We’re very excited to announce a brand new project, In the Spotlight, a weekend of innovative new plays in our Spotlight Studio Theatre from Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st September. Using Arts Council Funding we’ve got three exciting new shows coming to the Albany, plus a Q and A, perfect for theatre fans. We can’t wait to show off these shows, all of which have links to Coventry, and support local talent.
The first show hitting the Spotlight stage is Unleashed, coming to the Albany for it’s very first performance. This show was written by a local Coventry playwright at Playwriting workshops that we held over the summer, making it the perfect fit for our festival. The play is from the point of view of a dominatrix and unpacks shame and sexuality in our modern world. Full of playful audience interaction, raw honesty and a deeply personal undercurrent this is an exciting new play we can’t wait to share with you. Plus Unleashed is free, just book a ticket and come along to this relaxed, bare bones production, and let the story do the talking.
Later on Saturday, we’ve got One Kiss, a one-woman musical that previously played at the Edinburgh Fringe. When Georgia is handed a book on her 16th birthday it becomes the thread linking three women’s lives. Georgia, stuck in an unhappy marriage, her best friend Shirley, now a night club singer, and Georgia’s mother, the orchestrator of her downfall. Riotously funny and profoundly touching with eight original songs, you won’t want to miss this exciting new musical.
On the Sunday, we’re starting off with a free Creative Panel and Q&A, where attendees can learn more about the theatre industry. Alan Pollock, our very own theatre manager and a playwright in his own right, will chair the panel, with guests including Nick Walker from theatre group Talking Birds who recently created and wrote the BBC crime drama ‘Annika’. Ask questions and take part in the discussion with these industry titans.
In the evening we’ve got another new show, At Last, a terrifying parable of life in the aftermath of a dictatorship. Watch in horror as those left in the ashes try to rebuild society, but risk making the very same mistakes. From the point of view of an ordinary family, this what-if story has never been more relevant and thought-provoking.
We hope to see you at In the Spotlight, whether you want to see all the plays or a specific one that’s caught your eye, we can’t wait to have you!