Curtain up on Workshop exhibition

WONDERLAND . . . opening the exhibition are (from the left) Chris Mundy, Jennifer Smith, Gaye Lewis, Victoria Munich, Gemma Wardle and Niamh Purtill

VISITORS can look back on 40 years of entertainment from Oldham Theatre Workshop at a new exhibition.

West End star and former member Gemma Wardle, from Royton, opened the display at Gallery Oldham.

It features photography of many of the shows staged over the last four decades and some of the community-focused projects that form an important part of the organisation’s work.

Old and new costumes are on display, including the stunning Aslan the Great Lion costume worn in last year’s production of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”.

Visitors to “Oldham Theatre Workshop: 40 Years”, which runs until September 6, can also find out more about all the hard work on a DVD.

The workshop was set up in 1968 by David Johnson, with Victoria Munich becoming director in 1995 and James Atherton taking the lead in 2002.

Thousands of young people, from six to 25, have been given the opportunity to take part in productions and workshops.

The project has proved the training ground for many famous names, including Anna Friel, Anthony Cotton, Suranne Jones, Mark Jordan, Ann Kirkbride and Lisa Riley.