Liz Mytton’s debut play Red Snapper, the first full production to come from Coventry Belgrade’s playwriting project Critical Mass, is to have its première in the theatre’s B2 auditorium.
Critical Mass is a writing programme which aims to develop writers from black and ethnic minority communities.
Red Snapper features the stories of five women “swimming against the tide of political and social change”.
Mytton said, “I wanted to tell this particular story, set in Jamaica 50-plus years ago, which required an all-black cast. I didn’t set out with a black agenda—just a desire to share something close to my own heart.
“I was, however, fascinated by the opportunity afforded by an all-female cast to represent the story of women during this particular period in world history.
“Often it’s men who’re seen to be at the forefront of historical change. The wives, mothers and partners, by contrast, tend to be presented as subordinate to their husbands. Having the men played by women in this piece will hopefully ensure that the audience never loses sight of whose story is paramount.”
Red Snapper is set on Jamaica when the island is alive with the excitement of independence and the thrill of providing the setting for the James Bond film Dr No.
For five women and their husbands, it is a time of mixed fortunes and uncertainty as personal and political tensions simmer against a backdrop of mass emigration and unrest.
BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated Cathy Tyson leads the cast of Red Snapper which includes Dawn Hope, Gabrielle Brooks, Debra Michaels and Karlina Grace-Paseda.
Belgrade associate director Justine Themen who makes her directorial debut said, “this production represents a landmark moment in the history of the Critical Mass programme. It’s the first play to come out of the West Midlands Critical Mass group to receive a full professional production, and a world premiere in the theatre of its birth.
“The programme has attracted and inspired a truly diverse pool of writers, encompassing many people who previously would never have considered writing for the stage.”
Assistant director is Maeve Clarke, dramaturg is Ola Animashawun, design is by Janet Vaughn, lighting design is by Prema Mehta and sound design is by Arun Ghosh.
Red Snapper runs in B2 at the Belgrade from Saturday 5 until Saturday 19 March.