What would you say if a super secret agency asked you to be their new codebreaker? If you said yes, there’s a certain hero you should meet …

Straight from her sell-out 2018 tour, Lauren Child’s superspy lands on the Old Rep stage for her biggest adventure ever!

The year is 1973, the place is Twinford, California, and the town’s playing host to the Jade Buddha of Khotan, a legendary statue believed to have supernatural powers. But when the greatest criminal masterminds in the world target the statue, there’s only one person who can crack the case – codebreaker, secret agent, and teenage girl Ruby Redfort. With her best friend Clancy, her butler/bodyguard Hitch and the coolest gadgets in America, Ruby’s ready for her most awesome battle yet! The only thing she needs is you …

Based on the internationally bestselling series by Children’s Laureate Lauren Child (Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean), Escapade Productions’ acclaimed adaptation of Ruby Redfort comes to The Old Rep Theatre from a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and across the UK. This quirky and hilarious spy thriller takes us on a rollercoaster of hair-rising stunts, terrifying villains, and death-defying codes, in a race to prove that being a spy is actually child’s play.

“Genius!”  Lauren Child

★★★★ "anyone who wants to be a detective should see it!"  Darkchat

"fast-paced, highly enjoyable … a roller coaster ride of invention, mystery and fun"  British Theatre Guide

’50 Best Shows to Book This Fringe’  The Times

★★★★ Broadway Baby

★★★★★ ThreeWeeks

Following James Hurn’s sell out tour of 2018 he is back with his popular one-man, many voices, celebration of radio comedy classic Hancock’s Half Hour.

James – a multi talented actor and impressionist – will be performing Hancock and Co a new programme which includes one lost episode of Hancock’s Half Hour, and two episodes he has written himself in the same style as Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, with James voicing the entire cast. James is a master at recreating the accents and personas of such iconic 20th century British favourites as Tony Hancock, Sidney James, Hattie Jacques, Bill Kerr and Kenneth Williams.

The show is performed in the style of a radio performance in front of a live audience, bringing to life the classic days of radio comedy

“Utterly masterful and quite, quite superb” Jon Culshaw ★★★★★

A tour celebrating Birmingham's two home-grown theatres.

Join us for a rare opportunity to explore the unique shared history of The Old Rep and Birmingham Repertory Theatre in one grand tour. Led by experienced guides, this tour will take you behind the scenes at both venues, providing insight into the fascinating history of Birmingham Repertory Company over the last 106 years.

Birmingham Repertory Company was founded by local entrepreneur, Sir Barry Jackson in 1913 when he established the world's first purpose-built repertory theatre in Station Street.

Over the next century, the company would become synonymous with ground-breaking theatre, move to an innovative new home in Centenary Square, and collaborate with some of the finest acting and creative talent in the country.

Today, the company continues to play a pivotal role in the city's cultural excellence and civic heritage. These grand tours will take place on Thursday 14 September as part of Birmingham Heritage Week.

Itinerary

10am: Backstage tour at The Old Rep (Station Street, Birmingham, B5 4DY)
10.45am: Guided walk from The Old Rep
11.30am: Refreshments at The REP (Centenary Square, Birmingham B1 2EP)
11.45am-1pm: Backstage tour at The REP (Centenary Square)

One man. One Mission. Is it possible? No, not really.

Milton reveals the truth about being an international spy, before being given a disappointing new identity which forced him to appear on Mock the Week and Live at the Apollo.

But this is also a love story with the twist, or at least a really bad sprain.

Just gloriously daft nonsense or is there a deeper meaning? Every man has his price. Sainsburys, where good food costs less.

“He’s fast, absurd and very Funny”  Radio Times

“No-one can touch Jones when he hits his stride”  The Guardian

Find out more about Milton Jones on his website, Facebook and Instagram.

Join us this November and December as we bring Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale The Snow Queen to The Old Rep stage.

This adaptation of the magical adventure follows inseparable friends Kai and Gerda.  When the heartless Snow Queen steals Kai to help rebuild her broken treasure, can Gerda rescue him in time before she plunges the world into an eternal winter? With the help of an unlikely band of companions, Gerda travels to the Kingdom of Ice to confront the Snow Queen and rescue her friend.

From the creative team behind last year’s Pinocchio, comes a seasonal adventure for the entire family. With an epic original score, spellbinding storytelling, and more than a pinch of Christmas magic, this thrilling re-imagining of Hans Christian Andersen's classic fable promises to be a fairy-tale you won’t want to miss this Christmas.

BSL performance - Friday 22 November, 1.30pm                                                                                                                                                                                                                      BSL & Relaxed performance - Saturday 14 December, 1.30pm