Reporter: Rochdale Online
Date published: 03 September 2026
Julie Hesmondhalgh launches ticket fund for Oldham Coliseum’s Macbeth
Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh has launched a fundraising campaign to provide free and pay-what-you-can tickets for Oldham Coliseum Theatre’s production of Macbeth.
More than £1,000 was donated to the Pay It Forward campaign in its first 24 hours, according to the Coliseum.
The campaign is being run with the Friends of the Coliseum and asks people to donate towards tickets for those who would otherwise be unable to afford one.
A concessionary ticket for Macbeth costs £15, although donations of other amounts can also be made.
Money raised will be used to provide free and pay-what-you-can tickets through community groups in Oldham.
Free tickets will also be allocated through an online form on a first come, first served basis until the available allocation has been taken.
Hesmondhalgh, who is Guest Curator at Oldham Coliseum Theatre, said: “As we launch our new production of Macbeth, we are hoping to enable audience members who cannot afford a ticket to come along. A concessionary ticket is £15, but we are hoping to be able to provide a number of free and pay-what-you-can tickets per performance via community groups within the town.
“So, if you can ‘bring someone with you’ by donating £15, or even throw a couple of quid in, it would be hugely appreciated.”
Hesmondhalgh and her husband, screenwriter Ian Kershaw, were involved in the campaign to save the Coliseum after Arts Council England withdrew its regular funding in 2023.
The Coliseum is currently staging work at temporary and site-specific venues while restoration work continues on its Fairbottom Street theatre.
Macbeth will be staged at Liquid & Envy nightclub on Retiro Street in Oldham town centre from Friday 23 October until Saturday 7 November.
The production is directed by Coliseum Creative Director Nick Bagnall and stars Andrew Sheridan as Macbeth and Erin Shanagher as Lady Macbeth.
The season will include relaxed, audio-described and captioned performances as well as two performances interpreted in British Sign Language.
Hesmondhalgh is also due to appear in the second series of BBC’s The Celebrity Traitors and will take part in a Coliseum event about the programme in Oldham on Sunday 13 December.
Donations to the Pay It Forward campaign can be made at gofundme.com/f/pay-it-forward-tickets.
Tickets for Macbeth and further information are available at coliseum.org.uk.