We are Stan’s Cafe, a theatre company based in Birmingham, UK. We are playful with form and serious about ideas. Each project starts with an idea we want to explore – then we find the form that does it justice. This means that although our work can appear wildly varied it all comes from the same place.
We love collaborating, touring the world, working with schools and helping other artists.
We started in 1991 and are as excited as we have ever been.
Please have fun zipping around our website and check out our social media feeds, we share a mini new artwork almost every day.
- River Avon Actor Callout!
Stan’s Cafe is looking for an actor for our show River Tours: The Avon, who will lead audiences down a textile map of the river. This is a 50 minute… Read more: River Avon Actor Callout! - Collaborative Doctoral Award
We are excited to invite candidates to apply for a Collaborative Doctoral Award we are co-hosting with the University Of Birmingham’s College of Arts and Law. This is a four… Read more: Collaborative Doctoral Award - Sister Dora Update
Over the past few months, we have been busy working hard on our Sharing Sister Dora schools project. Check out some photos from our recent school trips below. This project… Read more: Sister Dora Update
Diary
The Commentators
Monday 25th May, 12pm
Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling
River Tours: The Niger
24 – 26th June 2026
Jos International Festival of Storytelling 2026
Jos, Plateau State
River Tours: The Avon
14 – 16th August 2026
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Dell, Stratford-upon-Avon
(further dates to be announced)
River Tours: The Daugava
Dates to be announced
At Home With The Green Book
Dates to be announced
Space Hire
We have spaces to hire for rehearsals and meetings. Our big hall (see photograph), plus two classrooms which are easily big enough to rehearse studio shows in. There is also a shared Green Room and hot-desking space. We’re on Umberslade Road in Selly Oak, just 10 minutes walk from the train station, plus buses on Bristol & Pershore Road AND the Number 11, plus there is always parking round here. COME!
River Tours
Guided tours of rivers, performed live, indoors or out, illustrated by especially commissioned textile ribbon maps. The library is growing three new maps are currently in various stages of research and preparation, one in Africa, one in the Baltic states and one in England. All due for completion in 2026..
The Commentators
An improvised walkabout performance (unless they’re sat down) in which two sports commentators describe everyday life in too much detail. Catch them live in person or streamed live online.
2009 2010 2011 2013 2014 2015 2017 2019 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Current Portfolio Durational Online Outdoor
The Many Lives Of PET #1
A complicated comedy about a plastic bottle. When the newly appointed Minister for the Environment arrives at work he finds an anti-plastic protester aleady there making demands. Big Business (“Just call me Big”) is summoned but proves reluctant to do anything that will cost them money. It is only PET (the minister’s discarded water bottle) that can see a way through this crisis.
After audiences loved the initial community tour. This fast funny and informative show is coming back Summer 2025.
