Little Red Riding Hood community and library tour dates announced with free or low cost tickets

Following on from a highly successful run at Birmingham Rep, Little Red Riding Hood, will tour to 26 community venues and libraries across Birmingham and the West Midlands during January and February.

Audiences have been loving the production and the tour, presented by Birmingham Rep and the Library of Birmingham, gives more people the opportunity to see this charming re-telling of the famous fairytale.

Tickets will be free or at low cost thanks to the generous support of the Sir Barry Jackson Trust and Arts Council England.

The production is directed by Rep Associate Artist Caroline Wilkes and written by Katherine Chandler, who also directed and wrote last year’s family favourite Jack and The Magic Beanstalk, making it another Rep Original that has been created especially for children aged three to six years old (and their grown-ups).

Robert Bruce, chief executive officer of Smethwick’s Dorothy Parkes Centre, added: “The Dorothy Parkes Centre is delighted to be hosting another Birmingham Rep production.

“Following on from last year’s sell-out for Jack and the Magic Beanstalk, this year we will welcome Little Red Riding Hood and we are all looking forward to enjoying this show and banishing the winter blues.

“This is a great opportunity to bring a high quality show to Smethwick for families who may be facing a cost of living crisis and it gives young children a chance to experience theatre at a young age. We are extremely grateful to The Rep and The Sir Barry Jackson Trust for providing us with this opportunity.”

Director of Little Red Riding Hood, Caroline Wilkes, said: "We are truly thrilled to extend the enchantment of this magical production to a wider audience of young children across the West Midlands beyond our successful run at The Rep.

“We’re delighted that hundreds more children can relish the joy of live theatre, perhaps marking the beginning of a lifelong love for the performing arts, a gift they might not have encountered otherwise."

Little Red Riding Hood takes the audience on an exciting adventure, which sees Red and her Nana outwit the Big Bad Wolf through being brave, kind and a little bit chatty.

CBeebies presenter Nisha Anil plays Nana. The role of Red is played by Siobhan Cha Cha and joining them as the Wolf/Robin is actor and musician Ben Simon.

Little Red Riding Hood is also a Green Book sustainably made theatre production. Green Book productions are part of a theatre industry initiative to tackle climate change from waste reduction to printing posters on recycled paper.

Claire Cochrane from the Sir Barry Jackson Trust said: “The Sir Barry Jackson Trust is committed to the enrichment of the community experience of live theatre in all its diversity.

“We are delighted to support this hugely enjoyable and fun retelling of a much-loved fairy tale, which will enthral young children and their families. We’re especially proud that the show is a Green Book production, with sustainability at the heart of its set design.”

The Little Red Riding Hood set has been constructed to minimise its carbon footprint. A large portion of the wooden elements were made using offcuts from other Birmingham Rep productions, including Sinatra The Musical and The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and leftover paint has been used to reduce waste.

In addition to the tour, a number of the venues and libraries will be offering a workshop that explores the production with its creatives. Please check with the individual venues as to which ones are hosting a workshop.

Tour Schedule

Supported by the Sir Barry Jackson Trust

Legacy Centre of Excellence (Tue 16 Jan 11am)

Welcome Change Community Centre (Tue 23 Jan 11am)

Sense TouchBase Pears (Tue 13 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

Jubilee Park, Tipton Muslim Community Group (Wed 14 Feb 11am)

Chinnbrook Children's Centre (Thu 15 Feb 2pm)

West Heath Community Centre (Fri 16 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

Dorothy Parkes Centre (Sat 17 Feb 3pm)

Supported by Arts Council England

Ward End Library (Wed 17 Jan 11.30am)

Shard End Library (Fri 19 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Northfield Library (Sat 20 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Acocks Green Library (Wed 24 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Perry Common Library (Thu 25 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Sutton Coldfield Library (Fri 26 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

South Yardley Library (Sat 27 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Handsworth Library (Tue 30 Jan 11.30am/2.45pm)

Chelmsley Wood Library (Wed 31 Jan 11am/1.30pm)

Castle Bromwich Library (Thu 1 Feb 1.30pm)

Hobs Moat Library (Fri 2 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

The Core Library (Sat 3 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

Balsall Common Library (Tue 6 Feb 11am)

Coventry Central Library (Wed 7 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

Tile Hill Library (Thu 8 Feb 10.45am)

Allesley Park Library (Thu 8 Feb 2.15pm)

Stoke Library (Fri 9 Feb 11am/1.30pm)

Foleshill Library (Sat 10 Feb 10.45am)

Bell Green Library (Sat 10 Feb 2.15pm)

For further press information please contact The Rep Press and Communications Manager Samantha Lyster samantha.lyster@birmingham-rep.co.uk/ 07768108878

Tickets for The Rep’s Spring 2024 season are on sale now. Click here to book tickets or call 0121 236 4455.