house troupe runs over 300 productions a year, with a mix of classics, modern American playwriting, and homegrown Manchester debuts.

The Lowry has been a staple of the Salford Quays culture district since it was first opened back in 2000 – by the Queen, no less. You can't miss the theatre itself, as it looms above the Manchester Ship Canal on the edge of Media City UK, a symphony of metallic cladding topped by a steel tower.

The Lowry has made its name by putting on shows with a philosophical edge to them, like productions of Orwell's Animal Farm or dance interpretations of Carmen the opera, for example. However, you'll also find the occasional West End name, like Les Misérables and other musicals.

The Stoller Hall is attached to the prestigious Chetham's School of Music, one of the leading music schools in the UK. The institution is also a famous name in the music industry all around the globe. You can look for both places on the north side of Manchester, close to the upcoming hipster hubs of NOMA and the Green Quarter.

The hall itself isn't old – it was only completed in 2016. Part of the construction process involved close partnerships with professional acoustics firms, to ensure audiences hear the purest sound possible in the auditorium. Today, the hall hosts performances by students at the school and travelling VIPs, with a focus on classical, world music, folk, and jazz.

Manchester Opera House reigns as one of the best-known places to watch a show in the city. It's situated on ever-busy Quay Street, right in the heart of the town, and has a grand Neo-Classical façade of colonnades to match its prestige.

The opera house has been going since way back in 1912, which puts it up there with the oldest theatres in Manchester. What's more, it's hosted a kaleidoscope of various performances, from classical ballet to vintage shows like the haunting Phantom of the Opera. Today, it's the go-to playhouse for your hit of West End musicals.

The Contact Theatre is all about putting young people and young art front and centre. Located on the south side of Manchester, the venue is a part of the University of Manchester campus – the building itself is sat on Brisbane Street, close to Oxford Road.

The idea here is that the whole arts programme is curated by people aged 13 to 30. As such, you can expect a range of shows that explore themes like coming of age, adulthood and gender politics. The Contact Theatre is also focused on nurturing young actors from Manchester, offering special programmes dedicated to artist development.

The Palace Theatre is one of the oldest and most prestigious playhouses in Manchester. It stands behind a beige-stone façade at the intersection of Whitworth Street and Oxford Street. But the outside isn't where the drama is. Go in and you'll be immersed in a stunning Neo-Classical auditorium with gold-leafed cherubim and velvet seat coverings.

The whole place has a capacity of under 2,000 people. That keeps the performances intimate and atmospheric. Talking of performances, the Palace Theatre hosts all sorts, from regular comedy club nights to Gaelic dance shows like Riverdance to major West End musical names like The Lion King.

Bridgewater Hall is a modern concert hall built in the early '90s that houses all types of music such as modern pop, classical and jazz, year-round. It's close to Deansgate train station and boasts over 250 concerts each year.

Aside from being the residential home of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, the hall is also the home of Manchester's Hallé youth choir and orchestra. The acoustics inside were exquisitely designed for these types of performances. It's hosted some rock and pop giants too, with names as big as Lou Reed, Dolly Parton and Van Morrison having graced the stage. Be sure to check their show agenda for upcoming acts.

The RNCM stands for the Royal Northern College of Music. It’s arguably the most stand-out music academy in this corner of the UK, with a history that goes back to the late 19^th century. Its alumni include acclaimed composer Peter Maxwell Davies and pianist John Ogdon. RNCM is near the Manchester Aquatics Centre, on the south side of the city, just a short detour off the A57 ring road.

Performances at the Royal Northern College of Music take place in a large central auditorium that has 3 tiers of seating, plus boxes. The performance line-up is varied, to say the least – think folk bands, jazz quartets and European electro all in the same week.

Manchester Academy is a massive concert venue on the campus of the University of Manchester, around a 10-minute drive from Manchester Piccadilly. It doesn't just offer 1 performance space, nor does it offer 2. In fact, there are whopping 4 individual stages at this student-favourite venue.

The quad of venues runs the gamut from the big – take Academy 1, with its 2,600 capacity – to the intimate – check out the Club Academy, which can hold just over 600 at once. That means there's scope for a real variety of shows, ranging from rock acts like AC/DC to thought-provoking philosophical monologues by fringe artists.

The Hope Mill Theatre is one for the culture buffs who like to tread off the beaten track and discover something a little more local. It's situated in the suburban areas of east Manchester, just off the Ashton Canal Tow Path. There, it occupies a striking, industrial-chic space in an aged depot.

The venue mainly stages cutting-edge, fringe-style shows, like 1-person dramas, slam poetry readings, and stand-up comedy. It's also much more than just a place to watch a performance because there's an on-site noir bar and restaurant that serves tasty wood-fired pizzas can cocktails.

The Factory was conceived back in 2014 as the permanent home for the biannual Manchester International Festival, a major summertime culture event that draws upwards of 250,000 people to the city. It's close to the buzzy shopping district of Spinningfields, down on Walter Street by the River Irwell.

The focus of The Factory is in championing the artistic output of the festival throughout the whole year. That means you can look forward to performance art and installation art from international creators that are working in conjunction with artists in Manchester. The real treat will be when the festival is on, though, which will see The Factory host major launch parties and lively events.