Birmingham REP to host shows highlighting effects of racial injustice in region

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Lightpost Company began their series of free online events titled Fix It: Time to Breathe on Tuesday. Subsequent events will follow later this month.

Designed to explore and share strategies on how we address the adversities young African Caribbean men face in arts, health and justice, the first event focused on the subject of trauma. Attended by 45 participants, the digital conversation brought together a mix of practitioners working with young people, commissioners, decision-makers (including elected officials), service managers and community leaders.

Each Fix It event is structured to feature an introduction to guest speakers and young men from the Shifting The Dial project plus an open, solutions-focussed conversation between practitioners, decision-makers and young people on how we work together to tackle the issue.

The following events over the next two weeks will focus on justice and rights (July 21) and healing (July 28). Each conversation is intended as an opportunity to learn, share and look at effective approaches inspired by the innovative Shifting The Dial programme – a programme dedicated to boosting young black men’s resilience and wellbeing. The Shifting The Dial Partnership is a unique collaboration comprised of the REP, First Class Legacy, Centre for Mental Health and is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. Interested participants can find out more and book their place for the next two Fix It conversations by visiting birmingham-rep.co.uk.

Shifting the Dial project producer, Samina Beckford said; “Due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been forced to change how we run our ever-popular quarterly “Fix It” events. This new format allows our delegates the space for vital reflection during and after our online conversations. We will continue to work with our attendees who have pledged practical and sustainable organisational changes which aid in dismantling systemic issues that negatively impact young black men.”

The conversations will end with a time to breathe, an opportunity to make a pledge/promise on what you and/or your organisation can implement in order to address systemic racism and support young African Caribbean men.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre is the premiere producing theatre in the UK’s second city. The longest building-based theatre company in the UK, the REP has an unparalleled pioneering history in UK theatre. The REP’s mission is to create artistically ambitious popular theatre for, by and with the people of Birmingham and the wider world.

However, it has been hard hit by Covid-19 and recently announced a round of redundancies in order to stay afloat. It derives most of its income from ticket sales but has been unable to trade since lockdown.

The commissioning and production of new work lies at the core of The REP’s programme and over the last 15 years, the company has produced more than 130 new plays. As well as presenting over 60 productions on its three stages every year, the theatre tours its productions nationally and internationally. The theatre’s pioneering outreach programme engages with over 7,000 young people and adults through its creative learning programme, equating to 30,000 individual educational sessions.

Many of the REP’s productions go on to have lives beyond Birmingham. Recent tours and transfers include The Lovely Bones, Brief Encounter, Nativity! The Musical, What Shadows, LOVE, The Winslow Boy, The Government Inspector, Of Mice and Men, Anita and Me, Penguins and The King’s Speech. The theatre’s long-running production of The Snowman celebrated its 25th anniversary as well as its 22nd consecutive season at London’s Peacock Theatre in 2019.