Page 18 - cr58

The drawings and photo show a
huge, single-floor auditorium where
maximum seating is the prime
consideration. A demure entry foyer
had stairs to an office. In the
auditorium blocks of seats are separated
by four gangways. The back section
had wide aisles narrowing at the
middle, which continue to the front
stalls. With Griffin’s modifications to
seating in the front and extreme sides,
the capacity was increased from 2,800
to 3,806 persons. There were six side
exits.
Two soda fountains were halfway
along the auditorium, probably because
the foyer was so small. Lavatories were
at the stage end, as well as a storeroom.
The Palais Pictures and Palais De Danse (right) on the Lower Esplanade. The Cheat
As to the area allocated for the
dates the scene as c. 1923.
musicians accompanying the silent
films, nothing is shown on the plans. the seats, which immediately caught
Perhaps the caustic review was an fire. Within 20 minutes the walls on the
expression of disappointment that north side caved in, and a few minutes
Griffin had not matched the originality later the other side followed. The roof
of the Capitol. However with a brief to fell 45 minutes after the fire started.
dress-up a massive ‘shed’, there was no The whole place was a ruin by 4.20pm,
way Griffin could have equalled his all over in one hour.
earlier achievement. Since the project The theatre was fully covered by
was still a work in progress, a ceiling insurance in various companies, stated
may have been planned. company secretary Mr. Garrett Curwin.
The adjoining dance hall also The part-owners were away; Herman
received the Burley-Griffin treatment, Philips in Sydney and Leon Philips was
but less elaborately that in the cinema. on board the liner Ventura bound for
The first band to play in the renovated the United States. He had left
Palais De Dance was an Australian Melbourne the previous day.
combination under the baton of George The fire destroyed the new concrete
Arnold, but advertising made much of facade, all of the orchestra’s
imported floor shows and the latest instruments, scenery belonging to the
dance trends, including American Capitol theatre and many thousands of
(1/p18)
adagio dancers. feet of film. The only item not
destroyed was the theatre safe, which
Blazing Ruins (4/p12)
remained steadfastly in position!
The short-lived and still unfinished
The Fire Brigade’s heroic efforts
Palais Pictures was destroyed by a
were severely hampered. An inadequate
spectacular fire which started at about
water supply forced them to pump
3.30 pm on Wednesday 10 February
water from the River Caves at Luna
1926. The blaze almost took with it the
Park, while burning embers descending
Palais De Danse and threatened Luna
on the dance hall were another
Park. The fire started while nine or ten falling on the ground and seats and all
men were still working. around me. I groped my way to the distraction.
One of them, carpenter Clifford back again, following a sense of Fire Chief Harrie I. Lee said at the
Atkinson of Mary Street, St.Kilda had a direction - I could not see and fell time, “Pure luck that the two buildings
miraculous escape. “I was up a ladder down some stairs and head first into a either side of the picture palace didn’t
near the roof when the blaze ran along door which opened.’ (4/p12) catch alight. And then nothing could
and of course I started to clamber An electrical fault was the cause of have saved the whole Esplanade”. Mr
down. When I was almost halfway the the fire. It started at the back of the Lee went on to say “The Esplanade is a
ladder broke and I tumbled to the stage where a live wire fused on the nightmare to me always. It seems to be
ground. Then I couldn’t find an open ceiling. Flames ran across the top of the made to burn and this is where the
door. I ran to the back door twice and theatre in three minutes. Wax flowers public is invited to!”
the front door, but they were both suspended in planter boxes hung from
locked. By this time the place was full the ceiling caught alight and fell onto
of smoke and the blazing leaves were

18 2008 CINEMARECORD