Haymarket Theatre, Melbourne
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
The Haymarket Theatre, or Royal Haymarket Theatre{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article208567561 |title=Old Playbills: Sept 15 1862 |newspaper=The Lorgnette |volume=XXI |issue=1608 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=21 May 1881 |accessdate=31 July 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} was a live theatre built by George Coppin in the Haymarket district of Melbourne, Australia in 1862 and was destroyed by fire in 1871.
History
The theatre was built on {{convert|1.5|acres}} on the south side of Bourke Street, extending through to Little Collins Street, and opened in 1862. Conlan was the architect and Cornwall the builder.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155007806 |title=Public Works |newspaper=The Age |issue=2,391 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=25 June 1862 |accessdate=23 June 2021 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}} The building incorporated the Apollo Music Hall, which opened on 5 July 1862 with a programme that featured Madame Carandini.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244229618 |title=Town Talk |newspaper=The Herald (Melbourne) |volume=LXXI |issue=5122 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=5 July 1862 |accessdate=23 June 2021 |page=4 |via=National Library of Australia}}
The theatre proper was opened on 15 September 1862 with the play Our American Cousin.
It was renamed the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre in January 1868{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5787597 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=6,732 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=6 January 1868 |accessdate=23 June 2021 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} in honour of the visit of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, but remained the "Haymarket", informally at least.
It was destroyed by fire on the evening of 22 September 1871.{{cite news|date=23 September 1871|title=Great Conflagration|page=12|newspaper=The Weekly Times (Melbourne)|issue=107|location=Victoria, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220407232|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=23 June 2021}} The building had been closed for some months owing to a dispute between the leaseholders and the trustees.
Managers
(as Haymarket Theatre)
- James Simmonds: 1862–April 1864 (also lessee/manager of Royal Princess's Theatre) relinquished due to insolvency.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5747638 |title=Law Report |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=5,572 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=16 April 1864 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}
- William Hoskins: 1864–1866. He went on to manage the Theatre Royal
- Foley: 1866 The nadir of his brief incumbency appears to have been the night of a "conundrum quest", "pig fight" and "kangaroo hunt".{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article199060359 |title=Theatrical |newspaper=Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle |volume=11 |issue=438 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=22 September 1866 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}
- George Coppin: 1866–April 1867{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article196634536 |title=The Drama |newspaper=The Leader (Melbourne) |volume=XIV |issue=589 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=13 April 1867 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=17 |via=National Library of Australia}}
(as Duke of Edinburgh Theatre)
- Spiller and Marsh: 1867–1868. Insolvent, "to nobody's surprise"{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138058804 |title=Our Letter Home |newspaper=The Australasian |volume=V |issue=132 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=10 October 1868 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=18 |via=National Library of Australia}}
- Gilbert Roberts: September 1868{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5826446 |title=Advertising |newspaper=The Argus (Melbourne) |issue=6,941 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=7 September 1868 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}} – January 1869, also insolvent.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article150643658 |title=Melbourne |newspaper=Geelong Advertiser |issue=6916 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=9 January 1869 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}} It was during this period that Charles Summers' bust of G. V. Brooke was controversially unveiled at the theatre, before its removal to the Public Library.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article60450897 |title=Bust of the Late G. V. Brooke |newspaper=Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers |issue=141 |location=Victoria, Australia |date=1 February 1869 |accessdate=9 September 2021 |page=38 |via=National Library of Australia}}
References
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{{coord missing|Victoria (state)}}
Category:1862 establishments in Australia
Category:1871 disestablishments in Australia