Page 14 - CR31R.pdf

Above: Theatre Royal, Melbourne 1872. Interior view immediately prior to rebuilding as a three tier auditorium in
1904. Architect: George Browne. Photo: From Theatres In Australia, courtesy Ross Thorne.

Below: Advertisement for the final production to play
at the Theatre Royal: The Maid of the Mountains. 20 May 1916 and Intolerance A plaque commemorating the
from 24 February 1917), Theatre Royal is in the store. ★
church services and political
rallies during its sixty years of
operation. Footnote: The minister of the
The Royal was closed in Independent Church
1933 following the sale of the (Congregational) — now St
Sydney Her Majesty’s Theatre. Michaels Uniting Church in
Now Melbourne — with two Melbourne — was so impressed
large theatres: the Royal and with the acoustics and ambience
the burnt out Her Majesty’s, as of the Theatre Royal when he
well as the Comedy — had preached there, he engaged the
one theatre too many. The same architect to design the
Comedy (1928) was still church using the theatre for
modern. So a decision had to inspiration. Thus the congregation
be made on whether to update sit in an ambience more akin to a
the Royal or rebuild Her theatre than a conventional
Majesty’s Melbourne. With the church.
higher land values in Bourke
Street, the firm decided to sell
the Royal and with the References:
proceeds rebuild Her Majesty’s Most of the information in this
and still retain a considerable article has been derived from
cash balance. Theatre In Australia by John West.
On the site of the Theatre Any error of fact is mine and not
Royal was constructed the art that of Mr West — Fred Page.
deco Manton’s drapery store
which around 1954 became Acknowledgements:
Coles Store No. 200, later Frank Van Straten OAM for
converted with the adjoining checking article and providing
Esquire cinema into the additional information.
Melbourne Target department Bernie Halperin.
store.

14 Spring 2001 CINEMARECORD