Octagon Theatre Announces Bolton Trilogy Anniversary Shows 2026

Key Points

• The Octagon Theatre has unveiled the first productions planned for their 60th anniversary celebrations.
• Three world premiere performances will constitute the Bolton Trilogy, with all three pieces drawing inspiration from life in Bolton.
• The Bolton Trilogy will consist of The Forger by Ben Weatherill, Egging by Adam Kotwai and A Totally Unbiased History of the Wanderers by Becky Prestwich.
• Other productions scheduled for the anniversary programme include Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, Educating Rita by Willy Russell and Romeo & Juliet by Shakespeare.
• Lotte Wakeham, the artistic director of the theatre, said the programme would incorporate new writing, theatrical masterpieces and community activities.
• Roddy Gauld, the chief executive of the theatre, added that the announcement was just one of several parts of a bigger anniversary programme for the following two years.
• Octagon intends to re-launch its studio with theatre and film shows and boost its creative involvement with young people in Bolton.
• A new fundraising campaign, ‘Sponsor a Story’, will provide the opportunity to support the creation of new plays.
• General sale of tickets for the new season is scheduled for midday on Tuesday, 6 October.

Bolton (Manchester Mirror) September 29, 2026 – three new plays forming the Bolton Trilogy will headline the first announced stage of the Octagon’s 60th anniversary programme, alongside productions of Sunset Boulevard, Educating Rita and Romeo & Juliet. The trilogy will comprise three world premieres focused on stories connected with Bolton and its communities.

The Octagon Theatre said the announcement represented the beginning of an anniversary programme that would continue over the next two years. Alongside its new writing, the theatre is preparing productions based on internationally recognised musical theatre, a modern British classic and one of Shakespeare’s best-known tragedies.

The theatre was officially opened by Princess Margaret in November 1967. Since then, it has developed a reputation as one of the country’s leading regional theatres, combining professional productions with education, community work and opportunities for emerging artists.

The first announced productions cover several strands of the Octagon’s artistic programme. They include a major musical in Sunset Boulevard, Willy Russell’s Educating Rita, Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and three newly commissioned plays developed under the Bolton Trilogy title.

The selection reflects the theatre’s intention to combine familiar titles with stories created specifically for its local audience. The programme is expected to appeal to theatre-goers interested in established works while also giving audiences the opportunity to see new plays developed around Bolton’s history, communities and cultural identity.

The theatre has not presented the anniversary season as a single short-term event. Instead, the initial announcement is the first stage of a longer celebration, with further productions and projects expected to be revealed during the following two years.

Why is the Bolton Trilogy important to the programme?

The Bolton Trilogy will consist of three world premieres. The trilogy is intended to demonstrate the Octagon’s continuing commitment to commissioning and presenting new writing.

The first production, The Forger, is written by Ben Weatherill. It is based on the story of Shaun Greenhalgh, a Bolton artist who created forged artworks from a garden shed and deceived parts of the international art world.

The play will explore a remarkable local story that gained national and international attention. Its subject combines artistic ambition, deception and the consequences of attempting to enter a world traditionally associated with established institutions and reputations.

The second production, Egging, is written by Adam Kotwai. It follows a character named Haris on the eve of his wedding. As he moves around Bolton making final preparations, he also attempts to avoid being “egged” by his friends.

The premise places a personal milestone within a recognisable local setting. The play is expected to focus on relationships, friendship and the pressures surrounding a wedding, while using Bolton as an important part of its world.

The third production, A Totally Unbiased History of the Wanderers, is written by Becky Prestwich. It follows friends and family members gathering at a football match to remember the death of a supporter.

The production has been described as a heartfelt comedy drama. Its subject connects football, family memory and grief, while the title refers to Bolton Wanderers, one of the town’s most prominent cultural and sporting institutions.

Together, the three plays present different aspects of Bolton life. The Forger is based on a real story involving art and deception; Egging focuses on a wedding and friendship; and A Totally Unbiased History of the Wanderers examines family, football and remembrance.

What did Lotte Wakeham say about the anniversary?

Lotte Wakeham, the Octagon’s artistic director, said the programme was designed to remain connected to the theatre’s founding ethos while continuing to develop its artistic ambitions.

Wakeham said: “Making and commissioning work for this truly unique space is an honour.” She added that reimagining large theatrical works such as Sunset Boulevard and Romeo & Juliet would be both exciting and challenging.

Wakeham also highlighted the place of new writing in the Octagon’s history. She said the Bolton Trilogy would feature three ambitious playwrights telling stories rooted in Bolton and its communities.

Although the stories are locally based, Wakeham said their themes would have wider relevance. She identified relationships, passion and community as subjects capable of reaching audiences beyond Bolton.

The artistic director also referred to the range of artists working across the anniversary programme. She said the season provided an opportunity to reflect on the many theatrical careers developed at the Octagon over the past six decades.

Wakeham said the theatre remained committed to supporting the next generation of theatre-makers. That commitment includes the Octagon’s creative engagement work, which is being developed with Gareth Redston, the organisation’s director of creative engagement and impact.

How will young people and communities be involved?

The Octagon intends to use its 60th year to expand opportunities for children and young people to connect with the theatre.

Wakeham said the long-term ambition was for every young person to have an opportunity to engage with the Octagon. She referred to possible routes including school visits, workshops and participation in the theatre’s Young Company programme.

The theatre’s approach places audience development alongside its main productions. Rather than treating community work as separate from the professional programme, the Octagon says it wants creative engagement to become a central part of its future.

The focus on young people may also help create a longer-term relationship between local residents and the theatre. School visits and workshops can introduce children to performance, writing, design and backstage work, while the Young Company can offer a more sustained route into theatre-making.

What did Roddy Gauld say about the future?

Roddy Gauld, the Octagon’s chief executive, said the announced productions represented only the first part of the anniversary programme.

Gauld said more activity would be announced over the following two years. He described the programme as combining musicals, new plays and classics, with additional work still in development.

Gauld said the anniversary should not only celebrate the theatre’s past but also act as a launch point for its future.

One planned development is the relaunch of the Octagon’s studio. Gauld said the studio would return with a programme of on-stage and on-screen events, bringing theatre and film together.

The theatre also plans to continue creative engagement work with communities and young people across Bolton. According to Gauld, that work will support future creative talent and encourage the development of new ideas.

The Octagon is also launching Sponsor a Story, a fundraising initiative linked to the Bolton Trilogy and future new writing. The scheme will allow supporters to contribute towards the development of plays intended for the Octagon stage.

The theatre said donations made through Sponsor a Story would contribute directly to bringing the three Bolton Trilogy productions to audiences. This gives supporters a role in funding local stories while helping the theatre commission new work.

When will tickets go on sale?

Tickets for the new season are scheduled to go on general sale from midday on Tuesday, 6 October.

The Octagon’s published season information includes a mixture of Octagon-produced work, family events, music shows, comedy, talks and other activities. This indicates that audiences will have access to more than the three Bolton Trilogy premieres and the headline theatrical productions.

The exact booking arrangements, ticket prices and performance dates for every production in the newly announced anniversary programme should be checked directly with the Octagon, as the available announcement does not provide a complete schedule for all the productions.

What is the background to the Octagon’s anniversary?

The Octagon Theatre opened in November 1967, when it was officially opened by Princess Margaret. Over the following six decades, it became an important part of Bolton’s cultural life and established itself as a regional producing theatre.

Wakeham said the theatre’s early programme included music, dance and film alongside pioneering repertory work. Education and community activity were also part of the Octagon’s development from its earliest years.

According to the statement included in the report, an estimated four million people have been entertained at the theatre since it opened. Artists named in connection with the Octagon include Danny Boyle, Vanessa Kirby, Fiona Shaw, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Es Devlin and Maxine Peake.

The theatre says these artists form part of generations of actors, directors, designers and other creatives who have trained or worked at the Octagon.

The anniversary therefore marks more than the age of the building. It also recognises the theatre’s role in producing work, supporting careers and connecting professional theatre with the people of Bolton.

The current programme reflects that history by combining large-scale titles with local new writing. The inclusion of the Bolton Trilogy places Bolton stories at the centre of the anniversary rather than presenting the celebration solely through established national or international works.

How could the anniversary programme affect Bolton audiences?

The programme is likely to give Bolton audiences access to a broad range of theatre, from established titles such as Sunset Boulevard, Educating Rita and Romeo & Juliet to three new plays developed around local life.

For regular theatre-goers, the anniversary season offers a combination of familiar works and new productions. The Bolton Trilogy may be particularly significant for audiences who want to see local places, experiences and communities represented on the Octagon stage.

The planned studio relaunch could also expand the types of events available to local audiences by combining theatre and film. Meanwhile, Sponsor a Story may give supporters a direct connection to the development of future productions.

Young people could benefit from the theatre’s planned expansion of school visits, workshops and Young Company activity. If the stated ambition is achieved, more children and teenagers across Bolton will have opportunities to experience performance and learn about creative careers.

The wider effect will depend on ticket availability, the final schedule, the level of community participation and the success of the fundraising campaign. Based on the announced plans, the Octagon’s 60th anniversary is intended to celebrate its six-decade history while creating new routes for audiences, writers and young theatre-makers to participate in its future.