A Christmas Fair at Chadderton Town Hall

Christmas comes to Chadderton Town Hall this December as the Oldham Coliseum presents a brand new immersive, site specific staging of Jim Cartwright’s play A Christmas Fair by Not Too Tame’s Jimmy Fairhurst. Expanding the show beyond the stage, audiences can also step into the world of the play with a real-life Christmas fair, complete with stalls and Santa’s grotto, to enjoy during the interval.

The show runs from 17 December – 2 January when we can expect belly-laughs and heart tugging moments from a brash, bold and properly northern production of Cartwright’s original Christmas cracker. With much humour and a little pathos, the yuletide story teases young love, hidden secrets and a bit of chaos as it follows the lives of five characters caught up in mayhem and mistletoe as they prepare for an annual festive fair.

Expanding the show beyond the stage, audiences can also step into the world of the play with a real-life Christmas fair, complete with stalls and Santa’s grotto, to enjoy during the interval.

The cast is a twinkly affair too. Mancunian actor John Henshaw of Early Doors fame stars as Caretaker alongside a whole load of top northern talent from stage and screen in the form of Kelise Gordon-Harrison who recently appeared in BBC sitcom Just Act Normal, plus Samantha Robinson, Paddy Stafford and Dickon Tyrell.

Director Jimmy Fairhurst outlines his passion for the project: “I’ve always believed theatre should be fearless, fun and rooted in the lives of everyday people. Being invited to be part of Oldham Coliseum’s history is a delight, and working with Jim Cartwright—the Paul McCartney of theatre—is an honour. His plays told me as a young man that this industry could be for me.”

Starting out in the late 1980s, Cartwright is a legendary, award winning playwright from Farnworth, Lancashire, who built a reputation exploring the lives of northern, working class people through works such as 1986’s Road and 1992’s The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. A Christmas Fair finds him at the lighter end of his range, with a show that almost demands to be accompanied by mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas jumpers and – if we’re lucky – a dusting of snow.

a show that almost demands to be accompanied by mulled wine, mince pies, Christmas jumpers and – if we’re lucky – a dusting of snow.

Christmas at the Coliseum is something of an institution in Oldham and this year’s partnership with Not Too Tame ensures that audiences won’t miss out while the building undergoes refurbishment ahead of a grand reopening in 2026.

Martina Murphy, Oldham Coliseum Theatre CEO, says “Christmas at the Coli has always been at the heart of our theatre, and we’re pleased to be keeping that tradition alive. During this time of transformation, as we prepare to return to our newly refurbished home next year, it has been fantastic to form a new partnership with Not Too Tame whose work resonates with our desire to interact more with our audiences.”