Our Autumn/Winter Programme is Announced With a Bold New Macbeth Rooted in Oldham

We are pleased to announced our Autumn/Winter programme, led by two standout in-house productions.

Headlining the season is a new production of Macbeth, staged inside one of Oldham’s most iconic nightclubs, Liquid & Envy. Running from 23 October to 7 November, the production marks Nick’s first show for the Coliseum and sets out his vision for the theatre’s future.

Reimagined in a gritty late-1970s world of gangsters, casinos and shifting social codes, the production explores ambition, power, masculinity and identity through a distinctly Oldham lens. By transforming a working nightclub into Shakespeare’s world, you are invited into an experience that feels closer to a night out than a traditional theatre performance.

Nick says Macbeth was the obvious choice for his first production.

“I want to blow the dust off Shakespeare. This isn’t about putting the play on a pedestal, it’s about creating an experience that grabs people by the throat, whether they’ve seen Macbeth ten times or never encountered it before.”

Martina Murphy, CEO, described the production as “uncompromising, thrilling and unmistakably of this place,” adding that it reflects the organisation’s ambition to create theatre of national significance as it continues its journey back to Fairbottom Street.

Alongside this landmark production is You’re My World, an exciting and brilliant new work by Oldham-born artist Mark Newsome, who developed his craft through Oldham Theatre Workshop and the Coliseum’s creative engagement programmes. Created with writer Sarah Nelson, the production celebrates local talent and homegrown storytelling. The pair are also the first participants in our new Artists in Residence scheme. The residency is about investing in exceptional talent for the long-term, making new work, creating a space to take risks, and also to build careers right here in Oldham.

Autumn/Winter season highlights

The Coliseum’s Autumn/Winter programme also features a diverse line-up of theatre, comedy, dance and community events, including:

Oldham Comedy Club, featuring Tez Ilyas, Stephen Bailey and MC Mick Ferry

Saints on a Bridge by award-winning writer and rapper Testament.

Anthem for Dissatisfaction by Skelpie Limmer.

Juliet & Romeo from Lost Dog.

The immersive bus journey Joy Ride.

Interactive experience The Night of the Werewolves, with a special Q&A featuring guest curator Julie Hesmondhalgh.

Family performances including a circus and parkour piece The Hideout by Hikapee Theatre, Peter Pan from Oldham Theatre Workshop and Live@thelibrary, and Natasha Kim Chapman’s play The Jeweller’s Daughter.

Throughout the season, you are invited to take part in conversations, workshops, creative activity and shared experiences. This includes the return of Culture & Chips, which welcomes BBC Writers’ Development Producer Esther Jackson-Burton for an informal conversation with Oldham’s creative community.