Two world premières and a number of touring productions make up the spring 2022 season at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry.
The first première is S Shakthidharan’s adaptation of Zana Fraillon’s young adult novel The Bone Sparrow, a co-production between the Belgrade, Pilot Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Derby Theatre.
Directed by Esther Richardson, The Bone Sparrow tells the story of a Rohingya refugee boy who has spent his entire life living in a detention centre in Australia. Part of Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, the show is at the Belgrade from Tuesday 22 until Saturday 26 March.
The Belgrade will produce the première of Coventry writer Jamie McGough’s Fighting Irish for Coventry UK City of Culture 2021. The drama will be co-directed by the Belgrade’s artistic director Hamish Glen—his last show before he steps down—and Corey Campbell, co-artistic director for the City of Culture. It will run from Saturday 2 until Saturday 16 April.
The season starts with Shaun McKenna’s adaptation of crime writer Peter James’s Looking Good Dead featuring EastEnders’ Adam Woodyatt and Gaynor Faye. It tours to the Belgrade from Monday 7 until Saturday 12 March.
The board game Cluedo has been adapted into a “hilarious thriller spoof” and will tour to the Belgrade from Monday 14 until Saturday 19 March. It will be followed by the Children’s Theatre Partnership in association with Birmingham REP’s production of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Adapted and directed by Robert Ike, Animal Farm features puppetry by Toby Olié and takes to the Belgrade’s main stage from Tuesday 12 until Saturday 16 April.
Simon Reade’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful visits the Belgrade from Tuesday 17 until Saturday 21 May before chaotic comedy company Oddsocks returns with its take on Hamlet from Tuesday 14 until Thursday 16 June.
One Kiss Theatre Company rounds off the season with One Kiss, with Lara J West performing “three women’s journeys through womanhood” from Thursday 7 until Saturday 9 July.