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Discover the Alexandra Palace Theatre and become a Friend

Inside Alexandra Palace lies a Victorian theatre with a chequered past, whose doors have been closed to the public for more that sixty-five years. Now, the theatre’s fortunes are beginning to turn. Alexandra Palace Charitable Trust, with the support of English Heritage, has started to restore the building and the Alexandra Palace Theatre Friends Group is going from strength to strength since its foundation in 2002.

The theatre was opened in 1875. It rivals in size the Drury Lane Theatre, with a capacity of around 2,000. Many leading actors, including Beerbohm Tree and Ellen Terry, appeared on the stage.

The theatre was most successful with grand Victorian pantomimes and spectacles, using its extraordinary stage machinery to create dramatic visual effects. The survival of this system of trapdoors and flys, operated by wheels and counterweights, is now almost certainly unique in a public theatre in Europe. One of the main aims is to restore the stage to working order, for heritage and educational purposes – but with the prospect that some of the spectacular Victorian productions can be reproduced.

Local celebrities, actors Juliet Stevenson, Bill Paterson, Lynda Bellingham and Maureen Lipman, among others are the Friends Group patrons. “I was amazed to discover that such a beautiful theatre existed inside Alexandra Palace. It is a fascinating site with an intriguing history. Given a big injection of creative energy, something extraordinary could be made of it. It would be great to see it brought back to life,” says Juliet Stevenson.

The aim of the Friends Group is to raise the theatre’s profile within the local and theatre community, and to raise funds to help with the restoration work.

Are you passionate about bringing forgotten treasures into the 21st Century and would you like to become part of restoring history? If so, please become a Friend of Alexandra Palace Theatre. For further information about becoming a friend please contact:

Naomi Selwyn
Joule
1 Green Bank
Wapping
London
E1W 2PA
Tel: 020 7488 0022
Email: communityevents@alexandrapalace.com