Oldham Coliseum Theatre

Oldham's Coliseum Theatre is located on Fairbottom Street, in Oldham, which is in Greater Manchester, England. The building technically dates back to 1885, but it then moved location and opened during the year of 1887 as a circus. The building then served as a music hall, and then a cinema, but it's most well known for it's ongoing purpose as a theatre. Many famous people such as Charlie Chaplin and Ralph Fiennes have performed here, and many Coronatjon Street Stars such as William Roache and Barbara Knox have trained here. Christopher Eccleston and Millie Gibson, two well-known Doctor Who stars, have also been involved with the theatre. It was announced during 2023 that the theatre would be losing it's council funding, but a successful campaign has saved it; meaning it should reopen following refurbishment during 2026.

Regarding the hauntings, all of the spirits here supposedly have connections to the theatre and tragic events which are said to have occured here. The most well-documented of these hauntings seems to be that of Harold Norman, a man who died after being wounded while playing Macbeth here. Otner spirits include 'The Singing Seamstress', 'The Clapping Ghost', and cast members dressed as cowboys and red indians.

History

Oldham's Coliseum Theatre was originally built by Thomas Whittaker as a wooden circus building in a different location on Henshaw Street. It was built for the Grand American Hippodrome Circus owner Mr. Myers, and so opened as Myers's Grand Circus during the year of 1885. However, once the circus building was complete, Mr Myers couldn't afford to pay for it; and so Thomas Whittaker took over the building's ownership. It has also been said that, on the original Henshaw Street site, the building opened with a Chinese fair. This sounds quite different from the Grand American Circus and Hippodrome cited by other sources, so I'm not sure where the difference has come from. I assume, if both facts are correct, that it could have opened as a Chinese fair following the events of Whittaker taking ownership of the building from Mr Myers. Remember, this is purely speculation though on my part.

When a new Market Hall was proposed for the Henshaw Street site, Whittaker's building was taken apart and rebuilt on a new site located on Fairbottom Street. This new location backed onto the Theatre Royal on Horsedge Street and was the site of an old colliery called 'Holebottom Colliery'. During the June of 1887, the building first opened on the new site as the 'Colosseum' with it's opening production being 'Culvers Circus'. Shortly after it opened, the location was relicensed and reopened for performances on Monday the 29th of August 1887. This included a production of 'Two Orphans' with Charles Dornton. I have found a quote which was first published in the ERA on the 25th of June 1887. The quote covers the early opening period for the building on it's new site, and it seems to cover the period between it opening and it being relicensed and reopening. The quote is as follows:

"The event of the Jubilee week has been the opening of this new place of amusement. Mr Culeen, of circus renown, has been the entrepreneur selected by the licensee (Mr Whittaker) to open the hall for a brief season; and during the week the Colosseum has been fairly well patronised.

From a general survey of the building (a wooden one) it is evident no expense has been spared to make the interior comfortable and convenient, and the erection is fireproof. The handsome front faces Fairbottom-street, and is adorned with a projecting balcony, supported by pillars with arches, and extending along the whole breadth of the building, 76ft. There are two pay entrances, the doors of which are fitted with hinges of a peculiar character, the invention of Mr Whittaker himself, and work either inwards or outwards. Every bit of the woodwork has been coated several times with fireproof paint, and the lighting arrangements have been carefully guarded.

The exits are so wide that it is estimated that an audience of 5,000 or 6,000 people could get out in the short space of two minutes. The first door is to the pit and side circle, and is arranged so as to avoid the "mixing" of the patrons of these parts of the house, the other entrance is to the side and central circles. There is a separate lobby leading to this from the top of the staircase; two cloakrooms have been provided - one for ladies and one for gentlemen - and there is a separate entrance to the refreshment bar, which has two counters, one for the patrons of the side circle and the other for the centre. There is also a bar for the pittites directly underneath the one referred to, and on a level with the pit itself.

The staircases approaching the side and centre circles are very wide and easy of ascent. The centre circle contains eighty-four chairs upholstered in crimson Utrecht velvet, and the space between each row is wide enough to enable a visitor to pass in or out without putting his neighbour to the slightest inconvenience. The side circle seats have walnut-wood backs, and are handsomely upholstered, and, like the centre ones, rise gradually from the front.

There is a capital view of the stage from all parts of the building. Directly over the centre circle is the upper one, approached by two staircases, one on either side. Both equestrian and dramatic entertainments can be given, and the floor of the building can be altered so as to transform it into a vast ballroom. At present the pit floor is on a level with the stage, within which is half of the "ring," the other half projecting into the auditorium.

At the back of the stage, near the ring, is the gallery, under which the horses pass to the stables, which are made of bricks and mortar, and, though distinct from the main building, are connected therewith by a covered passage. The stage is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. The dressing-rooms are on either side of it, and rise one above another. The stage itself is 42ft. wide, and has a very large proscenium opening. A water motor, through which the outer air passes, rids it of its impurities, and it is then forced through pipes, which run up the main pillars to a suitable height and diffuse it throughout the interior. Either cold, heated, or perfumed air can thus be supplied. The vitiated air passes out through a ventilator in the centre of the roof.

The New Colosseum is a fine building, and Mr Culeen is fortunate in renewing his acquaintance with us under conditions so favourable."

It was during the year of 1903 that the Colosseum was sold by Whittaker to Joseph Ball who ran the location on behalf of Peter Yates of 'Yates' Wine Lodges'. The location was then converted into a music hall. During the year of 1911, the Colosseum began to show silent films between the live acts and, during the year of 1918, the Colosseum was bought by Dobie's Electric Theatres. It was during the year of 1931 that the locaiton was closed before reopening as a cinema. During the closure, the facade was altered and and old stage house was removed. This was also the time that a projection box was added for showing films in the building. I'm not sure if this is a contradiction to sources saying silent films were shown in 1911 as I don't know the differences in film technology between 1911 and 1931.

A definite contradiction is that apparently the attempt to convert the location into a cinema failed to obtain a license. This indicates that the location was worked on, but never opened as a cinema. This seems to be incorrect as I've found the first film shown here was the war drama 'Two Worlds' featuring John Longden and Nora Baring. This showing occured at the Colosseum on the 23rd of March 1931. Apparently, the cinema did later close on the 23rd of October 1931. However, on the 29th of October 1931, the location reopened with 'Sea Devils', featuring Edmund Burns, and 'Sunrise Trail', featuring Bob Steele. The cinema definitely failed though as it later closed on the 3rd of January 1932 with 'The Bat Whispers', featuring Chester Morris. I have found information which contradicts this though as apparently the cinema completely closed during the March of 1932 due to the recession.

It was during the year of 1936 that a group formed, which was called 'The Oldham Playgoers Club', to campaign for live theatre in Oldham. Later, during the January of 1938, the Oldham Repertory Theatre Club opened at the former Temperance Hall on Horsedge Street with it's production of Shaw's 'Arms and the Man'. This club was members only, and so no license was needed. During the year of 1939, the club was seen as successful and so they signed a lease for the now derelict Colosseum Theatre, which they renamed to 'The Coliseum' and opened as another theatre club. To restore the Coliseum back to theatrical use, the club divided the old circus auditorium and reinstated a stage area. New dressing rooms were also built during this time on the site of the original circus stables. Plus, the facade was simplified by the architects Mr Armitage and James Fazakerly.

During the July of 1939, the theatre reopened under the direction of Douglas Emery with it's new name of 'The Coliseum Theatre'. I've also found sources say it was also referred to as 'The Oldham Coliseum' during this time. By 1942, the theatre's capacity had been reduced to 660 and the stage was only 22ft wide. It's been said that, either during the January or February of 1947, Harold Norman played Macbeth here. Harold, during his performance, was accidentally stabbed with a real sword and his wound became infected. He later died in Oldham Royal Infirmary on the 27th of February 1947 of peritonitis. There is some disagreement amongst sources if he played Macbeth during the January or February, but it could have been a case of both with him becoming injured and dying during the February. It's said Norman was accidentally killed by Anthony Oakley and that Anthony waited outside the room while Norman had surgery. It's also said that Norman had two different operations over the course of three weeks, but did eventually die.

During the 1960s, all remaining wooden parts of the building were replaced with masonry and a new proscenium was added. A safety curtain was also fitted, plus the 1930s projection box was removed, and the exterior was rebuilt during this time. During the year of 1974, a new and enlarged stage house was built and a new fly tower was added along with an orchestra pit for sixteen musicians. During the year of 1977, the theatre was acquired by the Local Authority and reopened as a touring house during 1978. A newsnight report, during 1981, by Joan Bakewell titled 'The Virtues of Oldham Coliseum Theatre' highlighted how locals felt the location provided an alternative place to go, especially in the evenings. During 1981, the director of the theatre was Kenneth Ann Taylor. They wanted to try something new, and cater to a wider audience, and so they put on plays to engage younger audiences such as 'Kes' and Martin Sherman's 'Cracks'. The house manager from 1982 until 2016 was David Rustidge.

From the February of 2012 until the October of 2012, the theatre was refurbished and a new extension was built to house an education studio and a cafe/bar. I have seen some information about a new build which says a new build was to start during early 2018 with the theatre reopening during 2020. I'm not too sure if that happened as apparently there are plans for a new 550 seat auditorium and a 170 seat studio theatre which is intended for 2025/2026. I've found there has been a recent £2 million investment though which improved seating, heating, and the front of house facilities. Also, apparently the current capacity is 580 with the building still having the same shape as the 1903 music hall with it's gallery and balcony both supported by pillars.

The reports I've found of renovations and investments are unclear because of news which broke on the 4th of November 2022. This news said that the Coliseum would no longer be part of Art Council England's national portfolio from the 1st of April 2023. This meant the theatre lost funding as it was a cultural and educational charity that had worked with over 150,000 people a year. It's registered charity number was No 508829, and it was supported by Arts Council England, Oldham Council, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The location also recieved corporate sponsorship from local businesses. With the location losing funding, I can't see why investments would have been made and completed only a few years before. However, the pandemic did occur between the apparent investments and the theatre's funding being withdrawn; so I can see that playing a part.

The theatre proceeded to cancel all events from the 26th of March 2023 onwards and refunded tickets for the affected shows. It was on the 10th of February 2023 that it entered a period of consultation with all staff, and that consultation period concluded on the 13th of March 2023. The Oldham Coliseum Theatre was the biggest theatre outside of London to lose it's subsidy, and it finally closed on the 31st of March of 2023. I've also found that it was close to the 16th of March 2023 that Lesley Chenery, the former General Manager and Head of Production, sadly died. I've also found that it was apparently during the April of 2023 that the theatre closed, but I'm confident that the day of closure would have been the 31st of March with the first full day of closure being the 1st of April. This is still speculation, but I can see how both March and April would be cited by sources with this logic.

When the council withdrew it's funding, they claimed the reason was because the location was 'no longer fit for purpose' and they announced they would build a new smaller theatre to replace it. This new theatre would have cost £24 million. In response to the theatre's closure, a campaign called 'Save Oldham Coliseum' was started. This campaign was led by the actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, and as of the 17th of July 2024 the council changed their minds after the successful campaign. With this change of heart, the council announced a £10 million refurbishment of the Oldham Coliseum Theatre with the plans to have it open in time for Christmas 2025. The initial plans were to have it back open for panto season; a huge time of year for theatres.

Although the plan was for the theatre to reopen during 2025, it seems plans have been pushed back to 2026. Initially the company 'Mecanoo' were working on the project, and they completed the initial design work for the theatre, but they were later replaced by 'Tilbury Douglas' to lead the £10 million refurbishment of the building. Apparently this choice was due to changing plans, and these plans apparently look to transform the main frontage to Fairbottom Street. I have found some sources say that this location is a Grade II listed building, but I haven't found any documentation from Historic England about this; so it seems the building is not listed. There was once a time where the building had a red brick facade, and at some point an efficient ventilation system was installed; plus the auditorium floor could be raised and lowered for use as a ballroom or exhibition centre. Although I don't know the exact dates for the ventilation system and floor, I believe it was somewhere between 1887 and 1931.

Many different famous faces have connections with this theatre. Bernard Cribbins joined at the age of fourteen and stayed here for seven years. The Coronation Street stars Jean Alexander, Barbara Knox, William Roache, and Anne Kirkbride all had this theatre as their training ground. Plus, Maxine Peake, Christopher Eccleston, and Surranne Jones all spent their early years in the Coliseum or it's accosiated workshop. The same can be said for both Olivia Cooke and Millie Gibson. Famous performers here have included Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, Ralph Fiennes, and Minnie Driver.

As of writing this article on the 16th of December 2025, the current staff of the theatre are listed as follows:

CEO = Martina Murphy

Senior Producer - Artist Development = Helen Goodman

Development Manager = Jonathan McGrath

General Assistant = Cyrus Ho

Marketing Assistant = Sanjana Talukder

Programme and Production Assistant = Jess Lawrence

Chair = Heather Crosby

Trustees = Jo Mass, Hannah Taylor, Jo Schofield, Louise Pennington, Phil Buckley, Rakhi Sinha Jones, Jyothi Kuna, Amy Thompson, Wez Thistlethwaite, Ian Thomas, Matthew Wright

Hauntings

'The Singing Seamstress' is one spirit said to reside in the theatre. Apparently, during the 1900s, an actress died mid-performance when her costume ignited from a faulty gas light. It's said this actress is the Singing Seamstress, and apparently her soft lullaby which is a mournful thread from her final song drifts from the wings on quiet nights. Scorched scents wafting through the air are also attributed to her presence. Visitors have apparently said that they've felt a warm brush against their arms backstage as if she's still sewing her next costume.

Another spirit said to haunt here is 'The Clapping Ghost'. This spirit is apparently a fan who died during 1925 mid-applause for a comedy. It's said his heart gave out from laughter and that his claps still echo through the stalls, and that seats can be heard creaking. Apparently actors have reported having a sudden cheer which lifts their spirits during rehearsals. The spirit of Harold Norman has also been reported at this location. Apparently he's been seen several times and appears most often on Thursday's as that is the day he was wounded on stage.

Actors have apparently reported sensing a strong malevolent presence under the stage. This is said to cause symptoms like uncontrollable crying and difficulty breathing as if hands are wrapped around your neck. Seats are said to fall down on their own, props go missing, and apparently the spirit of Carl Paulsen also haunts the theatre. It's said that Carl worked here for fourteen years and died aged 47 during 1973. He's apparently been seen in the wardrobe department. The most obscure and unexpected haunting here is that of cowboys, red indians, and horses. It's said this spirits are cast members from the travelling Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and people have apparently reported hearing neighing, guns firing, and people shouting only for the theatre to be silent when they look in.

Summary Of Hauntings

1. 'The Singing Seamstress', 1900s actress, died from costume fire, smell of burning

2. 'The Clapping Ghost', died 1925 of laughing, claps heard, seats creak

3. Harold Norman, appears on Thursdays

4. Carl Paulsen, seen in wardrobe department

5. A malevolent presence, under the stage, causes uncontrollable crying and choking feeling

6. Cowboys, cast members

7. Red indians, cast members

8. Horses, cast members (?)

9. Seats fall down on their own (Clapping Ghost?)

10. Props go missing

My Thoughts

When I research these articles, I have a process where I conduct two primary searches. The first is '(X topic) history' and the second is (X topic) hauntings'. This way, the history included in the article should be factual and detailed as I've included many sources not discussing the paranormal. I find it odd that not one of these history sources discussed the 1900s actress, the 1925 audience member, or Carl Paulsen. Granted, Carl may just not have been mentioned as he didn't have a tragic death in connection to the theatre. Also, maybe the 1925 man wasn't mentioned because it also wasn't particularly tragic; just sad. However, I'm amazed that I haven't found a single historical account of the 1900s actress who burst into flames and seemingly died on stage. I know fires were common for theatres, but for there to be no documentation of fire damage is odd to me.

Granted, I could be wrong here. Maybe this event did occur, but I just needed to look a bit deeper than searching only for the location's history. It still strikes me as odd though that it would require this deeper search as usually that kind of search is only needed to clear up dates such as for when a monarch ruled; not to see the complete existence of an event discussed in sources only discussing the hauntings. So, I am very doubtful of the Singing Seamstress story. Also, 'The Singing Seamstress' and 'The Clapping Ghost' titles both sound like works of fiction to me. Again, I could be wrong, but they're the impressions I get.

When it comes to Harold Normal, Carl Paulsen, and the spirits of the cast; I do believe these. I do also believe that audience members could haunt the theatre too. I doubt that there would be anything malevolent here, but I do think there could be spirits which could mess with props, seats, and cause laughter and an uplifting feeling of confidence for performers. I recall that similar things were reported to occur at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane; so I can absolutely see them being legitimate here. I think this would be a fascinating place to investigate, although I wouldn't be expecting heaps of activity.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! It was great to write about another alledgedly haunted location which is close to where I live. I may end up updating this article in the future as I've found that I may know someone in connection to the theate. If this is the case, then I will try to get a quote from them and update the article. If not, then there will be no updates unless someone contacts me to correct me about the history or hauntings. The next article will hopefully be published on Friday the 19th of December and it will document a paranormal artifact. The following article, hopefully to be published on Monday the 22nd of December, will document a haunted location in Gloucestershire.

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