One of the most amazing films ever had been recreated in superb fashion at the Birmingham Rep the play itself is amazing! Incredible staging and well worth going to see! All the suspense and horror of the film on stage in Birmimgh! One of the best things I have seen in a long time! The cast were incredible they captured the feeling and the emotion of the film perfectly making you believe and feel part of the drama. It was the staging that stole the show for me with all the key moments you would expect and the special effects were incredible. Overall one of the nest things I have seen in a long time and well worth going to see this halloween! The Séance is a totally unique experience, it is truly haunting and incredibly well done. You do sit down and have a totally spooky time. It's great read more

The Exorcist - Performing Arts Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Okay, this is primarily a review of the performance of 'The Exorcist' and secondly of its associated event 'Seance'. However it would be unfair not to mention The Rep itself and its 'partner', best-supporting-actor, Centenary Square. I have also posted a separate review for the Birmingham Rep. I grew-up a fan of horror movies, but was far too young to see the film when it came out in the early 1970s but I remember being entertained by the hype concerning its affect on filmgoers! When I saw the film it was a bit of an anti-climax, special affects had moved on. So 40+ years on I was fascinated to see how this could work as a stage play, and whether it would still have impact on the audience. Silent pitch-darkness kicked things off, and the audience reacted with nervous, sceptical laughter, but the sceptics weren't laughing for long! The cast was excellent, with some household names in Peter Bowles and Jenny Seagrove. Each and every actor played their part extremely well and I found myself drawn into the weaving narratives. The production team's use of the space and the set was incredibly clever and effective. The second act brought the narratives together and the dénouemont we were so eagerly anticipating. Lovely...? Not this play! There was some great use of humour along the way, which I don't remember in the film version, plus it was set in modern times, mobile phones and MRI scans. It made me think of that YouTube channel "how the film should've ended", I wanted to suggest Skype exorcism to Father Merrin... On afterwards for 'The Seance' - I'm afraid it didn't do much for me. In the days of Doris Stokes et al. this 'worked' (in the trickery sense) because of the tensions, connections and heightened senses between the participants. Instead, this was sensory deprivation. If you're going in a group I guess you might find it an interesting thing to try. The seance is in a rectanglar shipping-container in Centenary Square. It made me think of all the amazing things that we've had to our city within Centenary Square over the years, what a marvellous space it is. As above, best supporting actor Oscar please! Lastly an observation on the Rep- it's my favourite theatre space in Birmingham and quite unlike the others. It is fresh, very easy to access, and has everything I need as a theatre-goer. I feel The Rep has gone up several notches since it's been annexed with the library of Birmingham. What lucky people we are. read more

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Last night I joined a small group of Yelpers for a night of terror, starting with The Exorcist at The Rep, and followed by their special attraction The Séance. The Exorcist I had been looking forward to seeing The Exorcist for a while and I am so glad that I finally made it. From the moment the lights went out I was completely hooked. The cast set the scene perfectly and the set production was absolutely incredible, setting the right creepy atmosphere throughout. I especially have to commend the actress who played Reagan, the little girl. She was alternately charming and terrifying, and she managed to pull both off spectacularly. When the lights went up at the interval I was shocked to realise that almost an hour had passed. During the interval we had plenty of time for toilet breaks and drinks (I was served quickly considering the amount of people watching the show). The second half was even better that the first and, I have to admit that I let out a few Yelps (ha - see what I did there??). The final scenes were the most captivating of all. I would most definitely recommend this show to anyone. The Séance The Séance is held in a shipping container outside the rep in Centenary Square. I didn't know much about it but I was prepared to be scared... and I wasn't disappointed. The whole experience only lasted for about 15 minutes but I spent the whole time on the edge of my seat. In fact, I had to keep reminding myself that it wasn't real. It is a very spooky experience. I really don't want to give too much away so I'll just say this.... be prepared. This one is not for the faint hearted and if you have a problem with the dark, stay away. However, for those made of tougher stuff, this is a truly immersive experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. read more

This was my first visit to the Rep, and one that was eagerly anticipated, being a keen theatregoer. So when the opportunity arose to sign up for the double feature of The Exorcist and Seance, I jumped at the chance. My first impressions of the building itself were positive, there was a buzz about the place and the staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Finding our seats was easy and the seating was generous, with plenty of legroom and offered an unobstructed view of the stage. Comfy too, having been to many performances elsewhere where fidgeting becomes the norm. The production itself was impressive, with a cast that were mostly familiar. I had been wondering how such a performance of the iconic horror tale would translate on stage and I was not disappointed. From the glare of the lights going up, to being suddenly (and loudly) plunged into darkness set the tone for the evening. The effects were spectacular, with a mix of live action, projections and more traditional effects. Yes, we get the iconic scenes, voice effects and some blood and gore. I had been trying to work out who was voicing the demon, and had the of course moment when I read my programme of Sir Ian McKellen. An eerie and unsettling tone is kept throughout, and is a treat for any horror fan. The Seance was a trippy mind game from start to finish. I don't want to spoil too much (I went in knowing nothing), as people are booked in over the coming days. What I will say is this. Your senses are deprived and the tension ramped up to boiling point. I don't scare easily but when the lights finally came on, I realised I had been holding my breath mostly. Had my eyes been open or closed? Such fun though. I also got to experience the bar, Marmalade and the atmosphere in there was fantastic. I look forward to sampling the menu on my next visit! read more

I love The REP, so I was really excited to find out about this event! There is always a really warm atmosphere here-just as well considering the performance we were about to see (!), so I wasn't too worried when we first went in to the theatre. However, once the lights suddenly went out, I though oh no, what have I let myself in for!! I was a bit scared, but still a little excited too. The scenery and lighting were brilliantly done-such clever effects with the smoke especially. It was dressed in quite a simple way, but the light and sounds meant you really felt the atmosphere on stage. The cast were fabulous and really engaging-Regan stole the show, but everyone was well cast. I had a great time -the play felt to me to be about the right length and also the right amount of scare-factor. The seance outside afterwards also really rounded off the evening. Thank you Yelp and thank you The R read more

Looking for a spectacular evening of spooky goings on perfect for the Halloween period.....well look no further, Birmingham REP is the place for you. Having visited the venue last night, switching the light off when safely back at home definately became more of a thinking process! Tuesday evening, 7PM and we are walking to the main auditorium at The Rep. Now with stage shows I am always a little bit dubious as I cant say I go to the theatre much. At this stage I was thinking to myself this is more than likely not going to be exactly for me but it will be something interesting to do on a pretty bleak mid week night.....how wrong I was.....ill say now this show has completly changed that opinion! Its show time.....its lights off and we are in almost complete darkness when the story of a mother and her possessed child begins to unfold. Obviously with a review you do not want to give away too much but given this is based on a film we all know and love i'll just say the storyline is pretty similar to the cult favorite. The iconic parts of the movie are masterfully remade for the stage using pretty amazing projections, lighting and sound effects. What is seemingly just a bedroom becomes a focal point of the piece with things happening that are crazy and disturbing in equal amounts. The makers of this production have not held back....this is no walk in the park on a sunday....oh no, this is a dark, twisted stage show with a real shock factor. Within an hour and a half I found myself going from watching intently, to laughing through to complete shock...at some points even looking at the stage through my fingers....i'm not even joking. If you are looking for something interesting to do in Birmingham to get an alternative Halloween experience this really has to be considered. Not for the faint hearted or of a very nervous disposition....it's a full five stars from me here. Next up we entered the odd and twisted world of the Seance. So I say about 20 people sitting in a shipping container with headphones on in the dark....you say sounds rubbish.....but I can tell you now this was another memorable part of the night, lovingly crafted using sound and vibration to create a dark and unusual experience I have not been part of before. Everything goes pitch black and you are taken through a seance trying to make contact with some pretty evil sounding spirits....obviously this includes a series of paranormal disturbances and strange goings on.....this again was a pretty unnerving but thoroughly exciting part evening. Hard to describe but a must do if you like that feeling of being terrified. Think the ghost train without the train on a one way trip to make contact with the undead...yeah that. Again five stars. read more

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I went to see the production play theatre in the late evening at the REP called The Exorcist. It's based on the iconic film in 1970's supernatural horror staged in the theatrical adaption. The cast acting told the story so well, they portrayed believable characters behind the emotions, overwhelming dramatic and compelling part kept me glued to my seat in suspense as the story unfold live in front of my eyes. As an audience I felt like I was actually there through the out the whole experience, the special affect, surrounding sounds, technical production was just incredible and unique. It's my first time ever to go see something like this, and I got to say the experience has lefted me wanting to go see it again, i really enjoyed it. The whole production, the cast, staging and the special affect was amazing and very impressive. If you get a chance I would recommend anyone to go check it out, you won't be disappointed. read more