Her Majesty's Theatre is a theatre in Adelaide, South Australia, located on Grote Street, originally built in 1913 as the New Tivoli Theatre. Other names through its history have been the Princess Theatre, the Prince of Wales Theatre, Tivoli Theatre and the Opera Theatre. It re-opened in June 2020 after a major refurbishment.
History
Designed by Adelaide-born architects David Williams and Charles Thomas Good, the foundation stone for the Princess Theatre was laid on 14 October 1912. However, after it was built in 1913, it opened as the New Tivoli Theatre, part of national Tivoli vaudeville circuit, and is the only original Tivoli still standing. The opening ceremony was presided over by Mayor John Lavington Bonython on 5 September 1913. It was renamed the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1920, and back to the Tivoli Theatre in 1930. In 1962 it was named Her Majesty's Theatre, staging ballets, opera and plays. After suffering financially from the drop in attendances after the introduction of television in Australia television in 1956, it was saved by the Dunstan government in 1976 when it was purchased by the state government for the State Opera of South Australia, and renamed the Opera Theatre upon its reopening in 1979. Its present name dates from 31 August 1988. In the 1970s and 1980s, the theatre underwent extensive renovations, stripping all of the theatre's internal heritage features and removing the grand circle, halving the theatre's capacity to 970. The renovations established a central foyer but the layout was small and presented significant challenge for operations and patron experience. Her Majesty's Theatre closed in 2018 for a two year, $66-million major redevelopment.
New era and major redevelopment
A two year, $66-million major redevelopment of the theatre began in April 2018 and finished in June 2020. The heritage facade and eastern wall were preserved, but everything else removed, creating space for a redeveloped larger theatre. The project included expanding into the lot next door, increasing the size of the stage and auditorium, returning grand circle seating, and improving accessibility and facilities front of house and backstage. The redevelopment was designed by Adelaide-based COX Architecture and built by Hansen Yuncken, managed by the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. The new Her Majesty's Theatre opened on 12 June 2020. The theatre was unveiled by Douglas Gautier, Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director. Uncle Mickey Kumatpi Marrutya O'Brien, a senior Kaurna and Narungga man, marked the official completion with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony. The redeveloped theatre features a 1467-seat auditorium over three levels. The grand circle was rebuilt, after an absence of 50 years. Two curving staircases in the expanded main foyer and other features retain some of the original Edwardian-era Art Nouveau elements, including a pressed metal ceiling, elegant architraves and mouldings. Other features include custom-built curved timber balcony fronts in the auditorium, foyer bars on all three levels, a larger backstage rehearsal room and a huge glass façade to the new west wing. The theatre's "signature wall", formerly in the basement, was deconstructed and reinstalled brick by brick in a central position backstage. The wall is covered with signatures from visiting stars, including Julie Anthony, Rowan Atkinson, Lauren Bacall, Alan Cumming, and Barry Humphries. On the floors of each foyer level, brass tiles are engraved with the names of some of the notable stars who have performed at the theatre over the past 100 years. Accessibility improvements include stair-free access to all levels and backstage areas and accessible seating on all levels.
