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____________________________________________________________________________________________ Royal Panopticon of Science and Art / Alhambra Theatre / Odeon Leicester Square, Leicester Square and 23 Charing Cross Road
Above - The Odeon Leicester Square on the site of the former Alhambra Theatre and Royal Panopticon of Science and Art - Photo M.L. 2005
The first building of entertainment on the site of the present Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square was the Royal Panopticon of Science and Art which opened on the 18th of March 1854 and closed just two years later in 1856. The building was then converted into the Alhambra Palace and a Circus Ring was installed, opening on the 3rd of April 1858. In 1860 this building was again converted, this time into a Music Hall, by adding a proscenium arch and a stage, and opened as the Alhambra Palace Music Hall on the 10th of December 1860. With a new license in 1871 the Theatre was able to produce Drama and reopened on the 24th of April that year as the Royal Alhambra Palace of Varieties. Many changes of name followed, the first being the Royal Alhambra Theatre on the 20th of May 1872. Other names were the Royal Alhambra Palace, the Alhambra Theatre, the Alhambra Theatre Royal, and the Theatre Royal Alhambra. The Theatre was furthur altered in 1881 and reopened on the 3rd of December that year as the Alhambra Theatre. This Theatre was destroyed by fire on the 7th of December 1882. After a complete rebuild a new Theatre opened in its place on the 3rd of December 1883 as the Alhambra Theatre Royal with a production of 'The Golden Ring.' The following year the building was renamed the Alhambra Theatre of Varieties and reopened as a Music Hall on the 18th of October 1884. A second entrance was built for the Theatre in Charring Cross Road in 1897. The Alhambra Theatre finally closed its doors for the last time on the 1st of September 1936 and was subsequently demolished. A new Cinema with stage facilities, the Odeon, Leicester Square, arose in its place and opened on the 2nd of November 1937 with the film 'The Prisoner of Zenda.' Arthur Lloyd is known to have performed at the Alhambra Theatre in 1886 and 1892 See also this Programme for Arthur Lloyd at The Alhambra in 1886 Also see this page about the Alhambra Theatre in the June 2002 Special feature...
More detailed information on all the various buildings on the site of the present Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square follow... |
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ROYAL PANOPTICON OF SCIENCE AND ART From 'The Builder' Volume 9, December 1851, page 802 The space on the east side of Leicester Square, long vacant, is now being covered with a building, as our readers have already heard, for the Panopticon of Science and Art, and in our present number we give a view and plan of the intended structure.
Above - Plan of the Panopticon - From 'The Builder' Vol 9, December 1851
Right - Another article on the proposed Panopticon - From 'The Builder' Vol 8, 1850 An important feature in the intended arrangements of the Institution is a plan whereby a great impediment to the success of Mechanics' Institutes, particularly in the country, may be removed: it has been found that the funds of such societies are seldom sufficient to procure the requisite apparatus for the illustration of their lectures, which are consequently divested of much of their interest, and in order to obviate this difficulty the council of the Panopticon propose to form a large collection of apparatus, suitable for lectures in every branch of natural and experimental science, which will be lent out on hire upon moderate terms. It is proposed to have two daily exhibitions, one in the morning devoted more especially to scientific information and research, while the evening entertainments will partake of a lighter and more amusing character. The plan of the building, which was designed and is being carried out by Messrs. Finden and Lewis, comprehends a grand central hall, 97 feet diameter, domed over for the exhibitions of machinery, manufactures, works of art &c., and for exhibitions of various descriptions. There will be a lecture room, laboratory, &c. All the buildings are designed in the Saracenic style, after models and details, chiefly from the existing remains at Cairo. The contour of the dome is taken from a daguerreotype of a dome at Cairo. It will he formed of glue and iron on the ridge and furrow principle. The facade will he formed in cement. Te Builder - Volume 9 - December 1851.
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The Alhambra Theatre
Above - Postcard showing the Alhambra Theatre, Leicester Square and also to the left the Empire Theatre.
Above - Alhambra Theatre seating plan - Click to enlarge.
The above text is reproduced with kind permission of The Theatres Trust from their indispensable book - 'The Theatres Trust Guide to British Theatres 1750-1950' John Earl & Michael Sell. Available from the publishers, A&C Black (tel 01480 212666). |
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Above - Early 20th century postcard of Leicester Square showing the Empire Theatre (top left) and the Alhambra Theatre (far right).
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Right - Click for a review from Punch for the Alhambra Theatre in Jan 1873
Left - Alhambra Programme for 1873. The cast includes Kate Santley and Rose Bell who were to have an extraordinary falling out in 1874 while appearing at the Alhambra - Courtesy Leon A. Perdoni. - Click to see entire programme.
All the best portion of the floor is allotted to stalls, which occupy a square space from the orchestra very nearly to the line of the boxes; the pit, which is not much more than a promenade, skirting it-on the three sides; an entrance being obtained through a recently constructed passage which passes along the right hand side of the promenade from the private box entrance.
Right - An original fan from the Alhambra Theatre given away free to members of the audience. Click to enlarge. Above text from Charles Dickens's (Jr.), Dickens' Dictionary of London, 1879
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Above - Postcard showing the Alhambra Theatre Leicester
Square,
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Above - The Alhambra Theatre Auditorium from the Illustrated London News April 24th 1858
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Above - Front cover and first page from a Programme
for 'Paquita' at the Alhambra Theatre October 12th 1908
showing both the Leicester Square and Charing Cross Road frontages of
the Alhambra Theatre |
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Right - The charing Cross Road entrance to the Alhambra Theatre. But
there is no calling more thoroughly and spontaneously charitable than
the theatrical one; and if there are any victims in purse through the
burning of the Alhambra, they will be helped at once, I hope and believe. Right - A 1960s Office Building, Alhambra House, stands where the Alhambra Theatre's charing Cross road entrance once stood. Photo M.L. Above text - George Augustus Sala 'Living London 1882' Note: The Alhambra was re-built and re-opened by Charles Morton again in 1884
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Above - Programme for 'Ballets De Monte-Carlo' including 'Le Lac des Cynges', 'Carnaval', 'Aubade' and 'Prince Igor"' at the Alhambra Theatre for the week of June the 8th to the 13th, 1936. - Courtesy Dominic Holzapfel.
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Left - Variety Programme for the Alhambra Theatre December 26th 1911 - Courtesy John Moffatt.
Here "patriotic songs" were the piece de resistance, and towards
11 o'clock a dense throng waved flags and cheered and hooted indiscriminately
the "Marseillaise," the "Wacht am Rhein" and everything
and everybody. Jones, calmly smoking, would, without the slightest provocation,
assault Brown, who was similarly innocently occupied, and who in turn
resented the polite distinction. Stand-up fights took place nightly,
and as was anticipated, drew all London to the Alhambra towards 11 o'clock. Above text from - 'One of the Old Brigade' (Donald Shaw), London in the Sixties, 1908 Above Right - Alhambra Theatre Demolition 1936 and Odeon construction 1937 - From the Website of the Cinema Theatre Association.
Above - The Odeon Leicester Square on the site of the former Alhambra Theatre and Royal Panopticon of Science and Art - Photo M.L. 2005 Index to other Theatres and Cinemas in London's Leicester Square
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