Giant teddy bear Bordesley gets a chance to run Birmingham City Council in new fun theatre show

What happens when a giant teddy bear football mascot runs a local council? You are about to find out very soon. Local theatre company - Stan’s Cafe - have got a show with Bordesley taking charge.

The a 31-year-old small theatre company in Birmingham - is located inside an Edwardian building in Selly Oak. When James Yarker - Stan’s Cafe co-founder and director - started the studio in 1991 he wanted to create unique and interesting work and that is exactly what he has achieved over the past three decades.

In the theatre company’s latest offering, an unlikely leader will take up the position of the leader of the Birmingham City Council. Bordesley, a football mascot, will learn when he takes up office that there is very little that he knows about running a council.

Watching the young actor - Aaron Corbett - become the bear and explore the inner workings of a system that can seem too complex to understand by the common person will be an interesting experience that shouldn’t be missed out. And, as he learns - so will the audience about how the system really works, what the challenges are, and where the £3 billion budget is spent.

For the character of Bordesley, Yarker drew inspiration from H’Angus the Monkey, Hartlepool’s football club’s mascot who ran for mayor thrice and won.

He told BirminghamWorld: “It’s really helpful to have someone in charge of the budget who doesn’t know anything about the budget because as the budget is explained to that character so the audience learns at the same time.”

The director takes a funny approach to a topic that is dry - probably, even for politicians - but affects everyone who lives in the city. He said: “It’s supposed to be funny so people are having fun while they’re learning stuff about how the council works. It’s not particularly a critique of Birmingham City Council.”

He adds that the play would clear up some misconceptions about the council tax as well. He said: “I think as a council tax payer, I always assumed that my money contributed to the overall income of the city council, it’s like ‘Oh, I demand my rights because I pay my council tax’, but once you look at the numbers, more closely, you realise that the council tax Is a very small portion of the overall budget.”

After they get the ball rolling on this show, they’re hoping to localise it for other councils as well. And, among the audience - you could find your local councillors as well. Yarker hopes that at the end of the 50 minute show, people will take part in discussions among them or with the councillors - when present.

The show will be taking place all over Birmingham starting on Monday February 27. It’s coming to local pubs, micro-breweries and schools.

BIRMINGHAM TOUR LISTINGS

Mon 27 Feb 2023: The Warehouse (FOE), Digbeth, 7.30pm

Wed 1 Mar 2023: Sector 57, Deritend, 7.30pm

Thu 2 Mar 2023: Irish Centre Birmingham, Kings Heath, 7.30pm

Sat 4 Mar 2023: Stirchley Baths, Stirchley, 2pm & 6pm

Sun 5 Mar 2023: Purbanat, Small Heath, 3pm

Sun 5 Mar 2023: 1000 Trades, Jewellery Quarter, 8pm

Mon 6 Mar 2023: Legacy Centre of Excellence, Aston, Time TBA

Tue 7 Mar 2023: Quinborne Community Centre, Quinton, 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Wed 8 Mar 2023: St Andrew’s Sports and Community Centre, Handsworth, 7.30pm

Fri 10 Mar 2023: Moseley Baths, Balsall Heath, Time TBA

Tue 14 Mar 2023: Clifton Road Youth Centre, Sutton Coldfield, 7.30pm

Wed 15 Mar 2023: The Exchange, Centenary Square, 1pm & 6pm

Thu 16 Mar 2023: Attic Brewery, Stirchley, 7.30pm

For more information, see Stan Cafe’s website.