Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s first ever off-site programme gets under way next year as the company begins two years of performing at different venues across the city. This Change of Scenery comes as a result of The REP’s integration with the new Library of Birmingham, currently under construction, and due for completion in 2013.

The REP is closing the doors to its home in Centenary Square in January but will be appearing at a select number of venues established and unfamiliar, large and small throughout the year including mac, Alexandra Theatre, The Crescent Theatre and The ICC Birmingham, as well as making a return to its original home, The Old Rep Theatre.

Despite being without a permanent home The REP continues to offer its audience as wide a variety of theatrical experiences as possible throughout the year with a mixture of new writing, fresh adaptations and Christmas favourites.

The season opens in February with The Rememberers, a classic tale of good versus evil in the form of a live hip-hop graphic novel which combines rap, lyrical mastery, music, illustrations and projection. In the first of the company’s ventures away from traditional theatre settings, this innovative and highly original piece will take place in the factory of engineering firm A E Harris in Birmingham.

The following month sees the premiere of a new play, Notes To Future Self. Lucy Caldwell’s moving, and often funny, account of a teenage girl’s struggle with her own mortality will be performed at the mac.

The rousing rhythm and blues musical The WIZ lights up the Alexandra Theatre in June and The REP’s version of this soulful take on The Wizard of Oz has a special twist as it will be set in Birmingham with a professional cast supported by some very talented members of the local community.

The REP makes a nostalgic return to The Old REP Theatre in July with a new adaptation of Keith Grey’s highly acclaimed novel The Ostrich Boys, performed by The Young REP. Combining dark humour with tragedy, this is a wonderfully poignant story about the trials of growing up.

Looking For Yoghurt returns to the UK next year for a national tour. This unique creative collaboration between international performers from the UK, Korea and Japan features energetic physical performances, original live music and comic invention.

The REP revisits its theatrical roots with a pairing of two plays starring the same cast back at The Old REP Theatre in September. Oscar Wilde’s wonderful wit shines throughout The Importance of Being Earnest, his celebrated satire about superficial social etiquette while Tom Stoppard pays homage to Wilde’s wordplay in his sophisticated and cleverly constructed comedy Travesties. Viewed alongside each other these plays provide a richly rewarding theatrical experience.

Throughout the Christmas period we have a weirdly wonderful, musical version of Sleeping Beauty by Rufus Norris, full of laughs and enough grisly and gruesome characters to keep all of the family entertained. This production will be performed at The Crescent Theatre.

Having flown as far afield as Japan, Scotland and South Korea while on tour, The Snowman is making a welcome return to the city for an extra special festive treat at The ICC Birmingham in December.

The REP will also continue to deliver its First Stages theatre experiences, featuring plays especially created for nursery and primary school aged children, with performances throughout next year taking place at Birmingham Library Theatre.

* For more information, visit the Rep’s website, birmingham-rep.co.uk