All Our Money

Using thousands of gold painted dominoes All Our Money explains everything in a fast paced, clear and very funny theatre show.

Designed to be performed without any fuss in community centres, social clubs, libraries, schools, pubs or even theatres this show will change the way you think about how local democracy works and is short enough to be followed by a discussion, debate or workshop.

The initial version of All Our Money depicts Birmingham City Council’s budget but the show is easily adapted for other local authorities.

For more information contact [email protected]

To read an article in The Guardian in which James talks about the ideas behind the show and its genesis CLICK HERE

Really enjoyed it. Taking a very dry but important subject and making it understandable, funny and thought provoking.

Audience Member

Loved All Our Money. Looked like rigorous research while never being boring or not informative or funny.

Audience Member

Credits

Devised and performed by:
Aaron Corbett, Shireenah Ingram, Craig Stephens

With text and direction from: James Yarker
Stage Management: Dominic Thompson
Model Maker: Bethany Hardman
Logo: Simon Ford
Photographs: Graeme Braidwood
P.R.: Dave Freak
Creative Learning Producer: Dave Howard
Producer: Dominic Thompson assisted by Nick Sweeting
General Manager: Michelle Smith assisted by Lucy Bird

Research for 2023 version by: Charlotte Tomlinson, in conjunction with Alice Pugh, Abigail Taylor and Rebecca Riley at City-REDI, University of Birmingham.

Touring Supported by: The Sir Barry Jackson Trust and Birmingham City Council’s Neighbourhood Development and Support Unit.

The 2021 Microproduction version of this show was devised and performed by Aaron Corbett, Will Jackson, Lisa McKinley, Katie Utting & Elexi Walker with direction from Owen Harper and James Yarker. Stage Management by Emily Davies.

Thanks to:
Nick Booth for initial encouragement and subsequent support
Mashuq Ally and Councillor Ian Ward for early interviews
Andrew Miles at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham for the introduction to ->
Rebecca Riley and her team at City-REDI, University of Birmingham
Karen Cheney and Birmingham City Council’s Neighbourhood Development and Support Unit
Trustees of The Sir Barry Jackson Trust
Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for loan of the bear costume.
The Stan’s Cafe board and our Scheming Friends
All the venues who have been bold enough to have our unlikely sounding show at their place.

Numbers
All Our Money is created from our best reading of budget and financial planning documents published by Birmingham City Council. We have also drawn from research undertaken and primary sources identified by Charlotte Tomlinson, in conjunction with Alice Pugh, Abigail Taylor and Rebecca Riley from City-REDI. All errors or misunderstandings are purely ours.

One gold brick = £500,000

Origins
All Our Money has two antecedents The Just Price Of Flowers – our 2009 theatre show explaining the previous year’s global financial crisis and our 2003 performance installation Of All The People In All The World – which translates human population statistics into piles of rice.

A fabulous illustration of the complexity of a budget – made hilarious, accessible and hugely entertaining. Such a serious point made with great humanity

Audience Member

Details and images of these and all our other productions can be found on our website (where you are) where you sign up to our mailing list and even make a donation (charity no. 1201170).

Beautifully inspired piece of theatre exploring the difficult decisions made in local government. Lots to think about now! Thank you.

Audience Member

It was eye opening. It made me realise the near impossible balancing act of public finances and how expensive everything is.

Audience Member

Futures
We are keen to perform All Our Money more around Birmingham. We are interested in adapting it for other local authorities and creating new versions to explain complicated budgets in other settings. If any of this also interests you please get in touch [email protected].

Virtue Signals
The cling film used in this show is plant based. Most of the dominoes are recycled from our show Finger Trigger Bullet Gun. The funiture is from our office. The boxes will be used in our office afterwards, the paper for our scripts is recycled. There’s a way to go though – we’re still hiring deisel vans from our friends at Flora Motor Hire (but they are ULEZ compliant).

Local democracy is a good and vital thing
“Together With Love We Will Make This Citadel Glorious“

Selected References

Tour Dates

• 2023

• New Diorama – London
  19th September, 7:30pm
  (private performance)

• BOA Stage and Screen Academy
  19th September, 12:30pm
  (Private Performance)

• Birmingham Brewing Company
  11th September, 7.30pm

• Greenbelt Festival – Kettering
  26th August, 2.15pm

• The Good Shepherd Hall – Handsworth
  17th March, 7.30pm

• Attic Brewery – Stirchley
  16th March, 19.30

• The Exchange – Centenary Square
  15th March, 13:00 & 18:00

• Clifton Road Youth Centre – Sutton Coldfield
  14th March, 7.45pm

• Birmingham City University
  14th March 14:00
  (Private Performance)

• Moseley Road Baths – Balsall Heath
  10th March, 19:30
  BSL Interpreted Performance

• Quinborne Community Centre – Quinton
  7th March, 14:30 & 19:30

• Legacy Centre of Excellence – Aston
  6th March, 19:30

• Ladywood Health & Community Centre
  6th March, 13.30

• 1000 Trades – Jewellery Quarter
  5th March, 20:00

• Purbanat – Small Heath
  5th March, 15.00

• Stirchley Baths – Stirchley
  4th March, 14:00 & 18:00

• The Irish Centre – Kings Heath
  2nd March, 19:30

• Sector 57 – Deritend
  1st March, 19:30

• Saltley Academy
  (Private performances)
  28 February, 10:00 & 14:00

• The Warehouse – Digbeth  (Friends of the Earth)
  27th February, 19:30

• 2021 (Microproduction)

  Great Western Arcade, Birmingham
  13 November  14:00 & 16:00