The South Australian Government has announced $35.2 million revamp of Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide.

The South Australian Government has announced a $35.2 million investment over three years for the redevelopment of the historic Her Majesty’s Theatre in Adelaide. Opened in 1913, the heritage-listed theatre is the last remaining from the national Tivoli vaudeville circuit. The venue currently holds 970, but will be expanded by up to 570 seats to match the capacity of similar venues elsewhere in Australia. The redevelopment will also include a new entrance and foyer. The construction is expected to create 220 new jobs in SA, and it is hoped it will attract more touring productions to the state.

“Over recent years, a number of blockbusters, including The Lion King, Les Miserables and other theatrical, comedy and music products, have been bypassing Adelaide because of our shortage of large theatrical venues,” Adelaide Festival Centre CEO Douglas Gautier AM said. “This upgrade will provide a home for large-scale performances like this and further put Adelaide on the map. We know the audience demand exists for these shows, but there is nowhere for them to play because the 2,000 seat Festival Theatre is Adelaide’s only large scale commercially viable theatre in South Australia and it is full to capacity.”

The upgrade won’t just benefit touring shows, Gautier maintains. “A second large theatrical venue will also enable the South Australian performing arts companies, especially the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the State Opera of South Australia, greater access to the Festival Theatre so they can put on nationally significant works,” he said.

The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust will be raising $3 million dollars towards the project, and the Labor Government has promised an additional $1.1 million in support for when the theatre is closed. Once the upgrade is complete – construction is due to finish in 2019 – the Government anticipates that the theatre will host an additional 50 performances per year.

“Expanding and revitalising Her Majesty’s Theatre will bring more major shows to Adelaide, create jobs and support traders in the precinct,” said SA Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis. “The CBD has completely transformed in the past three years, and combined with the joint $14.6 million State Government/Adelaide City Council Markets to Riverbank laneways upgrade we are going to see even more vibrancy and cultural expression in the city.”

The Weatherill Government also announced an investment of $15.7 million over four years in South Australia’s cultural capital. This includes $700,000 for the Adelaide Festival of Arts, $3 million for Arts South Australia and $4 million per year to drive economic activity and job opportunities in the arts. This announcement is an effective reversal of the SA Government’s unpopular cuts to Arts South Australia’s budget and a welcome reprieve for a sector beset on both sides by State and Federal cuts to the arts.