From enjoying ballet at the Hippodrome on a student budget to making the most of the city, explore Birmingham’s cultural scene with us
Hi I’m Katie, a third year English Literature student at UoB, and if you’re looking for cultural experiences in Birmingham as a student then come along with me to the ballet at the Birmingham Hippodrome!
I love theatre and have always gone with my family, so I immediately searched for shows when I came to Birmingham. I’ve also brought friends with me who don’t go to the theatre often, and they’ve also loved it! I find that it gives me a chance to experience some of the amazing culture and arts in the city, and it’s really fun to dress up for the trip. The Birmingham Hippodrome has all sorts of shows on, like ballets, pantomimes, musicals, and plays – there’s something for everyone.
This is the best part! The Birmingham Royal Ballet has a student mailing list which sends out discounted ticket opportunities, especially around Christmas. Their usual deal is that one student can get up to four £10 tickets for the Christmas ballet, which would usually cost around £60-£70 each. As you can probably guess from the original price, these tickets come with an amazing view of the stage (my favourite place to sit with these student tickets is in the lower circle). This year, this deal was only available for the first night, and it tends to be a last-minute thing as they send out the email a week or two before the performance. With this deal, I’ve seen the Cinderella ballet once Nutcracker ballet twice, and brought friends with me each time. The Birmingham Hippodrome also often have student prices available for their other shows, but no mailing list, so it’s worth checking tickets on the website for other shows too.
This year I got an email a week before the opening night, offering £10 tickets for this performance, and of course I went for it! I asked my two friends, and we got ready for a brilliant night.
The theatre is very easy to get to as it’s a five-minute walk from New Street station, so easily accessible with a cheap return ticket from Selly Oak station. It’s also in a great location near Chinatown if you want to get dinner before. We got the train that arrives at 7:03 to ensure lots of time to buy drinks and find seats before the 7:30 start. We dressed up in nice festive outfits, which isn’t mandatory but makes the night even more fun! The performance itself is brilliant, and even if you think you’d get bored with no talking in a ballet, you can’t help but be impressed by the beautiful costumes, music, and dancing. The music played by a live band is absolutely iconic and so Christmassy! In the interval, of course, we got theatre ice cream and then enjoyed the rest of the show. My favourite part is whenever the sugarplum fairy dances, the ballerina who plays her is always the star of the show.
After the show, the theatre is in a great location to go and get drinks. With areas like Gay Village, Chinatown, and the City Centre within walking distance, the night doesn’t have to be over when the show ends! If you go around Christmas time, like I did, the Birmingham Christmas Market will also be on, which is a great place to go look at the lights and get a hot mulled wine.
I love going to the theatre in Birmingham, and I hope this blog has opened your eyes to how you can go too! Make sure you sign up for the Birmingham Royal Ballet student mailing list if you’re looking for a great deal!
In a typical day, I love going to the gym or taking part in one of our music ensemble rehearsals.
