Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre has announced details of its new Autumn/Winter Season which features four home produced shows and the usual diverse range of drama, music, comedy, dance and family shows.
Tickets for the new season will go on sale on Monday 4 July, the same day the venue launches its brand new interactive website. The all new website, which includes a new booking system, will make it quicker and easier to book tickets online and for the first time ever those booking online will receive discounted tickets.
The Autumn/Winter season starts on Sat 10 Sept with the first home produced show of the season, Bomber’s Moon, which will be playing in B2 until Sat 1 Oct. Written by William Ivory, who also wrote the hit film Made in Dagenham and the recent BBC 4 adaptation of D.H Lawrence’s Women in Love, Bomber’s Moon is a new play about hidden memories, dark secrets and the nature of faith, told through the eyes of former RAF gunner Jimmy and his new care assistant, David.
Following sell-out seasons at the National Theatre and on Broadway, The Pitmen Painters will be making their way to the Belgrade’s Main Stage from Mon 12 to Sat 17 Sept. Written by Lee Hall, creator of the worldwide sensation Billy Elliot, The Pitmen Painters tells the true story of a group of Ashington miners, who in 1934, hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class.
This is followed by a week of one night shows on the Main Stage starting with Charles Ross: One Man Star Wars Trilogy on Tues 20 Sept, The Johnny Cash Road Show on Weds 21 Sept and T.Rextasy on Thurs 22 Sept.
On Fri 23 Sept acclaimed Hollywood actor Julian Sands stars in A Celebration of Harold Pinter, which has been directed by legendary American actor, director and producer John Malkovich and on Sat 24 Sept the three time Olivier Award nominated comedy and cabaret trio Fascinating Aida bring their Cheap Flights tour to the Main Stage.
This year Christmas comes early to the Belgrade with a brand new production of Alan Ayckbourn’s hit comedy Season’s Greetings which will be playing on the Main Stage from Mon 26 Sept to Sat 1 Oct starring Glynis Barber, Denis Lill and EastEnders actor Ricky Groves.
Following the huge success of And Then There Were None and Witness for the Prosecution, the Agatha Christie Theatre Company brings Verdict to the Main Stage from Mon 3 to Sat 8 Oct. Leading the cast is Emmerdale actress Susan Penhaligon, Robert Duncan of Drop the Dead Donkey fame, Peter Byrne from Dixon of Dock Green, EastEnders actress Elizabeth Power and ‘60s pop idol Mark Wynter.
The Shakespeare Schools Festival will be bringing four youthful half-hour productions of different Shakespeare plays to B2 on Thurs 6 and Fri 7 Oct as part of a UK-wide initiative in partnership with the National Theatre and the National Youth Theatre.
Midday Variety will return to the Main Stage once again with performances by The John Stokes Bachelors and Australian banjo player, Shep Woolley on Thurs 6 Oct and on Thurs 3 Nov The Vince Hill Music and Variety Show takes to the stage, with backing by the Ken McCarthy Band and comedy duo Sanders and Martin.
This is followed by a week of one night music and dance shows on the Main Stage starting with Talon – The Best of The Eagles on Tues 11 Oct, Rhythm of the Dance on Wed 12 Oct, Magic of Motown on Thurs 13 Oct and 80’s Mania on Fri 14 Oct. O Sat 15 Oct Eve Ensler’s Broadway and West End smash-hit The Vagina Monologues returns starring Tiana Benjamin who played Chelsea Fox in EastEnders, Louisa Lytton, also from EastEnders and currently The Bill and Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Coronation Street.
Children’s TV favourite, Numberjacks, bring their first ever live stage show to the Main Stage from Tues 18 to Sat 22 Oct and on Wed 19 Oct TV’s Most Haunted paranormal historian Richard Felix and medium Chris Conway bring live experiments, including table tipping, lone vigils, Ouija board and séances to the Main Stage in Psychic and Science.
Journey’s End by RC Sherriff , directed by David Grindley. CREDIT Geraint Lewis
David Grindley’s multi-award winning production of R.C. Sherriff’s masterpiece Journey’s End will be playing on the Main Stage from Mon 24 to Sat 29 Oct. Set in St Quentin in 1917 Journey’s End gives a glimpse into the experiences of the officers of a British Army infantry company in World War I.
A Play, a Pie and a Pint returns to the Belgrade from Tues 25 Oct to Fri 11 Nov with three brand new plays by some of the UK’s leading playwrights. Performances of these 45 minute plays will take place at 1pm and 6pm from Tuesday to Thursday and 1pm on Friday and tickets will include a pie and a pint. The pint can be substituted for a glass of wine or a soft drink.
From Mon 31 Oct to Sat 5 Nov, Rhinestone Mondays will be playing on the Main Stage, starring Shaun Williamson, who played Barry Evans in EastEnders and Faye Tozer and Ian ‘H’ Watkins from Steps. This light-hearted comedy features a classic soundtrack of country hits including Stand by Your Man, If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body, Redneck Woman and Dance the Night Away.
Following on from the success of their first production, all the moves, the Belgrade Young Company will take on a classic when they perform Franz Wedekind’s Spring Awakening in B2 from Fri 4 to Sat 12 Nov.
On Tues 8 Nov the Main Stage will be playing host to An Evening of Burlesque, followed by Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door on Wed 9 Nov and Moscow Ballet La Classique return with The Nutcracker from Fri 11 to Sat 12 Nov. West End musical sensation Dreamboats and Petticoats will also be returning to the Main Stage from Mon 14 to Sat 19 Nov.
The Belgrade kicks off the festive season with its second and third home produced shows of the season, starting with its traditional Christmas pantomime, which will be playing on the Main Stage from Tues 29 Nov to Sat 7 Jan 2012. This year Coventry’s favourite Dame, Andy Hockley, will take on the role of Mother Goose.
Over in B2 the festive cheer continues with Crackers, this year’s B2 Xmas Show, which will be running from Mon 12 to Sat 24 Dec. In true B2 Xmas Show style, this specially commissioned show promises a unique combination of festive fun and live music especially for grown-ups.
The fourth and final home produced show of the season will be Nora, which is Ingmar Bergman’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Playing in B2 from Sat 28 Jan to Sat 18 Feb 2012, this classic story tells the timeless tale of a prim and proper housewife whose seemingly perfect world comes crashing down around her.
On Weds 1 and Thurs 2 Feb, The Chinese State Circus will be bringing their new show Yin Yang to the Main Stage and drawing the season to a close is David Essex with Boogie Nights creator Jon Conway’s All the Fun of the Fair. Playing on the Main Stage from Mon 20 to Sat 25 Feb 2012 and starring David Essex himself, this new musical is underscored with hits including A Winter’s Tale, Gonna Make You a Star, Silver Dream Machine and Rock On.
Tickets for the Belgrade’s Autumn/Winter Season are available to buy from Monday 4 July. To book call the box office on 024 7655 3055 or log on to the brand new website at www.belgrade.co.uk, where you can take advantage of cheaper online tickets and also choose your own seats.
