Coliseum is in good company

OLDHAM Coliseum has been nominated eight times in the Manchester Theatre Awards, it has been revealed.

The awards, the largest of their kind outside London, mark the work of local repertory and touring theatres as well as some of the biggest performers in visiting British and international theatre.

The Coliseum’s nominations recognise the company’s ingenuity and determination to present strong entertainment despite being out of the Fairbottom Street venue for most of last year.

Nominations cover shows presented at the Grange Arts Centre, University Campus Oldham, Alexandra Park and the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield throughout 2012.

They also show high regard for the theatre’s premiere, with London’s Tamasha Theatre, of former taxi driver Ishy Din’s first stage play “Snookered” — performed at the University Campus Oldham theatre in February, which has gathered three nominations for best new play, best studio production and best ensemble production.

The Coliseum’s remarkable open-air summer entertainment, “Star Cross’d”, is nominated in two categories — best special entertainment and best ensemble production.

The theatre has two productions in each of two categories — “Star Cross’d”, its much-admired reworking of “Romeo and Juliet” presented by a large cast in Alexandra Park — and pantomime “Cinderella” fight each other in the best special entertainment category, which the Coliseum panto won two years ago. “Snookered” and “Star Cross’d” are both nominated for best ensemble production.

Winners will be revealed at a special awards ceremony at Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, March 26.