Coliseum to host Southbank shows

OLDHAM Coliseum is teaming up with London’s Southbank Centre to bring five shows to the town

Audiences will be given a sample of Alchemy — the Southbank Centre’s festival celebrating the cultural connections between the UK and the Indian subcontinent — from May 23-June 2.

This year sees the festival tour the UK for the first time. Each of the tour participants has worked on its own theatre piece, all of which make up the tour programme.

Five shows: “Variety is the Spice”, a music and comedy variety show with artists from the North-West; “Occasionally We Skype”, featuring digital projection and iPhones; “United Colours of FrustrAsian”, a thought-provoking theatre piece; “Knives, Forks and Fingers”, which examines the relationship between food and cultural history, and “Nirbhaya”, which follows the tragic events of the 2012 Delhi bus rape will be seen at venues around the country.

Alongside the touring productions will be Alchemy-inspired activity specific to Oldham - the Coliseum Bazaar, on Yorkshire Street - which will run throughout May 23.

Coliseum boss Kevin Shaw said “Alchemy will showcase vibrant new work in Oldham and share experience across a variety of audiences.”