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There was no shortage of talent to keep the music coming, with names The foyers of the theatre exude a kind of regal atmosphere, with marble
like Johanna Allen, Robyn Archer, Michaela Burger, Cameron Goodall, stairs, rich red curtains and carpets, all set off by a large, central
Ali McGregor, Meow Meow, Rob Mills, and Tim Rogers in the line-up chandelier consisting of three tiers of hundreds of long slender glass
of performers. Even Barry Humphries was there on video, as he could tubes, topped with glistening gold embellishments, in both downstairs
not be there in person. He has taken on the role of Patron of the HMT and upstairs foyers. It was all very fitting, given the name of the theatre.
Renewal Project, to which proceeds of this closing Benefit Concert were There were landings midway between the two foyers which provided
contributing. It was certainly a night to remember and had people space for beverages and refreshments to be served and enjoyed. There
reminiscing about the various shows they had attended there over the are, however, significant changes being planned as part of the renewal
years. project for the theatre. A building next to Her Majesty’s, on the western
side, has been purchased. This will be redeveloped to provide a new
Earlier that week, on the Wednesday afternoon, I was fortunate to be entrance and foyer spaces for the theatre allowing, in turn, for the
given the opportunity to take a comprehensive set of photos of Her expansion of the existing auditorium.
Majesty’s before the extensive makeover got underway, so in the process
became more aware of long history of this famous theatre. The theatre
originally opened on Friday 5 September 1913 as the Tivoli Theatre,
part of a nationwide chain of variety theatres. With two balconies as well
as the stalls floor, it seated
2170 patrons. At the time,
it was widely regarded as
the finest theatre in
Australia. Today, it is the
only theatre of the Tivoli
circuit still surviving. In the
downstairs foyer, an
impressive Art Nouveau
commemorative plaque
attests to the opening of the
theatre, and my
photographic journey
indicated that the theatre
had, in fact, had a number
of different names over the The current auditorium consisted of two levels - Stalls and Dress Circle,
years. The first name providing seating for 970 patrons. The plan is to increase this to
change came on 28 August somewhere between 1400 and 1500, not only by expanding the existing
1920, when it became the auditorium, but also by returning a second balcony. This will allow the
Prince of Wales Theatre theatre to present more of the touring blockbuster shows that sometimes
and, in the upstairs foyer, I have to bypass Adelaide. When I entered the current auditorium for
discovered a framed copy photography, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the impressive fire
of the Box Plans bearing safety curtain was down, something I suspect was not often seen by
that title. The theatre patrons. It is covered by a scenic cloth, painted by Melbourne theatre
operated under that name designer and scenic artist Paul Kathner, depicting a view of the theatre's
for ten years, until with a change of management, it reverted to the Tivoli exterior as it was back in 1913 when the theatre opened. The cloth has
Theatre on 13 September 1930. J.C. Williamson took over the theatre been treated much as though it was part of a stage set, and was completed
in 1954. A major makeover followed under theatre architect Charles and installed in the theatre in 1991. With the big changes afoot, it really
Neville Hollinshed, transforming the theatre, which included removal of set off the auditorium appropriately for photographs of the theatre at this
the old upper gallery. The theatre re-opened on 8 November 1962 with time in its history. Interestingly, I have also seen and photographed a
a new name - Her Majesty’s. By 1976, change was in the air again, and similar scenic cloth Paul painted for Ballarat's famous and even older
the South Australian Government purchased the theatre as a new home Her Majesty’s Theatre which was completed a year before this one,
for the State Opera of South Australia. This resulted in yet another name and he treated that one in a similar manner. After sufficient photographs
change for the theatre, as well as another comprehensive makeover, and had been taken, the fire safety curtain was raised with the intent of
the remodelled venue was formally opened as The Opera Theatre on lowering the red house curtain for further photos but, despite every effort
10 March 1979. There was one last name change to come. Opera being made, it would not co-operate and obstinately remained in the fly
productions moved to Adelaide’s Festival Theatre in 1989 so, on 31 tower.
August 1988, the Opera Theatre name was officially restored to Her
Majesty’s Theatre. A panel with the three key plaques adorns a Above the present auditorium ceiling, a few remnants of the original
downstairs foyer wall. This, of course, had to be the subject of one of my second balcony remain. Allan Hall recalls that, back when he was a young
photographs.

The theatre’s exterior in 1913, painted on the fire curtain by Paul Kathner,

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