WHAT'S ON AT WATERSIDE, MANCHESTER
What's On at Waterside, Manchester
Waterside Arts Centre is a thriving venue in the heart of sale, boasting a theatre, studios, art galleries, and workshops. It hosts touring theatre productions, comedy, exhibitions, dance, music, an audience with evenings, family shows, premieres, and numerous classes and opportunities for the local community.
Opening in 2004, Waterside is nestled alongside the Bridgewater Canal on the Waterside Plaza, making it a stunning location. This modern arts venue has a 350 seated theatre and is home to the Cosgrove Hall Films Archive exhibition where you can meet much loved children’s characters including Postman Pat, Danger Mouse, The BFG, Wind In The Willows, Chorlton 7 The Wheelies, and Count Duckula.
Productions, shows and events coming up include the family show The Bear, The Totally Improvised Pantomime, Su Pollard, Far From The Madding Crowd, and Clinton Baptiste. See what’s on at Waterside Arts below and book tickets online.
Waterside Arts Centre is a thriving venue in the heart of sale, boasting a theatre, studios, art galleries, and workshops. It hosts touring theatre productions, comedy, exhibitions, dance, music, an audience with evenings, family shows, premieres, and numerous classes and opportunities for the local community.
Opening in 2004, Waterside is nestled alongside the Bridgewater Canal on the Waterside Plaza, making it a stunning location. This modern arts venue has a 350 seated theatre and is home to the Cosgrove Hall Films Archive exhibition where you can meet much loved children’s characters including Postman Pat, Danger Mouse, The BFG, Wind In The Willows, Chorlton 7 The Wheelies, and Count Duckula.
Productions, shows and events coming up include the family show The Bear, The Totally Improvised Pantomime, Su Pollard, Far From The Madding Crowd, and Clinton Baptiste. See what’s on at Waterside Arts below and book tickets online.
Most Popular Shows and Events at Waterside, Manchester
What's On at Waterside, Manchester
The Bear
Robert Bolt Theatre
Friday 27 - Sunday 29 December 2024
Ever wondered what it would be like to sit on a polar bear's lap? Or ride on its back? Have you ever tried to give a bear a bath? Or clear up its poo?! Looking after a bear is exhausting stuff. One night when she's fast asleep, an enormous ...SALE NOMADS: PUSS IN BOOTS
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 10 - Sunday 19 January 2025
Book Now Cheer on our heroes and all their friends on this magical adventure? Follow the story of Puss In Boots as she helps our hero Harry, The Princess and Fairy Moonbeam take on the Evil Ogre Gri...Rotten
Robert Bolt Theatre
Saturday 18 January 2025
Hitchcock meets Lord of the Flies in this exciting new comedy-thriller by emerging writer Josie White. presented by Emmerson & Ward Productions. Three young, regional actresses: Saoirse, Coco and Sonia are struggling to survive in London. ...ComedySportz
The Chambers
Saturday 25 January - Saturday 22 February 2025
You've seen football. You've seen tennis. But have you seen Comedy as a sport? Then you don't want to miss this all ages, all action, all improvised competitive comedy show! Two teams battle it out for laughs with quick-witted gags, games, ...Who Is Your Mummy and Where Did She Go
The Chambers
Friday 31 January - Saturday 1 February 2025
Inspired by one of the artist's ancestors, Manchester's Company Four delve into Mary Ann Barker's story, which was kept hidden for generations. An autobiographical exploration of postpartum psychosis using the company's unique brand of mul...Creatives Brunch Club
Waterside, Manchester
Tuesday 4 February - Tuesday 8 April 2025
Book Now We?re delighted to be launching a pilot for artists and creatives to join us for a monthly brunch club. Expect a casual affair, with some delicious mid-morning treats to enjoy. We?ll hear f...Mark Thomas
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 8 February 2025
Jokes, rants, politics, play and the occasional sing song. If you don't know what he does ask your parents. In his time he has won awards (current total is now officially 'fuckloads'), forced a politician to resign, changed laws on tax and ...Groove Onto The Moon
Waterside, Manchester
Sunday 9 February 2025
EVENT INFORMATIONStrap in and prepare to blast off on a cosmic adventure like no other as you venture into the thrilling music experience of Groove Onto the Moon!In this fun sci-fi adventure, children aged 3 to 7 and their adventurous grown...Su Pollard
Waterside, Manchester
Tuesday 18 February 2025
A night of hilarious laughter, fabulous songs and wonderful stories. For 50 years the legendary Su Pollard has delighted audiences, starring in the nation's best-known TV shows and on stages around the globe in some of the world's most-l...FILM: The Secret Garden
Waterside, Manchester
Wednesday 19 February 2025
Book Now A young, recently-orphaned girl is sent to England after living in India all of her life. Once there, she begins to explore her new, seemingly-isolated surroundings, and its secrets. ACCESS...The Little Prince
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 21 February 2025
Through mesmerising puppetry and beautiful songs the boy who fell to earth teaches his friend the Aviator about love, life and real happiness. Has a sheep on a star eaten a rose?' If that sounds silly then you might be like the King and the...Jack and The Beanstalk
Robert Bolt Theatre
Saturday 22 February 2025
Fee Fi Fo Fum! This classic fairytale now gets the Lyngo Theatre treatment so expect lots of surprises and beautiful images as Patrick Lynch (from Cbeebies) tells the gripping story of Jack who sells his cow for 5 magic beans and finds hims...Best of Buzz Comedy (Mar 25)
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 1 March 2025
Book Now Waterside's legendary comedy night showcasing new and established talent. Mark James is a spectacular showman and renowned comedy juggler with a riot of hilarious improvised audience intera...Far From The Madding Crowd
Robert Bolt Theatre
Tuesday 4 March 2025
Thomas Hardy's masterpiece about love, class and gender roles is set against the rural landscape of Victorian England and is thrillingly brought to life in a new adaptation by the acclaimed Conn Artists Theatre Company, performed by an ense...Arthur Smith & Clare Ferguson Walker
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 7 March 2025
Book Now Two poets from different planets crash land onto stages making a poetic and comedic show greater than the sum of its parts....(never ask a lady the sum of her parts). Expect poems, puns, laughter and tales from the...Angelica Sprocket's Pockets
Robert Bolt Theatre
Sunday 9 March 2025
Based on the Quentin Blake children's book and filled with Folksy Theatre's touch of live music, puppetry, audience interaction and madness, this fun-filled show is the perfect treat for the whole family! Angelica Sprocket lives next door. ...Clinton Baptiste
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 14 March 2025
Hot on the heels of his fourth sell-out UK tour, the nation's favourite clairvoyant medium, from Peter Kay's 'Phoenix Nights', Clinton Baptiste is back with a new live show for 2026 and beyond! In a rudderless world, mankind needs an envoy ...Shaun Ryder
Waterside, Manchester
Sunday 16 March 2025
He's the wild man of rock who became a national treasure. Happy Mondays and Black Grape frontman Shaun Ryder is hitting the road for a new, spoken word tour. The star of more-TV-shows-than-anyone-has-a-right-to-feature-on - including Celeb...Harriet
Robert Bolt Theatre
Friday 21 March 2025
Sheffield singer Harriet Robert's sell-out show, Trying To Get The Feeling Again, sees her performing intimate interpretations of her favourite sounds of the 70s, including hits by The Carpenters, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Carole King,...Edy Hurst
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 21 March 2025
Book Now Grab your broom sticks and join Edy Hurst?s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself. Startling revelations about Edy?s ancestry have led him upon a pathway to convene wit...Romeo & Juliet
Waterside, Manchester
Wednesday 26 March 2025
Book NowLow Availability "Two households, both alike in dignity. In broken Belfast, where we lay our scene...? A brand-new adaption set on the streets of Northern Ireland?s capital in 1998 - the yea...That Knave Raleigh
Waterside, Manchester
Monday 31 March 2025
Book Now Following their five-star show, I, Elizabeth, the award-winning Dyad Productions (A Christmas Carol, Lady Susan, A Room of One?s Own, Christmas Gothic, Austen?s Women, Female Gothic) return to the Elizabethan era. ...Aled Jones - Full Circle
Waterside, Manchester
Thursday 3 April 2025
Book Now Prepare to hear Aled Jones as you?ve never heard him before. He was the boy treble who captivated the world with his angelic voice. Selling over seven million albums, Aled was the original, classical crossover star...The Totally Improvised Musical
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 4 April 2025
Every night is opening night as the team of top improvisers, create a completely unscripted comedy musical from your suggestions. A brand-new show from the award-winning team behind ComedySportz (Best Alternative Act - North West Comedy Awa...DirtBirds: Girls World Tour
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 4 April 2025
Book Now Ireland's Queens of Comedy are back with their brand new show ?Girls World Tour?. After their last sell out tour, which received standing ovations across Ireland and the UK, DirtBirds are b...FARA
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 5 April 2025
FARA brings together four leading musicians at the forefront of today's Scottish folk scene. Kristan Harvey, Jeana Leslie and Catriona Price's three fiddles combine with Rory Matheson's piano to produce a fiery sound rooted strongly in ...Best of Buzz Comedy (Apr 25)
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 5 April 2025
Book Now Waterside's legendary comedy night showcasing new and established talent. Duncan Oakley is always awesome and delivers a mix of musical mayhem, interspersed with daft parodies and silly dad...The Smartest Giant in Town
Waterside, Manchester
Wednesday 9 - Thursday 10 April 2025
George wishes he wasn't the scruffiest giant in town. So when he sees a new shop selling giant-sized clothes, he decides it's time for a new look: smart trousers, smart shirt, stripy tie, shiny shoes. Now he's the smartest giant in town . ....Hari Budha Magar: No Legs No Limits
Waterside, Manchester
Tuesday 22 April 2025
? Book Now We?ve made some changes to our Box Office system and things may look a little different. The great news is we have removed booking fees from all ticket purchases. ...Absolute Bowie
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 26 April 2025
There will only ever be one David Bowie, he was unique in every way and an inspiration to millions. Absolute Bowie continue to celebrate the life and music of the Starman with a spectacular show uniting Bowie fans across the UK. Absolute Bo...Best of Buzz Comedy (May 25)
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 10 May 2025
Book Now Waterside's legendary comedy night showcasing new and established talent. Ashley Frieze composes outstandingly geeky/intelligent topical songs loaded with sarcasm: he is is bold and playful...Home Service
Waterside, Manchester
Tuesday 20 May 2025
Book Now Home Service arrives at the Waterside with Bob Fox at the helm. Touring their new album, A Live Transmission, they blend tradition with pulsating folk rock and trenchant brass to create the unmistakable sound of Ho...ADHD Unmasked
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 23 May 2025
? Book Now We?ve made some changes to our Box Office system and things may look a little different. The great news is we have removed booking fees from all ticket purchases. ...The Detective Dog
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 24 - Sunday 25 May 2025
Tiny & Tall Productions, formerly Tessa Bide Productions, brings you Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie's well-loved story, The Detective Dog on stage for Deaf and hearing family audiences. Whether it's finding a lost shoe or discovering who ...Wille Edwards
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 24 May 2025
Book Now Wille Edwards is one Cornwall?s most successful exports an eclectic songwriter, and frontman of internationally acclaimed band Wille and the Bandits. He has toured with the likes of Deep Pu...John Hegley - An American in Luton
Waterside, Manchester
Friday 30 May 2025
Book Now Festival and radio regular John Hegley returns with a story of family, fantasy, love, loss - and the long unseen son's stamp album. A Caravaggio and a wry dry stone-waller are also thrown into the mixture. ...Breathe
Robert Bolt Theatre
Sunday 1 June 2025
Part gig, part puppet theatre and part live film, Breathe explores the inner workings of trees, beautifully realised with a combination of stunning puppetry, breathtakingly detailed sets, and groundbreaking live camerawork. Underscored th...Mike Peters (The Alarm)
Robert Bolt Theatre
Tuesday 3 June 2025
It's been a remarkable career. Mike Peters, frontman of The Alarm, created one of Britain's best-loved rock bands at the turn of the 1980s. He filled arenas, enjoyed hits with Sixty Eight Guns Spirit Of '76, and Absolute Reality, and opened...The Manfreds
Robert Bolt Theatre
Thursday 5 June 2025
The '60s group Manfred Mann is now considered, more than ever, one of the finest and most respected bands from that era. Their numerous hits were R&B based with an undercurrent of jazz - a very unusual but winning combination of playing sty...Best of Buzz Comedy (Jun 25)
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 7 June 2025
Book Now Waterside's legendary comedy night showcasing new and established talent. Lou Conran is naturally exuberant, she?s also warm, witty and dominates the stage: heckle her at your peril. Eddy B...Awake Arise - Lady Maisery and Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith
Robert Bolt Theatre
Monday 23 June 2025
Having bewitched audiences annually with their much-loved wintertime show, two of the most engaging and inventive acts on the English folk scene return with their hotly anticipated next alchemic collaboration: an essential incantation to th...Something About Lennon - The John Lennon Story
Robert Bolt Theatre
Thursday 26 June 2025
Imagine a show that tells the story of one of popular music's most iconic figures in a totally unique way. A tale of controversy, genius, politics and protest, Something About Lennon charts John's story from the breakup of The Beatles to h...Three Little Vikings
Robert Bolt Theatre
Sunday 29 June 2025
Wrongsemble present a family show all about cooperation, bravery, and getting your voice heard! Three brave little Viking girls save the day in this bold and funny adventure story for little rebels, by the creator of the New York Times Best...The Gigspanner Big Band & Raynor Winn - Saltlines
Robert Bolt Theatre
Sunday 13 July 2025
Taking audiences by storm from Land's End to the Scottish borders, Saltlines is an immersive Prose and Music collaboration between bestselling author Raynor Winn (The Salt Path) and The Gigspanner Big Band, a top tier lineup which features ...Jekyll & Hyde
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 6 September 2025
In a new and enthralling one-man stage adaptation of the classic tale of terror, acclaimed actor Jonathan Goodwin plays both Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde in this production from Don't Go Into The Cellar! Victorian theatre company. Journey...Best of Buzz Comedy (Sep 25)
Waterside, Manchester
Saturday 6 September 2025
Book Now Waterside's legendary comedy night showcasing new and established talent. Percy Savage is a rising star on the comedy circuit, this friendly funnyman from Kendal brings a bunch of effortles...Ed Patrick
Robert Bolt Theatre
Friday 12 September 2025
In "Catch Your Breath: The Secret Life of a Sleepless Anaesthetist", NHS anaesthetist, comedian and author (oooooh check him) Ed Patrick injects you with a gut-punch hilarious show about becoming a junior doctor, the NHS, the pitfalls of mo...The Stars Of Irish Country
Robert Bolt Theatre
Thursday 25 September 2025
Featuring the Queen of Country Music Philomena Begley who is celebrating 60 years in the music business and has had a glittering career that spans over 6 decades at the top, the accordion maestro and hugely popular Sean Wilson who makes ...Kerry Ellis
Robert Bolt Theatre
Friday 26 September 2025
Kerry Ellis is the Queen of the West End. From My Fair Lady to We Will Rock You, from Les Miserables to Wicked, in both the West End and on Broadway, she has starred in musical theatre's biggest roles, making shows her own and earning ...John Lydon - I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right
Waterside, Manchester
Thursday 16 October 2025
He's a legend and an icon, a revolutionary and an immortal. John Lydon - aka Johnny Rotten - changed the face of music and sparked a cultural revolution. The frontman and lyricist of the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd (PiL) caused a poli...Nik Kershaw: Musings & Lyrics
Waterside, Manchester
Sunday 9 November 2025
Book Now Nik Kershaw exploded onto the UK pop scene in 1984. A string of global hit singles including ?Wouldn?t it Be Good?, ?The Riddle? and ?I Won?t Let the Sun Go Down on Me? saw him languish for 62 weeks on the UK Singl...How to get to Waterside, Manchester
Waterside Frequently Asked Questions
1 Waterside Plaza, Sale, Manchester, M33 7ZF
The nearest carpark to Waterside Arts is Q Park Waterside.
Waterside ticket holders can claim a 20% discount by requesting a ticket upon entry to the car park and showing it to the Waterside box office.
Sale metrolink tram stop is just across the road.
The theatre capacity at Waterside is 350.
If you lose your tickets for seated events at Waterside, you can request replacements to be printed out for collection on the day of the performance (ID required upon collection). This service will be charged per ticket.
For further ticket information you can contact Waterside team for further information.
If you would like to buy a ticket in person from Waterside Box Office, they open Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm.
Alternatively, you can see what's on and book online here.
When we know of a duration of a show, we add it to the description of the show on our event pages. For example, on our Wicked event page, after the description of the show we have added the duration of the show in large capital letters. If the time isn't listed, we do not have the information yet. We update our pages daily so it maybe a case of knowing closer to the performance itself, so keep checking.
Please click here for more information on accessibility at Waterside Arts.
Whether you have positive or negative feedback you would like to feedback to Waterside, please click here for more contact information.
If you have lost an item during a visit to Waterside Arts, click here to contact the venue.
Waterside Arts Centre can welcome you to their Sup Bar & Coffee House.
There are also eateries at Watersale Plaza.
With loads of great places to eat in Manchester and decent pre-theatre menus, you should check out our Manchester Restaurant site here!
Sup Bar & Coffee House within Waterside arts is a great place for a re show drink.
There are also bars on Waterside Plaza.
Manchester is full of great bars and pubs and some decent ones close to the venue. check out our Manchester Bar site here!
Either use the map at the side of the FAQ section as it has all types of accomodation or click here for hotels in Manchester
You can also check out the recommended local accomodation by Waterside Arts.
If you need further information, you can contact the Waterside team directly.
Please note that ManchesterTheatres.com isn't the venue itself. We promote what's on at the Waterside and all other venues in Manchester and the local region. Feel free to contact us if you need more help though and we'll do our best to support you.
Most Popular Shows and Events at Waterside, Manchester
