Best theaters in Birmingham: find options near you

Really great theatre.
Plenty of toilets, so queues move quickly.
Lots of space front of house while waiting to go in.
Comfy seating, and leg room not too bad.
Had an incredible view from row B of the circle.
Very expensive though compared to other non-London theatres.

Ive been going here since I was little (in the 80’s!). It is one of the best theatres we have ever been too. Staff ate friendly, welcoming and accommodating. The lobby is nicely laid out and easy to navigate. Ordering and getting pre-theatre and interval drinks is straightforward.

I am a wheelchair user so had to make contact in advance of my booking to check various details. Staff were always very helpful accommodating.

The only downside I would add, is that in the auditorium the material on the seats in a bit rough (especially on bare legs or tights), and the seats are too tightly packed in, so there isn’t any leg room (less than an aeroplane!). So it feels very cramped in. Not enough to put me off, but I really do hope they can do something about it at some point soon.

Not what was planned as should’ve had a concert in the BP arena. So had to find something else to see. Not a bad little. Drinks bit overpriced. Staff really friendly and helpful. 1st time of visiting the venue. Will definitely be back

We watched The Nutcracker and later the Cinderella ballet here. It is a well maintained, organised venue. The cast was fantastic both times! We were very impressed with the performance and the decor each time. Definitely going back for other shows in the future.

A great experience. Beautiful theatre with comfortable seats. Nice lounge areas. Great bars and not too expensive either. Just saw Mary Poppins and it was amazing. Great sound with a good mix. Michael Xavier as Mr. Banks was the star of the show!!

Great venue for theatrical performances. We have attended many performances here. Delightful staff and great seating. The location is perfect in the heart of Birmingham. There is great, convenient parking and many, many super interesting places to eat. There is a fabulous atmosphere all around the venue.

Practically Perfect in Every Way – A Jolly Holiday at the Birmingham Hippodrome!

For my delightful mother-in-law’s 87th birthday, we took a most enchanting outing to the Birmingham Hippodrome to see Mary Poppins – and what a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious evening it was!

Parking was no trouble at all, thanks to the conveniently located Palisades car park. I simply dropped my dear wife at the front door, zipped off, and was back quicker than you can say “spit spot!” – well, about ten minutes, but who’s counting?

The bar area, while most pleasant in décor and atmosphere, was a tad short on perches for the weary. A glass of wine will set you back £10, but as they say, a spoonful of spending helps the evening go down – and one can take their tipple into the theatre, which is rather civilised.

Our seats were in the middle circle – and oh, what a view! Thanks to the steepness of the seating, every chimney sweep and kite-flying moment was perfectly visible. It truly made for a marvellous vantage point, though the climb did prove a bit of a challenge for my dear mother-in-law. Those steps are quite the workout, even for someone not yet into their late eighties.

As for the performance itself – it was practically perfect in every way! The cast, the music, the staging – all simply superb. Mary flew, Bert danced on the ceiling, and the magic never stopped. A tip-top production that left us all humming on the way home.

All in all, the evening was a five-star experience, and a most magical way to celebrate a special birthday. If you’ve the chance to go, don’t delay – snap up a ticket before the wind changes!

Legacy Arena at BJCC was awesome. Very clean with friendly staff (security, ushers, concessions). My daughter and I enjoyed our concert immensely! Bathrooms were clean & well lit plus stocked.
We sat in section 213 row c seats 1-2. Great view for price.

My daughter had the best time! Staff members were very polite! The walk to parking garage wasn’t bad at all. Can’t wait for our next concert!

We saw Wicked! We loved everything! The only negative is the lines for the bathrooms, everything was great from the close parking to the amount of staff, no lines for security, we sat 4th row center, there was enough space in between rows, we got to our middle seat but didn’t have to rub up against anyone to get there, lighting wasn’t too bright and orchestra and sound wasn’t too loud being so close.
Performers were absolutely amazing! We will definitely be back to this theater for another performance! Everything for the guest experience was very thoughtful. I was very glad I didn’t have to use the bathroom during intermission, that looked like a nightmare, and my only negative.

Great setup for pits, track and vendors. Would be nice to have a few more options to eat, most places there have 1hr or better wait. Great food tho, a few food trucks did help out this year. Awesome event, my son loves it and so do I. Hope they come back, we lived the Supercross!

For March Madness, I really enjoyed the venue! The only downside was the parking situation, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I paid for parking online, but the staff at the lot insisted I hadn’t and made me pay again, even after I showed them my confirmation. I didn’t have time to argue with them, so I just paid the extra fee. Other than that, it was a great experience—there was police everywhere, so I felt safe. I’d definitely go again!

Legacy Arena is my favorite venue for large concerts. Entry and exit goes smoothly and quickly. There are plenty of concession options. Restrooms are plentiful, well maintained, and conveniently located. The seats are comfortable, without feeling crowded. The lighting and sound systems provide an excellent experience.

Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex – A Top-Tier Venue for Any Event

I recently attended a four-day conference at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) and was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. This is a first-class venue that strikes the perfect balance between size, comfort, and functionality.

The facilities were clean, modern, and well-maintained, with plenty of space for breakout sessions, exhibits, and large gatherings. Everything was organized and easy to navigate — a huge plus when you’re moving around all day. The staff was professional, helpful, and kept everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Whether you’re attending a conference, expo, concert, or special event, the BJCC delivers. The surrounding Uptown district adds even more to the experience with great restaurants and hotels just steps away.

If you’re planning or attending a major event in Birmingham, the BJCC is the place to be.

Πολύ όμορφος χώρος για μπύρα και φαγητό απέναντι από τον Καθεδρικό.

Fantastic pub. Once you get past the grand aesthetic of both the exterior and interior, you get to a superb selection of beers and ales. I opted for a pint of Lavender Hill Pale Ale, followed by a half of Rebel IPA.

I was only visiting for a quick drink before heading to my lunch reservation elsewhere, but I want to come back and try out all of the different offerings. I may have to do it in half-pints!

Service is friendly and welcoming, if you get a seat by the large front windows in day time, there’s a lovely view of the cathedral and it’s grounds to take in.

Beautiful space; I went for the theatre which was a fantastic treat. Walk through the pub all the way to the back where the ladies’ loos are and then up one flight of stairs for the gorgeous little theatre bar and another for the small but perfectly formed studio theatre. A fantastic production and really fun experience. Non-alcoholic drinks reasonably priced, alcoholic typical for a classy city centre place. Stayed for a drink in the main pub at the end as it was too stunning not to take it all in for a bit!

What a great pub with lots of atmosphere right next to the cathedral. Great interior decor. I dived in here during a heavy shower and was welcomed by friendly staff. Good selection of beer. I wasn’t hungry but looked at the menus and was tempted.

If going for just a drink it would be 5 star. But we went for food. It was extremely over priced. I had the vegan onion bhaji burger as it was one of the only options. It was so dry, they obviously just microwave the patty and it had been zapped so much it was extremely hard on the outside and powdery on the inside. (You know when you put a pastry in the microwave for so long the crust goes rock hard)

If they want to charge just under £18 for a burger it should be made fresh!

My suggestion if going for food maybe just go for the pies or if not…. Go somewhere else. (Lots to choose from around colmore row)

I would have said something if someone came over to ask how the food was. But no one did even when they came to get the plates they didn’t ask how the food was.

I would have said something but it seemed pointless after I had eaten it all. Due to being so hungry.

Overall, great please to go for a drink… from my experience I wouldn’t go there again for food. 2 glasses of wine and a main meal £63!!! Not worth it.

Amazing wonderful old pub/picture house in Birmingham temple Street. The inside architecture is amazing and the wall murals, balcony and central Ceiling Dome really make this an outstanding pub. The central bar has a great selection of beers and ales, drinks, with a very appealing menu. A must visit.

We came here to see a production of Be More Chill, and I wish we’d have stayed for longer because the pub area was beautiful and the food smelled great. The show was brilliant, the facilities well kept. The theatre is up two floors of steep stairs, but a small lift is available & well maintained. All staff, stewards and performers were not only polite and professional, but enthusiastic and great to chat with. I’ll definitely be returning to The Old Joint Stock soon!

Fabulous theatre my favourite in Birmingham, staff very friendly and helpful.
Definitely recommend the lounge experience when going to see a show worth paying extra to have a place to relax before a show and during interval no queues

My most favourite theatre in all of the city centre! Spacious, always get a good view and just generally pleasant.

I’ve walked past and read what’s on loads of times however this time stopped and booked a show. We loved Inspector Morse TV show, and this is what caught my eye, booking was so easy and ordered interval drinks. Show time was the afternoon matinee, and we arrived on time to collect the tickets and take the seats. Row E was just about perfect , close enough to hear and see clearly however to be honest the theater is small enough to sit anywhere and have a fabulous view.
I will definitely recommend this place and be booking more shows.

Visited on a Friday evening for the first time. It was a family visit to watch Hold Onto Your Butts and we had a great evening. We pre paid for drinks and snacks online and collected at the bar which was useful and saved time for sure. Staff were lovely. Seats were comfortable for our visit which was a 75 minute showing with no interval. There is a cloakroom for those wishing to use it.

I was there for the British Open Squash Championships, it’s a fantastic venue, loads of helpful staff, busy bars and easy access. By far the best pace I’ve watched squash, comfy seats and a fantastic view.

The Rep theatre is great! The staff are absolutely lovely. The place is impeccably clean. The toilets are very well kept. They always have good plays on and they seem to make great efforts in ensuring you have a great experience. Highly recommend a visit once especially for a good theatre experience which is hard to get!

Such an amazing theatre, because of the shape every seat has a good view. The staff are super friendly, the only downside is the cost of refreshments, a 330ml can of water was £2. Still, I need to give 5 stars though because it’s such a good venue.

We went to see ‘Go your own way’ a Fleetwood Mac tribute, the theatre staff were excellent and the show was brilliant. Disabled access was a bit of a worry as I havent been here before and was with a disabled friend, it was a bit of an unknown adventure. Alas there was no problem with my friends motorised chair or getting to our seats due to the exceptional help from theatre staff .. everything went flawlessly. However prices for soft drinks and such are a little high but hell this isnt something you do every day of the week and it would stop me going again to another show, I would like to use this review to also give a big thank you to Leslie who was more than helpful and informative during our visit … thank you very much, you are a credit to the theatre.

This historic theatre has a quirky layout in the expansive, multi level building.
All staff are friendly and welcoming, with the doorman most helpful as he went above and beyond to assist us on our arrival in a very friendly manner.
The bars offer a somewhat limited selection of drinks and snacks, and are quite expensive, though not extortionate.
The seats are comfortable and generally offer a good view of the stage, but the grand circle is steeply banked and can be a little restrictive.
‘The Alex’ hosts a wide variety of quality shows at a varying range of prices, occasionally offering special deals which are always worth looking out for.

We sat in Row K seats 8- 10 ( back row) Dress circle, we had a uninterrupted View of the stage and easy access to Mens and Ladies toilets. It was a very hot day and The Theatre was full but I felt it was a manageable heat. I would definitely choose the same seats again. Staff as always were friendly and helpful. I can’t wait for my next visit.

Been here lots of times to see one flew over the cuckoo nest, joe brown and lots of other shows. Seats are a bit bum numbing after a bit all shows planned well car parking by new street station train and bus links just outside the entrance disabled access available plus small lift a small bar bit expensive toilets not many small and cramped in all staff very friendly and helpful good work

A classic old theatre, and a fabulous show, and with the hospitality package with a reserved table in the lounge, 2 drinks crisps and ice cream it was a great night, seats in middle of row B topped it off. The Dubliners story told by part narration, part dialogue but musty their music, and an authentic bar setting (complete with realistic bartender) was topped by the fabulous energy of the cast…..despite the mature age of the lead character.

The Nashville show was excellent, the theatre is beautiful, staff are really great however they need to get draught beer instead of bottles, running out of cold beer from the fridge and passing them out of the packaging isn’t acceptable at prices charged!

We recently attended a performance of War Horse at The Alexandra and had a truly wonderful experience, thanks in no small part to the exceptional staff and thoughtful accessibility arrangements.

One member of our group is a wheelchair user, and after reading the helpful guidance on the theatre’s website, I booked aisle seats as advised. From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel incredibly welcome. At the main entrance, we were greeted by Pete—proudly nicknamed “Batman” on his badge—which instantly brought a smile to our faces. Pete went out of his way to assist us, even radioing ahead for support. When staff were momentarily tied up, he personally escorted us to the accessible entrance around the corner.

There, we were met by Ollie, who couldn’t have been more helpful. He guided us to our seats and ensured the wheelchair was parked in a safe and convenient location, tucked out of the way but easily reachable.

After the show, Ollie discreetly kept an eye on us and returned the wheelchair when we were ready to leave, making our exit smooth and stress-free.

The service we received was genuinely above and beyond. Both Pete and Ollie were kind, proactive, and a credit to the theatre. We’ll absolutely be returning—and crossing our fingers that they’re working that day!

They staff went above and beyond for anyone with a disability. They literally walked through the crowd several times, looking for anyone who may be disabled to make sure they got to the front of the line. They were all so nice and made sure everyone found their seats and would ask you if their was anything they could help you with. It was definitely a great place to visit.

This place is the most magical place in the world come December whenever all the music and movies come for the Christmas movies. The Oregon comes out from the floor and Gary plays on the Oregon and plays it beautifully. They also have look-alike contest for cousin Eddie whenever they show Christmas vacation

Alabama Theater is beautiful. The 4 Tops And Temptations performance’s fantastic. We had a great time.

We’ve been going to the Alabama for years! Christmas movie series, Summer movie series, and our granddaughter’s dance recital! The Alabama is beautiful and nostalgic! My dad used to remind me that he was once an usher there. The Alabama holds sweet memories ❤️

The Alabama Theater is such a nostalgic place for me. Memories flood my mind with beautiful moments of watching several plays, but mostly, ballet More specifically, The Nutcracker. Growing up a dancer myself, I always told myself that I’d open my own dance studio one day…Here we are, grown with allll sports loving boys living their dream & me having my “girl’s day” going to the theater ❤️ ….still dreaming

I didn’t think I would have to climb 4 flights of stairs while on oxygen along with my elderly mother to see my son’s graduation ceremony, but I did. It would have been great to use an elevator to get to the section we had to sit in.

Located in the heart of historic downtown Birmingham, Alabama. This art deco theater has been completely renovated. Tickets to shows can be purchased in advance or on premises. Credit cards accepted. street parking.
Concession stands serving beer, wine, cocktails, and soft drinks. Fast professional and courteous service. The theater is absolutely beautiful and the sound is amazing. Comfortable seats. In fact there’s not a bad seat in the house and a few box seats are available. We were fortunate enough to lucky dip a performance by Buddy Guy during his farewell tour. I highly recommend catching a show here. I have no doubt it will leave an enjoyable lasting impression.

Hidden gem! We visited this theatre for the Princess Live! Show. The theatre was very accessible by bus…the 126 drops you right outside. The staff at the theatre were super helpful and friendly. Theatre itself was very clean, including the bathrooms.

The show was so fun! They encouraged the children to move around and get involved. We’ll definitely book another one of their productions aswell as further shows in the theatre.

Only dampener to our day was another child hit our daughter with the plastic wands being sold. But that’s out of the theatres control.

Crescent Theatre is one of those places that truly has a soul.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, with a sense of closeness between the audience and the stage. The venue isn’t massive, and that’s exactly what gives it its charm every performance here feels personal and authentic.

The auditorium is well maintained, the seating is comfortable, and the acoustics are impressive. The staff is friendly, well organized, and always ready to help. The bar offers a decent selection of drinks before and after the show.

If there’s one suggestion to make perhaps a bit of interior refreshment in some areas would make the space even more inviting. But that doesn’t take away from the overall experience.

A wonderful cultural spot that’s well worth visiting again and again.

Went to see Beauty and The Beast ….Great show by an amdram youth group called Script. Some amazing young talent.
Venue was good, clean and seats comfy, would go again although parking is only available in nearby multistory and it can work out expensive. Overall good venue and fab show…will definitely keep an eye out for future Script productions.

Went to the Jury experience. Lovely little theatre. Show was interactive and entertaining but felt a little bit pantomime in parts.

Great little theatre, chairs aren’t very comfortable but shifting about through the show solves it. Went to see Rita, Sue and Bob too. Brilliant show

Had the privilege to go see my step grand-daughter last night at your venye and what a Really good it is very freely staff I must say
Loved the old seating quailty touch that the chairs from years gone by peice of history wish i could of shared a picture but hopefully you go one day and see, very good show casing for Birmingham and surrounding areas young talent, Amazing works by Spot Light doing amazing things for the community and thank you for having them to share it in your venue

Being a massive fan of horror I saw that Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde were on at Crescent Theatre. I booked my ticket the night before. When I arrived I collected my ticket and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. Upstairs there were drinks/snacks and toilets. I really enjoyed my first experience watching a show at Crescent and I hope to return to watch some more in the future. Thank you so much for a lovely evening ❤️

First time at the Old Rep, short walk from New Station Station.

Brought tickets at the door for the show – Piaf.

First impression, small cosy, old fashion theatre.

We sat the far back and we could see and hear the stage clearly. We didn’t have anyone sitting in the row infront of us but I can imagine that they would partially obscure the view unlike at the New Rep theatre.

Enjoyed the show, singing and dancing from an amateur production about the lifelong of Edith Piaf.

No purchase from the confectionery counter.

Brilliant place when I was in primary school paganel I saw Charlie and the chocolate factory that was brilliant lovely acted. Went recently to see the wizard of Oz so well acted well worth the money and get the audience involved as well toilets big and clean plenty of disabled accessible links by train and bus outside staff friendly and helpful

Next to the new Street station. Parking is available at the station or in nearby car parks. Friendly staff. Clean toilets. Clean theatre with galleried seats with good view of the stage. Not huge.

Great historic theatre. Friendly staff. Easy to get to being right next to New Street Station. Presents a wide range of productions by a range of different theatre companies. A great night out.

We visited as a group of six, the seats were very comfortable and had a great view of the stage.
The drinks are standard pricing for a city theatre and lots of selection.
The staff were friendly behind the bar.
This is my first time at this venue, I would come back, it’s closer than any other theatre in Birmingham, to the train station (new st). It isn’t the biggest theatre but it does the job.

Beautiful venue. Was there for the Dolly church service and had a great time!
Big ~300 seater theatre, lovely staff both FOH and BOH.
Give it a visit, right next to the train station as well and beautiful place

Lovely experience during Birmingham heritage week. We had a lovely tour and talk with a afternoon tea on the stage. They adjusted to dietary needs as required.

Wow such an enjoyable experience saw *penguin lessons* with Steve coogan after 7pm. Great atmosphere and vibe so relaxed nobody cares what you’re wearing or stares at you. Staff are great and polite, accomodating. I honestly expected a really small room for the screening but was surprisingly spacious and seats weren’t bad. I think the £14 ones are recliner…Was my first time here and I I didn’t expect to laugh at the adverts..I found myself laughing loudly. and honest nobody cared and I love that. My last visit to a cinema must have been December 2023!! I will visit again and got a quick peek at some of the exhibits there too.

The premier arts centre in Birmingham, located in Cannon Hill Park, in Moseley. On the day we visited there was a lively exhibition and we wanted to watch a film but the box office closed and it was too late to buy tickets in the shop. We popped into the recording studio which is well equipped and stopped for snacks in the cafe. As well as the cinema, music studio and exhibition space, there are also workshops and events space.

This was our first visit, and we were thoroughly impressed. The venue hosts a variety of engaging exhibitions that change over time, ensuring a fresh and exciting experience with each visit. The team is exceptionally friendly and supportive, and the entire facility is impeccably clean.Additionally, there is an on-site shop and restaurant, making it a convenient and enjoyable destination. This place is suitable for all age groups, offering something for everyone regardless of age.An added bonus is its proximity to Cannon Hill Park, a stunning location perfect for a leisurely walk. Overall, this is a highly recommended destination that we look forward to visiting again.

Very impressed with our first time at cinema – small but very comfortable & staff member was lovely. Less impressed with restaurant- disappointed that the two items we chose from a restricted menu (mostly pizzas) were not available & we had to eat elsewhere. As new residents of Birmingham we think the MAC is an exciting and interesting venue.

Been here a coupla times for different exhibitions. Nostalgic building. Interesting exhibitions. Nice gift shop! Family and kid friendly centre, often well-visited over the weekends. Connected to the park and the River Rea cycling trail.

Modern facilities but soulless.

The outside is an ugly mixture of unkempt functional architecture and brash, upbeat marketing decorations. Both the front and back entrance are not welcoming spaces, the latter from the car parks being quite narrow.

The meeting rooms & suites, bar area and cafés look and feel up to date with everywhere looking smart and clean. A little too much so as the entire place lacks character or atmosphere leading to a sterile feeling.

Display areas, even for the same exhibition, can spread out and one is in the small café making it awkward to see. Small corridors are also used not allowing the viewer to stand back from the display.

The gift shop is stupidly expensive easily beating some London museums in pricing. The goods and books seem aimed at serious arty types and, although I’m one, I still wouldn’t pay £7 for a fridge magnet.

Parking can be a nightmare if there’s more than one event on and impossible if there’s a match at neighbouring Edgbaston Cricket ground. Be aware that the parking area is split into two so make sure you pay at the right pay station for where you’ve left your car. RingGo app works works well here though.

I read one of the reviews on here about this place being soulless…obviously everyone on here has an opinion that needs listening to but the sad fact is NO city/place (in my opinion) will ever get the funding for arts that London gets, so as humble as the MAC is and as pretentious as art can be on occasion..we have to support our local Art places. Anyway, the MAC is a great place to enjoy good food in a large, open stylish place. Cannon Hill park is worth a visit especially on a quiet day

My daughter and I saw ‘A Christmas Carol’ last night. What a wonderful, unique performance! Refreshingly true to Dickens’ text, an excellent, classic Scrooge and four actors expressively playing all other parts. Most memorable and impressive. A great deal of work, skill and devotion to their craft by all. I could have watched it all again straight after! Great singing as well.

Blue Orange Theatre is a lovely intimate theatre located on Great Hampton street.
Comfortable seating, plenty leg space, cosy temperature.
The stage offer a clear view point for the entire audience.
The bar offers a good selection of drinks and snacks all very reasonable priced.
I will definitely go back.

Saw The Body Snatcher and The Hanged Mans’ Bride, excellent solo performances. Enjoyed it very much.

This is a lovely small theatre. I have taken two young children to see the pantomime there for the last 2 years and they have thoroughly enjoyed it. They manage to entertain both young and old and you can feel the whole audience engaged and joining in. Will definitely go again. Drinks available both before and during interval at reasonable price.

Went to see “A Christmas Carol” today. By far, the best version i have ever seen. Completely blown away by this production and its 5 oh so talented actors. They had angelic voices and harmonies for the carols, minimum props were brilliantly used to bring this classic story to life. I don’t think i can state enough what an excellent show this was. Thank you to the brilliant cast and producer for putting me in such a great mood for Christmas.

Saw a short play with 4 actors,it was amazing.
Great lead actor James Greaney

The performance we watched this afternoon was absolutely fantastic and I would highly recommend this theatre. Being a mother with two autistic children, there isn’t many performances that can accommodate to their needs, however all staff were helpful and patient and the performance put on made them feel ecstatic and included them in the performance. Overall, it was a brilliant experience and I would highly recommend it.