Community
This event has passed
Friends Leyla and Zoya are polar opposites. Zoya is pampered, indulged and lacking purpose, and Leyla is hardworking, dependable and dedicates her time to helping others. Zoya has lived a privileged (spoilt!) life in a nice part of town, whereas Leyla lives on the other side of town with her housemate Khalil, a refugee from Syria.
When Zoya’s parents cut her off, she turns to old friend Leyla for help. Comedy ensues when Zoya is forced to start volunteering at the community centre and actually start thinking about others for once.
Things are going well until Zoya lets Leyla down at a talent contest at the community centre, just as her parents offer her the opportunity to go back home. Will Zoya bite their hand off or will she stay and fix things with Leyla?
Set in the heart of Birmingham, Community is a coming-of-age comedy drama exploring identity and belonging, and friendship.
A graduate of Rep Foundry and a proud Brummie, Farrah writes about relationships, identity and race through the lens of a woman of colour in today’s world.
Price
From £10
Special Offers
Aged 16 to 25 Discounted tickets are available for this production for registered 16-25 members. T&Cs apply – Find Out More
3 for 2: Add 3 shows into your basket and at checkout enjoy 33% off each production for selected productions. T&Cs apply – Find Out More
Rep Friends
Become a Rep Friend and save up to 15% with no transaction fees, plus many more membership benefits. T&Cs apply – Find Out More
Supported by
The Sir Barry Jackson Trust
Written by
Farrah Chaudhry
Directed by
Alice Chambers
Age Guidance
11+
Please note, no under 5s will be admitted to the auditorium.
Content Advice
Please note that this production contains flashing lights.
The show also contains occasional strong language, and references to war and grief.
Running time
Approximately 90 minutes without an interval
Access Performances
Audio Described: Thu 6 Feb 2pm (described by Julia Grundy & Carolyn Smith)
A Free Touch Tour is available to book at 1pm before the Audio Described performance.
BSL Interpreted: Sat 8 Feb 2pm (interpreted by Harjit Jagdev)
Captioned: Wed 5 Feb 8pm (captioned by Cara Lawless)
Chilled Performance: Thu 6 Feb 2pm
Post Show Talk
A post show talk will take place after the performance on Fri 7 Feb 8pm.
Freesheet
Fees and Charges
Please note there is a transaction fee of £3.50 on all payment types.
Sustainability
Community is aiming for Intermediate Theatre Green Book standard. Achieving this for a production about Birmingham is especially important for us as a theatre as we all have a responsibility to look after this city that we all love.
Venue
Production Photos
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Photo by Graeme Braidwood.
Cast
Sabrina Nabi
Sabrina Nabi trained at the University of Wolverhampton and National Youth Theatre.
She has taken to the stage in many productions in venues including here at The Rep, The Crescent Theatre, The Drayton Arms Theatre and Omnibus Theatre.
Sabrina has worked with many regional arts organisations including Untied Artists, Black Country Touring and The Playhouse in various community led and children’s participation project. She was part of the Sky Comedy Rep in 2023 and Kali Theatre Labs earlier this year.
Kerena Jagpal
Kerena Jagpal trained at the Oxford School of Drama.
Theatre credits include: Community (Birmingham Rep), Drop the Dead Donkey (Hat Trick & Simon Friend productions), Brown Girl Noise (Haldi & Co), Mismatch & Twitch (Sky Comedy Rep), Circle Game (Southwark Playhouse) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 13, The Cosmonaut’s Last Message To The Woman He Once Loved In The Former Soviet Union, Tiger Country (training).
Workshop credits include: The Ghost Of Thomas Kempe (RSC).
Television credits include: Outnumbered – Christmas special (BBC), DI Ray (ITV) and 3 Body Problem (Netflix).
Film credits include: 100 Nights of Hero (Amazon Studios)
Sayyid Aki
Sayyid Aki, born in Damascus and raised in West London, is thrilled to be making his professional stage debut at the Birmingham Rep. With a background in writing and directing short films and fringe theatre, Sayyid has trained in acting under Robyn Paterson and Toby Clarke.
Creative Team
Writer
Farrah Chaudhry
Farrah Chaudhry
Director
Alice Chambers
Alice Chambers
Alice is a director and dramaturg in Birmingham; her work centres on new writing, radical imagination & deadpan humour.
Assistant Director & Movement Director
Hamza Ali
Hamza Ali
Composer
Felix Dubs
Felix Dubs
Production Designer
Jida Akil
Jida Akil
Lighting Designer
Jodie Underwood
Jodie Underwood
Sound Designer
Clive Meldrum
Clive Meldrum
Previously at The Rep: Good For a Girl; Community; Love & Rebellion Festival; Order & Chaos Festival; Parklife; Uncommon Riches Festival; GrimeBoy; The Play What I Wrote; Sky Comedy Rep; Constructed; Blue/Orange; Stuff; Elephant; I Knew You; To Sir With Love; The Quiet House; The Rotters’ Club; Folk; Unknown Male; The Mother; Tweet Tweet; Respect; Cling To Me Like Ivy; Last Easter; How To Tell The Monsters From The Misfits; Bulletproof Soul; Looking For Yoghurt and Hopelessly Devoted.
Other theatre credits include: Bright Places (Carbon Theatre); Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan the Musical (BOA Group); Shrive, Faustus: That Damned Woman, Bad Roads, Serious Money, The Trojan Women, The Penolopiad, The Learning Lottery, How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found, Byrthrite, Animal Farm, The Red Vial and The Visit (University of Birmingham).
As Associate Sound Designer: Counting & Cracking – UK tour (Belvoir), Family Tree – UK tour (Actors Touring Company), Rebel Music – (Middle Child Theatre/Birmingham Rep)
Audio work: Chase Tales Trail – Cannock Chase Heritage Trail audio walk (Cannock Chase Council & Birmingham Rep)
Clive is also a visiting lecturer at University of Birmingham and BOA Stage & Screen.
Production Stage Manager
Elliot Mitchell
Elliot Mitchell
Deputy Stage Manager
Jeanette Maggs
Jeanette Maggs
Jeanette has a background in Sound, AV and Production Management, and has been working in Theatre as Company Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager roles for the last ten years.
Recent credits include: Northanger Abbey ( Orange Tree Theatre, London / Octagon Theatre, Bolton / SJT Theatre, Scarborough / Theatre by the Lake, Keswick – Co Pro 2023), Little Red Riding Hood (The Rep, Birmingham 2023), Not The Last (Women And Theatre, Birmingham 2023), Biscuits For Breakfast (Hampstead Theatre, London 2023 ), and Run Rebel (Pilot Theatre, Tour, 2023)
Event has passed