Friends of Alexandra Palace Theatre

What's new and coming? There's loads between now and (hush, don't say the word) Christmas!! Here's a list. Full details on https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/

AN INSPECTOR CALLS - until Septermber 21st.
BEST AVAILABILITY: MID-WEEK MATINEE & EVENING PERFORMANCES
Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller returns after a record-breaking, sell-out tour in 2022.

DARK STAR ORCHESTRA
Dark Star Orchestra is celebrating the music of the Grateful Dead in our Theatre for two nights in September 2024 - 26th/27th

THE FUTURE IS SOUND - October 11
An unforgettable show, unveiling its most captivating chapter yet. Experience the transformative power of music as phenomenal artists, speakers, and performers take you on a unique journey through sound. This extraordinary event will feature engaging TED talks, live performances, and exciting surprises.

MR JOE JACKSON PRESENTS: Two Rounds of Racket Tour October 17/18
Following his newly released album, Mr Joe Jackson presents Max Champion’s What A Racket! — reviving the songs of the enigmatic early 20th-century English Music Hall artist.

The show will be in two parts: a solo set by Joe Jackson featuring his original songs, and a set based on the album What A Racket! — the first performance in over 100 years of the songs by the forgotten Music Hall genius Max Champion, with Joe and a nine-piece band.

SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM - Oct 20/21
Sondheim on Sondheim, the musical r***e honoring the legendary composer.

The performance offers an intimate portrait of the famed songwriter in his own words and music. Through exclusive interview footage, audiences get an inside look at the personal life and artistic process of the great composer, Stephen Sondheim.

DARKSIDE - October 24/25
DARKSIDE, the three-piece band of guitarist Dave Harrington, electronic producer Nicolás Jaar, and now percussionist and longtime collaborator Tlacael Esparza, will perform in our stunning Victorian Theatre this October.

Emerging from time in the studio, DARKSIDE will introduce a new stage show and offer fans a glimpse of new music to mark their second tour in a decade.

CROUCH END FESTIVAL CHORUS - Oct 26
Crouch End Festival Chorus will perform Mendelssohn’s Elijah

WHITNEY - QUEEN OF THE NIGHT - Nov 9
Direct from the West End, The London Palladium, and the Royal Albert Hall, Whitney – Queen of the Night is a celebration of the music and life of one of the greatest singers of all time: Whitney Houston.

DONS OF COMEDY - Nov 10
Join us for an electrifying evening with the ‘Dons of Comedy’, showcasing the crème de la crème of the UK’s urban comedy scene. This star-studded lineup features comedy heavyweights Richard Blackwood, Slim, Junior Booker, Felicity Ethnic, Kane Brown, and Curtis Walker.

NISH KUMAR - Nov 15/16
Comedian Nish Kumar is bringing his show Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe to Alexandra Palace Theatre in November 2024.

In this election year – with the country in turmoil – there’s only one comedian who can kill the mood even further…

Nish Kumar is one of The Guardian and The Telegraph’s 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century.

HENRY ROWLEY - 17 Nov
Comedian Henry Rowley is bringing his show 'Just Literally' to Alexandra Palace Theatre in November 2024.

The online comedy sensation and rising star will be touring the UK and Ireland for the first time this Autumn. In recent years, he shot to viral fame for his observational comedy and self-aware skits, amassing over 1.3 million followers on TikTok and 400k on Instagram.

GARETH MALONE - SING-A-LONG-A-GARETH - 6 Dec
Following the resounding success of his previous tours, Gareth Malone is back and this time it’s personal AND seasonal!

Sing-Along-A-Gareth: My Life Through Song delves into the heart and soul of Gareth’s musical journey. Warm up your pipes and have your song sheets ready, as the time has come to lift our voices once again.

ADAM KAY - Twas The Nightshift Before Christmas - 7 Dec

The nation’s twelfth-favourite doctor shares entries from his festive diaries alongside brand-new stand-up and Christmas songs, fresh from a record-breaking run at the Edinburgh Fringe and a sell-out season in the West End.

BRASS AT CHRISTMAS - 16 Dec
Step inside into the warmth and join the Philharmonia Orchestra’s brass ensemble for an uplifting evening of seasonal music at Alexandra Palace Theatre.

ALSO (AND NOT THE THEATRE) Open House – BBC Studio Tours September 21

(The picture is of the courtyard outside the theatre foyer. The Friends have helped with the restoration of this area.)

The Palace is often worried that people think the theatre gathers dust when there's not a play, concert or comedy night advertised. Far from it. As you'll have seen on this page (or on your TVs), it's much used for filming by the BBC and other production companies. Plus there are all manner of events and corporate awards ceremonies keeping the auditorium filled for much of the time.

One recent and unusual event was the GillenMarkets London Squash Classic. And looks like it was a great event!

As always when we report on events like this, we wonder what Victorian Londoners would have made of it!!

GillenMarkets

There was a concert on the BBC last week (as well as Jools) so if you want to see and hear it, and appreciate the interior of the 'legendary' theatre (as Katie Derham describes it) click this link:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001zqv1/inside-classical-series-2-music-night-from-alexandra-palace

It's part of a series - as the opening outlines - and it all looks and sounds good. We wonder what the audiences in the late 1800s would have made of it!

BBC BBC Radio 3 BBC Concert Orchestra

Inside Classical - Series 2: Music Night from Alexandra Palace Friday Night Is Music Night with the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Saturday nights on BBC at the moment have Jools Holland's 'Later', filmed at the Palace theatre. And even though there's nothing for the public aside from Jimmy Carr's sold out date on June 13, the theatre is still busy in June - with a couple of corporate awards ceremonies and orchestral rehearsals. So 'dark' doesn't mean unused!!

Can you see your face?

Ages back we asked you to submit a photo of yourself to Ally Pally to be included in a mosaic/mural of the Palace. Well, here it is. Can you see yourself?

It's actually on display in the East Court, so go look this weekend!

Also in East Court is an exhibition celebrating AP’s 150th birthday, comprising many boards and, hold on to your hard hats, a picture of your Friends' committee!

For a closer look at the mosaic online, click here: https://thepeoplespicture.com/alexandra-palace-photo-mosaic/

The People's Picture Alexandra Palace

Last weekend, the theatre was used for a live podcast by a group of Arsenal supporters (Arseblog). Pictures below.

What's on and what's new? The Glass Menagerie is playing now. The Jimmy Carr show is sold out, and the next event is London Gay Men’s Chorus – Q***r Carnival in July. For full details of all at the Palace, check out https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/ (including a Bank Holiday set of events across the Palace).

If you're going to the theatre, take a moment to step into the courtyard, or enjoy a drink out there. The Friends helped make the area a bit more friendly. Check it out to see if we've been successful!

A lot of April events are sold out in the theatre, but still to come are: Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones performing two intimate performances in one night to celebrate the release of his new solo album - MAY 9
Comedian Ivo Graham is bringing his show Organised Fun on MAY 16
The Glass Menagerie: By Tennessee Williams MAY 22-JUNE 1
Check out details on

What's On at Alexandra Palace Discover the upcoming events at Ally Pally

SEND A SELFIE!
To celebrate 150 years of Alexandra Palace in 2023, British visual artist, Helen Marshall founder of the People’s Picture, will create a new permanent, artwork, featuring your pictures and memories of the Palace! 3000 are needed. The deadline is in January. So get posing and sending them in.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED: To feature in By the People: 150 Lifetimes, simply send a selfie, portrait picture of you, a friend or family member, or a favourite photo of the Park and Palace, via this page together with a short explanation of your Ally Pally story. The process takes less than three minutes and just a few clicks of your computer. Helen will then use your picture along with thousands of others, to construct her final work.

More details are here:
https://www.alexandrapalace.com/blog/150-lifetimes-your-pictures-so-far/
and submit using this link:
https://thepeoplespicture.com/alexandra-palace-150/

By the People 150 - The People's Picture Intro | Take Part | Gallery | Credits |By the People: 150 LifetimesAlexandra Park and Palace Charitable Trust | 2023A programme of community events and projects celebrating the 150th anniversary of London’s Alexandra Palace will culminate with the unveiling of a major new exhibition, By the People...

If you love the theatre, you probably also love the park. And you can keep reminding yourself of both through 2024 by buying the Friends of the Park's new calendar.

(For some reason, Facebook won't allow us to post the link for you to get more information, so Google Friends of Alexandra park - FoAP)

Ever wondered how Dickensian London really was, as opposed to the one we see in TV dramas? Ally Pally has an event that will navigate the curious history of an imaginary world, from vanishing coaching inns to submerged riverside stairs, hidden burial grounds to apocryphal shops. Early evening Friday December 15 (6pm-6.45pm)
Sounds fun! Want to know more? Buy tickets? Go to:
https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/in-conversation-dickensland/

In Conversation: Dickensland > Alexandra Palace To celebrate 150 years of Ally Pally, we are creating a giant mural at the Palace made entirely of your pictures and memories. SEND US YOUR SELFIES!

It's five years since the theatre re-opened, the landmark the Friends were set up to achieve. Ally Pally will be celebrating the anniversary across its social media, but here are a few random memories from across the Friends' years of campaigning! We'll upload some more . . . if we can find them!! So keep popping back!

Also, why not have a browse at the theatre's history on. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtz9dUIsfReQUNxmFDkchAcxuTclAhnjM

You go to the theatre and you watch a stunning performance. But how did it become stunning? Here's how - rehearsals in progress for the next show at Ally Pally theatre, a Christmas Carol. Opens November 24
https://www.alexandrapalace.com/whats-on/a-christmas-carol-2/

Currently on in the theatre - Treason - the musical.

Time Out says

First fully staged run for this musical about Guy Fawkes

Not a whimsical all-singing tribute to treason in all its forms, but rather a new musical about the Gunpowder Plot, which touches down at Ally Pally a shade after Bonfire Night as part of a UK tour. Created by Ricky Allen, ‘Treason’ began life as an EP of songs, then received concert stagings in 2021 and 2022. This tour, however, is its first full staging. In terms of the plot… well, you presumably already know: angry Catholics attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, fail spectacularly, sing about it.

Picture of rehearsals with cast by Danny Kaan

As you may have read, the Friends contributed towards the cost of plants to help spruce up the area outside the theatre. A recent blog on the Ally Pally website, by Ally Pally volunteer Jeanie Bushel, mentions it.

'We planted up the bespoke wooden raised planters in the Theatre Courtyard and I participated in selecting the plant choices. A range of shrubs and ornamental plants really improve the space and have made it into a welcoming place to sit, relax and chat or just to look out onto from the foyer. Next time you visit the Theatre, go and check it out!

Read the full blog

Park volunteers and award wins... > Alexandra Palace We are delighted that our amazing Park has picked up not one, but three Gold awards at the 2023 London in Bloom Awards. They came in the Large

At the other end of the Parkland Walk is Gillespie Park (between Arsenal tube and stadium). And this Sunday, there's a free event for all the family.

Who went to 'Graceland Reimagined'? What a show!! The London African Gospel Choir sound so good!

Come and meet the Friends' Nigel Willmott today (October 7) at the history fair, Bruce Castle.

www.brucecastle.org

Are you a selfie-taker? Want to be in a permanent display at Ally Pally? Check this out!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-66879258
Crouch End Festival Chorus Crouch End - Appreciation Society

Alexandra Palace: Selfies wanted for giant artwork A mosaic artist is to create a giant piece of work for the north London venue's 150th anniversary.

Remember the courtyard plants? It was always the Friends' concern that they would wilt for lack of water. Well, the evidence is here - an army of loyal volunteers, aided by the leaden skies for much of the summer, have worked wonders!

If you've been on a theatre tour this week, what did you think of it? And if you took any pictures, why not share them with us here?
Meantime, there are some great shows coming up in the theatre in September.
On the 7th, there's Sir Ranulph Fiennes: Mad, Bad and Dangerous.
On the 9th, Quatermass is back:
'70 years after it first wowed and terrified audiences, Nigel Kneale’s The Quatermass Experiment is back at its home, Alexandra Palace. Originally broadcast over six weeks in the summer of 1953, the seminal but largely missing serial is finally brought back to life for this one-off, live reading using the original scripts.'

Full details on https://www.alexandrapalace.com/theatre/whats-on/

And there's lots more going on inside the theatre that people don't know about. It's not just dark when there's not a public performance. On this site, we're going to be telling you about some of the other things that happen inside the theatre. So bookmark this page and come back to check! And tell your friends.

Whats On at Alexandra Palace Theatre Full Theatre Listings for Alexandra Palace

The theatre is not just used for the productions we are familiar with. In 2022, the Alexandra Palace Young Actors Company was set up. Designed for 18-24 year-olds, the project is part of the Palace’s Creative Learning programme and offers participants the chance to work closely with fellow actors, established professionals and get a close-up look at the productions in the theatre.

For a report on the fruits of their work this spring, go to

Ally Pally Young Actors Company: Spring Awakening > Alexandra Palace April saw the Alexandra Palace Young Actors Company present their second ever production, with three performances inspired by the classic play Spring

Thought the theatre looked great on the Jools Holand BBC2 programme last night.

And if you're thirsty for more Ally Pally info, then steer to this page https://www.alexandrapalace.com/about-us/blog/

The Friends made a donation towards the cost of the planting in the theatre courtyard. The trick now is to make sure they stay watered!

Just leaving the AGM and the wine! Fantastic presentations from Kirsten Forrest and Lou Glover