Empire Theatres Company

Empire Theatres Company (also referred to as Empire Theatres S. A. Limited in some sources) refers to one or two companies run by Edgar Hyman.

Hyman was running the company from 1894. However, some sources state he had started a new company (with the same name) in 1912, suggesting that at some time before 1912 the original company ceased its operations.

Empire Theatres Company (1894-?)

In July 1894, the Edgar Hyman and George Alexander founded the Empire Theatres Company and entered into a lease of the Globe Theatre in Johannesburg, which was renamed the Empire Palace of Varieties and was formally opened on 1 December 1894, with a programme of famous British variety artists, including W. C. Fields, Marie Lloyd, and Kate Harvey. In the same year, the company also took over the lease for the Gaiety Theatre in Johannesburg. In 1895, they acquired Searelle's Theatre Royal, renaming it Royal Theatre of Varieties.

Edgar's brother, Sydney Hyman, acted as the company's London manager, booking acts in England to perform in South Africa. By August 1896, a variety company was being recruitment in England every four weeks and sent to South Africa for an eight weeks' season. Hyman also travelled to America to seek out artists there.

By 1904, the company was also presenting artists at the Tivoli Theatre in Cape Town.

Empire Theatres Company (1912-1913)

In July 1912, the Grand Theatre in Market Street was bought out by Hyman's newly formed Empire Theatres Company in a mutual deal consolidating all their theatres. The Empire Palace of Varieties in Kruis Street (among others) was struggling to keep up with ‘bioscopes’ hence the consolidation. The company also contracted with The Bijou, but this did not last.

In 1913 Isidore W. Schlesinger bought Africa's Amalgamated Theatres and the Empire Theatres Company, as well as several other companies, thereby forming the African Theatres Trust Ltd on 10 April 1913, with A.H. Stodel (Harry Stodel) as partner.

For more information, see African Theatres Trust Ltd.