Sitting on a sloping site in central Bradford, the Alhambra Theatre is one of West Yorkshire’s most recognisable buildings. Its large domed turret, flanked by giant paired Corinthian columns, is a well-known feature of the Bradford skyline, sitting alongside the complementary domes of the adjacent, disused Bradford Odeon. Behind the dome, the building steps upward to tall square towers capped with smaller domes. The entrance sits on the opposite corner to the dome and has a distinctive iron and glass canopy. The exterior is faced in white faience, now painted white and grey, produced by Gibbs and Canning of Tamworth. Nearby landmarks include the National Media Museum, the former Windsor Baths building, and Bradford City Park.
History and Architecture
The Alhambra was built in 1913 at a cost of £20,000 for theatre impresario Francis Laidler, who already owned two music halls in Bradford. It opened on Wednesday 18 March 1914. The architects, Chadwick and Watson, described the style as “English renaissance of the Georgian period”. The theatre takes its name from the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain, the historic residence of the Emir of the Emirate of Granada. In 1964, Bradford City Council purchased the building for £78,900, and in 1974 it was designated a Grade II listed building. A major refurbishment was completed in 1986. Inside, the auditorium has two tiers, a balcony, and an aisle, with elaborate plasterwork throughout – moulded balcony fronts, elliptically bowed boxes set within round arched openings, giant fluted Corinthian columns, and a decorated circular ceiling with a small rectangular dome at its centre. A rectangular proscenium arch frames the stage.
Performances and Organisation
The main house seats 1,456 and operates as a receiving house for large-scale touring productions, covering ballet, opera, musicals, drama, comedy, variety, and an annual pantomime. Companies including Opera North, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Royal Ballet, Northern Ballet Theatre, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, and the Royal National Theatre all make regular visits. West End productions such as Grease, Miss Saigon, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Phantom of the Opera have all played here. In 2016, Wicked began its world tour at the Alhambra. The theatre is part of the Bradford Theatres group, which also includes St. George’s Hall and King’s Hall, Ilkley, and it belongs to the Dance Consortium, a network of theatres that collaborate to bring international dance theatre to the UK.