Our Stories

Spring 2024 Season

Creative Director Corey Campbell, Interim CEO Neil Murray and the whole team at the Belgrade Theatre Coventry are delighted to reveal details of new shows that are on sale now for spring 2024, including Swim Aunty Swim produced in-house by The Belgrade Theatre (20 May – 1 June) and The Glass Menagerie, a co-production with…

Panto Dames seek boyfriends to join their Love Island!

The Ugly Sisters are on the hunt for boyfriends in Coventry this Christmas for the Belgrade Theatre pantomime Cinderella, running on the Main Stage (B1) from Weds 22 Nov – Sat 13 Jan 2024. Lovers of heavy metal music, Flatula and Aroma are back from a summer of muddy festival fields and are looking for…

Community support during I, Daniel Blake

I, Daniel Blake, the critically acclaimed stage premiere of Ken Loach’s multi-award-winning 2016 film centring around social disadvantage, homelessness, and the perils of the benefits system, made all the more relevant by the current cost of living crisis, will come to our B2 stage from 8–11 Nov. During the run, we will partner with Central…

Cinderella Cast Announcement

Full casting and the creative team announced for this year's pantomime, Cinderella, playing from 22 Nov 2023 until 13 Jan 2024. Join Cinderella on her quest to win the heart of the dashing Prince Charming, with a little help from her best friend Buttons, and the enchanting Fairy Godmother. But with her evil Ugly Sisters…

Changes to the Belgrade Board of Directors

We have today (Fri 29 Sept) announced changes to our Board of Directors: Interim Chair, Alan Pollock has stepped down with Professor Jonothan Neelands taking up the Chair, alongside Annette Hay as Vice Chair. Jonothan is Academic Director for Cultural Partnerships for the University of Warwick, and Professor of Creative Education in Warwick Business School.…

Meet Our New Producing Team

Laura Elliot and Corey Campbell, the leadership team here at the Belgrade, are delighted to announce who will be joining the theatre as part of our newly structured producing team. This new team will help to deliver their new creative vision for the people of Coventry and the region; focussing on the next steps to…

Coventry’s Book Thief

#CoventrysBookThief A book thief has stolen 3 books and hidden them somewhere in Coventry city centre. We need your help to solve the riddles and retrieve the books. Once found, each book contains a special token that can be exchanged for 2 tickets to see The Book Thief at the Belgrade between Mon 11 -…

Social Prescribing at the Belgrade

Angela Hunt, Lead Social Prescriber of Coventry & Rugby GP Alliance said "Social prescribing is a way of looking at a person’s health in a very holistic way. Traditionally if a person has a health issue, they might visit their GP and it will be looked at in a clinical way. Social prescribing will look…

Marking the passing of Michael Boyd

“All of us at the Belgrade Theatre are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of our former Associate Director, Michael Boyd. He made a huge impact here in the early 1980s with landmark productions of Risky City and the Coventry Mystery Plays. His passionate belief in the power of theatre and particularly in the…

Opening Times: Mon 10 – Sat 15 July

On Saturday 15 July 2023, the Belgrade will be transformed for an immersive day of theatre, workshops, stalls, and artwork. In The Meantime We Try: A Festival of Stories & Action brings together the work of our newly formed Theatre HUBs and Youth Forum and seeks to answer the question, what does it mean to…

Sharing Cultures: National Refugee Week

  Lost Dreams, Hope After Tears by Yathreb Ramadhan https://youtu.be/T96YTzCGolY   Judgement Day by Matthew Paul Sutherland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clt5Ydxejs0   Statement of Love by Irina O’Sullivan https://youtu.be/apnT_MweYqg   Yathreb, Matthew and Irina are part of the Sharing Cultures group, a partnership between Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre and Belgrade Theatre Coventry. The group looked for themes…

Announcing Junior Chorus auditions for Cinderella

After last year’s smashing success of Jack and the Beanstalk, we’re delighted to be commencing our search for the Junior Chorus of this year’s pantomime, Cinderella. On Sunday 3 September, kids aged 9-16 from across Coventry and Warwickshire are invited to audition to be part of the legendary Belgrade panto. A total of 32 children will be selected to be…

Knitters & Crocheters Needed

Our Over 50s Theatre Hub is devising a play for our Hubs Festival, In the Meantime We Try: A Festival of Stories and Action which will take over the Belgrade on Sat 15 July. The Over 50s performance is called 'Heartwood', and they are creating a giant 'Spring Blanket' as one of the props. The…

Full Cast Announced for The Book Thief

A mesmerising new musical based on Markus Zusak‘s international bestselling novel, The Book Thief is adapted by award-winning bestselling author Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper) and Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, Between the Lines) with music and lyrics by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel (Central Park AppleTV+). The Book Thief had an extremely well-received initial presentation at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton in 2022 for…

Call Out for Art Submissions

We would like to invite you to submit art (drawings, paintings, sketches) around the theme of NATURE: HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL? to display inside the Belgrade Theatre as part of the HUBs Festival. You are free to interpret this theme as you wish, however, we cannot accept sculptures or pieces bigger than A3…

Q&A with Best Exotic Marigold Hotel writer Deborah Moggach

Based on the Sunday Times bestseller which inspired one of this century’s most treasured films, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel takes us on a journey to India with an eclectic group of British retirees as they embark on a new life. We caught up with writer Deborah Moggach to tell us more about this joyous…

World Bee Day 2023

To celebrate and support World Bee Day (20 May) UK Productions and the Belgrade are raising awareness through The Beekeeper of Aleppo UK tour to help raise funds and support the efforts of the British Bee Charity (Charity number: 1174123) assisting them in their educational programmes in schools across the UK. Pollination is a fundamental…

Big School

Big School is an original theatre-in-education programme for children in Year 6 that combines live professional theatre with participatory activities. It’s designed to support pupils to explore their feelings about the move to secondary school and to equip them with useful strategies for dealing with issues of transition. The programme is delivered in your school hall…

Belgrade Theatre & Social Prescribing – A Journey Toward Understanding

Kim Hackleman
Mon 15 May

We decided to invite some social prescribers into the building and ask them this question. We also wanted to give them the opportunity to hear about the work the Belgrade Theatre undertakes at the intersection of art and health/wellbeing and to take part in a co-created, co-led workshop by the participants and me, Kim Hackleman,…

Traffic update

If you're coming to see a show at the Belgrade and are travelling from west of the city, please be aware that there are roadworks forcing the night time closure of the A45 from Monday 17 to Friday 21 April between the hours of 19:00 - 5:00. More information can be found here: www.coventry.gov.uk/roads-highways-pavements/roadworks Please…

Belgrade’s 65th Birthday Round-up

On Monday 27 March, World Theatre Day 2023, we celebrated our 65th birthday by welcoming hundreds of members of the local community through our doors for a free lunch. https://youtube.com/shorts/hQ3X2k0wpsQ The event also marked the culmination of our ‘Warm Welcome’ initiative, which helped to support people through the winter months. The initiative, which ran from…

Call Out: Local Choir & Cyclists Needed for Self-Sustaining Production

The Belgrade Theatre is searching for a local choir and cyclists to take part in their upcoming production of A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction, a co-production between Headlong and the Barbican, in partnership with The Belgrade, which will play in The Belgrade’s B2 auditorium from Wednesday 10 – Saturday 13…

Celebrating the Belgrade’s 65th Birthday

To mark the end of our Warm Welcome initiative, which has helped to support people through the winter months, and also to mark the Belgrade turning 65 years old, we’re opening our doors to everyone in our wonderful city, for a fabulous, and free, community lunch. Come and join us on our first-floor foyer, for…

Our 2023 Autumn / Winter Season is on ON SALE NOW!

We’re delighted to reveal details of our Autumn/Winter 2023 season, which will include the WhatsOnStage Award-nominated musical adaption of The Book Thief, produced in association with Deus Ex Machina Productions, a thrilling new version of Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning produced in association with the National Theatre of Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts, alongside a series of nationally…

International Women’s Day 2023

Wed 8 Mar marks International Women’s Day 2023. A day to focus on celebrating women's achievements, raising awareness about discrimination, and taking action to drive gender parity. On Fri 10 Mar, the brand-new powerful drama Family Tree takes to the Blegrade's B2 stage after weeks of rehearsal to share the remarkable story of Henrietta Lacks.…

Coombe Abbey Renews its Support of the Belgrade

Despite changes in leadership, major redevelopment, and the catastrophic impact of a global pandemic (for both parties), the relationship has undergone a recent evaluation and of the partnership; Director of Sales at Coombe Abbey, Kathy Nakra, says: “We are proud to be partnering with The Belgrade. As patrons of the destination we are keen to work…

Changes to the Belgrade Board of Directors

The Belgrade Theatre have announced that Chair of the Board David Hanson stepped down on 7 December 2022. Board member Nyasha Daley has stepped up as interim Chair, with recruitment for the permanent position to start in January. David took up his position in June 2021, and has successfully steered the Belgrade through a time…

The multi award-winning West End hit Life of Pi goes wild in Coventry

Winner of every major play award including five Oliviers. The West End ‘theatrical phenomenon’ (Telegraph) embarks on its biggest journey yet. Jaw-dropping visuals, magic and world-class puppetry, combine in a unique and ‘breath-taking’ (The Times) theatrical event that is ‘a wonder to behold’ (Daily Mail). Pi is stranded on a lifeboat with four other survivors…

Belgrade’s Warm Welcome

From 30 November 2022 - 1 March 2023 the Belgrade Theatre, with kind support from Coventry Building Society, will be joining the national ‘Warm Welcome’ campaign, which aims to support local people through the coming winter months.

More shows from our Spring / Summer 2023 Season are on sale

We're delighted to announce more shows from our Spring / Summer 2023 Season, with highlights including the world premiere of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, co-produced with internationally renowned touring company Complicité, and Mojisola Adebayo’s Family Tree, in co-production with Actors Touring Company. Kicking off the season is the acclaimed stage…

Arts Council England backs the future of the Belgrade

Arts Council England (ACE) have announced that the Belgrade Theatre Coventry has retained its status as a National Portfolio Organisation, and has been awarded an increase in its core annual funding to £1,229,552 for the period 2023 – 26, under ACE’s new strategy ‘Let’s Create’. Chief Executive, Laura Elliot, and Creative Director, Corey Campbell, said:…

Meet the artists taking over B2 this autumn

Ty'rone Haughton, Open Theatre Ensemble, Sam Barrowcliffe, and Dan Edge, Steven George and John Quinn will each be taking up residency in B2 for a week to work on exciting new projects. They are supported with funding and resources from the Belgrade Theatre, as part of a scheme to make the Theatre more inclusive and…

Q&A with Mademoiselle F Writer and Director

Mademoiselle F is convinced she's stolen something but she can't remember what. And now she can't stop thinking about polar bears... Ahead of the show taking to our B2 stage this October, we caught up with star writer Vanessa Oakes and director Mark Evans.

Molly-Grace Cutler on playing Carole King

Are you ready to feel the earth move? Beautiful - The Carole King Musical arrives in Coventry this November! Ahead of the show taking over our Main Stage, we caught up with star Molly-Grace Cutler, who steps into the shoes of one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters of all time. https://youtu.be/k1o8Gtpm9Xs

Belgrade partners with renowned theatre company Complicité for world premiere

We're delighted to announce that in spring 2023, we will be one of the co-producing partners for the world premiere of Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, led by renowned international touring company, Complicité. Running on our Main Stage from Tues 18 – Sat 22 April, the new stage adaptation of Nobel…

Announcing Junior Chorus auditions for Jack and the Beanstalk

For the first time since 2019, we're delighted to be commencing our search for the Junior Chorus of this year’s LIVE pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk. On Sunday 4 September, kids aged 9-16 from across Coventry and Warwickshire are invited to audition to be part of the legendary Belgrade panto. A total of 32 children…

Guest Blog: The Act of Healing by Margaret Emerton

Margaret Emerton
Mon 11 Jul

During the past few weeks the Sharing Cultures group, with participants from the Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, and the Belgrade Elders group have been working together to explore how drama can portray physical, mental, and emotional healing. The workshops led by Kim Hackleman and supported by translators, have been a mixture of working in various…

Guest blog: Rowan McDonnell on May Queen

‘Godiva, Godiva, will come. Godiva, Godiva, will come.’ Godiva did come back to Coventry, and to the B2 theatre, in the form of 16-year-old Leigh - portrayed brilliantly by Yasmin Dawes - in Frankie Meredith’s May Queen. We're going behind the scenes of what goes on in May Queen, including looking into the visual aspect of…

Q&A with One Kiss Writer & Performer Lara J. West

Writer and performer Lara J. West reveals all things One Kiss and what inspired her to write the joyous and poignant new one women musical.

Belgrade opens B2 auditorium for season of talent development

https://youtu.be/j1q7e9sJ_fo This autumn, we're offering opportunities for five Midlands-based artists to develop their work. In an effort to make the Belgrade a more inclusive theatre, our B2 auditorium will open its doors to local artists, and the Belgrade will provide financial support to help develop their work. Developing artists who have limited connections with the…

Frankie Meredith: How Cofa’s Tree became May Queen

When I was originally commissioned to write the play that would become May Queen, we were in the depths of a second (or third) lockdown and I, like everyone else, was spending a lot of time at home or out on walks in the countryside that borders Coventry and Warwickshire. I had moved back from…

City Fusion: A look back in photos

Announcing our Autumn / Winter 2022 Season

We are delighted to announce the first shows in our Autumn / Winter 2022 season, with highlights including West End musical smash hits SIX, The Rocky Horror Show and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the world premiere of Bombay Superstar, classic drama An Inspector Calls and The Mousetrap, as well as Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses.

Q&A with Fighting Irish star Daniel Krikler

Midlands-born actor Daniel Krikler is currently making his star turn as Martin Vincent McGough in our sold-out run of Fighting Irish. We recently caught up with him to find out how he feels to be performing in his home city, and what it's been like to work with our newly appointed Creative Director, Corey Campbell.

Welcoming our newest corporate supporters, The Four Provinces

The Power of Stories: Original work inspired by The Bone Sparrow

Guest Blog: The Magic of Memories by Margaret Emerton

Margaret Emerton is an advocate for older people in Coventry and Warwickshire. She has been writing blogs about her journey with the Belgrade for several years, and now writes about our Try It! – Play the Part workshops. We received funding from Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 to continue the Try It! – Play…

Five things you didn’t know about Fighting Irish writer Jamie McGough

This April, we present the world premiere of Fighting Irish in B2, marking the Belgrade’s penultimate production for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. The incredible true story about one family’s fight for identity is directed by our newly appointed Creative Director, Corey Campbell, and is the debut play from Coventry writer, Jamie McGough. Ahead…

International Women’s Day 2022

To mark International Women's Day 2022, we've been visiting the inspiring women of Coventry. All of these women play a vital role in caring for the people of their communities, but we wanted to find out more about what they do to look after themselves and what advice they would give to others in their…

Russian State Opera show cancellation

This is in response to the devastating conflict currently taking place in Ukraine and follows discussions between management, trustees, stakeholders and producers which have been ongoing since last Thursday. The Belgrade was created to help heal its community after World War II. Today it is a Theatre of Sanctuary in the heart of Coventry –…

Be part of our final production for City of Culture

As Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 enters its final months, we're thrilled to present the world premiere of Nothello, written and devised by Mojisola Adebayo and Justine Themen, based on William Shakespeare's Othello. Nothello will play at the Belgrade from Sat 7 – Sat 21 May, and will be the final production of our…

Q&A: Michael Southan on Kerbs

Kerbs is the brand new comedy from Wolverhampton-based, disabled playwright, Michael Southan. A laugh-out-loud conversation about sex, romance and disability, Kerbs gets real about what it's like to date as a disabled person. Making its premiere in B2 this month, Kerbs is our newest co-production for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 with the UK’s…

Hamish Glen looks back on his time at the Belgrade

Hamish Glen has been the Artistic Director of the Belgrade since 2003, directing acclaimed productions including One Night in November, We'll Live and Die in These Towns and The Owl and the Pussycat. He now steps down after 18 years at the helm of the Theatre, making way for a new leadership team and marking…

Joanna Reid looks back on her tenure at the Belgrade

Joanna Reid has been the Executive Director of the Belgrade since 2003, leading the Theatre through two major redevelopments, Coventry's year as UK City of Culture, and a global pandemic. She now steps down after 18 years at the helm of the Theatre, making way for a new leadership team and marking the end of…

Update on Beauty and the Beast

Despite extremely robust safety measures being in place and the back-up of understudy actors, we’re incredibly sad to say that some of our Panto company have recently tested positive for Covid. This means that we have to suspend live performances and we know we will not able to restart live performances of Beauty and the…

Q&A with Underground Lights member Debbie

Back in October, several members of our Springboard company, Underground Lights formed a choir for our new musical, The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency. Debbie was one of the members chosen to be part of the choir. Fellow Underground Lights member Andrea recently chatted to her about her experience being part of the musical…

Belgrade reduces carbon footprint in donating to life-saving charity

In an ongoing effort to be an environmentally-conscious organisation, we’re always finding new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. We’ve recently started donating outdated IT equipment to Air Ambulance Midlands, which will help raise funds for the life-saving charity whilst at the same time reducing our carbon footprint. Old office equipment including computers, laptops and…

Guest Blog: Tamra’s experience on SeaView

This autumn, we’re delighted to be premiering a very special project for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. SeaView, a six-part digital series, has been created by our very own Co-Artistic Director for 2021, Corey Campbell, and follows a family whose world is thrown into chaos by one seismic event. Exclusive screenings of SeaView start…

Announcing our new CEO and Creative Director

We're thrilled to announce the appointment of our new senior leadership, who will take up their posts in January 2022, succeeding Joanna Reid and Hamish Glen. Laura Elliot has been appointed as Chief Executive, and will be responsible for the overall strategy of the Theatre, and current Co-Artistic Director for 2021, Corey Campbell, will take…

Q&A with community choir leader Wes Finch

This month, The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency makes its world premiere on our Main Stage. The new musical, which tells the true story of the world's first 'estate agency for squatters' and the foundation of a new nation, Frestiona, features a community choir of people with lived experience of homelessness. The choir includes…

Announcing our Spring Season 2022

We’re delighted to announce the first set of shows from our Spring / Summer 2022 Season, running from March through to July 2022, with an eclectic programme of drama, music and entertainment. Highlights of the season include the world premiere of Fighting Irish, co-directed by our Artistic Director Hamish Glen and Co-Artistic Director for 2021…

Justine Themen steps down from the Belgrade

Today we announce that Justine Themen will step down from the Belgrade in May 2022, following 18 years of innovative artistic work, having decided not to apply for the role of Creative Director. Her final contribution to our body of work will be a show about mixed heritage identities, completing our Coventry UK City of…

Q&A with Ruff Tuff writer Sarah Woods

https://youtu.be/X_xfNO3acr4  

Casting announced for The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency

We’re delighted to be announcing the casting for the world-premiere of our electrifying new musical, The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency. Running from Sat 9 – Sat 16 Oct, the feel-good musical about community and DIY activism from the 1970s, based on an original work by the late activist, poet and playwright, Heathcote Williams.…

Q&A with The Play That Goes Wrong co-writer Jonathan Sayer

Mischief’s Olivier Award-winning box office hit, The Play That Goes Wrong, has fast become a global phenomenon with productions across every continent (aside from Antarctica!). Now the West End’s longest running comedy, enjoying its seventh year at the Duchess Theatre, returns for its fourth major UK tour, stopping in Coventry from Mon 13 - Sat…

David Shortland steps down from the Belgrade

This summer, David Shortland is stepping back from his roles at the Belgrade Theatre, but stays on as an Honorary Ambassador. Having made a vital contribution to the regeneration and redevelopment of the Belgrade, David's service has overseen a period of impressive growth for the Theatre. We recently chatted to him to find out more…

Guest Blog: Occupational Therapy students Laura, Nana and Karina

This Sunday, 15 Aug, we host Fusion 21 in Belgrade Square from 12pm – 3pm. During the event, Coventry University’s Occupational Therapy students Laura, Nana and Karina are joining us to provide mindfulness sessions in the Belgrade Foyer. Their aim is to help guide people who are struggling with returning to normal life after the…

Meet the acts performing at Fusion 21

Fusion 21 is a free outdoor music and creative arts event taking place in Belgrade Square on Sun 15 Aug from 12pm – 3pm. Hosted by BBC CWR’s Sandra Godley, expect a packed programme of some of the best regional music around. BBC Introducing host, Brody Swain, will present the live broadcast with interviews, all…

Meet the Belgrade’s new Producer and Assistant Producers

We’re delighted to have appointed a freelance Producer and two new freelance Assistant Producers who will be working with us over the next six months. Funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation grant, Ashford Menezes, Abbie White and Ryan Sinclair take on the roles respectively. They will primarily be supporting our Springboard Companies and Supported Artists…

Q&A with May Queen writer Frankie Meredith

Frankie Meredith is a Midlands-based writer, having had two world premieres in Coventry this summer. Petticoat Council debuted at the Warwick Arts Centre in June, and now May Queen is premiering at the pop-up theatre Roundabout, a co-production between Paines Plough and the Belgrade Theatre as part of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. We…

Join the chorus of the Belgrade’s legendary panto

For one year only, we're looking for amateur adult dancers, aged 18 and over, to be part of the chorus of our legendary annual pantomime. This year it's Beauty and the Beast... oh, yes it is! A rare opportunity for Coventry and Warwickshire’s amateur performers, we will be looking for the area’s brightest performers and…

First look at the official SeaView trailer

On Wednesday 10 November, we're thrilled to be hosting the world premiere of SeaView, a digital TV series created for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. From an original idea by Co-Artistic Director for 2021 Corey Campbell, SeaView follows Steven, a young graduate destined for great things. Tormented by his gift for prophecy and haunted…

Belgrade Theatre Announces Senior Leadership Team Restructure

Today we announce a major restructure to our senior leadership team for 2022. Chief Executive and Artistic Director Hamish Glen and Executive Director Joanna Reid will step down at the end of March 2022, following 18 years at the helm of Coventry's largest arts venue. Two new posts will be created – a Chief Executive…

Our Autumn / Winter Season is now on sale

We're delighted to announce our full Autumn / Winter 2021 Season, running from Weds 1 September through to Sat 5 March 2022, with an eclectic programme of drama, music and entertainment. These shows are now on sale to Members, with tickets for all shows going on general sale on Mon 26 July. Become a My…

Q&A with Miss Julie writer Amy Ng

New Earth Theatre bring Miss Julie to the Belgrade this week. Amy Ng has adapted August Strindberg’s thrilling psychological classic story into a new, politically charged production. We recently chatted to Amy Ng to find out why she chose to adapt Miss Julie, and how it feels to be presenting live theatre again.

Guest blog: Highly Sprung’s Mark Worth on the Changing Climates Festival

For many artists working in the theatre, youth theatre was their route into the arts world. Performing as a teenager with like-minded young people, making memories as they created performances: musicals, comedies, tragedies and dare I say it… physical theatre? For me, my route in was by working with a theatre company visiting my school.…

Guest blog: Monica’s experience on SeaView

Our Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 project SeaView has recently finished filming. The digital series will be available to watch later this year, with tickets for screenings at the Belgrade going on sale in July. As part of several learning opportunities on SeaView, students from Coventry University were able to get involved in the…

Meet the Paines Plough and Belgrade Theatre Writers’ Programme Participants

Since the beginning of May 2021, ten Coventry-based aspiring writers have been attending weekly workshops which will culminate in them writing and performing their own ten-minute play during Roundabout’s residency in Coventry this July. We recently chatted to some of the participants to find out what they’re most excited about. Here you can meet Lauren,…

Celebrating Coventry Welcomes Week 2021

This year, we’re celebrating Coventry Welcomes by supporting three events in partnership with Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. Taking place between Mon 14 – Sun 20 June, the events include a large-scale outdoor performance piece in Swanswell Park at the end of the week. Coinciding with Refugee Week 2021, Coventry Welcomes offers a chance…

New Shows on Sale

Two weeks after reopening our doors for live performances, we’re delighted to announce that a fantastic range of new shows for spring and autumn 2021 are now on sale. Live music events begin on Thurs 3 June with I’m Still Standing – The Music of Elton John, followed by The King of Pop – The…

Meet the Coventry locals who curated the UK Asian Film Festival

This week, we’re hosting the UK Asian Film Festival for the first time ever, as part of our City of Culture programme of events. Back in March, UKAFF chose three Coventry locals to help curate the line-up of films featured in this year’s festival. Amisha Patel, Jessica Goodwin and Shabana Sarguro attended two days of…

How has Like There’s No Tomorrow impacted our Young Company?

In March 2020, our Young Company co-created Like There's No Tomorrow - a climate-conscious show which asks "Should we still care about the planet we live on?" Like There's No Tomorrow is one of the only plays created by a young company to be commissioned by the National Theatre Connections programme - a rare and…

The Beatles and India: Interview with Director Ajoy Bose

Like There’s No Tomorrow: Panel Discussion

https://youtu.be/KCW7F2x7Slw In 2020, in recognition of the Belgrade Theatre’s ground-breaking co-creation Theatre in Education practices, and as part of Coventry’s City of Culture Year, the National Theatre commissioned the Belgrade’s Young Company to create a piece of theatre about Climate Change as part of its NT Connections Programme. This was the first play to be…

Like There’s No Tomorrow Programme

Meet the digital creatives behind Like There’s No Tomorrow

This month, the Belgrade Youth Theatre present a digital rendering of Like There’s No Tomorrow, a climate-conscious play co-created by our Young Company in a rare commission by NT Connections. The cast and Co-Directors are currently doing a fantastic job of capturing performances on film, and collaborating with talented, local digital creatives to bring the piece…

Crafty Blokes at Coventry Men’s Shed: Exploring Mental Health Through Puppetry

This week, we’re celebrating Mental Health Awareness Week by shining a spotlight on a project being led by Mark “Gibo” Gibbins at Coventry’s Men’s Shed. The project exemplifies the power of the arts to shift experiences and perceptions linked to mental health issues. Coventry’s Men’s Shed was set up eight years ago to help support men…

We’re reopening for live performances next week

Next week, we’re delighted to be one of the first venues in the UK opening our doors for the first live performances of 2021. Our Main Stage will host John Godber's classic comedy April in Paris, led by comedy legend Joe Pasquale and West End leading lady Sarah Earnshaw. Al and Bet are in a…

Meet our Media Academy

We've recently selected five dedicated film-makers, photographers, editors and journalists, aged 18 – 30, to join the Belgrade Theatre’s first ever Media Academy. Over a 6 month period they will develop their skills, receive free training from industry professionals, produce new work, be introduced to new contacts, showcase their work to an audience and receive…

Our partnership with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

This month, the Belgrade Youth Theatre present a digital rendering of Like There's No Tomorrow, a climate-conscious play co-created by our Young Company in 2020. Tickets are free but donations to the Belgrade Theatre will be gratefully welcomed. We’ve decided to team up with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to help support their vital work. In response…

Filming for Like There’s No Tomorrow has started

Our Youth Theatre group have now started filming the digital rendering of Like There’s No Tomorrow. Watch the video below to see how the cast are finding filming so far. https://youtu.be/gkg1A9rLst4   Cast members Hamza and Megan have also been discussing the relationship between their characters, Maru and Fin. https://youtu.be/Saxz-uO1C9Q   Like There’s No Tomorrow…

National Theatre Connections Festival 2021

We’re delighted to be hosting this year’s National Theatre Connections Festival as a West Midlands partner organisation. In June, three youth groups from across the region will come together to connect and celebrate their work with each other. The festival would usually take place in-person, but this year we’ve had to adapt the usual format.…

Our City of Culture events are now on sale

There’s less than a month left until activities for City of Culture 2021 get underway! Today, we’re delighted to be sharing more details about our upcoming projects as part of City of Culture. Tickets for all of these shows and projects are on sale now! Our City of Culture programme features the already announced UK…

Call Out for SeaView Extras

SeaView is one of our most innovative, exciting City of Culture projects, and now it's time for you to get involved! We’re looking for Extras to be part of filming in the coming month. Details of who we need and when are below.

Jabala and the Jinn Schools Workshop

The team behind Jabala and the Jinn have come together to create a fantastic workshop for schools to use in their classrooms. There are five main objectives of the workshop: Generate greater understanding of others’ experiences, struggles and world views. Offer children a fresh approach to expression and collaboration. Encourage constructive dialogue, empathy and acceptance.…

Like There’s No Tomorrow: The Story So Far

Like There’s No Tomorrow was first performed in B2 in March 2020, the week before theatres closed down due to the pandemic. The piece is now being given a new lease of live, this time in a digital rendering which will be available from Weds 19 May - Sun 13 June. Originally devised by our…

UK Asian Film Festival comes to the Belgrade

We’re delighted to be one of several venues across the country hosting the UK Asian Film Festival this year. From Thurs 27 – Sat 29 May, socially distanced screenings of five films will take place in B2. Now in its 23rd year, UK Asian Film Festival is the world’s longest running South Asian film festival…

Celebrating Sanctuary Week

Last week, we received the news that our Theatre of Sanctuary Award had been reaccredited, having first become a Theatre of Sanctuary on 21 Nov 2017. Launched by City of Sanctuary in partnership with Counterpoints Arts, Theatre of Sanctuary is a title awarded to venues and theatre companies that demonstrate a commitment to welcoming and…

The Belgrade Café is now open for takeaway

We’re delighted to have officially opened our brand-new café for takeaway and outdoor dining. Open from 8am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday, come and check out our stunning, newly refurbished space. Our upstairs bar, Nineteen 58, will be open from Monday 17 May. https://youtu.be/6bMKcDeYJqg Our new offering of locally sourced food includes nachos, loaded…

REACH: Lighting Up the Belgrade

REACH is an installation piece which honours the closing of the spaces where we collectively gathered before Covid-19, including the Belgrade Theatre, and celebrates the step-by-step unlocking which we are now experiencing. REACH was installed on Tues 16 March 2021, to mark the anniversary of the closing of the Belgrade Theatre. Hayley Williams-Hindle lit REACH in…

Costume Design Workshop: Jabala and the Jinn

What is a Jinn?  Jinns appear in Islamic and Arabian mythology. They are spirits, invisible beings which exist in our world but we can’t see them. The most popular representation is the genie in Aladdin. In this play Asif, the writer, wanted to make a new version of a Jinn. Our Jinn is called Sarah…

Looking back on one year of lockdown

Today, we're marking the anniversary of theatres across the UK closing due to the pandemic. Whilst we may not have been able to present live work on our stages for the majority of that time, our teams have been working hard behind the scenes to keep audiences and participants engaged. Here's a reminder of what…

International Women’s Day 2021

Monday 8 March marks International Women’s Day 2021. We’re delighted to be marking the occasion by reaching out to some of Coventry’s most inspiring women who have helped support our communities over the last twelve months. We wanted to give a platform to the women we’ve had the pleasure of working with recently. They’ve worked…

City of Culture announces summer of surprises

Coventry UK City of Culture 2021 have today announced their programme of events from 15 May this year. We’re thrilled to have two shows included in this announcement – the Belgrade Young Company’s Like There’s No Tomorrow and Paines Plough’s Roundabout. Our 2021 programme is being delivered by our Co-Artistic Directors Corey Campbell, Balisha Karra…

Welcome to A Stitch in Time

We’re delighted to be hosting A Stitch in Time, a display which will appear in our windows until Tues 9 Mar. Niki Doughty Lee, Group Co-Ordinator of NeedleCraft for Wellbeing, and Frankie Robson, Sessional Facilitator for Underground Lights Community Theatre, have come together to unite their visions.

Celebrating LGBT+ History Month with a retrospective look at LGBT+ stories on our stages

In celebration of LGBT+ History Month 2021 we’re looking back at some of the important LGBT+ stories we have shared on our stages over the years. In Autumn 2019, we saw two stories of LGBT+ British South Asians take our stage. In association with Phizzical, we presented Stardust, the Bollywood style reincarnation thriller whose main…

Belgrade secures grant from Garfield Weston Foundation

The Garfield Weston Foundation’s Weston Culture Fund is distributing £30 million to a range of mid to large-scale cultural organisations across the UK – and we’re incredibly pleased to join the list of successful grantees. A full list can be found here. There are three areas that the fund seeks to support: restarting work and reopening, critical adaptations…

The first ever live Monty Python show took place 50 years ago this week at the Belgrade

In 1971, Colin Richardson was the booking consultant for the Lanchester Polytechnic’s Arts Festival – a festival which boasted the first ever live stage performance of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. 50 years on, Colin still thinks of it as his biggest achievement. He recently got in touch with us to tell us about his experience...

SeaView: Second Casting Call

Following our previous casting call in September, we're now holding open auditions for eight roles in our forthcoming digital TV series, SeaView, giving you the chance to be part of a groundbreaking project during Coventry's year as City of Culture. Set amongst the urban, working class communities of the West Midlands, SeaView is a six-part,…

Arts Gymnasium goes digital

Margaret Emerton
Mon 14 Dec

With in-person workshops unable to take place for much of 2020, like everyone, our Arts Gymnasium group for over 50s have had to adjust to new ways of working together. As their autumn term draws to a close, Arts Gym member Margaret Emerton reflects on her experience of taking part in online poetry workshops, and…

In Conversation with Static and Curtis Liburd

As part of our Black Futures programme, we were excited to welcome Coventry grime artists Static and Curtis Liburd to the Belgrade for an afternoon of performance and conversation with our 2021 Co-Artistic Director Corey Campbell. Over the course of the day, they shared some of their songs with us, as well as discussing topics…

Geoff Thompson on Notes From a Factory Floor

Following the launch of his new memoir Notes from a Factory Floor, the Belgrade Theatre is delighted to be livestreaming a special in-conversation event with Coventry playwright and BAFTA-winning screenwriter Geoff Thompson at 7pm on Saturday 12 December. Known to Belgrade audiences as the writer of The Enemy musical We’ll Live and Die in These…

Black Futures: A Guided Meditation

Launched during Black History Month in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests across the world, our Black Futures programme is a multidisciplinary celebration of Black creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurship in the West Midlands, with events taking place both online and in-person. As part of the programme, we've been inviting artists, practitioners and community leaders…

New Shows Now on Sale

We are delighted to be planning for our reopening, as Covid restrictions begin to ease in Coventry and across the West Midlands over the coming months. Ahead of the start of our Spring Season in April 2021, we will be hosting a series of socially distanced test events, in line with the latest government guidelines.…

Jack and the Beanstalk Online: Tweet-Along

To coincide with Panto Day 2020, we’ll be joined by members of the cast and company of Jack and the Beanstalk Online for a live tweet-through of this year’s Belgrade pantomime. On Friday 18 December, we’ll be recreating some of the fun of a live show by sitting down to watch the show together and responding…

Introducing our Spring Season 2021

It's been a strange year, but today we're glad to be bidding 2020 goodbye by launching an exciting programme for spring 2021, which will lead us into the start of Coventry’s year as UK City of Culture. Running from March-July, our Spring Season 2021 will include an eclectic mix of musicals, drama, family shows and…

Podcast: Lockdown Lessons

With the UK back in national lockdown this month, we've been focusing our attentions on the lessons we learned during the spring and summer, and how we can better look after ourselves and each other now and in the future. Forming part of our Lockdown Lessons series, our latest podcast sees Belgrade Embedded Community Producer…

Lockdown Lessons from Belgrade Arts Gym

Like everyone else this year, Belgrade staff and participants have spent much of 2020 been adapting to the "new normal" of working together remotely, with much of our community work moving online. As part of a series of remote sessions organised via Zoom, we asked our over 50s Arts Gymnasium participants to tell us about…

Being Thankful – Coronavirus Time Capsule

Between April and July this year, we worked with a group of Coventry teenagers to create a Coronavirus Time Capsule, in partnership with local charity Grapevine. Based on a model developed by London-based youth theatre Company Three, the Coronavirus Time Capsule took the form of a series of videos, with our participants creatively responding to different…

Lockdown Leaders

For an industry built around shared, live experiences, 2020 has been particularly tough. Yet in many ways, here at the Belgrade, we’ve responded to lockdown in the same way as we would to any other challenge: by collaborating with our communities and supporting people both within and outside the organisation to develop their own creative…

Podcast: Spirit of the Age with Ayesha Jones

As part of our ongoing Black Futures programme, we're hosting a virtual exhibition by photographer and Belgrade Audience Development Officer Ayesha Jones. Titled Motherland, the exhibition documents a three-year journey she took to Africa with her mother to rediscover her family's roots. In our latest podcast, she talks about that journey, and offers insights into African family structures and spiritual…

Achieving the 40s hairstyles for One Night in November

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz this year, we'll be streaming the 2013 production of our wartime drama One Night in November from 14-30 Nov. Ahead of the staging of the show in 2013, the Belgrade's in-house hairdresser told us more about creating the period styles that you can see in the…

Watch Online: The Journey Home

As part of the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz this month, we're delighted to be streaming Anna Cunningham's short play The Journey Home from 14 November. Inspired by the real-life events of November 1940, this online play imagines a world where video calling technology was as readily available then as it…

Exhibition: Creativity Unlocked

With lockdown rules restricting indoor gatherings throughout the spring and summer, this year theatres have had to think outside the box to find ways of staying connected to their communities. Moving activity online is a solution for some people, but not everyone can easily access things like Zoom or social media, and as a result,…

Moonlight Sonata – One Night in November

Post-Blitz Coventry, July 1945 RAF War Film In his book, Air Raid, The Bombing of Coventry 1940, Norman Longmate explains why the city was unique in its industrial development: Thanks to [Coventry’s] long history and the refusal for many years of the corporation to authorise building on the common land surrounding the city, sizable factories,…

One Night in November: Coventry Blitz Memories

On Remembrance Sunday, we remember all those who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars, including those killed in the Coventry Blitz, which marks its 80th anniversary this year. Ahead of the original production of One Night in November, survivors of that terrible night in 1940 generously shared their memories with us.…

#CityWarmUps – Emma Meehan of C-DaRe

As the UK heads into its second national lockdown, we're focusing our attention on promoting wellbeing and learning from our experiences earlier this year through our Lockdown Lessons series. During the last lockdown, we asked local artists and creative practitioners to share their warm-up routines as a way of helping people to stay healthy, happy…

Lockdown Lessons from Belgrade Theatre and Underground Lights

As the UK heads into its second national lockdown, the ongoing uncertainty continues to take its toll on people’s mental health. That’s why this November, we want to focus our attention on wellbeing, and learning the lessons from our previous lockdown experience. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reflecting on some of the successes…

Interview: Alan Pollock on One Night in November

Michael Davies
Thu 05 Nov

Twelve years after making its debut at the Belgrade Theatre, Alan Pollock's breathtaking wartime drama One Night in November continues to resonate powerfully with Coventry audiences. Telling the story of one family's experiences of the Coventry Blitz, the play was revived three times after its 2008 premiere, with each production warmly received by audiences and…

80 Years On: Commemorating the Coventry Blitz

This November, we’re commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz by revisiting our 2013 production of One Night in November. Written by local playwright Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, the acclaimed wartime drama will be streamed via our website from 14-13 November - tickets are available to book now. One of the Belgrade…

More Than A Moment: Action with and for Black Creatives

We're proud to be amongst the first organisations signing up to Culture Central's More Than A Moment pledge, a promise of bold, radical and immediate action with and for Black creatives. Developed by Black artists and leaders from arts organisations across the West Midlands, the pledge, which has been announced by Culture Central today, is…

Podcast: The Future is Bright

October is traditionally a time for reflecting on Black history, but how does history inform our understanding of the present, and how will current events shape the histories of the future? With the Belgrade Theatre and Maokwo teaming up to explore these questions in their pioneering Black Futures programme this month, 2021 Co-Artistic Director Corey Campbell takes some time…

New shows on sale at the Belgrade

Following the sell-out success of performances of Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show this October, audiences can now look forward to a wide range of live experiences at the Belgrade Theatre, with socially distanced shows taking place throughout November and December. These events are now possible thanks to the strict safety measures that have been put…

Programme news: first projects for 2021 unveiled

As the Coventry City of Culture Trust makes its first big programme announcement this week, here at the Belgrade, we’re using the opportunity to take a look ahead at some of the major projects we have coming up next year. Since September last year, our three 2021 Co-Artistic Directors - Corey Campbell, Justine Themen and…

Here Be Monsters: Belgrade gets Halloween in Hand

If you’re visiting Coventry City Centre this October, you’d better be prepared for an invasion, since eight massive monsters are making a temporary home here in time for Halloween! Descending on Coventry rooftops from 24-31 October, the mischievous monsters have been designed by artists Filthy Luker and Pedro Estrellas, and form part of a public…

Belgrade panto goes online: Jack and the Beanstalk

Traditional panto performances have been postponed till 2021, but Christmas is far from cancelled in Coventry: this year, we'll be hosting our first online pantomime. Specially created in response to ongoing restrictions on indoor performances, Jack and the Beanstalk Online will be available to stream at home throughout December, or to watch via a series of…

Cultural Recovery Fund: A statement from our leadership team

We're delighted to have been awarded the full £999,999 we applied for as part of the government’s emergency Cultural Recovery Fund, administered through the Arts Council. This money will enable us to start enacting the plans we’ve been developing to help us to recover from this crisis. Over the coming months, we will be running…

Listen Online: Unknown by Dougie Blaxland

Between 2017 and 2019, more than 800 people died living and sleeping rough on the streets of the UK, a number of whom have never been named or identified. It's a shocking statistic, yet it can be easy to lose sight of individual human stories when we're simply presented with the numbers.  Produced by Roughhouse…

Black Futures Exhibition: Motherland

Over the course of three years, photographer Ayesha Jones travelled with her mother to Burkina Faso, Togo, Ghana and Benin, setting out to deepen their understanding of their ancestors’ culture and history. During her time there, she captured their journey together through a mixture of analogue and digital photography, now brought together in an exhibition titled…

Belgrade Theatre and Maokwo launch Black Futures

Header image from Motherland by Ayesha Jones With Black History Month now widely marked across the UK, October is generally recognised as a time for reflecting on the past. But how does history inform our understanding of the present, and how will current events shape the histories of the future? In the wake of recent…

SeaView casting call: Be part of our digital TV series

Want to be part of an online TV show breaking new ground in the West Midlands? In the lead-up to Coventry’s year as City of Culture, we've teamed up with Strictly Arts Theatre Company, Fix 8 Films, Run Home Productions and Audio Bassment to produce SeaView – a six-part, supernatural drama set among the region’s urban,…

Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show comes to Coventry

Trick or treating might be off the cards this year, but that needn’t mean missing out on Halloween altogether. On Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October, imitating the dog and Leeds Playhouse will be keeping the spooky spirit alive in Coventry with a raucous and deliciously dark new tale in Dr Blood’s Old Travelling Show.…

Casting announced for Romantics Anonymous

Full casting has now been confirmed for Romantics Anonymous - the delicious new musical from Emma Rice which embarks on a virtual tour this autumn, co-hosted by the Belgrade Theatre on Wed 23 Sep. Performed in person to a socially distanced audience at Bristol Old Vic, the show will be broadcast live to theatres across…

Win a day making chocolates with Choc ‘n’ Roll

After co-producing Emma Rice's exuberant Wise Children last year, we're very excited to be hosting her mouthwatering new musical Romantics Anonymous as part of its upcoming virtual tour, broadcast LIVE from Bristol Old Vic. Each night of the tour, the show will be specially tailored to different regional audiences, with the Belgrade hosting on Wednesday…

Listen Online: James Rowland’s Songs of Friendship

Originally scheduled to kick off our Autumn 2020 Season last weekend, James Rowland's Songs of Friendship trilogy is sadly one of the many shows we've had to postpone due to ongoing restrictions on indoor performances. The good news, however, is that during lockdown, James has kept himself busy with creating audio versions of the shows,…

An update on our 2020 pantomime

We regret to confirm that our 2020 pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, has now been postponed until 2021. This difficult decision has been reached due to the impact of ongoing restrictions on indoor performances. We are now in the process of contacting everyone who has booked tickets, and would like to ask for people's patience…

Interview: Emma Rice on Romantics Anonymous

Header image: Emma Rice - Copyright Guardian News Media Ltd 2018 Since launching her new theatre company with the self-titled Wise Children in 2018-19, visionary director Emma Rice has gone from strength to strength, heaping up critical acclaim and building a loyal fanbase hungry for her trademark theatrical wit and wonder. As a company, Wise…

Interview – Gordon Warnecke returns to My Beautiful Laundrette

Over 30 years after starring in the Oscar-nominated My Beautiful Laundrette, actor Gordon Warnecke revisited Hanif Kureishi’s groundbreaking story in a new stage adaptation performed at the Belgrade last year. Famed as the film that launched Daniel Day Lewis’ career, My Beautiful Laundrette made waves in 1985 for its portrayal of a same-sex relationship between…

Unknown – A new play about homelessness

Between 2017 and 2019, more than 800 people died living and sleeping rough on the streets of the UK, a number of whom have never been named or identified. It's a shocking statistic, yet it can be easy to lose sight of individual human stories when we're simply presented with the numbers.  This September, a…

Family Reunion – Not-so-distant cousins come together at the Belgrade

Despite having grown up in Coventry just a few minutes apart, Maggie Sheppard and Patricia Webb never knew they shared a great-grandfather until they discovered each other on an ancestry website earlier this year. With lockdown restrictions still in place when they struck up their first conversation, it was some time before they were finally…

Emma Rice’s Romantics Anonymous embarks on a virtual tour

Following the success of our exuberant co-production Wise Children in 2019, we're over the moon to announce that we'll be hosting another spectacular show from visionary director Emma Rice when Romantics Anonymous makes its digital debut this autumn. Performed LIVE on stage at Bristol Old Vic, the critically acclaimed musical will embark on a virtual tour…

Ascension Dance become our first Supported Company

This week, we're delighted to introduce Ascension Dance Company as the first to benefit from our new "Supported By" talent development programme. As our first Supported Company, the Coventry-based contemporary dance group will enjoy access to rehearsal and performance space at the Belgrade as well as marketing and publicity support from our teams over a…

Outdoor Makers’ Market comes to the Belgrade Theatre

Following a series of pop-up craft shops held indoors throughout the month, we're excited to be hosting our first Outdoor Makers’ Market from 11am-4pm on Saturday 29 August. Organised by Craft On, our resident needlecraft for wellbeing group, the event will see 16 local artists and makers assemble to sell their wares outside the theatre…

Imagine My Reality – Reflecting on Refugee Week

Since lockdown began, it’s been a challenging few months for everyone, with the crisis affecting us all in different ways. But one of the more interesting outcomes of this extraordinary situation is that fighting our own battles has helped to make us more aware of the everyday struggles faced by other people. The stress, fear…

Pop-up craft shop opens at the Belgrade

Following the recent reopening of our foyers to café patrons, we're excited to be working with Craft On, our resident needlecraft for wellbeing group a new pop-up craft shop, with space available for local artists and makers to hire. First held on Thursday 30 July, the pop-up shop is situated at our merchandise counter, in…

Monday Makes: Make your own gift box

In this week's craft tutorial, we're showing you how to make a hexagonal gift box from one A4 sheet of card, which you can fill with smaller sweets and treats. We'd love to see your efforts, so please do share your photos with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. https://youtu.be/2ZaSs1CdvfA

Storytime: I Want a Monkey

What sort of animal would you choose to keep as a pet? This week's story is Daniel Errico's I Want a Monkey, and it's all about a boy called Wally who is trying to decide what pet he'd like his dad to get for him. Tune in at 2.30pm on Tuesday to watch the video…

#CityWarmUps – Rishard Beckett

Kickstart your week with our latest warm-up video featuring Rishard Beckett from our Springboard company Richard and Rishard. You can follow along with Rishard at 8.30am on Monday, or wait till the end for a list of activities covered so you can take part in your own time. Looking for more ways to stay active?…

Guest Blog: Theatre Changes Lives

Emma Ormerod
Thu 30 Jul

As founder and artistic director of our Springboard company Underground Lights, Emma Ormerod uses theatre to change the lives of people with experience of homelessness and mental ill health in Coventry. Ever since it changed her own life as a young woman, the power of performing arts is something she has carried with her throughout…

#CityWarmUps – Little Loft Yoga

Get ready to rise and shine, Coventry! This week's warm-up video sees Julie from Little Loft Yoga taking you through some gentle techniques to help get you energised, focused and ready to face the week ahead. Tune in at 8.30am on Mon 27 July to watch and follow along. If you're joining in, please to…

Saturday Shout Out: Cops and Robbers (and other silent films)

If you’re looking for something light-hearted to watch this weekend, then look no further than the latest web stream from our friends at Open Theatre. Streaming from 2.30pm today (Saturday 25 July), Cops and Robbers (and other silent films) is a series of short films created by young theatre-makers with learning disabilities from across Birmingham…

Missing Live Theatre: Wrapped in a message of hope

The Belgrade Theatre has been wrapped in a message of hope as part of a national initiative responding to the crisis in live theatre and the arts. Forming part of the Scene Change campaign, an installation has been created by local designer and Talking Birds Co-Artistic Director Janet Vaughan, using specially made barrier tape printed…

The Big Finale – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Thu 23 Jul

Following last week’s performance to an invited audience of family and friends, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron reflects on his experiences of being a digital theatre pioneer as part of our Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project, and looks forward to what the future might hold. Seeing everything coming together in our final performance…

Supporting theatres: Labour leader responds to our question

Labour Leader Keir Starmer has praised the outreach work done by the Belgrade Theatre and the way communities of Coventry have pulled together through lockdown, speaking at the party’s Summer Reception for the creative industries. As venues and theatre companies in the West Midlands and beyond continue to face financial oblivion, the Digital, Culture, Media…

Storytime: Jahman Aggrey

Are you settled in for today's Storytime? This week, we're revisiting a story told by the brilliant Jahman Aggrey at our 2018 Black History Month event. The story is all about what happens when a group of animals decide to have a big party in the sky - but one of them gets a bit…

Monday Makes – Make your own mobile phone stand

In this week's craft tutorial, we're showing you how to make a simple stand to prop up your phone - a perfect quick fix for lockdown video calls to keep things steady and stop your arm from aching. Even better, all you need to make it is a single sheet of paper and a ruler!…

#CityWarmUps – Ascension Dance Company

Last week might have marked their last Create It, Share It challenge, but don't worry - you can still get active with our friends at Ascension Dance this week as they lead the latest in our #CityWarmUps series. At 8.30am on Monday 20 July, Ben will be helping you to get energised, focused and ready…

Saturday Shout Out – Wild Earth: Nature Beats

At a time when social distancing measures have resulted in widespread feelings of loneliness and isolation, engaging with nature is one of the things that has helped many people to get through the lockdown. Few understand the benefits of this more than the team at Wild Earth - a Coventry-based not-for-profit focused on reducing isolation…

Improv and Breakouts – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Fri 17 Jul

With their final performance drawing near, Senior Youth theatre member Cameron continues to reflect on how his group's Zoom-based Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project has developed using techniques such as improvisation and breakout sessions.  In our last session we focused on improvisation. Working in pairs, we acted out scenes imagining we were meeting…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 12: Talents

For Week 11 of our Coronavirus Time Capsule, our young participants tell us about their talents, and some of the skills they've been brushing up on during lockdown. With schools across the world closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact…

A statement on eradicating the use of the term BAME

Following a call to action from the Black Creative Network, the Belgrade Theatre has heard the voices of the Black community and has taken the decision to end the use of the terms “BAME”, “BAMER” and “POC (Person of Colour)” in its communications, both public-facing and internal. We acknowledge that, in the short-term, the acronym…

Meet the SeaView Writers’ Room

Following an open call earlier this summer, we're delighted to introduce the six Midlands-based writers who will form the writers’ room for our upcoming digital TV series, SeaView. Selected from a pool of 106 hopeful applicants, the six successful writers are Daniel Anderson, Annabel Brightling, Sophia Griffin, Sam Kurd, Dave Payne, and Rory Rawson. Over…

TiE online – Frankenstein: Making a Monster

In this week's educational video, we're exploring what Victor Frankenstein's Creation looks like, how he feels when he is brought to life, and what other people make of him. While the theatre remains closed, we're working hard to find ways of connecting with teachers, parents and educators remotely. We know that education is a challenge…

Storytime: When Do Hippos Play?

Have you ever wondered what hippos get up to when no one else is around? Today's story is When Do Hippos Play? by Daniel Errico, and it's all about a group of hippos in the Nile, who come out at night to play after the elephants and rhinos have gone to bed. If you'd like…

Temporary Closure update

We regret to announce that due to ongoing restrictions, the following shows scheduled to take place at the Belgrade Theatre in September and October have been postponed or cancelled. Those who have booked tickets for any of these performances will be contacted in due course and offered the choice of keeping their tickets for rescheduled…

Opportunity: Maokwo seeks new director and trustees

Fancy being part of the team behind one of Coventry's most exciting up-and-coming arts organisations? Our Springboard company Maokwo is currently on the lookout for passionate individuals to help implement the next phase in its development. Maokwo is a migrant-led organisation using art as a form of activism to bring about positive change. It advocates…

Monday Makes: Make your own pop-up flower card

Know a friend or family member who needs a bit of cheering up? This week's craft tutorial shows you how to make something you can send in the post to brighten up their day. Today, we're showing you how to make a card that opens to reveal a pop-up flower bouquet. We'd love to see…

#CityWarmUps – Salsa Zumba with Underground Lights

Start your week with some salsa steps as Underground Lights Community Theatre member Julianne leads the latest in our #CityWarmUps series! Tune in and follow along from 8.30am on Monday. We'd love to see how you get on, so don't forget to share your photos and videos with us using the hashtag on Facebook, Twitter…

Saturday Shout Out – Coventry Digital

Got a story to share about a creative project you’ve been part of in Coventry? Today’s Saturday Shout Out goes to Coventry Digital, a new digital archive for the city. As well as working with institutions like the Herbert and Belgrade, Coventry Digital hopes to host items from business, folk and artistic archives to reveal…

Are we all met? A Midsummer Podcast

With lockdown stretching on and Black Lives Matter protests continuing to make headlines around the world, it's been a strange and unsettling sort of summer. This week, our Co-Artistic Directors Balisha Karra and Corey Campbell take on some of the big issues of the day in a new lockdown podcast, with support from some special…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 11: How To Stay Healthy

For Week 11 of our Coronavirus Time Capsule, our young participants tell us about some of the things they've been doing to stay healthy during lockdown. With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation…

People Like Us – lockdown, theatre and mental health

Cameron Austin
Thu 09 Jul

With artists and communities across Coventry coming together to celebrate arts and health as part of this week’s People Like Us festival, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron has been reflecting on the mental health benefits of theatre, and how his group have been exploring mental health in our Zoom-based Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen…

Storytime: Owl Babies

This week's story is one you might have heard before! Today, we're reading Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. If you'd like to read along at home, you can find the full text with illustrations by Patrick Benson, or watch a signed version of the story, via the BookTrust website. https://youtu.be/MqFTP8GMCjA Header image by Arya C…

Urban Village: Engaging with Coventry’s Roma Community

Following the success of our online Generations exhibition, we’re delighted to be working with our partners at the Roma Project and Coventry University once again to present a special event this Friday. Hosted via Zoom from 10-11.30am on Friday 10 July, Urban Village: Engaging with Coventry’s Roma Community will explore ways of welcoming and giving…

Our response to the cultural investment announcement

We were delighted by the news announced late last night of the government’s plans for a £1.57bn support package for the arts. Theatres and the wider live performance sector have been amongst the worst hit by the ongoing Covid crisis, and this pledge from Oliver Dowden and Rishi Sunak will help address the huge uncertainty…

#CityWarmUps – Moving Space Co

Today we're kicking off Feel Good Community's People Like Us festival with a warm-up by Mel Ahern from Moving Space Co. Running from 6-12 July, People Like Us is a "Community-Powered Creative Health Festival" bringing local artists, community groups, creative practitioners, changemakers and members of the public together to celebrate the impact of creativity on…

Saturday Shout Out: Sign and Sign baby classes go online

Our second Saturday Shout Out today goes to the Coventry and Kenilworth branches of Sing and Sign, an organisation established by speech and language experts to encourage early communication through signing as babies learn to speak. Since 2001, the Sing and Sign programme has taught tens of thousands of parents across the UK how to…

Saturday Shout Out: Soundabout celebrates 25 years with online music festival

Live gigs and mass gatherings might still be off the cards this summer, but thankfully there are other ways of getting into the festival spirit. Glasto is far from the only event going digital – next weekend, Midlands-based charity Soundabout will be hosting a fantastic mix of live music online, too. For 25 years Soundabout has been…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 10: Youth News

For Week 10 of our Coronavirus Time Capsule, our young participants have worked together to create a news report, complete with sport, science, weather and even its own theme music! With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle…

People Like Us: Community-Powered Creative Health Festival

As members of the Creative Health Alliance, exploring the impact of the arts on health and wellbeing is a central part of our work at the Belgrade, so we’re delighted to be supporting People Like Us, a “community-powered creative health festival” coming to Coventry next week. Running from 6-12 July, People Like Us will invite…

Justine Themen and Nigel Jamieson lead major City of Culture project

Following this morning's announcement that Coventry's year as City of Culture will now run from May 2021 until May 2022 in light of the current challenges faced by the cultural sector, we're delighted to announce that our Deputy Artistic Director and Co-Artistic Director for 2021 Justine Themen will co-lead one of the first major projects…

Making Monologues – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Thu 02 Jul

Last week, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron explained how his group were developing their characters and experimenting with camera angles in their Zoom-based Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project. This week, the group have been considering a setting for their work, and further fleshing out their characters by creating their own individual monologues. Our…

TiE Online – Frankenstein: The Creation Lives

We know that education is a huge challenge for many people at the moment. As the lockdown continues, we’re working hard to find ways of connecting with teachers, parents and educators remotely, with a new video series showing you how to incorporate some of our world-renowned Theatre in Education practices into learning at home or at school. Over…

Monday Makes: Make your own paper butterflies

This week's Monday Make is a simple, quick activity, perfect for keeping the kids occupied or just unwinding on a sunny summer afternoon. Head to our Monday Makes page to find all of our weekly craft tutorials. https://youtu.be/8TKlP-1WcmM

#CityWarmUps – Open Theatre

Get ready to rise and shine with another energising warm-up! This Monday, we're kicking off the week by revisiting the a video shared by our friends at Open Theatre Company as part of their Open Theatre Opens Up series. Tune in at 8.30am to follow along. If you're joining in at home, don't forget to share…

The Radical Body Network – connecting chronically ill and disabled artists

Katie Walters
Fri 26 Jun

Today we're delighted to be supporting our Springboard company Radical Body with the launch of a new online platform designed to help chronically ill, disabled and/or housebound artists to connect, collaborate and share opportunities. The Radical Body Network is now live on Facebook, so if you feel you would benefit from being part of the…

Sew Grateful – Homemade masks help support the Belgrade

For many people, a visit to the Belgrade Theatre means a trip to see a show, but did you know that our building also regularly hosts a wide range of groups, events and activities that serve its local community? Among those who have temporarily lost a base at the theatre in the light of the…

Storytime – Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy

It's Storytime! This week's story is one you might have heard before! Written by Lynley Dodd, it's called Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, and if you'd like to read along at home, you can find the full text for free and watch it with signing on the BookTrust wesbite.

Monday Makes: Make your own paper puppet

If you're missing the theatre, here's a great idea for how you can put on a show of your own at home. For this week's craft tutorial, we're showing you how to make your own paper puppet. Today, we've made a duck, but you could get creative with different designs and assemble a whole cast…

#CityWarmUps – Strictly Arts Theatre Company

This is your wake-up call, Coventry! Tune in at 8.30am on Monday to get active and energised with this week's warm-up, courtesy of Strictly Arts Theatre Company. Watch the YouTube video below and follow along at home. If you're joining in, don't forget to share your photos and videos with us on social media using…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 9: Coventry Welcomes

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Unlocked: Highly Sprung’s Physical Fellowship goes digital

Here at the Belgrade, we’re proud to work with a wide range of local performing arts partners, helping to share and celebrate the creativity of our friends in Coventry and beyond. Among our long-term local partners is Highly Sprung, the UK’s leading physical theatre company for children and young people. Every summer, the Belgrade plays…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness Day 6, Albanian

As part of this week’s Coventry Welcomes festival, we’ve been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk’s native Amharic, which you can hear him reading along with an English translation here. Lunchtime poetry sessions will continue throughout the week, with…

Coventry Welcomes – Translated: Imagine digital storybook

Following the success of our earlier joint pilot project “Translated”, it's been a pleasure to continue our collaboration with Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre in the lead up to and during this year's Coventry Welcomes festival. Supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), "Translated" combined participatory visual art and drama in workshops facilitated…

Changing Perspective – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Fri 19 Jun

Last week, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron wrote about how his group had been exploring the theme of loneliness in their Zoom-based Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project. This week, he considers how the pandemic has changed people’s day-to-day behaviour, and how lockdown requires us to think creatively about different ways of working. In…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness Day 5, Spanish

As part of this week’s Coventry Welcomes festival, we’ve been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk’s native Amharic, which you can hear him reading along with an English translation here. Lunchtime poetry sessions will continue throughout the week, with…

Cameras and Characters – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Thu 18 Jun

Last week, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron wrote about us how his group had been exploring the theme of loneliness in their Zoom-based Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project. This week, he returns to tell us more about the different techniques they've been using to develop their own characters.   Throughout the project so…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 8: Old and New Plans

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness Day 4, Farsi

As part of this week’s Coventry Welcomes festival, we’ve been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk’s native Amharic, which you can hear him reading along with an English translation here. Lunchtime poetry sessions will continue throughout the week, with…

Coventry Welcomes: Where do you come from?

As part of our programme for Coventry Welcomes' first ever digital festival, we're delighted to be showcasing a film and photography project created in 2015 by our Audience Development Officer, Ayesha Jones. Supported by Counterpoint Arts and Open Generation, Where do you come from? sees Ayesha explore her family's history in Birmingham, Wales and the Caribbean,…

TiE Online – Frankenstein: Role on the Wall

We know that education is a huge challenge for many people at the moment. As the lockdown continues, we’re working hard to find ways of connecting with teachers, parents and educators remotely, with a new video series showing you how to incorporate some of our world-renowned Theatre in Education practices into learning at home or at school. Last…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness Day 3, Kiswahili

As part of this week’s Coventry Welcomes festival, we’ve been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk’s native Amharic, which you can hear him reading along with an English translation here. Lunchtime poetry sessions will continue throughout the week,…

Storytime: The Lost Homework by Richard O’Neill

As part of our Coventry Welcomes festival celebrations, we're delighted to be working with Rosa Cisneros of the Roma Project and Coventry University's Centre for Dance Research for today's Storytime. With this month marking Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month, she chose to read The Lost Homework, a story written by Richard O'Neill and illustrated by…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness Day 2, Bengali

As part of this week’s Coventry Welcomes festival, we’ve been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk’s native Amharic. Yesterday, we shared the original poem along with an English version. Lunchtime poetry sessions will continue throughout the week, with…

SeaView: Writers Room Call-Out

Calling all emerging writers based in the Midlands! We're looking to assemble a local team to form the writers' room for our upcoming digital TV series, SeaView. What is SeaView? Set to premiere in 2021, SeaView is an urban, science-fiction drama, drawing on the experiences of working class communities in the West Midlands. Inspired by…

Coventry Welcomes: Imagine Kindness by Biruk Kebede

As part of this week's Coventry Welcomes festival, we've been working with Ethiopian poet Biruk Kebede, who has written an original poem in honour of the occasion. Titled Imagine Kindness, the poem has been written in Biruk's native Amharic, and translated into English with help from Theatre Practitioner Kim Hackleman. In the video below, you…

#CityWarmUps – Rosamaria Cisneros, C-DaRe and the Roma Project

Rise and shine, Coventry! As part of this week's Coventry Welcomes celebrations, the latest video in our #CityWarmUps series comes from Rosa Cisneros, a researcher at Coventry University's Centre for Dance Research and member of the Roma Project. Earlier this year, we partnered with the Roma Project to present Generations, an exhibition shining a light…

Saturday Shout-Out: Coventry Rocks

While lockdown has presented huge challenges for everyone, in many ways, it’s also helped to bring us together, encouraging us to reach out and support each other’s work. Recently set up as part of the My Town Rocks franchise, Coventry Rocks is a brilliant new platform full of handy tips and guides for families, focusing…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 7: Changing the World

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Alone Together – Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen

Cameron Austin
Thu 11 Jun

Following his first blog introducing our Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen project last week, Senior Youth Theatre member Cameron returns to tell us more about the ideas that his group have been exploring in their Zoom-based sessions.   In our latest session we have been working on the subject of loneliness, partly in response…

Celebrating Coventry Welcomes Week 2020

As Coventry Welcomes Festival returns next week, coinciding with Refugee Week 2020, and as a Theatre of Sanctuary, we’re excited to be joining the celebrations once again with a packed programme of online activity including poetry, theatre, visual art and more from 15-20 June. On Monday 15 June, we’ll be introducing an original poem, Imagine…

TiE Online – Frankenstein: Building and Exploring Depictions

As the lockdown continues, we're working hard to find ways of connecting with teachers, parents and educators remotely. Today, we’re thrilled to launch the first in new video series that will show you how to incorporate some of our world-renowned Theatre in Education practices into learning at home or at school. We know that education…

Storytime: How to Build a Bratchet

Storytime is back! This week, we're featuring guest storyteller Lew Hackleman, reading Daniel Errico's "How to Build a Bratchet". If you'd like to read along at home, you can find the full text of the story here.   https://youtu.be/aEThTRo6aaU

#CityWarmUps – Underground Lights

Get ready to start your week with the latest in our #CityWarmUps series. This week, Beth and Wes from our Springboard company Underground Lights Community Theatre will be taking you through a series of warm-ups, designed to get your creative juices flowing and leave you energised ready to face the week ahead. Watch the YouTube…

Saturday Shout-Out: Still Proud Festival

This week’s Saturday Shout Out goes to our friends at Coventry Pride, who have been exploring creative ways of continuing with their annual community festival during lockdown. On Saturday 20 June, the Coventry Pride Facebook page will play host to Still Proud, a single-day digital arts festival designed to bring the city’s LGBTQ+ community together…

Open Theatre opens up about… What’s in the bag?

While the lockdown continues, we’re thrilled that our friends at Open Theatre Company have been finding creative ways to continue with their work. Every week, they’ll be creating new “Open Theatre Opens Up” videos offering an insight into the way they work, and as one of our long-term partners, we wanted to help spread the word by…

Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen – Belgrade Youth go digital

Cameron Austin
Fri 05 Jun

In the last couple of weeks, we’ve been excited to launch a brand new initiative with our Belgrade Youth participants in direct response to their feedback to us. Bringing together young people from our various youth theatre groups, Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen is a nine-week project exploring Zoom as a platform for creating…

Urgent Action: Please ask your MP to sign our open letter to the government

The last few months have been an extremely difficult time for everyone working in the theatre industry, and we want to thank all of our audiences, followers, Members and supporters for continuing to stand by us throughout this period. We've done our best to reassess our offering, working out what we can give to our…

Black Lives Matter and being an ally: A message from our Co-Artistic Director

Corey Campbell
Thu 04 Jun

Over the last few days, theatres and arts organisations across the country have begun to use their platforms to stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. I applaud the sentiment and the apparent desire for change, but as someone who has been actively working towards better representation and understanding both in the arts…

Monday Makes – Make your own desk tidy

In this week's craft tutorial, we're showing you how to declutter your workspace by making your own desk tidy to get your stationery in order. We'd love to see your efforts, so if you try this out at home, please do share your photos with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, using #MondayMakes. Look out…

#CityWarmUps – The Fabularium

Get ready to start your week with another City Warm-Up! This week, Joshua Patel from The Fabularium will be getting you energised and focused ready to face the week ahead. Watch the YouTube video below and follow along at home. If you're joining in, don't forget to share your photos and videos with us on…

Saturday Shout Out: China Plate Reclaimed Festival

The temporary closure of arts venues across the country has had a massive impact on the ability of independent artists to create and share their work, particularly those at the beginning of their careers. That's why our second Saturday Shout Out today goes to Reclaimed Fest - a brand new digital arts festival developed by…

Saturday Shout Out: Join BBC CWR’s Lockdown Anthem

It's not always east to stay positive in these difficult times, but our friends at BBC CWR have just launched a new project to help unite the people of Coventry and Warwickshire in a celebration of the people, communities and organisations who are making a difference. The radio station is calling on you to be…

Podcast: Making the Icons with director Joe Harmston

With lots of us faced with time to fill at home, lockdown can be a great opportunity for learning - something that our Associate Director Joe Harmston is tapping into with his new podcast series. As a writer and director, Joe has been making shows around the world since the early 1990s, and his SoundCloud…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 6: Friendship

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Richard Sadler – Looking back on 35 years

Since learning of the sad loss of Richard Sadler, we’ve been reflecting on the incredible body of work he undertook with us as photographer for the Belgrade Theatre from 1958-1994. Richard joined the Belgrade as a photographer the same year the theatre opened in 1958, built as part of the large-scale redevelopment of the city…

Creative leaders call on Culture Secretary on protect diversity in theatre

In light of revelations about the racial disparity in the ongoing health crisis, our three 2021 Co-Artistic Directors have joined a group of artistic leaders in calling on the government and the sector to ensure that ethnic diversity is protected and celebrated, and does not fall by the wayside in the face of the challenges the…

Watch Online: Made in India

Following our YouTube streaming of Under the Umbrella this week, we're excited to be teaming up again with our friends at Tamasha to share our 2017 production Made in India online. Co-produced by the Belgrade Theatre and Tamasha in association with Pilot Theatre, Satinder Chohan's Made in India premiered in Coventry from 24 January-4 February…

WEDUCATION – Adapting a novel for the stage

Ever read a book and thought that it would make a great film or play? Over the years, novels have been an important source of stories for the stage and screen. Many of our own productions at the Belgrade have been based on or inspired by books, from Noughts and Crosses to Frankenstein. In this…

WEDUCATION: Drafting a script with Amy Ng

For this week's Weducation posts, we're taking a look at the subject of writing plays, and in particular, how an existing idea or story is developed into a script. With Under the Umbrella streaming via our YouTube channel until Friday 29 May, our first post is a look back at our 2019 podcast with playwright…

Storytime: The Clever Wife

This week's story is set a long time ago in China, and is all about a man named Fu-Hsing and his very clever wife. Look out for more stories at 2.30pm every Tuesday!   https://youtu.be/qLkxcpGipTE

Monday Makes: Make your own Eid lanterns

As well as ending with a bank holiday in the UK, this weekend also marked the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr worldwide - a huge celebration at the end of fasting during Ramadan. Eid officially begins with the sighting of the crescent moon, and as such, images of moons often feature prominently as part of the…

#CityWarmUps – Empowr-U

It might be a Bank Holiday Monday, but we're still here at 8.30am sharp with a new City Warm-Up to help get you energised and ready for the week ahead. This week, Joe Graham from youth empowerment organisation Empowr-U has a fun warm-up game to share that you can try at home with the kids.…

Saturday Shout Out: Ascension Dance goes digital

As part of our wide-ranging talent development work, Coventry-based Ascension Dance are one of our long-term partner companies at the Belgrade. Run by Ashley Jordan (AJ) and Ben Morley, Ascension Dance had been steadily expanding its youth dance offering in the lead-up to the lockdown, with participant numbers continually growing, and its newest group, Rise,…

Saturday Shout Out: Ira Aldridge – Curiosity and Creative Language

If you’ve followed the Belgrade’s work closely over the last few years, you may already be familiar with the story of Ira Aldridge, an African-American actor who travelled to England in the 1820s, and made his name at a time when slavery was still widespread throughout the British Empire. In 1828, Aldridge came to Coventry,…

Open Theatre opens up about… Improvisation with Newspapers

While the lockdown continues, we’re thrilled that our friends at Open Theatre Company have been finding creative ways to continue with their work. Every week, they’ll be creating new “Open Theatre Opens Up” videos offering an insight into the way they work, and as one of our long-term partners, we wanted to help spread the word by…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 5: School Life

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Belgrade Theatre Youth are Curious about Mental Health

Kim Hackleman
Fri 22 May

With this week marking Mental Health Awareness Week, Theatre Practitioner Kim Hackleman explains how our Click Spring team have been working with young participants during the lockdown. As well as promoting wellbeing by keeping young people connected and creative, their project Telling Stories on (the Small) Screen has this week invited them to explore and…

Watch Online: Reasons to be Cheerful

This week, we're delighted to share the news that our friends at Graeae will be releasing their hit musical Reasons to be Cheerful online, produced in association with the Belgrade Theatre in 2017. Streaming via YouTube from Wednesday 3 June, Reasons to be Cheerful will be available to watch online until Monday 3 August. The…

Reasons to be Cheerful will be available to live stream from 3 June

We are delighted to share the news that the UK’s leading disabled-led theatre company, Graeae, are releasing one of its biggest hits of recent years to be streamed online for free. From Weds 3 June – Mon 3 August, the smash hit musical Reasons to be Cheerful will be available to stream on Graeae’s website.…

WEDUCATION: Creating a show from scratch

Ever wondered how an idea for a show is developed into a fully-formed theatre production? To offer an insight into the process, last year, we created a series of podcasts about the making of our show Under the Umbrella. The series took listeners on a journey through the show's creation: from researching and writing the story,…

Storytime: The Lion’s Whisker

Today's story, The Lion's Whisker, is a traditional tale from Ethiopia, all about a not-so-wicked step-mother who goes to extraordinary lengths to win her step-son's love. Look out for more stories at 2.30pm every Tuesday! https://youtu.be/rnSwm7UIFMo

Monday Makes: Make your own milk bottle piggy bank

This week's Monday Make is a simple way to get the family saving up ready for big treats once the lockdown is over, and all you need is an empty milk bottle and things to decorate it with. You'll need a grown-up to cut-out the slot at the top, but kids can get stuck into…

#CityWarmUps – Start your week with Highly Sprung

With this week marking the Mental Health Foundation's Mental Health Awareness Week, we've been focusing on some of the ways that we can help to promote wellbeing and keep Coventry active during lockdown. Launched last week, our new #CityWarmUps project will see local artists and creative practitioners taking you step-by-step through the warm-ups they use…

Open Theatre opens up about… Scarf Dancing

While the lockdown continues, we're thrilled that our friends at Open Theatre Company have been finding creative ways to continue with their work. Every week, they'll be creating new "Open Theatre Opens Up" videos offering an insight into the way they work, and as one of our long-term partners, we wanted to help spread the…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 4: If I Could Be Anywhere Right Now

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a week-by-week project…

Watch Online: Under the Umbrella

Following the success of the recent streaming of our production Crongton Knights, we're delighted to announce our very first full show streaming via our own YouTube Channel. First staged at the Belgrade Theatre in Spring 2019, Amy Ng's Under the Umbrella will have its online premiere from 22-29 May. Click play below to watch the…

WEDUCATION: Creating a soundscape

To celebrate the news that Sally Cookson’s A Monster Calls will be streamed online by The Old Vic in June, we’ve been taking a look back at some of the resources we used alongside the show's run in Coventry earlier this year. In today's Weducation activity, you'll find out what a soundscape is, and have a…

WEDUCATION: Sally Cookson on How to Make a Monster

To celebrate the news that Sally Cookson's A Monster Calls will be streamed online by The Old Vic in June, we've been taking a look back at some of the videos we shared ahead of the show's run in Coventry earlier this year. One of the biggest challenges in bringing the story to the stage…

Storytime: The Bear Who Went to War

Today's Storytime video features local playwright Alan Pollock (One Night in November) reading his own debut children's book, The Bear Who Went To War. Illustrated by Bryony Thomson and published by Old Barn Books, it tells the amazing true story of Wojtek, a brown bear who was recruited into the Polish army during the Second…

Monday Makes: Make your own improv game

For this week's Monday Make, we're showing you how to create a game that you can use as a fun warm-up or kids' activity again and again. The game is made up of a paper dice and card spinner, which you can use to match up different characters and actions to perform. Download and print…

#CityWarmUps – Start your week with warm-ups from Coventry artists

This week, we're delighted to introduce #CityWarmUps, a brand new lockdown project designed to get you feeling energised and focused, ready to start your week. Every Monday at 8.30am, we'll be sharing a new video from an artist or creative practitioner based in Coventry or Warwickshire, with contributors ranging from actors and directors to singers…

Saturday Shout Out – Open Theatre opens up

When the difficult decision to temporarily close our doors was made in March, one of the first shows we were forced to cancel was The Twisted Tale of Hansel and Gretel - a quirky retelling of the fairy tale by Open Theatre Company. Based in Coventry, Open Theatre are one of our long-term partners, having…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 3: Home Life

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule is a…

Coventry lights up for International Day of the Nurse

With Tuesday 12 May marking both International Day of the Nurse and the 200th birthday of the Lady of the Lamp, Florence Nightingale, we're joining venues and partners across Coventry by lighting up to honour frontline staff. Organised by Coventry City of Culture Trust in partnership with Coventry City Council and Coventry BID, the #CoventryGlows…

WEDUCATION: Design your own Dame costume

Mention the word “pantomime” and one of the first things that springs to mind for most people is the image of a Dame – the comedy female character played by a man which is a staple feature of every British panto. Often a mother, step-mother or even step-sister to one of the other key characters,…

WEDUCATION: What is a pantomime?

Here at the Belgrade, our annual Christmas pantomimes are always a huge hit with families from across Coventry and Warwickshire, bringing together audiences of all ages. For many people, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to the panto - but if you've never been to one before, you might not be sure what to…

Storytime: The Bear

This week's Storytime video might resonate with a few people during lockdown, since it's all about a princess who is shut up indoors and can't wait to escape and go adventuring! It features a magic wheelbarrow, two massive parties, beautiful dresses and delicious cakes. A few things might seem familiar from fairy tales like Rapunzel,…

Staying Connected – A Message from our 2021 Co-Artistic Directors

It’s now been just over a month since the difficult decision to temporarily close the doors to our building was made, and it’s been a huge change to which we have all – audiences, artists, communities, staff and supporters – had to take some time to adjust. Theatre thrives on human connection – the powerful…

Monday Makes: Make your own paper hyacinths

For this week's Monday Make, we're showing you how to brighten up a shelf or create a handmade gift with a DIY hyacinth bouquet tutorial. We'd love to see how you get on, so please do share your pictures with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and keep an eye out for more lockdown craft…

Saturday Shout Out: Electric Zoo zero-emission deliveries

This week's Saturday Shout Out goes to Electric Zoo, a locally based, independent electric car manufacturer and supporter of the Belgrade Theatre. During the lockdown, Electric Zoo have been doing their bit to help out by delivering essential supplies to some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Working with Warwick District Council, members…

Coronavirus Time Capsule, Week 2: About Us

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we've teamed up with local charity Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule…

Guest Blog: Living the Dream with Belgrade Arts Gym

Gill Yardley
Thu 30 Apr

It seemed to jump out at me, the poster in the foyer of the Belgrade Theatre. As if neon lit, it was inviting. Arts Gym taster Free for over 55s Well, that included me, and I soon discovered that 70 was the new 40, as a very exciting and fulfilling part of my life began.…

Watch Online: Panto stars appear on Cheeky Chimps TV

With our full Autumn 2020 Season now on sale, lots of you will already be looking forward to the return of Iain Lauchlan and Craig Hollingsworth in this year's Christmas panto Beauty and the Beast. But if you can't wait that long for your next fix of their comedy antics, there's another way that you…

WEDUCATION: What is a scenic artist?

Every Wednesday during the lockdown, we’ll be sharing some of our fantastic educational resources with you, including videos about careers in theatre, and activities for you to try at home. In this week’s Careers Behind the Curtain video, Tim Murley explains the role of a scenic artist, and how he ended up working as the…

WEDUCATION: Design your own theatre poster

The first time you’re made aware of a new theatre production is often when you see the artwork for the show online or on a poster, but have you ever thought about how these are made? Creating artwork for new shows is a really important job that the Belgrade’s Communications team work on in partnership…

Storytime: The Particular Way of the Odd Ms McKay

This week’s story is The Particular Way of the Odd Ms McKay, another rhyming story by Daniel Errico, all about a character with some very unusual habits! If you’d like to read along or see the pictures, you can find the full text here. Look out for more stories every Tuesday!  

Taking Courage: A message from our Artistic Director

Hamish Glen
Mon 27 Apr

Dear audiences, Thank you on behalf of the Belgrade and all its staff, for the many messages of support, the donations and the goodwill that you’ve shown us since we were forced to temporarily close our doors to the public. It’s been a welcome reminder of the special part the Belgrade plays in the lives…

Monday Make: Patchwork Desk Tidy

Trying to get your workspace organised now you're spending more time at home? In this week's Monday Make tutorial, Craft On - Needlecraft for Wellbeing group leader Niki Lee shows you how to transform an old tin can into a pretty patchwork-effect pot. Perfect for holding pens or brushes, it's a great way to brighten…

Saturday Shout Out: The Barn Kitchen helps feed NHS staff

This week’s Saturday Shout Out goes to The Barn Kitchen in Binley, which has been helping out NHS staff by preparing and delivering meals to hospital staff in Coventry, Rugby and Warwick. Known for its themed afternoon teas and home-cooked meals, the popular restaurant has now been forced to cease normal trading due to the…

Scrubbing Up: Belgrade Wardrobe staff support the NHS

Wardrobe staff from our Belgrade Production Services workshop have been doing their bit to help the NHS while the country remains in lockdown. Margaret and Mandy, who lead the talented team responsible for creating costumes for all of our home-produced shows – as well as a range of other high profile productions across the UK…

Coronavirus Time Capsule: Belgrade and Grapevine team up on youth project

With schools across the world on lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we've teamed up with our friends at Grapevine on a new project that aims to tackle the impact of isolation and anxiety on teenagers’ mental health, providing a space for them to explore and share their experiences of the lockdown. The Coronavirus Time Capsule…

Geoff Thompson: A Good Time To Forgive

"This might seem like a bad time for the world body, but it is a good time for the human soul. This is a very good time to lighten its load and forgive." This Friday, we're wrapping up the week with some words of wisdom from Coventry playwright Geoff Thompson - writer of Fragile and…

WEDUCATION: Starting a podcast

In recent times, podcasting is something that has really taken off online, and one of the reasons for this is that it’s relatively easy to get started at home. While podcasting isn’t necessarily directly linked to theatre, a few people have expressed an interest in our recent podcast with our Co-Artistic Directors, and wanted to…

WEDUCATION: Life as a professional actor

Every Wednesday during the lockdown, we’ll be sharing some of our fantastic educational resources with you, including videos about careers in theatre, and activities for you to try at home. In this week’s Careers Behind the Curtain video, Shereena Glean talks about her day-to-day experience of working as a professional actor, and how she started…

SeaView: Watch the first teaser trailer

Today we’re excited to unveil the first teaser trailer for SeaView, a brand new, urban sci-fi web series premiering in 2021 that we’re supporting as part of a consortium of Midlands-based producers and artists. Inspired by a true story, SeaView tells the story of Steven, a young man destined for great things who is trapped…

Storytime: Angry Little Bhim

Sunshine-coloured mangoes, magical rice pudding and legs as long as spaghetti... we hope you've had your lunch already, because otherwise today's Storytime video might make your tummy rumble! This week, we're delighted to welcome back guest storyteller Santoshi Mann with another story from her children's collection, My Little Ancient Indian Village. An alumnus of our…

Shut Down But Scratching: accessible performances

Following the success of their first online scratch night on Wednesday 15 April, Shoot Festival are now offering access-friendly versions of the performances by local artists that were streamed live on the night. Those with access requirements can now enjoy the event in audio described or captioned and BSL-interpreted videos, which have been added to…

Opportunity: Call out for visual artists and musicians

Calling all musical and visual artists based in Coventry and Warwickshire! In response to the challenges faced by artists and performers due to the coronavirus lockdown, Coventry City of Culture Trust has announced a call-out for 15 musical acts and 15 visual artists to work on a completely original visual album. Developed in partnership with…

Watch online: The Twisted Tale of Hansel and Gretel

Following the cancellation of live performances at the Belgrade Theatre in March, we’re delighted to announce that our friends at Open Theatre Company will be streaming The Twisted Tale of Hansel and Gretel online for free from 2.30pm on Saturday 25 April. After touring the Midlands in 2018 following its sell-out premiere at Birmingham Hippodrome,…

Monday Makes: Make your own bird feeder

Yearning for nature during the lockdown? Luckily, you don't always have to travel to enjoy wildlife! This week's Monday Make shows you how to make a simple bird feeder to hang up outside your house using an old milk or juice carton. Just add bird seed and you're ready to go! We'd love to see…

SATURDAY SHOUT-OUT: Sitting Rooms of Culture

This week's Saturday Shout-Out goes to Sitting Rooms of Culture - a collaborative platform enabling artists throughout Coventry and Warwickshire to share their creative projects in our newest cultural venue - their very own sitting rooms. Set up by artist-poet Mary Courtney with poet and writer Kirsty Brewerton and artist and maker Heather Davison, the…

#CovConnects – Be part of a new work of art

People of Coventry! Your Shoot Festival needs you! As part of his Shut Down But Scratching project, local artist Michael Snodgrass is calling on you to be part of a brand new piece of visual art. To get involved, all you need to do is share images or videos of you and your loved ones finding…

Culture Central launches West Midlands Cultural Response Unit

Today Culture Central announces the launch of the West Midlands Cultural Response Unit, a new initiative supporting the region's cultural sector to respond to the Covid-19 outbreak. Led by Culture Central in partnership with members of the arts and culture industries across the West Midlands, the WMCRU aims to promote the visibility, viability and recovery…

Watch Online: Marty McDonald’s Farm

Keeping the kids entertained during lockdown can be tough, but luckily our friends at Honalee Media are here to help! If you've enjoyed their Easter Bunny and Marty MacDonald's Farm shows at the Belgrade in the past, you can now relive the magic via YouTube! Presented by Martin Parsons and featuring the voice of TV's…

Podcast: Locked In with the 2021 Co-Artistic Directors

It's a strange time to be working in theatre - an industry that depends so much on the collective live experience. But while adjusting to the current situation presents huge challenges for us, it's also an exciting opportunity. This week, we're launching a brand new lockdown podcast series, and in the first episode, we introduce…

Watch online: Crongton Knights

Following its world premiere at the Belgrade in February this year, we’re delighted to announce that Crongton Knights will be available to livestream from Weds 22 April. Co-produced by the Belgrade Theatre, Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre and York Theatre Royal, Crongton Knights premiered to critical acclaim as “an expression of contemporary heroism amid troubling times". Based…

WEDUCATION: What is an Automation Engineer?

In this week's Careers Behind the Curtain video, RSC Senior Automation Engineer Gill Leefe explains her role in making all sorts of amazing things happen on stage, from doors suddenly opening to reveal a hidden part of the stage, to actors or objects being flown in. "Our aim is basically not to be seen and…

WEDUCATION: Creating a set model box

From drama to musicals and from ballet to opera – every theatrical production needs a set, but there are more stages that go into creating one than you might expect! This week’s activity asks you to imagine that you have been tasked with designing a set for a show. You’ll find out what a model…

Guest Blog: The Theatre that Keeps on Giving

Francesca Robson
Tue 14 Apr

As part of our collective commitment to reaching out to and collaborating with young people, Pilot Theatre, the Belgrade Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Derby Theatre and the Mercury Theatre Colchester have been working with a number of Young Creatives on projects supporting our recent co-productions, Noughts and Crosses and Crongton Knights. Here, Young Creative Frankie…

Watch Online: Oddsocks’ Much Ado About Nothing

While their spring tour of The Comedy of Errors may have been cut short, our friends at Oddsocks are still serving up plenty of Shakespearean silliness online this month, with their hugely popular take on Much Ado About Nothing kicking off a series of YouTube screenings. First toured during the glorious summer of 2015, Oddsocks' Much…

Storytime: And That Was The Oddest Of Things

This week's Storytime video sees our Embedded Community Producer Krysztina read Daniel Errico's And That Was The Oddest Of Things - a funny, rhyming story about animals invading a house! If you'd like to read along, you can find the full text here. What's the oddest thing that's happened in your home during the lockdown?…

Monday Makes: Decorate a cardboard heart

This week's Monday Make comes from our Craft On - Needlecraft for Wellbeing group leader, Niki Lee, who takes you through the steps of creating a pretty heart-shaped decoration, which you can put up at home or give away as a gift. Follow the steps below to have a go. If you enjoy it, make…

SATURDAY SHOUT-OUT: Isolation Sonnets

This week's Saturday Shout Out goes to the Isolation Sonnets group, who are sharing their own readings of sonnets on Facebook during the lockdown. Inspired by Patrick Stewart's #ASonnetADay project on Twitter, which has seen the actor film himself reading a Shakespeare sonnet every day, the group was started by Coventry writer Patrick Kincaid to…

Culture in Quarantine: Wise Children comes to BBC iPlayer

Following its UK tour in Spring 2019, we're delighted to announce that our critically acclaimed co-production Wise Children is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer as part of BBC Arts' Culture in Quarantine programme. Co-produced by Wise Children, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, The Old Vic, Oxford Playhouse and York Theatre Royal, Wise Children sees director Emma…

Shut Down but Scratching – online scratch night

As we find ourselves in deeply challenging times, now more than ever emerging artists need support. While the doors to the creative industry remain temporarily closed, opportunities for artists to make and perform new work have largely dried up. In recent weeks, there has been much publicity around the impact of the ongoing pandemic on…

7 questions with Russian State Ballet producer Alexej Ignatow

Following the success of their touring ballet productions, the internationally acclaimed Russian State Ballet and Opera House return to the Belgrade Theatre this autumn with three of history's most popular ballets. Ahead of their performances of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker, producer Alexej Ignatow told us more about his work with the company,…

WEDUCATION: What is an Executive Director?

Every Wednesday during the lockdown, we’ll be sharing some of our fantastic educational resources with you, including videos about careers in theatre, and activities for you to try at home. In this week’s Careers Behind the Curtain video, our Executive Director Joanna Reid tells us more about her important role at the Belgrade, and how…

WEDUCATION: Design your own stage costumes

Every Wednesday during the lockdown, we’ll be taking the opportunity to share some of our fantastic educational resources with you, including videos about a wide range of careers at the Belgrade, and activities and projects for you to try at home. Today’s activity asks you to imagine that you’ve been tasked with creating the costumes…

Storytime: East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Today’s Storytime video features a retelling of a Norwegian fairy tale called East of the Sun and West of the Moon. It’s a little like Beauty and the Beast – but with more adventuring! Look out for more stories from us every Tuesday during the lockdown.  

Generations: Roma Project exhibition online preview

Following the announcement of our partnership with the Roma Project and Coventry University’s Centre for Dance Research earlier this year, we’re delighted to share an online preview of an exhibition originally scheduled to take place at the theatre this month. Titled Generations, the exhibition shines a spotlight on Coventry’s Gypsy Roma Traveller (GRT) community, and launches online to coincide with International Romani…

Temporary Closure FAQs

We currently have a reduced number of staff working incredibly hard from home, so if you have a question about what’s happening with your booking, we kindly request that you read through this list carefully to see if the answer you need is here before getting in touch with us. We’d like to thank all…

Wise Children – Live Podcast

Visionary director Emma Rice comes live to your living room in a special filmed episode of the Wise Children podcast.

Monday Makes: Easter Egg Piñata

Every Monday during the lockdown we'll be sharing Monday Makes - craft activities that you can try out at home to help keep the kids (or yourself!) occupied. With Easter Sunday coming up this weekend, today's first Monday Make is an Easter Egg Piñata - perfect for when you're limiting trips to the shops as…

SATURDAY SHOUT-OUT: Kadence Music workshops

While our building remains closed to the public during the current lockdown, we’ll be using our Saturdays not to talk about the work the Belgrade is doing, but to highlight some of the other exciting things happening across Coventry and Warwickshire. Every weekend, we’ll share a selection of good news stories and projects and events…

Belgrade Birthday – A Virtual Celebration

With the theatre currently closed and the country on lockdown due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, we decided to spread some virtual joy by throwing our biggest birthday party yet, uniting all of our friends, audiences and supporters to join us for an online celebration on Friday 27 March. Huge thanks to everyone who joined…

Curtain Up at the Belgrade Theatre

Gill Yardley
Fri 03 Apr

Here at the Belgrade Theatre, it’s not uncommon for us to delve into our archives and to unearth interesting stories from our history, but recently, we were thrilled to be get an alternative view on our past from one of our Arts Gym participants, Gill Yardley. With Friday 27 March having marked our 62nd birthday, it’s been great…

Storytime: Little Govind’s Baby Calf

Happy International Children’s Book Day! Today, we’re celebrating with a guest storytime video from the brilliant Santoshi Mann, an alumnus of our Critical Mass playwriting programme. In addition to being a playwright, Santoshi has begun working on a series of children’s stories called My Ancient Indian Village, and was excited to share the story of Little Govind’s Baby Calf with…

WEDUCATION: What is a Dramaturg?

In this week's Careers Behind the Curtain video, Ola Animashawun discusses the role of a dramaturg and his own career in theatre.

Storytime: Cinderella

Watch our retelling of Cinderella - the first in a series of storytelling videos we'll be sharing to help keep your little ones entertained during lockdown.

Monday Makes: Make your own puppet theatre

Find out how to make your own puppet theatre at home during the lockdown with our first Monday Make

Watch online – The Croft and The Habit of Art

Following the cancellation of live performances, The Original Theatre Company will stream their productions of The Croft and The Habit of of Art online.

Shut Down but Scratching: opportunity for artists

We’re delighted to be supporting a new rapid response initiative from Shoot Festival aimed at providing an opportunity for early-career artists from Coventry and Warwickshire to showcase their work online.

Introducing our Autumn 2020 Season

Discover drama, comedy, music, kids shows and more at the Belgrade this autumn with highlights including Noughts and Crosses, Groan Ups and Milkshake! Live.

SATURDAY SHOUT-OUT: Fargo Village Spring Makers’ Market

While our building remains closed, we’ll be using our Saturdays not to talk about the work the Belgrade is doing, but to highlight ome of the other fantastic work happening across Coventry and Warwickshire.

How you can help during our temporary closure

If you'd like to support the Belgrade Theatre while the Coronavirus outbreak keeps us closed to the public, here are a few ways that you can help us out.

Gallagher staff spend 82 hours volunteering

Members of staff from Gallagher insurance have been going the extra mile by giving up their time to support the Belgrade's charitable work.

Interview: Gwen Taylor stars in The Croft

BAFTA nominee Gwen Taylor discusses thrillers, theatre and her starring role in the UK tour of Ali Milles' haunting new thriller, The Croft.

On a (sausage) roll: try our vegan menu

Introducing the Belgrade's new vegan menu, including jacket potatoes, toasties, pasties, sausage rolls, cakes and afternoon tea.

Meet Gertrude and Radical Body

Digital arts duo Gertrude and disability arts organisation Radical Body join the Belgrade's Springboard talent development scheme.

Meet our Springboard companies

Introducing our three new Springboard companies for spring 2019: Underground Lights Community Theatre, Richard and Rishard and Maokwo.

Reducing plastic waste in our café

At the Belgrade Theatre, we’re committed to doing our bit to reducing our environmental impact by cutting down on single-use plastics in our café and bars.

Meet our 2021 producers

Sâmir Bhamra and Krysztina Winkel join the Belgrade as Senior Producer and Embedded Community Producer for Coventry's year as UK City of Culture in 2021.

Meet our 2021 Co-Artistic Directors

Justine Themen, Corey Campbell and Balisha Karra will be handed the keys to the theatre for Coventry’s year as City of Culture.

2020 Redevelopment Project gets underway

Project Director Jason Fretter discusses the refurbishment of our 1958 Main Stage auditorium.

The Silent Treatment – local youth work with Told By An Idiot

A group of budding young theatre-makers from in and around Coventry have been getting involved in a series of devising and film-making workshops held at the Belgrade Theatre last week, led by Told By An Idiot in partnership with Open Theatre Company. Set up in 1984, Coventry-based Open Theatre Company has been working with young people with learning disabilities…