The festival, funded by Arts Council England, aims to nurture new talent and champion work with strong ties to the region – and will include the premiere of a daring new play about the life of a dominatrix, an original musical fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe, and an acclaimed dystopian tale chronicling the fallout of a totalitarian regime in the UK.
Unleashed, a brand-new play by Rugby-based writer Siobhan Healey, which has been developed through the Albany’s playwriting workshops, will kick off the festival on Saturday at 5pm.
The play, which unpacks themes of shame and sexuality with raw honesty and wit, will be free to watch.
Saturday also sees the return of One Kiss, a one-woman musical by Earlsdon-based Lara J West, presented by One Voice Theatre Company, after featuring at the Edinburgh Fringe.
On Sunday from 4pm, audiences are invited to a free Creative Panel and Q&A, chaired by Coventry-based multidisciplinary artist and producer Nyasha Daley and featuring industry guests and local theatre makers.
Closing the festival on Sunday evening is At Last, a haunting new play presented by critically acclaimed Proforça Theatre Company and directed by Walsgrave-born David Brady, which explores the aftermath of a far-right government’s fall after 10 years in office.
All events will take place in the Spotlight Studio Theatre. The multi-purpose space, which can host up to 110 audience members, was created as part of the Albany’s major £3 million redevelopment, which was completed in 2024.
The two-day festival is the first major public showcase led by the Albany’s new Theatre Director Alan Pollock.
The celebrated playwright behind One Night in November, who grew up in Coventry and joined the Albany earlier this summer, hopes the event will inspire more in the city to explore their creative talents.
Alan said: “We hear a lot about discovering new voices – but what I’m really interested in are Coventry voices and Midlands stories. The industry’s great at spotting talent, but we want to make sure we are sustaining it.
“In the Spotlight isn’t just a launchpad for a brilliant new play, but a chance to give two existing pieces the second outing they deserve as we look to inspire and empower the next generation of local writers and performers.
“As a Coventry kid myself, this is exactly the kind of work I believe in – offering meaningful platforms, nurturing creative careers, and helping our city’s talent shine on the Albany stage and beyond.”
To book or find out more, visit www.albanytheatre.co.uk
