A COMPASSIONATE and wryly comic love story which depicts the indiscriminate effects of dementia will tug at the heart-strings at Oldham Coliseum this month.
Barney Norris’ multi award-winning debut play Visitors looks at dementia with frankness and light humour and illustrates the challenges facing three different generations.
It follows Edie and Arthur, who have lived together on their farm for the majority of their lives and they now sit reminiscing and contemplating the latest change in their lives.
Their son Stephen has hired 20-something stranger Kate to move in and care for Edie as her mind begins to unravel.
Visitors premiered at the Arcola Theatre, London in 2014, winning the Critics Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright and Best New Play at the Off West End Awards.
At the Coliseum, Arthur will be played by Robin Herford who is best known as director of Steven Mallatratt’s adaptation of The Woman in Black, which has been running in the West End for 30 years.
Robin will be joined by Ben Porter, who was nominated for the Manchester Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the Coliseum’s 2015 production of Boeing Boeing, as Stephen.
And Liz Crowther, whose recent credits include Kite at Soho Theatre, is Edie while Kitty Douglas, who was part of the Coliseum’s Cultivate Open Auditions in 2018, is Kate.
Visitors follows the Coliseum’s critically acclaimed 2017 production of The Father in telling stories that highlight the difficult yet universal subject of dementia and its effects.
It is directed by the Coliseum’s Acting Artistic Director Chris Lawson while designer Sammy Dowson returns following 2018’s A Taste of Honey and 2016’s Hard Times.
• Visitors runs from Thursday, April 18 – Saturday, May 4 at Oldham Coliseum Theatre.
To book tickets call the Box Office on 0161 624 2829 or go online to www.coliseum.org.uk
