Blood curdling screams and memory sharing...

It’s all a bit nerve wracking here at the Coliseum. We’re nearly at the end of our second week of rehearsals for the thrilling Deathtrap and blood curdling screams can be heard all over the building. Actors have taken to strangling each other all week – but of course it’s all in the script. There are few fight scenes which are starting to take shape. Renny, our regular fight director, has been working the actors through the sequences and how to use the props (including a gun, garrotte and cross bow) without actually causing themselves harm. Its tricky stuff, the last thing you want to see on stage is an unconvincing death scene.

Less screaming over in the Education and Outreach Department where there are a couple of new recruits; Richard Hall has just taken the position as Head of Participation and starting in September Paul Adams will fill the role of Creative Development Officer.

Richard previously worked for the Festival of Diversity. Paul has a long standing relationship with the Coliseum and it’s fantastic to now have him as a full time member of the Coliseum team. He has worked on many different Coliseum projects over the last few years and built up a great deal of experience from working with young people, delivering workshops and studying Performance Theatre at University Campus Oldham which has an affiliation with the Coliseum.

Paul also has also set up his own theatre company – 2Tour Theatre – based in Mosley and they are currently working with dementia patients at Calderdale Hospital on a project to recreate their memories. This new company will represent stories told by patients to help the staff better understand who they care for. Another example of how fantastic art can be in contributing to people’s wellbeing.

Now a seamless link onto our memory sharing event we’re holding in October. We have recently been granted Heritage Lottery Funding which will enable local young people to explore the rich history of the Coliseum, archiving past publications for public viewing and creating a performance.

The first event from this project is on 12 October when we’ll be hosting a reminiscence event; sharing photographs from our vast archive, screening a film of the theatre’s history and hearing stories from special performers who have graced the Coliseum’s stage.

The event will be a chance for our patrons, staff, past performers and audience members to come together, share memories and celebrate the past 125 years and the many more years to come.

If you want to come and join us then book your free tickets via the Box Office on 0161 624 2829.

See you at the theatre.

Kevin Shaw
Artistic Director