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Notable Names: The History of The Old Rep

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.

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    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.
  • 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)

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    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)
  • 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.jpg
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    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
  • Derek Jacobi - Henry VIII, 1963, Building Exterior

    Derek Jacobi as Henry VIII, 1963

    Derek Jacobi - Henry VIII, 1963.jpg
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    Derek Jacobi - Henry VIII, 1963, Building Exterior
    Derek Jacobi as Henry VIII, 1963
  • Cymbeline, 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.

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    Cymbeline, 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.
  • 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

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    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
  • Birmingham Rep - December 1951, Auditorium Refurb - 1953

    The front of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (later The Old Rep), 1951

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    Birmingham Rep - December 1951, Auditorium Refurb - 1953
    The front of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre (later The Old Rep), 1951
  • Barry 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.

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    Barry 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.
  • Building Exterior

    The front of Birmingham Repertory Theatre (later The Old Rep).

    Building Exterior.jpg
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    Building Exterior
    The front of Birmingham Repertory Theatre (later The Old Rep).
  • 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.jpg
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    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
  • 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)

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    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)
  • 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.jpg
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    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
  • Sir 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.jpg
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    Sir 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
  • Ion 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.jpg
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    Ion Swinley & Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies performed in Romeo & Juliet, 1922
    Ion Swinley and Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in Romeo & Juliet, 1922
  • Dame 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.jpg
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    Dame 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
  • Sir John Gielgud in Romeo & Juliet, 1924

    John Gielgud and Gwen Frangcon Davies in Romeo & Juliet, 1924

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    Sir John Gielgud in Romeo & Juliet, 1924
    John Gielgud and Gwen Frangcon Davies in Romeo & Juliet, 1924
  • Stewart 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.jpg
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    Stewart Granger performed with the company during the 1930s
    James Stewart (later Stewart Granger) and Marjorie Lane in Three Sisters, 1936
  • Paul 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.jpg
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    Paul Scofield and Barbara Lott in George Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman in 1945
    Barbara Lott and Paul Scofield in Man and Superman, 1945
  • Paul Scofield & Eileen Beldon - The Seagull, 1945

    Paul Scofield and Eileen Beldon in The Seagull, 1945

    Paul Scofield & Eileen Beldon - The Seagull, 1945.jpg
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    Paul Scofield & Eileen Beldon - The Seagull, 1945
    Paul Scofield and Eileen Beldon in The Seagull, 1945
  • Auditorium Refurb - 1953

    The auditorium of theatre during refurbishment, 1953

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    Auditorium Refurb - 1953
    The auditorium of theatre during refurbishment, 1953
  • Albert 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.jpeg
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    Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958
    Albert Finney and June Brown as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in 1958
  • Ian Richardson spent 2 seasons at Birmingham Repertory Company performing in Hamlet in 1959

    Ian Richardson as Hamlet, 1959

    Ian Richardson - Hamlet, 1959.jpg
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    Ian Richardson spent 2 seasons at Birmingham Repertory Company performing in Hamlet in 1959
    Ian Richardson as Hamlet, 1959
  • Michael 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.jpg
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    Michael 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
  • Julie Christie in Between These Four Walls, 1963

    Julie Christie in Between These Four Walls, 1963

    Julie Christie - Between These Four Walls, 1963.jpg
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    Julie Christie in Between These Four Walls, 1963
    Julie Christie in Between These Four Walls, 1963
  • Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet, 1969

    Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet, 1969

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    Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet, 1969
    Richard Chamberlain in Hamlet, 1969
  • workshops-at-the-old-rep, Stewart Granger performed with the company during the 1930s

    The workshops on Hinckley Street

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    workshops-at-the-old-rep, Stewart Granger performed with the company during the 1930s
    The workshops on Hinckley Street