Theatre of Birmingham

What evidence remains of drama in medieval Birmingham suggests that it was largely religious in its basis. The Guild of the Holy Cross was established in the 14th century to maintain chantries in the parish church of St Martin in the Bull Ring, and is likely to have presented liturgical drama at its guildhall on New Street. The street now known as Carr's Lane in Birmingham City Centre was originally called "God's Cart Lane", after the Holy Cart used for religious pageantry and the presentation of morality plays and miracle plays.Wakes were established in Deritend and in Handsworth in the 15th century where booth drama would have been presented.

The earliest definite records of dramatic performances in the town are of regular seasonal performances by strolling players in the early 18th century. A booth existed by 1715 in "The Hinkleys" – the area bounded by Smallbrook Street and Dudley Street near the site of the current Old Rep theatre – and a second, described as a "shed of boards", is recorded a few years later in the meadows that would later be developed as Temple Street. These later developed into the Theatre in Smallbrook Street and the Playhouse in New Street, but at this early date would have presented plays and performances by travelling actors of indifferent quality, who carried their costumes and scenery with them on their backs and announced their performances by beating a drum.

A building "something like a stable" in Castle Yard between High Street and Moor Street was used for dramatic performances from 1730. The standard of production in this new venue was reflected in the remarks of William Hutton, writing later in the century: "here the comedian strutted in painted rags, ornamented with tinsel. The audience raised a noisy laugh, half real and half forced, at three-pence a head." Not all of the performances of this era were of such low quality, however: later playbills suggest that George Hallam had visited Birmingham with a company of actors from London, and that a repertoire of good quality was being presented in the town, by 1730 at the latest.

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