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
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| Sean Foley Photo credit - Kris Askey |
of the classic comedy The Play What I Wrote. Featuring six world premieres, the season continues Foley’s aim of bringing artistically ambitious popular theatre to the Rep and Birmingham: The programme includes brand new musicals and 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.
Foley said: “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.”
The Park Bench Plays
Credit Hannah Kelly Photography
The Park Bench Plays on SKY
SKY Arts Transmission Date from 2 December 2021
Brainchild of The Rep's Artistic Director Sean Foley, this series of brand-new commissions brought together the work of some of UK theatre's biggest writing talents and comedians alongside emerging playwrights to create a suite of new plays that reflected our socially distanced times.
The ten-minute-long plays were written to be performed in pop-up locations throughout Birmingham - at bus stations, community centres, parks, public squares, foyers and train stations – surprising and delighting commuters, shoppers, residents and others going about their daily business in the city. A number of the plays have now been filmed and will be shown on Sky Arts from 2 December 2021.
Wider Still and Wider by David Edgar, directed by The Rep Associate Director, Madeleine Kludje
● Alisha Bailey as Vicks
● Oliver Cotton as Peter
Patties and Pakoras by Tanika Gupta, directed by The Rep Artistic Director, Sean Foley
● Mina Anwar as Sunita
● Delroy Brown as Sebastian
Lovely, Loving, Loved by Bryony Lavery, directed by The Rep Artistic Associate, Danny Alexander
● Carolyn Lyster as Annie
● Marsha Millar as Bernice
Lockdown Riddim by Robin French, directed by The Rep Associate Director, Madeleine Kludje
● Liam Jeavons as Terry
● Elexi Walker as Janelle
Mrs Williams and Mrs Nice by Janice Connolly, directed by The Rep Associate Director, Madeleine Kludje
● Janice Connolly as Mrs Barbara Nice
● Lorna Laidlaw as Mrs Williams
Birmingham Rep and The Children’s Theatre Partnership presents
Animal Farm
By George Orwell
Adapted and directed by Robert Icke
The House
22 January - 5 February 2022
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 Piano-19 Variations: A Piano Drama
The Covid-19 Variations: A Piano Drama
By Richard Thomas and Alison Jackson
Directed by Sean Foley
The House
8 - 9 February 2022
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.
Tickets for The Covid Variations are on sale now.
Mining Stories (BE FESTIVAL)
Credit - Hugo Cordeiro
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 details will be announced on www.birmingham-rep.co.uk. Tickets for BE FESTIVAL will be on sale soon, check the website for details.
Birmingham Rep, Floella Benjamin, Keith Taylor and Nicoll Entertainment present
Coming to England
A musical journey for families of all ages
From the book by Floella Benjamin
Adapted by David Wood
The House
19 February - 6 March 2022
Press Night 24 February at 7pm
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 and Omar Okai
Credit - Geraint Lewis
10-year-old Floella is strong and brave. When her parents leave Trinidad for England her young life is turned upside down when she’s placed with a cruel foster ‘auntie’. Eventually sailing to join her parents, Floella’s excitement for her new life in England is short-lived, with the family subjected to racism and intolerance in 1960s’ London. Guided by her inspirational mother, and working twice as hard as her classmates, young Floella strives to overcome adversity and learns to love and accept herself.
Bursting onto the stage with music, storytelling, humour and pathos, this world premiere production brings Floella Benjamin’s award-winning and iconic book Coming to England to vivid life on stage.
Adapted by David Wood, ‘the national children’s dramatist’ (The Times), this thoughtful stage version of Floella’s inspirational true story follows her difficult and courageous journey towards becoming a TV icon, successful business woman and eventually Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham.
Floella Benjamin said: “I am absolutely thrilled that the musical production of my book 'Coming to England’ which has been adapted by the fantastic award winning playwright David Wood, will have its world premiere at The Rep early next year. I cannot wait to see the story about my experiences arriving in the UK come to life on the stage in front of audiences of all ages. What a wonderful way for a new generation of people to get to know this Windrush story.”
Tickets for Coming to England are on sale now.
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