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HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, ADELAIDE

by John Thiele

n Saturday 24 March 2018, a Gala Benefit Concert was held in the age of that form of theatre. She made her stage debut at age 5, first
Ohistoric, 105 year old Her Majesty’s Theatre in Grote Street, performing on Her Majesty’s, (then Tivoli Theatre) stage back in 1927
Adelaide, as a prelude to closing the theatre in order to undertake a major - 91 years ago - and is still going strong now at 95 and a half years of
makeover of the theatre which is expected to take about two years. age! She was interviewed on stage by Peter Goers, and then proceeded
to demonstrate that she could still do the splits, ie "play the banjo on her
The audience which packed Her Majesty’s for this closing night was leg" and then followed by relating one of her famous comedy routines.
treated to a splendid and very fitting cavalcade of venerable artists who This brought her a standing ovation from the audience. Another iconic
have graced the stage of this "Grand Old Lady of Grote Street" over the performer on this night, whose first leading role had been on Her
years. Stealing the show, and by far the most venerable, was Adelaide's Majesty’s stage over 50 years ago, was Nancye Hayes who wowed the
own Phyl Skinner, the last living Australian vaudevillian from the golden audience with "If My Friends Could See Me Now" from Sweet Charity.

Phyl Skinner with her dancing partner on the theatre stairway c. 1960s Phyl Skinner waiting to be interviewed on stage on closing

8 CINEMARECORD # 99