Birmingham sees a diverse range of theatre this April, from huge world-renowned productions like Les Misérables at Birmingham Hippodrome to more intimate plays like Prison Game, a one-man physical theatre piece at The Old Rep.

Les Misérables

This April, Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed Broadway production of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables returns to Birmingham Hippodrome. It’s been nearly a decade since the last sell-out UK tour, and one of the world’s most popular musicals is back to wow audiences with fantastic staging and the renowned score including songs like “I Dreamed a Dream” and “On My Own”. There is limited availability so get tickets now to avoid missing out.

Tue 2 Apr – Sat 11 May, Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst St, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB, times and prices vary, www.birminghamhippodrome.com

SparkPlug

Box Of Tricks presents SparkPlug at The REP – an exploration of family, race, identity and love. Set in Manchester 1983, the story is inspired by autobiographical events and sees a white man become the adoptive father, mother and best friend of a mixed-race child. The play explores the playwright’s background as a spoken word artist and actor, and was a finalist for the Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play in 2017.

Wed 10 Apr – Sat 13 Apr, The REP (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EP, times and prices vary, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

The Half God of Rainfall

Another play debuting at The REP this April is The Half God of Rainfall, presented by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Kiln Theatre and Fuel. Dubbed ‘a contemporary myth and modern day epic’, the story centres around Demi – a half Nigerian-mortal and half Greek-God who brings the mortal world and the world of the Gods together when he takes a shot on the local basketball court. The Half God of Rainfall comes from award-winning poet and playwright Inua Ellams, who fuses poetry and storytelling in this new mythological tale.

Sat 13 Apr – Sat 20 Apr, The REP (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Centenary Square, Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2EP, times and prices vary, www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

Revealed: A Menologues Production

Revealed is a new play from The Read Earth Collective and Rites of Passage Productions, coming to the MAC this April. It’s the first production from Menologues, a series of events exploring how black men express emotion through drama and other forms of artistic media. Revealed begins with a recent death in police custody which results in violent protests across the country. The show also includes a Q&A with the cast and mental health professionals.

Fri 19 Apr, Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH, £7 – £10, www.macbirmingham.co.uk

Prison Game

Prison Game is a one-man physical theatre performance, exploring how prison can come to define a man. The story is mostly biographical, following real life accounts of extraordinary experiences with institutionalisation and its effects on the human psyche. Part social commentary and part psychological exploration, Marcus Hercules takes on a series of characters in this chilling play – which has sold out shows at The Royal Exchange, HOME and Talawa First Festival.

Sat 27 Apr, The Old Rep Theatre, Station Street, Birmingham, B5 4DY, £13, www.oldreptheatre.co.uk

Image: ‘Prison Game’ – Hercules Productions, www.herculesproductions.co.uk