A Haunting at the Star Theatre
145 Sir Donald
Bradman Drive, Hilton.
A Methodist
Free Church was built at 143 Sir Donald Bradman Drive in 1857. It became a
Baptist Church in 1861. On the lot next door, a tin shed was built in 1923 as
the Soldiers Memorial Institute. This was replaced in 1928 with a stone and
brick building. During the 1930s, the institute was used for roller skating and
dancing. In a precursor to night cricket, in 1936, the Hilton Institute
became home to ‘Electric Light Cricket’, which was invented at Cowandilla by Alf
Stone in 1933.[1]
Matches were played indoors under electric lighting. Electric Light Cricket became a competitive sport in the area, which included multiple clubs using institutes
and RSL Halls as their ‘home ground.’ In
1937, extensions to the Institute were completed – this included a ladies'
retiring room and the projection room. The building became the Lyric Theatre and
later the Windsor Theatre.
In 1956, further additions were made to the
building, allowing a larger audience to attend. For a short time, the theatre
was known as the Star Theatre.
In 1962, John Edmund and Donald Grey
leased the building and turned it into a live theatre, renaming it Theatre
62. In 1970, the Soldiers Memorial
Institute was disbanded, and the library, which was still housed in the
building, was removed by the Council.
In 1981, the former church next door was
purchased, and the two buildings were joined together. The complex was then known as
Theatre 62. The Chapel was utilised as a youth centre by Carclew. The building
was refurbished by the West Torrens Council in 1992. In 1993, Mighty Good
Entertainment invested in the partnership that leased the building, and in
1999, it was decided to rename the complex Star Theatres.
In 2015, West Torrens Council voted to retain
the theatre and upgrade the building. Mighty Good Productions has been in the
building for 30-plus years. The venue boasts patronage of over 80 thousand
visitors a year.
According to local legend, a former director of the theatre committed suicide by hanging himself in the access ladder doorway in the 1950s. Another former director of the theatre, Bob Jessop, claims to have witnessed a spectre in the building. Jessop claims that he was locking up the theatre one night when he witnessed the silhouette of a person step off the stage and into the wings. He went to see who it was, but could not find anyone. Jessop also claims that an invisible presence was often felt in the building by him and others. The ghost’s presence was always stronger when there were children present. It could also unplug the lighting.
Another former director of the theatre, Barb Messenger, claimed that the ghost had particular tastes in theatre productions. It did not like period pieces and would cause disturbances to interrupt shows.
An incident occurred when ABC presenter John Ovendon was present in the foyer. Allegedly, a glass vase flew off a table and across the room with no living person near it!
Another incident involved Nicholas Upholske. There was repeated pounding on a rear door, but when it was opened, no one was there. Mr Upholske waited for the pounding to start again with his hand on the door lock. As soon as it began again, he swung the door open, expecting to see the culprit, but no one was there! It is not known who the ghost may be. Paranormal events continue to this day…[2]
(C) 2026 Allen Tiller
The Haunt of Adelaide
[1] Daniel Keane, ‘ Electric
Light cricket: The game Adelaide’s Alf Stone invented 85 years before the first
day-night Test.’, ABC News, (2015),
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-25/electric-light-cricket-invented-by-adelaide-digger/6972582.
[2] Gordon de L. Marshall, Ghosts
and Hauntings of South Australia, (2012), pp.71-2.
