WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 18 JULY 20
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 1 minute ago
- 13 min read
An oasis of positivity celebrating the creative arts with articles, reviews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations.
Articles: Rochdale deserves to be UK TOC 2028, New Writing Festival 2027 plus Call-out for emerging playwrights
Previews: The Social Teahouse and Stellar Cast Announced in Thirtieth Anniversary Production of East Is East at the Octagon
Rochdale deserves to be UK TOC 2028
By Steve Cooke
Rochdale’s year as GM Town of Culture 2025/26 excelled in all expectations.
Its legacy is very much alive across the whole town - our expanded AATA column of up to ten articles per week proving insufficient to keep up with the activities and events emanating from the thriving and ever expanding creative arts community.
I am delighted and excited that an EOI [expression of interest] has been submitted on behalf of Rochdale Creates and the wider creative, culture and heritage sector, to become the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028.
While DCMS [Department for Culture Media and Sport] are still shortlisting the applications, they have now published a map of all the towns that submitted an EOI, alongside the postcards that were created by each town.
I am proud to be able to shine a spotlight on Rochdale’s ambitions and the amazing people, organisations and communities that make such fantastic work happen across the borough.
We should find out by the end of July if Rochdale is through to the next round.
New Writing Festival 2027: Call-out for emerging playwrights
By Steve Cooke
Summerseat Players is inviting emerging playwrights from across the Northwest to submit original short plays for its inaugural New Writing Festival, taking place at Theatre Royal Ramsbottom on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027.
The festival will showcase twelve new short plays by Northwest writers, pairing six emerging playwrights selected through open submission with six established playwrights.
At the heart of the festival is mentorship, support and creative connection. Each selected emerging playwright will be paired with an established playwright, with the two works presented together as part of a double-bill festival programme.
Applications are free and submissions close on Monday 3 August 2026.
The Summerseat Players New Writing Festival is a new two-day theatre festival celebrating new writing from across the Northwest.
The festival has been created to support emerging playwrights, create opportunities for new work and build connections between new and established theatre makers.
Selected writers will see their work staged at Theatre Royal Ramsbottom as part of the July 2027 festival weekend.
More information, including competition rules, is available by following: https://www.summerseatplayers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NWF-2027-Playwright-Submission-Information.pdf
They are looking for original short plays by emerging playwrights.
Submitted plays should be:
original and unproduced
30 to 45 minutes in length
no more than 50 pages
written for no more than three actors
practical to stage, with minimal technical and scenic requirements
capable of being developed into a full-length play of 70 to 90 minutes
We are looking for plays with clear ideas, strong voices and room to grow.
Applications are open to playwrights who:
are aged 18 or over
are based in, or studying in, the Northwest of England
are emerging or amateur playwrights
have not previously had work professionally produced
are submitting one original, unproduced play
Writers may submit one script only.
Translations and adaptations of existing work are not eligible. Scripts created using AI are not permitted.
There are six open-submission places for emerging playwrights. One place is reserved for a children’s theatre piece suitable for audiences under 14. The remaining five places are open to all other topics, provided the work is suitable for a wide audience.
Selected writers will:
have their short play staged as part of the New Writing Festival
be paired with an established playwright mentor
be part of a shared creative process with a director and theatre team
receive a financial contribution towards rehearsal travel, mentorship meetings and time spent on rewrites
receive a Festival Official Selection certificate
The selected children’s theatre writer will receive a contribution of £350.
The five selected writers in the general category will each receive a contribution of £500.
One of the six selected emerging playwrights will receive the Best of Festival award.
This writer will be supported to develop their short play into a full-length production for a future Summerseat Players season.
The support will include development time, workshops and rehearsal support as the play grows from a 30 to 45 minute short work into a full-length piece.
To submit a script, please: Complete the Playwright Application Form: NWF 2027 | SCRIPT SUBMISSION – https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=adChkpHqnU-ddPI12CvNFnO1omIk7ktOsUvO2U-dsWlUREJRTVNUSTMwNDVQRVQ0R1hJUkVKM1BSNC4u&route=shorturl
Email a PDF copy of your script to: nwf@summerseatplayers.co.uk
Your script should be submitted under a pseudonym or alias. Please make sure the pseudonym or alias on your script matches the one used in your application form.
Please remove all other name and contact information from the script itself.
Email subject line:
NWF27 Script Submission – [Pseudonym/Alias]
Applications received without an emailed script will not be processed.
Submissions close: Monday 3 August 2026
Longlisting: October 2026
Shortlisting: November 2026
Official selection: December 2026
Festival: Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027
Questions
For questions about the submission process, please contact: nwf@summerseatplayers.co.uk
The Social Teahouse
Preview by Steve Cooke
The Aviva Studios Social is transformed into a traditional teahouse!
A welcome opportunity to take a moment to rest and recharge in a traditional teahouse built inside the Social to celebrate the summer exhibition Ai Weiwei: Button Up!
On select days, see the teahouse animated by a series of talks, conversations and events related to Ai Weiwei’s life and work. The rest of the time? Take a seat on one of the artist's traditional Chinese mazha stools and relax over a cup of tea.
Chinese tea culture dates back to at least the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), when tea houses emerged as spaces for gathering, social interaction and storytelling. Ai Weiwei has explored the significance of teahouses in his work, most famously in 'Teahouse, 2009' – a large sculpture composed entirely of pu’er tea.
Free to attend – no booking required
Wheelchair Access
Until Sunday 6 September in The Social, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ
Stellar Cast Announced in Thirtieth Anniversary Production of East Is East at the Octagon
Preview by Steve Cooke
Set in Salford this iconic story of a British-Pakistani family was first staged in Birmingham in 1996. Now thirty years on Ayub Khan Din’s East Is East returns to its northern roots for an anniversary production directed by Kash Arshad. Fresh from Broadway and making a welcome return to the Octagon, is stage and screen actor Bhasker Patel (Oedipus, Broadway & West End; Emmerdale ITV) who leads a stellar cast as the patriarchal George alongside Stockport-born actor Samantha Power (Brassic, Sky; Madame Blanc, Channel 5) as his wife Ella.
Exploring identity, generational conflict and the unbreakable bonds of family the cast of this razor-sharp comedy also includes Zaki Ali, Sushil Chudasama, Maya Dhokia, Zoe Iqbal, Matthew Khan, Joeravar Sangha. Rahul Sidhu and Danyal Ismail
Completing the cast, is Rohan Macleod who steps from his part-time job at the Octagon’s Kitchen & Bar onto the mainstage of the theatre to take on the role of Sajit Khan. He last appeared on the Octagon’s stage in 2017.
In early 1970s Salford, the Khan family are living above a chip shop and on the fault line between two cultures. George Khan is determined to raise the family to follow his Pakistani way. His English wife, Ella, just wants to keep the peace. Meanwhile their seven children are busy discovering disco, denim, and defiance. When George begins arranging marriages for his sons, rebellion erupts and loyalties are tested. What follows is a hilarious and deeply moving battle between tradition and change.
Director Kash Arshad said:
“East is East is my story. There are not many plays that speak to the experience of being brought up in a Muslim household, with a white British mother and a Pakistani father, who ran his own business, with kids who felt not British enough to be British nor Pakistani enough to be Pakistani. To get the opportunity to direct this play at the theatre where I started my directing journey and to be able to share it with audiences in Salisbury, Derby and the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, my local theatre in my late teens/early twenties and where I first set foot on a professional stage, is a dream. The play is a modern classic, with brilliantly observed, memorable characters. And at its heart a strong matriarch in Ella holding this family of misfits together - She reminds me so much of my own mum. It's raucous, moving, full of truth and really funny.”
Both play and film have won numerous awards including Evening Standard Best Film Award, the Writers Guild Award for Best New Writer, Best West End Play and the John Whiting Award for Best Stage Play.
EAST IS EAST by Ayub Khan Din, directed by Kash Arshad is on Friday 4 September – Saturday 3 October at Octagon Theatre, Bolton, Howell Croft South, Bolton BL1 1SB
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 18 July 2026
Bring Your Own Book Club - Rochdale Central Library
It’s a book club with no assigned reading and no homework. All readers are welcome. All you need to do is bring your own book or grab one from the library.
Every other Saturday. Fancy a little quiet reading time surrounded by fellow book-lovers? Come along, settle in, have a chat, have a read, and have fun.
Free
For adults and teenagers.
No booking required, you can just turn up.
12pm - 1pm
Rochdale Central Library, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU
Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Tuesday Reading Group - Spotland Library
Tuesday every 4 weeks. Read, share and discuss a range of fiction and non-fiction chosen from our extensive list of book titles in a relaxed and friendly group.
Free
11.30am - 12.30pm
Spotland Library, Ings Lane, Rochdale OL12 7AL
Wednesday,
An oasis of positivity celebrating the creative arts with articles, reviews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations.
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 18 JULY 2026
Articles: Rochdale deserves to be UK TOC 2028, New Writing Festival 2027 plus Call-out for emerging playwrights
Previews: The Social Teahouse and Stellar Cast Announced in Thirtieth Anniversary Production of East Is East at the Octagon
Rochdale deserves to be UK TOC 2028
By Steve Cooke
Rochdale’s year as GM Town of Culture 2025/26 excelled in all expectations.
Its legacy is very much alive across the whole town - our expanded AATA column of up to ten articles per week proving insufficient to keep up with the activities and events emanating from the thriving and ever expanding creative arts community.
I am delighted and excited that an EOI [expression of interest] has been submitted on behalf of Rochdale Creates and the wider creative, culture and heritage sector, to become the UK’s first Town of Culture in 2028.
While DCMS [Department for Culture Media and Sport] are still shortlisting the applications, they have now published a map of all the towns that submitted an EOI, alongside the postcards that were created by each town.
I am proud to be able to shine a spotlight on Rochdale’s ambitions and the amazing people, organisations and communities that make such fantastic work happen across the borough.
We should find out by the end of July if Rochdale is through to the next round.
New Writing Festival 2027: Call-out for emerging playwrights
By Steve Cooke
Summerseat Players is inviting emerging playwrights from across the Northwest to submit original short plays for its inaugural New Writing Festival, taking place at Theatre Royal Ramsbottom on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027.
The festival will showcase twelve new short plays by Northwest writers, pairing six emerging playwrights selected through open submission with six established playwrights.
At the heart of the festival is mentorship, support and creative connection. Each selected emerging playwright will be paired with an established playwright, with the two works presented together as part of a double-bill festival programme.
Applications are free and submissions close on Monday 3 August 2026.
The Summerseat Players New Writing Festival is a new two-day theatre festival celebrating new writing from across the Northwest.
The festival has been created to support emerging playwrights, create opportunities for new work and build connections between new and established theatre makers.
Selected writers will see their work staged at Theatre Royal Ramsbottom as part of the July 2027 festival weekend.
More information, including competition rules, is available by following: https://www.summerseatplayers.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NWF-2027-Playwright-Submission-Information.pdf
They are looking for original short plays by emerging playwrights.
Submitted plays should be:
original and unproduced
30 to 45 minutes in length
no more than 50 pages
written for no more than three actors
practical to stage, with minimal technical and scenic requirements
capable of being developed into a full-length play of 70 to 90 minutes
We are looking for plays with clear ideas, strong voices and room to grow.
Applications are open to playwrights who:
are aged 18 or over
are based in, or studying in, the Northwest of England
are emerging or amateur playwrights
have not previously had work professionally produced
are submitting one original, unproduced play
Writers may submit one script only.
Translations and adaptations of existing work are not eligible. Scripts created using AI are not permitted.
There are six open-submission places for emerging playwrights. One place is reserved for a children’s theatre piece suitable for audiences under 14. The remaining five places are open to all other topics, provided the work is suitable for a wide audience.
Selected writers will:
have their short play staged as part of the New Writing Festival
be paired with an established playwright mentor
be part of a shared creative process with a director and theatre team
receive a financial contribution towards rehearsal travel, mentorship meetings and time spent on rewrites
receive a Festival Official Selection certificate
The selected children’s theatre writer will receive a contribution of £350.
The five selected writers in the general category will each receive a contribution of £500.
One of the six selected emerging playwrights will receive the Best of Festival award.
This writer will be supported to develop their short play into a full-length production for a future Summerseat Players season.
The support will include development time, workshops and rehearsal support as the play grows from a 30 to 45 minute short work into a full-length piece.
To submit a script, please: Complete the Playwright Application Form: NWF 2027 | SCRIPT SUBMISSION – https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=adChkpHqnU-ddPI12CvNFnO1omIk7ktOsUvO2U-dsWlUREJRTVNUSTMwNDVQRVQ0R1hJUkVKM1BSNC4u&route=shorturl
Email a PDF copy of your script to: nwf@summerseatplayers.co.uk
Your script should be submitted under a pseudonym or alias. Please make sure the pseudonym or alias on your script matches the one used in your application form.
Please remove all other name and contact information from the script itself.
Email subject line:
NWF27 Script Submission – [Pseudonym/Alias]
Applications received without an emailed script will not be processed.
Submissions close: Monday 3 August 2026
Longlisting: October 2026
Shortlisting: November 2026
Official selection: December 2026
Festival: Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027
Questions
For questions about the submission process, please contact: nwf@summerseatplayers.co.uk
The Social Teahouse
Preview by Steve Cooke
The Aviva Studios Social is transformed into a traditional teahouse!
A welcome opportunity to take a moment to rest and recharge in a traditional teahouse built inside the Social to celebrate the summer exhibition Ai Weiwei: Button Up!
On select days, see the teahouse animated by a series of talks, conversations and events related to Ai Weiwei’s life and work. The rest of the time? Take a seat on one of the artist's traditional Chinese mazha stools and relax over a cup of tea.
Chinese tea culture dates back to at least the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), when tea houses emerged as spaces for gathering, social interaction and storytelling. Ai Weiwei has explored the significance of teahouses in his work, most famously in 'Teahouse, 2009' – a large sculpture composed entirely of pu’er tea.
Free to attend – no booking required
Wheelchair Access
Until Sunday 6 September in The Social, Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ
Stellar Cast Announced in Thirtieth Anniversary Production of East Is East at the Octagon
Preview by Steve Cooke
Set in Salford this iconic story of a British-Pakistani family was first staged in Birmingham in 1996. Now thirty years on Ayub Khan Din’s East Is East returns to its northern roots for an anniversary production directed by Kash Arshad. Fresh from Broadway and making a welcome return to the Octagon, is stage and screen actor Bhasker Patel (Oedipus, Broadway & West End; Emmerdale ITV) who leads a stellar cast as the patriarchal George alongside Stockport-born actor Samantha Power (Brassic, Sky; Madame Blanc, Channel 5) as his wife Ella.
Exploring identity, generational conflict and the unbreakable bonds of family the cast of this razor-sharp comedy also includes Zaki Ali, Sushil Chudasama, Maya Dhokia, Zoe Iqbal, Matthew Khan, Joeravar Sangha. Rahul Sidhu and Danyal Ismail
Completing the cast, is Rohan Macleod who steps from his part-time job at the Octagon’s Kitchen & Bar onto the mainstage of the theatre to take on the role of Sajit Khan. He last appeared on the Octagon’s stage in 2017.
In early 1970s Salford, the Khan family are living above a chip shop and on the fault line between two cultures. George Khan is determined to raise the family to follow his Pakistani way. His English wife, Ella, just wants to keep the peace. Meanwhile their seven children are busy discovering disco, denim, and defiance. When George begins arranging marriages for his sons, rebellion erupts and loyalties are tested. What follows is a hilarious and deeply moving battle between tradition and change.
Director Kash Arshad said:
“East is East is my story. There are not many plays that speak to the experience of being brought up in a Muslim household, with a white British mother and a Pakistani father, who ran his own business, with kids who felt not British enough to be British nor Pakistani enough to be Pakistani. To get the opportunity to direct this play at the theatre where I started my directing journey and to be able to share it with audiences in Salisbury, Derby and the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, my local theatre in my late teens/early twenties and where I first set foot on a professional stage, is a dream. The play is a modern classic, with brilliantly observed, memorable characters. And at its heart a strong matriarch in Ella holding this family of misfits together - She reminds me so much of my own mum. It's raucous, moving, full of truth and really funny.”
Both play and film have won numerous awards including Evening Standard Best Film Award, the Writers Guild Award for Best New Writer, Best West End Play and the John Whiting Award for Best Stage Play.
EAST IS EAST by Ayub Khan Din, directed by Kash Arshad is on Friday 4 September – Saturday 3 October at Octagon Theatre, Bolton, Howell Croft South, Bolton BL1 1SB
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 18 July 2026
Bring Your Own Book Club - Rochdale Central Library
It’s a book club with no assigned reading and no homework. All readers are welcome. All you need to do is bring your own book or grab one from the library.
Every other Saturday. Fancy a little quiet reading time surrounded by fellow book-lovers? Come along, settle in, have a chat, have a read, and have fun.
Free
For adults and teenagers.
No booking required, you can just turn up.
12pm - 1pm
Rochdale Central Library, Number One Riverside, Smith Street, Rochdale OL16 1XU
Tuesday, 21 July 2026
Tuesday Reading Group - Spotland Library
Tuesday every 4 weeks. Read, share and discuss a range of fiction and non-fiction chosen from our extensive list of book titles in a relaxed and friendly group.
Free
11.30am - 12.30pm
Spotland Library, Ings Lane, Rochdale OL12 7AL
Wednesday, 22 July 2026
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Alice Roberts & Kathryn Mason ‘Rascallity Harp Duo’ (both Manc Univ & RNCM)
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s. The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
