Announcing new shows and projects to celebrate 50 years
Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep, Sean Foley, announces further projects to mark 50 years of the theatre on centenary square.
The Rep is delighted to announce new shows and projects as we continue to celebrate our 50th birthday season. Scroll down to see the full programme.
Following the celebratory reopening of Birmingham Rep this autumn with critically acclaimed productions of East Is East, the brand new musical What’s New Pussycat? and the presentation of Grenfell: Value Engineering, Artistic Director Sean Foley announces a new collection of work to follow his own production of the classic comedy The Play What I Wrote. The season continues Foley’s aim of bringing artistically ambitious popular theatre to the Rep and Birmingham: the programme includes brand new musicals, new writing that explores issues of class and race, reinventions of classics, and combines work from established and new talent alike. Representing the diversity of people and artistic form in UK theatre, the season also marks a clear determination to put artists and talent development at the heart of the Rep’s work.
Re-opening The Rep after such a long close-down has been an exhilarating, somewhat hair-raising, and occasionally genuinely electrifying experience. Welcoming audiences back, and re-starting work with great artists, has had an extraordinary rejuvenating effect: it is the life-blood of any theatre, and everyone working at The Rep has been thrilled by the response to our productions. We are so grateful that our 25th Anniversary production of East is East went on to re-open the NT’s Lyttleton, and that What’s New Pussycat? has been such a huge hit with audiences. Now, we continue to toast The Rep’s 50th Anniversary in its Centenary Square home with new shows that innovate, investigate and celebrate. I am particularly thrilled that Birmingham artists are well represented throughout the season, and that Madeleine Kludje will be directing her first show as Associate Director for The Rep. For over 100 years The Rep has been the home of the new in UK theatre, and we are as excited as ever to invite audiences to the original ‘you had to be there’ experience of live theatre.” – Sean Foley
Presented by Birmingham Rep and The Children’s Theatre Partnership
By George Orwell
Adapted and directed by Robert Icke
The animals of Manor Farm drive out the farmer to rule the farm themselves. A revolution. And then what – freedom? All animals to be free. All animals to be equal. But some are more equal than others.
Old Major, the prize boar, calls the animals of Manor Farm together. He has a strange dream of a better, brighter future. How will the animals fare as his vision unfolds?
George Orwell’s world-famous fable tells the story of a revolution and its aftermath. The timeless story has been re-imagined by an award-winning creative team in a bold, imaginative and contemporary new production which is accessible to all.
Animal Farm is directed by Robert Icke, whose version of 1984 (co-adapted and directed with Duncan Macmillan) was a smash-hit in the West End and on Broadway. This production features puppetry designed and directed by Toby Olie (whose credits include War Horse) and stage design by four-time Olivier award-winner Bunny Christie.
The Covid-19 Variations: A Piano Drama
Presented by Birmingham Rep
By Richard Thomas and Alison Jackson
Directed by Sean Foley
A powerful and entertaining take on the last 18 months, The Covid-19 Variations: A Piano Drama is a unique and outrageously funny film and concert in one. Starring everyone from Donald Trump and Stormzy, to Duran Duran and the Royal Family – because everyone has lived through Covid – the film/concert is a World Premiere.
Olivier Award-winning Richard Thomas composed The Covid-19 Variations after having Covid twice. Inspired by his music, BAFTA-winning artist Alison Jackson has created 19 short films for each of the Covid-19 Variations, drawn from her world of fake news, alternative facts, and celebrity lookalikes, and commemorating life in the time of Covid. A Gershwin-esque 23 minute musical riff on our changed world, the music is performed live by world-renowned Birmingham-born pianist Philip Edward Fisher.
BE FESTIVAL
11-19 February
The Rep is delighted to be partnering with BE FESTIVAL once again to present this special winter programme. It features work from Switzerland, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Spain and Belgium. Stretching the boundaries of what theatre can be and dealing with a wide range of important contemporary issues. The full programme will be announced soon.
Coming to England
Presented by Birmingham Rep, Floella Benjamin, Keith Taylor and Nicoll Entertainment
A musical journey for families of all ages
From the book by Floella Benjamin
Adapted by David Wood
Adaptor: David Wood
Director and Choreographer: Omar Okai
Creative Consultant: Tyrone Huggins (Associate Artist of Birmingham Repertory Theatre)
Set and Lighting Designer: Bretta Gerecke
Sound Designer: Annie May Fletcher
Casting Director: Annelie Powell
Associate Producer: Keith Taylor
Floella Benjamin is delighted to announce the creative team for this world premiere production. Long term collaborator David Wood (The Gingerbread Man, The Papertown Paperchase) joins director and choreographer Omar Okai (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Ruthless!), The Rep Associate Artist Tyrone Huggins (I Was A Rat!, Of Mice & Men, Perpetua, Season’s Greetings), and design team Bretta Gerecke (East is East, Tartuffe for the RSC, Cirque du Soleil) and Annie May Fletcher (If You Love Me This Might Hurt, Endurance) and casting director Annelie Powell (What’s New Pussycat?), to bring Benjamin’s story to life in this brand new musical.
GrimeBoy
Presented by Birmingham Rep
Written by Casey Bailey and directed by Madeleine Kludje
The first full theatre production from award-winning poet and performer, Casey Bailey.
Everybody has dreams, and my dream has always been easy to say, and nearly impossible to achieve. I want to be the biggest Grime MC in the country.
The unmissable new play from the Birmingham Poet Laureate. Directed by The Rep’s Associate Director Madeleine Kludje with set design by Ebrahim Nazier.
Casey Bailey is a writer, performer and educator, born and raised in Nechells, Birmingham, UK. Casey is the Birmingham Poet Laureate 2020 – 2022 and the Greater Birmingham Future Face of Arts and Culture 2020.
Casey’s second full poetry collection Please Do Not Touch was published by Burning Eye in 2021. Casey’s debut play ‘GrimeBoy’ was commissioned by the The Rep in 2020. He was commissioned by the BBC to write ‘The Ballad of The Peaky Blinders’ in 2019. In 2020 the poem was internationally recognised, winning a Webby Award. Casey has performed his poetry nationally, and internationally.
Madeleine Kludje is currently the associate director at The Rep and is an alumni of The Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme. Past work as Director and Dramaturg includes; City of 1000 Trades (Birmingham Royal Ballet and The Rep) Swim, Aunty Swim R&D by Siana Bangura (English Touring Theatre) and Brummie Iliad (The Rep).
Priority booking is now open, and general booking opens on Saturday 4 December.
Playboy of the West Indies – The Musical
Presented by Birmingham Rep and Nick of Time
Based on the Irish Classic The Playboy of the Western World, Mustapha Matura’s hilarious reinvention Playboy of the West Indies has been delighting audiences and critics alike world-wide for over 35 years.
And now bursting with songs this classic play has been transformed into a glorious NEW Musical: a toe-tapping, finger-snapping score with romantic ballads all firmly rooted in the Caribbean by Clement Ishmael (Five Guys Named Moe, Aint’ Misbehaving and The Lion King), Nicolas Kent (Grenfell Value Engineering, Ain’t Misbehavin, Colour of Justice and Tricycle Theatre), Dominique Le Gendre (Royal Opera House, Shakespeare Globe Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company) and Mustapha Matura.
Priority booking is now open, and general booking opens on Saturday 4 December.
The White Card
Presented By Birmingham Rep, Northern Stage, Leeds Playhouse and Soho Theatre in association with HOME Manchester.
Written by Claudia Rankine and directed by Natalie Ibu
The UK and European premiere of Claudia Rankine’s first published play, The White Card poses the question: can society progress when whiteness remains invisible? Written in 2019 during an increasingly racially divided America and before the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests rippled across the globe, a wealthy, privileged white couple invite a talented Black artist to dinner. Tensions run high and a heated debate uncovers some uncomfortable truths that can’t be ignored about white privilege, cultural appropriation and representation.
Be an ally, be in the room, be in the conversation. The White Card invites us all to play our part in the debate.
Priority booking is now open, and general booking opens on Saturday 4 December.
Alan Parker’s Bugsy Malone
Birmingham Rep, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Kenny Wax present The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production
Play by Alan Parker, Words and Music by Paul Williams.
Birmingham Rep, Theatre Royal Bath Productions and Kenny Wax present a brand new production of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s universally acclaimed revival of Bugsy Malone.
Alan Parker’s world famous musical, based on his hit movie, will open at Theatre Royal Bath from 2 July 2022, followed by The Rep, before further venues to be announced. Directed by Sean Holmes and Choreographed by The Rep Artistic Associate Drew McOnie, this new production will be casting a young company of 39 actors (including 3 teams of 7 kids) to tour the U.K. from next summer.
Packed with instantly recognisable songs from Oscar-winner Paul Williams including My Name is Tallulah, You Give A Little Love and Fat Sam’s Grand Slam, Bugsy Malone is a masterclass of musical comedy with one of the most joyously uplifting finales in musical theatre.
Priority booking is now open, and general booking opens on Saturday 4 December.
Sky Comedy Rep
This inaugural short comedy play festival is the culmination of our new comedy writing talent development scheme with SKY STUDIOS. Headed by REP Artistic director, Sean Foley, and SKY Creative Director of Comedy, Anil Gupta, this new yearly bursary and mentorship scheme gives 9 early-career comedy writers the opportunity to have their ideas and scripts developed in collaboration with the finest talents in the industry.
The 3-day festival will see their scripts produced and performed in The Studio at The Rep by a specially cast ‘repertory company’ of comic actors. Directed by The Rep’s own in-house directors – Sean Foley, Madeleine Kludje and Iqbal Khan – the festival will also have masterclasses, talks and special events led by comedy heroes from across the industry.
Birmingham’s own Dame Julie Walters is the Patron of Sky Comedy Rep.
Foundry3
Foundry has been one of The Rep’s signature talent development strands since 2013. Focussing on the development of individual artists’ practice, it has been one of the most successful talent development programmes in UK theatre: previous Foundry alumni have gone on to work throughout the UK theatre industry in venues including Leeds Playhouse, Home Manchester, Royal Shakespeare Company, Sherman Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Bush Theatre, Paines Plough, BAC and many more. Now, after a hiatus caused by the pandemic, Foundry will return in 2022. With a radically different approach, the new Foundry will combine artist development with community engagement. Artists will be working in community settings, with local non-professional participants, to co-create new works that celebrate the unique and often underrepresented voices from across the city and region. This programme of work will be totally accessible for deaf and disabled artists and participants. The Rep will centre the work around D/deaf and disabled artists and participants. This new Foundry is made possible by funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Ramps on the Moon. Eight community artists per year will be developed over the two years of the programme. 16 artists in total will be trained, and be able to develop their professional co-creative practice while also developing the creativity and confidence of communities.
Artistic Associates
A new Artistic Associate was also announced today. Joining Mohammed Ali, Lolita Chakrabarti, Paul Hunter, Tyrone Huggins, Debbie Isitt, Lorna Laidlaw, Drew McOnie, Meera Syal and Richard Thomas will be Caroline Wilkes.
Caroline is a theatre maker and director creating work across the Midlands and the UK. She is an associate director at New Vic Theatre, a Graeae Beyond Artist and an RTYDS Connect Artist. She has directed large scale community theatre productions as well as being an artistic associate with a large mental health trust. Current projects include ‘Cool’, an adaptation of a Michael Morpurgo novel, with The Rep and Birmingham Children’s Hospital.