A circus featuring lovable children's character Shaun the Sheep is to perform in Manchester in a UK exclusive. Shaun the Sheep's Circus Show is a collaboration between leading performance company Circa Contemporary Circus and the globally renowned animation studio Aardman. Aardman’s classic, slapstick, comedy character Shaun the Sheep is combined with live circus performance, in a show that is billed as "simultaneously blurring the lines between movement, dance, theatre and circus for a visual spectacle packed with wit". The family show will take place for an extended run over the festive period in Manchester at Aviva Studios . The dates announced today for the show are from 11 December 2025, through to January 4, 2026. Led by Director Yaron Lifschitz, the Circa Ensemble capture all the sophisticated and challenging elements of circus arts while embracing the fun, humour and playfulness found in the world of Shaun the Sheep. Seamlessly blending the dimensions of animation, stage, film and live acrobatics, scenic Designer Dan Potra and Costume Designer Libby McDonnell have created a new world for Shaun and his Flock to inhabit. Yaron Lifschitz, Director of Circa said "Shaun the Sheep is a playful, rambunctious feast of humour, good spirits and the triumph of the little guy. "The medium of circus is a perfect vehicle for bringing these qualities to the stage. "Melding the worlds of stage and screen and incorporating the extreme physicality of circus without losing the emotional depth and charm of the original is a major creative challenge – it’s the sort of thing we at Circa thrive on.” Circa are at the forefront of the new wave of contemporary Australian circus, redefining the art form by showcasing how extreme physicality can forge powerful and emotive experiences. Meanwhile Aardman has been entertaining the world for almost 50 years now, creating much loved characters such as Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Morph and Chicken Run. The circus has been announced today as part of the winter programme at Aviva Studios, the home of arts organisation Factory International. Join our Family WhatsApp group HERE Three immersive experiences from Lightroom will run in repertory at Aviva Studios this winter with the return of the immensely popular David Hockney alongside new shows: Tom Hanks’ Moonwalkers and Vogue’s Inventing the Runway (16 Dec - 11 Jan). Tickets for all the shows, including Shaun the Sheep's Circus will go on sale to members sale on Wednesday June 18. Tickets then go on general sale on Friday June 20.