Writer’s fragile past leads to new play in Coventry

Published: 2 September 2012
Reporter: Steve Orme

Fragile: Craig Conway and writer Geoff Thompson Credit: Owen Billcliffe

Coventry’s BAFTA Award-winning writer Geoff Thompson has penned a new play which opens the autumn season at the city’s Belgrade Theatre this week.

Fragile “charts one man’s remarkable journey through traumatic abuse, self-discovery and ultimately redemption”.

Over the course of the play the central character, “One”, slowly reveals the story of his troubled past. In a quest to overcome his inner demons he has educated himself and explored the religions of the world but still he can’t find peace.

With nobody left to turn to, this deeply troubled man communicates his feelings to a tape recorder in a bid to find salvation.

Geoff Thompson says about Fragile, “I’ve always wanted to tell this story but until now I’ve been too scared to.

“But this story would never let me go until I gave it new life on the page. My hope is that, in bringing light to some of my own dark places, I might encourage others to take courage and do the same.”

The play will be directed by Nick Bagnall who said, “Fragile is challenging and dangerous as well as being extraordinary in its poetry and theatricality.

“As a new play it deals with a domestic situation in epic proportions. Geoff is an incredible writer and being a Coventry lad, it makes perfect sense to do Fragile here at the Belgrade.”

Fragile is a one-man show featuring Craig Conway who studied performing arts at Coventry University.

He played the title role in Macbeth for which he won best actor at the Leicester Mercury awards and he has appeared in a number of films including Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake.

Fragile is suitable for adult audiences only and runs in the Belgrade’s B2 auditorium from Saturday (8 September) until 22 September.

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