ABOUT US

Theatre Royal Sydney is one of Australia’s oldest theatrical institutions located in Sydney, dating back to 1833.

It has offered a broad range of entertainment including dramas, comedy and especially musicals over the years. Theatre Royal Sydney has undergone an extensive refurbishment through Create NSW, has been heritage listed, and now operated by Trafalgar Entertainment. In December 2021, the theatre reopened with the hit musical Jagged Little Pill and has been followed by many successful sold out shows such as TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Hadestown, and SIX the Musical.

Theatre Royal Sydney recognises and pays respect to all First Nations people and the traditional custodians on whose lands it now operates; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. Their traditions and storytelling customs are the oldest continuous forms of creative performance, and we recognise the importance of their culture, wisdom and creativity.

1895 King Street, Sydney

About Trafalgar Entertainment

Co-founded by Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire in 2017, Trafalgar Entertainment is a premium international live entertainment business focussed on new productions, venue ownership, Performing Arts education, theatre ticketing, the distribution of live-streaming innovative content and the provision of amazing spaces where people can come together to share in the experience of live entertainment. Trafalgar Entertainment is home to Trafalgar Theatres (comprising Trafalgar Theatre and Olympia Theatre in London), Theatre Royal Sydney, and 12 UK regional venues.

Theatre Royal Sydney is committed to providing world class experiences to customers to maximise their enjoyment at the Venue. We are also committed to providing all employees with a healthy and safe working environment.

THE HISTORY OF​

THEATRE ROYAL SYDNEY

1882 Theatre Royal Exterior

1833 – 1920

The name Theatre Royal had originally been used for a theatre upon which building work commenced in 1827 behind the Royal Hotel on George Street. This new playhouse from Barnett Levey opened on 5 October 1833 and operated through to March 1838. A few days later the much larger Royal Victoria Theatre opened, however both Levey’s Theatre Royal and Joseph Wyatt’s Royal Victoria Theatre would be consumed by fire in 1840 and 1880 respectively.

The second Theatre Royal was built in 1875 for producer and manager Samuel Lazar in Castlereagh Street between King and Rowe Streets, the other side of which would in 1890 be built the famous Australia Hotel. The stage was sixty-six feet deep and the dress circle was furnished lavishly with spring back chairs upholstered with crimson velvet. On 17 June 1892, the auditorium was largely destroyed by fire. The theatre was quickly rebuilt and reopened in the new year on 7 January 1893 with a much-improved electric lighting system. 

1938 Theatre Royal Exterior

1921 - 1972

In 1921 Theatre Royal received an extensive refurbishment by architect Henry Eli White to the tune of £400,000 – a small fortune by standards of the day. For the first time in Australian theatre history, the un-numbered bench seating in the gallery was abandoned in favour of a modern balcony which boasted specially padded seats with armrests. In the past, JC Williamson had said it wouldn’t work due to the rushing of the crowds. Along with this seating revelation, internal lavatories and a separate cloakroom for the gallery was installed.

In 1972, the theatre, along with the Hotel Australia, and much of the block on which it was situated, was demolished to construct the MLC Centre. Due to public agitation and action by construction unions, the developer incorporated a replacement 1,180-seat theatre into the design.

Les Misérables (1987) - Trevor Nunn (Director) & Gale Edwards with Company
Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench​

1976 – 2016

Designed by Harry Seidler in a modernist style, along with the rest of the complex, the current Theatre Royal opened on January 23rd 1976 with an entry from King Street. The foyer held a sculpture ‘The Mercator,’ designed by American sculptor Charles O. Perry, which was removed in the 1990s and returned only in 2021 with the refurbishment.

The theatre has hosted a mix of entertainment including dramas, comedies, and musicals, with notable productions such productions as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, CATS the Musical, Jersey Boys, and many more.

Theatre Royal closed in March 2016 amid development of the MLC Centre and calls for a new larger lyric theatre to be built.

2020 Glass Install

2019 – 2021

In March 2019, the NSW Government announced it had taken on a 55-year lease of the theatre from the MLC Centre developers, with the intention to re-open the venue with a private operator.

It was announced that the theatre would reopen in late 2021, after it was acquired by Trafalgar Entertainment, the company of British theatre impresarios Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire.

Architect Scott Carver worked in partnership with Trafalgar Entertainment in putting together a successful restoration for the theatre. The interior redesign devised by the practice both acknowledges the Theatre Royal’s rich architectural past and transforms the experience to meet current and future expectations of patrons and modern production requirements.

The scope of works included a sensitive upgrade to the auditorium, theatrical production equipment and back-of-house areas as well as a new fit out for the front-of-house facilities. The modernist character of the auditorium was honoured and enhanced, with the ribbed ceiling structure restored while the lighting design was updated, along with the seating, proscenium arch and extending the balcony to add a new front row to the circle. The Mercator hanging artwork was also reinstalled as a feature in the foyer.

2021 Ribbon Cutting​

2021 – Now

Theatre Royal Sydney officially reopened on 29 November 2021, followed by welcoming its first audience on 2 December to attend Jagged Little Pill and the official gala night on 9 December.

Since then, Theatre Royal Sydney has been home to a number of Australian premieres, including TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Hadestown, and The Lehman Trilogy, along with SIX the Musical, the 50th anniversary production of The Rocky Horror Show, the 40th anniversary production of CATS the Musical, The Mousetrap, and many more.

1993 Rob Guest (Phantom), Theatre Royal Sydney.
Photo by Michael Le Poer Trench

Past Productions

Theatre Royal Sydney has welcomed many productions over its long history with notable productions such as:

  • Cats
  • Chicago
  • Les Misérables
  • The Phantom of the Opera
  • The Rocky Horror Show
  • They’re Playing Our Song
  • Little Shop of Horrors
  • Chess
  • Jersey Boys
  • Dirty Dancing
  • My Fair Lady
  • Driving Miss Daisy
  • Jagged Little Pill
  • An American In Paris