Visit the Birmingham Repertory Theatre with Serviced City Pads

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Birmingham repertory theatre commonly known as ‘The Rep’ is the theatre based in Centenary Square in Birmingham, It is one of the most influential companies in the history of the English Stage. Serviced City Pads.The Rep was founded by Barry Jackson in 1913 when the earlier amateur ‘Pilgrim Players’ company opened a permanent home on station street. The stated aim was to serve an art instead of making art serve a commercial purpose and under Jackson the company quickly revolutionised English Theatre, promoting experimental productions and pioneering innovations such as performing Shakespeare in modern dress.

The Birmingham Civic society played a critical role in saving the Repertory Theatre from closure in 1924, and again in 1934-5. The link with the Repertory Theatre continues through ex officio membership of the Sir Barry Jackson Trust which holds shares of Birmingham Repertory Theatre Ltd. Serviced City Pads.

In 1972 the Studio opened, it became an example of innovative theatre nationwide. It targeted young audiences and showcased new writing, including the world premiere of Death Story by David Edgar. In 1974, David Edgar was made resident playwright. Despite the success of Oh Fair Jerusalem, The Rep board decided against staging Destiny because of its strong theme of racial tension, putting The Importance of Being Earnest on instead.

The theatre began to make losses during the mid-1970’s and the Board of Directors was restructured in an attempt to secure funding. The Studio became popular during the 1980’s and in 1988, Kenneth Branagh, temporarily relocated his Renaissance Theatre Company to the Rep which gave Birmingham the opportunity to showcase plays by guest directors such as Judi Dench and Derek Jacobi.

During the 1970’s and 1980’s the Studio was a regular home to the Birmingham Youth Theatre, a company which launched the careers of actors Andrew Tiernan and Adrian Lester among numerous others. The theatre was refurbished and extended in 1991 after the completion of the International Convention Centre. However, the Rep began to stop making profits as the country was hot by recession. Serviced City Pads.

In 1998 the company opened ‘The Door’ as a second auditorium specialising in new writing, replacing the Studio. In 2004 the company controversially cancelled a series of performances of Gurpeet Kaur Bhatti’s play Behzti after protests from Birmingham’s large Sikh community. Serviced City Pads.The theatre oftens trades its Christmas shows with the West Yorkshire Playhouse. In 2006 the reps revival of the musical of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ played in Yorkshire and the Playhous’s version of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ played in Birmingham. The Wizard of Oz was the Reps biggest selling show in 93 years. It had been seen by 45,000 people bu the time it closed and was the first o take more than £500,000 at the box office. There are plans to remodel the theatre building, as part of the Library of Birmingham complex. Serviced City Pads.