Putting on the glitz...

ON STAGE: Coliseum veteran and the show's host Kenneth Alan Taylor, who first appeared at the theatre in 1959

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OLDHAMERS paid their first visit in 10 months to the Coliseum on Friday and Saturday — and for most it was like they had never been away.

With a host of familiar TV figures on stage, and a plush new look with ultra-comfortable new seating, audiences enjoyed the gala “Curtain Up at the Coliseum”, to mark the completion of its £1.5million refurbishment.

Theatregoers and guests were treated to glimpses of what makes the Coliseum one of the most loved institutions of its kind, with excerpts from favourites “Brassed Off” and “Kes” featuring members of Oldham Brass Band and youngsters from the theatre’s young people’s companies among the professionals.

Veteran Coliseum actor and director Kenneth Alan Taylor hosted an evening featuring “Coronation Street” stars Shobna Gulati, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Lisa George; long-time Coliseum favourite Jeffrey Longmore, and “Peter’s Friends” a music group run by Coliseum’s financial chief and musician, Peter Wakefield.

They were joined by an acting company featuring favourites Sue Devaney, Gemma Wardle and recent Coliseum find Adam Barlow, among a team of actor-musicians in a showcase of scenes from past shows, specially chosen by theatre chief Kevin Shaw.

“I love this theatre; I was honoured to be asked to join in,” said Julie Hesmondhalgh, who performed a sketch written specially for the occasion by her husband Ian Kershaw, the writer of “Star Cross’d”.

“It would be great to be in a full show here if I could get enough time off from ‘Coronation Street’,” she added.

Theatre bosses and councillors afterwards voted the gala a hit; council leader Jim McMahon told guests the reopened theatre was “just the start” of a bright future vision for Oldham.

But boss Kevin Shaw didn’t have much time to reflect on the theatre’s successful rebirth. Yesterday he dashed to London and a lunch hosted by the Theatrical Management Association — at which “Star Cross’d” was nominated for an award.

“As weekends go, that was quite a welcome back,” he said.

Sadly it wasn’t a completely triumphant weekend: Star Cross’d was beaten to the award by a London company



::The first full show in the reopened theatre is London Classic Theatre in “The Importance of Being Earnest” from tomorrow until Saturday.