The story of Alexandra Palace Theatre

The story of Alexandra Palace Theatre is truly unique. Opened in 1875, the Theatre was a place of spectacle and delight where audiences of up to 3,000 people were entertained by pantomime, opera, drama and ballet. A feat of Victorian engineering, the impressive stage machinery was designed so that performers could appear, fly into the air and disappear through the stage.

However, it struggled to compete with the might of the West End and the theatre went on to be used as a cinema, a chapel and the home of music hall stars before a spell as a BBC prop store and workshop. For 80 years it has been closed to the public, a hidden gem perched high above the city.

The Restoration

The restoration process has breathed new life into a space that has been hidden for over 80 years. Preserved in a beautiful state of arrested decay and frozen in time, the complex work has created a space that retains the charm and character of the theatre while being fit to host contemporary productions.

Construction work began in 2016 following years of research and design. Find out more about the journey of the Theatre – from conception to completion.