Going for gold at Belgrade

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THEY will be going for gold at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre ahead of the London Olympics.

Alexander Galin’s gritty 1980 Moscow Olympics drama, Stars in the Morning Sky can be seen in the Belgrade’s intimate B2 auditorium until April 7.

It tells the story of a group of women, who, after being branded as prostitutes by the authorities, find themselves banned from the streets of Moscow during the Games.

In a bid to show the world a cleaned-up version of life in the Soviet Union these troubled and vulnerable women are banished to a disused mental hospital on the edge of the city. On one unforgettable night, there is both brutality and unexpected romance, as the characters discover what is precious to them – and cling to it for dear life.

This new version has been written by award-winning Coventry playwright Chris Hannan and will be directed by the Belgrade’s Artistic Director Hamish Glen.

Hamish said: “It’s important to produce this play now, in the year of the London 2012 Olympics, as prostitutes are being moved out of the King’s Cross area and gypsies from the East End because at heart, it’s about those who are excluded from a national celebration.

“The Russian characters in Galin’s original play have a deep connection to the culture of their country. This idea of a shared culture is crucial to the play, so instead of transferring the action to a multicultural London, we will be using Irish voice to represent Moscow in 1980. Irish culture is similar to Russian in that there is a really strong sense of identity and the Irish people tend to have a deep-rooted affinity to their own culture, literature and traditions.”

Along with the Belgrade’s revival of its FA Cup play We Love You City, Stars in the Morning Sky has been granted the Inspire mark by the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises innovative projects directly inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Tickets are available from the box office on 024 7655 3055 or via www.belgrade.co.uk priced from £8.25 to £19.25.