Old Rep, Grade II listed theatre in Birmingham, England
The Old Rep is a Grade II listed brick theatre on Station Street in central Birmingham, built in the early 20th century. It contains four performance spaces of different sizes: The House for large productions, and The Hub, The Door, and The Studio for smaller or experimental work.
The building was designed by architect S. N. Cooke and opened in 1913 as the first purpose-built repertory theatre in the United Kingdom. It was commissioned by Barry Jackson, who had founded the Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company shortly before.
The Old Rep is seen as the home of repertory theatre in Britain, and that identity still shapes the work staged here today. Visiting student groups, drama schools, and local artists regularly perform alongside professional companies, giving the building a working creative energy.
The theatre sits very close to Birmingham New Street station, making it easy to reach by public transport. Backstage tours are available for those who want to see behind the scenes, including the technical systems and the older parts of the building.
In 1917, the theatre appointed the first female stage manager in Britain, at a time when women rarely held technical roles in theatre. Actors such as Laurence Olivier, Paul Scofield, and Michael Gambon started their careers on this stage before they became widely known.
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