In the Bar
16th April from 19:30 to 21:00
In the Bar
25th April from 19:30 to 21:00
In the Bar
30th April from 19:30 to 21:00
Earlsdon Festival - TBC
In the Bar and Foyer
1st May from 10:00 to 17:00
In the Bar
12th May from 20:00 to 21:00
One of the unexpected joys of lockdown was the Zoom play-reading
circle organised by the Criterion theatre in Coventry, transporting us
to different worlds, in a diverse and often distant company of theatre
lovers.
Some led to productions, including 'The Gift' early this year and 'The
Welkin' scheduled for 2023. 'Maryland' was performed on-line. It also
meant that Criterion contacts from around the country could join in
without having to brave the Coventry ring road. And enjoy a glass or
two.
The readings are free to attend (although of course we pay for the
rights) and but we think it’s important to broaden our horizons and
build on that earlier good work.
So, as the nights draw in, why not come and escape from it all? You
can read a part, stage directions or just sit back and listen -
it’s totally up to you.
If you would like to read please email lucyhayton@hotmail.com and
include your name, approximate age and ethnicity so we can allocate
parts as appropriately as possible (although be prepared to read
anything!).
Hope to see you then. And please do spread the word, all are welcome.
27th April 2023 - 8pm- Pomona by Alistair McDowell
[https://www.concordtheatricals.co.uk/s/57043/pomona]
Ollie's sister is missing. Searching Manchester in desperation, she
finds all roads lead to Pomona - an abandoned concrete island at the
heart of the city.
Here at the centre of everything, journeys end and nightmares are
born.
A sinister and surreal thriller from Alistair
McDowall, _Pomona_ received its world premiere at the Orange Tree
Theatre, London, on 12 November 2014.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsd-uqrz8uGtxjFgTOr9ia3u3KqNzZKI7R
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the meeting.
25th May 2023 - 8pm - Iman Qureshi - Ministry of Lesbian Affairs
[https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/plays-to-perform/ministry-of-lesbian-affairs]
It’s 2022. There’s a rainbow flag in every high street window,
and no lesbian bar. Enter The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs: a lesbian
choir on a mission to unite a disparate and dwindling community. Led
by a world-weary conductor, the choir flirt, gossip and attempt to
sing their way onto the main stage at Pride. This is a heart-warming
and musical comedy about love, queerness, and belonging. No singing
will be required as part of the reading!
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsd-uqrz8uGtxjFgTOr9ia3u3KqNzZKI7R
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the meeting.
In the Comfort Of Your Home
27th April from 20:00 to 22:00
One of the unexpected joys of lockdown was the Zoom play-reading
circle organised by the Criterion theatre in Coventry, transporting us
to different worlds, in a diverse and often distant company of theatre
lovers.
Some led to productions, including 'The Gift' early this year and 'The
Welkin' scheduled for 2023. 'Maryland' was performed on-line. It also
meant that Criterion contacts from around the country could join in
without having to brave the Coventry ring road. And enjoy a glass or
two.
The readings are free to attend (although of course we pay for the
rights) and but we think it’s important to broaden our horizons and
build on that earlier good work.
So, as the nights draw in, why not come and escape from it all? You
can read a part, stage directions or just sit back and listen -
it’s totally up to you.
If you would like to read please email lucyhayton@hotmail.com and
include your name, approximate age and ethnicity so we can allocate
parts as appropriately as possible (although be prepared to read
anything!).
Hope to see you then. And please do spread the word, all are welcome.
25th May 2023 - 8pm - Iman Qureshi - Ministry of Lesbian Affairs
[https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/plays-to-perform/ministry-of-lesbian-affairs]
It’s 2022. There’s a rainbow flag in every high street window,
and no lesbian bar. Enter The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs: a lesbian
choir on a mission to unite a disparate and dwindling community. Led
by a world-weary conductor, the choir flirt, gossip and attempt to
sing their way onto the main stage at Pride. This is a heart-warming
and musical comedy about love, queerness, and belonging. No singing
will be required as part of the reading!
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcsd-uqrz8uGtxjFgTOr9ia3u3KqNzZKI7R
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the meeting.
In the Comfort Of Your Home
25th May from 20:00 to 22:00
News
At the Criterion Theatre we are always striving to provide a space for
performing arts where a diversity of stories can be told and voices
can be heard. This is primarily to entertain, but we also produce
challenging, thought-provoking and sometimes provocative theatre.
Alongside our own season of work, as a community theatre, we encourage
and empower individual artists and groups of artists to share our
theatre space and make creative work. This can mean that elements of
programmes cannot be in our full control. However, as set out in our
EDI policy [/../../../edi/edi-policy], we would like to reiterate our
commitment to inclusivity, where people should come into our theatre
and find a welcoming place, particularly for those most vulnerable in
our society. We come together in our love for theatre both regardless
of, and in due regard to: sex, race and ethnicity, age, disability,
religion and belief, sexual orientation and gender identity. The
Criterion Theatre is not a place where exclusionary views and
behaviours are accepted and we expect all members and visitors to
adhere to our EDI policy [/../../../edi/edi-policy].
We will constantly endeavour to meet the high values and standards we
have set ourselves. We welcome feedback and comment on any parts of
the programming taking place and particularly when we are felt to fall
short, from which we will do our very best to improve and learn in the
future.
The Board of Directors/Trustees
20th February
It is with the greatest sadness that I have to announce the death of
the last surviving Founder Member of the Criterion Theatre, Christine
Murly.
Christine, who had been in poor health this last year, and had been
settled back in Allesley Hall Nursing Home for the past few weeks
after a hospital stay, passed away quietly and peacefully on 11th
January. She was 93 years old and a much loved and respected member of
the Criterion Theatre family. She will be sadly missed by us all.
Without the vision and courage of Christine Harris (as she was called
then) and her fellow co-founders, who included her sister and
brother-in-law, Beryl and John Smith, there would be no Criterion
Theatre. In 1955 they formed the Criterion Players and Christine
became the first Company Secretary. After a number of years of
intensive fund raising they bought the old Methodist Chapel in
Earlsdon and took the personal risk of standing as guarantors for the
bank loan. We owe them an immense debt of gratitude.
She was a popular actress and also worked in many support roles
throughout her long involvement with the Company. Her work as a
teacher took her out of Coventry for a while but she never forgot her
spiritual home in Earlsdon; returning often to see productions and
attend special events. After her husband died she moved back to
Coventry again and picked up where she left off, working with her
customary enthusiasm at the Criterion. She was regularly seen on the
coffee bar and also provided experienced support with the junior drama
classes.
During the special event celebrating the Criterion Theatre’s 60th
celebration she was visibly moved by the realisation of what she’d
achieved and by the resounding ovation that the Company gave to her.
She was so very proud of being a Founder member – and so are we.
Our thoughts and love go out to Christine’s family at this difficult
time.
Christine’s funeral will take place at the Charter Chapel, Canley
Crematorium, Charter Avenue, Coventry at 11.30am on Monday 6th
February, 2023 followed by a gathering at Coventry Hearsall Golf Club,
Beechwood Avenue, Coventry.
Keith Railton
President
15th January
We are really pleased to be able to announce the 2023 season of
plays. Coming back after the Covid lockdown has been a difficult
journey, and there were different routes we could have taken. We have
decided to go big and be ambitious and I do hope that you will come
along with us for the ride!
We believe we have put together a season that is exciting, challenging
and with lots of interest for everyone. Now we really need everyone to
get behind the season, and this includes audiences, actors, backstage
teams and front of house. Come along and be part of a wonderful year
of theatre.
February 4-11
‘After Life’ by Jack Thorne
Directed by Anne-marie Greene
March 25-April 1
Programme to be confirmed.
This will be a festival of one act plays and short pieces, spoken
words, music and other creative events, in collaboration with our
local community.
June 17-24
‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’
by Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Debra Relton-Elves, Musical Director: Liam Walker
THE COST OF YOU
BY ANDREW SHARPE
July 12-15
'The Cost of You' by Andrew Sharpe
Directed by Chris Ingall
A Studio Production
September 2-9
‘Beryl’ by Maxine Peake
Directed by Helen Withers
October 21-28
‘The Welkin’ by Lucy Kirkwood
Directed by Nicol Cortese
December 9-16
‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ by Joseph Kesselring
Directed by Bill Butler
16th August
The Covid lockdown has provided an opportunity to reflect on a
number of issues, and one of these has been our position and policy on
equality, diversity and inclusion at the Criterion. We have always
prided ourselves on the way in which we aim to be open and welcoming
to everyone who comes through our doors. However, the recent demand
for change, born of George Floyd’s murder and the wider Black Lives
Matter movement has provided a particular catalyst for serious
reflection.
As a Board of Trustees, we have therefore worked to put together an
Anti-Racism Reflective Statement [/../../edi/blacklivesmatter] that
sets out our position and is not only a provocation to ourselves, but
also a set of aspirations and a call to action to make real change and
progress on equality, diversity and inclusion within our theatre.
Accompanying this, we have taken the opportunity to update our
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement
[/../../edi/edi-policy]. We think it is important to proudly state
our position, what we currently do, and what we plan to do to make
improvements in the future around EDI .
In order to move this agenda forward, we have produced an EDI Action
plan [/../../../edi/edi-action-plan] which will include positive
targets and review points . We are asking all our members, volunteers
and stakeholders to sign up to an ethos of equality, diversity and
inclusion, and to commit to furthering diversity within our company
and beyond it into the wider theatre and arts arena. We have also set
up an EDI working group, and would welcome contact from any individual
who feels they would like to be a part of this to
artisticdirector@criteriontheatre.co.uk. We are also pleased to be
involved in consultation with the Diversity in Theatre Group set up
recently involving members from local amateur theatres.
In the uncertain times ahead, we can look to move forward in a way
that is driven by a core aspiration for the Criterion Theatre to be a
demonstrable place of opportunity for all with diverse and brilliant
plays on stage and inclusive company and membership.
Anne-marie Greene
Artistic Director
29th March
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