Issue Ten Autumn/Winter 2011 Friends of the Belgrade Theatre benefit from receiving 20% off individual tickets. See back page for season diary. BOOK NOW 024 7655 3055 or via www.belgrade.co.uk The Belgrade Theatre is a registered charity, no. 219163 As the nights draw in and we officially wave goodbye to summer, its time to start thinking of all things Christmas - again! As ever, we’ve got two great festive treats for you to enjoy. This year’s traditional pantomime see’s Dame extraordinaire Andy Hockley take to the Main Stage once again as Mother Goose, and for the adults we have a brand new B2 Xmas Show in the shape of Crackers, written by Forbes Masson. The tale of Mother Goose will be told in the very best Belgrade panto tradition with beautifully designed stage sets, incredible costumes, eggs-cruciating jokes and japes by the dozen and a helping hand from the audience Created especially for grown-ups, Crackers is a brand new, crazy Christmas comedy packed to the gunnels with live music and laughter. It only lasts around an hour so it’s perfect for office parties or anyone who wants to enjoy a Christmas night out away from the kids. Keep on reading to find out more about Christmas at the Belgrade and how you can take advantage of some Friends Only offers. Exclusive Friends of the Belgrade Theatre Events Welcome to the Christmas Edition of your Friends Newsletter Give the gift of Friendship Friends of the Belgrade can now also take advantage of a special Friends only offer at the Signatures Restaurant. If you visit the restaurant (and buy a full priced meal) four times you can get your fifth meal free. a t t h e B e l g r a d e Café Bar & Restaurant As part of your Friends of the Belgrade Membership, you are entitled to 20% off the following shows. * Discount is valid on 1 ticket if you have a Single Membership and 2 tickets if you have a Joint Membership. Exclusive Friends of the Belgrade Theatre Events Signatures at the Belgrade For more information, call Signatures Dining on 024 7684 6762. Shows Dates Overview Verdict Mon 3 – Sat 8 Oct Following the huge success of And Then There Were None, Spider’s Web and Witness for the Prosecution, the Agatha Christie Theatre Company is proud to present Verdict, the most riveting and compelling dram by the undisputed “Queen of Crime”. Talon – The Best of Eagles Tues 11 Oct Talon revisit that magical night in 2004 Melbourne, Australia, when the Eagles filmed the opening night of their epic farewell I Tour. 80’s Mania Fri 14 Oct Step back in time and join Europe’s premier 1980s experience with over 35 chart toping smash hits. Dig out your 80s fashions and prepare to party. The Vagina Monologues Sat 15 Oct This witty and moving collection of stories is an unmissable show for every generation – and the ultimate girls night out! Psychic & Science Weds 19 Oct Join Gary Brown, TV’s Most Haunted paranormal historian Richard Felix and medium Chris Conway for live experiments. Psychic & Science attempts to lift the lid on the unknown and establish a link between life and death. Numberjacks Tues 18 – Sat 22 Oct The hugely entertaining children’s TV favourite, Numberjacks, comes live to the stage for the very first time. Join the TV superheroes as they leave the sofa and embark on their first live adventure and help them solve problems as they go! Rhinestone Mondays Mon 31 Oct – Sat 5 Nov Grab your Stetson and pull on your cowboy boots as this brand new feel good Country Music comedy hits Coventry. Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door Weds 9 Nov Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door sends shivers down the spine with spookily convincing portrayals of musical giants Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran and Jerry Lee Lewis. Journey’s End Mon 24 – Sat 29 Oct Direct from the Duke of York’s Theatre, London, David Grindley’s international multi-award winning production of R.C. Sherriff’s masterpiece, Journey’s End, is a must-see of British theatre. Dreamboats & Petticoats Mon 14 – Sat 19 Nov Dreamboats & Petticoats has received national and critical acclaim since its debut in 2009 and continues to play to sell out audiences all over the country. Crackers Mon 12 – Fri 23 Dec This year’s B2 Xmas Show is Crackers – a brand new crazy Christmas comedy packed to the gunnels with live music and laughter. Festive fun for grown ups. Nora Sat 28 Jan – Sat 18 Feb 2012 Nora is the celebrated director and writer Ingmar Bergman’s acclaimed adaptation of Isben’s A Doll’s House, one of the best loved drams in literature. Check our What’s On Guide or visit www.belgrade.co.uk for more details. Stuck for a gift for a loved one this Christmas? For as little as £20 you could give the gift of friendship with a Friends of the Belgrade Theatre membership and allow them to experience even more at the Belgrade Theatre. Membership 024 7655 3055 www.belgrade.co.uk Membership 024 7655 3055 www.belgrade.co.uk £20 Gifts from only £20 To purchase a membership contact our Box Office team on 024 7655 3055 Keep your eyes peeled for some information in the post regarding this year’s festive Friends Events. An interview with Forbes Masson, the writer of Crackers 1. What can audiences expect from this year’s B2 Xmas Show, Crackers? Crackers is a hysterically funny black comedy musical set in a Christmas discount shop in Coventry. It’s a sort of panto for grown ups with lots of stick in your head melodies, witty and naughty lyrics and a storyline that’s completely crazy. 2. Tell us a bit more about the main characters, Leonard and his evil boss, Archibald Myrrh… Leonard Frick is a poor, lonely, single young man, paying off his student debt by working as a checkout guy in Myrrh’s Merry Mini Mart, a local discount store which focuses on novelty seasonal goods. He is completely miserable and unfulfilled until, on Christmas Eve, something incredibly unbelievable happens, which could help him escape from his mundane job, fall in love, and earn riches beyond his wildest dreams. Archibald Myrrh is an evil entrepreneur and owner of Myrrh’s Merry Mini Mart. He is wicked, will do anything to keep Leonard as his lowest paid employee and is extremely overprotective of his strangely attractive, daughter, Myriam. 3. What aspects of Crackers do you think will appeal most to audiences? They will have a great night out. It’s only an hour and a bit and it’s packed with original, fantastic and funny songs and a hilariously rude and irreverent script with extraordinary characters. 4. Sum up Crackers in five words Original, hysterical, musical, seasonal, theatrical.