HISTORY has been brought to life at Bolton Museum thanks to its season of Museum Monologues.

Running throughout this month, actors playing local LGBT pioneers will give an insight into their lives through the monologues.

Among those being portrayed is Bolton-raised Matt Cain, former editor of Attitude magazine and now a full-time bestselling novelist.

Playing him is 21-year-old Wigan actor, Tom Sturgess. He will perform a monologue which Matt has adapted from his bestselling novel, The Madonna of Bolton, which is loosely based on his own adolescence.

As a good luck present - and for extra authenticity - Matt presented him with the actual Like A Prayer single which he queued up to buy in 1989, and which forms a central part of the monologue.

Prior to Thursday's performance, Matt and Tom had never met, although they had spoken on the telephone.

"It's fascinating to be involved in this," said Tom, 21, who is a student at the ALRA North Acting school in Wigan.

"Audiences so far have responded really positively to it. They've been very attentive and seem to have enjoyed it."

Unlike Matt, the four other local figures who feature in the season of monologues are all long dead.

They are renowned photographer Humphrey Spender (Adam Jowett), J.W. Wallace (Conor Ledger), who corresponded with America poet Walt Whitman, a Victorian era male impersonator (Beth Nolan), and Steph (Charlotte Jobling), based on a young lesbian who comes out during the visit of Princess Anne to Bolton in the 1990s.

Rather than conventional seats, audiences are encouraged to make themselves comfortable on beanbags to watch the actors perform their monologues by the cabinets of exhibits which relate to their particular characters.

"Some come specifically to see the monologues, whereas others come across them while visiting the museum," said Tom.

"We've had a good mix, from LGBT groups to school parties."

The monologues will be performed in the temporary exhibition gallery (just walk under the rainbow) on the following dates: Thursday, May 16 (3pm, 5pm and 6pm), Friday, May 17 (12pm and 3pm), Saturday, May 18 (11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm (signed performance), Saturday, 25 May (11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm).