The Theatre Royal is Australia’s oldest working theatre and one of its most beautiful treasures. In 2012 we celebrated the 175th anniversary of the first performance in 1837. Opening in 1837, Hobart’s Theatre Royal has been the home of contemporary theatre in Tasmania for more than 185 years and is Australia’s oldest working theatre. This 700-seat heritage treasure occupies an important place in t
he hearts of Tasmanians and many visitors to Hobart. Today the Theatre Royal is not just a piece of Tasmania’s history but a living centre for the performing arts. It presents an annual program of live theatre, contemporary music, dance and entertainment. Leading Australian and international artists have performed here over the decades, including Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Lillian Gish, Marcel Marceau, Roy ‘Mo’ Rene, Ruth Cracknell, John Bell and Hugo Weaving. The Theatre Royal has been saved from demolition several times – most notably in the late 1940s when Sir Laurence Olivier was among the many to leap to its defence. Since 2020, the Theatre Royal has also occupied the Hedberg, a new state-of-the-art facility shared with the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music. Three levels of foyers and bars, and a new 285-seat Studio Theatre, have brought new life to the organisation, and new opportunities to engage our audiences. Every year, the Theatre Royal curates an annual season of contemporary performance and events, which aims to present high calibre experiences that our audiences would not otherwise have the opportunity to see.
