Birmingham Hippodrome

The Birmingham Hippodrome is a theatre on Hurst Street in the city’s Chinese Quarter. It stands where assembly rooms first opened in 1895, later rebuilt as the Tower of Varieties and then the Tivoli before becoming the Hippodrome in 1903. The present auditorium seats 1,900 and was designed in 1924 by Burdwood and Mitchell. In the 1960s the entrance and Moorish tower were removed to make way for Smallbrook Queensway. The theatre was renamed briefly and then sold to the council in the 1970s. Since 1979 it has been run by a registered charity, the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust. It is the busiest single theatre in the United Kingdom, with over 600,000 attendances each year. The building is home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet and hosts large West End tours such as Wicked, The Lion King and Hamilton. Dance companies including Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures perform regularly, alongside pantomime and drama. Comedian Brian Conley has appeared in six pantomimes and 600 performances at the Hippodrome. In 2022 the theatre premiered Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, a Rambert Dance production. Inside, the neo-classical auditorium offers tiered seating for 1,900. The stage can accommodate large musicals and ballets, while the rebuilt frontage provides a glass facade and new rehearsal spaces. The foyer leads to refreshment areas and a restaurant on the third floor. Outside, the Chinese Quarter offers restaurants and bars within walking distance. The theatre’s pantomimes draw stars such as Julian Clary and Jason Donovan, and the annual Christmas shows are produced by Crossroads Pantomimes.