Category Royal Exchange

Don Warrington (Willy) and Maureen Beattie (Linda) in DEATH OF A SALESMAN. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Sarah Frankcom’s production of DEATH OF A SALESMAN is a multi-layered and fascinating reframing of an American classic

Following his critically acclaimed performance in KING LEAR, Don Warrington makes a welcome return to the Royal Exchange to take on Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play DEATH OF A SALESMAN.

Set in late 1940s America, DEATH OF A SALESMAN follows Willy Loman (Warringto...

Jade Anouka as Margaret of Anjou in QUEEN MARGARET. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Blending authentic Shakespearean text with newly crafted dialogue, Jeanie O’Hare’s QUEEN MARGARET is an ambitious and modern exploration of the War of the Roses

It’s been a long journey for Jeanie O’Hare to bring QUEEN MARGARET to the stage...

Kate Anthony (Anne) & Eve Robertson (Elaine) in QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE. Photo: Keith Pattison

Poignant, powerful and full of Northern wit, Maxine Peake’s QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE is a political piece of theatre full of heart

Following her recent performance as Winnie in Samuel Beckett’s HAPPY DAYS, Maxine Peake makes a welcome return to Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre with her new play QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE.

Set in Newton-Le-Willows in 1993, QUEENS OF THE COAL AGE tells the inspiring true...

Maxine Peake as Winnie in HAPPY DAYS at Royal Exchange Theatre. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Strange, surreal but surprisingly life-affirming, HAPPY DAYS is a challenging two-hander about love, life and relationships

Following the success of A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, THE SKRIKER and HAMLET, Maxine Peake reunites with Royal Exchange Artistic Director Sarah Frankcom to take on Samuel Beckett’s surreal masterpiece HAPPY DAYS.

Written by Beckett in 1961, HAPPY DAYS tells the story of Winnie and Wil...

FRANKENSTEIN at The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. Photo Credit: Johan Persson

Blending gothic horror with morality, Matthew Xia’s gripping adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN stays true to Mary Shelley’s classic tale

It’s been two hundred years since Mary Shelley penned the dark, gothic tale FRANKENSTEIN. Since 1818, Victor Frankenstein and his macabre monster has captivated audiences across the world with the Royal Exchange marking the landmark anniversary with a new stage adaption directed ...

Julie Hesmondhalgh and Norah Lopez Holden in THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES. Photo: Manuel Harlan

Powerful and thought-provoking, THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES is an impressive and striking debut by Kendall Feaver

It’s hard to believe that THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES is Kendall Feaver’s debut play. With its carefully crafted narrative, vividly drawn characters and emotional poignancy, this powerful and thought-provoking piece boasts the maturity of an established and experienced writer...

Ashley Zhangazha as Sky Masterson and the cast of GUYS AND DOLLS. Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan

Michael Buffong brings a unique twist to a timeless classic with GUYS AND DOLLS

Since GUYS AND DOLLS made its premiere on Broadway in 1950, the award-winning musical seen many revivals...

Toyah Wilcox stars in Chris Goode’s 40th anniversary production of JUBILEE

When Derek Jarman’s iconic film JUBILEE was released 1978, it captured punk at its dizzy height. Almost forty years later, Chris Goode remixes the wild and artistic piece for a new stage adaptation at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre.

JUBILEE takes us to a contemporary London squat where a time-travelling Elizabeth I (Toyah Willcox) observes the misadventures of a group of outcasts who make love and war in a lawl...

Shocking, gripping and thought-provoking, PARLIAMENT SQUARE is a powerful play about the fallout of political protest

It’s fair to say that playwright James Fritz is riding on a high. His debut play FOUR MINUTES TWELVE SECONDS was nominated for an Olivier Award before transferring to London’s West End and his follow-up play ROSS & RACHEL opened to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2015...

Uniquely redefined for the present day, Sarah Frankcom’s revival of Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN is hauntingly beautiful

It is said that Thornton Wilder’s 1938 drama OUR TOWN is performed at least once every night somewhere in the world. Hardly surprising when you consider the Pulitzer Prize-winning depiction of ordinary life remains Wilder’s greatest and best-known work as a playwright.

Set between 1901 and 1913, OUR TOWN tells the story of Emily and George, two unremarkable teenagers g...