OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR Coming to Birmingham Rep Next Month

One of the most famous shows of the last century, Joan Littlewood's legendary musical Oh What A Lovely War is to come to Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Directed by University of Birmingham graduate, Terry Johnson, the hit revival comes to The REP from 5 to 9 May, as the final venue the show's UK tour.

Oh What A Lovely War, a satirical musical about World War I, originally premiered at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1963. Joan Littlewood adapted the play from Charles Chilton's work for radio through her company Theatre Workshop. It was an immediate hit, transferring to the West End in June 1963, opening on Broadway in 1964 and receiving four Tony Award nominations including Best Musical.

This production, directed by Terry Johnson, opened at Theatre Royal Stratford East in February 2014, to public and critical acclaim. Due to popular demand, it returns again in 2015, little more than a hundred years since the outbreak of the First World War. This revival was made possible by producer Christopher Malcolm, who passed away shortly after it opened at Theatre Royal Stratford East in February 2014.

Ian Reddington (Eastenders, Coronation Street) and Christopher Villiers (Emmerdale) will join Wendi Peters, best known for her role as Cilla Battersby in Coronation Street, in the ensemble cast. They will be joined by Emma Crossley, Marcus Ellard, Alex Giannini, Richard Glaves, Lauren Hood, Alice Bailey Johnson, William Oxborrow, Mark Prendergast, Neil Stewart and Bleu Woodward.

The musical is packed with familiar songs from the World War I era including It's A Long Way To Tipperary, Pack up Your Troubles and Keep The Home Fires Burning. The songs are performed against a projected backdrop of images and shocking statistics conveying the harsh realities of war.

Wendi Peters is best known for her portrayal of the iconic Cilla Battersby in Coronation Street - a role to which she returned this year. Alongside her screen work, Wendi is in much demand as a stage actress with recent credits including White Christmas at the Lowry, Manchester, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood at the Arts Theatre, West End and most recently Rutherford & Son for Northern Broadsides on National Tour. This Christmas she reprised her role of Martha in White Christmas when it played at the Dominion Theatre, West End.

Ian Reddington is one of very few actors to have played major roles in EastEnders and Coronation Street, alongside his many stage credits. He played Richard 'Tricky Dickie' Cole in EastEnders, and hapless drummer Vernon Tomlin in Coronation Street. His stage credits include the 1979 production of Oh What A Lovely War! at the Bristol Old Vic, as well as The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, The Shepherd's Play, Piaf, Wild Oats and Once In A Lifetime, all for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other credits include Dead Funny (Hampstead / West End), The Woman In Black, Our House, We Will Rock You (West End), Hamlet (Oxford Stage Company) and Hangover Square (Lyric Hammersmith)

Christopher Villiers' credits include three years in Emmerdale as Grayson Sinclair, as well as Hobson's Choice, Twelfth Night, The Winslow Boy (Bolton Octagon), An Ideal Husband (Royal and Derngate, Northampton), and Entertaining Mr Sloane (national tour). Screen credits include Hetty Feather (BBC TV), Vera (ITV) and Father Brown (BBC TV)

Director, Terry Johnson has won nine British theatre awards including Olivier Awards for Best Comedy and Playwright of the Year. In 2010 he won the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for La Cage Aux Folles. His theatre credits as both director and writer are prolific including End Of The Rainbow (2010-11) which was nominated for three Olivier Awards, The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice (2009) and most recently Hysteria (2012) with Antony Sher.

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