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was a wide, central, grand staircase to the first landing. This and half miles of wiring in 2,500 ft. of conduit to provide
was built in timber (includingjatTah stair treads), with carved the required 18,000 candlepower. The P.R. was the 24th.
balustrading and decorative timber side wall infills. The theatre wired by this specialist fmn (I).
central balustrade was supported by brass posts. At the
first landing the stair case split into left and right staircases The stage area was 62ft. wide by 32ft. deep and was fitted
to the upstairs foyer. A royal blue on grey, patterned carpet witb a sloping floor, a variety of stage curtains and dressing
was used as runners on the stairs and as a large mat in the rooms (stage left and right). Unfortunately the theau·e
upstairs foyer. component of the PR was deficient. The thean·e was not
equipped with a fly tower or a loading dock. ln fact vehi-
The upstairs foyer ran the full width of the building and cles could not even access the two lanes which ran down
featured a vaulted ceiling heavily adorned with plaster pan- each side of the building, due to the location of the fire exit
els and delicate designs of the Adam period; this treatment staircases. Nevertheless. the PR hosted many liveenteJtain-
was continued on the foyer walls. Two small balconies ments in its early years.
opened to the front of the theatre (mainly for ventilation
purposes). The foyer was furnished with fabric covered The P.R refreshment services were leased out to others
club suites, several standard lamps (of various designs) and throughout the life oft he theatre. These included the sweet
aspidistras. shop (on the right hand frontage) and the upstairs foyer candy
counter (complete with soda foulltains). This counter was
Access to the stalls was at either side of the main staircase unused from the 1940's.
whilst the lounge area was entered from a central staircase
leading from the upstairs foyer. Pacific maple panelling The theatre opened with a seating capacity of I ,220 (stalls
was used on the lower sections of the walls in these areas. 680 and balcony 540). The seating capacity had been gradu-
ally reduced to 990 lby the late 1940's. The reduction was
The auditorium was cavernous with the main decorative probably due to the effects of the entertainment tax as well
feature being the deep elliptical proscenium arch, which also as reduction in the number of portable seats in the stalls.
included two opera boxes. Apart from the detailed plaster Five levels of admission prices were charged; these being
decoration of the proscenium the architects incorporated at- front stalls, back stalls, lounge reserve, lounge and dress
tractive latticework panels to disguise the main ventilators. circle. Apart from the front row of twenty-four heavily up-
Ionic columns topped with decorative ledges and transoms holstered chairs in the lounge reserve, all other seats were
stood on each side of the opera boxes. The opera boxes, royal blue leatheretle covered, flip ups with wooden
accessed from the dress circle catwalk exits, were furnished armrests. Each row of seats was fitted with decorative
with cedar-framed chairs and an inlaid cedar table. Blue wrought iron ends. The stalls floor was flal and the seats
velvet curtaining was installed to the stage and in the boxes. were removable (eight seats were anchored to 3 II x I II tim-
A pelmut covered with matching velvet and a PR logo was ber skids). W. Ward and Sons supplied all the seating for
fitted above the stage curtains. The stage curtains were later the thean·e.
replaced with gold brocade.
Heating was provided by means of a plenum hot water sys-
The plaster covered brick piers projected into the audito- tem that piped hot water through wall mow1ted radiators in
rium. These provided a stark modem contrast to the ornate the stalls and through foot warmers in the lounge section. A
stage area and the general delicate plaster decoration used gas, fan forced supplementary system was later added to
throughout the theatre. Pacific Maple panelling was fixed the upstairs section. Two 6ft. and one 4ft. fans were mounted
to the front of the stage and the walls of the orchestra pit above the stage and these had the capacity to move 50,000
(which contained a "baby" grand piano). The decorative cubic feet of air per minute. They were installed by the
plaster theme extended across the front of the circle and in Typhoon Ventilating Coy.
panels around the walls of the theatre. The auditorium was
painted in subdued tonjngs of gold and blue. The bio box was at the rear of the circle and the first projec-
tors were Kalee machines. A Mr. Delevante was the tint
The side wall ventilation windows were disguised with fine projectionist. The last projectors used were fitted with
patterned metal screens topped with decorated plaster arches. Centrex fi lm heads. The sound system was by Westrex.
External shutters were fitted to the windows to provide a Upon closure of the theatre the projectors were sold to the
blackout facility. The stepped down ceiling was decorated Cameo Theatre, Belgrave (Melbourne).
with plaster panels. The house lights were flush fitted into
the ceiling; they were covered with opaque glass and An old Nash car chassis and engine was stored undemeatb
arranged in rows. These were serviced by means of catwalks the stage for emergency power generation. Given the opu-
installed in the ceiling space. lence of the theatre the toilet arrangements were primitive,
thjs was not unusual in public buildings in w1sewered coun-
A state of the art lighting system was installed to present try towns. Ladies and Gents pan serviced toilets were to
spectacular stage lighting effects. Every ten seconds the the rear of the theatre, and were accessed via the laneways
colours dissolved from amber to green, red, blue and white. on each side of the building. These were converted to sep-
A special switchboard was used to automatically achieve tic tanks in the early 1950's and later sewered.
these effects. The electrical finn of E.A. Webb installed six The Prince Regent was opened with great pomp and cer-