Queen's Theatre, Adelaide

After a series of other uses, Heritage SA bought the building in the 1980s, and it was eventually restored and reopened as a performance venue in the 1996 Adelaide Festival.

[2][3] Attempts to build a more substantial theatre in an increasingly prosperous Adelaide were made, with a declaration by the South Australian Register stating "...Mr Solomon, of Currie Street, is about to make an important addition to the quarter of Gilles Arcade, by the erection of a spacious and handsome edifice which he ends to fit up as a theatre".

[7] The project had dire predictions of failure from the press[8] and opened with Othello on 11 January 1841,[9] the manager John Lazar in the title role, to "mixed reviews".

It then became successively a dance hall designated the "Prado",[17] the headquarters for the City Mission,[18] Formby's Horse Bazaar (1877–c.1900)[3][19] From 1908 until 1928, John Shannon occupied the premises for use as sales yards, livery, stables and forge.

[21] Excavation also revealed historically significant remains and numerous artefacts, including clay pipes, bottles, plates, buttons, props and costumes, shoes, candlesticks and stage decorations, the most significant treasure being a gold and ruby earring featuring dangling ivy leaves, which is now in a collection managed by the History Trust of South Australia.

[citation needed] The theatre is still used as a performance space and function venue, but with stringent conditions intended to preserve as far as possible, the old character of the building.

[21] A new theatre was built in 1846 for George Coppin on nearby land on Light Square belonging to Solomon and managed by John Lazar, designed architect Thomas Price.

[24] In January 1850, the New Queen's Theatre was described by the South Australian Register as "a hotbed of demoralization" and that "no man can sit out a performance without being disgusted; no lady can enter the impure precincts without contamination".