Performance Programme 2025
→ about · audiences · by · people · warnings Updated 15 September 2025, 1pm
Autumn begins with Emergency 25’s day out for the curious at Contact — continues with Hetain Patel’s moving exploration of generational change at Lowry — and closes with a Social Experiment at Contact…
2025 has already seen four Social Experiments, Kellie Colbert’s dedication of love, Turn’s whirlwind of dance, a pair of Works Ahead, Fabíola Santana’s movement ritual, and Haphazard’s all ages antics…
Read our latest Weekly Warning signpost to discover more live and online performance in Manchester + beyond… Please also sign-up to keep in touch.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch archived livestreams and more.
Find further information for both audiences and artists on our News page.
Discover what happened last year in our 2024 archive — and please tell us your thoughts if you come to any of our events or watch a livestream.
back to top
About
Simply put, Word of Warning is a one-stop shop for the bonkers, the beautiful, and the bizarre of new live performance — an attempt to keep alive the best of greenroom’s 25-year legacy, and to also introduce new people to the possibilities of seeing live work in Manchester + beyond, including online…
If you haven’t attended one of these performance evenings yet, WTF are you doing? Go and see the stimulating new work that’s out there!
— Number 9 Reviews on WTF Wednesdays (November 2019)
We take live work very seriously — but we don’t take ourselves seriously at all. Over the past thirteen or so years we’ve shown funny, thought-provoking, and beautiful work by the likes of Action Hero, Avital Raz, Chanje Kunda, Cheryl Martin, Darren Pritchard, Deborah Pearson, ELOINA, FK Alexander, Harry Clayton-Wright, Hetain Patel, Jo Bannon, Kim Noble, Michael Pinchbeck, Proto-type Theater, Richard DeDomenici, Ron Athey, WilL Dickie, Stacy Makishi, Two Destination Language, and Uncurbed Collective (amongst others).
back to top
Audiences
We don’t want to put you off by talking art form labels — yes, there’ll be theatre, Live Art, performance, dance, etc. — as our aim is to be anything but elitist or po-faced. So, if you like comedy, music, gaming, or want a friendly, stimulating evening — there’ll be something you might want to take a chance on…
Astonishing. Like nothing else. Transformative, immersive, moving.
Always special, bringing the unexpected and intriguing, thank you.
Fabulous for seeing things different from the mainstream machine.
Really important and interesting work, different to everything else.
— Audience feedback
By
Word of Warning is a project by Manchester-based hÅb — you might not have heard of us though you may know some of our events like Emergency, Haphazard, Hazard, or Turn. Read 2021’s interview with Circles & Stalls.
Our Performance Programme 2025 is brought to you by hÅb with partners including Company Chameleon, Contact, Dance Consortia North West, HOME, Lowry, Project Auske, and Z-arts.
Refreshing company that brings diverse shows to our door steps.
WoW are great, supporting emerging work and bringing it to new audiences.
Wonderful, daring performances that I have never been disappointed by.
A needed company in Manchester, feels like they really support artists.
— Audience feedback
hÅb produces, develops, and advocates for Live Art, contemporary performance, and sited work in the North of England. hÅb is supported using public funding by Arts Council England (a National Portfolio Organisation). hÅb is also a Divergency core partner — encouraging diversity in Live Art; a Manchester Independents lead partner — highlighting independent Greater Manchester artists; and a member of Dance Consortia North West, GMAST, the GM LGBTQ+ Arts & Culture Network, and Live Art UK.
back to top
People
Tamsin Drury, hÅb’s Director, has been around a while — a really long while — she’s been responsible for making the Arndale Tower flash, wrapping Cathedral Gardens in 7km of hazard tape, and firing a glitter-cannon to the Hallelujah chorus! On the less eccentric side, over the years hÅb has worked with hundreds of GM & NW artists to help them create new work.
Please send programming enquiries to her via info@habmcr.org
John Franklin-Johnston, hÅb’s Programme Manager, is a freelance producer, events manager, facilitator, and was greenroom’s programme co-ordinator.
Peader Kirk, artist & mentor, supports Works Ahead and other hÅb projects.
We’re grateful for the ongoing support of hÅb projects during 2025 from a team of freelancers and volunteers that includes: Alison Darnbrough, Andrew Crofts, Annelise Edwards, Bronwyn Bull, Catherine Shaw, Ella Roberts, Jacob Lisle, Jamil Keating, Martha Barr, Sam Stockdale, Sophie Meakin, Tania Camara, Tricia Coleman, plus Theatre & Performance students from The Arden.
Thanks also to hÅb’s Advisory Board: Helen Palmer, Cathy Butterworth, Charles Rowley, Joseph Lau, Tania Camara, and Maya Chowdhry for Divergency.
back to top
Warnings
Please click here to read specific content (trigger) warnings for our events.
back to top