Ryan and his gang were going to be mates forever. Living their lives in the same cycle as everyone else in a little town 20 miles from anywhere important. Living for the next night out. Living for the weekend. Getting into and out of trouble. Work. Pub. Sleep. Repeat.
Ryan and his gang have seen it all, done it all, lived it all. The nights they wished they could remember and the mornings after they’d rather forget.
Ryan and his gang were going to be mates forever – but then came the night when everything changed.
Developed by Proforca Theatre Company, Flashbang is inspired by the lives, voices and experiences of young people in towns like Coventry – places often overlooked in national storytelling, yet rich with humour, loyalty and complexity. The production is shaped by a Coventry-born and Midlands-grown creative team (Director David Brady and Movement Director Lucy Glassbrook), grounding the work in the rhythms, language and lived experience of the region.
Set in a town “twenty miles from anywhere important”, Flashbang follows five best mates navigating the nights, rituals and unspoken rules that define their friendship – and the moment everything begins to change. Told through movement, music and direct address, the piece shifts between humour and vulnerability, capturing the intensity of youth and the quiet weight of growing up.
The production has already received widespread critical acclaim, earning 11 four- and five-star reviews and Off West End Award nominations for Performance Ensemble and Sound Design, following its London transfer to Greenwich Theatre.
Flashbang is written by James Lewis and directed by David Brady and brought to you by the team at Proforca Theatre Company. The company’s previous productions, including At Last, Lately and The Shatter Box, have built a reputation for bold, ensemble-led new writing that connects deeply with audiences both inside and outside London. This visit to Coventry forms a key part of a wider regional tour designed to bring high-quality new writing into major venues across the Midlands and North, strengthening connections between audiences, artists and regional theatres.
