Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was the first production to be performed at the Birmingham Repertory theatre in February 1913. The photograph shows Scott Sunderland as Feste. Sunderland was Rep founder Barry Jackson’s partner and performed many leading roles the with the company Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
One of the telegrams sent to Barry Jackson to celebrate the opening of Birmingham Repertory theatre in 1913. This telegram is from the Stage Society – a ‘private’ organisation that helped circumvent the Lord Chamberlain by presenting important, unlicensed new plays Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Margaret Chatwin in the 1914 production of Rebellion. Chatwin was one of the first principal female actors at Birmingham Repertory theatre. The theatre continued to put on productions during the first world war Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Birmingham Repertory theatre was the first purpose-built repertory theatre in the country, designed by SN Cooke and built in just four months by John Bowen and Sons. The original theatre opened on 15 February 1913 and is now known as the Old Rep Photograph: Lewis & Randall
Barry Jackson was close friends with artists Laura and Harold Knight. There are a number of drawings by Dame Laura Knight of Birmingham Repertory theatre productions in the Barry Jackson Trust Archives Photograph: Reproduced with permission of The Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA 2013. All Rights Reserved
Jean Campbell was resident designer at the Rep from 1931. This costume design for The Farmer’s Wife by Eden Phillpotts was completed while she was still in training under Paul Shelving in 1924 Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
In 1923 Barry Jackson made theatre history with the first production of Shakespeare in modern dress. HK Ayliff directed Cymbeline and went on to direct five other modern-dress Shakespeares, including the sensational 1925 Hamlet, illustrated here in a cartoon by WK Haselden published in the Daily Mirror on 27 July 1925 Photograph: Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Laurence Olivier was one of many famous actors who started their career at Birmingham Rep. This photograph is of him in the 1927 production of The Silver Box by John Galsworthy Photograph: Central Picture News
The Barretts of Wimpole Street by Rudolf Besier was performed in Birmingham and Malvern before transferring to the Queen’s theatre, London, in September 1930 where it ran for 530 performances. This painting by Dame Laura Knight shows the performers waiting in the wings with Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies in the centre Photograph: Reproduced with permission of The Estate of Dame Laura Knight DBE RA 2013. All Rights Reserved
Barry Jackson and George Bernard Shaw were close friends. Jackson staged many of Shaw’s plays, including the British premieres of Back to Methuselah and The Apple Cart. This sketch by Jackson is of Shaw reading Too Good to Be True, which premiered at the Malvern festival in 1932 Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
At Christmas 1934, the premiere of 1066 and All That became Birmingham Repertory theatre's biggest financial success. During the run Sir Barry Jackson agreed to transfer his interest to a trust and effectively gave the Rep to the City of Birmingham Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw opened in August 1945 and marked Peter Brook’s directorial debut. Later that year Brook went with Barry Jackson to Stratford, where he continued to develop his directing career. The photo shows Maud Gill as Mrs Whitefield and Paul Scofield as John Tanner Photograph: Lisel Haas/Reproduced with kind permission from the Victoria & Albert Museum
Barry Jackson and the Birmingham Rep launched the careers of many actors, writers and directors. This photo shows Albert Finney in the 1957 production of Henry V, directed by Douglas Seale and designed by Paul Shelving Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Princess Margaret at the royal gala opening of the 1971 Birmingham Repertory theatre company production of First Impressions starring Patricia Routledge. This was the first production staged at the Rep’s new theatre on Broad Street designed by Graham Winteringham Photograph: 14. Willoughby Gullachsen
A programme for David Edgar’s play Mary Barnes, the first major new writing success to come out of the Rep’s Studio, which had opened a few years earlier in 1972. Directed by Peter Farago the cast included Patti Love, Simon Callow, Timothy Spall and Roger Allam Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Kenneth Branagh and James Larkin rehearsing Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Judi Dench. The Renaissance company was set up by Kenneth Branagh and David Parfitt in 1987 and took up residence in the Studio at the Rep in spring 1988 Photograph: Birmingham Repertory theatre
Ayub Khan Din’s East Is East premiered at the Rep in 1996. A creative partnership between the Rep and the British Asian company Tamasha, the production achieved national and international success on stage and screen. The photograph shows Nadim Sawalha, Lesley Nicol and Kriss Dosanjh Photograph: Robert Day
The Rep has premiered the work of many female dramatists. Bryony Lavery's production of Frozen, directed by Bill Alexander with Anita Dobson, Tom Georgeson and Josie Lawrence was a major critical success Photograph: Birmingham Repertory Theatre
The world premiere of Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s Behzti (Dishonour) caused controversy when it opened in December 2004. The play offended some members of the Sikh community and a series of protests were organised. Following a particularly violent protest, the play was cancelled after just 10 performances Photograph: Birmingham Repertory Theatre
In 2011 the Rep closed for refurbishment to improve facilities and create a link with Birmingham's new library. Over the past two years the company has continued to produced work offsite in a mix of traditional and unconventional settings. In October 2012 Eat!, an intimate piece of theatre, was set in four caravans. The Rep reopens in September 2013 Photograph: Robert Day
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