Royal Exchange Theatre announces major costume exhibition and 50th anniversary celebrations
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 36 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Preview by Steve Cooke
Royal Exchange Theatre has announced plans surrounding the celebration of its 50th anniversary, with a series of events celebrating the venue's longstanding commitment to storytelling, championing new voices, and fostering new talents, as well as looking back on its extraordinary origins from the Manchester’s Exchange to one of the most unique and radical designs in UK theatre.
Launching on 16th September 2026 and running until 15th November 2026, Mythic Reinvention: an Exhibition Celebrating 50 years of Costume and Crafty forms a central part. It will bring the theatre’s extraordinary costume archive to life through a free public exhibition, curated by international award-winning designer Leslie Travers.
Leading up to the exhibition launch, Exchanging Stories, a series of live industry conversations, will look back at the venue’s exceptional history across design and craft, exploring the origins of the venue’s unique space and the theatre’s commitment to championing new work and its key role in shaping the UK’s theatre ecosystem.
Inspired by the unique architecture of the venue’s Victorian Great Hall, the exhibition will feature pieces from past productions and provide an exclusive insight into the inner workings of the theatre’s costume department from the artists who created some of the Exchange’s most iconic shows. Audiences will be able to discover pieces from the archives, including costumes worn by Dame Helen Mirren, Don Warrington, Andrew Garfield, Sir Tom Courtenay, Maxine Peake and Suranne Jones, from 16th September – 15th November.
Alongside the exhibition, the venue will be hosting a series of industry conversations titled Exchanging Stories, exploring what contributed to making the venue so unique over the past five decades. Audiences will be able to hear multi-award-winning actor David Threllfall in conversation with acclaimed director Matthew Dunster ahead of King Lear starting performances in October; Rory Mullarkey, whose play Even These Things premiered at the venue in May 2026, Simon Stephens, Daisy Miles and Tolu Okanlawon will discuss the Exchange’s remarkable legacy of presenting and championing groundbreaking new writing, launching the careers of some of the world's most influential playwrights, and the theatre’s crucial role in shaping the UK's theatre ecology; Victoria Turner from Levitt Bernstein, the original architects behind the venue, and Artistic Director / Co-CEO Selina Cartmell will look back on the process of transforming one of the world's largest rooms into a home for theatre and how the iconic module structure came about; award-winning set and costume designer Leslie Travers and the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Head of Costume, Tracy Dunk, will give audiences a look inside the making of the Mythic Reinvention exhibition and the stories behind the extraordinary costumes and objects from the theatre’s archive.
To complete the festivities, the theatre will be holding a gala night on Tuesday, 15th September 2026, the exact date of its 50th birthday. The evening will see friends of the theatre and industry figures gather together to celebrate 50 years of the Royal Exchange Theatre and looking ahead to its future.
Artistic Director and Co-CEO, Selina Cartmell said: “Nearly 50 years ago the Royal Exchange Theatre set out to become a beacon of world class artistic excellence rooted in Manchester. As we celebrate this milestone in our history, we are beyond proud to be offering an anniversary in the image of this extraordinary space: bold, radical and new. The costume exhibition hosted in our unique space and the accompanying series of conversations on the Royal Exchange's storytelling mission and remarkable history will give audiences a never seen before look into what makes the Royal Exchange such a special place and will be a chance to celebrate every individual who has helped create and shape this beloved theatre as we look to our future”.
ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE
St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH
Box Office: 0161 833 9833 / royalexchange.co.uk
A HOMECOMING
2026 - 2027
MYTHIC REINVENTION: AN EXHIBITION CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF COSTUME AND CRAFT
16th September – 15th November 2026
Please note that opening hours will vary throughout the exhibition due to other performances and events taking place in the theatre, so please check this page before planning your visit.
From 16th September to 20th September
Wednesday: 12pm–8pm
Thursday & Friday: 12pm–5pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11am–5pm
From 21st September - 27th September
As the Royal Exchange Theatre prepares its stage for King Lear, some areas of the exhibition will be temporarily closed during this week. The venue will still be open as usual, Tuesday to Sunday, from 12pm to 5pm. Audiences can explore the sections of the exhibition that remain open, relax with food and drinks at The Rivals, and enjoy the atmosphere as the theatre gets ready for its next production.
From 28th September - 15th November
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 12pm–6pm
Wednesday: 12pm–5pm*
Thursday: 12pm–6pm
Friday: 12pm–6pm
Saturday: 11am–6pm
Sunday: 11am–5pm *
*On matinee days the exhibition will be open at the following times:
Wednesday 14th October 28th October 4th November, 11th November: 12pm onwards
(KING LEAR ticket holders only); 5.30pm–8pm (open to all)
Sunday 18th October/25th October/1st November/8th November/15th November: 11am–2pm (open to all); 2pm–5pm (KING LEAR ticket holders only)
INDUSTRY CONVERSATIONS: EXCHANGING STORIES
Saturday 12th September
2.30pm
Building the Exchange: 50 Years of Design and Possibility
With Victoria Turner, Levitt Bernstein, Selina Cartmell (Artistic Director / Co-CEO)
Discover the story behind the iconic Royal Exchange Theatre with Victoria Turner, Director of Levitt Bernstein, the original architects behind the venue, alongside artists who have created work within its extraordinary space over the past 50 years.
Hosted by the Royal Exchange Theatres’ Co-CEO & Artistic Director Selina Cartmell, they'll explore the bold vision that transformed one of the world's largest rooms into a home for theatre, the architectural challenges that shaped the iconic module structure, and how its distinctive design continues to inspire new ways of making performance. From staging in the round to reimagining scale, sightlines and audience relationships, this conversation reveals how architecture can unlock creative possibilities for artists and theatre-makers.
4.30pm
Writing the Future: 50 Years of New Voices
With Simon Stephens, Rory Mullarkey, Daisy Miles and Tolu Okanlawon
Join playwrights Simon Stephens, Rory Mullarkey, Daisy Miles and Tolu Okanlawon for a conversation exploring the Royal Exchange’s remarkable legacy of presenting groundbreaking new writing. Together, they'll reflect on five decades of championing bold new voices, launching the careers of some of the world's most influential playwrights, and the theatre’s crucial role in shaping the UK's theatre ecology. Looking back at the plays and playwrights that defined generations, they'll also consider how the Royal Exchange continues to nurture the next wave of writers and the future of new writing for the stage.
Sunday 13th September
2.30pm
Making the Myth: 50 Years of Costume and Craft
With Leslie Travers and Tracy Dunk
Join award-winning costume designer Leslie Travers and the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Head of Costume, Tracy Dunk, for a fascinating conversation about the making of the MYTHIC REINVENTION exhibition. Discover the stories behind the extraordinary costumes and objects from our archive, explore how the exhibition was conceived and curated, and hear how costume design has brought unforgettable characters and productions to life over the past five decades. From iconic designs to creative collaboration, this is a unique insight into the artistry that helps reinvent stories for every new generation.
4.30pm
Reimagining Lear: In Conversation with David Threlfall and Matthew Dunster
https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/event/reimagining-lear-in-conversation-with-david-threlfall-and-mat…
Join award-winning stage and screen actor David Threlfall and award-winning director Matthew Dunster for a special conversation about their longstanding connections with the Royal Exchange Theatre and their collaboration on the upcoming production of KING LEAR. They'll discuss their vision for this bold new staging, their approach to reimagining one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, and how their careers and creative journeys have shaped this landmark production.
Single panel entry: £10
Weekend pass (with access to all panels): £30.
Box Office: 0161 833 9833
Online: www.royalexchange.co.uk
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