CityLife

Oldham Coliseum's autumn/winter season

OLDHAM Coliseum's new season opens on September 8 with the musical Sweet Charity.

With the book written by Neil Simon, and featuring such celebrated songs as Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now and Rhythm of Life, this production is directed by Kevin Shaw and features Oldham-born Gemma Wardle, in the lead role.

Gemma trained at Oldham Theatre Workshop before going on to play Eponine in Les Miserables in the West End. Charity Hope Valentine is a lovelorn dance-hall hostess at the Fan-Dango Ballroom, who leads us through the rhythms and sounds of Sixties New York as she searches for a man. The show runs from Friday until September 30.

Robin Herford directs The Mortal Ash from October 12. In Richard Cameron's play, the Wheatleys are the family on the estate that no-one talks to but everybody talks about. They don't have much to celebrate, not since the accident at the Mortal Ash, but nothing is going to spoil Duane Wheatley's 70th birthday and the family are getting together to help celebrate.

Eric won't be able to come but mum has set a place for him anyway. Until October 28.

From October 31, the M.E.N. Theatre Award-winning Compass Theatre revive their version of Charles Dickens' Hard Times. At the heart of the author's vision of Victorian England, adapted by Stephen Jeffrey, is the polluted and poverty-ridden Coketown.

Here callous businessmen Thomas Gradgrind and Josiah Bounderby have created a logical, heartless world full of 'facts' and devoid of 'fancy'.

While these monsters prosper, Gradgrind's children, Louisa and Thomas, endure a cold and loveless childhood.

But their unhappy lives are transformed when Sleary's Circus comes to town - a temptation that Louisa, Thomas and even their hard-hearted father cannot resist. Until November 4.

From November 7, the Coliseum hosts an Ian Dickens production of Ray Cooney's farce Funny Money, which has just been made into a major Hollywood film starring Chevy Chase. It runs until November 11.

Every year, the Oldham Coliseum puts on one of the country's best traditional pantomimes, oh yes it does! So there's no pressure at all on this year's effort Cinderella, running from November 25 until January 13 next year. Written by Mark Chatterton and Sarah Nixon, it's directed by Kevin Shaw and designed by Celia Perkins.

Then "titter ye not" at Terry Johnson's Dead Funny, which runs from February 1. Richard is the president of the Dead Funny Society, a group that meets regularly to celebrate the memory of dead comedians.

Then he receives the tragic news that comedy hero Benny Hill has just died. True to form, rather than help fix his marriage, Richard throws himself into calling an impromptu meeting of the society with other members Nick, Lisa and Brian.

Amid the custard-pie throwing and slapstick that is Benny's inauguration into the Dead Funny Hall of Fame more tragic news arrives as Frankie Howerd dies.

Two of Britain's most loved comics gone in the same week! Surely this is the worst news this group could ever hear? If only. Until February 24.

You can get more details from: www.coliseum.org.uk.