GWB McFarlane Theatres to manage Queen's Theatre in Adelaide

Specialist theatre management company GWB McFarlane Theatres has announced that it has been awarded the management contract for the Queen's Theatre in Adelaide by Arts South Australia.

The Queen's Theatre, at the corner of Gilles Arcade and Playhouse Lane in Adelaide's West End, is the oldest purpose-built theatre in mainland Australia.

Established by producers Tim McFarlane, Torben and Richelle Brookman, Paul Warwick Griffin and Gareth Hewitt Williams, GWB McFarlane Theatres also announced that it has secured the return of the Unsound Adelaide event to the venue.

Commenting on the contract, McFarlane, the Executive Chairman of GWB McFarlane Theatres stated “to take on the management of the oldest theatre on mainland Australia, in the CBD of Adelaide, is a fantastic opportunity. This largely undiscovered 1840s gem, can become an integral part of Adelaide's strong, vibrant and eclectic arts scene."

Arts South Australia's Director of Cultural Heritage Hannah Schultz added "with strong local South Australian roots, coupled with national and international venue management and production experience, GWB McFarlane is uniquely positioned to deliver strongest possible management for the Queen's Theatre."

After four years in the Adelaide Festival program, and last year's successful 2017 event as a standalone festival, Unsound Adelaide returns to the Queen's Theatre in 2018. The State Government, through Events South Australia and the Music Development Office, is a major partner of Unsound Adelaide. Unsound will be held from 14th to 16th December over two nights offering live music, sound installations and exclusive shows to Australia.

Unsound is a festival focused on presenting avant-garde electronic music and art that began in Krakow, Poland in 2003. Now in its 15th year, Unsound has grown to be one of the world's most adventurous music festivals - with Adelaide being its only event in the Southern Hemisphere.

Built by the Solomon brothers, the Queen's Theatre opened in 1841 with a production of Othello and originally had seating for 1,000 patrons. In 1850 it was remodeled with a new Georgian facade to re-open in December of that year as the Royal Victoria Theatre.

Today the shell of the original theatre remains with the 1850s façade of the Royal Victoria Theatre. Since 1996, the Queen's has again been home to a variety of performances from the Adelaide Festival and Adelaide Fringe along with all manner of local South Australian companies.