TWO plays that explore growing up in Oldham are being presented by the Oldham Coliseum theatre.

The filmed play, A Brew, A Terrace and the 184 by Bog Standard Creatives tackles the harsh realities of growing up in deprivation, while the audio play, The Newcomer by Joyce Branagh tells the true story of Sophie Wild, who fled to Oldham in the 1950s.

A Brew, A Terrace and the 184 follows the lives of brother and sister Adam and Jess, who return home to their mother's once rented accommodation to begin moving her possessions.

The siblings are faced with tough times living on the breadline in Oldham, but with help from their mum’s wise words they look toward a brighter future.

The Bog Standard Creatives are Chloe Heywood and Rowan Prescott, who met at Oldham College and were both involved in the Coliseum’s youth drama programs before moving on to study at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Arden School of Theatre.

The play is available to watch for free on the Coliseum’s website and YouTube channel.

The Newcomer by Joyce Branagh meanwhile tells the remarkable true story of Sophie Wild, who came to the UK for the very first time in the 1950s and found herself in Oldham.

A current member of the Coliseum’s over 50s group Full Circle, Sophie was born in Poland and had spent 18 months in a German Nazi concentration camp before she came to England, aged just 12. Oldham was quite a culture shock, but she found acceptance, became a nurse and found love.

After interviewing Sophie, Joyce also worked with students from Kingsway Park High School to see how they reacted to her story and learn about how they, 60 years later, related to it.

The Newcomer is available to listen to free on the Coliseum’s website and on all the usual podcasting platforms.

Both plays are Coliseum Micro Commissions which explore local stories and work for and with young people from Oldham.

All Oldham Coliseum Micro Commissions 2021 are free to access, however the theatre asks that audiences consider making a donation to help them support more great artists to create new work.