A “vibrant and inspiring snapshot of theatre created by West Midlands emerging writers and theatre makers”, the second free REP Foundry Festival is to take place at Birmingham REP.
The programme features plays about family, divisions between cultures, autobiographical stories and comedy. There will be 20 performances including eight new plays over two weeks.
The festival showcases artists who have been part of the theatre’s professional development programme REP Foundry. The theatre’s former artistic director Roxana Silbert started the festival in 2013. To date it has supported 69 writers, directors and theatre makers.
Many of them have gone on to enjoy employment within the theatre industry or to have work commissioned or produced by the REP and other theatres.
Shane Shambhu’s Invisible Lines takes Indian dance as a springboard to create a “physical and humorous” show that follows the lives of three doctors at a genetics lab. Family history provides the inspiration for Siana Bangura’s play Layila! which is set in Sierra Leone and the UK.
The REP’s deputy artistic director Amit Sharma said, “I’m incredibly proud of the festival programme the team have put together this year. We want audiences not only to try something new but also to see why we should be excited by the local talent who are starting to pave their way in the theatre industry.”
The festival will be held in The Door at the REP from Thursday 7 until Saturday 16 November. The full programme is available at the Birmingham REP web site.