To spot Teatro del Soho, look for a modern building with a tall, rusty-red metallic facade full of tiny holes and bold white columns just under the trees on your right.
Now, as you stand in front of this striking theatre, let’s take a little journey through time together! Imagine the street a century ago-back in 1907, when a wave of excitement washed over Málaga because a little place called Cine Pascualini had just opened here. People flocked from all over, eager to see Hollywood’s latest movies flickering on a silver screen. But peace didn’t last long; during the Spanish Civil War, bombs rained down, and everything was lost in a rumble of chaos.
But like a good plot twist, this spot wasn’t done yet. By the 1940s, laughter and joyful screams filled the air as the site transformed into a buzzing amusement park called the Crystal Palace. Then, in the '50s, you could enjoy balmy summer nights at Terraza Alameda, an open-air cinema where dreams were projected under the stars. Sometimes even the circus rolled into town, so if you hear an elephant trumpet in your imagination, you’re not far off.
On December 22, 1961, the Alameda Theatre made its dazzling debut with the opera “La serva padrona.” For nearly sixty years, it became Málaga’s stage for comedy, drama, ballet, jazz, and more-it was a cultural chameleon, even hosting the lively Carnival and film festivals with audiences cheering, laughing, sometimes even crying. But every great act must pause. The curtains closed for the last time as Teatro Alameda in May 2018.
Enter Málaga’s own superstar-Antonio Banderas-who transformed the space into Teatro del Soho. He poured his heart (and a hefty two million euros) into remaking it for a grand modern era. With 896 seats, a tailor’s studio for costumes, and even a chic bar, the theatre sparkled to life once more in November 2019 with the glitzy musical “A Chorus Line.” It even hosted the glamorous Goya Awards in 2021, when cameras flashed and Málaga felt just a bit like Hollywood once again.
Life here has always been dramatic. Well, what do you expect from a place owned by Zorro?
