What’s on in May
Monthly entertainment guide, in partnership with Visit Hull
ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Fawlty Towers
Hull New Theatre
May 12-16
£24-£52
The “greatest British sitcom of all time” (Radio Times) is back, this time on stage.
Nearly 50 years since it first graced our TV screens, Fawlty Towers is now a brand-new stage play adapted by comedy legend John Cleese and directed by Caroline Jay Ranger.
Fresh from a sold-out West End season, this laugh-out-loud production was universally acclaimed by every London and national critic, selling out every single performance during its record-breaking run.
Join Basil, Sybil, the delightfully bumbling Major and an 18-strong cast as they bring to life all your favourite moments from the show's unforgettable twelve episodes.
With sharp wit, chaos and calamity at every turn, this is the comedy event of the year.
Secure your tickets now and relive the madness of Fawlty Towers live on stage.
It is a staycation you’ll never forget.
Mean Girls
Hull New Theatre
May 25-30
£24-£62.50
Winner of Best New Musical (WhatsOnStage Awards) and direct from the West End, Mean Girls is the hilarious smash-hit musical comedy from an award-winning creative team including writer Tina Fey (30 Rock), composer Jeff Richmond (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon).
Meet The Plastics – Regina, Gretchen and Karen. They rule North Shore High and will burn anyone who gets in their way.
Home-schooled Cady Heron may think she knows a thing or two about survival of the fittest thanks to her zoologist parents, but high school is a whole new level of savage.
When Cady devises a plan to end Regina's reign, she learns the hard way that you can't cross a queen bee without getting stung.
Expect iconic characters, razor-sharp wit and killer songs. Grab your friends, this is going to be fetch – and yes Hull, we're making it happen!
★★★★★ “The most fun you can have in the West End” – Metro
★★★★ “A party from beginning to end” – Digital Spy
★★★★ “A terrific tale filled with kick-ass characters” – Daily Mail
“Tina Fey is a comic genius” – Time Out
“You simply must go” – Glamour
Avenue Q
Hull Truck Theatre
May 13-16
£20
Life’s tough when you're made of felt!
Welcome to Avenue Q – the laugh-out-loud, Tony Award-winning musical that's like Sesame Street… but strictly for adults!
With a cast of unforgettable puppet and human characters, Avenue Q tackles all the big grown-up questions: finding a job, paying the rent, falling in love – and discovering your purpose in life.
Packed with outrageous humour, catchy songs and more than a touch of heart, this is a show that's as warm and wise as it is wildly inappropriate.
Follow Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate, as he moves to a shabby New York street where his neighbours include aspiring comedian Brian, his fiancée Christmas Eve, internet addict Trekkie Monster and sweet kindergarten teacher Kate Monster.
Together they muddle through life’s difficulties, proving that no matter how uncertain things get, you're never alone when you've got friends on Avenue Q.
Brought to Hull Truck Theatre by Tech It Serious Productions, this hilarious, irreverent and surprisingly moving musical is one not to miss!
MUSIC
May 1
Erotic Secrets of Pompeii
The New Adelphi Club
A twisted amalgamation of angular art rock and transgressive post-punk.
Frankly, The Smiths
Polar Bear Music Club
Scottish tribute band dedicated to capturing the essence of the legendary indie group.
The Glam Rock Show – Get It On!
Hull City Hall
Step into the ultimate glam rock experience.
May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
Wired
Polar Bear Music Club
A night of non-stop 80s pop.
May 2
WHAM The Show
Hull City Hall
The ultimate party tribute to Wham and George Michael.
Monsters of Rock Live
O’Riley’s
Prepare to get rocked again!!!
Beatles Complete – A Tribute to The Fab Four
Middleton Hall
Packed with massive hits from the most influential band of all time.
May 3
Techno (All Night Long)
Polar Bear Music Club
An all-night long techno event built on sound, atmosphere and energy.
May 4, 11, 18 & 25
Musicians Night
The New Adelphi Club
The place and time to experiment, meet other musicians and be creative!
May 5, 12, 19 & 26
The Sesh
Polar Bear Music Club
Hull's original, weekly live music night.
May 7
Briana Corrigan
Wrecking Ball Arts Centre
Best known for delivering Beautiful South’s most successful single.
May 8
Very Santa
Wrecking Ball Arts Centre
Enjoy the beautiful guitar melodies and creatively diverse, challenging songs of Carlos Santana.
Weetwood Mac
Social
One of the UK’s most authentic homages to Fleetwood Mac.
Copacabana – The Barry Manilow Tribute Show
Hull City Hall
Experience all the classic hits from his amazing career.
May 9
Tom Hingley
Wrecking Ball Arts Centre
Former lead singer with Inspiral Carpets from 1989-2011.
Benidorm Tom
Comedy Lounge
Andy Wood has become renowned for his vocal ability and showmanship.
Hull Philharmonic Orchestra – Jewels of The East
Hull City Hall
Feast upon the beauty of Russian classical music in this dazzling concert!
May 10
The Dinosaur That Pooped a Rock
Hull City Hall
Based on the best-selling book – with added music!
May 12
Nigel Kennedy Virtuoso
Hull City Hall
A virtuoso concert from the biggest selling violinist in the world.
May 13
Stonk & support
The New Adelphi Club
Walking a tight line between nervous post-punk, shadowy noise and deconstructed jazz.
May 14
Roland Gift Presents 40 Years of Songs by Fine Young Cannibals
Hull City Hall
Experience the distinctive vocals and performance of a sound that defined an era.
May 15
Bras N’ Roses
O’Riley’s
Expect a night packed with electrifying performances.
Beyond The Barricades
Hull City Hall
The UK’s longest running musical theatre concert tour.
May 16
Britallica
O’Rileys
Britney Spears metal tribute.
Bowie By Candlelight
Hull Minster
An incredible night of Bowie anthems.
May 18
Neil Sands Anniversary Show: Remember When
Hull City Hall
An afternoon nostalgia show.
May 19
Cassidy Johnson Sings Carole King
Hull Truck Theatre
Breathtaking vocals, along with a live band.
Blue
Connexin Live
The Blue boys are back in town!
May 19-23
SIX The Musical
Hull New Theatre
Think you know the rhyme, think again…
May 21
The Great British Bake-Off Musical
Middleton Hall
One of Britain’s best-loved TV shows is now a musical!
Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
Hull City Hall
Krzysztof Urbański – conductor, Alexandra Dariescu – piano.
May 22
Sam Scherdel
Social
Often compared to Springsteen for his storytelling and grit.
Country Superstars
Hull City Hall
The world’s biggest country music tribute touring show.
May 23
Larkin Out Festival
The New Adelphi Club
The best upcoming indie artists from around the country.
May 27-30
Jekyll & Hyde the Musical
Hull Truck Theatre
Gothic thriller featuring a dramatic pop-rock score.
May 28
The Last Vinci & Terminals
The New Adelphi Club
An incredible night with two live bands.
May 29
Simon & Garfunkel: Through the Years
Hull City Hall
Performing the songs in a truly captivating way, against a backdrop of iconic imagery.
Feral Family
Polar Bear Music Club
Music that thunders and wails like an interplanetary apocalypse.
May 30
The Everly Pregnant Brothers
The New Adelphi Club
The North’s premier parody ukelele band.
ENTERTAINMENT
May 1
Megaslam: May-hem 2026
Middleton Hall
Main event features an eight-person tag team elimination match.
May Day Festival
Hull Minster
Choral groups, Maypole dancing and spring refreshments.
May 2
The Very Best of Tommy Cooper: Just Like That!
Hull Truck Theatre
A one-man show celebrating one of Britain’s best entertainers.
Natural History Museum presents Dinosaurs Live
Hull Truck Theatre
Journey through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
May 4
Classic and Vintage Car Show
Burton Constable Hall
A spectacular day celebrating automotive history.
May 6
Michael Van Gerwen for Kris Welham’s Testimonial Year
Middleton Hall
An evening with a master of darts.
May 8
Final Pill
Hull Truck Theatre
Sheperd Creative’s latest short film, a claustrophobic chamber thriller.
May 9
This Day Dawning: A Celebration of the Life and Poetry of Maurice Rutherford
Hull Truck Theatre
Hull poet Maurice Rutherford has his work celebrated.
May 15
Beyond the Barricade
Hull City Hall
The UK’s longest running musical theatre concert tour returns.
May 15 -31
Isabelle
Middle Child Theatre
Marc Graham debuts a play to open Hull’s newest theatre.
May 20
Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote
Hull Truck Theatre
Cult hit event comes to Hull.
Dr Louise Newson – Breaking The Cycle: The Power of Hormones
Hull City Hall
A show that unpacks the history and often-neglected science of hormones.
May 21-24
Theatre Quarter Beer & Cider Festival
Theatre Quarter
Hop and Vine, Brew, Old English Gentleman and The New Clarence celebrate great beer and cider.
May 23
Moomins Family Fun
Ferens Art Gallery
Make your own Moomins-themed dioramas, nature prints or enjoy some Moomin storytelling.
May 23-27
A Great Detective Adventure
Hull Truck Theatre
Arts and crafts followed by an interactive play.
May 24
Family Fest
Zebedee’s Yard
Incredible tribute performances to Sabrina Carpenter, Taylor Swift and more.
May 27-30
Jekyll & Hyde: The Musical
Hull Truck Theatre
NAPA presents this fantastic rendition of a classic tale.
May 28
Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals
Connexin Live
Bigger, bolder and more breathtaking than ever.
NT Live: The Playboy of The Western World (encore screening)
Hull Truck Theatre
Starring Nicola Coughlan, Éanna Hardwicke and Siobhán McSweeney.
May 30
The Night Sky Show
Hull City Hall
For everyone who looks up and wonders…
COMEDY
May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29
Funny Friday
Comedy Lounge
Every Friday, enjoy four fantastic comedians.
May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
Saturday Night Live
Comedy Lounge
Four hilarious comedians take the stage.
May 1
Russell Howard
Connexin Live
Bringing his new show ‘Don’t Tell The Algorithm’.
May 8
The Britpop Show with Marc Burrows
Hull Truck Theatre
A multimedia stand-up celebration, marking 30 years since the Blur vs Oasis chart war.
May 9
Alfie Moore: Apocalypse Now
Hull Truck Theatre
Doomsday is no laughing matter, but this show certainly is.
May 16
Chris McCausland – Yonks!
Hull City Hall
Chris hits the road again with a brand-new show.
May 17
Henning Wehn: Acid Wehn
Hull City Hall
A comedic unbiased look at climate change.
MARKETS
May 8
Outside Farmers Market
Trinity Square
Great produce in the great outdoors!
EXHIBITIONS, TOURS & TALKS
Every Wednesday-Sunday
Spurn Lightship Tours
Spurn Lightship
Dive into Hull’s seafaring history on this fully restored, iconic vessel.
Every Wednesday, Saturday & Sunday
Hull Marina Tours
Hull Marina
Take an in-depth look at Hull’s historic Marina with our accredited tour guides.
Every Thursday & Saturday
Hull Maritime Tours
Hull & East Riding Museum
Explore our Maritime city with a guided tour.
Every Friday-Sunday
Old Town Guided Walk
Queen Victoria Square
Enjoy a stroll back in time.
Until May 4
Fixing For the Future
Ferens Art Gallery
This exhibition will present a revealing look at the ‘alchemy’ involved in the conservator’s art.
Into the Stores
Ferens Art Gallery
Explore the stories and secrets behind dozens of works as we bring the collection stores into the public galleries at the Ferens.
Until May 30
Art Of Asia
Hull Central Library
Take a creative trip to Asia and explore artworks by Marjorie Brabazon.
May 2-June 27
Daylight Comes Through The Cracks
87 Gallery
Isaac Yeboah is a Ghanaian artist based in Hull.
May 3 & 19
Guided Tour of the Streetlife Museum of Transport
Streetlife Museum of Transport
Travel through 200 years of transport history.
May 17 & 31
Guided Tour of the Wilberforce House Museum
Wilberforce House Museum
Step inside Hull’s oldest museum on a guided tour of Wilberforce House Museum
May 18
Hull Trinity House Tours
Hull Trinty House
Explore one of the best kept secrets in Hull.
May 5, 10 & 26
Guided Tour of the Hull & East Riding Museum
Hull & East Riding Museum of Archaeology
Explore a world of archaeological discovery.
May 12
Guided Tour of the Ferens Art Gallery
Ferens Art Gallery
Explore the city’s art collection.
May 23-September 6
The Wonders of Moominvalley
Ferens Art Gallery
Step into the charming world of the Moomins.
Top events coming next month…
June 2-6
Barnum
Hull New Theatre
June 4-7
Zog
Hull Truck Theatre
June 6
Sweet & Sour: The Ultimate Tribute to Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter
Hull City Hall
June 10
Mark Simmons: Jest to Impress
Hull Truck Theatre
June 11
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Hull City Hall
June 20
The Carpenters Story – Live & Symphonic
Hull City Hall
June 20-21
The Big Malarkey Festival
East Park
June 26
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac
Connexin Live
June 30-July 4
Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man
Hull New Theatre
Hosting an event? Send us all of the details via the form on the Visit Hull website.
While Visit Hull and Hull City Council take care in providing up to date and accurate listing and event information, details should be checked with the organiser at the time of booking.