When talking about student theaters in Birmingham, one cannot fail to mention the famous and popular Theatre63, which is not only popular in the city. Today, it is an independent theater company founded by students and graduates of the Birmingham School of Acting in 2016. The initiative to create the student theater came from several young actors, including Ruby Etches, George Alex Pollard and William Proudler.
The young people wanted to have their own space for productions and create new original performances. Incidentally, the original name, Theatre63, partly hints at their ambitious goal: the young actors dreamed of staging 63 productions. This became the troupe’s creative talisman. Read more about the student theater initiative at birmingham-trend.com.
History of creation
In Birmingham’s theater landscape, which historically combines powerful repertory stages and experimental venues, independent troupes, usually grown out of the student environment, occupy a special place. One such company is Theatre63, a theater that began as a bold creative experiment by young people and students and later made a name for itself at professional festivals in the United Kingdom.
Theatre63 was founded in 2016 by students and recent graduates of the Birmingham School of Acting, part of Birmingham City University. The founders were three young people, Ruby Etches, George Alex Pollard and William Proudler. The young artists wanted to go beyond educational productions and create their own theatrical language. Unlike classical university theaters, Theatre63 positioned itself from the outset as an independent company focused on the real theater market.
The name Theatre63 was symbolic and reflected the ambition of the project: it was associated with the idea of a long creative journey, a series of productions and gradual professional growth. For the founders, the theater became not just a club or a temporary project, but a platform for practical training and self-realization.
In its early stages, Theatre63 operated on the principle of collective leadership. The founders combined the roles of actors, directors, playwrights, and producers, which gave them unique experience in the full cycle of theater production. This approach, incidentally, is now characteristic of contemporary independent theater. In it, artists are not limited to a single function — acting on stage, writing scripts, etc. — but form performances as a joint artistic product.
From the outset, the theater’s management announced its basic principles of operation, with a focus on original texts and experimental forms as a key feature. From the very beginning, the newly formed company rejected a safe repertoire in favor of new contemporary drama, topical themes and minimalist stage designs.
Repertoire and performances
Theatre63’s most famous work is Cockroached, which was presented at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It is a post-apocalyptic black comedy play based on role-playing and a limited number of performers. The play was distinguished by its dynamic form, sharp humor and the omnipresent sense of anxiety characteristic of contemporary youth theater.
It should be noted that Theatre63’s repertoire is generally characterized by intimacy, a focus on acting and text. In addition, young people have an irresistible desire to connect with the audience, and they prefer this connection to be direct. Currently, young theatergoers are succeeding in this endeavor. In general, the company works with themes of identity, social pressure, fear of the future, and the place of humans in a rapidly changing world.
The creative growth and development of the theater is evidenced by the fact that, although Theatre63 originated in Birmingham, its participation in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was an important stage in its development. This is the world’s largest independent theater festival. It was there that the student project with an unusual but very symbolic name received widespread public attention and professional recognition. In particular, it is worth noting its nomination for a student theater award.
The theater company, created by three graduates of the Birmingham School of Acting, was nominated for an award at the National Student Drama Festival in 2017. This award recognizes the best new theater companies. At that time, Theatre63 was shortlisted for 20 performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
All productions shortlisted had to be completely new. This meant a new script, a new adaptation or an innovative reworking of a play. Theatre63 performed Cockroached at venue 33 in Pleasance Courtyard. This post-apocalyptic black comedy, set in the colorful but dirty confines of a makeshift house, namely the storeroom of Peek’s Party Store, is performed by two actors who switch roles every night.
What’s more, the bachelor’s degree graduates in acting wrote, produced and performed in the play together. But that’s not all. In addition to their festival performances, Theatre63 participants presented their work at university and other independent venues in Birmingham. In this way, young theater artists are gradually integrating into the city’s theater scene.
Impact on Birmingham’s professional theater
Therefore, we can try to explore the sacramental question of whether student theaters in general, and Theatre63 in particular, have any influence on the professional theater community. Is there any benefit from their creation for the community, for other professional theaters, and most importantly, for those who participate in the life of student theater groups?
As it turns out, the influence of Theatre63 lies not only in specific performances, but also in the very example of their existence. This particular theater has eloquently demonstrated that a student initiative can grow into a professional project capable of competing, note, at the national level. For Birmingham, a city with a strong educational base, Theatre63 has become proof of the effective link between theater education and the real stage.
In addition, the company’s members, having gained experience in producing, participating in festivals and working independently, eventually integrate into the wider theater sector — as actors, directors, or creators of new companies. In this way, Theatre63 influences professional theater not directly, but through the formation of a new generation of Birmingham artists.
Invaluable experience
Working in the Theatre63 student troupe gave young actors, directors, playwrights, and technical staff experience in staging full-fledged performances — from writing scripts and acting to organizing productions in a festival atmosphere. In addition, by participating in various festivals, students meet artists from around the world, which promotes the exchange of ideas, collaboration, and opportunities in the theater industry.
Theatre63 is an example of how a student initiative can give rise to a theater that goes beyond the walls of the university. The combination of education, risk, and ambition has allowed this company to take its place in Birmingham’s theater scene and already leave a noticeable mark on contemporary independent theater in the UK.
Sources:
