Media Gallery
Rehearsal Photographs
Production Photographs
Running Time approximately 2 hours 35 minutes including one interval
- Director: Rachel Kavanaugh
- Designer: Ruari Murchison
- Lighting Designer: Tim Mitchell
- Composer: Terry Davies
- Sound Designer: Dan Hoole
- Casting Director: Lucy Jenkins
Special Dates
- After Dark : Tue 30 March
- Theatre Day : Thu 1 April
- BSL Interpreted Performance : Thu 1 April
- Audio Described Performance : Thu 8 April
- Captioned Performance : Sat 10 April
Audio
- Listen to the audio introduction - contents Download [153.51 kb]
- Listen to the audio introduction - Introduction to the play and set Download [5.15 mb]
- Listen to the audio introduction - characters and costumes Download [6.53 mb]
Three Course Dinner Available: Find out more
Useful Links
Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company and Nottingham Playhouse present
Arthur & George
Fri 19 Mar 2010 – Sat 10 Apr 2010
Main House
Adapted for the stage by David Edgar
Based on the novel by Julian Barnes
Now that the car park next door to The REP is closed, roads and car parks around The REP get very busy in the evenings, especially when there are big events at the NIA and Symphony Hall. We advise you to check their websites before your visit, and to allow extra time for your journey.
Birmingham solicitor George Edalji has been convicted of a terrible crime and is desperate to prove his innocence. After his release from prison he recruits the help of none other than expert crime writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to help solve his mysterious case and hopefully win him a pardon.
This powerful new stage adaptation, based on Julian Barnes’ semi-fictional novel, brings vividly to life the events of a hundred years ago which made sensational headlines as The Great Wyrley Outrages. As gripping as any of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries, Arthur & George also raises many questions about guilt and innocence, identity, nationality and race.
Birmingham born, and internationally acclaimed playwright, David Edgar has written many plays including Destiny, Pentecost, Playing With Fire and Testing The Echo and his stage adaptations include Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde and Nicholas Nickleby. His most recent work for The REP was a new translation of Brecht’s Galileo.
| Date | Time | Date information |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 19th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Sat 20th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Mon 22nd Mar | 19:30 | |
| Tue 23rd Mar | 19:00 | |
| Wed 24th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Thu 25th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Fri 26th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Sat 27th Mar | 14:00 | |
| Sat 27th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Mon 29th Mar | 19:30 | |
| Tue 30th Mar | 19:30 | After Dark |
| Wed 31st Mar | 19:30 | |
| Thu 1st Apr | 14:00 | Theatre Day |
| Thu 1st Apr | 19:30 | BSL Interpreted Performance |
| Tue 6th Apr | 19:30 | |
| Wed 7th Apr | 19:30 | |
| Thu 8th Apr | 19:30 | Audio Described Performance |
| Fri 9th Apr | 19:30 | |
| Sat 10th Apr | 19:30 | Captioned Performance |
“Chris Nayak plays Edalji with exactly the right tunnel-vision earnestness.”
Michael Billington, The Guardian
“Adrian Lukis admirably invests Conan Doyle with the impassioned concern for justice”
Michael Billington, The Guardian
“Rachel Kavanaugh’s engrossing production”
Benedict Nightingale, The Times ****
“Edgar scrambles and re-lays the novel’s linear narrative with such skill that there is not the slightest tug of theatrical strings. Rachel Kavanaugh’s production is seamless”
Financial Times
- Arthur: Adrian Lukis
- George: Chris Nayak
- Woodie: William Beck
- Jean: Kirsty Hoiles
- Maud: Anneika Rose
- Doorman, Campbell, Vachell: Richard Attlee
- Upton, Anson, Parker: Simon Coates
- Waiter, Meek, Bellboy: Daniel Crowder
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Comments
Jonathan from Hall Green
I agree with my namesake. I've just read the book in preparation for seeing the production on Monday. It's difficult to see how it can be adapted for the stage without losing something of that gradual build-up of tension, beautiful use of language and the careful development of characters in Julian Barnes' long and complex, yet eminently readable novel. But, hopes are high with David Edgar adapting. I haven't looked forward to a stage production with such anticipation for a long time.
Simon P from Acocks Green
Easily the best main house show at the Rep in a number of years. Edgar's fluent adaptation simultaneously sustains the narrative thrust while allowing the underlying themes space to develop. It's far more structurally compelling than the original novel. The theatrical sleight of hand in the final scene is particularly powerful. The set is simple yet effective and the performances without exception impressive. A thoroughly entertaining and stimulating night out.
Hannah from Bristol
I was lucky enough to see the show on Tuesday and it was wonderful. I was really happy to be able to go so early in the run and loved the whole production, especially the repetition of the horse motif.
Jane Winder
A delightful and thought provoking evening, with a great deal of wit and humour – more than I had been aware of in the book.
Malcolm Flanagan from Sutton Coldfield
superb edwardian costumes
gail morgan from great wyrley
Having spent my childhood in Great Wyrley the play had a particular resonance. Then when I watched the Saturday matine (27th March) I then realized that my house was built on the site of some of the actual atrocities. My friend and I would also like to thank the front of house staff for their kindness when we realized we couldn't reach our seats on the second floor. Thank you for finding us appropriate seats.
jan from Sutton Coldfield
An excellent adaptation of an excellent book. Well worth a visit and an enjoyable night out
lynne from lichfield
A great adaptation of a great book with superb performances by Adrian Lukis and Chris Nayak. Another success for the Birmingham Rep staging a play with its story's roots strongly in the Midlands.
Jonathan from The Midlands
If the play is anything like the book, it will be brilliant!!!