After a successful outing for The Engagement Party at Oldham's Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Oldham Coliseum-in-exile returns this Wednesday and Thursday (February 26-27) with another energetic entertainment, hip-hop "opera" Tones.
The hour-long, pay-what-you-choose show (ages 16+), at the town's central library, combines the underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera to tell the story of a treacherous path to self-discovery.
Writer and performer Gerel Falconer - winner of the best book and lyrics award at the Black British Theatre Awards 2024, and nominee for The Stage Debut Awards - has put together an exploration of the black experience and the mixed experience: what if you're not black enough for some, but too black for the rest of the world?
Tones – A Hip Hop Opera follows the pivotal moments of lead character Jerome and his upbringing from childhood to his departure from university. As he battles with his identity, we travel through the depths of Black British culture, class and belonging.
Presented by the award-winning Wound Up Theatre, the story offers a reflection on modern Britain, delving into society pressures on race, class and identity and their consequences - all underscored with an original soundtrack.
More info and tickets here