About Perth's Teathers

Although arts and culture may not be one of Perth s most well known attractions, there are actually a number of major arts and stage theatres located in the city. The Perth Concert Hall, overlooking the calm waters of the Swan River, is revered as having the best and the finest acoustics in Australia. The Western Australia Symphony has the Concert Hall as it s performing home. As a result performances by international classic and contemporary artists are staged there and is well supported by Perth locals and visiting tourists alike.

The Perth Concert Hall continues to be one of the city s most well liked concert venues for performers doing a tour including guests of the annual Perth International Arts Festival. Since its grand opening back in January 1973, the Concert Hall has played host to a spectacularly diverse selection of internationally acclaimed performers including the London Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, BB King, Harry Connick Jr., Kd Lang, Melissa Etheridge, Ray Charles, Rowan Atkinson and Billy Connolly, to name a few. Adding to the appeal of the magnificent auditorium is a specially commissioned 3000-pipe organ surrounded by a 160-person choir gallery.

In Perth, you can actually have a picnic while watching live theater performances. This innovation is made possible by the Subiaco Theatre Centre, which stages outdoor performances. The building was originally the Subiaco City Hall but was converted into a performing arts venue and opened as the Subiaco Theatre Centre in 1984. Ten minutes to the west of Perth s Central Business District, the Subiaco Theatre Centre is a multi-purpose venue set amidst magnificent gardens often used for craft fairs, wedding photographs, picnics and summer twilight concerts for free presented by the City of Subiaco. The center incorporates two performance spaces, the 302 seat corner stage Main Auditorium and the 90 seat flexible Studio.

The Main Auditorium has outstanding acoustics and in addition to drama, is an ideal venue for concerts, seminars, corporate functions, product launches and similar events. The Centre has a licensed bar which operates before and after performances. An outdoor amphitheatre adjacent to the Centre is used for a series of popular twilight community concerts during summer.

The Subiaco Theatre Centre also hosts keep-fit and yoga community classes, as well as actor's workshops and theatre company rehearsals.Subiaco Theatre Centre is home to Barking Gecko, Perth's leading theatre company for young people, and the Black Swan Theatre Company of worldwide fame. Affectionately known as The Maj, His Majesty’s Theatre was built During the Gold Rush Boom of the early 20th Century at a cost of 42,000 pounds. It has an adjoining hotel that took about two years to complete.

This exquisite example of Edwardian era architecture has become one of Western Australia s most-loved heritage icons since it s opening on Christmas Eve in the year 1904. The building is the design magnum opus of architect William Wolfe and contractor Gustav Liebe who constructed the theatre for Thomas G. Molloy, a Perth businessman and one-time Lord Mayor of Perth. William Wolfe borrowed architectural elements from the 19th Century theatres of Europe and England, in constructing this majestic structure, which was described in the theatre s opening night programme as among the finest of its kind in the Commonwealth.

The dome roof, designed to improve ventilation in the auditorium, was among the theatre's most impressive features at the time. It slid open sideways so that on a typically warm summer evening, the audience could benefit from the cooling effects of the open roof. The Western Australia Ballet and West Australia Opera are housed here. His Majesty's Theatre was named after the reigning British monarch of 1904, King Edward VII. It is believed to be one of only two remaining working Edwardian theatres in Australia. This beautifully restored Edwardian theatre is highly merits a visit in itself. The Maj has become an Australian symbol and is the most economically successful theatre in Australian history. His Majesty's Theatre has a long and rich history, including a myriad of performance genres - from ballet to contemporary dance, opera to musical theatre, vaudeville to stand-up comedy, Shakespearean drama to pantomime and more.

Performers who have graced the stage at 'The Maj' include: Dame Nellie Melba, Anna Pavlova, Gladys Moncrieff, Dame Margot Fonteyn and Sir Robert Helpmann, as well as Academy Award winners Katharine Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, Sir John Gielgud, Claudette Colbert, Rex Harrison and Geoffrey Rush. These performers, and thousands of others who have performed at His Majesty's Theatre since 1904, have all contributed to the cultural and social livelihood of Western Australia.

No other theater has done more to foster the development of the major theatrical art forms. His Majesty's Theatre came under risk of demolition in the beginning 1980's. It was saved through the determined efforts of unions and members of the theatre society, which led in 1986 to a listing by Heritage Victoria and The National Trust. But, it was clear that the theatre needed repair and renewal to effectively carry her into the twenty first century. The stage house was incapable of supporting bigger shows on the international arena. The fabric of the edifice was aging, and the electrical and other services needed renewal. The custodial nature of the management at the time was unable to rescue the Grand Dame of Melbourne Theatre from irretrievable decay.

His Majesty's needed a new champion to rescue and restore her to her rightful place as the icon of theatre and state. One of Australia's best known media personalities, an impresario with impeccable credentials and a passion for live theatre, Mike Walsh OBE purchased His Majesty s Theatre in 2000 and immediately began the vitally needed upgrades.

Extensive rejuvenation was essential not only to house the high tech sets and equipment that are a part of modern-day theatre, but also to meet the requisite health and safety standards required by law. After more than seven decades of low maintenance and neglect, the structure, the art deco and public spaces at the frontage of the theatre were in a desperate need of thorough restoration. Due to the recent acquisition by Mike Walsh, that restoration has become an actuality and has fashioned the magnificent theatre that you see nowadays. Another distinguished theatre is the small conventional theatre situated in the University of Western Australia.

Opened in 1976, the Dolphin Theater is a proscenium arch theatre with a fly tower, 198-tiered seats and 24 extra seats which are positioned on the side galleries. It also features a sprung dance floor that makes the venue ideal for dance as well as intimate theatre productions. The Dolphin is outfitted with in-house theatrical lighting, sound rigs and cyclorama. The air-conditioned auditorium was refurbished in 1994 and bar, which is licensed, operates in the foyer area to serve patrons.

First and foremost, the Dolphin is used for university theatre productions but it is also offered for commercial hire and is in truth a popular Festival of Perth venue. Notable acts that have graced the Dolphin include Chamber Made Opera, William Yang and Lenny Henry.