Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne
Encyclopedia
Her Majesty's Theatre is a 1706 seat theatre
in Melbourne
, Australia
. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia
and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
.
Purchased in 2000 by Mike Walsh
, the theatre was restored and refitted to accommodate larger productions.
The Hippodrome lasted four years before the French born entrepreneur, Jules François de Sales Joubert, secured a 30 year lease on the site and commissioned architect Nahum Barnet
to design a theatre, business and accommodation complex.
In 1886, construction began on the Eiffel Tower in Paris; in New York, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated and in Melbourne, work on Joubert’s project was completed. On the 1st of October, The Alexandra Theatre opened. Named after the then Princess of Wales, wife of the future King Edward VII
, the theatre was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, boasting a capacity of 2,800. The very first show staged was the comedy, Bad Lads. Also in the first year, the Australian classic, For the Term of His Natural Life
, was performed, as was Saturday afternoon wrestling and a season of Italian opera.
The early days of The Alec (as it became known) were problematic. Joubert had spent almost twice his original budget on construction and had been unable to obtain the required operating licences for the hotel, bars and cafes of the complex. By November 1887, he was insolvent.
Early in 1888, the Australian born, internationally renowned actor and playwright, Alfred Dampier, leased the theatre and introduced a successful programming and pricing formula. The Alec prospered.
In 1900, well-known expatriate American theatrical producer, James Cassius Williamson
, took over the lease of the theatre and engaged architect William Pitt to supervise renovations. The stage was lowered by 60 centimetres and the stalls and orchestra pit raised by almost 30 centimetres. The Dress Circle was remodelled and new boxes added.
Seats were re-upholstered, re-painting carried out and a new stage curtain and new stage lighting installed. The theatre, re-vamped and re-christened Her Majesty’s Theatre in honour of Queen Victoria
, re-opened with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan
’s HMS Pinafore
on the 19th of May.
In 1909, after a private sound test, Dame Nellie Melba
, by then an international star, declared that the theatre’s acoustics were “dead” and that she would not perform unless they were altered. Further renovations to the theatre’s interior were carried out in time for Dame Nellie to hold her Australian opera debut in November 1911.
On the 6th of July, 1913, J. C. Williamson – the biggest theatrical entrepreneur in the world at the time – died at the age of 68. As a mark of respect, all the Williamson theatres ‘were dark’ for one night, a rare tribute. The company he’d established with Her Majesty’s Theatre as its flagship however, continued to prosper, featuring the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan as staple fare well into the 1920s.
The name change from The Alexandra to Her Majesty’s Theatre occurred eight months before the death of Queen Victoria. The theatre management steadfastly continued the honour, by maintaining the name despite the fact there was now a King on the throne. In 1924, a decision was taken to rename the theatre again. Her Majesty’s Theatre became His Majesty’s Theatre, this time in honour of King George V
, after whose mother, the original theatre had been named.
Despite the changes in identity, the theatre consistently played host to the world’s best artists and shows. The legendary Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, captivated Australian crowds at performances in 1926 and 1929.
Previous productions at Her Majesty's include
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Built in 1886, it is located at 219 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. It is classified by the National Trust of Australia
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
and is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register
Victorian Heritage Register
The Victorian Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to the State of Victoria, Australia. It has statutory weight under the Heritage Act 1995 which establishes Heritage Victoria as the permit authority...
.
Purchased in 2000 by Mike Walsh
Mike Walsh (TV host)
Mike Walsh OBE was host of The Mike Walsh Show from 1973 until 1985. Walsh is the only entertainer to be awarded the Sammy Award and Gold Logie award in the same year....
, the theatre was restored and refitted to accommodate larger productions.
History
The gold rush of the 1850s brought both increased prosperity and population to the new colony of Victoria. Melbourne thrived and businesses flourished. The first recorded use of the area near the corner of Stephen (later to become Exhibition) Street and Little Bourke Street – land traditionally owned by the people of the Kulin nation – as a venue for entertainment was in 1880, when tiered seating was constructed and an openair venue for circuses and equestrian shows established.The Hippodrome lasted four years before the French born entrepreneur, Jules François de Sales Joubert, secured a 30 year lease on the site and commissioned architect Nahum Barnet
Nahum Barnet
Nahum Barnet was an architect working in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia during the Victorian and Edwardian periods....
to design a theatre, business and accommodation complex.
In 1886, construction began on the Eiffel Tower in Paris; in New York, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated and in Melbourne, work on Joubert’s project was completed. On the 1st of October, The Alexandra Theatre opened. Named after the then Princess of Wales, wife of the future King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, the theatre was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, boasting a capacity of 2,800. The very first show staged was the comedy, Bad Lads. Also in the first year, the Australian classic, For the Term of His Natural Life
For the Term of his Natural Life
For the Term of His Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 , appearing as a novel in 1874. It is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history...
, was performed, as was Saturday afternoon wrestling and a season of Italian opera.
The early days of The Alec (as it became known) were problematic. Joubert had spent almost twice his original budget on construction and had been unable to obtain the required operating licences for the hotel, bars and cafes of the complex. By November 1887, he was insolvent.
Early in 1888, the Australian born, internationally renowned actor and playwright, Alfred Dampier, leased the theatre and introduced a successful programming and pricing formula. The Alec prospered.
In 1900, well-known expatriate American theatrical producer, James Cassius Williamson
J. C. Williamson
James Cassius Williamson was an American actor and later Australia's foremost theatrical manager, founding J. C. Williamson Ltd....
, took over the lease of the theatre and engaged architect William Pitt to supervise renovations. The stage was lowered by 60 centimetres and the stalls and orchestra pit raised by almost 30 centimetres. The Dress Circle was remodelled and new boxes added.
Seats were re-upholstered, re-painting carried out and a new stage curtain and new stage lighting installed. The theatre, re-vamped and re-christened Her Majesty’s Theatre in honour of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, re-opened with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
’s HMS Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore
H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London, England, on 25 May 1878 and ran for 571 performances, which was the second-longest run of any musical...
on the 19th of May.
In 1909, after a private sound test, Dame Nellie Melba
Nellie Melba
Dame Nellie Melba GBE , born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and the early 20th century...
, by then an international star, declared that the theatre’s acoustics were “dead” and that she would not perform unless they were altered. Further renovations to the theatre’s interior were carried out in time for Dame Nellie to hold her Australian opera debut in November 1911.
On the 6th of July, 1913, J. C. Williamson – the biggest theatrical entrepreneur in the world at the time – died at the age of 68. As a mark of respect, all the Williamson theatres ‘were dark’ for one night, a rare tribute. The company he’d established with Her Majesty’s Theatre as its flagship however, continued to prosper, featuring the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan as staple fare well into the 1920s.
The name change from The Alexandra to Her Majesty’s Theatre occurred eight months before the death of Queen Victoria. The theatre management steadfastly continued the honour, by maintaining the name despite the fact there was now a King on the throne. In 1924, a decision was taken to rename the theatre again. Her Majesty’s Theatre became His Majesty’s Theatre, this time in honour of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, after whose mother, the original theatre had been named.
Despite the changes in identity, the theatre consistently played host to the world’s best artists and shows. The legendary Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, captivated Australian crowds at performances in 1926 and 1929.
Previous productions at Her Majesty's include
- 1959: My Fair LadyMy Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
(Original Australian Production 1959) - Evita
- A Chorus LineA Chorus LineA Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
- CatsCats (musical)Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
- Hot Shoe Shuffle
- The MikadoThe MikadoThe Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations...
- 1993: 42nd Street42nd Street (musical)42nd Street is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin, and music by Harry Warren. The 1980 Broadway production, directed by an ailing Gower Champion and orchestrated by Philip J. Lang, won the Tony Award for Best Musical and became a long-running hit...
- 1998: ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
- 2002: The Hollow CrownThe Hollow CrownThe Hollow Crown is an anthology, devised by John Barton in 1961, which presents in dramatic form, speeches, documents, gossip and music, associated with the British monarchy from William the Conqueror up to Queen Victoria. A videotape of a broadcast can be seen at The Paley Center for Media in...
- 2003: CabaretCabaret (musical)Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
- 2003: HairHair (musical)Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
- 2003: Nutcracker on Ice
- 2004: Eureka
- 2005: Mamma Mia!
- 2005: Die FledermausDie FledermausDie Fledermaus is an operetta composed by Johann Strauss II to a German libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée.- Literary sources :...
(Melbourne Opera Company) - 2006: An Inspector CallsAn Inspector CallsAn Inspector Calls is a play written by English dramatist J. B. Priestley, first performed in 1945 in the Soviet Union and 1946 in the UK. It is considered to be one of Priestley's best known works for the stage and one of the classics of mid-20th century English theatre...
- 2006: Così fan tutteCosì fan tutteCosì fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
(2006 Victorian Opera Company) - 2006: Oklahoma!Oklahoma!Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
(2006 Joining The Chorus - Victorian State Schools) - 2007: Madame Butterfly (Melbourne Opera Company)
- 2007: Miss SaigonMiss SaigonMiss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby, Jr.. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover...
- 2007: The Love of the NightingaleThe Love of the NightingaleThe Love of the Nightingale is a play by Timberlake Wertenbaker, commissioned for the Royal Shakespeare Company and published in 1989. It is an adaptation of the Ancient Greek legend of the rape of Philomela by her brother-in-law Tereus, and the gruesome revenge undertaken by Philomela and her...
(2007 Victorian Opera Company) - 2007: Orphée et Eurydice (2007 Victorian Opera Company)
- 2007: Monty Python's Spamalot
- 2008: Fiddler on the RoofFiddler on the RoofFiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
- 2008: Billy Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...
- 2009: Chicago The Musical
- 2010: MAMMA MIA!Mamma Mia!Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson, based on the songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band. Although the title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia", the plot is fictional, not...
- 2010: Mary PoppinsMary Poppins (musical)Mary Poppins is a Walt Disney Theatrical musical based on the similarly titled series of children's books by P. L. Travers and the Disney 1964 film. The West End production opened in December 2004 and received two Olivier Awards, one for Best Actress in a Musical and the other for Best Theatre...
- 2011: Doctor Zhivago
- 2011: QIQIQI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
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