Showcasing the best in new writing and emerging talent

FIRST
BREAK
Showcasing the best
in new writing and
emerging talent
Monday 9 –
Saturday 14 March 2015
Box office:
0161 624 2829
www.coliseum.org.uk
Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Fairbottom Street
Oldham
OL1 3SW
@OldhamColiseum
oldhamcoliseumtheatre
OldhamColiseum
We are thrilled to welcome the
return of
our hugely successful festival,
showcasing emerging theatre
companies and writers from
the region.
Monday 9 March
8.00pm @ The Swan, Dobcross
Theatre By Numbers present
Safe Mode
“Your home is gone. The town is burning.
Don’t think, just run. Head for Central City…
you’ll be safe there.”
Set in a distant time Mia is forced to confront
her future, her actions and herself. Rehearsed
Readings of Safe Mode have received great
responses due to Lindsay’s ability to write warm
and humorous character driven dialogue which
leads the audience into a new world. It has since
been developed through Theatre by Numbers
(funded by Arts Council England) which looks
to develop emerging talent for live performance
in the North West.
Tickets:
£7.70 (includes 10% online booking fee)
£7.00 if bought direct at The Swan, Dobcross
Written by Lindsay Avery / Directed by Charlie Mortimer
Designed by Claire Doyle / Produced by Paul Brandreth
Performed by Andrew Madden and Rebecca Derrick
#SafeMode
Tuesday 10 March
8.00pm @ The Swan, Dobcross
Faro Productions present a new play
7 Veils: An evening with Mata Hari
“There is something which I wish you to take
into consideration. It is that Mata Hari and
Madame Zelle MacLeod are two completely different women…”
Lady Margaretha Zelle MacLeod, better known
as Mata Hari, the famous exotic dancer,
was executed as a spy by a French firing
squad on 15 October 1917. It’s a good story.
But it isn’t the one she wants to tell you.
Faro Productions invite you to spend an
evening with notorious dancer turned double
agent, Mata Hari, in this brand new solo show.
Forget what you think you know about her.
By the end, you might feel differently…
‘History is the opposite of remembering.
We tell each other stories so that we don’t
have to remember.’
Tickets:
£7.70 (includes 10% online booking fee)
£7.00 if bought direct at The Swan, Dobcross
Wednesday 11 March / 7.30pm @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre Studio
Carly Tarett presents
Time
Time... Too much?... Too little?... Too late?!
A collection of silly and not-so-silly monologues, written and performed by Carly Tarett
Life “sharp punch lines, rich description and quick wit” – **** The Public Reviews
Sinful “go see this brilliant show” – ***** What’s On Stage
Princess Dee “weaves some sly truths amid a gritty ‘reality’ – **** Winnipeg Free Press
“Sharp punch lines, rich description and quick wit” – **** The Public Reviews
Tickets: £7.00
Thursday 12 March / 7.30pm @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre Studio
Gareth George presents
Electro Portico
Lou is a loner without a purpose or point of connection. He creates
a new life for himself through the persona of internet phenomenon,
Rickie L. Pau. With more than one million internet ‘disciples’,
Rickie is the revolutionary thinker, philosopher and motivational
preacher of a generation, opening up the door to a new world for Lou.
Electro Portico is a play about image, communication and deception,
pitting the realms of reality and virtual
Tickets: £7.00
reality against one another.
Thursday 12 and
Friday 13 March
1.00pm and 6.00pm
@ University Campus Oldham
University Campus Oldham present
The Water Station
By Ota Shogo / Performed by second year Performance students
Tickets: £7.00
Against a barren landscape with a heap of shoes in the background,
travellers pass by a broken faucet dripping constantly and stop
to refresh themselves in various ways. There is no dialogue and
movement – though natural – is slowed down. Stark images of
divestiture, wandering and bare survival are presented in their
unrelenting entirety.
Book tickets for the University Campus Oldham performance
at the Coliseum box office
To book tickets for performances at The Swan, Dobcross,
please phone 01457 873 451 or visit www.wegottickets.com/dobcross
Friday 13 March / 7.30pm @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre Studio
Organised Chaos presents
The Distance Between Stars
By Steve Timms
Elliot is on the mend from a nervous collapse. Big sister Helen worries about
him; she wants Elliot to stop eating junk food, and start participating in the
world. Daisy and Elliot were patients in the same hospital. Daisy wants to let
go of her troubled past. Lonely neighbour Mr Birzoni wants a love affair.
All are looking for something to believe in. Just when life starts looking up,
Elliot’s obsessions steer him in an unexpected and dangerous direction.
The Distance Between Stars is a new play about grief, extra-terrestrials
and ginger custard. From the writer of Temp/Casual.
Tickets: £7.00
Saturday 14 March / 11.00am @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre Studio
My Grandpa Jim
Written by Sarah Birch and Catherine Manford. Performed by the Coliseum’s Young Rep Company
Jo adores Grandpa Jim. Whenever Grandpa and Jo get together exciting and fun things happen.
Jo loves listening to Grandpa’s vast collection of old records. When Grandpa starts to lose his
memory, Jo worries that things will never be the same again. Helped by some old records,
Jo is able to help Grandpa relive some of his special memories, including the time he once
appeared on stage with the legendary Beatles!
Tickets:
Free Suitable for children aged 6 plus – Early booking advisable
My Grandpa Jim is presented in association with Colour The Clouds and the Oldham Library Service
Saturday 14 March
5.00pm @ Oldham Coliseum
Theatre Education Suite
Casting Tips for
Professional Actors
Chaired by Kevin Shaw
Join the Coliseum’s Artistic Director and
Chief Executive, Kevin Shaw and a panel
of industry professionals as they discuss
how you can stand out from the crowd
and make the most of your audition.
Tickets: Free
Early booking advisable
Oldham Coliseum Theatre gratefully acknowledges funding from:
Oldham Coliseum Theatre is a registered charity. Charity number 508829.
Saturday 14 March
7.30pm @ Oldham Coliseum Theatre Studio
First Break Writing Showcase in association
with Oldham Theatre Workshop present
Writing Competition Showcase and
What Now? What Now?
“We only do 10% of what we’re capable of... we can do
anything we want in a heartbeat.” – Astronaut John W Young
With this quote in mind, young writers aged 11-18 submitted
short plays inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first
space walk and manned space flight. The winners of the
First Break Writing Competition have the opportunity
to see their pieces performed to a live theatre audience.
As part of the showcase two former members of Oldham
Theatre Workshop and recent drama school graduates,
Kassie Jay Bowers and Jessica Person, will perform
a devised piece. What Now? What Now? is about the lives
of two young women who find there is no yellow brick road
to follow and have no anchor to keep them grounded...
so what now?
Tickets:
Free – Early booking advisable