Hippodrome announces reopening plans

Birmingham Hippodrome has announced a two-phase plan for reopening.

The venue will open its doors to the public in May, welcoming back the enormously successful Van Gogh Alive, produced by Grande Experiences.

The multi-sensory experience made its UK premiere in October, welcoming 28,000 socially distanced visitors in one month to a transformed Hippodrome before closing prematurely due to November 's national lockdown.

Fiona Allan, artistic director and chief executive at Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “Van Gogh Alive is incredibly important to us all at the Hippodrome as it was the only way we found to reopen the building during a year without any live performance. We were taken aback by the public response we had, both to the beauty and joy of this enriching cultural experience, and how safe our visitors felt with the timed entry and social distancing measures in place.

“It is brilliant that we have found a way to reopen Van Gogh Alive for a limited run, 25 May to 11 July, as we know so many people were disappointed to miss out when we went back into lockdown last November. ”

The auditorium will then take six weeks to be transformed back into a theatre and will reopen with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's classic musical 'Tell Me on a Sunday ' on Tuesday 24 August.

Charting the romantic misadventures of an English girl in New York during the heady days of the 1980 's, Tell Me on Sunday will mark the first live production to take place at Birmingham Hippodrome since the original closure due to the pandemic on Monday 16 March 2020.

Fiona continued: “Tell Me on a Sunday will be the first time in almost 18 months that a live performance will be seen in our auditorium.

“Words can 't describe how great it feels for us to be able to return to what we have long been known for - presenting the biggest and best touring productions for audiences across the region.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our audiences for all the support you have shown during our extended closure. Just knowing how many people were counting on us to find a way through the pandemic and make sure the Hippodrome could reopen again on the other side, kept me and the team determined and motivated through the last 13 months. We cannot wait to start welcoming you back! ”

Seating for this production will be based on a socially-distanced model, subject to change depending on Government guidance closer to the performance date.

Pictured: Van Gogh Alive at the Hippodrome