BELGRADE’S B2 SEASON TACKLES TIMELY TOPICS
From black youths in police custody to woke feminism and from men’s mental health to the cut-throat capitalism of the post-industrial age, Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is confronting urgent contemporary issues in its B2 Spring season programme, with a string of shows focusing on some of the most pressing social problems of our time.
Credit and copyright: Helen Murray
First up, from 20-23 March, Ishy Din’s Approaching Empty examines the struggles of a generation of working class men reconstructing their identities following the decline of traditional industries.
Set in a scruffy minicab office in North East England in the aftermath of Thatcher’s death, it tells the story of two lifelong friends discovering stark political differences as they attempt to save a failing business.
From 10-13 April, Nick Ahad’s Glory explores the resurgence of British grassroots wrestling in a sweaty, gutsy and painfully funny story of three young men compelled over the ropes and into the ring in search of a release.
Wrestling with life, demons and each other, Dan, Ben and Sami are all facing their own fights with racism, trauma and what it means to be a man. Meanwhile, fading colossus Jim “Glorious” Glory glimpses in them a chance to resurrect his own crumbling empire – but are they interested in helping to restore his glory?
Glory is the second production to be staged by the Belgrade Theatre as part of Tamasha’s IGNITE programme, following hot on the heels of Under the Umbrella.
Then from 1-4 May, Urbain Wolf’s and Tom Wainwright’s hard-hitting Custody takes on the topic of black deaths in police custody and the UK’s controversial “stop and search” policy. Delving into similar territory to Strictly Arts’ critically acclaimed Freeman, which enjoyed a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe last year, the show draws inspiration from Migrant Media’s banned cult documentary films Injustice and Who Polices the Police?, as well as Urbain Wolf’s own stop and search experiences.
From 8-11 May, Joseph Conrad’s classic novel Heart of Darkness is reimagined for the stage in an innovative, multilayered new production from Imitating the Dog. Fusing live performance with digital technology, this evocative, visually arresting adaptation retells the story through the eyes of a female Congolese explorer, who discovers the darkness at the heart of a war-torn Europe, with echoes of Apocalypse Now.
Finally, from 13-15 June, poet, playwright and World Record-holding beatboxer Testament follows up last year’s acclaimed Black Men Walking with a look at patriarchal assumptions in his one-man show Woke. Created in association with LittleMighty, this genre-hopping, interactive fusion of spoken word, storytelling and hip hop classics sees Testament unpick his prejudices after the birth of his daughter, questioning his own assumed “wokeness” in search of a deeper understanding.
Tickets to all of these shows and more are available to book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055 or visiting www.belgrade.co.uk where prices are even cheaper.
