Tivoli Theatre Circuit programs, photographs and ephemera, ca. 1929-1966

fonds

ca. 1929-1966

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Drawings, Ephemera, Photographs

152421

0.32 metres of textual material (2 boxes)

Tivoli Circuit was made up to two distinct circuits of variety theatres. The first from 1893-1929 and second from 1932-1966. The first was established by Harry Rickard’s who leased the Garrick Theatre Sydney and renamed it Tivoli Theatre. After being refused a license for the Alhambra Theatre, formerly the Prince of Wales Opera House, in Melbourne, the Rickard’s company moved to the Bijou Theatre in Adelaide in 1899. He bought the Tivoli Theatre in Sydney in 1899, but it was destroyed by fire in that same year. The new Tivoli Theatre in Sydney opened in 1900, followed by the New Opera House in Melbourne in 1901. The Tivoli Circuit imported international vaudeville stars and extended to Brisbane and Perth with touring shows in New Zealand.
The Circuit was carried on after Rickards' death in 1911 by a succession of managements. In 1911 a syndicate headed by Hugh D. Mclntosh leased the Sydney Tivoli and bought the rest of the circuit. In 1921 the control of the Tivoli circuit passed to Musgrove Theatre headed by Harry G. Musgrove. In 1924 J.C. Williamson's bought the circuit to import and present stars for celebrity vaudeville through Tivoli Vaudeville Pty Ltd. McIntosh bought Sydney Tivoli in 1928. In 1929 J.C. Williamson ceased importing acts and McIntosh sold it to London syndicate which wanted to build a cinema.
Mike Connors and Queenie Paul (in the Depressions years) merged with Tivoli in 1931 as Con-Paul Theatres at the Tivoli and at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. In 1932 they moved to the Grand Opera House in Sydney and renamed it the New Tivoli Theatre. Connors and Paul sold their interests to Frank Neil in 1934 and Tivoli Theatre Ltd was created, managed by Wesley Ince. In 1935 the company became Tivoli Circuit Australia Pty Ltd with Neil as managing director. Wallace Parnell supervised productions and took control when Neil died in 1940. In 1944, David N. Martin bought the Tivoli Circuit of Australia.
Travelling vaudeville, dramatic companies and circuses showed resilience during the first three decades of the century. In 1905, there were 31 touring companies. The Foiles-Bergere Company toured in 1952-1953. The dramatic companies died with the advent of the talkies and television in Australia in 1956 and the depression played havoc with the vaudeville shows, although some of them survived into the 1950s. The Tivoli Theatre stopped producing revues in 1966.

References:
Library correspondence file
The Wolanski Foundation, http://www.twf.org.au/research/culturec.html, (accessed 14 September 2012)

Former owner Robyn Kent, Lindfield NSW

This collection is arranged in four series:

Series 01: Tivoli Theatre shows and artists : collection of photographs, ca. 1928-1965

Series 02: Printed publicity material relating to film and theatre, ca. 1929-1951

Series 03: Illustrated drafts for variety theatre posters, ca. 1930-1939.

Series 04: Theatre programs and playbills relating to Tivoli Theatre and J.C. Williamson, ca. 1935-1966

Copyright status:: In copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2012-2013