Birmingham Hippodrome announces first new musical theatre production

Exclusive: Birmingham Hippodrome has announced the first show for its New Musical Theatre department – launched to champion and support the development of original work.

The first show will be Robyn Grant and Tim Gilvin’s The Jingleclaw, a festive family show aimed for those aged three to seven. It will run in the venue’s Patrick Studio from 12 December to 4 January, telling the story of a young musician, Astrid, and the mischievous forest being known as the Jingleclaw.

Grant explained: “We’re so excited to be one of the first teams working with this incredible New Musical Theatre department as the Hippodrome continues to grow as a beacon of new British musical theatre. Tim and I are both incredibly passionate about bringing new audiences to musical theatre so who better to start with than the next generation of budding stars and theatre goers!

“The Jingleclaw is a silly, joyful, magical show in which we’re creating our very own winter monster in a format which feels fresh, vibrant and funny. We’re packing the show with amazing puppets and props, audience interaction, larger than life characters and tunes you’ll be singing all the way home.”

Gilvin added: “Having spent my university years in beautiful Birmingham, it’s a total joy to be returning to the city and bringing an array of eclectic, fun, festive bangers to tell the story of The Jingleclaw. Expect balladeering bats, choral carols and a good old dose of festive rock and roll that will have our audiences dancing in their seats.”

The venue’s New Musical Theatre department was set up last year, overseen by Deirdre O’Halloran, who joined Birmingham Hippodrome from the Bush Theatre. O’Halloran explained the strategy behind The Jingleclaw’s programming: “We’ve been thinking about the future of musical theatre, and it felt natural for our first production to be creating something special for our youngest audiences.

“While there are lots of fantastic children’s shows produced each year with music in them, few are designed specifically as an introduction to musical theatre, and so the idea of “My First Musical” was born! We hope that productions under this banner, starting with The Jingleclaw, will provide those magical goosebump moments for young audiences that lead to a life-long love of musical theatre.”

The department has also been hosting workshop productions of developing shows, while also offering a developmental programme which offers five writing teams the opportunity to develop a new musical over the course of 12 months.

The Jingleclaw’s general managers are Grace Dickson and Ameena Hamid for HD General Management, with cast and creative team members to be revealed. Tickets for the show will go on sale next week, initially to Friends of Birmingham Hippodrome members.

Chris Sudworth, creative director at Birmingham Hippodrome concluded: “The Jingleclaw is our first full musical theatre commission and marks a really exciting moment in the Hippodrome’s commitment to developing new musicals and new work in the West Midlands. 

“Robyn and Tim are two of the brightest talents in UK musical theatre. We supported their step up from the Fringe with Unfortunate in 2019, and they bring their characteristic joy, playfulness, naughtiness, lyrical and musical invention – but for a family audience – to The Jingleclaw.”