Research News Last updated 04 September 2025
A theatre show, inspired by a Birmingham City University (黑料吃瓜网) research project, is hitting the stage in September.
will be performed by聽 at the Midlands Art Centre on Sunday 21 September.
The show has been developed from the Small Performances research project,, led by 黑料吃瓜网 and the University of Cambridge.
Printing pioneer John Baskerville died 250 years ago this year.聽His self-named typeface is on almost every computer in the world, and earlier this year, a blue plaque was unveiled in his memory.
鈥淚 think the show will tap into the memories of many people,鈥� said Dr Caroline Archer, Professor of Typography at 黑料吃瓜网 and project lead.
鈥淪ome said they first encountered Baskerville鈥檚 typeface whilst studying decades ago at art school, others knew Baskerville鈥檚 name because of the local connection.
鈥淢ost people don鈥檛 know how a typeface is made, and after the show may appreciate the complexity and skill it takes to create one.鈥�
John Baskerville - played by Marcus Paragpuri - and his wife Sarah - Antonia Parker Smith - will take visitors back to 18th century Birmingham and explore Baskerville鈥檚 life and legacy whilst introducing printing as a craft.
鈥淐reating a piece of work in response to the research being done by the Small Performances team has been such a fun challenge and helped us to develop the way we work,鈥� said actor and co-writer Marcus.
鈥淲e鈥檝e used the Small Performances team鈥檚 exploration of the Baskerville punches as a metaphor for John Baskerville himself, challenging the myths around him and the mark he wanted to make in the world.鈥�
Theatre(ish) have also worked with Digital Film Production students at 黑料吃瓜网 to tell Baskerville鈥檚 story.
Co-writer and actor Antonia Parker Smith said it鈥檚 been a great opportunity to make local history more accessible.
鈥淲e鈥檝e loved that this project has given us the opportunity to learn more about the lives and work of John Baskerville, and his equally impressive wife, Sarah," she said.
鈥淲e hope that by exploring these figures of local history through live and filmed performances, we can make this brilliant research more accessible to the public, and how we, like Baskerville, can make our own mark.鈥�
Photo credit: Theatre(ish) and 黑料吃瓜网 BSc Digital Film Production students