Image: Pamela Raith
Issue 14 September 2021
Welcome to this latest issue of The REPort. In this Issue: – Welcome – Open House – Creative Learning – Young REP Films – What’s New Pussycat? Rehearsals – The Park Bench Plays – We’re having a Birthday Party! What’s on this Autumn and Winter... FRI 3 TO SAT 25 SEP
East Is East FRI 8 OCT TO SUN 14 NOV
What’s New Pussycat? TUE 16 TO SAT 20 NOV
Grenfell: Value Engineering Scenes from the Inquiry SAT 27 NOV TO SAT 1 JAN
The Play What I Wrote THU 6 TO SUN 9 JANUARY
The Snowman SAT 22 JAN TO SAT 5 FEB
Animal Farm SAT 19 FEB TO SUN 6 MAR
Coming To England
A huge welcome back to The REP, as we re-open for our 50th Anniversary Season in Graham Winteringham’s iconic 1971 building on Centenary Square… After what has been an unprecedentedly challenging 18 months for everyone, when the whole theatre industry has effectively been shut, we are absolutely delighted to be on the brink of this hugely exciting time for The REP. We’re thrilled to be welcoming everyone back, tremendously excited by the shows we have on offer, and proud of the amazing array of local, national and international creative talent that will be with us over the coming months. We are immensely proud of the whole REP team for getting us to this point, and grateful to everyone who has supported The REP during this time. Whilst we have been working on our recovery, progressing plans for the future and putting the finishing touches to our upcoming productions, there have also been lots of other projects and developments underway. As you’ll read in this issue, it has been amazing to see the scale and breadth of work our brilliant Creative Learning team have delivered for children and young people across the city in the past few months. As an organisation we’re very proud to have been able to continue providing much needed fun, escapism and a creative outlet in what has been such a difficult time for many. We hope they’ll all take away great memories, new skills and friendships from their REP activities this summer. As you might have noticed if you’ve been past our building in the past 6 weeks, our Open House project is now underway. This is such an exciting and important development that will allow us
to showcase the very best of The REP, offer the best possible visitor experience and throw our doors open to everyone in the city. Crucially, the increased income we will generate as a result will help to secure The REP’s future. Looking ahead to our birthday season there are so many moments we’re looking forward to: being able to bring the iconic East Is East back home to kick off our birthday celebrations; the opportunity to unleash an entirely new musical into the world in the form of 60s extravaganza What’s New Pussycat? - a new musical featuring the songs of Sir Tom Jones; to be working with our Patron of Youth and Education Dame Floella Benjamin on bringing her acclaimed book Coming to England to life on stage; and celebrating Christmas with Morecambe and Wise with the award winning comedy The Play What I Wrote, a production originally co-written and starring our Artistic Director Sean Foley who now directs this 20th Anniversary Production. As an industry we have all been through so much in the past year - it means everything to be able to return to what we do best, and to be welcoming back audiences to the magic of live theatre! We both hope you enjoy reading the rest of this issue and very much hope to see you back at The REP soon. Sean Foley and Rachael Thomas Artistic Director and Executive Director
Open House It’s started! The team are in. The hoarding is up. The work has begun. We’re so excited to see our foyer transformation spring into life. It will make The REP an even friendlier, more accessible place and help protect our future. It’s 50 years since we moved into our Centenary Square home. We’ll celebrate our birthday the best way we can, by welcoming audiences back to see playful, popular and pioneering theatre! Perhaps you’ve seen images of our upcoming shows wrapped around the building. There really is something for everyone.
Work in progress: Café Bar
Thanks to careful planning, the main house will be open for performances throughout the new development. In June, we launched our Open House appeal. We’ve already raised over £125,000 – that’s half way to the £250,000 target. Huge thanks go to all our supporters, especially those who have pledged to join our special group of 50 Curtain Raisers. Adrian Lester, actor and REP Trustee, says that Open House ‘will safeguard The REP’s legacy and future, ensuring it can continue to inspire the next generation’. There are many ways to support our appeal and play your part in securing the The REP’s future. With your help, we can complete our transformation and create the best possible start to our next chapter.
Work in progress: The mezzanine
To find out more, visit our 50th birthday web pages here or contact our fundraising team by emailing katy.mckeever@ birmingham-rep.co.uk To donate online, click here or scan this QR code. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Curtain Raiser and to pledge your support, please email katy.mckeever@birmingham-rep.co.uk Rachel Cranny, Head of Fundraising at The REP, says; “It’s absolutely fantastic to have had such a great start to our appeal and we are extremely grateful to everyone who has contributed so far. We have a lot more activities planned alongside our birthday season and I can’t wait!” So here’s to the next 50 years and the future generations you can help inspire. Please join us on the journey.
Work in progress: Restaurant
Architect visual: Café Bar
Architect visual: The mezzanine
Architect visual: Restaurant
Images: The Creative Learning Team
Plays in a Week at The REP, open to the general public with reserved places for young people in care as part of the Virtual School Programme.
An Enrichment Week at SMALL HEATH SCHOOL with 7 Practitioners delivering workshops during the week to the entire school, as well as delivering an Alice in Wonderland Immersive Project.
During this week young people had opportunities to meet people within the industry, find out about entry routes to different careers and seek inspiration from leaders across the industry.
Plays in a Week across schools Billesley Primary x2 Hillstone Primary Telford Priory x2 Bellfield Junior School
A VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME with CREATIVE CIVIC CHANGE is taking place during the last week of August
A massive Mental Health and Wellbeing Week funded by the HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES FUNDING PROGRAMME. This is currently taking place with local community organisations (HOLFORD DRIVE, OASIS ACADEMY FOUNDRY, DIAMOND ACADEMY, HANDSWORTH SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION, LAW LEISURE LEARNING, STEPS 8, CIVIC SQUARE, BIDGELEY POWER) with Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner delivered by local food provider 2 MUCH PASSION CIC.
Images: Filiz Ozcan
Young REP Live And On Film Our playful, popular and pioneering Young REP has been branching out into film. Bad Bored Women of the Rooms by Sabrina Mahfouz, and The Pack by Stef Smith, were performed for a live audience as part of the For/With/By Festival, which celebrates theatre for, with and by young people. Both pieces will soon be available online. It’s part of the ‘Positive Stories for Negative Times’ project, which we’re running in partnership with Wonder Fools and the Traverse Theatre. Meanwhile, local artist and REP Foundry alumnus Ashlee Elizabeth Lolo has been working on Made in Birmingham. In nine short films, Ashlee will explore Birmingham’s heritage, profile and reputation. How does the rest of the UK see us? How are we viewed abroad? These films unravel the various stereotypes, caricatures and misnomers that have attached themselves to our city. Ashlee digs beneath assumptions to find the truth – to speak about who we really are as a city. The films star a number of Young REP members as well as friends from our community adult company. Award-winning film-maker and REP Associate Artist Daniel Alexander was in the director’s chair. When the films are released in the autumn, you’ll see some familiar locations, and some less familiar, from the Library of Birmingham to the kitchens at University College Birmingham (and The REP itself, of course!).
Images: Pamela Raith
What’s New Pussycat? Take a timeless tale from the 1700s, update it to the 1960s, match it to some of the greatest pop songs ever, and what do you get? What’s New Pussycat? Yes! Get ready for music, mods and rocking romance when the show enjoys its world premiere at The REP from 8 October - 14 November. Tickets are on sale now at www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on Inspired by Henry Fielding’s rumbustious classic of 1749, The History of Tom Jones, this romantic musical comedy reimagines the novel in London’s swinging sixties, all set to a series of iconic hits by (who else?) Sir Tom Jones. What’s New Pussycat? is written by the Tony Award winning Joe DiPietro (Memphis: The Musical), with a stellar creative team including director Luke Sheppard and legendary choreographer Dame Arlene Phillips. Luke’s acclaimed & Juliet has taken the West End by storm and won 3 Olivier Awards and 6 Whatsonstage Awards. No introduction is needed for the national
Arlene Phillips
treasure that is choreographer and former Strictly Come Dancing judge, Dame Arlene Phillips. The cast includes Dominic Andersen as Tom Jones, Bronté Barbé as Mary Western, Ashley Campbell as Mr Partridge, Julius D’Silva as Lord Allworthy, Rebekah Hinds as The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress, Harry Kershaw as William Blifil, Kelly Price as Lady Bellaston and Melanie Walters as Mrs Western. Joining them will be a crack ten-person ensemble playing all of Sir Tom Jones’s greatest hits, including The Green, Green Grass of Home, It’s Not Unusual, Leave Your Hat On, Delilah, Mama Told Me Not To Come, Sex Bomb and, of course, What’s New Pussycat? World-class creatives in music, set design, video and lighting will bring all the dazzle of the West End to Birmingham. As you can see from the trailer, rehearsals are in full swing!
Dominic Andersen
David Mairs-McKenzie
Delroy Brown, Sean Foley and Mina Anwar filming Tanika Gupta’s Patties and Pakoras
Image: Graeme Braidwood
The Park Bench Plays on Film (and Benches) Comic, tragic, serious, ordinary, extraordinary, The Park Bench Plays is a short series of microplays scripted by leading British writers including Tanika Gupta, Robin French, David Edgar, Jack Thorne and Bryony Lavery. Two actors, ten minutes of action, all happening around a park bench, and coming to a bench or screen near you. They’re all playful, whether dealing with romance, time travel or the hot-button issue of public statues – a vibrant snapshot of the socially distanced, fragmented world we’ve been living in for the past eighteen months. The plays have been shot in Birmingham in summer 2021. They’re directed for the screen by The REP’s Artistic Director and double Olivier Award-winner Sean Foley, by The REP’s Associate Director Madeleine Kludje, and by REP Associate Artist and BAFTA crew member, director Daniel Alexander. You’ll recognize the locations: by a canal, in a city garden, in a square… It’s part of our project to increase resilience in
uncertain times and expand our digital offering. The films are produced by The REP in association with the SPACE and production managers Method in Motion. Thanks go to the generous support provided by the Sir Barry Jackson Trust. After filming, it’s the live tour – that’s pop-up performances somewhere near you, in squares, parks and community venues. Dates are to be confirmed, so watch this space for more details. The REP’s Artistic Director, Sean Foley, says, “The Park Bench Plays will bring together the work of some of the UK’s biggest writing talents for an exciting and diverse collection of micro-plays. Considering the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our industry, we at The REP feel it is important to continue to employ artists and create work for audiences.” Playwright Tanika Gupta commented; “I am thrilled to have been asked by The REP to write a piece for this collection of eclectic new plays. In this time of uncertainty, it is greatly welcome to see venues such as The REP actively engaging with artists to continue in efforts to make new work.”
We’re having a Birthday Party! On Thursday 14th October, our building is exactly 50 years old and you’re invited to celebrate the occasion with us. As well as marking a special moment in our history and a chance to blow out 50 candles, the party will raise vital funds for our Open House Appeal and help pave the way for another 50 years. VIP tickets to the birthday party will include that evening’s performance of our fabulous new musical ‘What’s New Pussycat?’ and exclusive attendance at the party after the show in The Studio, complete with bottomless fizz, food and cake. Party tickets are £85 and include a donation to support our fundraising appeal and the future of The REP. To book, please email openhouse@ birmingham-rep.co.uk or alternatively call 0121 2364455.
We hope to welcome you back to The REP soon In line with current Government regulations, The REP is now open to full capacity, but we continue to take a number of carefully managed steps and precautions to help audiences feel safe and enjoy their chosen performance. The wearing of masks is encouraged throughout the building and additional cleaning will continue. For those who still need or prefer to observe social distancing, we will keep guaranteed Socially Distanced performances in the calendar. See website show pages for more details. Birmingham Repertory Theatre 6 Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EP To keep in touch with our activities and find out how you can join in, follow us via the following; /birminghamrep
@birminghamrep
@therepbirmingham
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