DO you recall a memorable night on the town, or have a story about going for a night out in Bolton ­— then the Octagon Theatre wants to hear from you.

The theatre is to stage "One Night in Bolton" and the play has inspired a writing competition for those aged 11 and over.

It will be judged by Bolton author Monica Ali ­— the writer behind the award-winning Brick Lane ­— and other leading figures in the world of arts and culture.

One Night in Bolton by Becky Prestwich is a play about two audience members who were at the opening night of the original Octagon back in 1967.

It follows them through the decades to the present day, celebrating Bolton and its community, and how theatre and stories can bring people together.

Inspired by these themes, the theatre are asking people to write their own “One Night in Bolton” stories and memories, set in Bolton at any time between the 1960s and the present day.

The writing can in the form of a short story, monologue, script or poem based on a memory, a real even or a fictional event ­— with a maximum 500 words.

Bolton author Monica Ali, one of the panel judges,said: “I’m delighted that Octagon Bolton has asked me to be one of the judges for their new writing competition. Having grown up in Bolton I know there’s plenty of talent there!

I can’t wait to start reading the entries and even if you’ve never written before ­—have a go! Especially if you have more time on your hands than usual. My advice would be: don’t worry about polish and writing style, write what’s on your mind, dig deep inside yourself, honest writing is always the most powerful.”

The play One Night in Bolton has been written by fellow judge Becky Prestwich.

She said: “One of my favourite parts of researching One Night in Bolton was listening to people recounting their memories of nights out in Bolton - from a lime and soda at the Beach Comber after school to wild nights at Cinderella Rockerfellas. Bolton is a town bubbling with stories and I can’t wait to read yours.”

Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham added: “I am thrilled to be launching this Bolton-wide creative writing competition. In my experience, everyone in Bolton has a great story to tell

about the town, so I really encourage anyone and everyone to give it a go and apply. Your story might feature a night-time hike up Rivington Pike to watch the fireworks on Bonfire Night, or a memorable summer evening at the Food and Drink festival. Perhaps you remember getting the Atlantis bus to the Valley for a night out, or maybe memories of a family celebration or sporting event will get your creative juices flowing. We want to hear a huge range of stories from people of all ages.

"Along the way we will be producing blogs and videos with tips on how to get started, sowhether you’re a keen amateur writer or completely new to creative writing – we want to hear from you”

The competition has two categories, 11-17 and for those aged over 18.

The winning pieces will be recorded by a professional actor and shared online and a selection will be broadcast on BBC Radio Manchester.

This is a competition for non-professional writers and the closing date is June 1.

To find out more and how to submit an entry visit octagonbolton.co.uk/writingcompetition

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