Birmingham | MidlandsRainbow 2/5

Trans activists attacked following Birmingham protest

Following a peaceful protest in Birmingham’s Victoria Square (26/04/2025), trans activists were attacked and spat at while marching together down New Street.

Apr 272 min read

Promo image for the musical. A heart wearing gold headphones reads: & Juliet The Hit Musical. Next to it on the black background, in white writing it reads 'There's Life After Romeo'.

Review: & Juliet at The Birmingham Hippodrome

Everyone knows the tragic ending of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but what if there was life after Romeo for Juliet? Created by the Emmy-winning writer from Schitt’s Creek, the hilarious new jukebox musical, & Juliet, flips the script on the well-known love story.

Apr 232 min read

A rubber gloved hand fills an injection needle from a vial

New HIV prevention trial for women+ launched in Birmingham

A new, six-monthly injection to reduce the risk of HIV transmission is being offered to sexually active women in Birmingham as part of a new study.

Apr 192 min read

Image shows a black and white photo of Lady Leshurr performing on stage, either side of her are two dancers, the audience can be seen in the background and smoke machines have been used.

Grime artists including Lady Leshurr collab with Symphony Orchestra

A line-up of Birmingham-based rap and grime artists, including openly pansexual Lady Leshurr, have collaborated with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) to show that "symphonic music is for everyone”.

Apr 131 min read

Joe Lycett has blonde short hair, is smiling and holding a folder, and he wears a ruffled outfit in the colours of the Pansexual flag yellow, pink and blue.

Joe Lycett creates ‘United States of Birmingham’

As part of an upcoming new series for Sky Max, comedian, presenter and Brummy bab, Joe Lycett, has bought together the ‘United States of Birmingham’

Apr 121 min read

Promotional image for the musical, there is a silhouette of someone playing a fiddle, and beneath them it reads: Fiddler on the Roof

Olivier Award-winning Fiddler on the Roof coming to Birmingham

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Fiddler on the Roof, which comes to Birmingham later this year, has picked up several Olivier Awards

Apr 61 min read

Image shows a colourful children's classroom with desks and plastic blue chairs, in the background, trays with stationary folders etc. can be seen

Data highlights Birmingham primary schools in suspensions and exclusions for homophobia and transphobia

Department of Education data reveals homophobic & transphobic abuse resulting in suspensions in Birmingham primary schools has increased

Apr 53 min read

Opening night at the new Village Inn, a collage of two photos. In the first, you can see the outside of the new venue, a sign hangs above reading 'The Village Inn' there is a red 'VIP' style rope, balloon towers in gold and black and a large red high heel, from the old Village Inn. In the second photo, three drag queens (Dahliah Rivers, Blanche & Yshee Black) are celebrating outside. Blanche opens a bottle of champagne which sprays everywhere, Dahliah and Yshee laugh.

Twiggy: On the ever-changing Gay Village

Drag performer, Twiggy, reflects on Birmingham's changing Gay Village and the positive future of the venues

Apr 42 min read

Image shows a promotional picture for the show. The image reads: William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice 1936 directed by Brigid Larmour starring Tracy-Ann Oberman as the first female Shylock

Review: Merchant of Venice 1936 at Birmingham Rep

Merchant of Venice 1936 transports Shakespeare's original text to the 1930s, starring Tracy-Ann Oberman as the first female Shylock

Apr 32 min read

Image shows the poster promo for Ghost. There is an image of two people embracing, which is surrounded by a glowing effect. The poster reads: Believe. Bill Kenwright presents Ghost the Musical. It also lists books and lyrics etc. which can be found online

Review: Ghost The Musical at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Based on the hit Paramount Pictures film, written by Bruce Joel Rubin, Ghost: The Musical is an adaption of the screenplay for stage.

Apr 22 min read

Kate Butch in a red and brunette wig and red dress, she is coming through a window, holding the cartains apart

Review: Kate Butch Wuthering Shites at The Old Joint Stock

Drag Race UK star, Kate Butch is on tour across the UK with Wuthering Shites, visiting Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock

Mar 292 min read

A medical professional in blue gloves can be seen testing a blood sample under a microscope

HIV & Hepatitis Opt-out Testing Expands to all Birmingham Emergency Departments

Following the success of opt-out testing at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the scheme has been expanded to all A&E departments in Birmingham

Mar 252 min read

Image shows the gay couple crochet down with the dog in front of them. Justin wears a yellow and black shirt and an orange hat, and blue jeans and Richard wears a black and white shirt and sunglasses and black jeans. The dog is small, terrier like scruffy with grey-ish fur. Bear also wears a green harness and lead.

Birmingham Couple find 'love at first bark' at The Dog House

Birmingham couple, Richard & Justin, appeared on the latest episode of The Dog House, in search of a four-legged friend

Mar 222 min read

Image is a promotional photo for The Great Pottery Thrown Down. It shows Stephen behind a pottery wheel. He wears a checked red and black shirt, open to show a yellow t-shirt under, jeans and a beige apron for working with the clay. He is smiling, has grey hair and a beard and wears glasses.

Interview: Stephen Parkes, The Great Pottery Throw Down

Stephen Parkes, a Birmingham-based contestant on The Great Pottery Throw Down, speaks all things clay with Midlands Rainbow.

Mar 193 min read

Marisha Wallace, Jason Manford, Michael Ball stand on stage, their arms outstretched in welcoming joy. Marisha wears a black dress, and the two men wear black suits.

Big Night of Musicals returns

The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals returns in 2025, with numbers from some of the UK’s best West End and touring productions

Mar 132 min read

Trans flag flying on a flag pole, the colours of the flag are striped, light blue, light pink, white, light pink, light blue. The sky behind the flag is blue with a small fluffy cloud in the top left corner.

Trans Pride Birmingham teams with Eden Bar in 2025

Trans Pride Birmingham have announced that they will be working with Eden Bar for 2025’s celebrations.

Mar 111 min read

Banner for the event reads: Waaking & Vouging Workshops with Eric Scutato. Lottery Funded. Supported using public funding by Arts Council Englands. Shout Queer Arts and Culture. There is a black and white photo of Eric dancing, he is a Venezuelan man in a tank top, shorts and a hat.

Free Waacking & Voguing Workshops in Birmingham

SHOUT Festival with Eric Scutaro of Queer Side are offering free voguing and waaking workshops from March at Ace Dance & Music, Birmingham

Mar 102 min read

Front of the Nightingale with its front painted black with striped from the Pride progress / trans flags.

The Village Inn & The Loft to move into The Nightingale

The Loft, The Village Inn & The Nightingale Club will all be housed in a new purpose-built night-time entertainment space on Kent Street

Mar 51 min read

Photo of the outside of Eden slowly being done up, the front has been painted with the name and leafy decoration.

Eden Bar to re-open in March

On Saturday 1st March, the newly transformed Eden will celebrate their launch night at 138 Gooch Street, Birmingham with an evening of enter

Feb 242 min read

Cascada to headline Birmingham Pride

Birmingham Pride have announced the first act for 2025’s festival, with Cascada to headline the main stage on Saturday 24th May 2025.

Feb 191 min read