Oldham’s Live@TheLibrary Autumn season starts with a boom

THERE IS a whole host of entertainment at your local library this autumn, starting with the launch of the Oldham-inspired “Boomtown Gals” play.

Between September-December live@thelibrary, an Arts Council-funded programme, brings the best book-themed activities, music and theatre to Oldham Library’s state-of-the-art Performance Space.

Around 40 new live events are being held – the first on Saturday 3 September with the launch of “Boomtown Gals”, a comedy drama written as a result of a World War One research project.

The widely-anticipated play has its opening night at Oldham Library’s Performance Space before featuring at 20 venues across the Bbrough.

Written by – and starring – Joyce Branagh, the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported “Boomtown Gals” celebrates the lives of the wonderful Oldham women who lived, loved and served through The Great War.

Live@thelibrary’s autumn season will also host Highly Suspect’s interactive Shakespearian murder mystery “Et Tu Shakespeare” and the very first theatre adaptation of H P Lovecraft’s chilling masterpiece “At the Mountains of Madness”.

There will also be a selection of the best new writing around as well as talks and sessions to help budding authors.

To round off the season, the Performance Space will also host two family shows: ‘The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio’ performed by Hard Graft Theatre and ‘A Christmas Carol’ from the award-winning Oldham Theatre Workshop.

This time there will also be a number of events at local libraries throughout the borough, including Lees and Delph.

Cllr Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives, said: “Our libraries offer a wide range of traditional learning resources but they now offer so much more.

“We have something for all ages to engage with and we’re supporting established and emerging local talent. As we approach Christmas there’s also plenty of festive fun for all the family to enjoy.” 

Booking is essential for all events including those without a charge. Children under 12 months are free and accompanying adults must book a ticket to attend children’s performances.

Oldham Library is located on Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 1AL (attached to Gallery Oldham).

To join Oldham Libraries visit your local branch or log onto www.oldham.gov.uk/libraries or find out more at www.oldham.gov.uk/liveatthelibrary

Full list of events:

• Friday 2 and Saturday 3 September, Boomtown Gals 2.30pm
• Saturday 3 September, The Butterfly’s Adventure 11am and 2.30pm
• Monday 5 September, Et Tu, Shakespeare? 7pm
• Monday 5–Sunday 18 September, Boomtown Gals on tour
• Saturday 17 September, James and the Giant Peach (U) 2pm
• Tuesday 20 September, Far From the Madding Crowd 2.30pm
• Wednesday 21 September, That Golden Age 7pm
• Wednesday 21 September, A Taste for Felt with Sharon Saul 12noon–1pm
• Saturday 24 September, New Peace Book Section Launch1–4pm
• Friday 30 September, Alluriat 11am Suitable for ages 3+
• Saturday 1 October, Alluriat 11.00am and 2.30pm suitable for ages 5-11
• Wednesday 5 October, Bryn Hughes at Lees Library2.30pm        
• Wednesday 5 October, Standing in My Own Truth 7pm
• Thursday 6 October, The Power of Poetry with Seamus Kelly 6.30–8.30pm
• Tuesday 11 October, Life through a lens with Tim Simpson12 noon–1pm
• Wednesday 12 October, A Bed Of Shards 7pm
• Thursday 13 October, A Bed Of Shards 2.30pm
• Friday 14 October, Graham McCann, 7pm
• Saturday 15 October, Radio Days – Introduction to Radio Acting 10am–4.30pm
• Tuesday 18 October, Ghosts 2.30pm
• Wednesday 19 October, Whose Sari Now? 7pm
• Thursday 20 October, Whose Sari Now? 2.30pm
• Saturday 22 October, When Marnie Was There (U) 2pm
• Tuesday 25 October, But John Hughes Said It Would Be OK 7pm 
• Saturday 29 October, Jack and the Beanstalk 11am and 2.30pm
• Friday 4 November, Why the Whales Came 1pm and 5pm
• Friday 4 November, Janet Ellis presents her debut novel, The Butcher’s Hook 7pm
• Saturday 5 November, Author G P Taylor 2:30pm
• Thursday 10 November, At The Mountains of Madness 7pm
• Saturday 12 November, The Shahnameh – The Epic Book of Kings 2.30pm
• Tuesday 15 November, Much Ado About Nothing 2.30pm
• Wednesday 16 November, Homemade Christmas12 noon–1pm
• Saturday 19 November, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (U)  2pm
• Monday 21 November, Writing for Love – and Money 6.30–8.30pm
• Friday 25 November, The Snow Queen 5pm
• Saturday 26 November, The Snow Queen 2.30pm
• Thursday 8 December–Saturday 17 December, The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio
• Saturday 10 December, Miracle on 34^th Street 2pm
• Monday 19–Friday 23 December, A Christmas Carol