Join us for a special, intimate Christmas party with one of the city's most popular bands live at The Criterion Theatre.   THE FNBC are the off-shoot project of the former top city covers band The Swains, and have been staging sold-out occasional gigs since they came up with the idea during the Covid crisis.   We're delighted to have them live at the Theatre on the last Friday Night Before Christmas to add to our seasonal festivities here at the Criterion. The band will be delivering two sets in our refurbished foyer, complete with Christmas flavours, surprise guests and their usual supply of eclectic covers. It's a night not to be missed.   Doors will be open at 7.30pm and limited tickets are available £10 (£5 Under 25s). You can purchase your ticket [https://www.criteriontheatre.co.uk/tickets] here for what is sure to be a great party night

"The Endurance of Ben" is a new book, which recounts the incredible story of the Criterion's legendary life President, Geoff Bennett. Geoff directed a mammoth 74 productions at the theatre between 1955 and 2010, and played a huge role in the establishment and subsequent success of the Criterion over 7 decades. But before the Criterion took centre stage, Geoff had already been engaged - as many of his age had - in a very different theatre. Written by his son Rich, the book chronicles the astonishing true story of his father's experience during World War2. Enlisting in the RAF in 1942, Geoff became a navigator in a Lancaster bomber, flying into the heart of Nazi Germany where the life expectancy of aircrew was brutally short. After nine harrowing missions, Geoff’s Lancaster was shot down over France. What followed was a descent into the darkest chapters of the war. From evading capture with the help of the French Resistance to eventual betrayal and imprisonment, Geoff’s journey led him through the notorious Fresnes Prison, and into the unimaginable horrors of Buchenwald concentration camp. This gripping memoir reveals the hidden history of the 168 Allied airmen illegally held at Buchenwald. It details their secret pact, the KLB Club, their struggle to maintain military discipline in the face of starvation and execution, and their eventual transfer to Stalag Luft III. Through the bitter cold of the Long March and the chaos of liberation, Geoff’s story is a testament to the unbreakable human spirit. The book is available through Amazon, both as a hardback and as an ebook. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1808961811

We are thrilled to announce the majority of our season of productions 2027. We think it is an exciting and powerful lineup exploring family secrets, dynamic duos, obsession, resilience, and community, with a range of new and older plays, crossing genres and styles. With work being undertaken to add air conditioning and solar panels to the auditorium in the Spring, we will be having a studio play in the bar in Spring. There will also be later announcements of additional productions for the Autumn. As a member of the audience, actors, backstage teams and front of house please do come along, get involved and be part of a wonderful year of theatre. All details are below and please look out for Open Reading and Audition notices as well as announcements of tickets going on sale for all these productions coming very soon. Welcome to our upcoming theatre season:   January 30th to February 6th : _Appropriate_ by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins March 10th-13th : Studio in the Bar: _The Road to Huntsville_ by Stephanie Ridings May 8th  to 15th : _Springboard Festival 2027_ June 26th to July 3rd : _Things I Know to be True_ by Andrew Bovell September 4th to 11th: _Stones in His Pockets_ by Marie Jones December 4th  to 11th: _The Full Monty _(The Play Not the Musical!) by Simon Beaufoy   MAIN HOUSE: JANUARY 30TH  TO FEBRUARY 4TH 2027 _Appropriate_ by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Directed by Dean Sheridan Written / Premiered: 2013; Cast: 8 (4 W, 3 M, 1 Youth) When the Lafayette siblings return to their late father’s crumbling Arkansas estate to settle his debts, they uncover a hidden photo album containing horrific historical artifacts. As long-buried rivalries ignite and secrets leak out, the family is forced to confront their shared history and implicit complicity in a dark past. _"A razor-sharp, fiercely funny, and devastating interrogation of American history."_ — The New York Times    STUDIO IN THE BAR: MARCH 10TH TO 13TH  2027 _The Road to Huntsville_ by Stephanie Ridings, Directed by Bill Butler Written / Premiered: 2016; Cast: 1(W) A playwright sets out to research women who fall in love with men on death row, only to find herself drawn into a dark, compelling rabbit hole. Travelling from Britain to Texas, this captivating and funny solo show explores love, crime, empathy, and our fascination with the monstrous. _"Fascinating, funny, and deeply unsettling... a compelling investigation into human connection."_ — The Stage   MAIN HOUSE: MAY 8TH TO 15TH 2027 SPRINGBOARD FESTIVAL 2027 Celebrating its 5th anniversary, Springboard provides a week of fabulous and varied entertainment in the form of short one act plays, poetry/spoken word, music, film, literary discussion and visual art. The festival brings together Coventry and Warwickshire amateur and professionals in one space, with in-house Criterion company performances and community/Criterion collaborations alongside external artists, musicians and poets.   MAIN HOUSE: JUNE 26TH TO JULY 3RD 2027 _Things I Know to be True_ by Andrew Bovell, Directed by Kelly Davidson and Connor Bailey Written / Premiered: 2016; Cast: 6 (3W, 3M) Set over the course of four seasons, this poignant drama follows Bob and Fran Price and their four adult children. As each child struggles to define their own identity, long-buried secrets surface, testing the resilience, unspoken tensions, and unconditional bounds of family love. _"A deeply moving, beautifully written portrait of modern family life that hits with real emotional power."_ — The Guardian   MAIN HOUSE: SEPTEMBER 4TH TO 11TH 2027 _Stones in His Pockets_ by Marie Jones, Directed by Richard Warren Written / Premiered: 1996; Cast: 2 (2M) When a massive Hollywood movie production takes over a quiet Irish village, two local extras find themselves caught between Tinseltown glamour and local reality. Following a sudden tragedy, the duo morphs effortlessly into fifteen distinct characters in a hilarious, tragicomic clash of cultures. _"A brilliant, tragicomic triumph that leaps off the stage with boundless energy."_ — The Irish Times   AUTUMN MAIN HOUSE AND STUDIO PRODUCTIONS TBA MAIN HOUSE: DECEMBER 4TH TO 11TH 2027 _The Full Monty_  by Simon Beaufoy, Directed by Anne-marie Greene Written / Premiered: 2013; Cast: 16 (4 W, 11 M, 1 Youth) Based on the BAFTA award winning 1997 film. Down on their luck after the collapse of Sheffield's steel industry, six unemployed men make a radical plan to earn quick cash by creating a male striptease act. As opening night approaches, they battle self-doubt to reveal far more than just their clothes in an uplifting story of solidarity. Critical Acclaim: _"An irresistibly hilarious, heart-warming crowd-pleaser with genuine emotional punch."_ — Daily Telegraph