Novel way to spread a story...

BRONTE meets Bollywood . . . the Oldham Coliseum version of Wuthering Heights

Coliseum to make Bronte book a global read

OLDHAM is spreading the word of Britain’s best-loved novel to far flung reaches of the world.

Oldham Coliseum has come up with the unusual idea of sending copies of “Wuthering Heights” to exotic climates to celebrate a new production.

The English literature classic will go global by being distributed worldwide in the hope that someone will pick it up, read it and discover a new enthusiasm for the acclaimed tale of Heathcliffe’s passionate but thwarted romance with Cathy.

The theatre is putting on an exciting Bollywood version of “Wuthering Heights” in March and their quirky idea also ties in with National Storytelling Week, taking place up until February 7.

Theatre bosses will send copies of Emily Bronte’s only novel to contacts in several countries asking them to leave the book in a public place.

Details inside will instruct the reader to “set it free” once they have finished with it so that someone else can enjoy the book.

Contact details will also be included so that they can get in touch with the theatre to tell them what they thought of Wuthering Heights - and they will even receive an invitation to the opening night of the production.

The novel will end up in India, South Africa, Sweden, Greece, America, Australia, New Zealand and Canada and will also be sent to London and Haworth, West Yorkshire, where the Bronte sisters wrote their most famous works.

A copy will also be left in Oldham — so keep your eyes peeled!

A theatre spokeswoman said: “Hopefully people will pick it up, read the story and then say what they think of it. It will be good fun.”

The theatre production is a musical interpretation in a Bollywood style that swaps the windswept Yorkshire Moors for the scorching desert landscape of Rajasthan. Following its Oldham run it will head off on a national tour.

The theatre’s website, www.coliseum.org.uk, will also have a page dedicated to tracking where the novel has ended up, and what the readers thought about the book.

To book tickets contact the Coliseum box office on 0161-624 2829 or book online at www.coliseum.org.uk