Alhambra Theatre
Riebeeck Street,
Cape Town
8000
Riebeeck Street,
Cape Town
8000
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South Africa’s finest Atmospheric style theatre was designed in 1928 by architect P. Rogers Cooke. It opened in 1929 and had a Wurlitzer 2Manual/8Ranks theatre pipe organ installed which was opened by Max Bruce. The organ was moved to the Bijou Theatre, Cape Town in 1931.
The Alhambra Theatre operated as one of Cape Town’s major cinemas for many years and also presented numerous stage shows well into the 1960’s. The Alhambra Theatre was closed in January 1972 and demolished in 1974.
The organ that was originally in the Alhambra Theatre was installed in the Nico Milan/Artscape Theatre, Cape Town in 1998.
Contributed by
KenRoe
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
Theatre opened on 2 December 1929.Marlene Dietrich appeared on stage her in April 1966.
i remember the very distinct twinkling starry ceiling!!!
Yes i recall the lovely Alhambra Theatre very well too,with its lovely Twinkling Ceiling as was said by (yuri) also the very plush Curtaining and the lovely works on the walls.
The seating was superb,with the Royal Balcony being the best seats in the House,i always tried to get seats in the Upper Circle which were very good too.
Then thre was the period that they used to have Midnight Shows there as well,and you had to go early to get a seat as the Midnight Shows proved to be so ver popular.
there was also one show i will never forget and that was when Jonny (Cryboy) Ray came there and i was not fortunate to get an inside Ticket,but thankfully they had Speakers on the outsides (the Streets were packed) and eventually Johnny Ray came out on the top Balcony and sang to us in the Street,anyone remember that night?? It was GREAT!!!
I was too young to be let out after sunset…I only remember the King and I.
Theatre was demolished in 1974.
In 1929, the Alhambra Theatre acquired its name from an earlier cinema across the street situated at 4 Riebeek Street, to suit it’s Moorish architectural theme. The original “Alhambra” in turn acquired the new name “Royal Theatre”.
A vintage photograph of the Alhambra Theatre in the 1960’s during its stage show presentations period:
http://flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/2058898819/
Michael vd Leer mentions the original Alhambra in Riebeeck Street. It was designed in 1911 by the architects MacGillivray & Grant for Wiener & Co. The projected cost was 7,000 pounds but it cost more than that because a sliding roof was added.
WH Grant was to go on to design the chain of cinemas down the Cape Peninsula in the late ‘30s and early '40s including the Scala, Savoy, Bijou, Empire, etc. Also the Protea in Paarl, the Colosseum in Cape Town and the Del Monico Palais de Danse.
There is a picture of the Alhambra Picture Palace design drawing here View link
As this is also about the Theatre and Del Monico,i wonder if there is anyone who may have a Pic of the Del Monico and was it in Longmarket Street ??
Thanks you in advance
Macca, Photo here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/2162287699/