February 27 to March 4
WHEN DARKNESS FALLS
This spooky ghost story which promises to leave viewers ‘cowering in [their] seat’ is inspired by true events and asks the question: what, exactly, are ghosts?
thelowry.com
March 2 to 4
SWAN LAKE
Birmingham Royal Ballet returns to The Lowry with Sir Peter Wright and Galina Samsova’s greatest love story Swan Lake, performed to Tchaikovsky’s beautiful live music.
thelowry.com
March 2 to 4
DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY
A light-hearted show which brings all of the usual chaos from Linus Karp to Manchester’s The Brewers, featuring everything from drag, puppetry and queer joy to multimedia and audience interaction in an untrue tale of Princess Diana’s life.
linktr.ee/untruediana
March 3 to 25
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (MORE OR LESS)
Prescot’s Shakespeare North Playhouse presents Shakespeare’s most bonkers farce with mistaken identity, theatrical chaos and belting musical numbers in the era of big phones and even bigger shoulder pads.
shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk
March 8 to April 1
LADIES DAY
This hugely popular Northern comedy tells Amanda Whittington’s hilarious and heart-warming story of four women who bet on friendship as they head off for the day at the races.
octagonbolton.co.uk
March 10 to 19
MANCHESTER FILM FESTIVAL
The ninth edition of the festival will screen 140 films at the Odeon Great Northern, featuring six feature film world premieres, 17 feature film UK premieres and three sessions of north west shorts. The full line-up can be found online.
maniff.com
March 13
MY DEAR OLD THINGS – AN EVENING WITH HENRY BLOFELD
Retired sports journalist and broadcaster Henry Blofeld tells the wonderful stories of his life and career in this must-see for cricket connoisseurs.
octagonbolton.co.uk
March 15 to 25
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (1936)
Get up close and personal with HOME Manchester’s on-stage seating as Tracy-Ann Oberman leads an incredible cast as morals, prejudice and power collide in this fabulous retelling of one of Shakespeare’s best known and most controversial plays.
homemcr.org
March 16 to 19
DISNEY ON ICE: DISCOVER THE MAGIC
Promising its most adventurous journey so far with enchanting stories and exhilarating production numbers filled with figure-skating, acrobatics and stunts, Disney’s Discover the Magic takes families on a quest with Mickey Mouse into a world of imagination.
mandsbankarena.com
March 17
TIM KEY: MULBERRY
Performance poet and Alan Partridge star Tim Key is unleashing his hilarious new show, Mulberry – described as the greatest stand-up response to lockdown so far – into UK theatres in what he calls ‘a dream’.
epsteintheatre.co.uk
March 19
TWISTIN’ THE NIGHT AWAY
Si Cranstoun’s fabulous rock’n roll and rocking rhythm and blues show at Liverpool’s The Epstein Theatre carries on the tradition of the likes of Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke, promising a toe-tapping night to remember.
epsteintheatre.co.uk
March 21
TIM PEAKE: MY JOURNEY TO SPACE
European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake reveals the science, secrets and everyday wonders of what it is like to go into space, in this adventure at King George’s Hall as part of his first ever UK tour.
bwdvenues.com
March 21 to 25
TITANIC THE MUSICAL
This five-star, theatrical masterpiece docks at The Blackpool Grand Theatre for a production favourite based on the hopes, dreams and aspirations of the real people aboard the RMS Titanic in April 1912.
blackpoolgrand.co.uk
