Oldham Coliseum
By Oldham Coliseum
Professional, award winning live theatre, entertainment and education in Oldham since 1885. Podcasting since 2020.
Oldham Coliseum May 20, 2020
One Foot In Front Of The Other: Episode 4 - with others
A series about walking by Caitlin Gleeson. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
What do you think of when you think of walking? Hiking through a forest? Ambling around your local park with a friend? Popping to the shops in the rain? Marching through the streets with a placard, shouting?
In March 2020, like many people, Caitlin was really poorly with covid. She’s still not back to normal but one of the things that’s kept her going ever since has been walking.
One Foot In Front Of The Other is a series of four short audio pieces about walking. Join Caitlin to reflect on what walking has been like over the last year or so - how it’s changed, how it’s been painfully unchanging, and some of the things she’s seen, heard and found out along the way. As you listen, go out for a walk or a roll or a sit, or stay where you are and come on a walk with her instead.
Episode 4 - with others
In the final part of this series, Caitlin explores why walking with other people is so valuable, and takes us on a short march through the notion of walking as protest.
A note on content: this episode discusses being ill with covid and being in pain.
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Contains mild adult language.
Creative team:
Written and performed by Caitlin Gleeson
Original music and sound design by SHAR
Sound technician - Matt Williams
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
One Foot In Front Of The Other: Episode 3 - in the city
A series about walking by Caitlin Gleeson. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
What do you think of when you think of walking? Hiking through a forest? Ambling around your local park with a friend? Popping to the shops in the rain? Marching through the streets with a placard, shouting?
In March 2020, like many people, Caitlin was really poorly with covid. She’s still not back to normal but one of the things that’s kept her going ever since has been walking.
One Foot In Front Of The Other is a series of four short audio pieces about walking. Join Caitlin to reflect on what walking has been like over the last year or so - how it’s changed, how it’s been painfully unchanging, and some of the things she’s seen, heard and found out along the way. As you listen, go out for a walk or a roll or a sit, or stay where you are and come on a walk with her instead.
Episode 3 - in the city
In this episode, Caitlin reflects on growing to know and love Manchester through walking it, and how walking in cities sometimes isn’t fun, easy or safe.
A note on content: this episode discusses being ill with covid and being in pain. There is also mention of street harassment, but not specific incidents or details.
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Contains mild adult language.
Creative team:
Written and performed by Caitlin Gleeson
Original music and sound design by SHAR
Sound technician - Matt Williams
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
One Foot In Front Of The Other: Episode 2 - in nature
A series about walking by Caitlin Gleeson. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
What do you think of when you think of walking? Hiking through a forest? Ambling around your local park with a friend? Popping to the shops in the rain? Marching through the streets with a placard, shouting?
In March 2020, like many people, Caitlin was really poorly with covid. She’s still not back to normal but one of the things that’s kept her going ever since has been walking.
One Foot In Front Of The Other is a series of four short audio pieces about walking. Join Caitlin to reflect on what walking has been like over the last year or so - how it’s changed, how it’s been painfully unchanging, and some of the things she’s seen, heard and found out along the way. As you listen, go out for a walk or a roll or a sit, or stay where you are and come on a walk with her instead.
Episode 2 - in nature
In the second part of this series, come on a walk into nature to find out what happens when you stop rushing and start noticing more, and how access to nature isn’t always equal.
A note on content: this episode discusses being ill with covid and being in pain.
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Contains mild adult language.
Creative team:
Written and performed by Caitlin Gleeson
Original music and sound design by SHAR
Sound technician - Matt Williams
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
One Foot In Front Of The Other: Episode 1 - for wellbeing
A series about walking by Caitlin Gleeson. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
What do you think of when you think of walking? Hiking through a forest? Ambling around your local park with a friend? Popping to the shops in the rain? Marching through the streets with a placard, shouting?
In March 2020, like many people, Caitlin was really poorly with covid. She’s still not back to normal but one of the things that’s kept her going ever since has been walking.
One Foot In Front Of The Other is a series of four short audio pieces about walking. Join Caitlin to reflect on what walking has been like over the last year or so - how it’s changed, how it’s been painfully unchanging, and some of the things she’s seen, heard and found out along the way. As you listen, go out for a walk or a roll or a sit, or stay where you are and come on a walk with her instead.
Episode 1 - for wellbeing
In this first episode, Caitlin introduces One Foot In Front of The Other and invites you on a journey with her. She looks at why walking is so good for us, and the challenges and joys of walking when you’re ill.
A note on content: this episode discusses being ill with covid and being in pain.
-------
Contains mild adult language.
Creative team:
Written and performed by Caitlin Gleeson
Original music and sound design by SHAR
Sound technician - Matt Williams
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
A Tale of Two Giants: Episode 4 - Winter
A series of four short audio dramas suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
Episode 4 - Winter
Alderman is left to navigate a cruel winter alone after a devastating confrontation with Alphin.
Download the A Tale of Two Giants Resource pack here
A Tale of Two Giants is the story of Alphin and Alderman: a pair of big-hearted best friends whose peaceful life in the Saddleworth countryside is disturbed by the arrival of a very unusual fish.
Over the course of four short audio dramas, we follow a year of gigantic upheaval in the Chew Valley – from the promise of a new Spring to the coldest Winter these old giants can remember.
Suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters, A Tale of Two Giants is a celebration of friendship and the natural beauty on Oldham’s doorstep. Each episode is accompanied by a suggested walking route, which brings the story to life by retracing Alphin and Alderman’s ginormous footsteps.
A Tale of Two Giants is inspired by and offers a fun, contemporary reimagining of the Saddleworth folktale of Alphin and Alderman, and the poem Greenfield (1780) by Samuel Bottomley.
Creative Team
Written and performed by Tori Burgess
With music and original songs by Jake Fletcher
Artwork by Lizzie Rigby
Directed by Sushil Chudasama
Recorded and edited by Matt Williams
With thanks to: Phil Kennedy, Elizabeth Southall, Isobel McArthur, Antony Szmierek and the Saddleworth landscape for its endless inspiration
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
A Tale of Two Giants: Episode 3 - Autumn
A series of four short audio dramas suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
Episode 3 - Autumn
Everything becomes a giant competition between the old friends as they compete for Rimmon’s attention.
Download the A Tale of Two Giants Resource pack here
A Tale of Two Giants is the story of Alphin and Alderman: a pair of big-hearted best friends whose peaceful life in the Saddleworth countryside is disturbed by the arrival of a very unusual fish.
Over the course of four short audio dramas, we follow a year of gigantic upheaval in the Chew Valley – from the promise of a new Spring to the coldest Winter these old giants can remember.
Suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters, A Tale of Two Giants is a celebration of friendship and the natural beauty on Oldham’s doorstep. Each episode is accompanied by a suggested walking route, which brings the story to life by retracing Alphin and Alderman’s ginormous footsteps.
A Tale of Two Giants is inspired by and offers a fun, contemporary reimagining of the Saddleworth folktale of Alphin and Alderman, and the poem Greenfield (1780) by Samuel Bottomley.
Creative Team
Written and performed by Tori Burgess
With music and original songs by Jake Fletcher
Artwork by Lizzie Rigby
Directed by Sushil Chudasama
Recorded and edited by Matt Williams
With thanks to: Phil Kennedy, Elizabeth Southall, Isobel McArthur, Antony Szmierek and the Saddleworth landscape for its endless inspiration
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
A Tale of Two Giants: Episode 2 - Summer
A series of four short audio dramas suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
Alphin and Alderman’s peaceful life is turned upside down by the arrival of a very unusual fish.
Download the A Tale of Two Giants Resource pack here
A Tale of Two Giants is the story of Alphin and Alderman: a pair of big-hearted best friends whose peaceful life in the Saddleworth countryside is disturbed by the arrival of a very unusual fish.
Over the course of four short audio dramas, we follow a year of gigantic upheaval in the Chew Valley – from the promise of a new Spring to the coldest Winter these old giants can remember.
Suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters, A Tale of Two Giants is a celebration of friendship and the natural beauty on Oldham’s doorstep. Each episode is accompanied by a suggested walking route, which brings the story to life by retracing Alphin and Alderman’s ginormous footsteps.
A Tale of Two Giants is inspired by and offers a fun, contemporary reimagining of the Saddleworth folktale of Alphin and Alderman, and the poem Greenfield (1780) by Samuel Bottomley.
Creative Team
Written and performed by Tori Burgess
With music and original songs by Jake Fletcher
Artwork by Lizzie Rigby
Directed by Sushil Chudasama
Recorded and edited by Matt Williams
With thanks to: Phil Kennedy, Elizabeth Southall, Isobel McArthur, Antony Szmierek and the Saddleworth landscape for its endless inspiration
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
A Tale of Two Giants: Episode 1 - Spring
A series of four short audio dramas suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
Episode 1 - SpringMeet Alphin and Alderman: a pair of big-hearted best friends and Saddleworth’s resident giants.
Download the A Tale of Two Giants Resource pack here
A Tale of Two Giants is the story of Alphin and Alderman: a pair of big-hearted best friends whose peaceful life in the Saddleworth countryside is disturbed by the arrival of a very unusual fish.
Over the course of four short audio dramas, we follow a year of gigantic upheaval in the Chew Valley – from the promise of a new Spring to the coldest Winter these old giants can remember.
Suitable for children, families and seasoned giant spotters, A Tale of Two Giants is a celebration of friendship and the natural beauty on Oldham’s doorstep. Each episode is accompanied by a suggested walking route, which brings the story to life by retracing Alphin and Alderman’s ginormous footsteps.
A Tale of Two Giants is inspired by and offers a fun, contemporary reimagining of the Saddleworth folktale of Alphin and Alderman, and the poem Greenfield (1780) by Samuel Bottomley.
Creative Team
Written and performed by Tori Burgess
With music and original songs by Jake Fletcher
Artwork by Lizzie Rigby
Directed by Sushil Chudasama
Recorded and edited by Matt Williams
With thanks to: Phil Kennedy, Elizabeth Southall, Isobel McArthur, Antony Szmierek and the Saddleworth landscape for its endless inspiration
All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access. If you would like to help the Coliseum to support more great artists to create work please consider making a donation to the theatre.
The Newcomer
An audio play by Joyce Branagh. Supported by Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021
The Newcomer is the story of 12 year old Sophie Wild coming to England for the first time in the 1950s and finding herself in Oldham…
Sophie is a local resident and during a visit to the Coliseum for a workshop, Joyce Branagh asked the assembled group what stories we should be hearing, and several people called out – ‘You need to hear Sophie’s story!’ And so here it is, read by the talented Sarah Groarke and written and produced by Joyce Branagh, with invaluable input from the pupils of Kingsway Park High School, who can very much relate to what Sophie went through as The Newcomer…
We’d like to thank Sophie and her family for being so candid about their story; Kingsway Park’s Martha Mead and Elizabeth Philips who were so accommodating to the project; and finally thank you to the young men and women at Kingsway Park High School who were generous enough to listen to Sophie’s story and share their experiences of being The Newcomer.
Mini-Podcast Series: Distance by DANC
The Coliseum joined forces with TripleC and DANC (Disabled Artist Networking Community) to commission, produce and present short audio plays by writers who are part of DANC, based on the theme of ‘Distance’.
TripleC is a disabled led arts organisation that creates projects to break down the barriers for people with disabilities accessing the arts. DANC is the professional strand of TripleC that champions solution focussed events, workshops and conversations between disabled artists and key industry decision makers to increase representation, inclusivity and employment of disabled artists in the arts and media sector.
Our three selected plays take us from the dancefloor through the phoneline to the great wide galaxy, giving us a glimpse at the world inspired by the writers’ real-life experiences. All actors cast in the episode are also members of DANC.
#DistancebyDANC
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1. Introduction from Artistic Director Chris Lawson
2. Personal Space by Adam Fenton
Read by: Milton Lopes as Sam
Adam said: “During lockdown I, like many people, have been experiencing anxiety about leaving the house. To counteract this I’ve been doing a lot of writing to keep my mind occupied, so when I saw the opportunity to write for the Coliseum’s Mini-Podcast Series I knew I wanted to submit something. I played with a few ideas around the theme but I was struggling and couldn’t settle on anything I was really happy with. With an hour to go before submissions closed I suddenly realised what I should be writing about. Instead of trying to distract from my anxiety I should explore it through writing and combine it with something that gives me comfort; space! It was down to the wire, but I managed to write Personal Space and submit it just before the deadline. The result was a piece a bit closer to the heart that I’m very happy with.”
3. From a Distance By Andrew Duffy
Read by: Caron Rae-Brand as Nan and Fergus Rattigan as Andy
Andrew said: “From a Distance was inspired by my daily conversations with my nan. She has dementia and lives in a care home in Romiley. Sadly, we lost my granddad, who also lived there, in February, but she is not aware he is no longer alive, as it would’ve been too hard for her. She says he is there and is often at work. She has had coronavirus whilst in the home, but was asymptomatic. She really enjoys our chats every day. As we are both shielding I was playing around with her interpretation of the word. Like everyone, I look forward to the day we can meet up and hug our loved ones again.”
4. 25 Metres From Salsa by Karen Featherstone
Read by: Caron Rae-Brand as Sheila, Porcelain Delaney as Physio and Simon Startin as Alf
Karen said: “25 Metres From Salsa is inspired by my experience of having a medication withheld until symptoms worsened. I wanted Alf to occupy that strange headspace in which he knows his condition must deteriorate in order for it to have the best chance of improving…”
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Learn more at: www.coliseum.org.uk/minipodcast-e04/
Launched on World Theatre Day 2020 (27 March), Oldham Coliseum's Mini-Podcast Series shares original works by people of all ages and backgrounds from the communities the theatre serves. The series features new works by well-known names, disabled artists, professional playwrights, emerging writers and young people from the local area.
Mini-Podcast Series: Pop and Crisps
Pop and Crisps is a short audio play written by Coliseum Supported Artist Sorcha McCaffrey.
Saf hasn’t seen her dad for 20 years. All she remembers about him is his love of 80s music and Doritos. Her aunt said he went to Scotland. Linda over the road said he went to the North Pole. Her mum didn’t say anything. On the brink of making a life-changing decision, Saf arranges to meet him again.
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1. Introduction from Artistic Director Chris Lawson
2. Pop and Crisps by Sorcha McCaffrey
Read by: Cora Kirk as Saf and William Travis as Shaun
Directed by Chris Lawson
Edited by Grant Archer
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Learn more at: www.coliseum.org.uk/minipodcast-e03/
Launched on World Theatre Day 2020 (27 March), Oldham Coliseum's Mini-Podcast Series shares original works by people of all ages and backgrounds from the communities the theatre serves. The series features new works by well-known names, disabled artists, professional playwrights, emerging writers and young people from the local area.
Mini-Podcast Series: 'Off Out' Monologues
Oldham Coliseum's Learning and Engagement Department challenged people ages 21 and under to write a monologue, inspired by the UK lockdown, about a character’s once-daily trip out of the house. 'Off Out' Monologues features three of the monologues, chosen by our Learning and Engagement team Carly and Ben, performed by Oldham local actors and edited by Grant Archer.
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1. Introduction from Artistic Director Chris Lawson
2. Like Dad, Like Duck by Joe Walsh
Read by Jake Talbot
3. A 60 Minute Adventure by Adele Barnes
Read by Natasha Davidson
4. A Birthday in Quarantine by Freya Williams
Read by Sona Nisa
5. Eight actors tell us their favourite joke
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Learn more at: www.coliseum.org.uk/minipodcast-e02/
Launched on World Theatre Day 2020 (27 March), Oldham Coliseum's Mini-Podcast Series shares original works by people of all ages and backgrounds from the communities the theatre serves. The series features new works by well-known names, disabled artists, professional playwrights, emerging writers and young people from the local area.
Mini-Podcast Series: 100 Word Plays
Launched on World Theatre Day 2020 (27 March), Oldham Coliseum's Mini-Podcast Series shares original works by people of all ages and backgrounds from the communities the theatre serves. The series features new works by well-known names, disabled artists, professional playwrights, emerging writers and young people from the local area.
Episode 1: 100 Word Plays
In 2019 Oldham Coliseum Theatre invited invited writers to submit new plays inspired by Oldham. There was one main rule, the plays had to be 100 words or less including stage direction. Throughout September 2019 we displayed the 100 Word Plays across the Coliseum in crafty and creative forms and places. Our first Mini-Podcast episode features 17 100 Word Plays from well-known writers alongside local emerging writers, performed by a cast of Greater Manchester based actors.
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1. Introduction from Artistic Director Chris Lawson
2. 1980 Swimming Lessons by Ian Kershaw
Read by Darren Jeffries
3. At the Park by Adam Gent
Read by John Askew
4. The Chippy by Francesca Waite
Read by Catherine Morefield
5. First job – Benjamin Lees, Westwood by Violet Barrow
Read by Rachel McMurray
6. Trouble at t’Mill by Karen Booth
Read by Rachel McMurray and Catherine Morefield
7. Untitled by Clive Stubbings
Read by Louisa May Parker (RedBobble Arts) and Martha Simon (RedBobble Arts)
8. Farewell by Pearl Andrews-Horrigan
Read by Hafsah Aneela Bashir
9. Annie Kenney by Susan Wildman
Read by Sorcha McCaffrey
10. Ghosts by Lindsey Williams
Read by Rachel McMurray and Catherine Morefield
11. BACK TO THE DIGS AFTER A SHOW by Christine Mackie
Read by Sorcha McCaffrey
12. If Walls Could Talk by C.S. Barrow
Read by Darren Jeffries, Natalie Gavin and Jack Radcliffe
13. Stage Fright by Paul Bateson
Read by John Askew
14. Throwing Clogs by Steve Greenhalgh
Read by Sam Glen
15. The Sickest thing I’ve ever done by Charlotte O’Leary
Read by Kelly Munro-Fawcett (RedBobble Arts)
16. Ticket Time by Jamie Walsh
Read by Sam Glen
17. Who’s That by Amy Gavin
Read by Rachel McMurray and Catherine Morefield
18. We are Annie by Julie Hesmondhalgh
Read by Hafsah Aneela Bashir
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Learn more at: www.coliseum.org.uk/minipodcast-e01/