Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham (must see)

Home of Birmingham Royal Ballet, the Birmingham Hippodrome also hosts visiting opera and dance companies, musicals, drama, and pantomime. It welcomes more than 600,000 paying visitors a year and is one of the busiest theaters in the United Kingdom outside London. Its main auditorium seats about 1,850 people.

The first venue on the site was the "Tower of Varieties and Circus," which opened in 1899. This effort ended in failure after only five weeks. The auditorium was rebuilt as a variety theater and reopened in 1900 as the "Tivoli Theater of Varieties." Finally, in 1903, it became the Birmingham Hippodrome. The early theater attracted some extraordinary performers, including escape artist Harry Houdini and animal trainer Claire Heliot, who appeared with her troupe of lions. In later decades, its stage welcomed stars such as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Laurel and Hardy, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Elton John.

The Hippodrome presents major touring musicals, plays, children's theater, ballet, opera, and other live performances. The theater closed for live performances in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In October of that year, the building temporarily reopened for the UK premiere of Van Gogh Alive, an immersive art exhibition. The exhibition returned in May 2021, while live theater finally resumed in August 2021.

In 2020, Birmingham City Council approved plans for further redevelopment of the Hippodrome. The proposals included refurbishment and extension of the Hurst Street façade, a new terrace, additional rehearsal space, and an outdoor seating and refreshment area at street level.