A POWERFUL verbatim theatre piece exploring the history of the LGBTQ rights movement is visiting Oldham as part of a Pride Season UK tour.

Riot Act will be performed at Oldham Coliseum’s Studio Theatre on Saturday (July 27) at 2.30pm, coinciding with Oldham Pride 2019.

Written and performed by Alexis Gregory, Riot Act is a hard-hitting, hilarious and heart-warming solo verbatim piece, taking audiences on a breath-taking journey through six decades of queer history.

It has been created from the playwright’s interviews with Michael-Anthony Nozzi, one of the only remaining Stonewall survivors; Lavinia Co-op, a 1970s London radical-drag artist; and Paul Burston, a prominent 1990s AIDS activist.

Provocative, tender, truthful, funny, political and personal, these are stories of queerness, sexuality, activism, addiction, family, childhood, love, sex, drag, community, togetherness, conflict, identity, youth, ageing, loss, fierce queens and a Hollywood diva.

This new tour follows a sold-out West End performance and a summer 2018 run in the Kings Head Queer Season. The tour will also visit Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham; Arcola Theatre, London; Crewe Lyceum; Norwich Theatre Royal; Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol; and The Marlborough in Brighton. The performance at Arcola Theatre on 30 June will mark the 50th anniversary weekend of the Stonewall riots.

Riot Act is created and performed by Alexis Gregory; directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair; and produced by Alexis Gregory, Team Angelica, Arcola Theatre (Arcola dates) and Emmerson & Ward Productions.

Producer Rob Ward said: "With recent developments in Brunei as well as protests outside primary schools in Birmingham, 'Riot Act' provides a timely reminder just how precious these rights are and how passionately they must be defended. We are incredibly proud to present 'Riot Act' to audiences across the UK this Pride season."