Heywood Civic!
Following a huge redevelopment, we’re delighted to invite you back to this much-loved community venue with an ambitious events and community programme, including comedy, theatre, music and more.
With improved seating, a refreshed look and enhanced accessibility, we hope to be a major part of Heywood’s cultural life once again and to be a regular feature in your social calendar.
This first season reflects our vision for the new Heywood Civic - a place where you can see worldclass theatre, dance and music alongside up-and-coming local talent, as well as being a venue for you to host your own performances and events.
To celebrate our re-opening, we’re hosting a weekend of fun from Friday 27 February - Sunday 1 March, with some raucous sing-along fun with Massaoke, stand-up comedy from Ed Patrick and a family fun day of storytelling, workshops and more.
As the season progresses, we’ll be seeing some of the UK’s most creative companies take to our stage, including HER Productions, Tmesis Theatre and Joss Arnott Dance; whilst offering fun nights out with the likes of Solve-along-a-Murder-She-Wrote, Barbara Nice and Rave On.
You can also come along outside of show time to visit The Civic Bar + Kitchen. Housed in our brand new glass-fronted extension, it’s the perfect place to catch up with friends or meet with colleagues over a coffee or a delicious lunch.
Early in 2026 we’ll be announcing details of our daytime community programme, which will include classes and workshops aimed at providing new skills and improving your wellbeing. Keep an eye on our new website heywoodcivic.co.uk for more details. You can also visit the website of our parent charity yourtrustrochdale.co.uk for more on how we’re working to help you live healthier and more enriched lives.
See you there!
Estelle Rowe
CEO of Your Trust Rochdale & the Heywood Civic events team
Our ticket prices explained
For many shows at Heywood Civic, we have three prices to choose from for the same seat:
Standard Higher Lower
A standard price
Fair pricing for the show you’re going to see
A slightly lower price For people who need it
A slightly higher price
If you’d like to support our charitable work
You can select the right price for you when booking. All prices displayed include a 5% booking fee.
How to book
Online:
The quickest and most convenient way to book is online through our new websiteheywoodcivic.co.uk
It’s quick and easy to set up an account with us, and you can also opt in to our mailing list to be first to hear about new events and special offers. We use the same booking system as our sister venues Middleton Arena and Touchstones, so you may already have an account with us and can log in with those details.
Over the phone:
You can reach our box office on 0300 303 8633, Monday to Friday, 10am – 2pm.
If you have access requirements, please call our box office on 0300 303 8633 or email us on arts.events@yourtrustrochdale.co.uk and someone will get back to you. You can also visit our website to see our accessible facilities. Accessibility
For information on venue hire, fundraising campaigns and more, see our website:
Friday 27 February - 7.30pm
Mark Makin presents Ed Patrick: Catch Your Breath - The Secret Life of a Sleepless Anaesthetist
Tickets: £16.80 / £18.90 / £21
NHS anaesthetist, comedian and author (ooh check him) Ed Patrick injects Heywood Civic with a gut-punch hilarious show about becoming a junior doctor, the NHS, the pitfalls of modern medicine and the power of questioning it. There’s plenty of laughing gas to go round!
As seen on Channel 4, Have I Got News For You and heard on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland. Ed also hosts the Comedians Surgery podcast where he chats to guests including Joe Lycett, Rose Matafeo and Phil Wang about their health stories and experiences.
Suitable for ages: 16+
“ There’s plenty of laughing gas to go round!
JOIN THE FUN
Opening Weekend
Join us for a weekend of activities and entertainment for all ages as we celebrate the official big opening weekend of Heywood Civic! Whether you love a singalong, big laughs or family fun, we welcome you into your new and improved theatre for just a taste of what’s to come…
Saturday 28 February - 7.30pm
Tickets: £18.90 / £21 / £23.10
Bring the sing to the greatest smash hits of the 80s and 90s at the ultimate live band sing-along party.
Massaoke is the UK’s biggest mass-karaoke – a dazzling, high-energy live music show supercharged with videos, giant sing-along lyrics, rock star poses and YOU - the real stars of the show!
With hits from Bon Jovi, Oasis, Queen, Whitney Houston, 2Unlimited, David Bowie and many more. Dress up as your decade, bring the sing and fight for your right to party.
Come and enjoy entertainment and activities for all ages as we celebrate our opening weekend with a family fun day! Join in with a hilarious interactive show by Fairly Famous Family or hear storytime from our opening season with Rapunzel and The Detective Dog. Take part in arts and crafts, learn to streetdance, unlock your child’s creativity at our fun-filled Coding for Kids session and even learn to make your own escape room. For our really small visitors, we’ll even have some parent and baby activities, whilst Ray Bubbles gives a taste of his bubble show, visiting Heywood Civic later in the year.
All tickets are free, please book in advance for either the early or late session to avoid disappointment.
Massaoke
Friday 20 February - 6pm & Saturday 21 February - 12 & 3pm
Joss Arnott Dance presents Meet the Hatter
Tickets: £7.88 / £8.93 / £10.50
Curiouser and curiouser…
Enter the magical Wonderland of the Hatter with a visually stunning spectacular show blending dance, storytelling, music, digital projection and animation.
To escape a sense of loneliness, the Hatter uses the power of his imagination to create his own magical and epic version of Wonderland…but what adventures lie ahead and who will he meet along the way?
Follow the iconic character’s journey from isolation to companionship as we discover the importance of play and bringing happiness into our lives.
For ages: 5+
Magic World
Tiny & Tall Productions presents The Detective Dog
Tickets: £7.88 / £8.93 / £10.50
Suitable for ages: 3+
Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie’s well-loved story, The Detective Dog live on stage for both Deaf and hearing family audiences.
Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. So when the books at the school have disappeared one morning, Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the culprit!
Expect captivating puppetry; surprising smells and toe-tapping music in this inclusive and accessible performance, which uses British Sign Language, creative captions and spoken English.
12 April - 2pm
Red Entertainment presents Ice Age Adventure Live!
Tickets: £16.80
Suitable for ages: 4+
Brace yourselves for a mammoth mission in the frozen world of Ice Age Adventure Live! Journey back in time to meet incredible prehistoric animals in the coolest family show this side of the arctic circle.
Join our fearless explorers as they trek through snow-packed valleys, outwit sabre-toothed surprises, and make friends with the coolest cavemen, even bringing back some extinct dodo friends for the ride.
This icy adventure is sure to knock your snow boots off.
Showman Live presents James Phelan: The Man Who Was Magic Friday 17 April - 7.30pm
Tickets: £27.30
£25.20 concessions
Join us for a night of wonder, as secrets unravel and the impossible becomes possible…
Award-winning magician James Phelan - the first magician in the history to sell out a solo run at The Magic Circle, is infamous for jamming the BBC switchboard after he correctly predicted the lottery.
Since then he’s been performing his magic to sold out shows around the world, and this latest spectacular will leave you aching with laughter and dizzy in disbelief.
Suitable for ages: 12+
Saturday 16 May - 12 & 3pm
Wrongsemble presents Rapunzel
Tickets: £7.88 / £8.93 / £10.50
Golden-haired Rapunzel is trapped in her lofty tower by a wicked witch, who lops off the locks of her beautiful hair and sells them for a tidy profit. It’s time for Rapunzel to take charge of her own destiny and figure out a way to escape.
This bold and funny adaptation of the much-loved storybook by Bethan Woollvin, the creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Little Red and I Can Catch a Monster, is brimming with music, magic and madcap schemes - and not a prince in sight!
Suitable for ages: 3+
Ray Bubbles, international Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record holder, is on a mission to master the art of bubble-making and create the ultimate square bubble.
Ray uses various gases to craft stunning bubble sculptures, effects, and magical displays in this whirlwind of excitement and surprises.
Prepare to be amazed as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carousel, a bubble ghost, and even a tornado inside a bubble.
Suitable for ages: 3+
Entertainment presents
You become part of the show as The Hunters teach you dance moves, host a mini catwalk competition and perform dance routines and freestyle with costumes, sound, lights and battle-style formations, bringing a fantasy world to life on stage. Paris Bubbles presents The
Feel like a true Demon Hunter at this high-energy concert blending K-Pop inspired dance, audience interaction and theatre.
Suitable for ages: 5+
Rabble Theatre presents Glitch - The True Story of the Post Office Scandal Friday 20 March - 7.30pm
Tickets:
£14.70 / £16.80 / £18.90
Pam Stubbs has been subpostmistress of Barkham Post Office for twenty years, respected and loved by the community. But when unexplained discrepancies start appearing in her accounts, Pam finds herself at the heart of the biggest miscarriage of justice in English legal history.
Glitch is an inspirational true story, based on the experiences of Pam and her colleagues. The play was created with subpostmistresses and masters affected by the events, key members of the legal process and commissioned by the University of Reading.
Tmesis Theatre presents SealSkin Friday 13 March 7.30pm
Tickets: £13.65 / £15.75 / £17.85
SealSkin is an old selkie tale of the sea. Every full moon the Selkies appear, peeling away their seal skin, dancing freely in the moonlight. One night a fisherman discovers their secret, and we see the betrayal and consequences that follow.
Exploring ideas of belonging, otherness and home, SealSkin combines Tmesis Theatre’s trademark physicality, puppetry, storytelling, incredible projection design and live original music from acoustic duo Me and Deboe.
“
Explore the ideas of belonging, otherness and home ”
MUST SEE
Fargo meets The Office meets James Bond in this high-octane, darkly comic thriller about justice, power, and just how deep the truth can be buried.
In 1973, Marnie Makowski travels to New Mexico determined to unravel the conspiracy that led to her husband’s disappearance. But every answer leads to another cover-up – then a cover-up of that cover-up – spanning decades of corruption, crime, and increasingly incompetent cops.
An adrenaline-fuelled odyssey through America’s most absurd manhunt – one epic chase scene where secrets, shootouts, and sheer dumb luck collide in spectacular fashion.
Twelfth Night
Shipwrecked and separated from her twin, Viola washes ashore in Illyria. Disguising herself as the suave Cesario, she enters the service of Count Orsino, who pines for the aloof Olivia. But as Viola navigates tangled desires and mistaken identities, love blossoms in unexpected places. HER are known for their groundbreaking annual tradition of reimagining Shakespeare’s works with an all-female and non-binary cast, and this year are bringing their unique perspective to the Bard’s ultimate romantic comedy, Twelfth Night.
Saturday 2 May - 7.30pm
Nina Gilligan & Friends
Tickets: £16.80 / £18.90 / £21
One of the UK’s fiercest and funniest voices in comedy, Nina Gilligan brings her razor-sharp wit, fearless storytelling, and explosive energy to the stage, alongside a hand-picked line-up of her favourite fellow comics. Expect belly laughs, bold truths, and a night of comedy that’s as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.
Whether you’re a die-hard comedy fan or just in need of a good laugh, this is the kind of night that leaves your cheeks aching and your spirits lifted. With Nina at the helm, you’re in for a masterclass in mischief, mayhem, and magnetic stage presence. Grab your tickets, gather your mates, and prepare for a comedy night that’s loud, proud, and unapologetically hilarious.
“ The kind of night that leaves your cheeks aching and your spirits lifted ”
29 May - 7.30pm
Channel your inner Jessica Fletcher and join us for a hilarious night of Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote, with plenty of games, prizes and chances for you to get involved!
Hosted by super-fan Tim Benzie, Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote includes a race to solve the crime, using a special Fame-ometer and Suspici-ometer, a quiz all about Cabot Cove, a singalong to the theme tune (with new lyrics!) and clips of the campy guest stars.
Friends
ACE Lips Comedy Live at the Civic
Heywood, get ready to laugh your socks off! Your comedy nights just got funnier with Live at the Civic – the borough’s very own comedy roadshow, bringing the best of the UK comedy circuit right to your doorstep.
From rising stars to seasoned circuit regulars, each show is packed with side-splitting sets that’ll have you howling with laughter and forgetting the stresses of the day. This is your chance to catch the next big names in comedy before they hit the big time.
Friday 26 June - 7.30pm
Tin Cat Entertainment presents Fun! With Barbara Nice
In Barbra Streisand’s recent autobiography, she says: “I haven’t had much fun in my life, to tell you the truth. And I want to have more fun.”
In this spirit, join ordinary housewife extraordinaire Barbara Nice for a laugh-out-loud joyful get-together as we reconnect with what makes life worth living. As Barbara says “In these dark days, we need to find fun whenever we piggin’ can”, so expect her unique comic insights into the current state of play on how we are all getting on.
This smashin’ show is suitable for anyone aged from fourteen to four score & ten, guaranteed to lift the spirits and put a spring in your step.
In the
Spotlight
Q&A with RAFIA HUSSAIN
Rafia Hussain Productions
In every season brochure, we’ll be bringing you an exclusive interview with someone making creative waves in Heywood and beyond. For this first edition, we’ve chatted with Rafia Hussain, whose theatre company Rafia Hussain Productions has partnered with Your Trust (Heywood Civic’s parent charity) to help develop young theatre talent in Rochdale borough, through the Future Rochdale Theatre Makers Programme…
Rafia, how did you get started in theatre growing up in Rochdale?
It all happened by happy accident honestly. I quit teaching Science after six months, realising it wasn’t for me and landed an entry level job at what used to be called Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival. I had a great time, I learned a lot and it put me on a trajectory I could not have predicted. Before this crucial first job, I had never even considered the creative industries as a possible career path. I had always loved Drama and English Literature but no one had ever encouraged me in that direction - it’s less stable and it’s something you have to really be dedicated to making work. But I couldn’t be happier at the outcome, I love my job and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Why did you set up Rafia Hussain Productions?
I set up Rafia Hussain Productions to facilitate my creative vision for my work and to centre working with Black and Brown artists in particular. After years of working for other people, I realised it wasn’t floating my boat anymore. I’d outgrown it. I wanted to make my mark and be my own boss. It was time to bring my creative vision to life - work that captured modern multicultural Britain. I also wanted to develop other artists
in the process, inspired by the investment mentors had made in me over the years. So now we have a production and an artist development arm, focused on Black, Brown and Rochdale artists.
Tell us about the Future Theatre Makers programme and the three artists in the first cohort…
Future Theatre Makers is a dream come true. Designed for people who, like me, didn’t train at a fancy drama school and don’t have connections in the industry. It’s a stepping stone to a sector that can often be extremely difficult to break into, now more than ever. The programme is hopefully a welcoming entry point, covering all of the basics that it takes years to learn, into one sixmonth programme; after which, artists should be in a position to start developing their own work. It’s about equipping people to do it themselves, not become reliant on an institution or person. Myself and Porl Cooper (Senior Producer & Programmer, Your Trust) have been delivering the programme and are now mentoring the first graduates through the journey of developing their ideas from page to stage. That’s two Rochdale producers, developing Rochdale creatives, in Rochdale. The three artists we are supporting are Leah, Sam and Becky - they are now writing their scripts,
developing partnerships and applying for funding, gearing up to present their work in July at Heywood Civic.
What can we expect to see from them at the new theatre showcase, The Drop?
We can expect to see exciting ideas, early-ish in their development. Work made by Rochdale artists, for Rochdale audiences. You might see 20 minutes of material, or a fulllength run through or something else entirely. It will be new and that’s part of the joy of it. I think there might be a musical, a comedy and possibly tragedy, but we will have to wait and see... I hope the audiences attending will be warm and supportive, it’s scary to share work that isn’t quite finished! But people from Rochdale are warm and friendly, so I know they will come out to support the artists of the future.
What does the re-opening of Heywood Civic mean for you and other local creatives?
Heywood Civic will be a new physical space to try out new ideas. It’s a resource that didn’t exist when I was starting out and I hope it will mean we can develop and encourage Rochdale artists to not just create, but think bigger. Who knows, maybe panto one year might be made by one of the Future Theatre Makers…
Leah Wild Sam Jamil
Becky Kershaw
Fuelled Dance Passion
Thursday 5 March 7.30pm
Joss Arnott Dance presents Bach Reimagined
Tickets: £13.65 / £15.75 / £17.85
Get ready for a mind-blowing performance combining powerful music and incredible athleticism.
Super-athletic dancers move with the elegance of ballet performers, but with the raw power of gymnasts as they move in time with the driving, electric sounds of a heavy metal cello, played by Canadian cellist Raphael Weinroth Browne.
Bach Reimagined takes you on a journey into the world of beloved composer Johann Sebastian Bach, who believed music was a way to connect with something bigger than ourselves, whilst also exploring the scientific breakthroughs of Bach’s time, like the discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton.
“ Super-athletic dancers move with the elegance of ballet performers, but with the raw power of gymnasts
The North West Film Archive presents Rochdale & District On Film Thursday 2 April - 7.30pm
Tickets:
£8.40 / £10.50 / £12.60
Don’t miss this chance to explore Rochdale and its surroundings through its history on film over the last 100 years. From the age before camcorders and mobile phones and using a mix of newsreels and home movies, we look at the industries, cultures and traditions of both the town itself and the wider borough as it grew over the years.
Presented by staff from The North West Film Archive, this unique evening event is a must-see for lovers of the area’s history and heritage.
With BSL interpretation
Join us for a night of box-fresh comedy from the latest talent to hit the clubs and be the first to see the next big thing. You’ll also get the chance to support alumni from our stand-up comedy workshops as they take those first steps into the spotlight.
Don’t miss out on this celebration of raw talent and real laughs!
Drop in throughout the day to see unexpected stories, original performances and the next hottest ticket in this new theatre showcase.
See work by local talent from Your Trust and Rafia Hussain Productions’ Rochdale Future Theatre Makers programme - Leah Wild, Sam Jamil and Becky Kershaw - as they present the outcome of months of mentoring and workshops.
We’ll also be hosting new work from across the region and beyond, as well as Edinburgh Fringe Festival previews, so you can see the shows everyone will be talking about, before they hit the festival crowds.
A Night of
Craic Good
Saturday 28 March - 7.30pm
Dublin Show Productions presents One Night in Dublin
Tickets: £27.83 / £25.73 concessions
Join whiskey-loving fisherman Danny and his straight-talking wife Rosie for a night of laughter, music and mischief in this brand-new production of One Night In Dublin.
With renowned Irish singer Danny Muldoon (Seven Drunken Nights, Fairytale of New York, Paul Heaton’s Small Boats), live fiddle, accordion and award-winning musicians, you can expect highenergy performances of all your Irish favourites including Tell Me Ma, Galway Girl, and Whiskey In The Jar
Packed with heart, humour and classic hits, it’s like St. Patrick’s night every night – with extra craic and a whole lot of hooley.
Inspire Young Producers
If you could host your own music event, what would you do? That was the challenge for our Inspire Young Producers, a group of 18-25 year-olds who have been learning all about the music industry - from booking and branding to marketing and production - culminating in this one special night of music!
More details will emerge nearer the time as the project unfolds, but be assured it will be an inspiring evening showcasing the talents of local young people.
Dolly Forever
Dolly Forever isn’t just a show, it is a celebration of one of the world’s biggest stars, complete with that famous Dolly Parton humour and her greatest songs, plus a few cover versions.
With a live five-piece band recreating that authentic Dolly sound, expect all your favourites including Jolene, Nine to Five, Islands in The Stream and the show-stopping ballad, Little Sparrow
So, dust off your cowboy boots and pay tribute to the Queen of Country.
Bluejays Productions presents Rave On Friday 8 May - 7.30pm
The ultimate 50s and 60s experience is jam-packed with classic hits from the decades that gifted us rock ‘n’ roll. Enjoy note perfect renditions of huge hits from the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, Connie Francis, Little Richard, Lulu, The Beach Boys and many more.
Join us for an exhilarating evening of toe-tapping, sing-along iconic classics, vibrant vintage costumes, colourful staging and dancing in the aisles!
Saturday 30 May - 7.30pm
The Great Heywood Silent Film Jam Session
Tickets:
£10.50 / £12.60 / £14.70
Join us for a magical evening of silent film and live music — the grand finale of the Great Heywood Silent Film Jam Session.
Experience classic short films from classics like A Trip to the Moon and The Great Train Robbery, and comedy by Laurel and Hardy, all brought vividly to life with original scores performed by local musicians. This is silent cinema as you’ve never heard it before.
Saturday 6 June - 7.30pm
The New Romantics
Tickets: £27.30
Take a trip back to the vibrant 80s with a true party night celebrating the decade’s biggest hits, from legendary artists like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Depeche Mode, Culture Club, Eurythmics, Tears for Fears and more.
With hits such as I Just Can’t Get Enough, True, Gold, The Reflex, Girls On Film, Vienna, Karma Chameleon, Enola Gay, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Sweet Dreams and Love Action, it’s a nostalgic journey you won’t want to miss.
Saturday 20 June - 7.30pm
Manchester International Roots Orchestra
Tickets:
£12.60
A wonderful musical journey around the world, with Eastern Europe Roma, Kurdish, Egyptian, Iranian, Indian music and more.
The Manchester International Roots Orchestra (MIRO) is a unique ensemble of musicians with roots from across the world including refugee musicians. Their live shows include diverse musical influences, from haunting Eastern European melodie to the delicate textures of Middle Eastern percussion and vocals; through to soulful Sufi chants of South Asia and joyful African gospel - embracing rap, hip-hop, classical music and jazz along the way.
Friday 24 July - 7.30pm
Culture Co-op presents Merhaba Live
Tickets: £5.25
Join us for the official launch of Merhaba 2026!
Merhaba is Arabic for “welcome” – and since 2024, Merhaba has been welcoming everyone to their festival, whatever your age, race, religion or background. Be the first to hear about this year’s exciting programme of food, music, and art from across the Islamic world, meet the team behind the festival, and discover how you can get involved.
Following the guest speakers and musical tasters, the evening continues with a standalone live music event featuring one of the standout acts from last year’s vibrant music stage —so stay, celebrate, and enjoy an unforgettable night of sound and culture.
Where to find us
You can find Heywood Civic on Peine Square in the centre of Heywood, near Heywood Library.
Our full address is:
Heywood Civic
Lance Corporal Stephen Shaw MC Way
Heywood OL10 1LW
what3words: spice.dance.cure
By car:
Heywood Civic is a short distance from the A58 and M62. We have a small pay and display car park which is available on a first come, first served basis. We’re also close to several other town centre car parks, including the Heywood Market Car Park.
Public transport:
If you’re arriving by bus, our closest bus stop is Heywood Library, which is served by the following routes:
125 – Heywood to Middleton
163 – Manchester Piccadilly Gardens to Bury
433 – Edenfield Road to Bury
471 – Rochdale to Bolton
475 – Bury to Heywood
See full bus routes and timetables at beenetwork.com
Active Travel Rochdale:
As part of Your Trust, we work in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council, Transport for Greater Manchester and Endurance Hub to encourage you to take short journeys on foot or by wheel.
Find out how we can support you to make healthier and more climate-friendly choices by visiting yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/active-travel
Heywood Civic