The Kings Arms pub in Salford has been a buzzing fringe venue for many years, and you only have to nip in for a pint to find that a welcoming community awaits you. But owner Lisa Connor and actor husband Colin Connor are eager to develop a new concept in Manchester and Salford – a resident theatre company within their pub theatre. Honouring the history of the pub which opened in 1807, and bringing a new modern vibe to the venue is key to this new venture, and The Kings Arms Theatre Company is now launching their new season!
The in-house team brings tradition and modern together in their collaboration with John O’Neill and his theatre production company Up ‘Ere Productions. Using a collaborative approach should enable the team to develop their new theatre season, and looking at the line up of shows, there is a mix of gritty realism, reconciliation, and artistic opinions and friendship, there is certainly something there for everyone.
So, let’s take a look at the upcoming 2027 season. But hold your horses, the team are still busy with their last show of 2026, and having scene a snippet at the launch, this looks interesting. Wasted by Kae Tempest was written for a London audience but has been edited to adjust to its new home in Manchester. Directed by John O’Neill from Up ‘Ere Productions, one of the team behind The Kings; the play will bring the audience up close within an immersive, music filled space. No performance will be the same as each show will feature a different Manchester-based spoken word artist.
Ok, so now let’s look at 2027. First off is Look Back In Anger written by John Osborne in 1956, this year celebrates its 70th birthday, and of course Manchester’s very own Oasis took inspiration from this play for their massive hit song ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. A perfect introduction to a season looking at working class struggles and social classes. In unity with Manchester’s Irish Festival in March, play number two is Quietly, a play that interrogates how the legacy of the troubles in Ireland affects personal friendships, and explores the question – how can this be reconciled? In complete contrast, Art looks at how we define art on a personal level, its worth in a material world, and how this bleeds into friendships. Finally, The Kings will open their doors to their new idea of ‘Pitch a Play’ where the theatre community of Manchester have the opportunity to offer their ideas for a play to be staged at the Kings Arms. For anyone who saw their recent production The Red Lion, you will already have a flavour of the high standard of theatre that will be produced here.
I was pleased to spend a few minutes discussing these ideas with Colin Connor, Lisa Connor and John O’Neill, and one thing that is abundantly clear is that The Kings Arms Theatre Company (The Kings), is a labour of love, and a product of their belief in the creative process and its home in Manchester. Manchester is a vibrant city, and I have often wondered why its fringe theatre scene is not more evolved, and so this collaboration is a joy to hear. At the heart of this new theatre company is the promise that all performers will be paid, they will source their talent locally, thereby supporting the local theatre community, and their collective experience will feed into Manchester’s theatre eco system, and offer opportunities that are needed here in Manchester. Lisa Connor is also the co-founder of Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, which has breathed new life into Manchester’s fringe theatre scene! Financially, the hope is that the theatre company will be self-supporting, with overheads being minimal due to the ownership of the pub, and the collaborators not charging for their time, the financial model is ideally placed for this new venture to work. The theatre space is versatile, and productions will be staged with the intention of bringing the audience up close to the the play, enabling the writing and performance to be delivered with full impact. You will only be able to see the performances at The Kings, as they is not a touring company. All they need is the people of Manchester to get behind them and to support their own creatives. The team’s enthusiasm is infectious, so let’s hope that Manchester embraces this new vibrant venture.
To stay in touch with the development of The Kings Arms Theatre Company (The Kings), follow them on Instagram @thekings_mcr, or go to their website – https://kingsarmssalford.com/the-kings/. Their production Wasted is available to book now and runs from the 3rd-14th November 2026.
