Welcome! ... to the Friends website - our resource of news and information about the 'almost lost' theatre at Alexandra Palace. and about its Friends. Please look back from time to time to keep up with news. Even better, and simpler, sign up for our newsletter, and we'll keep you updated on the current state of the theatre, what's happening now, the place of the theatre in the wider plans for the regeneration of Alexandra Palace, and especially, what the Friends are doing. If you have any questions, or think we're missing something you'd like to see here or that you think we should consider doing, don't hesitate to get in touch, or even better, help us to add or do it!

Membership of the Friends is currently a nominal £2, and will mean you're kept more closely 'in the loop' than the general public. We'd love you to join us!

You can also keep up with 'APTheatre' on...

Newsletter

Our February 2015 newsletter is available for download at: FAPT News Feb 2015.

New book on AP Theatre

Just published, the new book about the Alexandra Palace Theatre - Drama at the Palace - is available via the Friends' website. Written by Nigel Willmott and Pat Brearey, it contains a wealth of new information based on research. Full details are at: http://fapt.org.uk/w/shop

SPECIAL OFFER: The cost of Drama at the Palace to members is a bargain £7.00 plus £2 post and packing, saving £2.30 over the Amazon price! Membership of the Friends still costs just £2.

Planning for AP restoration works

On Monday 16 February, the application for planning and listed building permissions for the Heritage Lottery Fund works to restore the Theatre, rejuvenate the East Court, and open up the Television Studios goes before the Haringey Planning Committee (7pm at the Civic Centre in Wood Green). The meeting is open to the public and represents a crucial step in the overall process towards achieving the HLF grant. If you haven't previously seen the proposals, they will be presented as part of the meeting.

Theatre Regeneration Plans

Friends & Supporters Event

WEDNESDAY 23 JULY 2014

AT 6.30PM IN THE TRANSMITTER HALL *
 

The design team for the regeneration of the theatre and east end of Alexandra Palace is working hard, and has drawn up an outline plan of its proposals.

This is your chance, as a Friend or supporter of the Alexandra Palace Theatre, to hear about and have your say on what is being proposed, before more detailed plans are drawn up.

What do you think of flattening the theatre floor? The proposed bar facilities? The quality of the backstage facilities? The location of the toilets? The configuration of the auditorium? The proposed uses? The handling of the historic elements of the theatre? How it will all integrate into the plans for the whole east end of the Palace?

The shape of the plans so far will be outlined by Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Alexandra Palace.

A strong voice now from the Friends will assist the Palace in achieving the support of the Heritage Lottery for this, the last - and by far the biggest - stage of the project. If successful, work will begin to bring the theatre back into use as one of London's most characterful and historic performance and events spaces.

We apologise for the relatively short notice, which reflects a combination of a full chief executive's diary, and the wish to avoid August, while hearing your views in good time.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 23 July.

* The Transmitter Hall entrance is on the South Terrace, a few metres to the left of the BBC tower (the tower with the mast).

News update from the Friends

See our July 2014 newsletter.

Friends' Event and AGM

WEDNESDAY 23 APRIL 2014
AT 7.30PM IN THE THEATRE FOYER
(main ice-rink entrance, east end of Palace)

The theatre restoration expert, David Wilmore, will be giving a talk in the theatre.

David Wilmore has been involved with the restoration of the Globe Theatre in Stockton-on-Tees, the Theatre Royal in Newcastle upon Tyne, the City Varieties Music Hall in Leeds and the Georgian Theatre Royal in Richmond.

We will also be electing our committee for the next year. This is a very positive time for the Ally Pally theatre, and we are very keen to bring in new members to help us and to support the Palace team.

If you would be interested in joining the committee, please introduce yourself either by email before the meeting to our chair, Nigel Willmott, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or speak to a committee member before the meeting.

Join us for coffee or tea before the meeting starts, and stay for a glass of wine afterwards.

At least part of the evening will be held in the theatre itself, so bring a warm layer!

You can renew your subscription or join at the meeting, or online at http://fapt.org.uk/w/index.php/membership

Our new booklet on the history of the theatre and our postcards will be available to purchase (also online at http://fapt.org.uk/w/index.php/shop).

We look forward to seeing you there.

The FAPT committee

News update 8 December 2013

Latest Newsletter

Just sent to all our Friends, our latest newsletter for December 2013 is available to view or download here. If you're not already on our mailing list, why not sign up? Mailings are free, and you will receive future copies of newsletters and other news effortlessly!

Christmas shopping

FAPT's online shop has just opened, selling a distinctive card featuring the sinister, magical, pantomime character 'Yellow Dwarf', and a newly-published booklet covering the history of the theatre from its opening right up to to the present. It's here: FAPT Shop.

Christmas Carol

Based on the story by Dickens, an intimate performance, with both actors and audience on the stage. The 45 minute performance will be followed a talk about the theatre. More information at: Christmas Carol in the AP Theatre.

News update 31 May 2013

Our Annual General Meeting

The AGM held on 29 May in the Transmitter Hall at AP was a good meeting, well-attended, and informative.

Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of AP, spoke, describing the remarkable success achieved with Stage 1 of the Heritage Lottery bid, and the huge amount of work now needed for the Stage 2 bid.

In the formal part of the AGM, we were very pleased that two new members were elected to our committee: Louise Blair and Graham Bennett.  Here are details of the Committee for this year (opens in new window, close to return here).

News update 26 May 2013

AGM is on Weds 29 May; Agenda is here: AGM May 2013.

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Newsletter - May 2013 is here: Newsletter May 2013.

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News update 9 May 2013

Press release

Friends of the Theatre delighted at Lottery success

The Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre are delighted at the news that the Alexandra Palace Trust has won the backing of the Heritage Lottery Fund for its £23.9m regeneration programme for the Theatre, former BBC television studios and East Court. The HLF has granted the Trust £844,800 in Round 1 funding to further develop plans for its £16.8m lottery funding application.

Nigel Willmott, the chair of the Friends of the Theatre, said: "The Friends have been working and campaigning for the refurbishment and reuse of the Victorian Theatre for the past 11 years, since the formation of the group. For most of that time it seemed an impossible dream. Suddenly it is on the way to becoming a reality.

"It is a stunning result for chief executive Duncan Wilson and his team at the Palace, the board of trustees, and for Haringey council, which has fully supported a new strategy of redevelopment of the Palace led by the Trust, rather than a developer.

"We have been one of the many groups whose input has gone into the creation of the regeneration programme and we look forward to continuing to support the next phase of the work, to further develop the design of the project and produce a detailed business plan.

"The refurbishment of the Theatre, keeping its historic look and feel, but creating a multi-use space for music, drama, conference and community use has the potential to make it one of the most exciting and inspiring venues in London."

The Friends group has been building membership over the past year in anticipation of a positive outcome to the Lottery bid and we aim to continue to sign up new members and increase activities in support of the regeneration project.

Duncan Wilson will attend the group's AGM at Alexandra Palace on May 29, and report on the next phase of the project and how the Friends can help.

Over the past decade the Friends group has held a number of events to showcase the Theatre, including a silent film show, concerts in the auditorium and foyer, a short opera season by Tete a Tete, a reading of the Victorian melodrama Lady Audley's Secret and several Open House days. The Theatre has also been used for location shoots, including a large Sony Music ad campaign and the BBC drama Margot Fonteyn.

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News update 5 May 2013

 Newsletter - May 2013 is here: Newsletter May 2013.

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New update 5 May 2013

Friends of the Alexandra Palace Theatre

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

WEDNESDAY 29 MAY 2013 at 7.30pm

Dear Friend of the Theatre

Please make a note in your diary of the AGM of the Friends.

This will be an important meeting on the future of the theatre in the light of the success or failure of the Heritage Lottery bid, which we will know about within the next couple of weeks.

Duncan Wilson, the chief executive of Alexandra Palace, will be at the meeting to outline future plans in light of the lottery decision.

We will also be electing a new committee for this next phase, and are keen to involve new committee members in the tasks that lie ahead. Please do consider becoming more active in the organisation. Feel free to email me at chair [at] fapt.org.uk if you would like to have a chat about what this might entail.

The full agenda and papers will be sent out nearer the meeting date.

Nigel Willmott

Chair, FAPT