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From George VI to Victoria FOR Roxana Silbert Birmingham Weekender
raises the curtain on a whole new experience taking her from festival
lover to festival planner. The Argentinian born Silbert was appointed
Birmingham Rep’s artistic director in 2011 and has breathed exciting new
life into the venerable institution since it moved into both its second
century and back into its refurbished home after its two years closure
in September 2013. But in a career which has seen her as an
associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court and
West Yorkshire Playhouse and artistic director of Paines Plough Theatre
Company as well as literary director at the Traverse Theatre,
missing
from her CV, until now, has been the world of street festivals. She recently did a fine
job directing a five star Rep co-production of
The King’s Speech,
which then toured until last month, but
now has to turn her attention from George VI to Victoria, or more
specifically Victoria Square, along with Centenary, Chamberlain and
Oozells Squares as well as planning a myriad of events popping up in
shop windows, department stores, shopping centres and city streets.
“I have never programmed a festival before. I
love going to festivals but this is my first time and I have loved it,”
she said, “I was a little bit reluctant at first because outdoor theatre
is not one of my areas of speciality but one of the great things about
being here is that these opportunities to do something new open up, and
also it I such an incredibly supportive environment so although I am
named creative director I have had so much support from the rest of the
organisations that it was shaping something that was coming through
quite organically. “It has also been amazing because you suddenly
realise how much talent there is in this region, I mean world class
talent. People keep saying it in speeches (launching the festival) and
it really is true. You suddenly look at that programme and think that
would be OK anywhere in the world.” With 200 artists and 70 companies, all free of
charge, the festival’s creative director sees it as an extraordinary
offer but added: “It is really important that the people in the region
know that the work is there and the work is for them and that it is
accessible and available to them. And what is brilliant about it is we
can make it free so what the Birmingham City Council and Arts Council
support has allowed us to do it to offer it for free.” She said that had also been other support from
retailers and from organisations involved in Birmingham Arts Partnership
with everything from marketing to rehearsal rooms and all the other
backroom facilities and support without which the festival would never
get off the ground. And get off the ground it will on September
Friday, 25 September running through to Sunday evening. It is expected to be a busy weekend in
Birmingham, the first when the rebuilt New Street Station the Grand
Central shopping complex will open its doors for the first time, while
South Africa play Samoa in the Rugby World Cup at Villa Park and the
catwalks will be back for Style Birmingham Live with fashion shows
throughout the weekend in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery’s Gas Hall. Roger Clarke Full Birmingham Weekender programme details
and listings will be released in August on
www.birminghamweekender.com and in the Weekender brochure,
which will be widely distributed around the city. It is envisaged it will be necessary to
pre-book a small number of events due to limited spaces available,
please check the website for more details. Follow @BhamWeekender, like
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www.instagram.com/bhamweekender #BhamWE
Birmingham Arts Partnership (BAP comprises 14 arts companies and venues located in and around Birmingham city centre. Its members are: City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Opera Company, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham Royal Ballet, DanceXchange , The Drum, Ex Cathedra, Ikon, mac birmingham, Town Hall Symphony Hall and Sampad Arts |