Love seeing new work but can't make it to the Edinburgh Festival? Don't worry - head to the Belgrade!

As part of the Coventry venue's See It First programme, enjoy a line-up of new work, scratch nights and work-in-progress performances from some of the Midlands' most exciting creatives. Previewing at the Belgrade prior to the Fringe, do not miss your chance to get a first look at the next theatrical smash-hit.

See It First will also be the first opportunity for audiences to see work performed in The Jag - a brand-new space for creative workshops and performances, located just a few doors along from the main Belgrade building on Corporation Street, in the former basement bar, The Jaguar (hence the name!). 

Sat 19 July, 7pm - Blindspot Scratch Night

Blindspot Nights is a Coventry-based scratch night dedicated to bringing working/under-class theatre out of your blind spot. Find out more

Wed 23 July, 6.15pm - Breeders

Breeders intertwines the stories of two queer couples in Birmingham decades apart - Tom and Georgie in the 1980s and Jo and Stevie in the 2020s - as they navigate love, fear, and the complexities of building family. Find out more

Wed 23 July, 8pm - Playing Poetry: Coventry Showcase

Apples and Snakes are proud to platform the next generation of performance poets in an evening of scratch shows from the most exciting voices coming out of Coventry. Find out more

Thurs 24 July, 6.15pm - Sepondment

Wade in with lifeguard Nikki for an evening of cabaret as she cracks the secret to surviving London life. Pondlife that is. Find out more

Fri 25 July, 6.15pm - Lovett

Set before she encounters Sweeney Todd, find out what ultimately led Mrs Lovett to turn his victims into pies... Find out more

Fri 25 & Sat 26 July, 7.45pm - Consumed (Previews taking place in the B2 Studio)

Winner of the Women's Prize for Playwriting, Karis Kelly's play is a pitch-black and twisted tale of dysfunctional family dynamics, generational trauma and national boundaries. Find out more

Sat 26 July, 6.15pm - This Blighted Star

A local student vanishes. A town's anxieties surface... Ivan's been missing for two weeks. A young CCTV operator is determined to find him. Find out more

The See It First programme takes place in The Jag, the Belgrade's new creative workshop and performance space, located just a few doors along from the main Belgrade building on Corporation Street, in the former basement bar, The Jaguar (hence the name!)

All manner of exciting plans are in place for The Jag, and they start with some performances from the See It First programme. Here’s what you need to know:

• Capacity is limited so please book in advance if you can. Tickets are available online or from the Belgrade Box Office. If you can’t book in advance there will be a pop-up Box Office at The Jag itself, if there is ticket availability.
• There is a lift to allow wheelchair access to the performance space but access is via a corridor which is 90cm wide at its narrowest point. That means we’re unable to accommodate chairs that are wider than a standard wheelchair.
• The Jag performance area is in the basement. It’s incredibly atmospheric but be aware that it’s a dark space with a low ceiling and no windows.