Theatre Royal, Sydney
The Theatre Royal in Sydney is Australia's oldest theatrical institution from 1833[1], though the current theatre was built in 1976. It has offered a broad range of entertainment including dramas, comedy and especially musicals since the 1990s. The theatre has been closed since March 2016.
%2C_Theatre_Royal%2C_Sydney%2C_23_September_1938_-_photographer_Sam_Hood_(7947336946).jpg) Exterior, 1938 | |
| Address | 108 King Street MLC Centre Sydney, New South Wales Australia |
|---|---|
| Owner | MLC Centre |
| Operator | N/A |
| Capacity | 1,180 |
| Current use | Closed |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1875 |
| Closed | 2016 |
| Reopened | N/A |
| Rebuilt | 1976 |
| Architect | Barnett Levey |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
The name Theatre Royal had originally been used for a theatre upon which building work commenced in 1827 behind the Royal Hotel by Barnett Levey. This new playhouse was opened on 5 October 1833. It was closed in March 1838 and a few days later the Royal Victoria Theatre, a much larger building, was opened, with an entrance on Pitt Street, by Joseph Wyatt. Barnett Levey's Theatre Royal was burned to the ground in 1840 with the Victoria, which abutted on the rear, having a narrow escape from suffering the same fate. However, it was still destined to be consumed by fire - on the 22 July 1880 it was totally destroyed.[2]
In 1875, the present Theatre Royal was founded, built for Samuel Lazar in Castlereagh Street on the corner of Rowe Street, opposite the famous Australia Hotel. The theatre was leased by J C Williamson's from 1882 until 1978. The interior of this theatre was substantially remodelled in 1921 by architect Henry Eli White.[3]
In 1971-72 the theatre, along with the Hotel Australia, and much of the block on which it was situated, was demolished to construct the MLC Centre. Public agitation and action by construction unions once it was closed to save it resulted in the developer Lend Lease incorporating a replacement 1,180 seat theatre into the design. Designed by Harry Seidler, along with the rest of the complex, the current Theatre Royal opened in 1976, with entry from King Street, between Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street. Designed in a plain modernist style.
The theatre closed in March 2016 amid development of the MLC Centre and calls for a new larger Lyric Theatre to be built.[4][5][6][7]
In March 2019, the NSW Government announced it had taken on a 45-year lease of the theatre from the MLC Centre developers, with the intention to re-open the venue with a private operator.[8]
References
- Sydney Harbour Bridge Official Souvenir Book Sydney, 1932, p.123.
- Sydney Harbour Bridge Official Souvenir Book Sydney, 1932, p.123-4.
- "Theatre Royal". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "Theatre Royal". cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
- "Theatre Royal". theatreroyal.net.au. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
- "Theatre Royal". goaustralia.about.com. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
- "Producers push for new lyric theatre in Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
- "The Show Goes On for Sydney's Theatre Royal". The Urban Developer. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
External links
- Theatre Royal at sydney-theatre.com
- Ailsa McPherson (2010). "Theatre Royal". Dictionary of Sydney. Dictionary of Sydney Trust. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- Ailsa McPherson (2010). "Barnett Levey's Theatre Royal". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 2 October 2015. [CC-By-SA]