Family first for Birmingham Rep artistic director Rachel Kavanaugh
After announcing she was stepping down as artistic director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Rachel Kavanaugh talks to Diane Parkes about her plans.
After four years at the helm of Birmingham Rep, Rachel Kavanaugh is to step down in March to concentrate her energies on her family.
The 41-year-old artistic director revealed she is expecting her second baby in May and feels the time is right to step back from the theatre.
The news comes just three weeks before the theatre is to close for two years as it undergoes a major renovation project.
But Rachel, who has headed the theatre for four years, believes she is leaving the Rep’s legacy in safe hands.
“I am leaving totally for personal reasons as I am having another baby and I just feel I need a bit more time with my family,” she said.
“I want to keep on directing plays and to do that at the same time as running the theatre and having another baby could be too much.”
But Rachel, who is already mother to 19-month-old Joseph, is hoping to continue working with the theatre in the future.
“I really hope that I can do some directing for the theatre as it is very close to my heart. I have been associated with it since I was 18 when Kenneth Branagh’s brought his Renaissance company here.
Then I directed The Lady in the Van in 2002, I was an associate director with Jonathan Church in 2003 and I became artistic director in 2006 so I feel it has been a big, big part of my life.
“I feel very sad to be leaving.”
Rachel’s four years have seen some landmark productions at the theatre as well as some big names on stage including Felicity Kendal, Maureen Lipman, Wayne Sleep and Black Country actress Josie Lawrence.
“It is really hard to pick out highlights from four years,” said Rachel. “But I would say probably directing the premiere of Arthur and George and being the first theatre outside London to stage Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials would be among them.”
And she says it is too early to say who could replace her or when.
“I just can’t say anything on that yet,” she said. ‘‘But we do have all of next year programmed and when I took over there was a break between Jonathan and I.”
When the curtain comes down on the Christmas show The Secret Garden in January The Rep is going on the road, taking its shows to venues across the city including the Alexandra Theatre, MAC, The Old Rep and the A E Harris Building in Hockley.
And the new repertoire features classics such as The Importance of Being Earnest, the musical The Wiz and new drama including Ostrich Boys and Notes to Future Self.
“One of the challenges we faced was how to cover the variety and diversity which marks The Rep in fewer pieces,” said Rachel.
