alexandra palace theatre tours

Theatre Tours

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. It then 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.

Now, 80 years after the doors to the Theatre were closed to the public, it is once again filled with the sound of music, laughter and applause. In December 2018 we reopened the Theatre following the completion of the East Wing Restoration project – ready to be discovered by a new generation.

Join us on a tour of our Theatre to explore the story and heritage of this beautiful space.

Tours will take place at 11:00 and 12:30, please book a ticket via the button above.

AN INSPECTOR CALLS ★★★★ UK Tour

An inspector calls at the alexandra palace theatre.

“a magnificent spectacle of a classic play that continues to engage”

J B Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ continues its over 30 year run on tour this year, and I was lucky enough to see it played at Alexandra Palace. Like most people, I first read (and adored) the play at 15 for my GCSEs, however, I never got a chance to see it until now. I’m glad to say my high expectations were not disappointed.

It’s 1912 and the upper class Birling family are celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft over dinner. Yet, their celebrations halt when Inspector Goole pays them a visit, and informs them of the death of a local lower class woman. Through his investigation of the family, they become shaken by their involvement in the woman’s life and their clear contributions to her death.

The play is none traditional in its portrayal of the text. The family’s introduction is framed from an outsider’s perspective – due to the fantastic design of Ian MacNeil. A house where the Birling’s is hoisted above the stage, which appears as a destroyed and blackened street. The opening scene is played within the house, while others watch them on the street. An interesting portrayal of the hierarchical society in which we live. I was a little apprehensive at this point, however, due to the overuse of haze on stage that practically blocked all sightlines, while it was also quite hard to hear the actors’ dialogue. Mics are used, but I fear they were too quiet against the echoey space. I think the opening scene is key in introducing the characters, setting up the context and foreshadowing the events of the play, so I would have liked the scene to be visible, rather than wholly playing inside the rather small house. Instead, the set opens up when the Inspector is introduced to the family and – to my relief – the majority of the action takes place downstage.

The cast, with polished direction from Stephen Daldry,  shine in their individual roles, with Tim Treloar portraying a highly energetic and unapologetic Inspector Goole. Jeffrey Harmer also stands out as Mr Birling, bringing a lovely sense of youth and charm to a role one would often only see as a boring and business focused villain. The stand out performance for me, however, was Leona Allen as Sheila – a strong portrayal of a woman who is still so childlike in her behaviour, desperately yearning to be heard.

The costumes are traditional to the era of the play – the men wear trim suits perfect for a dinner party. Sheila of course wears an all white gown, perhaps signifying her future marriage or perhaps her innocence. It gets dirtied in the rain, however, once she begins to discover the consequences of her past actions – so I would say the latter. Mrs Birling wears a very glamorous deep red and black gown and is well decorated in pearls and other accessories. Such vampish glamour would appear similar to the ‘evil queen’ characters of many fairytale depictions.

Overall, the show is a magnificent spectacle of a classic play that continues to engage audiences. It’s important to note, that every other review I’ve seen – which date back many years – all state the play is ‘more relevant now than ever’. With the gap between the rich and poor arguably being the same now as it was in the time the play is set, that is especially true in this revival. In the 30+ years this iteration of the show has been performed, it appears the class divide has only gotten worse. One hopes a day will come when the play is not as pertinent as it is today.

AN INSPECTOR CALLS at the Alexandra Palace Theatre then UK tour continues

Reviewed on 4th september 2024, by david robinson, photography by mark douet.

Previously reviewed at this venue:

The glass menagerie | ★★★★ | may 2024, a christmas carol: a ghost story | ★★★★ | november 2023, treason the musical | ★★★ | november 2023, bugsy malone | ★★★★★ | december 2022, an inspector calls.

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

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Tickets Alert: Tours of the Ally Pally’s theatre

Restored in 2018 after being closed for eight decades, there will be a couple of weeks worth of tours of the Alexandra Palace theatre.

(c) Alexandra Palace

Initially opened in 1875, this historical venue witnessed a myriad of performances, from grand operas to riveting plays and musical spectacles, but closed in 1935. Following a five-year multi-million-pound restoration project, the theatre emerged from its decades-long slumber, reopening its doors to audiences in 2018.

Preserved in a beautiful state of arrested decay and frozen in time, the restoration created a space with the charm and character of the Victorian theatre while being fit to host cutting-edge contemporary productions.

The Ally Pally will run a series of one-hour tours of the preserved theatre next month, from 20th to 31st January, and tickets are on sale from here .

Tickets cost £15 per person for the standard tour, or you can add afternoon tea as well, and tickets for tea and tour are £35.50 from here .

The venue is a short walk from Alexandra Palace rail station – trains from Moorgate and King’s Cross, or a short bus ride from Wood Green tube station on the Piccadilly line.

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• Festivals 2024

Alexandra Palace Theatre

What's on at alexandra palace theatre.

Alexandra Palace Theatre Barnet was built by the Victorians and opened inn 1875.  It now hosts a wide programme of shows from theatre, opera and dance to comedy, concerts and cinema.

Find shows and book tickets for the Alexander Palace Theatre here!

The Knitting & Stitching Show Alexandra Palace

Joe Jackson

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Joe Jackson's concert at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London on 17 Oct 2024.

Wallows - Model Tour

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Darkside's concert at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London on 24 Oct 2024.

Black Coffee

Buy and sell Brunch Electronik 2024 - Sunday tickets for August 11 or festival passes at Jardins de Joan Brossa in Barcelona at StubHub.

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Beartooth's concert at O2 Academy Birmingham in Birmingham on 21 Oct 2024.

Interpol: Antics 20th Anniversary Tour

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Interpol's concert at O2 Apollo Manchester in Manchester on 2 Nov 2024.

Whitney Queen of the Night

Called “a powerhouse performance that delivers on every level”, Whitney – Queen Of The Night typically plays over 100 concerts every year. In March 2020, producers announced dates for the show’s new UK tour, running from spring 2021 to 3 November 2022.

Jimmy Eat World

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Jimmy Eat World's concert at O2 Academy Glasgow in Glasgow on 13 Nov 2024.

Nish Kumar: Nish, Don't Kill My Vibe

Buy and sell tickets for Nish Kumar's live show at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London on 15 Nov with just a few clicks at StubHub.

Henry Rowley: Just Literally

Online comedy sensation & rising star Henry Rowley (1.3M TikTok and 450 k Instagram followers) will be touring the UK & Ireland for the very first time Autumn 2024.

Fontaines D.C.

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Fontaines DC's concert at Plymouth Pavilions in Plymouth on 26 Nov 2024.

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Idles's concert at Rock City in Nottingham on 25 Nov 2024.

IDLES - LOVE IS THE FING

Gareth Malone - Sing-Along-a-Gareth: My Life Through Song

Masters Snooker 2025 - Holds

Buy and sell Masters Snooker - Evening tickets at StubHub as the action continues at Alexandra Palace on 13 Jan.

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats

David O'Doherty: Tiny Piano Man

Dropkick Murphys

Buy and sell tickets at StubHub for Dropkick Murphys's concert at O2 Academy Birmingham in Birmingham on 4 Feb 2025.

Frank Turner

Alan Walker

Things to do around Barnet

Where to stay, where to eat.

Alexandra Palace Theatre Seating plan

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Alexandra Palace Theatre Seating Plan

Seating plan & seat view photos.

Select seats to view real seat view photos from SeatPlan members, with ratings for comfort, legroom and view to help you book the best Horrible Christmas tickets .

Alexandra Palace Theatre Capacity

The Alexandra Palace Theatre London has a capacity of 904 seats.Use our interactive seating plan to view 172 seat reviews and 160 photos of views from seat.

Alexandra Palace Theatre is a venue with seating on two levels, the Stalls and Circle, with side-on Slips at either end. Wherever you sit in this lovingly restored venue, you will be able to take in the splendour of the 19th-century architecture and feel as if you’ve been transported back to the heyday of Victorian entertainment. The Circle can feel distant as it sits above the back half of the Stalls, but the view from seats is good from all areas.

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Dark Star Orchestra

• September 26, 2024 Setlist

Dark Star Orchestra Setlist at Alexandra Palace Theatre, London, England

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Tour: Europe 2024 Tour statistics Add setlist

• Around and Around ( Chuck Berry  cover) Play Video
• Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Beat It on Down the Line ( Jesse Fuller  cover) Play Video
• Peggy-O ( [traditional]  cover) Play Video
• Black-Throated Wind ( Bob Weir  cover) Play Video
• China Cat Sunflower ( Grateful Dead  cover) ( > Mind Left Body jam > ) Play Video
• I Know You Rider ( [traditional]  cover) Play Video
• Loser ( Jerry Garcia  cover) Play Video
• Weather Report Suite ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Stella Blue ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Me and My Uncle ( John Phillips  cover) Play Video
• Dire Wolf ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Not Fade Away ( The Crickets  cover) Play Video
• Ramble On Rose ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Big River ( Johnny Cash  cover) Play Video
• Dark Star ( Grateful Dead  cover) ( > ) Play Video
• Morning Dew ( Bonnie Dobson  cover) ( > ) Play Video
• Sugar Magnolia ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• U.S. Blues ( Grateful Dead  cover) Play Video
• Piece of My Heart ( Erma Franklin  cover) ( Extra song ) Play Video

Note: Recreating Grateful Dead's set from Alexandra Palace, 10th September 1974.

Edits and Comments

7 activities (last edit by Herlon , 27 Sep 2024, 00:14 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Around and Around by Chuck Berry
• Beat It on Down the Line by Jesse Fuller
• Big River by Johnny Cash
• Black-Throated Wind by Bob Weir
• China Cat Sunflower by Grateful Dead
• Dark Star by Grateful Dead
• Dire Wolf by Grateful Dead
• I Know You Rider by [traditional]
• Loser by Jerry Garcia
• Me and My Uncle by John Phillips
• Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo by Grateful Dead
• Morning Dew by Bonnie Dobson
• Not Fade Away by The Crickets
• Peggy-O by [traditional]
• Piece of My Heart by Erma Franklin
• Ramble On Rose by Grateful Dead
• Stella Blue by Grateful Dead
• Sugar Magnolia by Grateful Dead
• U.S. Blues by Grateful Dead
• Weather Report Suite by Grateful Dead

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Dark Star Orchestra Gig Timeline

• Sep 22 2024 La Cigale Paris, France Add time Add time
• Sep 23 2024 La Cigale Paris, France Add time Add time
• Sep 26 2024 Alexandra Palace Theatre This Setlist London, England Add time Add time
• Sep 27 2024 Alexandra Palace Theatre London, England Add time Add time
• Nov 22 2024 Citizens House of Blues Boston Boston, MA, USA  –  Find tickets Scheduled: 7:30 PM Tickets 7:30 PM

4 people were there

• hardrockguy

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<div style="text-align: center;" class="setlistImage"><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dark-star-orchestra/2024/alexandra-palace-theatre-london-england-35309b3.html" title="Dark Star Orchestra Setlist Alexandra Palace Theatre, London, England, Europe 2024" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=35309b3" alt="Dark Star Orchestra Setlist Alexandra Palace Theatre, London, England, Europe 2024" style="border: 0;" /></a> <div><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=35309b3&amp;step=song">Edit this setlist</a> | <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/dark-star-orchestra-6bd7e646.html">More Dark Star Orchestra setlists</a></div></div>

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[url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/dark-star-orchestra/2024/alexandra-palace-theatre-london-england-35309b3.html][img]https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=35309b3[/img][/url] [url=https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=35309b3&amp;step=song]Edit this setlist[/url] | [url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/dark-star-orchestra-6bd7e646.html]More Dark Star Orchestra setlists[/url]

Tour Update

Marquee memories: kimbra.

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Theatre Tour with Afternoon Tea

9 - 24 Aug 2023

Come hear about the history of London’s oldest new theatre that was hidden from the world for 80 years! This tour will lead you around the main theatre and foyer areas, and it will give an overview of the past, present and future of Alexandra Palace Theatre.

PLUS make your day extra special by enjoying afternoon tea on the theatre stage! Package includes:

• Assortment of finger sandwiches
• Scone with jam, cream & butter
• Selection of cakes / pastries
• Selection of teas / or coffee

Please note:

• Tours last 45 minutes followed by a 90 minute afternoon tea on the theatre stage
• Please arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time to sign in at the East Court Visitor Services desk
• Age restriction: 14+ only (under 16s to be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21)

This event has a recommendation 14 years+. All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult (over the age of 21) at all times.

• There is an option of adding a glass of bubbles to your booking. An additional selection of soft and alcoholic drinks will be available to purchase on the day.

Vegan, gluten free and nut allergies can all be catered for if mentioned at the time of booking.

Our Theatre Tours with Afternoon Tea are wheelchair accessible. Please inform us in advance of any special requirements at the time of booking so we can best accomodate your needs.

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FESTIVAL VILLAGE & PHOENIX BAR & PIZZERIA

You can’t have an incredible night out on an empty stomach.

Get here early and head to our all-day Neighbourhood pizza pub the Phoenix Bar & Pizzeria for delicious Italian stone-fired pizzas or soak up the atmosphere of our legendary Festival Village, featuring a line-up of the finest names in London street food and an eclectic bill of bands and DJs. Whatever your tipple, start your gig the right way!

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We need your help.

Alexandra Palace is run by a charity for the benefit of everyone. We’re working harder than ever to keep you entertained, care for the award-winning park and run our creative learning programmes. But to ensure we’re here to do this now and long into the future, we need your help. Click below to find out how you can support us.

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Joe Stilgoe & Friends

13 Mar 2025

Doors open 18:30

Alexandra Palace Theatre

Internationally acclaimed singer-pianist Joe Stilgoe is coming to Alexandra Palace Theatre for one glorious night in support of the Orpheus Centre.

Joe Stilgoe is the ultimate modern-day entertainer, known globally as a performer of wit and style and with a level of musicianship which has seen him recognised as one of the best singer-pianists in the world.  He has released nine albums, five of which have topped the UK Jazz chart. The latest, THEATRE , features the Metropole Orkest and was met with huge acclaim. It was launched at The Barbican alongside the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Joe will be joined on stage by his band, and stellar guests from the world of theatre, comedy, music and film (soon to be announced), plus an unforgettable performance by the young students from the Orpheus Centre , a unique charity that transforms the lives of young disabled people through the arts.

Do not miss this memorable and uplifting evening of entertainment.

The money raised from each ticket you purchase will enable the Orpheus Centre to continue to inspire and empower young disabled adults to live fulfilling, independent lives.

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BASKET SUMMARY

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Gareth Malone – Sing A Long A Gareth: My Life in Music

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We need your help.

Alexandra Palace is run by a charity for the benefit of everyone. We’re working harder than ever to keep you entertained, care for the award-winning park and run our creative learning programmes. But to ensure we’re here to do this now and long into the future, we need your help. Click below to find out how you can support us.