Whodunnit at the Coliseum?

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Whodunnit at the Coliseum?
Graphic design by Ria Barnes.

9 — 25 April 2021 Tickets from £12.00 — Book now

Can you figure out whodunnit? Take part in this interactive online murder mystery at Oldham Coliseum.

Whodunnit at the Coliseum? is a digital theatre show which takes place in Oldham Coliseum. Viewers can tune in from their own homes to take part in this online Cluedo -esque performance.

The show is set in 1954 on the opening night of Shakespeare’s ‘Scottish Play’ at the Oldham Coliseum. Just a few minutes before the performance is due to start, the Front of House Manager, Edward Fitch, is found dead.

Everyone is a suspect – and it’s up to you to figure out whodunnit. Viewers are placed at the centre of the action and are tasked with finding the killer among the theatre’s audience and staff.

The production is partly inspired by the real-life story of actor Harold Norman, who was accidentally stabbed on stage at Oldham Coliseum in 1947, during a performance of Macbeth. Norman died the following month at Oldham Royal Infirmary after his wound became infected. It is believed that his ghost haunts the Coliseum and the theatre was visited by TV show Most Haunted in 2004. The tragedy at Oldham Coliseum has become part of the legend of Macbeth in theatre and is often discussed in articles about the play’s curse.

Part theatre, part film and part video game, audiences will be able to visit the Oldham Coliseum virtually and see the theatre for the first time since March 2020. The production takes place digitally via a bespoke website with all of the action taking place around the historic Coliseum building.

Featuring 50s inspired musical numbers, viewers taking part in Whodunnit at the Coliseum? will be able to explore the crime scene on a special interactive game board, and make a series of choices that will determine the path of the story.

9 — 25 April 2021 Tickets from £12.00 Book now

Where to go near Whodunnit at the Coliseum?

Manchester
Restaurant
Fairfield Social Club

Launching in spring 2024, Fairfield Social Club is a multi-purpose site next to Angel Meadows Park in the Green Quarter.

Cumbria
Theatre
The Coro

Nestled in the heart of Ulverston, a rural market town on the fringes of the Lake District, stands The Coro —an esteemed historic hub for arts, culture, and entertainment

Cumbria
Shop
Sam Read Bookseller

Award-winning small bookshop in the Lake District. Est. by Sam Read in 1887. Run by Will Smith and Polly Atkin.

Restaurant
Capri

Capri serves up homely, family-style Italian food in North Yorkshire.

Manchester
Restaurant
Manchester Wine Tours

Manchester Wine Tours is a relaxed, fun wine tour, taking in four or five venues across three hours, plus six high-quality glasses of wine.

Sheffield
Shop
Juno Books

Friendly local queer and intersectional feminist bookshop in Sheffield. Visit for interesting fiction and non fiction books.

Restaurant
The Dusty Miller

Family friendly pub situated in the beautiful village of Mytholmroyd.

Winckley Square
Lancashire
Park
Winckley Square

Hosting a variety of year-round events, from guided walks to jazz evenings, Winckley Square is a Georgian square packed with history in Preston city centre.

What's on: Theatre

Culture in South Lakes
Until
ExhibitionsCumbria
Culture in South Lakes

Not only one of Britain’s most picturesque national parks, the Lake District is also brimming with culture. Here’s what’s on over the next few months.

free entry
Homotopia Festival 2023
Until
TheatreLiverpool
Homotopia Festival 2023

Performances, screenings, workshops, live music and conversation, Liverpool’s longest-running LGBTQ+ arts festival is back to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

from £8.00
Hamilton at the Palace Theatre
Until
TheatreManchester
Hamilton at the Palace Theatre

Politically charged, with outstanding performances and a hip-hop soundtrack, there is no doubt Hamilton is one of the most eagerly anticipated shows to visit Manchester this year.

from £13.00

Culture Guides

Music in Manchester and the North

Spotlighting global artists who all, in one way or another, break the mould, we preview the best gigs happening this side of Christmas and beyond.