The Sorcerer's Apprentice at HOME Manchester: Christmas 2026 family musical
The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a new family musical, has its world premiere at HOME Manchester from 27 November 2026 to 2 January 2027. Dates, times, age guidance and booking.
When and where
Family-friendlyThis Christmas, HOME in Manchester has the world premiere of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a brand new British musical for families. It runs in Theatre 1 from Friday 27 November 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027.
It's inspired by Goethe's poem, the one most of us know as Mickey Mouse and the mop-carrying brooms in Disney's Fantasia. This version swaps things round. Set against the Northern Lights, a Scandinavian town called Midgard is close to collapse, and a sorcerer and her young apprentice, Eva, have to learn to make magic together to save it. Expect brooms coming to life, a love story and a fair bit of magical chaos.
Sophie-Louise Dann, the Olivier-nominated West End star who played Madame Morrible in Wicked, plays the sorcerer Lamia. Emma Salvo, who originated Janice in the West End production of Come From Away, plays Greta. The music is by Alexander S. Bermange, the book by Richard Hough, and it's directed by Kirk Jameson (Madagascar The Musical).
An earlier digital version was released in 2021 and did well with critics. The Stage called it a "properly charming contemporary fairytale", and Broadway World said it would "captivate the entire family". This is the first time it has been fully staged.
We've been invited to the press night on Wednesday 2 December, so a proper review will follow after that.
Performance times
Evening shows start at 7pm and matinees at 2pm. There are matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays from 3 December, plus 22, 23, 29 and 30 December. Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are matinee only. There are no shows on Sundays, from 25 to 28 December, or on New Year's Day. Audio-described and captioned performances are available; HOME's page has the dates.
Quick answers
Where is it? HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, First Street, Manchester, M15 4FN.
When is it on? Friday 27 November 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027. Evenings at 7pm, matinees at 2pm on selected days.
What age is it for? HOME recommends it for ages 6+.
How long is it? About 2 hours, including an interval.
How do I book? Use HOME's official booking page, or call the box office on 0161 200 1500 (10am to 8pm daily). Prices and availability are shown when you pick a performance.
Information and image from HOME.