Published: Thursday, 11th December, 2008 10:30am

One year on, Alhambra is still alive and kicking

by Gary Fitzpatrick

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THE 4000 rock fans who pack into the Alhambra this weekend will provide boisterous confirmation of the theatre"s successful re-birth.

It is just 12 months since new life was breathed into the venue but it is already attracting some of the country"s hottest touring acts, with Biffy Clyro playing on Saturday and Ocean Colour Scene the following night.

The West Fife public are promised the next phase will see the programme rolled out to bring in the best in theatre, comedy, dance and opera.

When the venue closed its doors after decades as a bingo hall, there were fears they would remain firmly shut with the site facing an uncertain future.

Not only have the doors re-opened and the refurbishment started but big names such as KT Tunstall, "Chubby" Brown and home town favourites Nazareth have taken to the stage.

The Enemy and comedian Jimmy Carr will be coming in 2009 along with the Australian Pink Floyd and Les Miserables as the theatre"s reputation grows.

KT Tunstall said, 'It is really a gorgeous space, kind of like a Scottish Shepherd"s Bush Empire with a really good old school feel about it. That was a really special one, it was great.'

It was also the scene on Friday of an emotional re-union of the Pars legends who won the Scottish Cup in "61 and "68, with the matches relived on the big screen.

The "Friends of the Alhambra" scheme – which gives members the chance to be involved in securing the theatre"s future – will be launched on 20th December with a "Broadway Swings" concert featuring the Razz Big Band and West End star Jeff Leyton.

Contacts have been made with Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet and it is also expected Scottish National Theatre will perform at the Alhambra next autumn.

Some of the biggest names in the Scottish entertainment business are part of the Alhambra team.

These include the former head of Edinburgh Fringe Paul Gudgin, one of the UK"s best-known music promoters Barry Wright and Karen Koren, legendary founder of the Gilded Balloon comedy club.

Dunfermline MP Willie Rennie said, 'Things have gone better than we could have hoped for in our wildest dreams.

'I thought it would have taken a couple of years to get it up and running so the progress is a great tribute to the energy and professionalism of the team there.

'It has also taken off at a time of economic difficulties and during these periods we need places like the Alhambra to entertain us and put a smile on our face.'

'The first year has surpassed all our expectations,' said Bill Fletcher, owner of the building.

The theatre is run by a charitable trust with a board of eight trustees and all profits will be spent on the renovation work.

The Alhambra has to prove to funding bodies that it has a sustainable future and began this process with six dates during the summer which attracted a 92 per cent capacity.

'That"s almost unheard of in the theatre business and was obviously very encouraging to us all,' said Mr Fletcher.

'As well as the great local support which has been witnessed on our open days, it"s been gratifying to see that up to a third of audiences have been coming from the Edinburgh area.

'That"s quite something when you consider the entertainment attractions in Edinburgh and traditionally we"ve always travelled over to their shows, so it"s reversing that trend.

'Our aim is to become not only Fife"s premier theatre but also one of the best for the east of Scotland.

'Regeneration is a word we all use but the success of the Alhambra is what regeneration of Dunfermline is all about. The rebirth of a famous venue and bringing people back into the centre of Dunfermline.

'It"s really taken off and we"ve all been carried along with it.'

Barry Wright is originally from Dunfermline and attended shows at the Alhambra as a youngster.

During his career he has put on shows by some of the biggest names in the world such as Pink Floyd, Frank Sinatra and U2.

'It"s really flexible as a venue which could take audiences of 500 to 2000 and the stage space allows it to put on major shows and theatre productions by the likes of the National Theatre of Scotland,' he explained.

'We"re using word-of-mouth to tell promoters about the venue, encourage them to use it and everyone who has been here has been very pleased with the facilities.'

The refurbishment is on-going but performances will continue alongside the work with gaps in the scheduling to accommodate this.

Paul Gudgin said, 'It"s been an amazing year and the speed of the progress has been very surprising. It"s fantastic for Dunfermline and this is going to be an exciting place over the next few years.

'What usually happens when there"s a project to re-open a theatre is that it takes years before anything happens.

'The difference here is the strength of the grassroots support from the local community.

'We haven"t had a big budget to spend on glossy advertising so we"ve depended on word of mouth but it"s taken off like bush fire.'

It is hoped that some of the biggest acts at next year"s Fringe can be persuaded to come over to the Alhambra.

Alhambra steering committee chairman David Mutch said, 'This has been an exciting time for us all and yet this is only the very beginning.'

Alhambra 2, a new venture aimed at promoting emerging talent in music, comedy and cabaret, will be launched on Saturday 27th December.

Promoter Billy George said, 'The Alhambra is now very well-known for attracting top name acts and now the venue is developing further to bring the best up-and-coming acts from across the country.

'The launch night will feature a showcase of talent which includes The Draymin, Beatnic Prestige, The Skinflints, Modern Faces and Val Verde.

'Ironically, the beginning of Alhambra 2 has coincided with the end of the road for The Draymin but the organisers are going all out to make sure this will be a night to remember for the band.'

Dunfermline city centre manager Susan Hughes said, 'The centre of Dunfermline is undergoing a real transformation at present and the Alhambra may well be the icing on the cake.

'An attractive, vibrant and popular venue in the heart of Dunfermline will make a huge contribution to the cultural and economic well-being of the region.'

Mhora Samuel, director of the Theatres Trust, said, 'The Alhambra is a magnificent theatre and a landmark building for Dunfermline that now has a valuable opportunity to be restored to its former glory.'

Linda DiGabriele, managing director of the Asolo Theater in Sarasota, said, 'As the proud caretakers of the Dunfermline Opera House, we encourage all communities to find ways to preserve these theatrical and architectural treasures.

'It is sad to see any historic theatre destroyed and we applaud your efforts to preserve the Alhambra for Dunfermline and future generations.'

Una Richard, director of the Alba Conservation Trust, which is advising on the restoration and fund-raising, said, 'The original decorative scheme will be researched and restored and will bring the inside of the theatre to life once again as is fitting for this nationally important building.'