At last, theatre is back in Birmingham
You know it’s coming back when a Blockbuster new season is announced for Birmingham’s Hippodrome and we’re delighted to see the return of Jason Donovan in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
IMAGE: Jason Donovan and Jac Yarrow in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium 2021. Photo by Tristram Kenton.
Jason Donovan will return to the Hippodrome stage as the Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for just 2 weeks in April (5-16 Apr) following his panto debut in Goldilocks and the Three Bears this Christmas.
Joining Jason will be Alexandra Burke as The Narrator and previous Hippodrome panto star Jac Yarrow as Joseph.
Other new shows announced for 2022 include:
- Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined (29-30 Apr), a brand new dance show based on the original story by Rudyard Kipling.
- After a triumphant run of The Play That Goes Wrong in October, Mischief return to the Hippodrome in May with Magic Goes Wrong (24-29 May), their biggest comedy catastrophe to date, created with magic legends, Penn & Teller.
- A new production of the award winning West End and Broadway show Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, (30 Aug – 3 Sep) will hit the Hippodrome stage in summer, telling the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom.
- The Hippodrome have also announced the return of Birmingham favourite Matt Slack in 2022’s pantomime Dick Whittington (17 Dec 2022 – 29 Jan 2023), marking Matt’s ninth year of panto in Birmingham.
Previously announced highlights include Matthew Bourne’s reimagined Nutcracker! (8-12 Feb) which will burst onto stage with delicious new surprises and family-sized helpings of Bourne’s trademark wit and magical fantasy. The most enchanted musical of all time, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, (3-26 Mar) returns to the Hippodrome in March with a spectacularly reimagined production.
Much-awaited musicals which rescheduled from 2020, include the timeless favourite Mamma Mia! (3-14 May), London’s smash hit musical comedy Waitress (16-21 May), We Will Rock You (4-30 July) with an extra two weeks added due to phenomenal demand and Les Misérables (9-27 Aug), returning to Birmingham after a sell-out run in 2019. I must add at this point that my own son’s year 10 production of Les Mis was cancelled after months of rehearsals due to the dreaded Covid. What a time we live in, eh?
There is also a line up of comedy legends to welcome back to the city, including Jack Dee (5 Feb), Stewart Lee (13 Feb),Russell Kane (12 June) and Rob Beckett (14 June).
Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio will be hosting a season of family favourites, including the magical Dear Santa (15 – 24 Dec), a charming festive family show which is the perfect introduction to theatre for children age 2+. In the spring, families can enjoy the stage adaption of Rod Campbell’s much loved book Dear Zoo (8-10 Apr) and Oi Frog & Friends!, (21-29 May) the Olivier Award nominated action-packed stage adaptation of Kes Gray and Jim Field’s bestselling books.
Chilina Madon, Director of Audiences and Communications at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We have had a very special autumn here at the Hippodrome, welcoming back over a hundred thousand visitors in just over three months.
Our wonderful audiences have provided us with so much support and love while we were closed, and we can’t wait for them to finally experience our rescheduled productions that they have waited so patiently for, along with some absolutely stunning new shows.”
Chilina added: “The safety of our staff and audiences will continue to remain a top priority in 2022 and we urge ticket buyers to check our website and their pre-visit emails for the latest guidance of what to expect when visiting Birmingham Hippodrome.”
Tickets for all shows can be booked at www.birminghamhippodrome.com or by calling 0844 338 5000*
Tickets are on sale to Friends of Birmingham Hippodrome today (Thursday 25 November) and on general sale on Monday 29 November at 11am.
*0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.
