The Palace Theatre Melbourne is a grand and iconic venue located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. With a history dating back to 1850, the Palace Theatre has hosted everything from opera and ballet to rock concerts and comedy shows. One of the key details that makes the Palace Theatre such an impressive venue is its substantial capacity. But what exactly is the capacity of the Palace Theatre Melbourne?
Quick Answer
The total seated capacity of the Palace Theatre Melbourne is 2384 seats. This includes the Stalls, Circle, and Gallery levels of seating. With standing room included, the total maximum capacity is just over 2500 people.
Detailed Answer
Here is a more detailed breakdown of the Palace Theatre Melbourne’s seating capacity by section:
Section | Number of Seats |
---|---|
Stalls | 945 seats |
Circle | 672 seats |
Gallery | 767 seats |
Total Seated Capacity | 2384 seats |
The Stalls section is the main floor level seating. The Circle is the first balcony level. And the Gallery is the second balcony furthest from the stage. With all three sections combined, there are a total of 2384 fixed seats in the Palace Theatre.
In addition to the seated capacity, the Palace Theatre Melbourne also has standing room capacity:
- Stalls Standing: Approximately 70 people
- Circle Standing: Approximately 50 people
When both seated and standing room capacity are combined, the Palace Theatre has a maximum capacity of just over 2500 patrons.
History of the Palace Theatre Melbourne’s Capacity
When the Palace Theatre first opened in 1850 under the name Apollo Music Hall, it had a much smaller capacity of just 500 seats. Back then it was mainly used for opera, recitals, and lectures. Over the next several decades, the venue underwent several expansions to increase capacity and modernize the space.
Here is a brief overview of how the Palace Theatre’s capacity changed over its 170+ year history:
- 1850 (opening) – 500 seats
- 1891 – Rebuilt and capacity increased to 1800 seats
- 1915 – Renovations added 200 more seats for a total of 2000
- 1922 – Further renovations brought capacity to 2500
- 1927 – With the addition of the Gallery, capacity hit 2600 seats
- 1996 – Final renovations reduced capacity slightly to the current 2384
As you can see from the timeline, the seating capacity steadily increased over the decades as technology allowed the upper levels and galleries to be built and expanded. The biggest leaps in capacity happened with the major renovations in the late 19th and early 20th century. More recent renovations in the 1990s focused on modernizing the facilities and improving audience sight lines, resulting in the fixed seating capacity decreasing slightly but boosting the overall customer experience.
Configuration and Capacity for Concerts
When the Palace Theatre hosts a concert, the capacity and configuration of the seats is a bit different than for traditional theater shows or ballet. For most concerts, the capacity is reduced to around 2200 seats. The Stalls section becomes standing room only, with chairs removed to make room for crowds to gather near the stage. Some or all of the Circle level seats may also be removed depending on the specific show.
With a full standing room crowd on the main floor, there is room for about 2000 people on the Stalls level alone. Meanwhile, the reserved seating sections upstairs remain intact but are usually reconfigured into general admission or festival seating plans. This allows for massive standing crowds in front of the stage while keeping adequate seating in the Circle and Gallery levels above.
Some of the most famous concerts held at the Palace Theatre Melbourne include:
- The Beatles – June 1964
- Rolling Stones – February 1965
- David Bowie – March 1978
- Bob Dylan – April 1978
- Neil Young – January 1989
- Leonard Cohen – 2013
For sold out shows like these, the Palace Theatre can pack in over 2000 avid music fans through creative use of standing room and reserved seating tickets.
How the Capacity Compares to Other Melbourne Theaters
With a seated capacity of 2384, the Palace Theatre has one of the largest capacities of any traditional proscenium theater in Melbourne. Here is how it compares to a few other notable theaters in the city:
Theater | Seated Capacity |
---|---|
Regent Theatre | 2039 seats |
Princess Theatre | 1629 seats |
Forum Theatre | 1500 seats |
Comedy Theatre | 1520 seats |
State Theatre | 1600 seats |
As you can see, the Palace has over 350 more seats than its nearest competitor, the Regent Theatre. The combination of its extended history and prime CBD location has allowed the Palace to maintain its status as Melbourne’s largest traditional theater.
Of course, if you include arena venues and stadiums, places like Rod Laver Arena (14,820 seats) and Marvel Stadium (53,359 seats) absolutely dwarf the Palace Theatre’s capacity. But for a dedicated, classic proscenium theater designed predominantly for dramatic productions, ballet, and classic concerts, the Palace Theatre remains unrivaled in Melbourne. Its ability to seat well over 2000 patrons continues to make it a world-class venue over 150 years since it first opened.
Factors That Limit Capacity
While the Palace Theatre can theoretically hold over 2500 people, there are some practical factors that limit the realistic maximum capacity for most events:
- The size and layout of aisles/exits – There must be adequate paths for patrons to enter and exit safely in an emergency.
- Number of restrooms available – Longer shows require sufficient restroom facilities for the number of guests.
- Backstage and support facilities – Larger casts require more backstage space and dressing rooms.
- Type of performance – A packed house may be fine for a concert but impractical for a theater show where the audience needs to be quiet.
- Personnel required – Larger crowds require more ushers, security, parking attendants etc.
In general, the absolute maximum capacity is only utilized for certain rock concerts or special events. For traditional multi-act plays and ballet performances, a full house is usually considered to be around the 2000 seat mark. This allows for comfortable seating, manageable intermissions, and a consistent experience show after show.
Future Expansion Plans
While the Palace Theatre has maintained a consistent capacity for over 20 years now, there are always rumors circulating about potential expansions or renovations that could increase the max capacity even further. However there are no definite plans in place as of yet.
Some of the expansion ideas that get discussed from time to time include:
- Adding more floor seating that could be converted to standing room for concerts.
- Increasing the height or adjusting the layout of the Gallery to add more seats.
- Building out side stage boxes for private premium seating.
- Absorbing adjacent buildings to expand the overall footprint.
With such a long and storied history though, any major renovations would likely meet resistance and spark heated debate between preserving heritage and increasing profitability. For now, the Palace remains focused on maintaining its current layout and restoring existing features to their original glory.
But if demand for tickets continues to surge in coming decades, expanding capacity is certainly one option the owners may consider revisiting down the road.
Conclusion
The Palace Theatre Melbourne first opened in 1850 with a modest capacity of just 500 seats. Over the decades, multiple expansions and restorations brought that number all the way up to the current total today of 2384 fixed seats. With the addition of standing room in certain configurations, the Palace Theatre can accommodate audiences over 2500 people strong.
This substantial capacity makes the Palace one of the largest and most impressive venues of its kind in Melbourne. Everything from rock concerts to ballet productions come to life on the Palace Theatre’s iconic stage. With world-class acoustics and facilities, plus the ability to adapt to various seating layouts, the Palace Theatre stands ready to deliver top-quality live entertainment to Melbourne audiences for years to come.