A Guide to the Most Anticipated Liverpool Theatre Shows of 2026
Liverpool is a city rich with musical history, a place that has been made famous by The Beatles in the 1960s and has had bands and artists come through the ranks every decade since. It is also a city that has a rich theatre history, however, and with plenty of the world’s great actors learning the ropes while treading the boards at The Everyman Theatre or The Playhouse. Wonderful theatre shows are being put on in these venues, as well as The Empire, and community-led theatre spaces such as The Unity Theatre, leading to a vibrant community of visionary creatives.
In recent years, there have been some great performances in the city, with both local productions and high-end touring shows. What Liverpool theatre shows can we look forward to in 2026?
The History of Theatre in Liverpool
There are many different theatres in Liverpool, of all shapes and sizes. Welcoming touring productions and showcasing local up-and-coming talent, you can see Liverpool theatre shows in the Empire, Playhouse, Everyman, Unity, the Royal Court, the Olympia, Epstein Theatre, as well as one-off shows in extravagant buildings in the heart of the city, at stunning venues like St George’s Hall. Liverpool is also incredibly lucky to be just a stone’s throw away from Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, which is just on the outskirts of the city towards St Helens.
For centuries, it has been a town that has put on plenty of theatre shows, and the talent that has come from Liverpool over the years or learned their trade in theatre in the city is astounding. Think of Stephen Graham, Jodie Comer, Julie Walters, Alison Steadman, Pete Poselthwaite, Ian Hart, Craig Charles, the list just goes on and on. Many of them have started careers in the Everyman Theatre group or triumphantly returned home at some point to tread the boards after a career in TV and cinema.
The Top Liverpool Theatre Shows of 2026
Mary Poppins The Musical
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Wednesday 14th January 2026 – Saturday 31st January 2026
A spoonful of sugar makes for a lovely night out at the theatre. Mary Poppins has been a hit on the West End, winning multiple awards over its 20-year run, and now it’s on a large tour of the UK and Ireland that has continued since 2024. Australian stars Jack Chambers and Stefanie Jones reprise their roles as Bert and Mary Poppins, having received standing ovations night after night down under. You’ll sit and wonder at the story of everyone’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane, with magical effects, exciting choreography, and those songs that we all know and love.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical Tour
Liverpool Empire Theatre
Thursday 2nd July 2026 – Saturday 8th August 2026
The extravagant and visionary musical movie by Baz Luhrmann has become a stage sensation and is now going on a world tour. Glitz, grandeur, and glory await you with Moulin Rouge! The Musical! It has already won 10 Tony awards, including Best Choreography, Best Musical, and Best Director, so you know you’ll be in for a treat when it reaches the Liverpool Empire next summer. If you love the film, it comes to life on stage, with vibrant colours and song.
The Memory of Water
Liverpool Everyman Theatre
Wednesday 25th February 2026 – Saturday 14th March 2026
Liverpool Everyman and Bolton Octagon are staging a 30th anniversary revival of the Olivier-award Award-winning play by Shelagh Stephenson. It’s a play about grief, about families, and the unreliable narratives about life that we all inherit in the home. It is set in the winter of 1996, with the Spice Girls taking girl power to the top of the charts, and the feel-good factor of Britpop and football not coming home (again) having disappeared since the summer. The play centres around sisters Mary, Teresa, and Catherine, returning to the North for their mother’s funeral. The cracks and connections of family life and history come together in sadness, anecdotes, and laughter across the course of the play.
Waiting for Godot
Liverpool Everyman Theatre
Tuesday 17th March 2026 – Saturday 4th April 2026
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan reunite on the Everyman stage that gave them a start in the industry for this classic production. Waiting for Godot follows two men as they wait for someone who may never come. Time passes, and we witness moments of conversation, reflection, dark humour, and sensitivity, holding a mirror up to the world we live in. Moving and as profound as you get on stage, this is theatre at its finest, and it’s coming to Liverpool.
Prima Facie
Liverpool Playhouse Theatre
Tuesday 17th March 2026 – Saturday 21st March 2026
Scouse royalty and future national treasure Jodie Comer wowed audiences in her Olivier and Tony award-winning performance in Prima Facie, and now it’s heading to her hometown in 2026! Comer plays Tessa, a barrister at the top of her game, having worked her way up from working-class roots to become a top prosecutor. An unexpected event leads to confrontation with the patriarchal power of the law, the burden of proof, and how they come together to showcase the morals of those not just on the stand.
The Curtain Call
Liverpool has a lot going for it for students, with some fantastic restaurants on Bold Street and around the city, a vibrant nightlife on Concert Square and beyond, live sporting events at Liverpool and Everton, big touring bands at the M&S Arena, and, of course, a great heritage of theatre. We hope your appetite is whetted by these Liverpool theatre shows coming in 2026. There are some iconic shows for an iconic city! Which theatre show in Liverpool are you most looking forward to next year?
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