Alexandra Palace Theatre first opened in 1875 and entertained audiences of up to 3,000 with 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. 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 was closed to the public, a hidden gem perched high above the city, until it was lovingly restored and reopened in 2018. The award-winning Theatre, dubbed ‘London’s oldest new theatre’ and complete with its unique ‘arrested decay’ decor now hosts a range of theatre, comedy and live music, staying true to the eclectic spirit of the Victorians who built it.