Once Upon a Time…
In 2014 Women & Theatre, in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome, worked with 20 Looked After Young People aged 10-18 to develop and devise a new musical theatre production Once Upon a Time… which explored alternative endings to conventional fairytales. The concept for the piece was driven by the personal reflections of the participants, many of whom felt they […]
The Chocolate Soldiers
The Chocolate Soldiers explored the experiences of young recruits from Birmingham during WWI. The theme of the project developed from the phrase ‘Chocolate Soldiers’, a term for Birmingham troops first coined in a poem from the period, which attacked authorities for their ineffective use of troops from the city. Fascinated by the idea of young […]
Aston Telling Tales
Aston Telling Tales explored the history of the inner city area of Aston taking inspiration from the renowned 17th century manor house Aston Hall. Aston Hall was built in the Jacobean era within a picturesque rural landscape. Four centuries later it sits astride a dual carriageway firmly inside Birmingham’s inner city and has become the […]
Seasonal Shows
Background to Seasonal Shows: In 2011, in partnership with Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust, W&T developed and toured a research-based festive show called The Christmas Box to a range of mental health settings. The focus on a specific season proved to be very effective for in-patients for whom the changing seasons felt quite […]
Gay Birmingham: Back to Backs
How much do we know about the previous inhabitants of our city and what can be learnt from their forgotten stories? Devised and written by Women & Theatre, Gay Birmingham: Back to Backs was an immersive site-specific piece, which aimed to give a voice to the city’s forgotten Gay citizens. Writers Janice Connolly and Terina […]
The Palace of Wasted Dreams
The Palace of Wasted Dreams, was a musical theatre production that explored and gave voice to women’s relationship with alcohol. Devised by Janice Connolly and Terina Talbot with Director Gwenda Hughes, the piece aimed to go beyond medical analysis and sensational media coverage to present a non-judgemental, multi-voiced take on why different women drink and […]