The Alhambra

I woke up to sunshine after a long week of early mornings and late finishes. I know we all have them and I'm not complaining. It just made the lie in on a weekend and the bonus of blues skies to wake up to all the more special. Like when you haven't had chocolate for a while and it somehow tastes better than you remember it.

So today I headed to Bradford, where the National Media Museum is and the Impressions Gallery, for a look around their current photography exhibitions. When crossing the road from the National Media Museum the Alhambra Theatre was reflecting in the building opposite. Go large for more detail :)

I've seen a few shows there but nothing recently. Here are some interesting facts from their own web-site

The Alhambra was built, at a cost of £20,000, in 1914 on the site of the 'Morley Street Waste'.

The name Alhambra derives from the Arabic 'KAL-EL-AT-AMBRA' meaning red domed castle.

Originally the only advance ticket sales were for the boxes, hence the name of 'Box Office'.

The 'Retained Foyer' is the only remaining part of the original theatre's entrance.

The Stalls used to have no formal seating - only benches and chairs at the front.

The Dress Circle contains what were, at the time, the best seats in the house and is so called because you were expected to wear formal attire.

The Upper Circle is known as The Gods because of the plaster Gods holding up the ceiling.

The seating capacity of The Alhambra is 1456. The seating style is known as Continental (no centre aisle or pillars in the stalls).

The 'Front of House' stops at the Iron / Safety Curtain, which is where the 'Back of House' starts.

Old stages used to be raked, hence the term upstaging. Looking out from the stage into the auditorium we have Stage left / Prompt side or Stage right / Opposite prompt.

Strange theatre traditions include; Never saying 'Good Luck', Don't ever whistle and never quote the 'Scottish Play'.

Well, I never knew that!!

Thank you so much for your fantastic comments on Manchester's street scene :)

Also posting a day later as usual.