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The Hippodrome Theatre in Hurst Street, Birmingham opened in 1899 as a Music Hall and Circus building called the Tower of Varieties and Circus of which the Circus Ring itself could be flooded for water spectacles.

The building was completely reconstructed in 1925 to become a legitimate Theatre and seated 2,000 people on its opening.

Right and Left - A programme from the Birmingham Hippodrome for the week of November 24, 1930, compliments of Phil Posner, whose father, known as Mickey Lewis, appeared twice on the bill as part of the flash tapdance act, Lewis, Winthrop and White who were touring England from America on the Keith-Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Also appearing that week were famed British comic Wee Georgie Wood, and Gene Sheldon, who decades later appeared on the Disney television show, "Zorro", and of course the great Max Miller.

The Theatre has had many alterations and enhancements over the years including a new building next door, built in 1990, to house the HQ and studios for the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and in 2000 the Theatre was refurbished throughout, including backstage, and a 200 seat Studio Theatre was built at the corner of the building.

The Birmingham Hippodrome in 1901

Above - The Auditorium and Stage of the Tivoli Theatre, Birmingham / Later the Hippodrome - From 'The Playgoer' 1901 - Courtesy Iain Wotherspoon. W C Fields peformed here on March 23rd 1901.

Above - The Auditorium from the Stage of the Tivoli Theatre, Birmingham / Later the Hippodrome - From 'The Playgoer' 1901 - Courtesy Iain Wotherspoon.

This was their (Moss Empires) premier midlands date even in the times when they had a number of other theatres in the area. It is big, 2000 seats on two levels, but in the fifties the stage was only thirty feet deep so sometimes it was a tight squeeze with a big show. The entrance went underneath a ballroom and there was a tower over the top of the building. The stage door was on the opposite side of the theatre to what it is now.

Bertie Adams was the manager one of the real old school. He had been manager at the Alhambra in Leicester Square before moving to the Holborn Empire where he was for many years. He came to Birmingham after Holborn was bombed. He would sit in the stalls wearing a carnation during the Monday morning band calls and all the acts would have to come down into the stalls to shake his hand and say good morning.

Right - A variety programme called 'Peek - A - Boo' at the Birmingham Hippodrome in April 1952 - Courtesy Maurice Poole.

Whiskey was hard to come by during the war and Bertie used to sit in his office at the theatre until the wee small hours of the morning consuming his black market ration. When he wanted to go to the toilet he used to go to the ladies as the theatre was empty and it was nearer to his office than the gents. Around one o'clock one morning he went into the ladies opened a cubicle door and to his astonishment found an elderly lady in there dead with her knickers around her ankles. He panicked and he had also had a few so he went back to his office and phoned Charlie Henry, Moss Empires head of production who lived in Brighton, and told him what he had found. Charlie said what do you expect me to do, come to Birmingham and pull up her knickers?

Left - A variety programme called 'Peek - A - Boo' at the Birmingham Hippodrome in April 1952 with Morecambe & Wise and Michael Bentine on the bill amongst others - Courtesy Maurice Poole.

When Bertie retired he was succeeded by Wilf May and Barry Hopson was the assistant. After the corporation took over Moss retained the booking for a time and Barry became theatre manager. One morning he was having a tussle over the phone with Ron Swift of Moss Empires head office over a contract. He said to Barry you are an impossible bugger, Barry replied you should know you taught me.

Right - A variety programme called 'Peek - A - Boo' at the Birmingham Hippodrome in April 1952 with Morecambe & Wise and Michael Bentine on the bill amongst others - Courtesy Maurice Poole.

Ernie Clapham the stage manager was a fitness freak and muscle builder he converted part of the under stage area into a makeshift gym where he would pump iron all afternoon when the theatre was locked up and no one was around. During the summer he used to walk around the theatre wearing a singlet. He looked like an advert for the old Health and Efficiency magazine. Not many acts argued with Ernie when he pulled them up for running over their time.

The 14-piece orchestra was under the direction of Arthur Roberts who had immaculate grey hair and was a most charming man.

The theatre, now owned by a trust, is one of the most up to date and successful theatres in the country having had millions of pounds spent on improvements to it including one of the deepest stages in the United Kingdom.

Text from Moss Empires' Theatres in the Fifties, kindly written for this site by Donald Auty

The Birmingham Hippodrome is currently the home of the Birmingham Royal Ballet but is also host to many major touring productions throughout the year. You may like to visit the Theatre's own Website here...

If you have any more information or images for this Theatre that you are willing to share, please Contact me...