What's On at 53two
At 53two we try to offer as diverse and exciting range of events as possible. These range from theatre productions, live music and quizzes, to corporate events, live podcasts, weddings, parties and more. We hold events both in the Bar area and Theatre area.
Below you will see a list of our upcoming events. Click on an image for more detail around them and a link to booking. Alternatively, check out the calendar opposite and search for a specific date.
If you have any questions about the events, please feel free to drop us a line. All events are fully accessible. Look out for specific listings for BSL interpreted events and events that also have Unwaged Tickets for sale.
DR Q - QUIZ NIGHT!
25th March7:30pm
£2 per head (CASH ONLY!)
He defeated The Governess on 'The Chase', made the 'Fifteen to One' grand final, came last on 'Supermarket Sweep'...
Now he writes questions for 'Mastermind'!
So, get revising & join the Doctor for an evening of quizzing brilliance!!
Join Dr Q for a good time in the arches!
PIANOKE!
24th April
8:30pm - 12:00pm
FREE ENTRY
It's like karaoke, but with a piano!
Pop along and give us your best rendition of 'Gold', 'Lady Gaga' or 'Madame Thénardier' and make yourself the master of our house.
Don't sing? Sit back and sample some of Manchester's finest singers.
DIDDY DISCO
FAMILY FRIENDLY!
BOOKING SOON
12:00 - 14:00
FREE - Booking Essential
A time for our younger patrons (Under 5's) and their carers to come, have a boogie, maybe play some games and meet some other 53two Didi's whilst the older folk can kick back, grab a coffee (or something stronger!) and put the world to rights with like minded people. (Older folk are allowed to dance too!).
The event is completely free, but, please do reserve a ticket as numbers are limited!
TESTING TESTING
With Toby Hadoke
The last Sunday of the month.
Tickets £10 INCLUDING A £5 drinks voucher
£2 UNWAGED Tickets
DOORS 7pm - SHOW 7:30pm
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.
Comedy at it's finest beneath the iconic brick arches of 53two.
Grab a pie and a pint before the show for just £10!
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!
MIXOLOGY
TBC
7:30pm
Tickets £5 REDEEMABLE DRINKS VOUCHER
The return of MIXOLOGY! The no-strings networking night that's more relaxed than a spa break in the sunshine; music, drink, good times. Come along and mix with like-minded people and if you want, you can jump on the mic and share your upcoming project, shout out for people who you might need to get your work off the ground, sell your play/film or just introduce yourself if your new to the scene. No strings, no catch, no stress.... Everyone hates networking! Not any more...
Tickets are free but we're asking everyone to purchase a £5 drinks voucher redeemable on the night. Voucher redeemable on the nights of 21st September ONLY.
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!
BSL COMEDY NIGHT
with Queeny Deaffy Mary
April 26th
Doors 7:30pm
Show 8:00pm
Tickets £12
BSL Celebration is working with the BDA to advance the #TakingBSLForward movement by showcasing BSL in public events. Our first BSL Fest was in Woking in 2022 followed by Fleet and Guildford in 2023.
Manchester BSL Fest on 22nd – 28th April 2024 is next.
NAPOLEON'S 100 DAYS
27th April
7:30pm
Tickets £11
Napoleon's 100 Days tells the story of Little Boney's Second Coming, accompanied by a Mancunian friend and a dog called Fido. Napoleon once famously stated 'I am the Revolution.' And he was. Once.
However, in 1814 he gets banished to the little island of Elba by the European powers. Perhaps not surprisingly, in spite of his having a pack of hard-kicking mules, he becomes bored there in one big hurry. So he escapes. With a force of just over 1000 men! Along the Route Napoleon, he is advised by his Mancunian friend, whose advice is usually ignored. This means that he will be going to war, again, against all of his many European foes. The Duke of Beef (Wellington) included. It's up at Waterloo that Fido also bites off more than he can chew. Not for nothing was Little Boney known as the Nightmare of Europe. And Nightmares do recur.
JB SHORTS 24
By Various Writers
8th - 18th May
7:30pm
Matinees - 11th & 18th @ 3pm
BSL PERFORMANCE - Tues 14th May
Tickets £12/£10
£2 Unwaged Tickets Available
After 23 sell-out shows and over 130 Bitesize world premieres, JB Shorts is back with another set of sizzling short plays. Grab your tickets here!
A NUMBER
By Carol Churchil
22nd - 24th May
7:30pm
Tickets £11/ £2
How far are you willing to go to start again?
Red Brick Theatre present Caryl Churchill’s A Number. A fascinating mediation on human cloning, identity and the nature versus nurture debate.
Bernard thought he was an only child. One day he learns the shocking truth: he is just one of a number of clones. Together, he and his father confront epic questions and family dishonesty to uncover a Black Mirror-esque reality.
This powerfully devastating revival of A Number will be directed by Jess Gough.
Approx. Running time - 1 hour.
THE ULTIMATE BUBBLE SHOW
With Ray Bubbles
29th May
3:00pm
Experience the best in soap bubble entertainment.
Join Ray, International Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record Holder, and help him in his quest to complete the bubble game and make the ultimate bubble.
This is a fast paced show full of high energy and surprises as Ray uses various different gases to create incredible bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays.
Watch in amazement as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carrousel, a bubble ghost and even a tornado inside a bubble!!!!!
Join Ray and see if he can make THE ULTIMATE SQUARE BUBBLE!!!!!
DEAD DAD SHOW
By Simon David
11th July
7:30pm
Laugh! Cry! Applaud!
In 2018, Simon’s father performed a play about his imminent death to cancer and, to Simon’s horror, it was quite good. Now, directed by Fringe First winner Chris Larner, bouncing between genres and intertwined with footage of his late father’s show, Simon performs an hour so impressive that he’ll never be forgotten.
Following an acclaimed Edinburgh run, Dead Dad Show is embarking on a UK Tour partnering with leading end of life charity, Marie Curie, and trans-led organisation, Not A Phase.
‘Five stars somehow feel inadequate for this joyous, hilarious, brilliant, witty, sparkly campfest of a show. Simon David is an extraordinarily charismatic triple threat of a performer.’
★★★★★ (The Scotsman)
‘From start to finish, this is a superbly performed piece. Simon David deserves the awards he dreams about getting.’
★★★★★ (Reviews Hub)
‘A tender, heartfelt tribute, the much-mocked ‘serious bit’ of dead dad shows proves affecting yet again.’
★★★★ (Chortle)
‘A truly original take on a Dead Dad Show sending up every style of showbiz pretension.’
★★★★ (Beyond the Joke)
‘There's no freer performer that I have seen at the fringe.’
★★★★ (Mumble Comedy)
Nominated: Chortle Best Variety Act (2024)
Winner: Amused Moose Most Entertaining Show (2023)
Winner: Musical Comedy Awards (2022)
Winner: Brighton Fringe Awards (2021)
Over 5 million views online @SimonGayvid
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CONVERSION
by Precarious Theatre
As a part of GM Fringe
12th July
7:30pm
Tickets £10/£8 (EXC BOOKING FEE)
With an array of vibrant characters and thought-provoking commentary on belief, corruption, and hope, Conversion is a hilarious new historical comedy about the unbelievably ‘true’ story of St. Augustine of Canterbury and his seemingly doomed quest to convert the people of Britain to Christianity.
Augustine may be the Vatican’s greatest preacher but will it be enough for him to wrangle the wild pagans of Britain into salvation? Seemingly surrounded by the confused and deluded, Augustine embarks on a crusade to uncover the truth behind the corruption that prevents the Britons from seeing the light and the completion of his quest. With the help of Cola, a simple villager and seemingly the only positive candidate for conversion, Augustine interrogates the highs and lows of British medieval society to find the truth and rid the land of false beliefs.
But will he achieve his mission and return to Rome a hero or will Britain’s inclement environment and hostile natives prove too much for the Pope’s chosen son?
Rule The World - Take That Tribute
Featuring DAN BUDD as ROBBIE WILLIAMS
31st August
7:30pm
Tickets £20
(PWYC TIX AVAILABLE)
The UK's BEST Take That Tribute as called "BRILLIANT" By Gary Barlow! 'Rule The World’ are the MUST SEE act this year.
Celebrating over 25 years of Take That, internationally acclaimed tribute band Rule The World perform this intimate gig beneath the arches of 53two for one night only!
Featuring Dan Budd as Robbie Williams.
'An energetic & remarkably accurate journey through the back catalogue that could be considered a masterpiece in mimicry' - Portsmouth News *****
THIS EVENT IS A STANDING EVENT.
THERE WILL BE AN ACCESSIBLE VIEWING PLATFORM.
UNDERMINED
with Danny Mellor
26th - 28th September
7:30pm
Tickets £11 (PWYC TIX AVAILABLE)
★★★★ ‘Other actors could do with taking a leaf out of Danny Mellor’s book. The book would be called How to do a One Man Show Properly’
Edfringe Review, Chloe St George
Inspired by the accounts of miners who lived through the 1984 Miners’ Strike, Undermined takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions in a year of political turmoil.
Meet young miner Dale, his best mate Billy, cheery Tony and the comic relief Jonny.
Fuelled by energetic and engaging storytelling, audiences are invited into the action and taken on the journey that Dale and his friends experienced in this divisive year. Whether you lived through the 80’s or not the piece delivers a powerful and compelling narrative that anyone can relate to.
2024 will be the 40th anniversary of the strike. Undermined will have you laughing, crying and shaking with anger."
THE MYSTERY OF DRACULA
26th Oct
7:30pm
Tickets £12
(PWYC TIX AVAILABLE)
Occult Illusionist David Alnwick investigates the supernatural folklore of Bram Stoker's acclaimed novel. Expect a fast paced, twist-filled narrative told using magic.
“Like seemingly everything that Alnwick produces, the magic itself is flawless, and the storytelling aspect is equally perfectly performed” ★★★★★ WORLD MAGIC REVIEW
“Really well done... thoroughly enjoyed it... Really impressive work” ANDY NYMAN (Derren Brown’s director and writer of West-End hit ‘Ghost Stories’)
“Alnwick skilfully cranks up the suspense and intrigue as he delves deeper into the darker side of magic” NOW THEN MAGAZINE
★★★★★ THREEWEEKS | ★★★★★ THE SPHINX | ★★★★ BROADWAY BABY | ★★★★ FRINGE GURU
Run time: 70 minutes
Audience Testimonials: Mystery of Dracula Testimonials (youtube.com)
TEDx Talk: Why magic should frighten you | David Alnwick | TEDxNewcastle (youtube.com)