Succession star Brian Cox backs campaign to 'save Birmingham Station Street' - here's why

Actor Brian Cox is backing the bid to protect Birmingham’s Old Rep theatre and the historical Station Street that it sits on.

The esteemed Scottish actor, who starred in the hit show Succession between 2018 and 2023, has backed a petition with over 20,000 signatures that’s aimed to designate Station Street as a Historic, Cultural and Civic Asset to protect the historic venues in the area, including the Old Rep Theatre.

Station Street, which is located opposite Birmingham New Street Station, is home to a number of historic and cultutal Birmingham venues including the Old Rep Theatre, The Crown pub - which is where Black Sabbath played their first gig - and the recently closed Electric Cinema, which is the UK’s oldest working cinema.

Some of the businesses on the street as well as these historical landmarks could be at risk of being replaced to make way for the redevelopment of the street, including a 50 floor tower.

Brian Cox joined The Old Rep Theatre Company in 1966.

He took to the stage in Peer Gynt and Othello alongside Alison Key and Michael Gambon. Since then, he’s become a huge star in America after starring in Braveheart, The Bourne Supremacy, Troy, X-Men and many more including voice acting in Good Omens.

What has Brian Cox said about the Old Rep?

Cox has been a patron of the Old Rep theatre since 2015, and has issued a statement via the Save Station Street campaign about the importance of the theatre and its future.

He said: “What is really important is the historical significance of the Birmingham Old Rep. The theatre was first designed by Barry Jackson and became one of the key places that Shaw presented a lot of his premieres in collaboration with Malvern Festival. It was also the venue for debuts for actors such as Albert Finney, Sir LAwrence Olivier, Paul Schofield and Ralph Richardson, to name but a few, and indeed myself.

“It was beautifully designed, with the raking such that there is no bad seat in the house and it would be tragic to lose such a wonderful and historically important venue.”

You can sign the petition here.