What's On at 53two
TESTING TESTING
With Toby Hadoke
SUNDAY 31st MAY
Tickets £10 INCLUDING A £5 drinks voucher
PWYC Tickets Available
Free Carer Tix
NEW START TIME!!!
DOORS 4:30pm - SHOW 5:00pm
Presented by Toby Hadoke, top circuit comedians try out their new material in the arches of 53two. Who turns up, you never know but an evening of sheer quality is guaranteed.
WITH: Tony Kinsella, Eddie French, Devin Grey, Vix Leyton and Toby Hadoke.
Comedy at it's finest beneath the iconic brick arches of 53two.
Grab a Pizza and a pint before the show!
DOORS 4:30pm - SHOW 5:00pm
Testing, Testing is not quite like other gigs. We do things differently here. The acts have come for a safe, fun space to try their new stuff. They don’t need your “help” - so, thank goodness, you can leave your heckles at home. Also, the gig’s really good - so you don’t need your phone, and we ask you to respect your fellow audience members and the acts by taking any conversation you may wish to engage in outside. Toby’s an affable chap but he has zero tolerance for bad manners : comics like to do this show because he’s made it nice. Don’t be the one to make it not nice. Thank you!
53two are piloting their new ticketing platform - you will be directed to a different website! Please don't panic. If you have any feedback or queries on the platform, please do get in touch!
XS MALARKEY
Every Tuesday*
(Check dates to confirm)
Doors: 7:00pm - Show: 8:00pm
Tickets £6
(£3 for members - become a member!)
XS Malarkey is a not-for-profit comedy club, hosted every week by Toby Hadoke, and eagerly maintained by a group of minions who do his bidding on a regular basis.
Despite our low door price, we put on shows with professional comedians and rising stars of the comedy circuit, also giving newcomers a chance to practise their material in front of a supportive and quite frankly fantastic audience, many of whom are just as obsessed with comedy as we are. We feed our audience’s comedy obsession by running a membership scheme charging a ludicrously cheap £3 per ticket. We don’t do group discounts, because to be honest – we’re cheap enough already!
Myra DuBois LIVE
Multiple Dates
The siren from South Yorkshire, Ms Myra DuBois performs live at 53Two with support from "comedian" Frank Lavender.
Rotherham's own renaissance woman, venerated televised personality, energy worker, wellness facilitator, intellectual, and empath MYRA DUBOIS lands for one evening at Manchester's swinging 53two for an intimate evening of song and chat.
"Bust a gut funny" - Graham Norton
"Acid tongued, funny to the bone" - TimeOut London
"Myra DuBois is hilarious, if you don't believe me ASK HER" - Bianca Del Rio
DuBois is supported by last remaining straight man in show-biz, "comedian" FRANK LAVENDER.
"Not up to the job" - Chortle"
One Breath Before The End
20th May - 22nd May
7:30pm
£15 Not Inc. Booking Fee
"It's always been the end."
The sky's on fire and everything's falling apart.
Out of options, inseparable trio Ash, Oliver, and Kieron have retreated to their old childhood hangout to figure out what the plan is – or whether there's even one at all.
That’s until Phoebe turns up. Wanting to talk.
Wanting connection.
Wanting forgiveness.
As the hours tick down, old grudges are unearthed and tempers flare as the group struggle to come to terms with the decade-long fallout of an event that drove them apart. If all you had was a single night, do you think you could make things right again?
The second play from Stephen Leach (Can't Wait To Leave) and directed by Mimi Collins (Water Party, Snakeskin Suit, Orange Flower Water), One Breath Before The End is a moving, acutely intimate piece exploring how far the bonds of friendship can be tested before they break.
Set design by Ruth Varela
“A gripping piece of new writing brimming with dramatic instinct and creative clarity… [Leach is] a writer to watch.”
-Everything Theatre
Feather Moon Album Launch
29th May
7:00pm
£10 Not Inc. Booking Fee
Join us for the epic Feather Moon Album Launch— the album played live in full! Lets celebrate together!
Feather Moon Album Launch
Feather Moon is at long last here! In celebration, we are having an album launch show. We would love you to come!
Other acts to be announced.
Tickets in advance are £10.00 - We have tried to keep this affordable to encourage as many of you as possible!
On the night/door they will be £15.00
Doors are 7pm, show starts at 7.30pm
It's the perfect way to kick off this amazing new album.Come and celebrate with us!
Don't miss out!
NOCTURNE
30th May
2:00pm / 5:00pm
£12 Not Inc. Booking Fee
East of the sun and west of the moon comes a tale of finding your courage and staying true to yourself.
★★★★★ "The musical theatre highlight that came out of nowhere" - Theatre in Brighton (2025)
Nocturne is a new original musical rooted in Norwegian folklore and folk music, inviting you on a mysterious and inspiring journey filled with enchanting music, puppetry and physical theatre.
Join our protagonist Solveig as she delves into the forest of ancient fairytales, encountering familiar characters and dark mysteries.
Get lost in the magical fables we often forget as we grow older.
Set in the Scandinavian forest, Nocturne tells a story of courage and identity. Embracing the magic of music and puppetry, Nocturne transports you to a world of wonder!
★★★★★ "Featuring a large and talented cast, it’s as sparkling as the fjords and as warming as a Nordic sweater – but it also tells a thoughtful story of self-discovery, which kids and grown-ups alike can enjoy." - The Wee Review (Edinburgh Fringe 2025)
Silent Struggles
14th June
7:30pm
£8 Not Inc. Booking Fee
Silent Struggles brings real talks and support for those battling invisible challenges, face to face.
Join Us for Silent Struggles!
Hey there! We're hosting Silent Struggles, an in-person event where real stories come to life. It's all about sharing those moments we keep inside and connecting with others who get it. No fancy stuff, just genuine vibes and support. Come hang out, listen, and maybe share your own silent journey. Let's break the silence together!
A part of what makes 53two special is our dedication to supporting grass-roots artists, new companies and start-up creatives whilst striving for a quality of theatre that exceeds expectations.
Sometimes, for new, talented companies and individuals, they first need a platform to explore, play, develop and grow not only themselves but their craft as a Manchester ensemble.
With this in mind, 53New was born. A platform and initiative, as one of our charitable activities, to provide just that - a theatre space and/or rehearsal room at a reduced rate where those starting out can tread the boards in front of an audience, try their work out and play safely without breaking the bank and in a safe, supportive space.
OFFCUT
24th June - 5th July
7:30pm
Tiered Ticketing
Now in its 17th year, Off Cut returns to 53Two.
53two are piloting their new ticketing platform - you will be directed to a different website! Please don't panic. If you have any feedback or queries on the platform, please do get in touch!
TWO BOZOS IN A VAN
6th July
7:00pm
£8
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Tides (An Autism Story)
23rd July 2026
7:30pm
£15 Not Inc. Booking Fee
Dylan Ward is autistic. He has his own way of thinking and his own way of doing things, but no one seems to understand him. How do you navigate a world which operates on a completely different wavelength to the one that you’re on?
Following its hugely successful and critically acclaimed run at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and based on real experiences of growing up autistic, Tides (An Autism Story), combines Monty Pythonesque humour with a touch of drama to offer an insight into the wonderful, yet challenging world of autism... From one particularly silly individual.
"Nothing short of brilliant... Powerful & Profound" ★★★★ Theatre & Tonic
" A masterclass in storytelling... This is the kind of show which theatre is all about" ★★★★
A Young(ish) Perspective
"This is a bittersweet show, filled with humour and candour, and compellingly performed. See it if you can" ★★★★ WeeReview
Cabbage The Clown:
Cinemadrome || Creatures Comedy Festival
27th July 2026
7:30pm
£15 Not Inc. Booking Fee
Witness multi-award winning cinematic drag chaos in stunning CinemaScopeVision - Presented as part of Creatures Comedy Festival
Minimum wage cinema employee turned multi award-winning tragic fool Cabbage The Clown's debut hour marries a buffet of genres in polygamous holy matrimony in the name of drag in their "Gen-Z, loudly queer and thoroughly hilarious" (Binge Fringe) debut hour.
With over 8 million views online for their genre-busting brand of multimedia drag-clowning, Cabbage presents their critically-acclaimed debut show (officially listed as one the Best Reviewed Comedy Shows of Fringe 2025): One part breathless parody of cinematic history, one part thoughtful dissection of minimum wage careers, one part rolling around on the floor covered in popcorn.
So talk through the trailers, get the loudest snacks available, then sit back, relax and enjoy this Bechdel Test-passing, BBFC-unapproved, global premiere.
★★★★★ Binge Fringe
★★★★★ The Student
★★★★★ EdFringeReview
★★★★★ Broadway Baby
★★★★⯨ The Reviews Hub
★★★★⯨ Fringesider
★★★★ One4Review
★★★★ British Theatre Guide
Grindr The Opera!
AUGUST 2026
Check booking site for full times and dates
£15.00 Early Bird
£35.00 General Admission
£130.00 VIP Table
Grindr: The Opera! puts the most notorious gay hook-up app into the exaggerated world of opera.
With musical styles ranging from baroque to contemporary pop, Grindr: The Opera! is a daring, humorous look at the changing landscape of gay relationships, and the greatest catalyst for the shift: Grindr. We meet GRINDR, a mythical siren from remote antiquity who has been awoken from its millennial slumber by technology. Its power, which is derived from human lust, is exhibited as it manipulates its gay devotees in a soaring soprano.
The Modern Prometheus
18th - 19th OCTOBER 2026
£8 Not inc. booking fee
Upcoming medical mogul Victor Frank and his entire immediate circle vanished or were found dead one by one in violent, unexplained circumstances.
Tonight, media-dubbed conspiracy theorist Professor R Walton has gathered an audience to tell the story as he was told it from the man himself.
This brand new reimagining of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus sets the original gothic horror in the 21st century, against a backdrop of social unease, technological breakthroughs and asks what is the real measure of a monster.
Note: This production contains strong language, violent scenes, substance abuse, references towards sexual violence and suicide. Therefore we request that all audiences must be 15 or over.
A part of what makes 53two special is our dedication to supporting grass-roots artists, new companies and start-up creatives whilst striving for a quality of theatre that exceeds expectations.
Sometimes, for new, talented companies and individuals, they first need a platform to explore, play, develop and grow not only themselves but their craft as a Manchester ensemble.
With this in mind, 53New was born. A platform and initiative, as one of our charitable activities, to provide just that - a theatre space and/or rehearsal room at a reduced rate where those starting out can tread the boards in front of an audience, try their work out and play safely without breaking the bank and in a safe, supportive space.