Manchester panto 2026–27
Sleeping Beauty at Contact Theatre
Sleeping Beauty runs at Contact Theatre in Manchester from Thursday 10 December 2026 to Thursday 31 December 2026.
| Dates | Thursday 10 December 2026 to Thursday 31 December 2026 Press night 10 December; schools-only performances from 8 December |
|---|---|
| Show times | Weekends and holidays usually two shows (11:00/15:00, 13:00/17:00 or 14:30/19:00); weekday school shows at 09:45, 12:30 and 13:00 |
| Running time | About 2 hours including an interval (schools shows) |
| Ages | Not published by the theatre yet |
| Tickets | From £17 to £25 Off-peak £25 full, £20 concession, £17 under-16s; press night £15; 'Pinch' tickets from £13 for anyone who needs them; peak prices not stated on the page; schools from £10 + VAT |
| Schools and groups | Schools shows from £10 + VAT with teachers free (book by email); 20% off for groups of 6+ on selected dates |
| Adults-only version | One performance (Friday 11 December, 19:00) is for adults (18+) only, with the same script as the family show. |
| Theatre | Contact Theatre, Manchester M15 6JA |
| Produced by | The Big Tiny Production Company with Contact |
Access performances
| Relaxed | Saturday 12 December at 13:30 |
|---|---|
| BSL | Sunday 20 December at 17:00 |
| Audio described | None announced yet |
| Captioned | None announced yet |
Chill-out space and ear defenders at the relaxed show; adults-only (18+) performance on 11 December at 19:00; pyjama-party shows on 28 December.
Planning your visit
| Access booking | [email protected] Contact Theatre's access page |
|---|---|
| At the relaxed show | The theatre is never fully dark, loud noises are turned down and some effects are dropped, you can move around, make noise and come and go, ear defenders can be borrowed and there is a chill-out space on the ground floor. |
| Visual story | Not published by the theatre |
| Carer tickets | Free essential companion ticket for disabled people who could not come without support; book it by emailing the box office. |
| Sensory warnings | Not published by the theatre |
At the relaxed show each actor comes on first to introduce themselves and their character, and the cast warn the audience before any blackout. A building access guide is on the access page.
Access performances sell out first, so book early. Every relaxed panto in the UK · every signed and captioned one.
About this panto
The Big Tiny's small-scale, Manchester-flavoured panto returns to Contact on Oxford Road, this year telling Sleeping Beauty.
Other pantos nearby
| Where | Panto | Dates | From | Access | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Opera House Manchester | Dick Whittington | Sat 5 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | £15 | RelaxedBSLAudio described | 1 mile |
| Stockport Stockport Plaza | Jack and the Beanstalk | Fri 4 Dec to Sun 3 Jan | BSL | 5 miles | |
| Middleton Middleton Arena | Cinderella | Thu 26 Nov to Mon 28 Dec | £17 | RelaxedBSL | 6 miles |
| Bury The Met | Jack and the Beanstalk | Sat 5 Dec to Mon 28 Dec | £15 | RelaxedBSL | 9 miles |
| Bolton Albert Halls Bolton | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Tue 1 Dec to Thu 31 Dec | 11 miles | ||
| Warrington Parr Hall | Aladdin | Wed 30 Dec to Sun 10 Jan | £9 | RelaxedBSL | 16 miles |
More: every Sleeping Beauty panto this season.
How we checked
The dates and access performances are from the theatre's own page, published by Contact Theatre, checked on Friday 23 October 2026. Theatres sometimes change times or add performances, so check with them before you travel. How we check.