The casting has been announced as part of Birmingham Hippodrome’s new season

• Alison will join Birmingham panto favourites Matt Slack, Doreen Tipton and Andrew Ryan 
• New productions for 2024 include The Drifters Girl, Jesus Christ Superstar and 42nd Street
• Family show Dear Santa joins the 2023 festive line-up alongside Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker and Jack and the Beanstalk
• New dance productions from Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and Associate Artist Sonia Sabri

Birmingham Hippodrome today (19 April 2023) announced Birmingham’s very own Alison Hammond will be starring in this year’s giant panto Jack and the Beanstalk (Sat 16 Dec 2023 – Sun 28 Jan 2024). Alison will be starring alongside Hippodrome favourite Matt Slack returning for his 10th year, Doreen Tipton as Doreen The Cow and panto dame extraordinaire Andrew Ryan. Featuring stunning Olivier-nominated sets and dazzling costumes from The London Palladium, plus bundle-loads of laughter, Jack and the Beanstalk is the panto Birmingham’s bean waiting for.

Alison Hammond said: “It’s no secret that I love panto and I love Birmingham, so being able to be part of the legendary Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime is a dream come true! I’m super excited that I’ll be starring in Jack and the Beanstalk later this year alongside the hilarious Matt, Doreen and Andrew.”

New productions announced for 2024 include the remarkable story of one of the world's greatest vocal groups and the woman who made them in The Drifters Girl (Tues 16 – Sat 20 Apr 2024), the Olivier Award-winning reimagined production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s celebrated musical Jesus Christ Superstar (Mon 22- Sat 27 Apr 2024) and the iconic song-and-dance spectacular 42nd Street (Mon 29 Apr – Sat 4 May 2024). These productions join the previously announced Life of Pi (Mon 12 – Sat 17 Feb 2024) and Wicked (Tue 5 Mar – Sun 7 Apr 2024).

In the Patrick Studio Dear Santa (Mon 11 – Sun 24 Dec) will take little ones on an adventure when Santa, with the help of his cheeky Elf, tries to deliver the most fantastic Christmas present to Sarah just in time for Christmas Eve. From the author of the well-loved children’s book Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell’s Dear Santa is an ideal introduction to theatre for those aged two and over. 

This November (Thu 9 Nov), Birmingham Hippodrome Associate Sonia Sabri Company will present Roshni; a soul-stirring, captivating combination of Kathak dance, with live music and vocals, driven by the bold rhythms of Tabla percussion. Roshni brings together Sonia’s distinctive style of dance, rooted in the traditions of Kathak from Northern India, yet reimagined in the context of her lived British experience.

Matthew Bourne’s magical dance production of Edward Scissorhands returns to Birmingham Hippodrome next February (Tues 6 – Sat 10 Feb 2024). Based on the classic Tim Burton movie and featuring the hauntingly beautiful music of Danny Elfman and Terry Davies, the production has carved a place in the hearts of audiences worldwide since its premiere in 2005.

Jon Gilchrist, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We have an incredible season ahead of us, here at the Hippodrome. Our programme is packed with productions that are guaranteed to provide those all-important goosebumps that make attending live performance such a special event. Having Alison Hammond join Matt, Doreen and Andrew in panto is the icing on the cake. We cannot wait to welcome her and know that audiences across the West Midlands will be as excited as we are to see her in Jack and the Beanstalk.”

There will be a range of Audio Described, Captioned, BSL interpreted and relaxed performances throughout the season, to find out more head to the Hippodrome’s accessible performances web page.

Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk are now on sale.

Tickets for all new season shows will go on sale to Friends of Birmingham Hippodrome on Thursday 20 April at 11am and on general sale on Monday 24 April at 11am. 

Tickets for all shows can be booked at www.birminghamhippodrome.comor by calling 0844 338 5000*

 *0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.