Dinnerladies star Maxine Peake is battling to cease a historic theatre from being demolished and become flats. The actress – recognized for roles in TV blockbusters Shameless and Silk – has joined campaigners preventing to avoid wasting Oldham Coliseum.
The ultimate curtain will fall on the 135-year-old North-west venue subsequent month after it misplaced its £600,000 Arts Council England funding.
Maxine, 48, instructed a public assembly the Coliseum was “the lifeblood of its neighborhood”. She stated the “very important, vibrant, establishment has an incredible historical past and if we are able to preserve it alive it is going to have an incredible future”.
A brand new £24million theatre is not going to open till 2026, leaving a “vacuum of arts entry” for 3 years, based on actors union Fairness.
It might have been a brand new residence for the Coliseum earlier than its funding was axed.
Coliseum boss Chris Lawson warned “time is working out”.
Amanda Chadderton, the chief of Oldham Council, insisted the Coliseum was not match for function and was “riddled with asbestos”.
She stated the brand new website – with a 300-seat auditorium and 120-seat studio area – would add to the “buzz” of the city centre and create jobs.
The council say £1.85million of Arts Council funds will present cultural actions within the space whereas the theatre is constructed.
Previous stars to play the Coliseum embody Coronation Road actors Jean Alexander (Hilda Ogden) and William Roache (Ken Barlow).
