Royal Lyceum, Sydney

"Alexandra Hall" redirects here. For the diplomat, see Alexandra Hall Hall.

The Royal Lyceum was a small theatre in York Street, Sydney founded in 1854, which was redeveloped and renamed many times, finally as the Queen's Theatre, by which name it closed in 1882.

History

In the late 1840s Malcom's Royal Australian Circus (later Amphitheatre) opened on the west side of York Street, Sydney between King and Market streets, one door from the latter.^[1] The venue specialised in equestrian displays and trick riding,^[2] tightrope dancing and "Olympic games". John Malcom was the proprietor.^[3]

It was refurbished and reopened in October 1854 as the Royal Lyceum Theatre,^[4] perhaps named after the theatre in Edinburgh, and frequently referred to as "the Lyceum". Its first lessees were the American C. R. Thorne^[a] company, who were previously at the Victoria Theatre.

Not two years later, the theatre was taken over by W. H. Stephens and H. T. Craven, who refurbished its interior and in July 1856 renamed it and the hotel adjacent as "Our Lyceum".^[5] Improvements included a clerestory roof for better ventilation, boxes that gave a better view of the stage, and an enlarged orchestra pit. There was however a slump in stage productions and the theatre was mostly used for public meetings. Stephens was forced to declare insolvency.^[6] In 1866 the Lyceum, or "New Lyceum" with another renovation and new lessee Frank Towers, was reckoned one of three or four good theatres in Sydney (along with the Prince of Wales in Castlereagh Street, the Victoria Theatre in Pitt Street and, intermittently, the Opera House) but was "seldom open".^[7] In 1867 it became the Alexandra Hall, an assembly hall or salon de danse.^[8]

In 1869 the actor George Simms took over the lease, reopening it as the Royal Adelphi Theatre on 4 September 1869.^[9] The partnership of Harding, Wilson and Habbe took over as managers, renovating and decorating the interior, reopening on 27 November.^[10] with Watts Phillips' drama The Poor Strollers with Rosa Cooper as Lady Camille.^[11] Later plays included the Australian premiere of The Lancashire Lass, directed by Cooper.

 

Queen's Theatre, Sydney

In 1873 it was renovated and renamed the Queen's Theatre, under management of W. B. Gill,^[12] after which it became a café chantant, to Punch's chagrin,^[13] then refurbished by Samuel Lazar and reopened in March 1875, to Mr Punch's evident approval.^[14] J. C. Williamson and Maggie Moore played Struck Oil at "The Queen's" in March, 1875.

In July 1877 C. Wheatleigh, took over management of the Queen's Theatre and scored several successes in Around the World in 80 days and The Shaughran.^[15]L. M. Bayless followed as manager a few months later, with the Simonsen company and the opera Giroflé-Girofla. Licensee of the Queen's Hotel adjacent was the boxer Larry Foley.^[16]

In July 1882 the Queen's Theatre was closed by Government order, as being unsafe. It was used by a commercial interest for some years, then demolished sometime before 1905.

The new Lyceum

On 26 December 1892 a new theatre opened between Park and Market streets on Pitt Street, which was named "Lyceum", sometimes referred to as the New Lyceum, and marked the reunion of the J. C. Williamson and George Musgrove interests, in presenting the pantomime Little Red Riding Hood.^[17]

It became a cinema, "Spencer's Pictures"^[18] in 1908.

Notes

1. Charles Robert Thorne (1814–1893) was husband of singer Ann Maria Thorne née Mestayer (1813–1881)

References

1. "Theatres of the Early Days". The Sydney Mail. Vol. LII, no. 1348. New South Wales, Australia. 26 January 1938. p. 52. Retrieved 3 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
2. "About Circuses". The Herald (Melbourne). No. 3620. Victoria, Australia. 12 January 1892. p. 4. Retrieved 24 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
3. "Mummer Memoirs". The Sydney Sportsman. Vol. VII, no. 353. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1907. p. 3. Retrieved 24 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Royal Lyceum Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. Vol. XXXV, no. 5415. New South Wales, Australia. 23 October 1854. p. 4. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Mummer Memoirs". Sydney Sportsman. Vol. IX, no. 484. New South Wales, Australia. 13 October 1909. p. 3. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "Mummer Memoirs". Sydney Sportsman. Vol. XI, no. 702. New South Wales, Australia. 4 December 1912. p. 3. Retrieved 21 July 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
7. "Sydney". Freeman's Journal. Vol. XVII, no. 1211. New South Wales, Australia. 23 June 1866. p. 396. Retrieved 22 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "Advertising". Bell's Life In Sydney And Sporting Chronicle. Vol. XXI, no. 529. New South Wales, Australia. 11 May 1867. p. 3. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
9. "Latest News. Sydney Correspondence". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser. Vol. XXVI, no. 3327. New South Wales, Australia. 7 September 1869. p. 3. Retrieved 11 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "Advertising". The Sydney Morning Herald. Vol. LX, no. 9830. New South Wales, Australia. 23 November 1869. p. 1. Retrieved 11 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "The Royal Adelphi Theatre". Bell's Life in Sydney and Sporting Chronicle. Vol. XXIV, no. 677. New South Wales, Australia. 4 December 1869. p. 3. Retrieved 11 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "Amusements". The Sydney Morning Herald. Vol. LXVIII, no. 11, 073. New South Wales, Australia. 13 November 1873. p. 8. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Sic(k) Transit". Sydney Punch. New South Wales, Australia. 24 April 1874. p. 3. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
14. "And a Very Good Best, Too". Sydney Punch. New South Wales, Australia. 12 March 1875. p. 8. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
15. "Music and the Drama". Australian Town and Country Journal. Vol. XVI, no. 395. New South Wales, Australia. 28 July 1877. p. 20. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
16. "Larry Foley as Theatre Lessee". The Arrow. No. 1112. New South Wales, Australia. 21 July 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 24 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
17. "The Lyceum Pantomime". The Evening News. No. 7979. New South Wales, Australia. 27 December 1892. p. 3. Retrieved 19 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
18. "An Old Sydney Playhouse". The Referee. No. 1317. New South Wales, Australia. 31 January 1912. p. 16. Retrieved 23 March 2021 – via National Library of Australia.

External links

• A Short History of the Royal Lyceum Theatre, York St Sydney includes drawings and maps