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Adelaide Festival Centre launches public tours of the new Her Majesty’s Theatre

Her Majesty's Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.
Her Majesty's Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.

South Australians will finally be able to appreciate the newly redeveloped Her Majesty’s Theatre in person, with Adelaide Festival Centre announcing guided tours to begin from the end of August.

Her Majesty's Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.
Her Majesty’s Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.

This exciting opportunity for the public to experience the $66 million redeveloped theatre in person will be one of the first ticketed events held in the venue since COVID-19 closures in March. On this Curtain Up Tour, patrons will be able to view The Maj’s new state-of-the-art facilities, striking architectural details that complement its 100-plus years of history and get to glance behind the curtain and backstage, including the famous signature wall.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM said he and the team are looking forward to welcoming audiences back into theatres and working closely with SA Health to ensure public safety is paramount. 

Her Majesty's Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.
Her Majesty’s Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.

“We are fortunate to be in a position in SA where we can begin welcoming audiences back into our venues and this is our way of finally being able to share the stunning new-look Her Majesty’s Theatre with the wider community,” Gautier said. “The redeveloped theatre is truly a grand sight to behold and really needs to be seen in person to be appreciated. This is a project we hope will be celebrated by all South Australians, and we invite everybody to experience our new home and feel part of something special in our state. We are also working closely with local arts companies and carefully planning and adapting to changing restrictions in order to safely reopen our venues and ensure patrons, artists and staff feel comfortable returning. These include strict hygiene measures, thorough cleaning, hand sanitising stations on site and operating our venues at 50 percent capacity, in line with SA Health recommendations.”

Last week, Adelaide Festival Centre launched The Maj’s Virtual Tour, giving audiences an online tour of the stunning theatre that can be viewed here.

The world class theatre is ready to house more blockbuster productions, with the first major production for the venue recently announced as State Theatre Company South Australia’s production Gaslight, on sale now and starting in September.

Her Majesty's Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.
Her Majesty’s Theatre. Photo by Chris Oaten.

Work on the redeveloped and larger Her Majesty’s Theatre commenced in June 2018, and was officially unveiled in June 2020, to enthusiastic reviews. Located on Grote Street in the Chinatown Precinct, The Maj is managed by Adelaide Festival Centre, making her a part of the family that is ‘The Heart of The Arts’ in South Australia. The transformed iconic South Australian theatre is now larger and more accessible and features a 1467-seat auditorium over three levels, with the Grand Circle returning for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Adelaide landmark was built in 1913, and is the last remaining example of the famous chain of Tivoli theatres – the increased capacity, combined with more spacious backstage facilities, will allow Her Majesty’s Theatre to host at least 50 extra performances a year and attract some of Australia’s most popular touring shows and musicals.

Adelaide Festival Centre venues were forced to close in March due to COVID-19 restrictions. Stay up to date on current COVID information and more events to be announced in coming months here.

Her Majesty’s Theatre Curtain Up Tours start from Thursday, August 20, and will run every Tuesday at 11am and 2pm. To purchase tickets, visit www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/tours or call BASS on 131 246.

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