His Majesty's Theatre, Perth facts for kids
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| Address | 825 Hay Street Perth Australia |
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| Coordinates | 31°57′10″S 115°51′16″E / 31.95291°S 115.85458°E |
| Owner | Government of Western Australia |
| Capacity | 1,263 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 24 December 1904 |
| Architect | William G. Wolfe |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | 16 December 1994 |
| Reference no. | 2006 |
His Majesty's Theatre is a beautiful old theatre in Perth, Western Australia. It was built between 1902 and 1904. This was a time when Perth was growing very fast! You can find the theatre on the corner of Hay Street and King Street in the city centre.
When it first opened, His Majesty's Theatre was the biggest theatre in Australia. It could hold more than 2,500 people! It might also be the first building in Perth made with reinforced concrete. This is a strong type of concrete with steel bars inside.
Over the years, the theatre has hosted many amazing shows. These include big musicals, ballet, opera, and plays by Shakespeare. It has been updated many times. A big renovation happened in the late 1970s. The government bought the theatre and made it look beautiful again. They also added modern facilities.
Today, His Majesty's Theatre is home to the West Australian Ballet and West Australian Opera. Both companies perform there regularly. The theatre is very important to Western Australia's culture. It is listed on the State Register of Heritage Places. It is also known as a "State Heritage Icon." It is thought to be the only working Edwardian theatre left in Australia.
Contents
Building the Theatre: A Grand Project
At the start of the 1900s, Perth was booming. This was because of the gold rush! The money from gold led to many fancy buildings being built. A local politician named Thomas Molloy wanted a new theatre. He asked architect William G. Wolf to design it.
The new building would be called His Majesty's Theatre and Hotel. It was named after the new king, Edward VII. The perfect spot was chosen at King Street and Hay Street. In June 1902, Molloy got permission to build the theatre. He promised it would be finished in just one year.
A builder named Friederich Liebe won the contract to build it. He was from Germany and had worked on famous buildings before. The cost was about £46,000. Construction started in November 1902.
During building, people worried about the ground being too wet. Liebe changed the plans to add drains for water. He finished the building on time. However, there was a big argument about who should pay for the extra work. Molloy refused to pay more than the original price. Liebe took him to court, and eventually won! But the legal costs were very high.
The theatre officially opened on Christmas Eve in 1904. The first show was "Pollard's Adult Opera Company" performing The Forty Thieves.
Theatre Design: A Look Inside
When it opened, His Majesty's Theatre was the biggest theatre in Australia. It also had the largest stage and the highest fly tower. A fly tower is where scenery is stored and moved up and down. The building was made with reinforced concrete. It was the first of its kind in Perth, and maybe in all of Australia!
The theatre is four storeys tall. Its design was inspired by old English and European theatres. It is a great example of Edwardian Baroque architecture. The building also included a 65-room hotel. The hotel had billiard rooms, parlours, and six bars for theatre guests.
The theatre used a lot of iron, steel, and millions of local bricks. It also had imported marble and fancy tiles. An electric lift went to the roof. From there, you could see amazing views of the town.
The main part of the theatre, the auditorium, was huge. It was 23 by 21 metres. It could originally seat 2,584 people on three levels. The inside was shaped like a horseshoe. This helped the audience feel closer to the performers. There were stalls, a dress circle, an upper gallery, and private boxes.
The theatre even had special cooling features! There were four small waterfalls near the stage. These were meant to cool the audience, along with electric fans. There was also a special dome in the ceiling that could open up. It was decorated with gold and silver. The waterfalls were removed early on.
The outside of the theatre originally had two-level balconies. These were taken down in 1947-48. This was because they were thought to be a traffic hazard.
Theatre's Journey: History and Renovations
For its first 70 years, His Majesty's Theatre hosted many different events. These included Shakespearean plays, opera, political meetings, boxing matches, and movie screenings. It was known for its excellent sound. During World War II, it mostly showed movies.
The theatre was rented out to different companies over the years. One company, J.C. Williamson Ltd, made it a key place for musical theatre in Perth. The theatre was renovated in 1912 and again in 1948. The 1948 renovation added new electrical fittings backstage. This was also likely when the balconies were removed from the front.
In 1952, the Edgley family leased the theatre. They used it for "Russian spectaculars." Edgley later bought the theatre in 1969. After other new venues opened in Perth, His Majesty's Theatre became less popular. Its equipment was old, and it needed repairs.
Saving and Restoring the Theatre
The theatre's future was uncertain for a few years. But a public campaign helped save it! In 1977, the Government of Western Australia bought the theatre. They promised to restore it. A big renovation project began, costing A$10.5 million.
The renovation took three years. Architects Hill and Parkinson oversaw the work. There were big changes to the building. The floor of the stalls was replaced. Walls were fixed, and supporting pillars were moved to give better views. The stage was made flat, and the arch around it was widened. The ceiling was also replaced to match its original design. The sliding dome in the roof was sealed permanently. The orchestra pit was made bigger, and new lights were added.
The hotel part of the building was separated from the theatre. It was renovated to house the West Australian Opera and West Australian Ballet. It also provided backstage areas for visiting performers. A new building was added behind the theatre for dressing rooms and air conditioning.
The grand marble staircase was moved to create a larger entrance area. Its marble steps were replaced, but the original railing stayed. The old Sportsman's Bar became the new box office. Soundproofing was added to reduce traffic noise.
After the renovation, there was a debate about who should run the theatre. The Perth Theatre Trust was created to manage it. His Majesty's Theatre finally reopened on 28 May 1980. It now had a seating capacity of 1,250.
His Majesty's Theatre is a very important part of Western Australia's history. It was added to the Register of the National Estate in 1978. It became a permanent entry on the State Register of Heritage Places in 1994. In 2004, it was named a State Heritage Icon. Since 2001, it has also had a Museum of Performing Arts.
In 2004, the theatre celebrated its 100th birthday! In 2006, it became "twinned" with another theatre of the same name in Aberdeen, Scotland. His Majesty's Theatre in Perth is believed to be the only working Edwardian theatre left in Australia.
In 2008, a company called Savcor checked the theatre for damage. They found problems with the outside walls. In 2010, a project fixed damaged parts like cornices and corbels. New materials were used to perfectly copy the original decorations. Many balconies had to be rebuilt completely. Special techniques were used to make sure they looked just like the originals.
Famous Performers at His Majesty's
His Majesty's Theatre is home to the West Australian Opera and West Australian Ballet. But it has also hosted many famous performers over the years, including:
- Edouard Borovansky – A Czech-Australian ballet dancer.
- Claudette Colbert – A French-born American actress.
- Peter Cook – An English comedian who toured with Dudley Moore.
- Dame Margot Fonteyn – A famous English ballerina.
- Amelita Galli-Curci – An Italian opera singer.
- Judy Garland – An American actress and singer who visited in 1964.
- Sir John Gielgud – An English actor.
- Percy Grainger – An Australian-born pianist and composer.
- Sir Rex Harrison – An English actor.
- Sir Robert Helpmann – An Australian actor and dancer.
- Katharine Hepburn – An American actress.
- Barry Humphries – An Australian comedian, known for Dame Edna Everage.
- Harry Lauder – A Scottish entertainer who performed in 1923.
- Vivien Leigh – An English actress.
- Dame Nellie Melba – A famous Australian opera singer.
- Gladys Moncrieff – An Australian singer and musical theatre actress.
- Dudley Moore – An English actor and comedian.
- Anna Pavlova – A Russian ballerina.
- Geoffrey Rush – An Australian actor.
- Dame Maggie Smith – An English actress.
- Dame Sybil Thorndike – An English actress.
- Emlyn Williams – A Welsh actor.
- Sir Ian McKellen – An English actor, in Waiting for Godot in 2010.
- James Earl Jones – An American actor, in Driving Miss Daisy in 2013.
- Angela Lansbury – A British-American actor, in Driving Miss Daisy in 2013.
Images for kids
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View of staircase from first floor landing to ground floor
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This ornate upper floor foyer features in many wedding photographs
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The inside of the cupola is a major feature of the interior
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His Majesty's Theatre at Dusk exterior image by Robert Garvey
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HMT exterior. Photo by Shirley Knapp
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His Majesty's Theatre - Dress Circle Foyer - ROBERT GARVEY
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His Majesty's Theatre - Stalls Foyer - ROBERT GARVEY
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His Majesty's Theatre - Dome and Curtain - ROBERT GARVEY
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The theatre in 1926, showing the prominent balconies which dominated the lower portion of the facade
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A 1932 audience in the theatre
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The main entrance to the theatre
