Page 9 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

CATHS visits Her Majestys
CATHS visits Her Majestys

Brian Miller and Peter Wolfenden
n Saturday 1 March this year
65 members and guests
Otoured historic Her Majesty’s
Theatre, Exhibition Street, and set a
new club record for numbers at a
theatre inspection.
Opened as The Alexandra in 1886,
briefly re-named The Queens in 1897
it was leased by the American–born
actor-manager James Cassius
Williamson as His Majesty’s in 1900.
Williamson died in 1913 but the
business thrived under the management
of the Tait brothers. ‘The Firm’ owned
‘The Maj’ from 1915 until 1976. A
major fire in 1932 closed the theatre
but the stage area was used as a movie
studio by Frank Thring for his Efftee
Film Productions.
The theatre interior was redesigned
in the Art Moderne style by Charles N.
Hollinshed and reopened in 1934. The
name change to Her Majesty’s in 1954
was in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.
Over the years the Taits presented
everything from grand opera, operetta,
ballet, plays and especially musicals in
this famous venue. Stars to grace the
stage included Dame Nellie Melba,
Dame Joan Sutherland, Robert
Helpmann, Katherine Hepburn and
Marlene Dietrich.
The Australian premiere season of
My Fair Lady, a record 730
performances, was only broken by
Phantom of the Opera in the nineties.
Her Majesty’s is now owned by
Mike Walsh of Hayden Investments
Pty Ltd. A complete reconstruction of
the stage, which included widening the
proscenium enables this theatre to
accommodate all world class
productions. Foyer and reception areas
have been re- designed and improved.
Further works are planned.
A special thanks is due to Mr
Walsh’s staff; Manager Richard
Mackay-Scollay, Mary Murphy, Louise
Cheelham and Clinton Chambers for a
very informative and entertaining
morning. A landmark theatre readies for
another century of entertainment. ★
Top: Sketch of original interior.
A celebration of the re-birth of
Above: The integrity of the 1934 interior (seen here) has been maintained
Her Majesty’s is recorded in

CINEMARECORD 2002 9