The Old Rep has played a central role in the early careers of many of the UK’s most celebrated actors and theatre-makers. Here are a few of those notable names…
Theatre 67 Club
The Theatre 67 Club which gave children and young people the opportunity to work with professional actors and directors during the 1960s.
Theatre 67 Club.jpg238Theatre 67 ClubThe Theatre 67 Club which gave children and young people the opportunity to work with professional actors and directors during the 1960s.Malvern-Festival-1932, John Drinkwater was the resident playwright and later manager of Birmingham Repertory Company. He worked closely with Sir Barry Jackson (both pictured above)
Malvern-Festival-1932.jpg236Malvern-Festival-1932, John Drinkwater was the resident playwright and later manager of Birmingham Repertory Company. He worked closely with Sir Barry Jackson (both pictured above)Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Percy Rhodes & Carrie Baillie - 1927, Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923
Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Percy Rhodes and Carrie Baillie, 1927
Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Percy Rhodes & Carrie Baillie - 1927.jpg235Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Percy Rhodes & Carrie Baillie - 1927, Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Percy Rhodes and Carrie Baillie, 1927Cymbeline, 1923, Founder Sir Barry Jackson established Birmingham Repertory Company in 1913. This image is of Barry Jackson outside The Rep 1922
Cymbeline, 1923. The first Shakespeare production to be performed in contemporary costumes.
Cymbeline, 1923.jpg233Cymbeline, 1923, Founder Sir Barry Jackson established Birmingham Repertory Company in 1913. This image is of Barry Jackson outside The Rep 1922Cymbeline, 1923. The first Shakespeare production to be performed in contemporary costumes.birminghamrep exterior hinckleystreet C1913, Paul Scofield and Barbara Lott in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman in 1945
Stage Door and the theatre dock on Hinckley Street c.1913
birminghamrep exterior hinckleystreet C1913.jpg232birminghamrep exterior hinckleystreet C1913, Paul Scofield and Barbara Lott in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman in 1945Stage Door and the theatre dock on Hinckley Street c.1913Barry Jackson & John Drinkwater, Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958
Sir Barry Jackson pictured with John Drinkwater, resident playwright and General Manager.
Barry Jackson & John Drinkwater.jpg230Barry Jackson & John Drinkwater, Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958Sir Barry Jackson pictured with John Drinkwater, resident playwright and General Manager.Founder Sir Barry Jackson established Birmingham Repertory Company in 1913. This image is of Barry Jackson outside The Rep 1922
Founder Sir Barry Jackson pictured outside the theatre, 1922
Barry Jackson outside The Rep 1922.jpg4Founder Sir Barry Jackson established Birmingham Repertory Company in 1913. This image is of Barry Jackson outside The Rep 1922Founder Sir Barry Jackson pictured outside the theatre, 1922Malvern-Festival-1932, John Drinkwater was the resident playwright and later manager of Birmingham Repertory Company. He worked closely with Sir Barry Jackson (both pictured above)
factorywithcaption_largerimage.jpg7Malvern-Festival-1932, John Drinkwater was the resident playwright and later manager of Birmingham Repertory Company. He worked closely with Sir Barry Jackson (both pictured above)Sir Laurence Olivier joined company for a year from 1927 – 1928. He performed as Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer, Malcolm in Macbeth and also appeared in The Taming of the Shrew and Uncle Vanya
Laurence Olivier in The Farmer's Wife, 1926
Laurence Olivier - The Farmer's Wife, 1926.jpg13Sir Laurence Olivier joined company for a year from 1927 – 1928. He performed as Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer, Malcolm in Macbeth and also appeared in The Taming of the Shrew and Uncle VanyaLaurence Olivier in The Farmer's Wife, 1926Sir Ralph Richardson played Tranio 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
Ralph Richardson as Dick Whittington and Jean Herbert as the Cat in The Christmas Party by Barry V. Jackson, 1925
Ralph Richardson as 'Dick Whittington' & Jean Herbert as the 'Cat' - 'The Christmas Party' by Barry V.Jackson, 1925.jpg16Sir Ralph Richardson played Tranio 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 BrutusRalph Richardson as Dick Whittington and Jean Herbert as the Cat in The Christmas Party by Barry V. Jackson, 1925Ion Swinley & Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies performed in Romeo & Juliet, 1922
Ion Swinley and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in Romeo & Juliet, 1922
Ion Swinley as 'Romeo' & Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies as 'Juliet' - Romeo & Juliet, 1922.jpg9Ion Swinley & Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies performed in Romeo & Juliet, 1922Ion Swinley and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in Romeo & Juliet, 1922Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923
Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923
Edith Evans - The Oracle in Part IV, 1923.jpg6Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923Dame Edith Evans as The Oracle in Part IV of George Bernard Shaw’s epic five cycle play Back to Methuselah! in 1923Stewart Granger performed with the company during the 1930s
James Stewart (later Stewart Granger) and Marjorie Lane in Three Sisters, 1936
James Stewart (later Stewart Granger) & Marjorie Lane - Three Sisters, 1936.jpg10Stewart Granger performed with the company during the 1930sJames Stewart (later Stewart Granger) and Marjorie Lane in Three Sisters, 1936Paul Scofield and Barbara Lott in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman in 1945
Barbara Lott and Paul Scofield in Man and Superman, 1945
Barbara Lott & Paul Scofield - Man and Superman, 1945.jpg3Paul Scofield and Barbara Lott in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman in 1945Barbara Lott and Paul Scofield in Man and Superman, 1945Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958
Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958
Albert Finney & June Brown - Macbeth, 1958.jpeg1Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958Michael Gambon, Brian Cox and Alison Key in Othello, 1968. Michael Gambon was advised by Sir Laurence Olivier to join Birmingham Repertory Company to gain more experience in performing.
Michael Gambon, Alison Key and Brian Cox in Othello, 1968
Michael Gambon, Alison Key & Brian Cox - Othello, 1968.jpg14Michael Gambon, Brian Cox and Alison Key in Othello, 1968. Michael Gambon was advised by Sir Laurence Olivier to join Birmingham Repertory Company to gain more experience in performing.Michael Gambon, Alison Key and Brian Cox in Othello, 1968