INVITES 2025
24th & 25th June - Playhouse 2, Shaw
OLDHAM THEATRE WORKSHOP
CHASING THE WIND
“Chasing The Wind” is a heartwarming theatrical production centred around the poignant story of a young person who selflessly donates their heart to another. This touching narrative unfolds as an incredible journey, exploring themes of generosity, bravery, and the indomitable human spirit. It highlights the profound impact of organ donation and the bonds that form when one life saves another.
The play intricately weaves together the emotions of the donor’s family with the recipient’s quest to honour and fulfil the cherished dreams that were once held dear by the child. Through powerful performances, evocative staging, and a stirring score, “Chasing The Wind” brings to life a tale of hope and renewal. Audiences will be captivated by its tender portrayal of loss, love, and the relentless pursuit of dreams, leaving viewers with a renewed sense of humanity and compassion.
LOUISE MACHEN
Louise Machen is a Mancunian poet and educator. She holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Manchester and an MA in Creative Writing from The Centre for New Writing at the same institution.
Her work has been widely published in various journals and magazines including The Poetry Bus (nominated for The Forward Prize, Single Poem), Dreich, Acropolis Journal, Sound and Vision – an Anthology from Black Bough Poetry, The Morning Star and Cape Magazine. Louise has been a featured poet at East Ridge Review with a poem nominated for the Pushcart Prize; she has also had two poems nominated for Best of the Net.
A teacher of literature for over a decade, Louise is also regular speaker at poetry events across the city of Manchester and beyond. She has headlined at Band on the Wall for Verbose, The Golden Lion, BBC Radio Manchester, Rhyming Words and TME English Icons, among many others.
Louise read poetry from both of the below during her performance:
DEBUT COLLECTION
A fearless examination of the human experience, these poems confront themes of grief, loss, guilt and forgiveness to guide the reader through a state of emotional chaos, urging an acceptance of the darkness to make way for the emergence of light.
CHAPBOOK
A poetry conversation illustrating working class landscapes, this collection of poems rooted in the everyday explores the city and it's surrounding suburbs, discussing experiences of childhood, adolescence and aging in the urban sprawl of the north.
AARON CARIS
WEEKEND DAD
It’s Dad’s weekend with the kids and he’s determined it will go well this time.
Catherine Sharp
DIRECTOR
James McKean
DAD
Sophie Hough
​DARLA
Esther Beaty
OLLIE
JOYCE BRANAGH & JO DAKIN
OPENSHAW & LEGOHEAD SORT SHIT OUT
Fresh from their first outing last year at JB Shorts with "Isobel Openshaw Saves the Day," Isobel & Jenny Legohead are back to...
well to sort shit out.
JO DAKIN
Jo Dakin has been an actor since everything was black and white and people travelled on penny farthing bicycles.
Recent credits include Feature Film Treading Water, JB Shorts, the Day the World Came to Huddersfield and Shake Prattle and Role. TV includes Coronation Street, Porridge and Prey. She's looking forward to donning the legohead wig again and working with such a great team.
JOYCE BRANAGH
Joyce Branagh is a director, writer and actor. She has been based in Todmorden for so long she is now officially 'Northern'. Theatre includes: Ladies That Bus, Ladies That Dig, Boomtown Gals, Macbeth, Comedy of Errors. Television: Coronation Street, Porridge, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, The Clink, The Bill. Feature Film: Belfast, How to Date Billy Walsh, Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde.
DARE TO KNOW THEATRE
SMOKE & MIRRORS
KAT EVANS
NELL GREENHALGH
