After a packed autumn of brilliant shows, Liverpool’s thriving combined arts venue, Unity Theatre, is forging ahead with its much-loved Christmas programme. True to its spirit as a counterpoint to the mainstream, Unity continues to champion diverse arts and platform underrepresented voices, and this year’s festive season is no exception.
Kicking things off on 3rd & 4th December, a bold new voice in feminist theatre takes to the Unity stage with Rotten Apple, a raw, poetic exploration of mental health, class, identity, and the pursuit of dreams. The first play in the Windows of a Woman trilogy, this debut piece follows the true story of a young Liverpudlian woman chasing a bigger, brighter life, set against the enchanting backdrop of a snowy, 1990s Manhattan.
Later in the month, queer and non-binary artists take centre stage with a series of dazzling, joy-filled shows bursting with comedy, acrobatics, drag, and puppetry. Returning after last year’s anarchic success, the Unity Christmas Cabaret(19th & 20th December) promises festive mischief and glamour with cabaret legend Velma Von Bon Bon. Meanwhile, Merseyside Kings’ Merry Manarchy (17th & 18th December) brings holiday heartthrobs and outrageous fun in a drag king spectacular, a fabulously camped-out quest for the true meaning of Christmas.
Unity also proudly shines a light on RAWD, its Associate Company in Residence, who create inclusive spaces where disabled artists can thrive. Their festive show, To Be Near a Shooting Star, offers a sparkly, candy-cane retelling of the Nativity, complete with tinsel, triumphs, and three not-so-wise kings. Expect a heartwarming, joyfully chaotic twist on a Christmas classic.
Rounding off the 2025 season in style, Sleep Can Wait! (12th–23rd December) is a high-energy, heart-warming journey through myth, legend, and imagination. Created in collaboration with Liverpool-based Tmesis Theatre, this enchanting physical theatre piece is brimming with laughter and wonder, a true festive treat for dreamers of all ages. With its rich movement, minimal text, and sensory storytelling, it’s a perfect experience for families and neurodiverse audiences alike.
Since its origins in the 1930s, Unity has been a radical force in theatre. Emerging from the Unity Theatre movement, which produced politically left-wing works by and for working-class audiences, the Liverpool theatre gained a reputation through the 1940s–60s for bold, socially conscious productions tackling issues from workers’ rights to fascism.
Today, Unity remains the only surviving member of that movement, carrying forward its founding mission, investing in local talent, nurturing emerging artists, and presenting radical, high-quality theatre that amplifies underrepresented voices.
Now much more than a performance venue, Unity has evolved into a cultural hub for Merseyside creatives and the wider community. Alongside its innovative theatre programming, Unity hosts exhibitions, live music, film screenings, creative workshops, and a thriving talent development programme supporting the next generation of artists.
UNITY THEATRE CHRISTMAS 2025 SHOWS
Unity Theatre present
Rotten Apple
Wednesday 3rd & Thursday 4th December, 7:30pm
£15
Rotten Apple is the first play in the Windows of a Woman trilogy, premiering at Unity Theatre on 3rd and 4th December 2025. Set in 1990s Manhattan, it follows a young Liverpool woman chasing her dream of a bigger, brighter life. Hungry for more than her working-class beginnings could offer, she dives into the electric chaos of New York – rooftop parties, yellow taxis, jazz bars, and the thrill of love. But dreams aren’t always kind. When reality fractures her fantasy, she’s forced to confront the darkness hidden beneath the city’s shimmer.
With themes of mental health, class, love, and identity, Rotten Apple is a raw, poetic exploration of what it means to risk everything for a dream and how easily that dream can rot from the inside.
RAWD in association with Unity Theatre present
To Be Near a Shooting Star
Saturday 6th – Monday 8th December, various showings
£10 – £6
A sparkly, twinkly, candy cane sweet story. M+J go on a quest, looking for a spot to rest. Expect tinsel, triumphs and 3 not so wise kings, as RAWD present their version of a classic.
RAWD has spent over a decade co-creating joyful, inclusive spaces where disabled artists can thrive. RAWD are proudly Associate Company in Residence at Unity hosting weekly sessions that work towards theatre productions. This project is testing a collaborative model that merges performance and design, led by learning-disabled artists, and rooted in joy, agency and accessibility.
A collaboration with Unity Theatre and Tmesis Theatre:
Sleep Can Wait!
Friday 12th – Tuesday 23rd December, various showings
£15 – £10
On a snowy winter’s night, with excitement in the air and sleep nowhere to be found, three children open a magical book, and are whisked away on an adventures far from the comfort of their bedroom!
Join us for a heart-warming, high-energy journey through myths, legends, and imagination in this enchanting, physical theatre show, packed with fun, laughter, and wonder.
Perfect for dreamers of all ages this winter season!
With lots of physicality and minimal text this show is family and neurodiverse friendly for all ages to enjoy! A collaboration with Unity Theatre and Tmesis Theatre.
Merseyside King Collective present:
Merry Manarchy
Wednesday 17th & Thursday 18th December, 8:00pm
£15-£7
They’ve lost the plot, the presents, and maybe even their pants, and nobody can really remember what the hell Christmas is about. Peace on earth? Party hats? Power ballads? Chest hairs? Chestnuts? Who knows?
Join us as your holiday heartthrobs strut, stumble and strip through the falling snow in seasonal disarray in a ridiculous yet fabulously camped-out search for what Christmas is all about.
Unity Theatre present:
Unity Christmas Cabaret
Friday 19th & Saturday 20th December, 8:00pm
£15-£7
After last year’s anarchic success, Unity’s Christmas Cabaret is back to entertain you with comedy, acro, puppets and more – featuring Velma Von BonBon, Katy Anne Bellis, Caustic Widows and Teatro Pomodoro!
This event is ideal for Works and Groups Christmas Parties, email info@unitytheatre.co.uk to book.
