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Penmans experienced legal team are committed to providing legal services to the people of the West Midlands, Coventry and Warwickshire.
Find out more about all their services at penmanssolicitors.co.uk
In December 2025, The Theatres Trust, in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation, awarded the Criterion £12,000 from its “Theatre Improvement Scheme” to support the journey towards reducing our environmental impact.
Find out more about our environmental sustainability aims here
In 2026, the Theatre was awarded grant funding through Veolia's Environmental Trust to improve the building's environmental performance and sustainability. A range of improvements will be completed in 2027, enabling the theatre to continue it's journey towards becoming carbon neutral.
Find out more about our environmental sustainability aims here
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Shakespeare in Love
Based on the Academy Award-winning movie, this enchanting, hilarious, romantic stage play reimagines William Shakespeare's creative process – and explores his inspiration – as he writes Romeo and Juliet.
William Shakespeare hasn't written a hit in years, and theatre owner Henslowe is counting on Shakespeare's promised comedy, Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter, to keep his wolfish creditors from the door. At the casting session, Will hears his lines spoken with great feeling by an unknown young actor and his curiosity is fired. Soon he discovers the secret of the talented young actor and rediscovers his muse. As Shakespeare falls in love with an unattainable noblewoman, the farcical comedy transforms into the timeless tragedy that is Romeo and Juliet.
Reviews of the Play
"A cracking love letter to theatre itself that strikes gold in its stage version" WhatsOnStage
"Lee Hall’s adaptation preserves the wit of the original screenplay while adding some zest of its own... It has a fizzy, infectious exuberance." Evening Standard
"The writing is so witty and literate that it glitters. This is Tom Stoppard’s original work at its sparkling best, ably translated to the stage." The ReviewsHub
Further Auditions
Auditions will take place on June 23rd and 25th. See Audition Information for further details for locations, times, casting and audition process.
For further information about the play, casting requirements and auditions please contact the director Hugh Sorrill on hugh@coventryvision.org.uk
In line with our EDI policy, we undertake an EDI impact assessment of all our artistic programming. This play has no central diversity message. For the purposes of the story narrative, there are indications where specific playing gender identifications are called for and there are also recommendations of approximate playing ages. Otherwise there can be considerable flexibility around casting with regard to ethnicity, age and disability. Roles can be gender swapped.
Turning the Criterion Green
Turning the Criterion Green
Since 1961, the Criterion Theatre has entertained audiences from its home on Berkeley Road South, Earlsdon. For many years it has been recognised that our wonderful building needs modernising to take it into the future and to support all our users and visitors.
Thanks to an incredible gift left by Chris Murly (one of our founding members) and generous donations over many years we have been able to complete the Front of House redevelopment which officially opened in December 2025.
But that is just the start of our plans, with our sights now set on:
- Air conditioning in the auditorium and dressing rooms to remove the reliance on the Victorian heating system and improve our green credentials
- Investing in roof and wall insulation to make the building easier and cheaper to heat and cool
- Adding solar panels to our roof to generate electricity and support our net-zero challenge
- Replacement of the remaining Tungsten lights
As a volunteer-led, charitable theatre company we rely on the generosity of our volunteers, audience members and donors to continue a tradition that stretches back 70 years. If you feel you can help via a one-off donation, a regular contribution or playing the Criterion Lottery, please contact Barbara Sowerby at fundraising@criteriontheatre.co.uk to discuss how you can help or alternatively via our Just Giving page