THE BELGRADE theatre is preparing for an Autumn/Winter season packed with theatrical firsts and
From brand new musicals to plays straight from the West End, the Belgrade Theatre promises to invigorate the Coventry theatre scene with something for everyone.
Opening the season is the hotly-anticpated new musical-comedy Crush by Warterloo Road and Footballers’ Wives writer Maureen Chadwick from Friday, September 4 until Saturday, September 19.
The co-production between the Belgrade Theatre and Big Broad Productions tells the story of a group of teenage girls at an all-girl’s boarding school at the dawn of the swinging sixties.
Hot on its heels, is the world premier of the stage adaptation of Ian Seraillier’s beloved children’s novel, The Silver Sword, which tells the story of the Polish Balicki children’s search for their parents in the immediate aftermath of World War II.
Playing at the Belgrade Theatre from Saturday, September 26 until Saturday, October 3 before it embarks on a UK tour, the play follows the children’s adventures as they, like thousands of other displaced people, try return across broken Europe to their homeland.
The October Fesitval of Theatre for Children and Young People is set to take over the theatre for two weeks from Monday, 19 October til Saturday, October 31 – featuring some of the best professional theatre around including The Cat in the Hat, Marty MacDonald’s Farm, The Snow Dragon plus a selection of the best Theatre in Educations productions touring to local schools.
The Belgrade has also announced that it will welcome series of touring productions to the city, including Oscar Wilde’s witty comedy The Importance of Being Earnest from Tuesday, September 29 until Saturday, October 3 starring Nigel Havers, Christine Kavanagh and Sian Phillips performing as The Bunbury Company of Players.
This will be followed by a visit from Moira Buffini’s smash-hit comedy, Handbagged from Tuesday, October 6 until Saturday, October 1 which ‘opens the clasp’ to the relationship between two giants of 20th Century politics – Queen Elizabeth II and Margaret Thatcher.
A topical look at the week’s major news stories will also be staged in Our Main Story Tonight in the B2 on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 – fresh from the pen of acclaimed Coventry playwright Nick Walker.
A new UK tour of The Smallest Show on Earth starring Liza Goddard and Brian Capron will then take over the Main Stage from Tuesday, October 13 til Saturday, October 17 before a major revival tour of Terrence Rattigan’s award-winning WW2 biopic Flare Path follows on the Main Stage from Tuesday, November 3 until Saturday, November 7.
BAFTA-nominated actress Cathy Tyson will then take to the stage for one night only on Saturday, November 7 in a collaborative production of She Called me Mother by Pitch Lake Productions and Tara Arts for Black Theatre Live, before Agatha Christie’s ledgendary hit The Mousetrap returns to the Belgrade stage by popular demand from Monday, November 9 til Saturday, November 14.
Musical greats will also be recreated for Belgrade audiences this Autumn with the return of feel-good favourite Abba Mania on September 23, The Bay City Rollers featuring Les McKeowen on September 24, and ex-Drifters favourite Roy G Hemming bringing the authentic sound of Motown to the stage on September 25 in the R G Hemmings Motown Show.
This will be followed by a visit from ole’ blue eyes in Frank Sinatra – The Centennial Concert on Saturday, September 26, featuring a lavish musical celebration of one of the greatest entertainers of the twentieth century.
The Autumn/Winter Season would not be complete without the magic of the Christmas pantomime, and this year is no different with Beauty and The Beast taking over the Main Stage from Wednesday, November 25 until Saturday, January 9.
But not to leave the adults out of the festive fun, the Belgrade’s alternative ‘B2 Xmas Show’ is back with a bite from Saturday, December 5 until Saturday, January 2 with brand new show Vampomime from the pen of Nick Walker.
Young theatre-goers aged two to six can also look forward to an interactive festive experience from Imagine Theatre who return to B2 from Thursday, December 10 til Thursday, December 24 with their new production of Santa’s Rusty Robot.
Tickets for the Belgrade Theatre’s Autumn/Winter season can bought via the box office on 02476 553055 or by visiting the website www.belgrade.co.uk where cheaper tickets are available.
