Library Theatre, Manchester

I think the Library Theatre is about to move from this location; it's situated in the underbelly of Manchester's Central Library (hence the name!), which is about the close for essential maintenance. But I can't wait to see it in its new home!

Although it's less talked about than the swankier, higher profile Royal Exchange Theatre, the work here is just as great! They often have well-known performers on, too - I saw Corrie's Roy Cropper in Waiting for Godot!

At the moment, the facilities are pretty basic, but there's always tea, coffee and cheap organic ice cream for sale. The ticket prices are just as reasonably priced. If you're under 25, you can sign up for a discount card, which entitles you to tickets for £1!

I cannot remember all the names of the great and well-known actors who graced the stage of the Library Theatre, but I know that Alan Rickman was one of them. The theatre is located at the lower ground floor of Manchester Central Library and regularly brings some of the best plays to the Mancunian public. Most recently, they staged Bertolt Brecht's Good Person of Szechwan and the new adaptation of the Grimm tales by the newly crowned Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy. I personally went there to see All of My Sons and The Price by Arthur Miller, and a poignant drama The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard.

The great thing about the Library Theatre is that you can actually come in for a rehearsal. I have never done this before, although I'd love to! As far as the sound and all the usual characteristics of a theatre go, the Library Theatre is certainly not huge. It is an intimate space, which possibly is ideal for such serious dramas, as Miller's plays.

And on the food side, while everything is good as far as the theatre buffet goes, I'm the rare one for their Welsh ice-cream!

fantastic place! saw great expectations here and I loved it . Amazing! It was slightly crowded but the acting was great and the cafe is good. Although the cafe is of a very good standard, its was a bit expensive for our pocket money. The stage is huge, and it is very child friendly.

Lovely theatre and they put on great productions. Tram and bus stops right outsode but within very easy walking distance to piccadilly so within great reach of bars and restaurants.

A great venue: we’ve been on many an occasion and always enjoyed our trips there. The location is great: the tram stops literally outside the front door although the parking isn’t quite so convenient. The box office and front-of-house staff are helpful, friendly and efficient. As for the theatre itself, it certainly feels very intimate: it’s a small place and you feel as though you’re almost sitting on top of the stage if you’re near the front. But the place has been well-designed for an entertaining evening at the theatre, whatever you’re going to see. In short -- a great place, and well recommended.

This is a cosy theatre situated in the basement of Manchester Library in St Peters Square. Seating about 300 people, it produces a fairly traditional line up of plays in a proscenium arch theatre. They do fab Christmas shows - great alternatives to your traditional panto.

Lovely little theatre in what is the basement of Manchester’s Central Library. I’ve been working (filming a few theatre performances) there over the past week or two and before last year had never visited. Which is a shame because it’s a nice little theatre almost hidden in the bowels of this great library. That’s its main problem for me - it’s tucked away rather than pronouncing itself loudly on the city’s street fabric. Instead of grand theatre doors and a spot of obese advertising hoardings (as per all the great theatres), instead you have to wander into a public library and usher yourself downstairs to get near to the action and by that time part of the excitement in seeing a play may have subsided somewhat (and that’s if you’ve already somehow found out that this is indeed a theatre).
Still, once inside it’s not a bad theatre at all - it actually reminds me of a smaller cinema, perhaps a smaller screen room in the old Oxford Street Odeon. The lighting is all there, the sound/audio too and the stage is of the intimate yet professional variety.
Plays run throughout the year and there are a many promising ones coming up (Neil Bartlett’s Great Expectations is one for my diary). Of course being on a smaller scale than the likes of the Opera House/Royal Exchange/Palace etc. you’ll get the opportunity to see smaller plays from upcoming productions teams, writer and directors. I feel that if it is to continue into the future then something must be done to promote itself out of the hidden playhouse plot it current occupies.
As it happens, the Library is set to be refurbished over the next couple of years to the tune of around £150 million. I believe plans are afoot to in fact move the theatre out of the library and into a more standalone venue. This will be good news for the theatre and the city itself.