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boy of about 10 years of age, he went
to the then Tivoli Theatre and that this
second balcony, unlike the Stalls and
first balcony, was not accessed through
the foyers, but rather by climbing an
external staircase on the western side
of the building. There were several
landings on the way up, each with bold
signs offering such encouragement as
"Not far to go now" and "You're nearly there". Then, as if you would
forget, on the wall inside, near the doorway at the top, a hand had been
painted pointing to the doorway with the words, "Way Out". That sign
was still there! It was duly photographed on this visit.

A really interesting room located above
the foyers, facing out onto Grote Street,
was the Board Room. The walls here
were covered with framed portraits of
some of the famous personalities that
have performed in this theatre over the
years. Included were people like Dame
Edna Everage, Slim Dusty, Lauren
Bacall, Debbie Reynolds and Angela
Lansbury, as well as some going back
to the first years of the theatre, such as
W.C. Fields (1914) and the theatre's
first star, visiting British comedienne The seating capacity during Hoyts’ time was listed as 1127. From a scrap
Lillie Langtry. A window at the eastern book I used to keep in that era, I have found that the first movie I saw
end of the room provided a close-up there was Cast a Giant Shadow on Saturday 28 October 1967, and then
view of the theatre's external vertical over following months films like After The Fox, Caprice, and Flight Of
neon sign. The Phoenix. However, the one which I saw there and which has always
stood out in my mind was the fifth James Bond movie, You Only Live
Near one end of the Board Room is a doorway leading into the projection Twice. This was because of the contrast with watching this movie in the
room for the theatre, where my attention was immediately drawn to the smaller Her Majesty’s with having seen the first four Bond films in the
large 35mm projector in the centre, flanked by large spotlights at each luxury of the much larger Regent, usually in a pretty full house, and with
end of the room. Closer examination revealed the projector, a Kinoton the added attraction of Knight Barnett playing the Wurlitzer organ before
FP38, a model not commonly found in Australia, as it could be used to the show and at interval. You Only Live Twice ran for 11 weeks at Her
screen both 35 mm and 16 mm film gauges. Even more rare, this Majesty’s. The final movie shown there by Hoyts was Doctor Doolittle
particular model had the mechanism for projecting 16 mm film on one in January and February 1969, completing an 8 week season.
side of the projector, with the 35 mm path on the other side. My thoughts
turned to one of my earliest memories of Her Majesty’s, which was not
as a live theatre, but as a cinema.

View of extensive stage flying system

A smaller room, attached to the projection room, was set up with a
lighting control desk.
The projection room, with Kinoton FP38 35/16 mm dual gauge projector,
and a Xebec follow spot. Note the port glass window located near floor level When I entered the empty stage at the other end of the theatre, I looked
out on a view of the auditorium normally reserved mostly for performers
Back in 1967, Adelaide's unrivalled and most magnificent theatre was - empty now, but for them usually through the glare of spotlights on a
the Regent. This 2000 seat theatre in heart of the city in Rundle Street house full of expectant and eager faces. There were many times when
closed on 20 March for major alterations, which involved constructing a mine was one of those faces, ready for a night of frivolity with Joyce
shopping arcade through the entrance foyer and Stalls area, and creating Grenfell, or to be taken for a journey by Flanders and Swann on that
a much smaller cinema in the former Lounge and Dress Circle area. It famous London Diesel Engine 97 horsepower Omnibus, even perhaps
was to be over a year before the smaller cinema opened so, for some of soaking up the '30s and '40s sounds of the glorious Glen Miller Orchestra,
this time, Hoyts used Her Majesty’s as a cinema. According to Film or enjoying the antics of Dennis Olsen, the very model of a modern Major
Weekly and The Showman magazines, movies commenced screening there General, or Jon English as Pooh-Bah, the Lord High Executioner and, in
from 19 October 1967, and continued on and off until mid-February 1969. fact, Lord High Everything Else. And to be astounded by the unamplified
There were a few breaks for live shows, such as an Opera Season from clarity of every word from Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones while
the Elizabethan Trust Opera Company during the Adelaide Festival of Driving Miss Daisy. But now, the stage was empty - mmm, except
Arts, which commenced early in March 1968 and extended through into perhaps for "Bill".
April.

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