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Map showing Theatre Royal - Hobart

In 1834 a consortium of Hobart Town’s business leaders was formed with the aim of establishing a permanent theatre for the rapidly expanding colony.

The theatre was designed by Peter Degraves, founder of Cascade, Australia’s oldest brewery, and has walls of convict-carved stone.

Built among the public houses, brothels, factories and tiny workers’ cottages of Wapping, the theatre opened in 1837.

It offered its original patrons entertainment ranging from music hall to cockfights and could even help to quench their thirsts at The Shades – a seedy tavern that operated beneath the auditorium with its own entrance into the theatre pit. Prostitutes, sailors and general riffraff would enter the pit with tankards full and create all sorts of drama of their own, much to the displeasure of the gentry in the boxes. During intervals, drunken prostitutes could be seen bounding across the seats making a bee-line for the conveniences.

Since January 1837 the Theatre Royal has been remodelled, refurbished and restored.

The addition of the gallery in the 1850s, new decoration to the auditorium in the 1890s are just a few of the contributions that successive generations of Tasmanians have made to their theatre.

Saved from demolition several times – most notably in the late 1940s when Sir Laurence Olivier was among the many to leap to its defence – the theatre has withstood a disastrous fire, public criticism and the rigours of age.

June 1984 was a low point in the theatre’s history. A devastating fire destroyed much of the stage area and the front of the auditorium, and there was much smoke and water damage. A fundraising appeal was launched to raise the $1 million needed to carry out repairs. The money was raised and the theatre underwent major reconstruction and refurbishment, reopening in March 1986.

Countless leading figures of Australian and international theatre, dance and music have graced the Theatre Royal’s stage. Among them are: J.C.Williamson, Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Vivien Leigh, Jack Davey, Roy ‘Mo’ Rene, Sybil Thorndike, Roger Woodward, Michael Redgrave, Lillian Gish, Peter Ustinov, Marcel Marceau, June Bronhill, Paul Mercurio, Ruth Cracknell, Ronnie Corbett, Ray Barrett, John Bell, Hugo Weaving, Charles ‘Bud’ Tingwell… the list could go on and on …

Today the Theatre Royal is not just a piece of Tasmania’s history but a living centre for the performing arts. It presents an annual program of live theatre, contemporary music, dance and entertainment. The theatre is available for hire by professional and amateur companies and is also used by corporations and convention organizers for special events, meetings, conferences and special gatherings.

Dubbed by Noel Coward “a dream of a theatre”, the Theatre Royal is Australia’s oldest working theatre and one of its most beautiful treasures.

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Upcoming events at Theatre Royal - Hobart

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