An Acorn by Caridad Svich is a cross-channel co-production between Impel Theatre and the Oldham Coliseum; first performed in 2017 in North America and now reimagined for the digital space.
‘It’s all appealingly bonkers’: CHATEAU GHOUL – LipService / Oldham Coliseum (Online review)
Very end of Blackpool Pier or Phoenix Nights, and if you appreciate either you’ll love Lip Service’s clever characterisations, sly digs at the supernatural, and the way Château Ghoul is deliberately made to look ghastly in its construction.
‘Lively & refreshing’: THE HIRED MAN – Oldham ★★★★
The Hired Man is a lively and refreshing Northern musical which offers us an insight into the life of rural communities at the beginning of the 20th century.
‘Everything that a pantomime should be’: CINDERELLA – Oldham Coliseum ★★★★
With an abundance of laugh out loud moments, Dave Bintley’s lively musical score of sing-along chart-toppers, a sterling cast of seasoned performers and a pleasing price-tag – Cinderella at Oldham Coliseum is the best traditional panto in the North.
Looking Back: Upstaged Manchester’s top productions of 2017 > #theatre2017 #YearinReview
We’ve had premieres, modern adaptations and watched some shows receive West End transfers – the Manchester stages have been truly brilliant this year. Here is Upstaged Manchester’s round-up of theatrical highlights through 2017.
DICK WHITTINGTON – Oldham ★★★★
The team at Oldham Coliseum always deliver a Christmas cracker with their traditional, raucous and cheeky pantomime fun and this year is no exception. The talented team of familiar faces are back to showcase all of the traditional elements of pantomime.
THE FATHER – Touring
It is rare that we experience dementia from the perspective of the person who is struggling with it, rather we experience it from the viewpoint of family members and carers. This idea is obviously even more difficult to dramatise in a theatre.
SLEEPING BEAUTY – Oldham
The team at Oldham Coliseum always succeed in delighting their dedicated Northern audience during pantomime season and this year they’re back, and true to form, with Sleeping Beauty.
SLEEPING BEAUTY – Oldham
The team at Oldham Coliseum always succeed in delighting their dedicated Northern audience during pantomime season and this year they’re back, and true to form, with Sleeping Beauty.
MEET THE REAL MAGGIE THATCHER – Touring
During the last few months we have been bombarded with referendum discourse and despite it being three years since the Iron Lady’s death, her name still manages to find itself firmly woven into the Brexit headlines. Considering the current political climate, it feels quite apt to watch Mike Francis Carvalho’s intriguing one-man show which is based on conversations with real people about Margaret Thatcher.
What’s on in Manchester this Easter for families?
Are you looking for the best theatre and creative activities taking place in Greater Manchester during Easter? Look no further. We’ve compiled a list of the best theatre shows and creative activities for all of the family.
OUR GRACIE – Oldham
Oldham Coliseum are certainly bound to excite their friendly Northern crowd with a brand-new stage production celebrating the life and talent of Dame Gracie Fields. Hailing from Rochdale, Gracie labelled herself as Britain’s most popular female entertainer of all time. It’s a big label and she’s a big character and there is no better place to stage the premiere of Philip Goulding’s new musical than ‘up’ at Oldham Coliseum.
THE PITMAN PAINTERS – Oldham
The Pitmen Painters is a true story following a group of men from the mining community as they rediscover and reflect on their world through art. Written by Lee Hall, best known for Billy Elliot, the play follows The Ashington Group from their first art appreciation class in the old army hut to exhibiting in national galleries and gaining critical acclaim.
Kristy Stott: My top ten picks of 2015
It has been an exciting year for Upstaged Manchester and I feel blessed and nostalgic as I remember the productions that have lifted my heart, helped me to question and generally captivated me this year. Here is a list of my theatrical highlights for 2015.
MOTHER GOOSE – Oldham Coliseum
Pantomime is always a huge amount of fun for any creative team to work on and this year’s festive offering from the team at Oldham Coliseum is a sparkling example of this. Mother Goose offers all of the traditional pantomime fun – with audience interaction at its core, all your favourite current chart hits and hilariously messy slapstick – there is much for little ones and their grown-ups to enjoy this Christmas at Oldham Coliseum.
HOT STUFF – Oldham Coliseum
Hot Stuff premiered at the Oldham Coliseum back in November 1990 and was devised by Maggie Norris and the Coliseum’s artistic director of the time, Paul Kerryson. Following its debut, Hot Stuff played to packed audiences, received rave reviews and rocked the West End. Now, under Kevin Shaw’s direction, this cult classic returns to the Coliseum stage on its 25th anniversary in a bid to thrill, delight and rock the Oldham audience once more.
DREAMERS – Oldham Coliseum
Oldham Coliseum is proud to present the world premiere of Dreamers, a new musical set in the 1990’s written by Cathy Crabb and Lindsay Williams. The narrative is set around Oldham’s legendary nightclub Dreamers – the only indie club in town, famed for its music, the variety of the people who went there and the bouncer who kept everyone under control. If you were around Oldham in the 70’s, 80’s or 90’s – you probably have a few stories to tell about Dreamers too and this production is certainly loaded with witty humour, warmth and nostalgia, giving the Oldham audience a cheerful trip down memory lane.
BOEING BOEING – Oldham Coliseum
We’re in Paris and it’s the swinging sixties and Bernard, a bachelor and highly successful Parisian architect, is flying by the tail wind of the Jet Age. With three fiancées, who are all air hostesses for different airlines and flying on different routes, he has managed to ensure that only one of the women is ‘at home’ in Paris at any one time. However, with the dawn of newer planes and faster aircraft, Bernard’s carefully timetabled system is put under severe pressure.
What’s on in Manchester during May?
Kristy Stott, for Upstaged Manchester, rounds up the many Manchester theatrical highlights in May: from The Lowry, the Royal Exchange, the Contact, the new HOME, the Kings Arms and many other great venues.