The Hired Man at Oldham Coliseum

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
The Hired Man company at Oldham Coliseum
Photo courtesy of Mark Sepple

The Hired Man at Oldham Coliseum, Manchester 20 June — 6 July 2019 Tickets from £17.00 — Book now

Special Creative Tourist Offer: £15 (valid for all evening performances except Thurs 20 June). To book use the code CT15 online or by calling the box office on 0161 624 2829.

Based on Melvin Bragg’s literary work, The Hired Man is an award-winning musical – an epic and heroic tale of love, betrayal and loyalty, set against a backdrop of working-class ritual and English tradition. Now in a major new revival by Oldham Coliseum, Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch and Hull Truck, The Hired Man comes to Oldham.

Set during the first part of the twentieth century, The Hired Man is a tale of Cumbrian rural and industrial working life. Think ritual-whippet racing, hiring fairs, drinking bouts and union meetings. This musical revisits that cavalcade of British history which swept us into the twentieth century and into a war to end all wars.

This is the passionate story of John Tallentire and his wife Emily, a young couple and their enduring struggle to carve out a living from the land. Perhaps most poignantly, John was Bragg’s real-life grandfather and The Hired Man is Bragg’s personal account of his grandparent’s tough existence in the Cumbrian fells at the turn of the twentieth century.

In 1984 Bragg collaborated with the English composer Howard Goodall (Bend It Like Beckham and Love Story) and the novel was turned into an award-winning musical. With vigorous foot-stomping rhythms, soaring choruses and a phenomenal musical score, some audience members have dubbed it the best British musical in the last 40 years.

During its West End run of 1984, The Hired Man was awarded the Ivor Novello Award for Best Musical, earned four Olivier Award nominations, and was voted Best Musical of the Year by the critics of Time Out, The Guardian and The Stage.

The Hired Man is a Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Hull Truck Theatre production in association with the Coliseum. Directed by Douglas Rintoul (Queen’s Theatre and longstanding member of Complicite), we absolutely cannot wait to see The Hired Man on Oldham’s stage.

The Hired Man at Oldham Coliseum, Manchester 20 June — 6 July 2019 Tickets from £17.00 Book now

Where to go near The Hired Man at Oldham Coliseum

Oldham
Event venue
Hack Oldham

Hack Oldham is an event space that also offers co-working, community groups and crafting in the heart of Oldham.

Gallery Oldham, in Oldham Cultural Quarter
Manchester
Museum
Gallery Oldham

Gallery Oldham provides a wide range of exhibitions and activities targeted at different audiences of all ages within Oldham and the surrounding area.

The Yoga Seed Oldham
Manchester
The Yoga Seed Oldham

The Yoga Seed is an intimate studio just outside of Oldham town centre. Run by Sharon it offers small classes including a men only class.

Photo of Stonerig Raceway tracks from above
Manchester
Tourist Attraction
Stonerig Raceway

Stonerig Raceway in Oldham has seven Scalextric tracks – making for a very unusual day out in Manchester.

Liverpool
Hotel
Epic Apart Hotel

The Epic Apart Hotel offers 14 serviced apartments – and is bang-slap in the middle of the Ropewalks district, right behind FACT.

Theatre
Middleton Arena

The Arena has a regular programme of arts and entertainment including live music, concerts, comedy and dances with stage shows and national tours. With two licensed bars this is the perfect location for a great night out.

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