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Theatre Royal, Manningham Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire

Formerly - The Royal Alexandra Theatre - Later - The Theatre Royal Picture House

Bradford Index

Above - A postcard of the Theatre Royal, Bradford

The Theatre Royal, in Manningham Lane, Bradford originally opened as the Alexandra Theatre on Monday the 26th of December 1864 with the pantomime 'All That Glitters is not Gold'.

The Theatre was built for J. B. Buckstone and Wilde and was designed by the local architects, Andrews & Son and Pepper and constructed by W. Morgan at a cost of some £6,000, and could accommodate around 1,800 people, 200 in the Dress Boxes, 250 in the Upper Boxes, 600 in the Pit, and 750 in the Gallery. There were three entrances and five exit doors to the Theatre, with the gallery, dress boxes, and pit having separate entrances.

Right - A programme for 'Robinson Crusoe' at the Theatre Royal, Bradford at Christmas 1890 - 1891 - Courtesy Graham Brogden. Details for this production can be seen below.

The roof of the Theatre was completed in September 1864 and a meeting was held in the Talbot Hotel to celebrate it. Some one hundred men who had been involved with the construction of the Theatre were entertained and fed with roast beef, mutton, geese, plum pudding, fruit, pies, and an abundance of beer, spirits and tobacco.

Left - A programme for 'Red Riding Hood' at the Theatre Royal, Bradford at Christmas 1891 1892 - Courtesy Graham Brogden.

In another room of the Hotel John Baldwin Buxton, the Director of the Theatre and manager of London's Haymarket Company, and other Directors including G. Lewis and W. H. France, entertained the ladies of the Haymarket Company, the architects, Andrews & Son and Pepper, the Construction Company W. Morgan, and 30 other gentlemen involved with the Theatre's construction with a grand supper. After the meal the Directors and Company joined the workmen for a toast to the new Theatre.

Right - A programme for 'Aladdin' at the Theatre Royal, Bradford at Christmas 1892 1893 - Courtesy Graham Brogden.

The License for the Theatre was granted a few months later in December 1864 and the Theatre opened shortly afterwards on Monday the 26th of December 1864 with the pantomime 'All That Glitters is not Gold'.

Left - A programme for Henry Irving and Ellen Terry and the Lyceum Theatre, London, Company in 'The Merchant of Venice' at the Theatre Royal, Bradford for the week beginning March the 11th 1901 for six nights and one Matinee - Click to see the entire Programme.

The Theatre Royal, Bradford was later converted for Cinema use and renamed the Theatre Royal Picture House, but the building was eventually demolished in 1989.

Right - A postcard depicting the Theatre Royal, Bradford.

If you have any more information or images of this Theatre you are willing to share please Contact Me.