REVIEW - FUN HOME AT THE ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE, MANCHESTER - A THOUGHT-PROVOKING EVENING AT THE THEATRE

Our Trip To See Fun Home At The Royal Exchange Theatre 🎭

On Thursday 9th July, Lawrence and I headed into Manchester for the press night of Fun Home at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester.

The performance was due to begin at 7:30pm, so we caught the tram at around 6:15pm before arriving at Market Street shortly before 6:40pm.

From there, it was a short walk through the city centre and we arrived at the Royal Exchange at around 6:45pm, giving us plenty of time before the show started.

The outside of the theatre was surrounded by scaffolding and restoration work during our visit, but stepping through the doors into the Great Hall still felt like entering another world entirely.

As always, one of the first things we did after arriving was head straight to the box office to collect our tickets.

We also picked up a programme for £5 before taking some time to have a look around the building.

Programmes, Props & Exploring The Royal Exchange 📖

Unlike many touring productions, there wasn't any merchandise available for Fun Home, although I don't think I've ever seen the Royal Exchange sell show merchandise for one of their in-house productions.

The £5 programme was the only souvenir available to purchase on the evening.

One thing I always enjoy when visiting the Royal Exchange is having a wander around the building before taking my seat.

Not only is it one of Manchester's most beautiful theatre spaces, but the productions often extend beyond the auditorium itself, with props and pieces from the show usually visible around the building.

I always find myself having a look to see what I can spot before the performance begins.

Another little tradition of mine is having a peek through the windows of the musicians' booth to see what instruments are waiting inside before the show starts. At the Royal Exchange, the musicians are housed in enclosed booths around the outside of the performance space rather than sitting within the auditorium itself, and I always enjoy trying to work out what sort of sound the production might have before the first note is played.

Because Fun Home runs without an interval, I also noticed staff walking around selling ice creams before the show started, which isn't something I can remember seeing before at the Royal Exchange. I assume it was because this production doesn't have an interval.

Before long, a bell rang throughout the building and the audience began making their way towards the various auditorium entrances.

Our tickets directed us towards Door 5, so we joined the queue and headed inside.

Our Seats At The Royal Exchange 🎟️

For this performance we were seated in Row C, Seats 41 and 42.

The view was perfectly fine, although one thing worth knowing if you're booking for the Royal Exchange is that Rows A to D on the ground level aren't raked.

If you happen to have somebody tall sat in front of you, your view can become a little restricted.

Personally, I think Rows E to G probably offer some of the best views in the stalls once the rake begins.

That said, my favourite seats I've ever had at the Royal Exchange remain Row A of the First Gallery, where you get a fantastic unobstructed view of the entire stage and can really appreciate the venue's unique in-the-round staging.

The Banquette seats are another interesting option and offer a brilliant view of the action as they sit right on the edge of the stage itself. However, they are low bench-style seats and can become a little uncomfortable during longer productions.

One of the things I love most about the Royal Exchange is simply looking around the auditorium before the show begins. With three levels of seating wrapped around the stage and the famous web of lighting suspended overhead, it remains one of the most distinctive theatre spaces in the country.

The show began promptly at 7:30pm and ran for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with no interval.

The Show 🎶

Based on Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir, Fun Home follows Alison as she looks back on her childhood, her family and her relationship with her father through memories brought to life by three versions of herself on stage.

It's a funny, moving and incredibly honest piece of theatre that explores family, identity, sexuality and the complicated relationships that shape who we become.

The Royal Exchange's in-the-round staging feels like the perfect home for the production, creating an intimacy that draws audiences directly into Alison's story.

There were moments where the audience were laughing out loud and others where the theatre was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop as some of the show's most emotional moments unfolded.

The cast were exceptional throughout, with outstanding performances across both the adult and young company, while Jeanine Tesori's score perfectly supports the storytelling from beginning to end.

One of the things that impressed me most was just how well the show worked in the Royal Exchange's unique in-the-round space. Watching the story unfold with the audience completely surrounding the stage made the whole experience feel incredibly intimate.

If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review, you can also head over to All About Theatre.

Food, Cast Celebrations & The Journey Home 🍔

Following the performance, guests attending the press night were invited to stay behind and celebrate with the cast and crew.

Food was served in the Great Hall after the show, with mini burgers, including halal, vegan and gluten-free options, alongside sweet potato fries.

Glasses of what I think was prosecco were also being served around the room for those who wanted them.

I don't drink alcohol and Lawrence rarely does either, so we bought soft drinks to enjoy with our food instead.

The atmosphere afterwards was lovely, with audience members, cast, creatives and press guests all mingling together throughout the building while discussing the production.

Even as people began making their way home, plenty of audience members were still deep in conversation about the show, which probably says as much about the impact of the production as the standing ovation that greeted the cast.

We spent some time chatting to a few people before reluctantly having to head off to get back to the children.

By the time we made our way back towards Market Street it was around 10pm and we caught the tram home shortly afterwards.

Final Thoughts ⭐

Overall, Lawrence and I had a really lovely evening at the Royal Exchange.

Fun Home isn't your traditional big musical filled with huge dance numbers and showstopping songs, but what it offers instead is something much more intimate and personal.

It managed to be funny, warm and quietly devastating, often within the space of a single scene.

The standing ovation at the end of the performance showed just how much the production had connected with the audience.

It's easy to see why this musical has received so much acclaim over the years and the Royal Exchange has delivered a production that feels perfectly at home in its unique space.

A thoughtful and emotionally powerful night at the theatre.

More Information About Fun Home 📍

Fun Home is at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 1st August 2026.

Tickets are available from £12 via the Royal Exchange website.

For more information about the production, visit the official Fun Home page on the Royal Exchange website.

If you'd like to read my more theatre-focused review, you can also head over to All About Theatre.

🎥 Watch Our Visit In Weekly Vlog #459

If you'd like to see what Lawrence and I got up to during our visit to Fun Home, you'll be able to watch our theatre trip in Weekly Vlog #459 once the vlog goes live.

At A Glance

📍 Venue: Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester

📅 Running Until: Saturday 1st August 2026

⏱️ Runtime: Approx. 1 hour 40 minutes with no interval

☕ Interval: None

🎟️ Tickets From: £12 via the Royal Exchange website.

💺 Our Seats: Row C Seats 41 & 42

👀 Seat View: Good, although Rows A-D are not raked

📖 Programme Available: Yes (£5)

🛍️ Merchandise Available: No merchandise available at this performance

🚋 Travel: Easily accessible by tram, bus and train

🚊 Closest Tram Stop: Market Street, St Peter's Square and Exchange Square (all within approximately 10 minutes walk)

🚆 Closest Train Station: Manchester Victoria but Manchester Piccadilly, Deansgate and Oxford Road are all within walking distance (all within approximately 15 minutes walk)

🚌 Bus Access: Numerous bus stops are located within a short walk of the theatre

🚗 Parking: Multiple city centre car parks are available nearby, including Q-Park Deansgate North and Manchester Arena Car Park

♿ Accessibility: The Royal Exchange Theatre is accessible by lift and wheelchair spaces are available within the auditorium

🌍 Official Website: Royal Exchange Theatre website