Old Rep
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| formerly The Birmingham Repertory Theatre | |
 The Facade of The Old Rep from Station Street | |
 | |
| Address | Station Street, B5 4DY Birmingham England |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°28′36″N 1°53′54″W / 52.47678°N 1.89828°W / 52.47678; -1.89828 |
| Public transit |  Birmingham New Street |
| Owner | The Crescent Theatre |
| Designation | Grade II listed |
| Type | Proscenium arch |
| Capacity | 385 (including 2 wheelchair spaces) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 15 February 1913 (1913-02-15); 111 years ago |
| Years active | 1913–present |
| Architect | S. N. Cooke |
| Website | |
| oldreptheatre.co.uk | |
Blue plaque to founder, Barry Jackson, high above the entrance
The Old Rep is a Grade II listed building, located on Station Street in Birmingham, England. When it was constructed in 1913, it was the United Kingdom's first ever purpose-built repertory theatre. The theatre was the permanent home for Barry Jackson's Birmingham Repertory Company, formed in 1911 from his amateur theatre group, The Pilgrim Players, founded in 1907. Jackson funded the construction of the theatre and established a professional, resident company there.
In June 2024, is was officially announced that The Crescent Theatre, which celebrated its centenary in the same year, would be taking over the running of the historic 111 year old theatre in August 2024, alongside its own theatre complex in Brindley Place.
The theatre is situated just opposite New Street Station, from which a blue plaque, above the theatre's first floor windows, to Barry Jackson can be seen. Two doors down, Britain's oldest working cinema can be found, the Electric Cinema.
Origins
In September 1912, Jackson purchased a small plot of land in Station Street in-between the Market Hotel and C.F. Marlowes Wine Merchants. The street was a major artery in the city, with the street leading straight to the Market Hall and access to the nearby New Street Station. He employed the architect S. N. Cooke, a colleague from the Birmingham School of Art, who collaborated with Barry Jackson in the creation of the theatre. Both Jackson and Cooke took inspiration from the democratic nature of theatres that they had visited in Germany. The design of The Old Rep was particularly influenced by Max Littmann's Münchner Künstlertheater which had been built in 1908. In addition to the theatre, a set building workshop was built in the neighbouring Hinckley Street, which was still connected to the theatre at the back.
Construction on the vacant site began in October 1912, funded entirely by Jackson. Wanting the theatre built as soon as possible, he paid for the building work to continue through the day and night for four months. To this day, the theatre retains many of the Edwardian features both externally and internally, making it one of the best preserved theatres, of its type, still in use for its original purpose.
The theatre opened its doors on 15 February 1913 with a performance of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, preceded by a reading from Barry Jackson, of the poem The Mighty Line by resident playwright John Drinkwater. The company began what would become more than a century of history with a vision led by Jackson that theatre should "serve as art instead of making that art serve a commercial purpose." With a wealth of local talent, the theatre produced a rolling bill of plays reflecting both classic texts and new writing.
Home of the Birmingham Repertory Company
The theatre rapidly became home to one of the most famous and exciting repertory theatre companies in the country with the repertoire ranging from innovative modern dress Shakespeare, medieval moralities, Greek drama and modern experimental drama, as well as presenting many world premieres including George Bernard Shaw's epic Back to Methuselah in 1923.
In 1917, the Birmingham Repertory Company became a pioneer in the theatre industry by becoming the first UK venue to appoint a female stage manager, Maud Gill. She left a fascinating and entertaining account of her experiences in her autobiography 'See the Players'. She was told that "a woman ought not to be put in charge of stagehands because "working men" would not take orders from her, but she decided that, since mothers has been keeping order in the home since the beginning of time, the way to go about it was to treat them as a mother would treat her family. It worked."
In 1923, Barry Jackson received a gold medal from the Birmingham Civic Society which was shortly followed by a knighthood in 1925 for his services to the theatre. Sir Barry Jackson's significant role in the Birmingham's arts scene was to be recognized once again in 1955 when he was awarded the Freedom of the City.
Jackson single-handedly financed the theatre for over two decades, personally losing over £100,000. The scale of Jackson's financial commitment to The Rep was revealed by the recollections of George Bernard Shaw of his first meeting with Jackson in 1923:
'How much a year are you out of pocket by this culture theatre of yours?' I said. He named an annual sum that would have sufficed to support fifty labourers and their families. I remarked that this was not more than it would cost him to keep a thousand-ton steam yacht. He said a theatre was better fun than a steam yacht, but said it in the tone of a man who could afford a steam yacht.
— George Bernard ShawJackson threatened to close the theatre at the end of the 1923–24 season after audiences at a production of Georg Kaiser's Gas in November 1923 averaged only 109 per night, but relented after commitments were made by 4,000 subscribers for the following season. A fundraising appeal in 1934 raised only £3,000 of its £20,000 target, however, leading Jackson to hand over ownership to a board of trustees in January 1935. Although this relieved Jackson of financial responsibility for the company, he would retain full artistic control until his death in 1961.
By the outbreak of the Second World War the Rep was, alongside the Liverpool Playhouse, one of only two British theatres presenting programmes of quality drama outside London in accordance with the original aims of the repertory movement. An indication of the Rep's status in British theatre at this time was given by the Scottish playwright James Bridie, who wrote in 1938: "If we are to be bombed, a thorough razing from Piccadilly Circus to Drury Lane and down to The Strand would do less harm to the theatre than one bomb on Station Street, Birmingham."
Jackson had an exceptional eye for young talent, and it was under his leadership that many young actors learnt their craft and who later went on to become stars in their own right. Some of the early names included; Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Edith Evans, Stewart Granger and Ralph Richardson all gaining valuable early experience with the then thriving repertory system. He toured plays to the city's parks, established a theatre school and made Birmingham Repertory Theatre one of the most renowned theatres in the world. As the theatre's reputation grew, more talent was to develop on its stage with the likes of Paul Scofield, Julie Christie, John Neville, Albert Finney and Derek Jacobi. Peter Brook directed at the Rep just after World War II and transferred with Sir Barry and Paul Scofield to Stratford.
The theatre was awarded its first Arts Council England grant in 1954 worth £3,000 which now equates to £77,000. Shortly after in 1960, Barry Jackson met with Birmingham City Council and Arts Council England to guarantee the funding to build a new arts venue. This was eventually agreed in 1968, and plans for the new Rep began to take place.
Life after the Birmingham Repertory Company
In 1971, the resident company of the Birmingham Rep moved to a newly built 901-seat theatre designed by Graham Winteringham and Keith Williams Architects on Broad Street, with them taking the name of Birmingham Repertory Theatre with them. Consequently, the theatre was renamed The Old Rep, to avoid confusion, when it was taken into full ownership by Birmingham City Council. However, this wasn't the last time the company would be based at Station Street, returning to The Old Rep between 2011 and 2013 while the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Library of Birmingham underwent redevelopment. The company celebrated their centenary year at their original home with a programme of performances, tours and creative activities for the people of Birmingham.
In 2014, Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA), a Birmingham based stage school, took on the lease of the theatre from the City Council. In 2024, after 10 years, they decided not to renew the lease, which allowed the established Crescent Theatre to take ownership of the theatre and secure it for future generations.
Patrons of The Old Rep include Brian Cox (actor), Brian Blessed, Annette Badland and Toyah Willcox.
Notable Performers
The Old Rep has played a central role in the early careers of many of the UK's most celebrated actors and theatre-makers. A few notable names who have all performed at The Old Rep include:
- Laurence Olivier
- Joined the company for a year from 1927 to 1928. He performed as Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer, Malcolm in William Shakespeare's Macbeth and also appeared in The Taming of the Shrew and Uncle Vanya. In 1947 he was also the youngest actor to be Knighted.
- Paul Scofield
- Performed in Shakespeare's Hamlet in 1942, as part of the Rep Travelling Company. Whilst performing as Toad in Toad of Toad Hall (1944). He met Peter Brook and they went on to have a lifelong collaboration. In a 2004 Royal Shakespeare Company poll stated that his performance in William Shakespeare's King Lear was the best ever.
- Peter Brook
- Made his directing debut at The Old Rep in 1945 directing Man and Superman written by George Bernard Shaw.
- Michael Gambon
- Spent three years with the Royal National Theatre at The Old Vic. He was advised by Laurence Olivier to join the Birmingham Repertory Company to gain more experience in performing. He went on to star alongside Brian Cox (actor) in Othello in 1968.
- Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies
- Took a lead role, alongside Ion Swinley, as Juliet in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
- Robert Newton
- Joined the Birmingham Rep Company in February 1921, aged 15, as an ASM. By March, 1921, he was on stage in Captain Brassbound's Conversion by George Bernard Shaw. He was at the Rep for two years until February 2023, during which time he appeared in 25 productions, some alongside Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies and Cedric Hardwicke who were both in the company at that time.
- Jane Freeman (actress)
- She had performed numerous roles at the Repertory Theatre. She went on to play a part on BBC's Last of the Summer Wine as Ivy.
- Peggy Ashcroft
- Joined the Rep straight from drama school. She starred alongside Laurence Olivier in John Drinkwater (playwright)'s Bird in Hand in 1927.
- John Neville
- Joined the Rep for 3 seasons from February 1949 to March 1950, his final part was as John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest opposite Peter Vaughn's Algernon.
- Derek Jacobi
- Had a starring role as Henry VII in William Shakespeare's Henry VIII (play).
- Brian Cox (actor)
- Starred in William Shakespeare's Othello in 1968, alongside Michael Gambon. Cox is now also a patron of The Old Rep.
- Edith Evans
- She appeared as The Oracle in Part VI of George Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman in 1945.
- Ralph Richardson
- Played Traino in a 1928 production of The Taming of the Shrew. His three-year stint also included performances of The Importance of Being Earnest, The Farmer's Wife and Dear Brutus.
- Albert Finney
- Starred alongside actress June Brown in William Shakespeare's Macbeth in 1958.
- June Brown
- Starred as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth in 1958, alongside actor Albert Finney who played the lead role.
- John Gielgud
- Took a lead role in William Shakespeare's tragedy Romeo and Juliet in 1924.
- Richard Chamberlain
- Took a lead role in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet in 1969.
- Julie Christie
- Appeared in the Christmas Revue Between These Four Walls in 1963.
- Toyah Willcox
- Attended The Old Rep's drama school in her late-teens and participated in many of their shows including Separate Tables and charity fashion shows at Warwick Castle. Willcox is now a patron of The Old Rep.
References
- ^ Theatre group to take over running historic venue https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gggw44qn2o
- ^ Trewin, J C (1963). The Birmingham Repertory Theatre 1913–1963. London: Barrie & Rockliff. pp. 16–17.
- ^ "Old Rep". Theatres Database. The Theatres Trust. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ^ "Letters: the late Rita Hunter and the late Peggy Dear". The Guardian. 7 May 2001. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- ^ Turnbull 2008, p. 19. sfn error: no target: CITEREFTurnbull2008 (help)
- ^ Conolly 2002, pp. xix–xx. sfn error: no target: CITEREFConolly2002 (help)
- ^ Conolly 2002, pp. xxii–xxiii. sfn error: no target: CITEREFConolly2002 (help)
- ^ a b Conolly 2002, p. xxiii. sfn error: no target: CITEREFConolly2002 (help)
- ^ Turnbull 2008, p. 20. sfn error: no target: CITEREFTurnbull2008 (help)
- ^ Conolly 2002, p. xxiv. sfn error: no target: CITEREFConolly2002 (help)
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Old Rep theatre, Birmingham.
- The Old Rep Official Website
- Old Rep in the Theatres Trust database
