October 2025: Best shows to see in Leeds

If you think that the festival season is over, then think again. Leeds Playhouse is host to, not one, but two of the blighters this month.

Before they, and I, begin, there is the little matter of the end of the run of the amazing To Kill A Mockingbird, which goes on until 4th October. I have seen this and it is an incredible piece of theatre, so highly recommended. My review of To Kill A Mockingbird is available here.

The first festival is Leeds International Festival of Ideas, which follows the same format as last year’s incredibly successful version, comprising ‘Fireside Chats’ and Panel Discussions. The former is in inverted commas as there is no actual fireside on health and safety grounds, just comfy chairs and sofas. It runs from 14th to 18th October and features some amazing guests such as Tamsin Greig, Sally Wainwright, David Baddiel, Vicky McCure, Chuck D, Kirsty Wark, Caitlin Moran, Fred Sirieix, Victoria Derbyshire, Myleene Klass MBE, Shebahn Aherne, and many others. I could go on, but for once I won’t, except to say that this year there is a Young LIFI event, co-curated by The Ruth Gorse Academy. It is of the Panel Discussion variety and features Leeds Rhinos legend, Jamie Jones Buchanan MBE and host, BBC Newsround’s Shanequa Paris. The subject is Building Bouncebackability, asking how young people deal with adversity, negativity and made-up long words.

Hot on the heels of LIFI25 comes Transform25 running (literally – see later) from 21st to 25th October. This is less talk and more action, with theatre, dance, and performance. It is also Pay What You Can. The events are spread over various venues in the city but the ones at Leeds Playhouse are EXXY on 22nd and 23rd and The Last Supper on 25th.

The month’s events are brought to a close by the actors and actor/musicians of Leeds Conservatoire with their production of Jekyll & Hyde on 30th October. 

Opera dominates at Leeds Grand Theatre with Susanna by Handel continuing the Autumn Season from 4th to 22nd October. It is a collaboration between Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre. Telling the story of a woman whose reputation is targeted by two predatory men determined to destroy her. It deals with violence against women and gender-based injustice. Sounds powerful! 

Overlapping this period, between 18th October and 1st November, we have La bohème, (Italians tend not to use upper case in titles) by Puccini. It is set in a house shared by artists and students, all of whom are skint. Will love see them through? I have seen this before so prepare to laugh, cry and enjoy some great music.

For the younger end 5-12 year olds, there is The Big Opera Mystery on Saturday, 25th October at 200pm. An expert thief is on the loose and you have to catch them. The suspects are some of the greatest opera characters of all time, so Carmen join in the fun – see what I did there?

To wind up the month there are two films which will be accompanied by the Orchestra of Opera North: Amadeus, which also includes the Chorus of Opera North, on 30th October, and Psycho on 31st. Psycho on Halloween! Save your shower until Saturday morning.

On 30th and 31st October at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall there is New Dawn Fades: A Play About Joy Division and Manchester. So pop along to see the story of one of the great indie bands and the Factory record label.

There are shows galore at Carriageworks this month, mainly for the younger theatregoers. 

The October programme kicks off with Carriageworks Theatre: 20th Anniversary Showcase on 3rd. This event will celebrate a score of years with performances by Cariageworks Young Theatre Makers and Leeds Community Arts Network. The night of nostalgia and optimism for the future will be hosted by Panto favourite, Jez Edwards – Oh! Yes it will.

The following day, 4th October, sees Edy Hurst’s Wonderful Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself. What with Italian lower case and these old spellings, I am in a pitch battle here with autocorrect! It tells of the Lancashire Witch Trials, The Vengaboys and absolutely ’Nothing Else’. 

9th to 11th has the love story between The Smeds and The Smoos for those 3+, so music, stories and laughs for all. 

A couple more shows for the young ‘uns are Tom Gates Epic Stage Show on Sunday, 12th, and Hare and Tortoise on Friday, 17th. There are two performances of each.

To celebrate Black History Month, on 19th October, there is Jah Makin’ it Happen – A Reggae Musical, depicting life during the Windrush Era as seen through the eyes of Johnny Morgan, who dreams of becoming a worldwide star. Not all goes as planned.

Saturday 25th October at 2.00pm has a performance of Runner, which takes place in the theatre and on the streets of Leeds simultaneously. It is about running and exhaustion. A woman is running outside of the theatre to prompt us to ask, Why do we value people who push themselves to their limits? Personally speaking, I would drop the leading ‘Why’! and answer ’No’. Running is another event in the Transform Festival. Link above. 

From running to crawling, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show from 29th October to 2nd November. This features no fewer than 75 puppets, please don’t count them just to try to prove me wrong, used to adapt four stories by Eric Carle: Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Busy Spider and, of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. See it while you can, next time it might be The Very Hungry Butterfly.  Bookings are recommended.

Have great October and no, I am not wearing a Halloween mask, this is me!