Jason Manford to star in Something Rotten! in Manchester

The show will run at Manchester Opera House from 16 June to 19 July

Broadway-hit comedy musical Something Rotten! is set to make its full UK premiere at the Manchester Opera House from 16 June to 19 July 2026.

This fresh production of Something Rotten! takes place in the year 1595, when brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom — minor playwrights in the looming shadow of the great William Shakespeare — decide that the only way to compete is to write “the world’s first musical”. Expect a riotous mix of Renaissance farce, high-kick choreography, and cheeky musical theatre references.

The creative team is top-tier: the book by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, score by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, and a new UK production directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson. The lead role will be played by acclaimed comedian and musical-theatre actor Jason Manford.

Something Rotten! opened on Broadway in 2015, ran for over 700 performances, and received ten Tony Award nominations. While there have been concert versions in the UK, this marks the first fully staged UK production of the show.

Manchester gets the honour of hosting this premiere ahead of the show’s planned West End transfer — a wonderful sign of the city’s growing role as a launch-pad for new major musicals.