Entertainment
Whether you fancy seeing a movie, watching a concert or perhaps even a theatrical production, there is always something going on at local venues in and around the area.
The Borough has its own multi-purpose arts centre, Solihull Arts Complex, in the heart of the Town Centre as well as Cineworld, a multi-screen cinema complex in Touchwood. Boasting a deluxe screen with luxury seating and waiter service.
Slightly further afield the sheer size and diversity of people in Birmingham guarantees that every musical taste is catered for. The internationally recognised City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. From its very first performance in 1920, conducted by Sir Edward Elgar, it has become a benchmark of quality in classical music. They perform around 60 concerts a year at Symphony Hall regarded as one of the world's top concert halls.
Jazz fans might want to try out the Waterworks Jazz Club, which presents some of the finest New Orleans and Traditional bands from across the UK. There's a dance floor for the dancers, plenty of seats for the sitters, and a late bar for everyone.
The biggest names in pop and chart music can also be found just five miles from Solihull town centre at NEC Arena. Due to its enormous size (it holds 12,500 people), it promotes the very top flight entertainment. The NIA (National Indoor Arena) also stages a range of concerts by well-known names, and hosted the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest!
Within Birmingham City Centre, its possible to see just about every kind of drama, from Shakespeare to West End musicals, pantomimes to new plays and classic drama. Birmingham Repertory Theatre is one of the major producing theatres outside of London presenting a variety of classic dramas, many of which go on to the West End or national tours, as well as major productions from international companies. The studio theatre, The Door, is a smaller space and used for new and experimental work. For people curious about how theatres work, they also run a series of backstage tours.
The Old Rep Theatre is an older building, whose boards have been trod by such luminaries as Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward and Derek Jacobi. Its work nowadays is more geared towards young people, for whom it runs a variety of performances and participation events.
The Alexandra Theatre is a beautiful Edwardian theatre which presents pre- and post- West End shows, opera, ballet, musicals and concerts.
The Birmingham Hippodrome offers a similar programme of large scale entertainments. One of the finest and best-equipped theatre complexes in the UK. Home to Birmingham Royal Ballet and DanceXchange, the theatre is also the midlands residency for Welsh National Opera. Birmingham Hippodrome also boasts The Patrick Centre for the Performing Arts. Midland Arts Centre - mac has three performance spaces, a cinema, six galleries and exhibitions spaces offering an extensive programme encompassing drama, music, dance, film, comedy, visual and performing arts.
The Custard Factory is a vibrant arts quarter on the site of factories owned by Sir Alfred Bird - the inventor of custard. With performance spaces, art galleries and workshops, bars, and clubs, this is an area where many different art-forms collide.
Based at the Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham Royal Ballet is Britain's premier touring ballet company. The company produce a mix of well-known classical ballets, and ground-breaking new work. Modern dance is brought to the city by two agencies. DanceXchange programme dance companies to perform at the Patrick Centre, which is part of the Hippodrome complex. They also run a series of classes. Sampad similarly focuses on making the arts, including dance, more widely available for audiences and practitioners in the region, with their focus being on artforms of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Other varied entertainment in the region includes:-
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry http://www.belgrade.co.uk/
Gala Bingo http://www.gala-bingo.co.uk/
Mecca Bingo www.meccabingo.com/
Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) www.rsc.org.uk/
The Academy www.birmingham-academy.co.uk/
There is naturally a huge and varied selection of pubs, clubs, bars and restuarants catering for all tastes and budgets to complete your entertainment experience.
Contact Details
For further information, contact the Tourist Office on 0121 704 6130, fax 0121 704 8224 or email tourism@solihull.gov.uk
Ticket hotline: 0121 704 6962
Solihull Tourist Information and Booking Office
Solihull Central Library and Arts Complex
Library Square
Touchwood
Homer Road
Solihull
B91 3RG