Rylan, Matt Slack, Zoe Birkett and Andrew Ryan lead the cast as Birmingham Hippodrome prepares for another huge Christmas pantomime season.
There are certain signs that Christmas is approaching in Birmingham. The lights go up, the German Market returns, the shopping bags get heavier – and Birmingham Hippodrome prepares to unleash another gloriously over-the-top pantomime.
This year, it’s the turn of Sleeping Beauty, and the Hippodrome is promising one of its biggest festive productions yet, running from Saturday 19th December until Sunday 31st January 2027.
Described by the theatre as the UK’s biggest regional pantomime, this year’s show has assembled a suitably starry cast, headed by Rylan, who makes his Birmingham panto appearance as the wonderfully named Diva of Dreams.
Alongside him comes a man who barely needs an introduction to regular Hippodrome audiences. Matt Slack returns as Lester the Jester, bringing the quick-fire comedy, audience interaction and unmistakably Brummie sense of fun that have made him one of the city’s best-loved pantomime performers.
And there’s more familiar panto royalty. Andrew Ryan celebrates his tenth season at Birmingham Hippodrome, this time appearing as The Queen, while West End performer, singer and presenter Zoe Birkett takes on the deliciously wicked role of Carabosse.
A classic fairytale – Birmingham style
At the heart of all the comedy and spectacle remains one of the world’s best-known fairytales.
Princess Aurora receives a rather unwelcome birthday present from her wicked aunt Carabosse. One prick from an enchanted spinning wheel places Aurora under a curse and sends her into a century-long sleep.
Can the Prince break the spell? Will true love triumph? And, perhaps more importantly in Birmingham panto terms, how many jokes, songs, spectacular costumes and cries of “he’s behind you!” can be squeezed in before the happy ending?
Expect plenty.
The production promises music, comedy, magic and spectacular special effects, while visually it should be something special too. The sets and costumes are coming directly from The London Palladium, bringing some West End-scale glamour to the Hippodrome stage.
Birmingham has a particularly strong relationship with pantomime. For generations of families, a trip to the Hippodrome over Christmas and New Year has become every bit as much a part of the festive season as decorating the tree.
Sleeping Beauty looks perfectly placed to continue that tradition, combining a familiar story for younger theatregoers with enough comedy and knowing humour to keep the adults entertained.
Dates, show times and tickets
Sleeping Beauty runs from Saturday 19th December to Sunday 31st January 2027 on Birmingham Hippodrome’s Main Stage.
Performance times vary according to the date, but the main scheduled times across the run include:
1.00pm and 5.15pm on many Sundays and selected holiday dates, with 2.30pm and 7.15pm performances on many other days. For example, opening day on Saturday 19 December has performances at 2.30pm and 7.15pm, while Sunday 20 December has shows at 1.00pm and 5.15pm.
As times vary throughout the Christmas and January run, we’d recommend checking the individual date before travelling.
Tickets start from £20, although prices vary according to performance and seating area. There is also a family offer during January, with two under-16s able to go half price with every full-paying adult on selected performances and price bands.
There are several accessible performances too, including BSL-interpreted shows on Sunday 10 January at 1pm and 5.15pm, captioned performances on Sunday 17 January at 1pm and 5.15pm, audio-described performances on Wednesday 13 January at 2pm and Saturday 16 January at 2.30pm, and a relaxed performance at 12 noon on Thursday 28 January.
The recommended age is 5+. Children under three cannot be admitted, while attendance for three and four-year-olds is at parents’ discretion.
The Birmingham Edit verdict
With Rylan adding a new ingredient to an already formidable Birmingham panto team, Matt Slack back where audiences love him, Andrew Ryan celebrating a decade at the Hippodrome and Zoe Birkett preparing to cause fairytale mayhem, Sleeping Beauty has all the ingredients for one of Birmingham’s big family events of Christmas 2026.
Expect glitter. Expect outrageous costumes. Expect plenty of audience participation. And definitely expect the occasional joke aimed several feet above the children’s heads.
Sleeping Beauty may be about a princess who sleeps for 100 years – but judging by what Birmingham Hippodrome has planned, there won’t be much chance of the audience nodding off.
Sleeping Beauty
Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 4TB
19 December 2026 – 31 January 2027
Tickets from £20
Sleeping Beauty – dates, full performance schedule and tickets – HERE
