The Alexandra celebrates 125 years on stage

13 hours ago

James Bovill,BBC Midlands Todayand

Aida Fofana,West Midlands

BBC Julia Kirby has short blonde tight curly hair. She has round purple-framed glasses and wears a black and white striped t-shirt and black knitted cardigan. She is smiling and standing next to a piano with posters spread out across the top — The theatre's archivist, Julia Kirby, said its long family ownership is what made it special

One of Birmingham's best known theatres is celebrating 125 years of entertaining audiences, a history packed with famous performers, pantomime stars and ghost stories.

The Alexandra, originally built as the Lyceum Theatre, opened at the start of the 20th Century after being constructed by William Coots for £10,000. The venue was later renamed by the Salberg family, who ran the theatre for almost 60 years.

Today, the theatre hosts around 300 shows a year, from musicals and comedy to concerts and touring productions.

The theatre's archivist, Julia Kirby, said its long family ownership had shaped its character.

"What's special about the Alex is that it was in family ownership for nearly 60 years, who poured in so much love and so much care," she said.

A major refurbishment completed in 2018 helped modernise the venue while keeping many of its traditional features.

"I hope it's here for another 125 years because it's an absolutely beautiful auditorium and very historic."

Simon Creed is pictured smiling in a theatre with purple seats. He has spiky grey hair, wears a washed purple denim shirt and a dark grey denim jacket. — Theatre director Simon Creed said the theatre puts on over 300 shows a year

Pantomime became a major part of the theatre's success from 1903 onwards, attracting stars including comedian Les Dawson. Staff said the annual productions were once the venue's financial lifeline.

Among the theatre's memorabilia is a signed message from Dawson thanking the Garrick Bar with "fond memories".

Parts of the building date back to 1935, when owner Leon Salberg oversaw major changes before his death in his office two years later. Stories about his ghost continuing to haunt the theatre have become part of its folklore.

Despite wars, economic downturns and changing entertainment habits, the theatre has remained open for most of its history, with its longest closure coming during the Covid pandemic.

Simon Creed, the theatre director, said the theatre has grown since reopening.

"Since the pandemic we've grown, we now do over 300 performances per year, which is staggering, and bringing musicals, plays, drama, comedy and live music."

He said the venue's appeal came from balancing modern productions with its historic atmosphere.

"There are lots of venues in the UK who have had multi-million pound refurbs and really changed their look and style," he said.

"Whereas here we've kind of kept it a bit traditional.

"We have lots of good programmes, so bringing new shows in Birmingham, that's the key, really, because without a good programme, we're nothing really."