Members Newsletter February 2016

Springboarding into the new season

We have recently launched our Springboard Companies programme, which supports emerging artists through providing training opportunities, office space and assistance in developing productions for the stage. We place a particular emphasis on supporting artists and companies from backgrounds that are under-represented in the industry.

Our current Springboard Companies are HighTime Opera, Noctium Theatre and Strictly Arts. Through the Springboard programme we also have two Trainee Assistant Directors in paid positions with us, for forthcoming Belgrade productions. For further information visit: www.belgrade.co.uk/springboard

Events Dates for your Diary

Springboard productions coming this season:  HighTime present Cinderella, in B2

from Fri 10 to Sat 11 June

 Noctium, in association with the

Belgrade Theatre present The Country Doctor, in B2 from Weds 20 to Fri 22 July

 Red Snapper Dress Rehearsal – Fri 4 March

from 6.30pm Sit in on the half of the dress rehearsal for Red Snapper.

 Round and Round the Garden Picnic –

Thurs 28 April from 7pm Join us for a picnic and Pimms in the Weston Learning Space before taking your seats for the evening performance of Alan Ayckbourn’s Round and Round the Garden.

To book for these events please email: friends@belgrade.co.uk or directorsclub@belgrade.co.uk  VIP Nights  Children of Killers – 25 Feb, 6pm  Red Snapper – 8 March, 7pm  A Raisin in the Sun – 22 March, 7.30pm  Heritage – 12 April, 6pm As part of the membership, Writers’, Producers’ Circle & Directors’ Club members are invited to join us on the VIP Nights for Belgrade produced shows. To book for these VIP Nights please email: vip@belgrade.co.uk

Feb 2016

Marriage can be MURDER! Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie talk bickering couples, on-screen chemistry and cooking up trouble in Peter James’ The Perfect Murder.

Best known for playing Eastenders’ best-loved couple-at-war, Kat and Alfie Moon, this March will see celebrity pairing Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie swap the Queen Vic bar for the Belgrade boards in an all-new production of Peter James’ best-selling thriller,The Perfect Murder from Tues 29 Mar – Sat 2 Apr.We caught up with Shane and Jessie during a break from rehearsals to find out more….

Who do you play in The Perfect Murder?

Jessie: I play Joan Smiley who has been married to Victor (Shane Richie) for 20 years and it’s a lovehate relationship.Well, all the love has gone.

Shane: At moments throughout the play you see there were times when Victor, who I play, and Joan were madly in love but sadly they never had children.

Jessie:That’s a lot to do with it, I think, because they mention it a lot during the play. I’m not sure if it’s her fault or his fault because she mentions she’d like to have a family with her lover.

But basically the flame’s gone out and they both want excitement.

Shane: And they’re not finding it with each other, unfortunately.

Without giving too much away, what prompts the murder that’s referred to in the title?

Shane: It’s to do with chemistry, cookery and downright violence.There are several ways both Victor and Joan talk about it and play around with it.

Ultimately how it happens is really interesting.

Jessie: It’s a real twist.

This is the first time you’ve performed on stage together…That must be really exciting?

Jessie: It really is.That’s part of the reason I wanted to do it – not just because of the great script but also getting to work with Shane on stage, which we’ve never done in 14 years of working together.

Who’s the biggest prankster?

Jessie: [To Shane] You are.

Shane: I knew you’d say me, but that’s not always the case.We’re always pulling pranks on each other, but there’s none we can repeat.

Jessie: [Laughs] No, we really can’t repeat them.

How do you feel your chemistry from EastEnders will translate in a theatrical setting?

Shane: It will be a different dynamic with a different set of rules.When we do the TV show together there’s a safety blanket and there’s always someone there to hold your hand.The characters we play on screen we both know inside out, but Victor and Joan are very alien to us.We’ll probably find out stuff about each other as actors from doing this, which will be really interesting because we’ve never done live theatre together before.

Jessie: It’s a completely new experience for us together. I’ve worked in the theatre a few times and I love the whole journey of it – from meeting everybody, like new cast members and the production team and the director, to making this product and putting it on stage. Going into it with Shane is another experience for me. As for the chemistry, it’s a great help.

Shane:We’ve got like a mental shorthand where we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses so we kind of prop each other up when we need to and step away from each other when we need to. As Jessie says, she’s done a lot of theatre and so have I and the first week is getting to know everybody, whereas we’ve already got that bond and we’ve known each other for the best part of 14 years. It’s about the characters, not worrying about getting to know each other as people.

What do you most enjoy about stage work?

Jessie:The buzz of performing in front of an audience.That’s why you become an actor in the first place.When you play the same role for years you don’t get stale as such but sometimes you can lose your zing a little bit.When you’re on stage you can do something new every night.You’re doing your craft, the thing you learned to do, and it’s even better when you’re doing it with your best mate. It’s just great.

Shane: I miss the butterflies when I’m not doing theatre. A lot of people in the business don’t like that but I love that thing of not being sure if you’re going to pull it off or not.There’s a danger if you’re in a long-running show where, although it doesn’t stop being enjoyable, you’re not being tested.With film or television if you get it wrong you stop and do it again, but with theatre there’s a lot of people out there to see you get it wrong.

Jessie: But if you get it wrong, when you’re working with someone so closely and you know each other inside out if you do drop the ball – which we won’t – the other person is there to catch it.

What are the particular challenges for you in The Perfect Murder?

Shane:The challenge is that the characters are so far removed from who we play on television.

Jessie: Because we’re doing this together and we’re playing a married couple there is that worry that people will compare it to what they’re used to seeing us do together. But the characters are so different. Just because it’s ‘Shane Richie and Jessie Wallace’ doesn’t mean it’s going to be ‘Kat and Alfie’.

He’s done a lot of other stuff and so have I.

Shane, you’re a big fan of Peter James’ books, aren’t you?

Shane: I am, yes. I’d read several of his books before I knew about The Perfect Murder. I had the honour of meeting him and we had dinner together, not thinking for one moment I’d be doing one of his pieces on stage.

Jessie: Shane introduced me to his books and he’s an amazing writer.

Shane: Hopefully people will come along to the play because they’re Shane and Jessie fans or EastEnders fans or whatever, but we’re forgetting there’s a big Peter James audience out there and they’ll come along regardless of who is playing Victor and Joan.

There’s a lot of love and respect out there for him as an author. It’s slightly naïve to think people will only come along because they’re EastEnders fans.

They’re coming to see a great story. Peter’s not a multi-million-selling author for nothing.

Do you like a good thriller yourselves?

Shane: I haven’t been to see many of them on stage.

People talk about The Woman In Black but I’ve never seen that, for instance. So when I can find the time, I will go and see it!

Jessie: I did a horror story on stage once called Haunted. I played a woman who lived in a block of flats in South London who becomes possessed by this Bill Sykes character. People were scared and I could see why that would be fun. I’m a horror film fanatic and to scare somebody is a real achievement.

To make someone laugh is also an achievement but to scare them is a real buzz.

Shane: It’s great when you’ve got a few performances under your belt, you know where the laughs and the scares are, and then you can play with the audience.

What’s the one thing you can’t be without when you’re touring with a play?

Jessie: [Laughs] A pair of draws.

Shane: And directions to the theatre. But we’re travelling together, which is great, and we’re only actually away from home for three weeks – when we’re in Dublin, Edinburgh and Newcastle – otherwise we’ll be commuting together. [Laughs] I’ll probably end up killing her for real by the end of it.

Jessie: [Laughs] You know what, I’ve changed my mind!

Shane and Jessie, is it fun playing another bickering couple?

Jessie: It is but it’s a completely different vibe to Kat and Alfie.The bickering is completely different.

Shane: Underlying Victor and Joan’s story there’s an undercurrent of ‘Someone’s going to commit murder’. It’s a very different love as well – it’s like love/loathe. It’s as far removed from Kat and Alfie as Ant and Dec. Getting inside Victor’s head and what he thinks he’s going to do, without giving too much away, is interesting.

You can catch Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie in the The Perfect Murder on the Main Stage from Tues 29 March – Sat 2 April.Tickets are priced from £18.50 - £34.25.To book, call the Box Office on 024 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk where tickets are cheaper.

Meet the Team

Helen Hotchkiss Head of Development

What is your role at the Belgrade Theatre? I am responsible for the dayto-day management of the fundraising activity of the theatre. This involves areas such as; individual donations, membership schemes (Friends and Directors’ Club), corporate sponsorship, Trust & Foundation applications, Name a Seat, Campaigns (Making Memories and Inspiring the Next Generation), fundraising events and communications. The work is varied and very enjoyable – no two days are ever the same.

How long have you worked here? I joined the Development team ten months ago, at the start of April 2015. All the staff at the theatre have made me feel extremely welcome and so the time has flown by.

How did you get into your job? I got into fundraising by accident really, as working in ‘Development’ wasn’t an option when I was at school. My first ‘proper’ job after leaving University was for a ski company in Austria. However, this was never a long-term position, so two years later I came home and went straight into teaching (Further Education). This then led onto working for a training provider, then developing a European project to help the unemployed gain leisure and tourism skills in Germany/Spain. After 8 years I found myself working for the funding body that had previously awarded me a grant, before I made the leap into arts fundraising – by working for an arts charity and now the Belgrade. So as you can see, a varied route, but one that always had engagement and helping others at its heart.

What are the most exciting and challenging parts of your job? Raising money to help many different areas of the theatre (staging shows, community projects, free tickets for those in need, theatre group for older people etc.), is both exciting and challenging. Whilst we (at the Belgrade) share an understanding of the positive impact of theatre, this is not always shared by those who have the propensity to give. It is my job to find a way of sharing all the stories of the amazing work we do, with those who are able to support that work – through donations, memberships, trusts etc. – to ensure that we continue to offer a range of exciting opportunities for the communities we serve.

Have you ever experienced any real disasters? Yes, in a previous job I have. It involved 24 young unemployed people on a work placement in Spain and a few of them not realising that they had to work and weren’t on a free holiday. It was certainly an experience receiving a phone call at 3am from a Spanish police station, as one of the young girls had drank rather too many sangrias and couldn’t remember where she was.

What are your favourite shows that you have seen at the Belgrade Theatre? In the short time I’ve been here, I’d have to say The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie and (my all-time favourite children’s book) The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier.

What shows are you most looking forward to seeing in the new season? The Judy Garland story End of the Rainbow is fantastic, so I’m really looking forward to that. However, I’m also really intrigued to see Heritage by Dafydd James – as our Acting Out Company are presenting that show and it’s always exciting to see raw young talent dealing with interesting themes.

Spot a Star in the Cafebar

On the first night of a week-long tour the theatre’s management team host a drinks reception for the cast and crew of the show in the Cafébar.

Why not stay for a drink after the show and see if you can spot a star.  Tues 9 Feb – Miss Nightingale  Tues 16 Feb – Gangsta Granny  Tues 15 Mar – Jackie the Musical  Tues 22 Mar – Get Carter

 Tues 27 Mar – The Perfect Murder  Thurs 31 Mar – Stones in His Pockets  Mon 11 Apr – Heartbeat

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 Community & Education Company

We had a wonderfully busy 2015 with our Inspiring Curiosity celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Theatre in Education (TiE) and we’re now gearing up for 2016 to be just as busy. We’re delighted to be part of the National Theatre Connections 500 Festival this year.

Connections is the National Theatre’s nationwide youth theatre festival.

Each year it offers a unique opportunity for youth theatres and school theatre groups to stage new plays written for young people by some of theatre’s most exciting playwrights, and to perform in leading theatres across the UK. This year the Belgrade Theatre is hosting one of the regional festivals from 15 – 17 April, as well as producing two Connections plays for the festival: Children of Killers performed by our Black Youth Theatre (25 – 27 Feb) and What Are They Like performed by our Canley Youth Theatre (16 – 18 Mar).

Our Acting Out students will be performing their production Heritage from 12 – 14 April. The students are aged 14 – 16 and working towards a BTEC qualification in Performing Arts. It’s a unique work-related-learning programme which takes them out of the traditional school environment and into a professional working theatre, helping them to develop new skills and realise their potential.

 Development

We are delighted to announce that thanks to the support of our Members and the general public we were able to exceed our target of £5,000 for Making Memories, raising a total of £ £6,804.This meant that we were able to offer 600 tickets to see Beauty and the Beast to families in need – we originally aimed to support 400 people.Thank you once again for your generosity.

Graham Aylott has now left the Belgrade Theatre. Helen and Lexy are managing the day to day running of the Directors’ Club. If you have any queries please email directorsclub@belgrade.co.uk. We are currently reviewing our membership offerings and Members events for the forthcoming season – keep a look out for future updates.

 Production

Following on from an extremely busy and successful Christmas period, our first Home produced production of the year, The Sisterhood has now opened.

We go straight from The Sisterhood into our next project, Red Snapper. The workshop are currently working on set and costume, with rehearsals having recently started.

 Communications

Following a record-breaking panto season of Box Office sales, here in Communications, all thoughts are now turning to our Spring Season. With our new brochure newly arrived in the building, the Communications Team are hard at work booking in activity for shows including our new homeproduced dramas, The Sisterhood and Red Snapper as well as a selection of exciting touring shows including The Perfect Murder, End of The Rainbow and our new co-production of A Raisin in the Sun with Sheffield Theatre and black-led national touring company Eclipse.

As well as receiving a nomination for The Stage ‘School of the Year’ award, we’re also celebrating being nominated in no less than three categories for the What’s On Magazine Awards including Best Regional

Venue, Best Pantomime and Best Home-produced Show. All votes are gratefully received so please do your bit by nominating your favourite Belgrade Show at www.whatsonlive.co.uk

Ladies and Gentlemen… please take your seats

Naming a seat is a special way of acknowledging your support of the theatre, celebrating your own special occasion or remembering someone who has enjoyed their time here.

Seats are available for £250 and the cost can be spread over several months by setting up a Standing Order.

Donors will be entitled to:  an inscription engraved on a plaque and mounted on a seat of your choice (subject to availability) for a minimum of 10 years;  your name etched onto a specially commissioned piece of public art (on the stairwell wall from box office up to the Burbidge Gallery foyer); and  your name in a programme for a home-produced show.

For more information, please pick up a Name a Seat leaflet from the theatre foyer.You can also contact our Development Team on 02476 846758, email nameaseat@belgrade.co.uk or visit www.belgrade.co.uk/nameaseat

One Night in November comes to the small screen The Belgrade is delighted to offer you this exclusive opportunity to purchase our One Night In November DVD. Having produced the production on stage, we’re now offering you a chance to own your own copy for only £10.

Coventry is one of England’s greatest cities with a long history that is known the world over. One Night in November brings to vivid life a key moment in its history – the night of 14th November 1940. Powerfully told through the eyes of young Katie, whose chance encounter at a railway station with Michael, an Oxford tutor deployed to Bletchley Park, is the start of a romance that is anything but straightforward.

To order your copy visit www.belgrade.co.uk/dvd or call our Box Office on 024 7655 3055

Put your event

centre stage

At the start of January we hosted our fifth annual B2B exhibition, in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses and Touch FM. The event was a great success and we manged to connect a number of Coventry businesses.

Not only did the B2B Expo see our foyers taken over with stands from over 40 local businesses but there were also 9 seminars taking place throughout the day, leaving attendees with plenty of inspiration to take back to the office.

Unlike other venues, we don’t just hire you a space to hold an event, we offer a complete event and conferencing package to suit your needs. We have lighting, sound and stage technicians, a set construction company, customer service professionals and box office staff, all ready to make sure your event goes as smoothly as possible.

Each week, we welcome businesses, individuals and public sector organisations for conferences, meetings, lunches and events. We can cater for as little as 8 people in our range of meetings rooms, to 850 in our Main Stage auditorium.

If you are interested in hosting at event at the Belgrade Theatre please contact our Events Team on 024 7684 6710 or email conferencing@belgrade.co.uk