We’ve started hanging out with Birmingham Plastics Network (BPN) at the University of Birmingham (UoB). We’re making a performance dramatising their report in to the Future Of Plastic called The […]

On 30th August a free concert will take place at Our Facility in Selly Oak. This occasion marks the conclusion of James McIlwrath‘s time as Composer In Residence at Stan’s […]

Year 4 students at Kings Rise Academy have been musing over some philosophical conundrums: Is it ever okay to lie? Can money buy happiness? What is friendship? What is love? […]

Yesterday, at Bath Spa University, a group of second year drama students performed their interpretation of our old show The Cleansing Of Constance Brown. The show is essentially wordless. Set […]

It has been brought to our attention that a long term collaborator and vital componant of our current touring team has been left out of the programme notes and biographies. […]

Back in 2000 we considered making a show with an interval. In those days the term ‘experimental theatre’ existed for the likes of us and, because intervals were so associated […]

We are looking for performers and poets, fun, imaginative and inquisitive people, with origins from around the world, now living in or around Birmingham, to collaborate with us on a […]

How come Birmingham City Council is bankrupt? Different people will tell you different things depending on their perspective. We made a theatre show called All Our Money explaining how the […]

On Tuesday, driving between Birmingham and London, we listened to the radio news tell us that the government has appointed commissioners to run Birmingham City Council’s budget. In 2012 control […]

Wanted: We are looking for a highly engaging actor to lead audience members down a 15m long textile map of the River Indus. This is a one person show, a […]

We need more beautiful things in our lives. So here is my suggestion. I can’t currently imagine anything more beautiful than this. Spem In Alium came to my attention recently […]

In the next two weeks we open five new productions. This is a major challenge, fortunately we have four hundred and fifty students and their teachers all helping us. First […]

Thanks to everyone who attended the Open Space gathering at Our Facility on 5th June. We are pleased to be able to share notes from the discussions that took place […]

In November 2021 we made three short shows in three weeks with a host of new collaborators. These were Micro Productions #1 – 3. They were intended as a training/development […]

We’re delighted to be able to announce Stan’s Cafe are returning to Greenbelt – the festival of ‘Artistry, Activism and Belief’ – with our smash hit local authority budget show […]

How can we support each other to build an open and thriving culture of live performance in the West Midlands? An invitation from Stan’s Cafe, China Plate and Jade Samuels. […]

We are seeking to commission a Birmingham based Textile Artist to create a 15m long ribbon map of the Indus River for our expanding River Tours project. We are particularly […]

Five months on from the last update (28 September 2022) we have a new Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport. Michelle Donelan has been moved on to Science, […]

Popular Theatre was a module at university. I didn’t take it. I studied unpopular theatre. It’s not that I’m AGAINST Popular Theatre, I’m very happy for theatre to be poplar, […]

We are looking for a talented teacher/theatre maker who is excited by the chance to teach two or three terms of drama with our friends at Saltley Academy in East […]

Five years ago we were privilaged to work with students from the Jewellery Quarter Academy on a performance. We devised a short theatre piece with them called Zigi Doesn’t Hate […]

On 26th (or 27th) November 2009 we offered to help out an enthusiastic group of young theatre makers by lending them our venue for an international theatre festival they wanted […]

We are seeking a female identifying performer, with good comedy skills, comfortable with devising and sharp on scripts. This person will complete our team for a funny, fast moving and […]

Hello I’m James (not to be confused with the other James at Stan’s Cafe), and I’m Stan’s Cafe’s composer-in-residence. This residency with Stan’s Cafe isn’t a normal residency, and Stan’s […]

As a 19 year old I stood long evenings on the Carlisle Bridge, gazing down at The Lune, trains rumbling behind, the future imminent ahead. Now, more than 30 years […]

Back in January 2018 Matt Hancock was appointed Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport (whatever happened to him?) He was the 9th person to hold that post in […]

One of the great joys of touring work to international festivals is the chance to see work by artists that we rarely, if ever, encounter in the UK. I’ve seen […]

Question: What could be more confusing that a theatre named after a cafe? Answer: A real cafe disguised as a fictional cafe. One day over the summer the cafe on […]

It’s that time of year again when a middle aged man’s thoughts turn to donning a sheepskin coat and broadcasting to the world all the sights and sounds of an […]

How an obscure Stan’s Cafe project made in 2011 anticipated the glory of the Commonwealth Games coming to town.