Cinemas and Theatres in Yorkshire

Sheffield Theatres and Cinemas

Sheffield theatre is quickly making the city a top hotspot for theatre breaks. Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre is a special theatre venue indeed. First opening its doors in 1897, the Lyceum underwent an extensive renovation in the late 1980s, reopening its doors in 1991. The historic setting adds to the enjoyment of the eclectic mix of musicals, dance and drama on offer here at the Lyceum.

Other Sheffield theatres appeal to a varied audience. Fans of snooker will certainly be familiar with Sheffield's Crucible Theatre which plays host to the World Snooker Championships annually. Dating from 1971, The Crucible is Sheffield's main theatre hub and has built up an acclaimed reputation for cutting edge drama over the years. Frequent productions of Shakespeare's plays are on offer here. 2008 sees The Crucible getting a major facelift. The more intimate Studio Theatre offers a superb programme of touring drama and music, particularly classical.

Sheffield cinemas offer something from independent art house films to the latest blockbusters. The Showroom Cinema on Paternoster Row in the Cultural Industries Quarter is one of the largest independent cinemas in the country. Its four screens show a continually changing range of new and archive films from around the world. Pop into the Showroom Bar & Café before or after your film for a quick coffee or something a little stronger or even a light meal or snack. There's also a Wi-fi zone for internet access. For the latest blockbusters try Cineworld at Valley Centertainment leisure park on Broughton Lane or the Sheffield Odeon cinema at Arundel Gate in the north of the city. There is also the Sheffield Vue Cinema out at Meadowhall just off the M1 motorway.

Theatres and Cinema Leeds

Leeds theatres include the historic Leeds Grand Theatre on New Briggate, first opened in 1878, the acclaimed modern drama mecca - the West Yorkshire Playhouse, the Carriageworks and the Leeds City Varieties Music Hall.

Theatres in Leeds include one of the great classic historic Yorkshire theatres - the atmospheric and recently refurbished Leeds Grand Theatre. Today it plays host to internationally renowned productions particularly musicals, many of which come from the West End and Broadway. The West Yorkshire Playhouse hosts cutting edge drama and often the best of radical UK theatre. The Leeds-based Northern Ballet Theatre performs regularly at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Leeds Grand Theatre. Alongside ballet, Leeds is home to one of the UK's most acclaimed and innovative contemporary dance companies - the Phoenix Dance Theatre. This company started from small roots in inner-city Leeds and continues its accessible remit, opening up contemporary dance to new audiences. The favoured venue for the Phoenix Dance Theatre is the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

The Carriageworks on buzzing Millennium Square offers an eclectic mix of musicals, dance, film, plays and workshops. The Carriageworks is main host venue for the annual Leeds Film Festival. Ever wondered where the BBC classic music hall take - The Good Old Days was filmed? The Leeds City Varieties Music Hall on Swan Street is where, and it's still offering up some superb old style music hall nights across March and April, plus numerous other music and comedy performances through the rest of the year.

Cinemas in Leeds are overtaken by The Leeds International Film Festival every November with events and film showings in Leeds' cinemas and other venues. Main cinemas in Leeds include the two Leeds Vue cinemas - one at The Light on the Headrow and the other on Kirkstall Road. The Carriageworks slightly out of the city centre is a superb Leeds independent cinema mecca. There is also the Hyde Park Picture House off the A660 towards Headingley. Leeds Film Festival passes can be purchased giving you unlimited access to all screenings. To accompany the main November Leeds Film Festival, the Leeds Young People's Film Festival runs annually end-March into April. This event sees an extravaganza of films for and about children with screenings at the Vue at Kirkstall mostly and some at Hyde Park Picture House. Special workshops, talks and events also run at Leeds venues like the Leeds Art Gallery.

Bradford Theatres and Cinemas

Bradford Theatres are dominated by The Alhambra Theatre that was built in 1914 and restored in the 1980s. Architecturally stunning both inside and out, the Alhambra makes for a striking centrepiece in the city. Opposite the theatre sits the statue of Bradford's most famous playwright J B Priestly. The Alhambra today stands as one of the North's premier touring venue offering a prestigious selection of ballet, opera, variety, comedy, musicals, drama and always annually a pantomime. National shows including top West End musicals can often be seen here.

Bradford's other huge entertainment venue, this time a Victorian concert hall, is St George's Concert Hall. St George's was also completely refurbished to great effect during the 1980s and today offers up an impressive choice of touring music, comedy and variety shows.

Bradford is the home of the National Media Museum which has two Bradford cinemas within it. The Pictureville and Cubby Broccoli cinemas regularly screen the best contemporary and classic films, sometimes with guest speakers from the cinema industry. There is also the Imax screen there too that shows 3D movies, some of which are of the latest releases. In Bradford itself there are the Odeon cinema at Gallagher Leisure Park and a Cineworld multiplex cinema at Bradford Leisure Exchange.

York Theatres and Cinemas

York cinemas don't' get any better than York's City Screen Picturehouse that is beautifully situated alongside the River Ouse, with in-house cafe offering fine views of the river. York's Picturehouse is actually the renovated old Yorkshire Herald press works. Old and new architecture blend to great effect here at the Picturehouse which also has a Basement Bar serving as Internet cafe by day and York events venue by night. The Basement Bar hosts a weekly comedy club. Cinema listings are a mix of world, independent and mainstream cinema shown in the cinema's three auditoriums. Other York cinemas include a Vue Cinema on Stirling Road.

York Theatre Royal has seen some changes through the years including new gothic frontage during the Victorian 1880s. The theatre's heritage however stretches way back to 1744, and today if you're on the hunt for the very best of contemporary cutting edge drama York's Theatre Royal is where to head!  A relaxing cafe bar is on-site.

Other York theatres include the Grand Opera House that was converted from the York Corn Exchange warehouse in 1902. York's Opera House has a long history and became a centre for music hall and variety with the likes of Lillie Langtry and Cecily Courtneidge performing here. The period style is retained in the Opera House's spectacular interior and indeed the venue retains its links with music oriented performance. Epic modern day musicals are often performed here as well as concerts, comedy, bootleg musical extravaganzas and some opera.