FAITHFUL RUSLAN - THE STORY OF A GUARD DOG and More Set for 10th Anniversary Season at Belgrade Theatre

Autumn 2017 will mark the 10th Anniversary of the Belgrade Theatre's B2 Auditorium with a landmark production of Faithful Ruslan - The Story of a Guard Dog co-produced with the Glasgow's Citizen's Theatre and directed by the internationally renowned Helena Kaut-Howson.

Based on the cult novel by Georgi Vladimov and translated by Michael Glenny, this powerful new play performed by an ensemble cast of 13 actors is set amidst the dissolution of the Gulag prison camps following the death of Joseph Stalin. The unrelentingly loyal Ruslan is left purposeless without the guidance of his master, like many other guard dogs at the time, in this gripping allegory for post-Revolution Russia.

Faithful Ruslan - The Story of a Guard Dog follows on from the success of previous collaborations between Kaut-Howson and the Belgrade on their productions of Sons Without Fathers and Uncle Vanya with Arcola Theatre.

Helena Kaut-Howson said, "I laughed and cried when I first read the story of the proud, unconditionally loving Ruslan, who was also a vicious prison guard dog. This was the greatest short book I've read in years. Harrowing, compassionate and darkly funny, it was rightly recognised as masterpiece. What it had to say about the condition of man and animal was brutal but unerringly true."

She added, "The allegory of enslavement to an ideology compares interestingly to that in Animal Farm, another book that works brilliantly on stage, and is more grown up in its disillusionment, than in War Horse. It appeals to the animal lover in us all and plays on our sense of betrayed hopes, the hopes of the revolution as well as the hopes of genuine alliance between humans, animals and nature. "

Premiering on the Main Stage in October is the Coventry musical Godiva Rocks, from the creative team behind the smash-hit Coventry Blitz play One Night in November.

Written by Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, Godiva Rocks tells the story of boy meets girl and a missing tape which sparks a search for the ultimate 'Coventry sound' set to a soundtrack of over 20 classic songs by Coventry artists from the 1960s to present day.

Godiva Rocks continues the Belgrade's commitment to staging productions that reflect the stories of the city and region, such as Nick Walker's FA Cup play, We Love You City and, more recently, Bob Eaton's 2 Tone Musical Three Minute Heroes.

The B2 10th Anniversary celebrations continue with Pink Sari Revolution, a remarkable true story based on the book by award-winning journalist Amana Fontanella-Khan, produced in partnership with Curve, West Yorkshire Playhouse and English Touring Theatre.

In 2006, Sampat Pal formed an army of over 400,000 pink-sari wearing Indian women known as the Gulab Gang, who fought for the rights of women in the "Badlands" of Uttar Pradesh, where violence against women can be traced back into Indian mythology.

Pink Sari Revolution will unite a team of award-winning Indian and British Asian artists including Curve Associate Director Suba Das and writer Purva Naresh, who has adapted Pink Sari Revolution for the stage as part of UK/India 2017 - a year-long celebration to mark India's 70 years of independence and showcase British and Indian creativity.

The Belgrade will uphold its reputation one of the country's best producers of traditional pantomime, with this year's festive family treat, Cinderella, in association with Imagine Theatre.

The rags-to-riches tale, will once again be written and directed by Iain Lauchlan, who holds a career spanning almost 40 years in children's entertainment, having presented BBC Playdays for eight years and Fingermouse, as well as producing children's TV favourites Fun Song Factory and The Tweenies and most recently voicing the character of Chef Seymor Tattie on Bob the Builder.

Iain will also take on the role of dame for his 23rd Belgrade pantomime alongside stage sidekick Craig Hollingsworth as Buttons, who together, have cemented their reputation with Coventry audiences as a much-loved comedy duo.

Continuing another festive tradition at the Belgrade, B2 will host a brand new, alternative Christmas comedy, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Sisters throughout December. Written by Nick Walker, this hour-long show will provide festive grown-up entertainment, as Cinderella is given a Wild West (Midlands) makeover.

In addition to its home-produced work, the Belgrade will present a range of high-quality touring shows including Graeae Theatre Company's Reasons to be Cheerful - the ultimate Ian Dury and the Blockheads musical, family classics The Tiger Who Came to Tea and The Railway Children, the Agatha Christie Company's A Judgement in Stone, Madness musical Our House, Vamos Theatre's Finding Joy and children's show Santa's Mixed Up Martian.

Completing the B2 10th Anniversary Season is a variety of new-writing performed by Belgrade's Springboard Companies, including Hymns for Robots by Noctium Theatre Company and Freeman by Strictly Arts.

Tickets for all of these shows are available now by calling the Belgrade Theatre Box Office team on 024 7655 3055 or book online at www.belgrade.co.uk where tickets are cheaper.

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IF YOU GO:

The Belgrade Theatre, Citizens Theatre Glasgow and KP Productions Ltd present
Faithful Ruslan - The Story of a Guard Dog
A play based on the cult novel by Georgi Vladimov
Translated by Michael Glenny
Adapted for the stage and directed by Helena Kaut-Howson
Sat 2 - Sat 16 Sept 2017 (Belgrade Theatre, B2)
Press Night: Tues 5 Sept, 7pm

The Belgrade Theatre presents
Godiva Rocks
The Coventry Musical
Written by Alan Pollock
Directed by Hamish Glen
Sat 7 - Sat 21 Oct 2017 (Belgrade Theatre, Main Stage)
Press Night: Tues 10 Oct, 7pm

A Belgrade Theatre, Curve Theatre Leicester and West Yorkshire Playhouse co-production in association with English Touring Theatre
Pink Sari Revolution
A true story based on the book by Amana Fontanella Khan
Adapted for the stage by Purva Navesh
Directed by Suba Das
Weds 11 - Sat 21 Oct 2017 (Belgrade Theatre, B2)
Press Night: Thurs 12 Oct, 7pm

The Belgrade Theatre in association with Imagine Theatre presents
Cinderella
Written and Directed by Iain Lauchlan
Weds 22 Nov 2017 - Sat 13 Jan 2018 (Belgrade Theatre, Main Stage)
Press Night: Fri 24 Nov, 7pm

The Belgrade Theatre presents
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Sisters
Written by Nick Walker
Mon 4 - Sat 24 Dec 2017 (Belgrade Theatre, B2)
Press Night: Thurs 7 Dec, 8pm

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