The Old Rep is a historic

Grade II listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

theatre, located on Station Street in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

, England. Upon opening in 1913, as the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, it became the United Kingdom's first purpose-built

repertory theatre A repertory theatre, also called repertory, rep, true rep or stock, which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation. United Kingdom ...

and the permanent home for Barry Jackson's Birmingham Repertory Company, which had been officially established in 1911, having evolved from his amateur theatre group ‘The Pilgrim Players’, which had been founded in 1907. A man of considerable means, Jackson funded the entire construction of the theatre and established his professional, resident company there, which soon became a major powerhouse within the British theatre due to the actors it produced and its innovative stagings of the works of both

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

and

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

, resulting in some considering it to be Birmingham’s answer to

The Old Vic The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat, nonprofit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, England. It was established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal ...

. In its heyday the theatre became a launchpad for young actors wishing to gain experience in the theatre and to hone their craft through the then thriving repertory system. Such luminaries included:

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

Ralph Richardson Sir Ralph David Richardson (19 December 1902 – 10 October 1983) was an English actor who, with John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, was one of the trinity of male actors who dominated the British stage for much of the 20th century. He wo ...

Peggy Ashcroft Dame Edith Margaret Emily "Peggy" Ashcroft (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991) was an English actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. Born to a comfortable middle-class family, Ashcroft was determined from an early age to become ...

Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for Edith Evans – stage and film roles, her work on the West End theatre, West End stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and t ...

and later

Paul Scofield David Paul Scofield (21 January 1922 – 19 March 2008) was an English actor. During a six-decade career, Scofield achieved the Triple Crown of Acting, winning an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award for his work. Scofield ...

Albert Finney Albert Finney (9 May 1936 – 7 February 2019) was an English actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked in the theatre before attaining fame for movie acting during the early 1960s, debuting with '' The Entertainer'' ( ...

Derek Jacobi Sir Derek George Jacobi (; born 22 October 1938) is an English actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen as well as for his work at the Royal National Theatre, he has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a BAFTA Award, two ...

and the Director

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Shak ...

. In June 2024, it was officially announced that The Crescent Theatre, which celebrated its centenary in the same year, would be taking over the running of the historic theatre in August 2024, alongside its own theatre complex in Brindley Place. The theatre is situated just opposite New Street Station, from which a

Birmingham Civic Society Birmingham Civic Society is a voluntary body in Birmingham, England, and is registered with the Civic Trust. History The society was founded at an inaugural meeting on 10 June 1918 in the Birmingham Council House. The first president of th ...

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

dedicated to Sir Barry Jackson can be seen. For a relatively small street consisting of 9 buildings, Station Street also houses additional buildings of historic importance including, Britain's oldest working cinema; The Electric, The Crown Public House, which was given Grade II listed status in March 2024 and the Former Market Hotel which was also given Grade II listing in November 2024, bringing the total number of listed buildings to 3.

Origins

In September 1912, Jackson purchased a small plot of land in Station Street in-between the Market Hotel (built in 1883) and C.F. Marlow Wine Merchants. The street was then a major artery in the city, with the street leading straight to the

Market Hall A market hall is a covered space or a building where food and other articles are sold from stalls by independent vendors. A market hall is a type of indoor market and can be found in many European countries. The most common variation of a mar ...

and access to New Street Station opposite. He employed the architect

S. N. Cooke Samuel Nathaniel Cooke Jr. (26 June 1882 – 11 April 1964) was an English architect active in Birmingham, England in the early to mid 20th century. He was almost invariably credited as S. N. Cooke and his later work was carried out under the aus ...

, a colleague from the

Birmingham School of Art The Birmingham School of Art was a municipal art school based in the centre of Birmingham, England. Although the organisation was absorbed by Birmingham Polytechnic in 1971 and is now part of Birmingham City University's Faculty of Arts, Design a ...

, 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 theatre was particularly influenced by

Max Littmann Max Littmann (3 January 1862 - 20 September 1931) was a German architect. Education Littmann was educated in the Chemnitz University of Technology and the Dresden University of Technology. In 1885, he moved to Munich where he met Friedrich ...

's Münchner Künstlertheater which had been built in 1908. In March 1914, a set building and painting workshop was built in the neighbouring Hinckley Street, which is still connected to the theatre at the back. Construction on the vacant site began in October 1912 by Birmingham based builders John Bowen and Sons, funded entirely by Jackson. Wanting the theatre built as soon as possible, he paid for continuous work by day and under flares into the winter nights, to have the theatre built within 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 William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night, or What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'', 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: 1913-1971

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 ''Back to Methuselah (A Metabiological Pentateuch)'' by George Bernard Shaw consists of a preface (''The Infidel Half Century'') and a series of five plays: ''In the Beginning: B.C. 4004 (In the Garden of Eden)'', ''The Gospel of the Brothers Ba ...

in 1923. In 1914, almost a year after opening, The First World War began, with the theatre becoming a refuge for people during those dark days. In 1915, the men who were unable to join the war effort, who worked for the theatre both on stage and off, worked together on Sundays making shells at the local aluminium works. 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 1921, a fire erupted inside the theatre damaging the front curtain and the stage set. However, by the matinee the following day, the production continued despite the fire damage. In 1923, Barry Jackson received a gold medal from the

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

of his first meeting with Jackson in 1923: Jackson threatened to close the theatre at the end of the 1923–24 season after audiences at a production of

Georg Kaiser Friedrich Carl Georg Kaiser, called Georg Kaiser, (25 November 1878 – 4 June 1945) was a German dramatist. Biography Kaiser was born in Magdeburg. He was highly prolific and wrote in a number of different styles. An Expressionist dramatist, ...

'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 A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

in January 1935. Although this relieved Jackson of financial responsibility for the company, he would retain full artistic control until his death in 1961. In 1932, Jackson appointed Herbert M. Prentice as producer at the theatre. Prentice produced and directed over 900 plays before leaving in 1940, as well as writing scripts for some. Some of these were broadcast on BBC radio, and a few by the early BBC television service. By the outbreak of the Second World War the Rep was, alongside the

Liverpool Playhouse The Liverpool Playhouse is a theatre in Williamson Square in the city of Liverpool, England. It originated in 1866 as a music hall, and in 1911 developed into a repertory theatre. As such it nurtured the early careers of many actors and actre ...

, 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 James Bridie (3 January 1888 in Glasgow – 29 January 1951 in Edinburgh) was the pseudonym of a Scottish playwright, screenwriter and physician whose real name was Osborne Henry Mavor.Daniel Leary (1982) ''Dictionary of Literary Biography: ...

, 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." In 1940, during the Birmingham Blitz, a bomb was dropped through the theatre’s roof, which resulted in the destruction of nearly 30 years of set and costumes. Despite this, the company vowed not to be affected, with the management deciding to switch performances to matinees only, which resulted in an increase in audiences as they now felt safer. 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;

Stewart Granger Stewart Granger (born James Lablache Stewart; 6 May 1913 – 16 August 1993) was a British film actor, mainly associated with heroic and romantic leading roles. He was a popular leading man from the 1940s to the early 1960s, rising to fame thr ...

and

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

Julie Christie Julie Frances Christie (born 14 April 1940) is a British actress. Christie's accolades include an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has appeared in six films ranked in the British Film Institu ...

, John Neville,

and

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 Arts Council England is an arm's length non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It is also a registered charity. It was formed in 1994 when the Arts Council o ...

grant in 1954 worth £3,000 which now equates to £77,000. Shortly after in 1960, Barry Jackson met with

Birmingham City Council Birmingham City Council is the local authority for the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. Birmingham has had an elected local authority since 1838, which has been reformed several times. Since 1974 the council has been a metropo ...

and

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: 1971-2025

In 1971, after 58 years, the resident company of the Birmingham Rep moved to a newly built 901-seat theatre designed by

Graham Winteringham Graham Winteringham (2 March 1923 – 29 January 2023) was an English architect. His work consisted of public buildings and the restoration of historic buildings. Early life Winteringham was born in Louth, Lincolnshire. He studied at Birmingham ...

and Keith Williams Architects on Broad Street, with them taking the name of

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Birmingham Repertory Theatre, commonly called Birmingham Rep or just The Rep, is a producing theatre based on Centenary Square in Birmingham, England. Founded by Barry Jackson, it is the longest-established of Britain's building-based theatre ...

with them. Consequently, the theatre was renamed The Old Rep, to avoid confusion, when it was taken into full ownership by

. 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

and the

Library of Birmingham The Library of Birmingham is a public library in Birmingham, England. It is situated on the west side of the city centre at Centenary Square, beside the Birmingham Rep (to which it connects, and with which it shares some facilities) and Baske ...

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. The Birmingham Theatre School, established by Sir Barry Jackson and also known later as The Old Rep Drama School was based at The Old Rep; it was run by Mary Richards from her appointment by Jackson in 1942. For a period in the early 1990s it became the base of

The Birmingham Stage Company The Birmingham Stage Company was founded by the Actor/Manager Neal Foster in 1992, with Sir Derek Jacobi and Paul Scofield CH as patrons. It presents productions both on its home stage at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham and touring throughou ...

, with the City Council still hiring out the theatre to touring shows and productions. In 2014,

Birmingham Ormiston Academy Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) is a regional Academy (English school), academy for Arts College, digital, creative and performing arts located in the centre of Birmingham, West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Birmingham Ormiston A ...

(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. The theatre was specifically chosen by the producers of the

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

nominated biopic

Stan & Ollie ''Stan & Ollie'' is a 2018 biographical comedy-drama film directed by Jon S. Baird. The script, written by Jeff Pope, was inspired by ''Laurel and Hardy: The British Tours'' by A.J. Marriot which chronicled the later years of the comedy doubl ...

due to the theatre's unspoiled period interior, which was deemed ideal for the scenes in which

Stan Laurel Stan Laurel ( ; born Arthur Stanley Jefferson; 16 June 1890 – 23 February 1965) was an English comic actor, director and writer who was in the comedy double act, duo Laurel and Hardy. He appeared with his comedy partner Oliver Hardy in 107 sh ...

and

Oliver Hardy Oliver Norvell Hardy (born Norvell Hardy; January 18, 1892 – August 7, 1957) was an American comic actor and one half of Laurel and Hardy, the double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted from 1926 to 1957. He appeared with his ...

's 1953 tour of music hall theatres in the UK were recreated. Filming took place over the course of several days in 2017, with actors

Steve Coogan Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English-Irish actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer. His accolades include four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Aw ...

and

John C. Reilly John Christopher Reilly (born May 24, 1965) is an American actor. He is known as a character actor taking leading and supporting roles in independent drama films and studio comedies. He gained exposure through his supporting roles in '' Days of ...

and the production team using the theatre's stage and dressing rooms. Current Patrons of The Old Rep include Brian Cox,

Brian Blessed Brian Blessed ( ; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive bushy beard, booming voice, and exuberant personality and performances. He portrayed PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars''; Augustus in the 1976 BBC television ...

Annette Badland Annette Badland is a British actress known for a wide range of roles on television, radio, stage, and film. She is best known for her roles as Charlotte in the BBC crime drama series '' Bergerac'', Margaret Blaine in the BBC science fiction se ...

and

Toyah Willcox Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has had eight top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 ...

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: *

**Joined the company for a year from 1927 to 1928. He performed as ''Tony Lumpkin'' in ''

She Stoops to Conquer ''She Stoops to Conquer'' is a comedy by Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith, first performed in London in 1773. The play is a favourite for study by English literature and theatre classes in the English-speaking world. It is one of the few plays ...

'', ''Malcolm'' in

's ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' and also appeared in ''

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunke ...

'' and ''

Uncle Vanya ''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1897, and first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre, directed by Konstan ...

''. In 1947 he was also the youngest actor to be Knighted. *

**Performed in Shakespeare's ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' in 1942, as part of the Rep Travelling Company. Whilst performing as ''Toad'' in ''

Toad of Toad Hall ''Toad of Toad Hall'' is a play written by A. A. Milne – the first of several dramatisations of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 novel ''The Wind in the Willows'' – with incidental music by Harold Fraser-Simson. It was originally produced by William ...

'' (1944). He met

and they went on to have a lifelong collaboration. In a 2004

Royal Shakespeare Company The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs over 1,000 staff and opens around 20 productions a year. The RSC plays regularly in London, Stratf ...

poll stated that his performance in

's ''

King Lear ''The Tragedy of King Lear'', often shortened to ''King Lear'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is loosely based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his ...

'' was the best ever. *

**Made his directing debut at The Old Rep in 1945 directing ''

Man and Superman ''Man and Superman'' is a four-act drama written by George Bernard Shaw in 1903, in response to a call for Shaw to write a play based on the Don Juan theme. ''Man and Superman'' opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London on 21 May 1905 as a fou ...

'' written by

. *

Michael Gambon Sir Michael John Gambon (; 19 October 1940 – 27 September 2023) was an Irish-English actor. Gambon started his acting career with Laurence Olivier as one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre. Over his six-decade-long career ...

**Spent three years with the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

. He was advised by

to join the Birmingham Repertory Company to gain more experience in performing. He went on to star alongside

Brian Cox (actor) Brian Denis Cox (born 1 June 1946) is a Scottish actor. A classically trained Shakespearean actor, he is known for his work on stage and screen. His numerous accolades include two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Gold ...

in ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' in 1968. *

Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies Dame Gwen Lucy Ffrangcon-Davies (25 January 1891 – 27 January 1992) was a British actress who worked mainly in theatre and television, as well as radio and film. She made her last acting appearance as a centenarian in 1991. Early life She wa ...

**Took a lead role, alongside ''

Ion Swinley Ion Swinley (27 October 1891 – 16 September 1937), born Eric Ion Swindley was an English actor, known for his appearances in classics and modern dramas and comedies. Life and career Swinley was born in the London suburb of Barnes on 27 October ...

'', as ''

Juliet Juliet Capulet () is the female protagonist in William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy ''Romeo and Juliet''. A 13-year-old girl, Juliet is the only daughter of the patriarch of the House of Capulet. She falls in love with the male protagonist Ro ...

'' in

's ''

Romeo and Juliet ''The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet'', often shortened to ''Romeo and Juliet'', is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare about the romance between two young Italians from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's ...

''. *

Noël Coward Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 189926 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor, and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what ''Time (magazine), Time'' called "a sense of personal style, a combination of c ...

**Transferred from the West End to the theatre in 1920, when he played Rafe in a production of ‘

The Knight of the Burning Pestle ''The Knight of the Burning Pestle'' is a play in five acts by Francis Beaumont, first performed at Blackfriars Theatre in 1607 and published in a book size, quarto in 1613. It is the earliest whole parody (or pastiche) play in English. The pl ...

’. *

Robert Newton Robert Guy Newton (1 June 1905 – 25 March 1956) was an English actor. Along with Errol Flynn, Newton was one of the more popular actors among the male juvenile audience of the 1940s and early 1950s, especially with British boys. Known for hi ...

**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 ''Captain Brassbound's Conversion'' (1900) is a play by G. Bernard Shaw. It was published in Shaw's 1901 collection '' Three Plays for Puritans'' (together with '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' and '' The Devil's Disciple''). The first American produ ...

'' by

. He was at the Rep for two years until February 2023, during which time he appeared in 25 productions, some alongside

and

Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned over 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and hi ...

who were both in the company at that time. *

Jane Freeman (actress) Shirley Ann Pithers (12 June 1935 – 9 March 2017), better known as Jane Freeman, was an English-born Welsh actress who was best known for her work on British television, mostly notably for her role as Ivy in ''Last of the Summer Wine''. Ea ...

**She had performed numerous roles at the Repertory Theatre. She went on to play a part on

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

's ''

Last of the Summer Wine ''Last of the Summer Wine'' is a British sitcom set in Yorkshire created and written by Roy Clarke and originally broadcast by the BBC from 1973 to 2010. It premiered as an episode of ''Comedy Playhouse'' on 4 January 1973, and the first seri ...

'' as ''Ivy''. *

**Joined the Rep straight from drama school. She starred alongside

John Drinkwater (playwright) John Drinkwater (1 June 1882 – 25 March 1937) was an English poet and dramatist. He was known before World War I as one of the Dymock poets, and his poetry was included in all five volumes of ''Georgian Poetry'' (edited by Edward Marsh (polym ...

'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 ''The Importance of Being Earnest, a Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde, the last of his four drawing-room plays, following ''Lady Windermere's Fan'' (1892), ''A Woman of No Importance'' (1893) and ''An Ideal Husban ...

opposite Peter Vaughn's Algernon. *

**Had a starring role as Henry VII in

's ''

Henry VIII (play) ''The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eighth'', often shortened to ''Henry VIII'', is a collaborative history play, written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher, based on the life of Henry VIII. An alternative title, , is re ...

''. *

**Starred in

's ''

'' in 1968, alongside

. Cox is now also a patron of The Old Rep. *

**She appeared as ''The Oracle'' in Part VI of

's ''

'' in 1945. *

**Played ''Traino'' in a 1928 production of ''

''. His three-year stint also included performances of ''

'', ''

The Farmer's Wife ''The Farmer's Wife'' is a 1928 British silent romantic comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Jameson Thomas, Lillian Hall-Davis and Gordon Harker. It is adapted from a 1916 play of the same name by British novelist, poet an ...

'' and ''

Dear Brutus ''Dear Brutus'' is a 1917 fantasy play by J. M. Barrie, depicting alternative realities for its characters and their eventual return to real life. The title is a reference to a line from William Shakespeare, Shakespeare's ''Julius Caesar (play), J ...

''. *

**Starred alongside actress

June Brown June Muriel Brown (16 February 1927 – 3 April 2022) was an English actress and author. She was best known for her role as Dot Cotton on the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' (1985–1993; 1997–2020). In 2005, she won Best Actress at the Inside ...

's ''

'' in 1958. *

**Starred as Lady Macbeth in ''

'' in 1958, alongside actor

who played the lead role. *

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...

**Took a lead role in

's tragedy ''

'' in 1924. *

Richard Chamberlain George Richard Chamberlain (March 31, 1934 – March 29, 2025) was an American actor and singer who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show '' Dr. Kildare'' (1961–1966). He subsequently earned the title "King of the Mini- ...

**Took a lead role in

's tragedy ''

'' in 1969. *

**Appeared in the Christmas Revue ''Between These Four Walls'' in 1963. *

**Attended The Old Rep's drama school in her late-teens and participated in many of their shows including ''

Separate Tables ''Separate Tables'' is the collective name of two one-act plays by Terence Rattigan, both taking place in the Beauregard Private Hotel, Bournemouth, on the south coast of England. The first play, titled ''Table by the Window'', focuses on the ...

'' and charity fashion shows at

Warwick Castle Warwick Castle is a medieval castle developed from a wooden fort, originally built by William I of England, William the Conqueror during 1068. Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England, situated on a meander of the River Avon, Warwic ...

. Willcox is now a patron of The Old Rep.

Notable Buildings in Station Street

File:Old Market Hotel Birmingham.jpg, Former Market Hotel (to the left of the Old Rep). Built in sandstone in 1883 by Thomson Plevins. At the back of the hotel the original workshop of the Old Rep can just be seen. The building became Grade II Listed in November 2024. File:ElectricCinema.jpg, The Electric Cinema. An application for Listed status is currently being considered. File:The Crown, Birmingham - geograph.org.uk - 3057900.jpg, The Crown Public House, also attributed to Plevins, which gained Grade II Listed status in March 2024.

References

External links

The Old Rep Official Website
* {{BirminghamBuildings Theatres in Birmingham, West Midlands Theatres completed in 1913 Birmingham City Council Producing theatres in England 1913 establishments in England