Sunday Selections # 137

Welcome back to Sunday Selections!

This once-a- week-meme was originally begun by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock, as a way to showcase some of the many photos we all take, but don't get around to showing on our blogs.

Kim now spends more time writing over at The Shake.

The rules are very simple:-

1. post photos of your choice, old or new, under the Sunday Selections title

2. link back to me, River, somewhere in your post

3. leave me a comment so that I know you've joined in and can come over and see what you've posted.

4. hop on over to The Elephant’s Child to see more of her wonderful photos.

Kath and Andrew often join in as well, although Kath has been quite busy lately and unable to join us.

I usually go with a theme for my Sunday Selections, but this week I have a few photos of 

Her Majesty's Theatre here in Adelaide.

A friend mentioned to me that the theatre was celebrating its 100th birthday with a live broadcast of Peter Goers radio show.  Would I like her to get me a ticket?  Why not? Yes, please. I assumed she was going along and we'd go together. Turns out she wasn't going, so I went alone. 

 front cover of my programme from the night.

I caught a bus into town and a taxi home, since it was dark by then and I didn't want to be hanging around at bus stops that late at night. 

The host for the evening was Peter Goers, who presents the Evenings show on ABC Local Radio in Adelaide, across SA and into the Silver City of Broken Hill.

Peter is also a long-term columnist with The Sunday Mail, our local Sunday newspaper.

There was quite a line up of guests and performers......

one of whom was Phyl Skinner.

Here's a closer look at her...

that's Phyl Skinner, just right of centre, with the short, bright red hair, standing next to Kamahl.

Phyl, who is an Original *Tivoli Girl and Showbiz Legend, is 91 years old and boy does she put me to shame!  Ninety-one!! and she showed us how she can still lift her right leg straight up into the air and pretend to play banjo on it. She is also quite the comedian, making us all laugh with her advertisement for a new, stronger vacuum cleaner that is proclaimed to be so powerful it will suck your children back into the house from where they are hiding down the street.

In case you can't enlarge and read this, paragraph three says..."Her Majesty's , under various names and managements, has been entertaining Adelaide for a hundred years. It was created as a variety house, part of the legendary *Tivoli vaudeville circuit; indeed it is the only original *Tivoli theatre still standing.........."

Kamahl, who is also a comedian, sang his trademark song....

Old Man River

Now who would this be?

the young man in the glittering blue jacket, black stockings and feathered hat? The young ladies in the sparkly blue outfits?

That would be Matt Gilbertson, aka "Hans" seen here hamming it up with Peter Goers...

and here performing with the lovely young ladies also known as "The Lucky Bitches".

I loved this segment, which was the final performance for the night, so here is another photo.

a little blurry, an action shot.

There were pre-recorded voice only interviews with Jill Perryman, Nancye Hayes and Toni Lamond, none of whom could make it, having other commitments on the night.

The rest of the repertoire was more of a classical nature, singers and musicians, which is not my thing, but greatly appreciated by the rest of the audience who all appeared to be regular theatre goers.

this photo of an old photo shows the audience at the "Opening of the Tivoli Theatre, Adelaide"
so that would be 1913. Look how packed it was! I don't think there is a single empty seat!

Her Majesty's Theatre is also known as The Grand Old Lady of Grote Street.
When the theatre was first opened it was regarded as the finest theatre in Australia. Famous name who have performed there include WC Fields, Lauren Bacall, Joan Sutherland, Robert Helpmann and Keith Mitchell.

Unfortunately, the Grand Old Lady is showing her age and in 2014 there will be a major building fund appeal launched to ensure an upgrade and increased seating to ensure that Her Majesty's continues to serve South Australians in style.
I plan on donating to this fund, even though I am *not a theatre going person, as I think it would be a crying shame to lose the last of the original Tivoli Theatre houses.
And apparently the acoustics there are fabulous!

*I have been there three times in the past, to see musical comedy shows, such as Hot Shoe Shuffle with David Atkins, Rhonda Burchmore and The Tap Dogs;  Dynamite, again David Atkins, with his wife Sheree DaCosta and Tina Arena,  before she went to France, and my daughters and I saw Cats there, the first time it appeared in Adelaide.