Birmingham Royal Ballet brings The Nutcracker home to the Hippodrome

Few Birmingham traditions say Christmas quite like The Nutcracker at the Hippodrome, and Birmingham Royal Ballet is preparing to dance it again. The company's festive favourite runs at Birmingham Hippodrome from Friday 20 November to 13 December 2026.

The ballet follows Clara, a young dancer whose Christmas Eve takes a magical turn when the magician Drosselmeyer gives her a nutcracker doll. At midnight the room grows around her, giant rats appear led by their King, and the Nutcracker comes to life to defend her before whisking her away to the Land of Snow and a dazzling world of dance.

It caps a busy year. In spring 2026 the company revived Director Carlos Acosta's sunny production of Don Quixote, opening at its home venue, Birmingham Hippodrome, from 12 to 21 February before touring to The Lowry in Salford, Plymouth Theatre Royal, Mayflower Theatre in Southampton and Sadler's Wells in London. National Ballet of Canada principals Siphesihle November and Genevieve Penn Nabity made guest appearances in Birmingham. "It is a real joy to be reviving Don Quixote for UK audiences in 2026," said Acosta, who promised "cape-twirling matadors" and "beautiful costumes and stunning scenery". The tour followed an autumn 2025 tour of Black Sabbath, The Ballet, which played to more than 42,000 people.

In summer 2026 Acosta returned to the stage of the Royal Opera House in London with a programme of classic and modern works, dancing alongside guest artists from Birmingham Royal Ballet and Acosta Danza.

The company's own story is a remarkable one. It was founded in 1946 as Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, a sister company to the troupe that became The Royal Ballet, with John Field as its first artistic director. Invited in 1987 to become resident company at Birmingham Hippodrome, it moved to the city in 1990 and took its current name, becoming independent of The Royal Ballet in 1997. Sir Peter Wright and David Bintley led it for decades before Carlos Acosta took over as director in January 2020. Today it is one of the five major ballet companies of the United Kingdom.

For families looking for a festive outing, it is hard to beat. Casting, tickets and the full programme are on the Birmingham Royal Ballet website.