Empire Palace of Varieties - Revision history

Darryl: /* The Palace of Varieties, Durban */

2026-06-30T12:15:31Z

The Palace of Varieties, Durban

Darryl: /* The Palace of Varieties, Durban */

2026-06-30T12:13:21Z

The Palace of Varieties, Durban

Darryl at 12:12, 30 June 2026

2026-06-30T12:12:59Z

Darryl: /* 1906-1935 */

2026-06-30T12:03:47Z

1906-1935

Darryl at 12:02, 30 June 2026

2026-06-30T12:02:48Z

Darryl: /* 1894-1903 */

2026-06-30T11:39:35Z

1894-1903

Darryl: /* 1894-1903 */

2026-06-30T10:54:52Z

1894-1903

Darryl: /* 1906-1935 */

2026-01-29T16:48:37Z

1906-1935

Darryl: /* 1906-1935 */

2026-01-29T16:45:49Z

1906-1935

Darryl: /* 1906-1935 */

2026-01-29T16:41:40Z

1906-1935

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:15, 30 June 2026
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	It appears that for some time a venue operated in Durban as [[His Majesty's - Palace of Varieties]]. It is unclear if this is the same Empire venue that [[Edgar Hyman]] was planning to open in Durban in 1904.		It appears that for some time a venue operated in Durban as [[His Majesty's - Palace of Varieties]]. It is unclear if this is the same Empire venue that [[Edgar Hyman]] was planning to open in Durban in 1904.
		+
		+	'''For more information, see [[His Majesty's Theatre]].'''

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 == The Palace of Varieties, Durban ==
-It appears that for some time a venue operated in Durban as [[His Majesty's - Palace of Varieties]]. It is unclear if this is the same Empire venue Edgar Hyman was planning to open in Durban in 1904.
+It appears that for some time a venue operated in Durban as [[His Majesty's - Palace of Varieties]]. It is unclear if this is the same Empire venue that [[Edgar Hyman]] was planning to open in Durban in 1904.
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The term '''[[Palace of Varieties]]''' (or Palace of Variety) seems to have been a generic name for a number of theatrical establishments in South Africa during the period 1889-1910. So too does the name '''Empire''' in the heyday of the British empire. The venues had a number of varying of names over the years, and never seem to be referred to consistently. These include The [[Empire Theatre]], The [[Empire Theatre|Old Empire Theatre]], The [[Empire Music Hall]], The [[Empire Palace of Variety]], The [[Empire Palace of Varieties]], etc. It pretty much seems to depend on who is renting it and who is writing about it, though the term “music hall" was an earlier one, usually replaced by the more flamboyant “palace of varieties” – [TH, McM].
-== The Empire Palace of Varieties, Cape Town. ==
+== The Empire Palace of Varieties, Cape Town ==
-== The Empire Palace of Varieties, Johannesburg. ==
+== The Empire Palace of Varieties, Johannesburg ==
 There have been two theatres by this name in Johannesburg:
@@ Line 46: / Line 46: @@
 '''For more information post-1935, see [[Empire Theatre]].'''
 == Sources ==
@@ Line 52: / Line 56: @@
 https://www.grimh.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&layout=edit&id=9646&Itemid=675&lang=es
 == For more information ==

@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 : ''[[Sally]]''
-'''For more information, see [[Empire Theatre]].'''
+'''For more information post-1935, see [[Empire Theatre]].'''
 == Sources ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The term '''[[Palace of Varieties]]''' (or Palace of Variety) seems to have been a generic name for a number of theatrical establishments in South Africa during the period 1889-1910. So too does the name '''Empire''' in the heyday of the British empire. The venues had a number of varying of names over the years, and never seem to be referred to consistently. These include The [[Empire Theatre]], The [[Empire Theatre|Old Empire Theatre]], The [[Empire Music Hall]], The [[Empire Palace of Variety]], The [[Empire Palace of Varieties]], etc. It pretty much seems to depend on who is renting it and who is writing about it, though the term “music hall" was an earlier one, usually replaced by the more flamboyant “palace of varieties” – [TH, McM].
 == The Empire Palace of Varieties, Cape Town. ==
 == The Empire Palace of Varieties, Johannesburg. ==
@@ Line 12: / Line 9: @@
 ===1894-1903===
-In 1894 this became the new name for the  re-opened [[Globe Theatre]] at 47/49 Fox Street in Johannesburg when it was leased by the [[Empire Theatres Company]] and managed by [[Edgar Hyman]] and his business partner [[George Alexande]]r. The Palace's  bar became an informal stock exchange, and it was also the venue where the first motion picture was screened in South Africa in 1896 as the "Cinematographe", brought out  by illusionist [[Carl Hertz]].
+In 1894 this became the new name for the  re-opened [[Globe Theatre]] at 47/49 Fox Street in Johannesburg when it was leased by the [[Empire Theatres Company]] and managed by [[Edgar Hyman]] and his business partner [[George Alexander]].
 The Empire remained continuously open from 1894 until October 1899, when it was closed by the Transvaal Government, due to the declaration of war. It re-opened on 26 May 1902 and the bioscope was restored on 7th March 1903. Fire again destroyed the stage after a performance on 19th November 1903, but the auditorium was saved by the effectiveness of the fireproof curtain, which became an innovation in theatres of that period.
@@ Line 51: / Line 50: @@
 ''Johannesburg 1912 – Suburb by suburb research'' (Blog by Marc Latilla): ''Theatres in early Johannesburg'',(Posted: July 29, 2013 at 9:25 pm)[https://johannesburg1912.wordpress.com/2013/07/29/theatres-in-early-johannesburg/]
 == For more information ==

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ===1894-1903===
-In 1894 this became the new name for the  re-opened [[Globe Theatre]] at 47/49 Fox Street in Johannesburg. The Palace's  bar became an informal stock exchange, and it was also the venue where the first motion picture was screened in South Africa in 1896 as the "Cinematographe", brought out  by illusionist [[Carl Hertz]].
+In 1894 this became the new name for the  re-opened [[Globe Theatre]] at 47/49 Fox Street in Johannesburg when it was leased by the [[Empire Theatres Company]] and managed by [[Edgar Hyman]]. The Palace's  bar became an informal stock exchange, and it was also the venue where the first motion picture was screened in South Africa in 1896 as the "Cinematographe", brought out  by illusionist [[Carl Hertz]].
 The Empire remained continuously open from 1894 until October 1899, when it was closed by the Transvaal Government, due to the declaration of war. It re-opened on 26 May 1902 and the bioscope was restored on 7th March 1903. Fire again destroyed the stage after a performance on 19th November 1903, but the auditorium was saved by the effectiveness of the fireproof curtain, which became an innovation in theatres of that period.

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 : ''[[The Bing Boys on Broadway]]'', ''[[Xtra Speshul]]'' and the pantomime ''[[The Babes in the Woods]]''.
-: ''[[The Jollity Seven']]' (a revue featuring [[Elise Hamilton]]).
+: ''[[The Jollity Seven]]'' (a revue featuring [[Elise Hamilton]]).
 : ''[[Sally]]''

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 Productions staged there include:
-:  ''[[The Million Dollar Girl]]'' (a revue)
+:  ''[[The Million Dollar Girl]]'' (a revue);  ''[[Venus Ltd]]''
 : ''[[S'Nice]]''

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:41, 29 January 2026
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	Productions staged there include:		Productions staged there include:
		+
		+	1916: ''[[The Million Dollar Girl]]'' (a revue)

	1917: ''[[S'Nice]]''		1917: ''[[S'Nice]]''