New talent on show at Coliseum fringe festival

THEATRE takes centre stage in Oldham next week as the Coliseum’s First Break festival hosts performances in three local venues.

The annual festival showcases the best in new writing and emerging talent and is one of a growing number of “fringe” theatre festivals in the region

Seven new theatre works by up-and-coming writers will be presented at the Coliseum, at the Swan Inn, Dobcross, and at the theatre of University Campus Oldham.

Coliseum artistic director Kevin Shaw said: “This has become one of the highlights of our year and it is growing. We’re hoping First Break will take in even more venues and showcase not just theatre companies and writers but local young performers.”

On Monday, company Theatre By Numbers presents Lindsay Avery’s “Safe Mode” at the Swan Inn. Set in a distant future, the play is about the loneliness of two characters and an unlikely friendship.

On Tuesday evening, Manchester’s Faro Productions presents a new play, “Seven Veils: an Evening with Mata Hari”, at the Swan, telling the little-known story of the exotic dancer-turned-double agent who was executed by a French firing squad in 1917.

March 11 brings a selection of monologues, some serious, some comic, on the subject of “Time” from writer and actress Carly Tarett in the Coliseum Studio.

On Thursday night the same venue plays host to Gareth George’s “Electro Portico” — a show about image, communication and deception on the internet.

University Campus Oldham’s contribution to the week comes on Thursday and Friday, with matinee and evening performances from the university’s second-year performance students of Ota Shogo’s acclaimed play “The Water Station”.

Manchester writer Steve Timms’s new work “The Distance Between the Stars” runs on Friday at the Coliseum Studio, courtesy of Manchester company Organised Chaos. Timms says the play is about “grief, extra-terrestrials and ginger custard”.

The festival’s final day, on Saturday, brings two free events: “My Grandpa Jim” at 11am and Casting Tips for Professional Actors at 5pm.

“My Grandpa Jim” is a new play for children, by Sarah Birch and Catherine Manford, about reliving the memories of our older relatives.

The second event sees Coliseum boss Kevin Shaw offer, alongside a panel of industry professionals, tips to young actors on getting ahead in the business.

Details of all shows are on the Coliseum website at www.coliseum.org.uk. Tickets for Coliseum and UCO shows can also be booked on the site. Tickets for Swan Inn shows are available at www.wegottickets.com/dobcross.