Birmingham Hippodrome vs The Alexandra

I've grown up regularly visiting both of these and I honestly love them both equally for different reasons...as well as The REP (but I'll leave that out for now seeing as you asked about the other two).

The Hippodrome as you can probably tell online is more corporate-y in the marketing and even the modern architecture but it makes it feel more like an institution - though sadly because of this it also feels like the ticket prices are more expensive so I'm going less these (and the 16-25 offer isn't as generous as it used to be). Yet despite this and the huge West End spectacles it houses, there is still a strange intimacy in it's audiences - it only feels big when the curtain rises. Being a local there is always more of a buzz about the Hippodrome and a sense of tradition whether it's the pantos or big summer musicals.

The Alexandra is still a smaller gem of a building. It always has had a lot to compete with, but the art deco architecture always fascinates me, and I think the recent foyer refurb has made it great again (the outside facade maybe not so much). I always think it's great when shows that were previously on at the Hippodrome (which they got lost in) such as Avenue Q, Shrek and now The Bodyguard announce a return to The Alex where it will fit and look better.

It's hard really to sum up these two buildings as I always feel just as excited when I visit them today as I did when I younger. I can't imagine the Brummie theatre scene without either of them.

Happy to help. 

The only thing I'd say about The Alex is perhaps access. The foyer is essentially the bridge between the Suffolk Queensway and Station Street entrances (and usually you can't enter through the latter, only exit) so there's quite a few stairs with no lifts . But in general I see The Alex as a theatre that has gotten more with the times only recently when it comes to marketing and it's FOH aesthetic etc. and to an extent even it's programming, so perhaps the reason why it was called the "New Alex" for a while.

The Hippodrome as I say, the ticket prices have put me off but of course that is generally due to the productions that visit. I really wanted to see Matilda there last summer but I didn't want to pay the same prices as what they were in the West End.

If there's anything else I can think of I'll let you know!

Oh this is definitely my area of expertise. Gonna go at it from a slightly perspective though.

So the Hippodrome: I see the vast majority of my shows there and even did my work experience placement there over the summer. It’s a charity, so all of the 6% transaction charges go to funding company ongoings, including Summer in Southside which is a huge event for families in the summer, completely free of charge. Over my life I’ve participated in several workshops (particularly in primary school) with the theatre which intensified my interest for theatre quite a bit. The community outreach that they have is something I’ve always loved. When I did my placement in the front of house departments I was welcomed and trained with open arms and it was active participation rather than just watching somebody else do the job.

The problem I have in this instance is that with The Alexandra, the community outreach just isn’t there. I feel like I can’t say much because this is very much ‘say what you see’ and there’s just nothing. I think with it being ATG too the whole thing just feels a bit more depersonalised than the Hippodrome which is independent. It’s a bit like when you find a nice little cafe that’s its own thing, and it’s always a bit better than a Costa.

I was a student in the late 90's in Brum. Loved the place and loved the Hippo.

Alex didn't do very good student discounts. However with a Yes Card I got to see everything for 10 squid in the best seats at the Hippo

Birmingham Royal Ballet, Welsh National Opera, le Miz, Phantom, Martin Gurre, Eddie Izard, Prisoner Cell Block H, Matthew Bourne and tons of other stuff.

Hipo was spacious and lovely. While Alex was cramped and seemed to have low rent productions on

lynette for plays we went to Birmingham Rep and the Mac

Best of luck and I'd be interested in the end product