Curtain up on the Coliseum’s summer season

OLDHAM Coliseum has a spring in its step as the company launches its new summer season.

There will be a trip to the races with Amanda Whittington’s comedy “Ladies’ Day” directed by Gareth Tudor Price.

Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever” is next in line, bringing a weekend in the country filled with cocktails, country houses, chaos and Coward’s captivating wit.

Two touring productions are also part of the season: Rifco Arts’ “Break the Floorboards” is a new dance drama from the company who created “Britain’s Got Bhangra”. The other production is an epic tale of love and war, “Birdsong”, staged by the Original Theatre Company.

For the first time the theatre will be handing over the reins to a team of young people during a week of productions entitled “Shake Up” when promotion, sales and admin will all be dealt with by the youngsters.

May sees another first, “First Break”, which will be a week-long festival of new writing and work by emerging companies from across the North West taking place at venues throughout Oldham as well at the Coliseum’s studio theatre.


::Full new season details in Thursday’s Theatre column, only in th print and EChron editions