125 years of ‘goosebumps’ moments;
The history of the Hippodrome
Birmingham Hippodrome first started out as The Theatre of Varieties and Circus, constructed by brothers James and Henry Draysey. The auditorium space reflected a circus design with a central ring encircled by seating. Opening on 9 October 1899, the first performance was a variety show featuring a flying trapeze, jugglers and a sword walker, but closed after five weeks due to challenges with local competition and attendance.
The venue reopened nine months later on 20 August 1900 as the Tivoli Theatre of Varieties, following a reconfiguration of the auditorium into a music hall, featuring three levels of seating and accommodating 2,600 patrons. Some of the theatre’s earliest acts included Harry Houdini, Claire Heliot performing with her 12 lions, and Miss Moto, ‘looping-the-loop’ in her motorcar. On 19 October 1903, the name Birmingham Hippodrome finally appeared.
During WWI the theatre only opened sporadically with cine-variety shows but was used as a recruiting venue for the military.
In 1924, the theatre was bought by Moss’ Empires, who renovated to the configuration that is recognisable today. The seating was reduced to two tiers with an aisle running down the middle of each level. The colour of the auditorium was changed to pale blue and cream with golden accents, and the wooden benches were removed, giving every patron a more comfortable seat.
The Hippodrome stayed open throughout WWII with performances from acts including Vera Lynn, Vic Oliver, Arthur Askey and Max Wall. During a performance on 29 October 1940, incendiary bombs fell upon Hurst Street. The theatre’s manager, along with the commissionaire and two technicians extinguished fires on the roof, whilst bombs continued to fall, unbeknownst to the unsuspecting audience below. It’s thanks to these people that the theatre still stands today.
In the fifties, variety shows were fading out, replaced by revues, featuring the stars of film and radio, including Julie Andrews, Laurel & Hardy, Morecambe & Wise, Danny Kaye, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. This is the decade where the Hippodrome’s love affair with musical theatre first took hold, staging productions of Carousel, Annie Get Your Gun and Brigadoon.
The Hippodrome’s first pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, was staged in 1957, leading to a tradition of annual pantos that is still going strong today. The show starred Beryl Reid, Reg Dixon, Freddie Frinton and Audrey Jeans. The longest running panto in the Hippodrome’s history, Humpty Dumpty, took place in December 1965, running until March 1966, starring Ken Dodd. Generations of families have attended Hippodrome panto through the years, with it now considered a much-loved family tradition, welcoming well over 100,000 visitors annually.
In 1963, the Hippodrome’s iconic tower was demolished, and a redevelopment programme saw the façade changed to a concrete block design. The sixties saw a plethora of stars gracing the stage including Bruce Forsyth, Liberace, Marlene Dietrich, Marcel Marceau and Sammy Davis Jr. The sixties also saw a series of one-night rock ‘n’ roll concerts by Cliff Richard, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Beatles. The Famous Four played at the bottom of the bill in March 1963, but when they returned in November of the same year they were billed at the top.
Music concerts continued during the seventies, with performances from Iggy Pop (with David Bowie on piano), The Kinks, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Cher, The Carpenters, and Elton John to name a few. Towards the end of the seventies, the theatre’s future was in doubt. It was saved when purchased by Birmingham City Council, ending the 55-year ownership by Moss’ Empires. This transition also saw the Hippodrome become an independent charitable trust.
In 1981, a refurbishment programme commenced taking several years to complete. The first phase included flattening the stage, replacing the previous raked one, a new fly tower, orchestra pit, dressing room block, catering facilities as well as renovations to the auditorium. By 1983, the second phase of redevelopment was underway, extending the stage making it one of the largest lyric theatres outside of London.
October 1990 saw Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet move to the Hippodrome, changing their name to Birmingham Royal Ballet. Purpose built space was built adjoining the theatre on Thorp Street, and their Christmas show The Nutcracker remains an annual favourite.
Large scale productions including Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera were able to be accommodated on the new stage, with popular titles Blood Brothers and The Rocky Horror Show becoming yearly events. In November 1999, HM Queen Elizabeth II attended the Hippodrome for the Royal Variety Performance. The show featured musical performances from Westlife, Charlotte Church, Cliff Richard, Andrea Bocelli and Barry Manilow, hosted by Brian Conley.
In 2000, work began on a significant redevelopment project, which saw the theatre closed for a year. The renovation created a new suite of dressing rooms. Foyer spaces were opened up, and a 207 seat auditorium was incorporated into the building, now known as the Patrick Studio. The Hippodrome reopened its doors on 13 November 2001 with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Silver Gala.
The last 25 years has seen the Hippodrome continue to go from strength to strength.
Over 600,000 paid visitors now annually attend productions from world class producers, including Cameron Mackintosh, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Disney, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and Michael Harrison. As a leading touring venue, the Hippodrome hosts spectacular musicals such as Hamilton, Wicked, Miss Saigon, and in 2014, a rare full staging of Wagner’s Ring Cycle, which was the first production in the city for several decades.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Hippodrome closed for live performance on 16 March 2020 during a run of The Book of Mormon. During this time, the organisation continued to bring culture to Birmingham by producing outdoor festivals, hosting digital performances and working extensively with schools in the region. The most significant cultural experience during this time was the transformation of the auditorium to host the UK premiere of Van Gogh Alive. Thousands of visitors safely attended this unique immersive visual art experience which saw the total removal of all the seats from the stalls. The exhibition opened for one month but was then closed due to Covid restrictions. It reopened in May 2021 for five weeks and was visited by over 60,000 people. On 30 August 2021, after 534 days, Birmingham Hippodrome reopened to standing ovations with the smash-hit musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Following a successful programme of off-site events, festivals as well as co-productions of The Color Purple, West Side Story and the world premiere with Rambert of Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, a new era of producing and artist development began. The Hippodrome now develops new musicals, alongside creating a local home for artists to develop their work. The organisations continues its legacy of working closely with young people and communities – unlocking barriers for people to engage with arts and culture.