Blue Plaque: Sir Barry Jackson (Old Rep)

Sir Barry Jackson was a towering figure in British theatre, renowned as a visionary director, entrepreneur, and, most notably, the founder of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. 

Artistic dreams meet family business
Born in Kings Norton, Jackson came from a wealthy family; his father, George Jackson, was a prominent businessman with a passion for the arts and theatre.  From a young age, Barry Jackson was immersed in the arts, attending theatre, opera, and ballet regularly. He travelled in Europe, studying French and developing a love for painting in Geneva. While he initially desired to become a professional artist, his father encouraged a more stable career, leading him to an architect’s office in Birmingham in 1897. However, his true calling lay elsewhere, and he soon turned his attention to writing and performing plays with friends.

The Pilgrim Players become theatre royalty
His passion for theatre led him to form an amateur company called the Pilgrim Players. This group eventually evolved into the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which Jackson founded and funded entirely. In 1913, he opened the new Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Station Street, a purpose-built venue that became renowned for its commitment to credible, non-commercial playwriting and exceptional quality productions. Under his guidance, the “Rep” became a leading dramatic theatre on a national scale, known for taking artistic risks, including the first production of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline in modern dress in 1923.

A national impact
Jackson’s influence extended beyond Birmingham. He later founded the Malvern Festival in 1929, an acclaimed annual summer festival that brought renowned productions to the region. He also served as Artistic Director of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre (now the Royal Shakespeare Theatre) in Stratford-upon-Avon from 1945 to 1948, where he implemented significant reforms to elevate its artistic standing.

A gift to his city
Throughout his life, Sir Barry Jackson was known for his hands-on approach, directing and designing productions, and nurturing the careers of many young actors, directors, and designers who later became famous.  In 1935, Jackson effectively donated the Birmingham Repertory Theatre to the city by establishing a trust, though he retained artistic control as Governing Director. He was knighted in 1925 for his services to theatre, received honorary degrees from the University of Birmingham and, in 1955, he was awarded the Freedom of the City of Birmingham.

Jackson’s death in Birmingham in 1961 marked the end of an era, but his revolutionary spirit lives on in every innovative production and bold artistic choice made in theatres across Britain.