Plymouth, Theatres | Alhambra Theatre, Devonport

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ALHAMBRA THEATRE, DEVONPORT

The Alhambra Theatre was located at 12/13 Tavistock Street, Devonport.

Built as the Empire Theatre in 1894, it had already been named the Metropole Theatre (1896), the Palladium (1912), and the Picturedrome (January 1914) before becoming the Theatre Metropole (Picturedrome) in February 1914.

On September 27th 1923 the Theatre was auctioned at the Royal Hotel, Plymouth, by Messrs Woolland, Son & Manico, but there were no bids.

However, the Metropole was purchased and then completely rebuilt. Read more .....

Described in its advertising as 'The People's Theatre', the theatre was now called the New Alhambra. The Grand Opening was performed by Sir Gerald Fowler Burton on Easter Saturday April 19th 1924. Mr G E Prance, the director, announced that there would be reviews at first but it was intended to show the Charlie Chaplin film "A Woman of Paris" very soon. Read more .....

It was not long before Mr Prance kept his promise: "A Woman of Paris", with Edna Purviance, was shown during the week of May 12th 1924. The talking picture arrived on August 4th 1930, although it got off to a bad start. Read more .....

Films continued to be shown until February 1932, the last advert being for "Third Time Lucky", with Bobby Howe. The Theatre was then closed until start of 1934, when a pantomime staged. This was followed on February 5th 1934, by the "Gigantic Circus 1934", for which the stage had to be strengthened.

Like all places of public assembly, the Theatre was closed upon the declaration of War in September 1939 but it was quickly re-opened, on Saturday September 9th, because the Company that were to stage the next production had remained at Devonport in the hope that it would be able to perform.

The Alhambra Theatre was destroyed around 6pm on the evening of Tuesday April 22nd 1941. Read more .....