Tale of Scotch and hot water (The Oldham Chronicle) Oldham Coliseum is taking the high road in it's next production "The Steamie" The play, set in a 1950s Glasgow wash house (steamie), follows the hopes and dreams of four washer women as they go about their work. Armed with a block of carbolic soap and a scrubbing board, the actresses will have to use quite a bit of elbow grease. Warm running water onstage and a number of authentic props means the cast can re-enact an afternoon of scrubbing clothes by hand while acting. Fortunately Victoria, who studied acting at Manchester's Arden School of Theatre, has a knack for accents. She said: "I spent three years studying in Manchester before going back home to Edinburgh. I go into auditions straightaway speaking the accent I'm suppose to be playing. It's quite daunting but you get used to it." The play has been adapted slightly for Oldhamers, after the cast went through the words and decided some of the dialect would not be understood. Victoria said: "We had to change certain words, for instance shopping bags here would be message bags in Glasgow in the old days." Her character, Doreen, the youngest of the four women and the others being Margaret, Mrs Culfeathers and Dolly was married at 17 and lives in a dream world of a better life. She yearns for a telephone. a television set, and indoor toilet and a nice new council house. And because Victoria plays the youngest character, it means she gets to wear high heels rather than men's boots.

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