Her Majesty’s Theatre lifts curtain on $66 million revamp – and announces its first show

Take a tour inside Her Majesty’s Theatre following its $66 million revamp – the first show at the new-look venue has been revealed and will start in less than two weeks.

• Final designs revealed for Festival Plaza public square

The $66 million rebuild of Her Majesty’s Theatre has finally been unveiled to the public with the first show at the revamped venue also announced this morning.

Before COVID-19 hit, Her Majesty’s was going to open with hit musical Six, and had solid bookings for the rest of the year.

Now, Slingsby Theatre’s family production, The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy, will christen the redeveloped theatre from June 23.

Audience numbers will be capped at 20 for each of the five performances with the free tickets available through a lotto draw on the Adelaide Festival Centre’s website.

Festival Centre chief executive Douglas Gautier has no idea when his 10-year project will be open to a full house of 1500 patrons sitting down to hear the big musical numbers that it has been built for.

“Hopefully, later this year,” he said.

Festival CEO Douglas Gaultier with State Opera soprano Desiree Frahn and State Theatre SA Artistic Director Mitchell Butel on the stage at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Picture: Matt Turner

So instead, the rebuild can be revealed through a sneak peek tour The Advertiser had this week.

Her Majesty’s is now a magnificent Edwardian dream of a theatre, having finally scotched all the modernist modifications of the past – blocked sightlines, misplaced seating, poor acoustics, a low and narrow proscenium, laughable entrance and nightmarish backstage.

Now there are public spaces and bars on each of its three – note, three – levels. Yes, the upper dress circle has been reinstated.

Thanks to the acquisition of 62 Grote St next door, the bars and public spaces look through a huge curtain of glass across to the Central Market, while lifts now provide disability access.

Gautier said the property acquisition was crucial to the project, since it had allowed the auditorium to swell from 900 to 1500 seats, a sweet spot in theatre size that commercial musical presenters loved.

Dress Circle foyer and bar. Picture: Chris Oaten

Chorus dressing room. Picture: Chris Oaten

Auditorium from the stage, including the proscenium arch 'border'. Picture: Chris Oaten

Rehearsal room. Picture: Chris Oaten

Grand Circle foyer and bar. Picture: Chris Oaten

The view from the side seats. Picture: Chris Oaten

The Signature Wall features the signatures of some of the biggest names in entertainment. It took nine days to carefully remove the wall during the revamp, and has now been replaced. Picture: Chris Oaten

Main Stalls entry. Picture: Chris Oaten

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State Opera will be there, 32 years since Her Majesty’s was last its home. Bigger State Theatre and Australian Dance Theatre shows, and smaller Adelaide Symphony Orchestra ensembles, should all find space there.

The revamp was funded by a loan from the State Government, along with $4.5 million in donations.