The Royal Victoria Theatre, often referred to as the Victoria Theatre or The Old Vic, was a theatre in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, Australia, the first large theatre in the city. It opened in 1838; operas, plays, pantomimes and other events were held, and leading entertainers performed at the theatre. It was destroyed by fire in 1880.

Background and opening

The theatre was built by Joseph Wyatt; formerly a haberdasher, he had been a lessee of the first theatre in Sydney, the Theatre Royal, since 1835, and was sole lessee after 1836. In that year he planned another, larger, theatre. It was designed by Henry Robertson (c. 1802 – 9 September 1881) and the foundation stone was laid on 7 September 1836.Royal Victoria Theatre (Sydney)
Australian Variety Theatre Archive. Retrieved 26 February 2018. The new theatre, in

Pitt Street Pitt Street is a major street in the Sydney central business district in New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sect ...

, between

Park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

and

Market Market is a term used to describe concepts such as: *Market (economics), system in which parties engage in transactions according to supply and demand *Market economy *Marketplace, a physical marketplace or public market *Marketing, the act of sat ...

streets, opened on 26 March 1838, with a performance of Shakespeare's ''

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''. The theatre had a three-storey façade of

Georgian style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover, George I, George II, Ge ...

, and the front section included a hotel. The interior was of

Regency style Regency architecture encompasses classical buildings built in the United Kingdom during the Regency era in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to earlier and later buildings following the same style. The period co ...

. There were 1,900 seats. 1,000 were in a large pit extending below the dress circle – the first theatre in Australia to have this arrangement – with upper circle and gallery above. Entry to the dress and upper circle was through the main entrance, and other patrons used a side entrance. ''

The Sydney Monitor ''The Monitor'' was a biweekly English language newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales and founded in 1826. It is one of the earlier newspapers in the colony commencing publication twenty three years after the ''Sydney Gazette'', the fir ...

'' reported that the building was "truly elegant. ... From the pit you would suppose that you were in a large provincial theatre in England." In 1841 the theatre was fitted with gas lighting.

Following years

Actors associated with the Theatre Royal moved to the Victoria Theatre, including

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, who was manager of the theatre until the early 1840s. The population of Sydney was small in relation to the size of the theatre, so that a proper repertoire could not be built up: there were frequent changes of programme, leading to poorly rehearsed performances. In March 1841 Wyatt sailed for England to recruit actors, returning in January 1843. While he was away the theatre was managed by William Knight, a hotel owner. The new actors engaged faced opposition from the Sydney actors, and the ''

Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper in ...

'' commented on 25 January 1843: "Of the twelve brought out by him from England there is not one equal in ability to the leading members, male or female, of the old company". Wyatt eventually sacked some of his actors. Operas, dramas, burlesques, pantomimes and other amusements were held.

George Coppin George Selth Coppin (8 April 1819 – 14 March 1906) was a comic actor, a theatrical entrepreneur, a politician and a philanthropist, active in Australia.Sally O'Neill,Coppin, George Selth (1819–1906), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', ...

made his Australian debut in the theatre in 1843. Other performers seen during the theatre's history included

Lola Montez Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez (), was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludw ...

Gustavus Vaughan Brooke Gustavus Vaughan Brooke (25 April 1818 – 11 January 1866), commonly referred to as G. V. Brooke, was an Irish stage actor who enjoyed success in Ireland, England, and Australia. Early life Brooke was born in Dublin, Ireland, the eldest son o ...

Anna Bishop Anna, Lady Bishop (9 January 181018 March 1884) was an English operatic soprano. She sang in many countries and was believed to be the most widely travelled singer of the 19th century.George Darrell George Frederick Price Darrell (1851–1921) was an Australian playwright best known for '' The Sunny South'' (1883), which was made into a film ''The Sunny South or The Whirlwind of Fate''. Darrell began his professional career with Simonsen's ...

and William Creswick. The first opera written, composed and produced in Australia, ''

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'', premiered there in May 1847. John Gibbs, of Woolloomooloo Bay, was leader of the orchestra 1842–1869, also Toogood's Grand Concert Hall 1858–1861. Gibbs, later a teacher of violin, piano and singing, died June 1875. He was the possessor of an instrument by Andrew Guarnerius. In 1854 the theatre was purchased by a consortium including Joshua Josephson, and leased by a succession of managers, including Wilson and Habbe 1870–71, when Mary Gladestane had a season, first as

Frou-Frou ''Frou-Frou'', is a French comedy film from 1955, directed by Augusto Genina, written by A. E. Carr, starring Dany Robin and Louis de Funès. The film is also known as "A Girl from Paris". Plot Frou-Frou is a 16-year-old peddler. She comes to t ...

, then in October as Queen Elizabeth, when Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh attended. On 22 July 1880, the uninsured theatre burned to the ground, also Hardie and Mitchell's steam mill behind the theatre. Three men were killed — buried under the rubble when a wall collapsed. The site, at 199 Pitt Street, was taken over for Harris & Ackman's new auction rooms. In May 1915 the Strand picture theatre opened on the same site. By 1933 the site had been taken by McCathie's, Ltd.

References

{{Coord missing, New South Wales Former theatres in Sydney Theatres completed in 1838 1880 disestablishments in Australia