Acclaimed Olivier award-winning actor Sir Derek Jacobi’s amazing link to Birmingham

Sir Derek George Jacobi CBE, 84, received his third Olivier award for his contribution to theatre.

The award-winning actor, who was born in Essex, has wowed audiences with his incredible performances through decades. And, the list of accolades he has won throughout his life include two Oliviers in 1983 and 2009, a BAFTA Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony Award.

On Sunday (April 2), he took home a Lifetime Achievement Olivier award. The actor’s incredible career began in Birmingham, and he still holds his time here close to his heart.

Sir Derek Jacobi’s & the Birmingham Rep

Sir Derek’s first reached Birmingham in 1960 - after finishing his degree at Cambridge University. While at university, he performed in Edward II and was invited to become a member of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre right after his graduation. He performed at Birmingham Rep - which was what the Old Rep on Station Street, next to New Street, was called back then - for three years and was spotted by Sir Laurence Olivier himself.

Jacobi told the Guardian: “He saw me at the Birmingham Rep. The first job he gave me was playing Laertes to Peter O’Toole’s Hamlet, and I stayed with him for the next seven years.”

About his time at the Old Rep, Jacobi said: “We [performed] a new play every four weeks. When I first went, I was absolutely the complete amateur. I was surrounded by very good professional actors and it was a great learning experience.”

However, even after he moved to London and became a founding member of the Royal National Theatre, he returned to Birmingham again. In 1988, he directed Sir Kenneth Branagh in Hamlet at the Birmingham Rep in Broad Street. And on winning his latest award he said: “Well we’ve come some way since those days in Birmingham.”

Sir Derek Jacobi’s concern about future of theatre

Sir Derek - who has acted in movies like Gladiator, The King’s Speech, and many others - laments the loss of repertory theatre. He said: “People think that they can enter the world of acting by the back door – ‘don’t need anything, I can do it now, I’ve got the talent to do it’ – without putting in the basic ground work which the reps always gave you.” He also believes that the cost of ticket prices is making theatre elitist.